So for all I think she porked the pup with Kuikka our favorite pink-coated GM has otherwise managed to fill in the roster pretty damn nicely, so overall? Take ten bucks out of petty cash, KK. Good job.
Now the real test begins.
Because we had a strong roster last season and several shortcomings - but largely on matchday and r…
So for all I think she porked the pup with Kuikka our favorite pink-coated GM has otherwise managed to fill in the roster pretty damn nicely, so overall? Take ten bucks out of petty cash, KK. Good job.
Now the real test begins.
Because we had a strong roster last season and several shortcomings - but largely on matchday and roster management - managed to trip the squad up in both vying for the Shield in the season and in the semifinal in the playoffs.
So the question becomes; is our head coach learning?
Presuming he and LeBlanc successfully sort out the RB question this should be a hellishly hard squad to beat this coming season.
Will it? I hope so!
We've got about 52 days before we begin finding out.
Becky provides a stability that helps other players improve. Kling started to reemerge when put next to her, because she makes the right decision almost always. She was the #1 retain from FA. Glad she’s back.
Some are talking about a 3-5-2, presumably with new signing Fleming opposite Reyes as a wingback. Thoughts? I pretty much irrationally hate a 3-5-2 and feel like people are just being sentimental about trying to get all of their favorite players on the field together at the same time rather than thinking about what works. I don't see Kling as part of a back 3. I don't want to sit Reyes for her at this point either. If we play her as a left wingback, does that relegate Reyes to the bench in favor or Fleming on the right? That's crap. Reyes has some growing to do but I don't think she should be on the bench now. Or, do we play Reyes as RB and Kling at LB? We'd still need fullback depth.
I'm not confident in our forwards/strikers behind Smith yet either. I just haven't seen enough of Izzy or Beckie to think they can score enough goals.
Also, I'm assuming Sinc is a supersub at this point, but she started more games than I thought she would last season. Is she a CAM or a forward now? If she starts, is it Hina or Moultrie sitting?
How do we look during the Olympics?
I hope we make more moves. I'm personally a bit annoyed at the retirement laps but I respect letting players say goodbye to the supporters and appreciate how valuable veterans can be in the transition to new ownership.
When do we need to panic about re-signing Smith? She's worth more than Swanson, yeah?
No, no, no, no. No No No. No. I never want to see a 3/5 back ever again unless Antonio Conte randomly decides he wants to start coaching woso in Portland, and Norris wants to play 4-3-3 anyhow. But even so:
- It would be Beckie as the RWB with Reyes on the left. Jessie Fleming ain't playing a minute of RB/RWB. Neither Reyes or Beckie have the pace to be an effective wingback.
- We only have 3 competent CBs (and that's assuming Obaze figures the league out relatively quickly), so there's no reason to have all three of them on the field at once
- Any 4-back formation gets all the good players on the field more effectively anyhow because defense is our weakest positional group. Assuming no new additions and barring any Sinc shenanigans, the lineup should be pretty straightforward: Hogan, Kling-Becky-Hubly-Reyes, Coffey-Fleming-Moultrie, Weaver-Smith-Hina.
Thanks, I had assumed that you need to have pacy wingbacks to play a 3/5 but wasn't sure. I can see the logic behind the opposite being true, though, in that since you have 3 CBs instead of just 2, that makes it less reliant on your outside backs being able to track down forwards on a counter.
It's because wing backs in 3-5-2 are really just wingers with added defensive duties, so they have to cover a TON of ground both offensively. 3/5 backs also often have super mobile sixes to cover the wings when the wingback is caught up field, and for all Sam's great atrributes.....she doesn't have the athleticism to cover the wings in addition to doing all the other stuff she's really good at.
3-in-the-back requires pace on the part of all three to work. That's just an unavoidable ramification of the extra space (unless the wingbacks are playing deep all the time, which negates the whole point). We have some wonderful players out of which to form our back line...but in several cases, pace isn't really in their toolbox. Even a later-career Menges is still fast enough (just not the absolute blur she was early on); no one else really is fast enough for 3-in-the-back.
It also calls for at least one fullback and/or defensive mid who is essentially a center back at times. That’s not Coffey, Kling, or Reyes but maybe Nally? We’d still lack speed, quality, and consistency though.
If we have the roster for a three-CB formation? Fine! Not sure we do, and not sure Norris would go there; he was pretty locked into the 4-3-3 last season even when it looked pretty clear that his roster worked better in a 4-2-3-1.
Sport - if it means anything - is about not giving away the gift. That means as a player you give your all…including knowing when your all is no longer good enough to help your team.
So to drag some beloved player around for some sort of farewell tour when that player is clearly barely replacement-level is unfair to the player’s teammates and, frankly, to the player.
Smith is signed thru ‘24. If she hasn’t extended by the end of the year? Then, yes; worry.
We have to show Sophia that Portland is the best place for her long term. It’s a quick flight to her boyfriend and family as well as close to Nike. The new ownership is off to a great start bringing in Fleming. I was worried about Smith’s stagnant comment.
With the versatility of Sugita and Weaver, I think the formation kind of morphs during the game.
I’m curious to see what they do. I could see them bring in a RB or move Beckie to RB. Her defensive press isn’t what I want in the position, and I’d prefer they don’t, but her offensive skill set is a fit there and Norris tends to focus on offensive roles.
would KK play the Canada card again and bring in CNT RB Riviere from Man U. From what I can tell she splits time there. Would she be an upgrade or level player?
She just signed a 3 year contract about a week ago. She would have been a target if not for that extension. My guess is we probably inquired and they locked her up
Which cost him in the end; both the final regular season matchday and the semifinal were defensive breakdowns. That’s only acceptable if Smith goes all Brazil and smart opponents know that and throw a rug over her.
Hopefully we’ll see a more complete tactical setup this season.
What a relief.
So for all I think she porked the pup with Kuikka our favorite pink-coated GM has otherwise managed to fill in the roster pretty damn nicely, so overall? Take ten bucks out of petty cash, KK. Good job.
Now the real test begins.
Because we had a strong roster last season and several shortcomings - but largely on matchday and roster management - managed to trip the squad up in both vying for the Shield in the season and in the semifinal in the playoffs.
So the question becomes; is our head coach learning?
Presuming he and LeBlanc successfully sort out the RB question this should be a hellishly hard squad to beat this coming season.
Will it? I hope so!
We've got about 52 days before we begin finding out.
Becky provides a stability that helps other players improve. Kling started to reemerge when put next to her, because she makes the right decision almost always. She was the #1 retain from FA. Glad she’s back.
Some are talking about a 3-5-2, presumably with new signing Fleming opposite Reyes as a wingback. Thoughts? I pretty much irrationally hate a 3-5-2 and feel like people are just being sentimental about trying to get all of their favorite players on the field together at the same time rather than thinking about what works. I don't see Kling as part of a back 3. I don't want to sit Reyes for her at this point either. If we play her as a left wingback, does that relegate Reyes to the bench in favor or Fleming on the right? That's crap. Reyes has some growing to do but I don't think she should be on the bench now. Or, do we play Reyes as RB and Kling at LB? We'd still need fullback depth.
I'm not confident in our forwards/strikers behind Smith yet either. I just haven't seen enough of Izzy or Beckie to think they can score enough goals.
Also, I'm assuming Sinc is a supersub at this point, but she started more games than I thought she would last season. Is she a CAM or a forward now? If she starts, is it Hina or Moultrie sitting?
How do we look during the Olympics?
I hope we make more moves. I'm personally a bit annoyed at the retirement laps but I respect letting players say goodbye to the supporters and appreciate how valuable veterans can be in the transition to new ownership.
When do we need to panic about re-signing Smith? She's worth more than Swanson, yeah?
No, no, no, no. No No No. No. I never want to see a 3/5 back ever again unless Antonio Conte randomly decides he wants to start coaching woso in Portland, and Norris wants to play 4-3-3 anyhow. But even so:
- It would be Beckie as the RWB with Reyes on the left. Jessie Fleming ain't playing a minute of RB/RWB. Neither Reyes or Beckie have the pace to be an effective wingback.
- We only have 3 competent CBs (and that's assuming Obaze figures the league out relatively quickly), so there's no reason to have all three of them on the field at once
- Any 4-back formation gets all the good players on the field more effectively anyhow because defense is our weakest positional group. Assuming no new additions and barring any Sinc shenanigans, the lineup should be pretty straightforward: Hogan, Kling-Becky-Hubly-Reyes, Coffey-Fleming-Moultrie, Weaver-Smith-Hina.
Thank you. Can you reword this argument for Timbers supporters as well?
Thanks, I had assumed that you need to have pacy wingbacks to play a 3/5 but wasn't sure. I can see the logic behind the opposite being true, though, in that since you have 3 CBs instead of just 2, that makes it less reliant on your outside backs being able to track down forwards on a counter.
It's because wing backs in 3-5-2 are really just wingers with added defensive duties, so they have to cover a TON of ground both offensively. 3/5 backs also often have super mobile sixes to cover the wings when the wingback is caught up field, and for all Sam's great atrributes.....she doesn't have the athleticism to cover the wings in addition to doing all the other stuff she's really good at.
Ok, that makes sense, thanks.
3-in-the-back requires pace on the part of all three to work. That's just an unavoidable ramification of the extra space (unless the wingbacks are playing deep all the time, which negates the whole point). We have some wonderful players out of which to form our back line...but in several cases, pace isn't really in their toolbox. Even a later-career Menges is still fast enough (just not the absolute blur she was early on); no one else really is fast enough for 3-in-the-back.
It also calls for at least one fullback and/or defensive mid who is essentially a center back at times. That’s not Coffey, Kling, or Reyes but maybe Nally? We’d still lack speed, quality, and consistency though.
If we have the roster for a three-CB formation? Fine! Not sure we do, and not sure Norris would go there; he was pretty locked into the 4-3-3 last season even when it looked pretty clear that his roster worked better in a 4-2-3-1.
Sport - if it means anything - is about not giving away the gift. That means as a player you give your all…including knowing when your all is no longer good enough to help your team.
So to drag some beloved player around for some sort of farewell tour when that player is clearly barely replacement-level is unfair to the player’s teammates and, frankly, to the player.
Smith is signed thru ‘24. If she hasn’t extended by the end of the year? Then, yes; worry.
We have to show Sophia that Portland is the best place for her long term. It’s a quick flight to her boyfriend and family as well as close to Nike. The new ownership is off to a great start bringing in Fleming. I was worried about Smith’s stagnant comment.
With the versatility of Sugita and Weaver, I think the formation kind of morphs during the game.
I’m curious to see what they do. I could see them bring in a RB or move Beckie to RB. Her defensive press isn’t what I want in the position, and I’d prefer they don’t, but her offensive skill set is a fit there and Norris tends to focus on offensive roles.
would KK play the Canada card again and bring in CNT RB Riviere from Man U. From what I can tell she splits time there. Would she be an upgrade or level player?
She just signed a 3 year contract about a week ago. She would have been a target if not for that extension. My guess is we probably inquired and they locked her up
Which cost him in the end; both the final regular season matchday and the semifinal were defensive breakdowns. That’s only acceptable if Smith goes all Brazil and smart opponents know that and throw a rug over her.
Hopefully we’ll see a more complete tactical setup this season.