Yeah, I'm excited...it'll be nice to have the pressure nozzle turned down a bit. I wonder if, instead of Kling, they can try Reyna at the 6, with Payne at RB. I'm still pretty hesitant for her to be in a central position that needs to be verrry clean on the ball, but these are low risk games worth trying something else besides Kling in t…
Yeah, I'm excited...it'll be nice to have the pressure nozzle turned down a bit. I wonder if, instead of Kling, they can try Reyna at the 6, with Payne at RB. I'm still pretty hesitant for her to be in a central position that needs to be verrry clean on the ball, but these are low risk games worth trying something else besides Kling in the 6 (which has been consistently bad.) We could also try Müller, who I think has played in midfield (hearsay from...somewhere?) and who I think would actually be better than Reyes. Buuut I hate to remove her from LB, where she's been pretty consistently good. But it would also allow Reyna to play her more natural LB position. (Why not try both?!)
I'll also be really disappointed to see Sinc starting any of these games. Like, there is absolutely no reason in any of these cup games not to give those development minutes to our starved young forwards who desperately need them. Especially to just sit behind a 41 yr old player who can't do much and is retiring next season. I mean, if we win-cool, but otherwise forget the cup and get the players developed with real game minutes. Those players need minutes because once our int'ls are back, they'll be few and far between again.
And lastly, if they have a coach in mind already AND they're available- get 'em in now. I'm glad Gale got the win, but I really hope they're still out there looking/interviewing. He's been layin' it on pretty thick lately lol, and I hope it doesn't distract from the overall play when they're considering who they hire. I hope the Bhathals and the FO will really make use of this time to get some internal housecleaning done around the offices. Hire up. Send out scouts to the Olympics. Maybe give us more info about this training facility. Waive some folks/sign some folks. I listened to a recent Stumptown Footy pod episode and Phuoc mentioned that they plan to be pretty active in the summer market...that he was expecting at least 3 signings. Kinda surprising considering we're already over the limit and would need to shed multiple players and haven't been linked with anyone (and also, you'd think a permanent coach would wanna have input on any signings.) Well...haven't heard or seen anything yet and I keep watching some good Euro players sign contracts overseas...so I sure hope that's true! Side note- do you know if, instead of waiving certain players, we can change their contract status to an NTRP instead? For instance, rather than waiving Sheva, McKenzie, Asman, ect..., we can turn them into NTRP's and then also have freed up space on the roster. Is this a thing that can be done? Or like, waive them and immediately re-sign them as an NTRP?
Also also...did you see Tommy Stroot was linked to United? Booooooo.
I personally don't see the Reyes at the six thing at all. I know she's done it in college blah blah, but nothing at all about her skillset screams "pro-level center midfielder" to me. At this point I don't really see a tremendous difference between her at LB and RB either, which is a credit to her. Müller's never played the six to my knowledge --she played on the wing on occasion for Freiburg-- but I'm sure she could probably do it.....but then Kling is at the other FB and I don't love that. I've seen Kling play well at the six and I know she *can* do it, so she'd be my choice, especially since the third midfielder is probably OWK and it would be nice to have a veteran presence next to her.
I'm sure Sinc will play, and probably play a lot. It sucks. There was a time (like, 2021) where I had some sympathy from a "respect for the declining club legend" perspective, but I've been on the angry side for a few years now. Idk if this is a hot take (and I'm not really a massive believer in Izzy's long term potential anyhow), but I think Sinc's presence *on the field* has had a legitimately detrimental impact on Izzy's growth over the last two seasons and it SUCKS. There's an argument the same is happening to Linnehan, and even Dias. Young players need minutes.
I was leaning towards waiting until the end of the year to make the coaching change unless they have a real plan to spend big this summer both because I don't really think a new coach is elevating *this* roster to a shield (probably already too far behind) or championship winning level, and because this team has had so much coaching turnover. Hearing from Phuoc that they expect to spend is really interesting. IF they make some real signings --and not just Payne/Obaze level signings, but a real attacking star-- then bringing in a new coach midseason makes a little more sense to me. I'd guess that if that happens, they're probably pretty close on a coach. Teams usually figure out ways to get around roster crunches- I wouldn't be surprised if they just buy out a few contracts if they end up making new signings (and yeah, they probably could do what you mention re: NTRPs if the bought out players cleared waivers after getting bought out).
I did see the Stroot thing, no idea why he'd go to United given the state of their women's side atm.
Yeah, I'm excited...it'll be nice to have the pressure nozzle turned down a bit. I wonder if, instead of Kling, they can try Reyna at the 6, with Payne at RB. I'm still pretty hesitant for her to be in a central position that needs to be verrry clean on the ball, but these are low risk games worth trying something else besides Kling in the 6 (which has been consistently bad.) We could also try Müller, who I think has played in midfield (hearsay from...somewhere?) and who I think would actually be better than Reyes. Buuut I hate to remove her from LB, where she's been pretty consistently good. But it would also allow Reyna to play her more natural LB position. (Why not try both?!)
I'll also be really disappointed to see Sinc starting any of these games. Like, there is absolutely no reason in any of these cup games not to give those development minutes to our starved young forwards who desperately need them. Especially to just sit behind a 41 yr old player who can't do much and is retiring next season. I mean, if we win-cool, but otherwise forget the cup and get the players developed with real game minutes. Those players need minutes because once our int'ls are back, they'll be few and far between again.
And lastly, if they have a coach in mind already AND they're available- get 'em in now. I'm glad Gale got the win, but I really hope they're still out there looking/interviewing. He's been layin' it on pretty thick lately lol, and I hope it doesn't distract from the overall play when they're considering who they hire. I hope the Bhathals and the FO will really make use of this time to get some internal housecleaning done around the offices. Hire up. Send out scouts to the Olympics. Maybe give us more info about this training facility. Waive some folks/sign some folks. I listened to a recent Stumptown Footy pod episode and Phuoc mentioned that they plan to be pretty active in the summer market...that he was expecting at least 3 signings. Kinda surprising considering we're already over the limit and would need to shed multiple players and haven't been linked with anyone (and also, you'd think a permanent coach would wanna have input on any signings.) Well...haven't heard or seen anything yet and I keep watching some good Euro players sign contracts overseas...so I sure hope that's true! Side note- do you know if, instead of waiving certain players, we can change their contract status to an NTRP instead? For instance, rather than waiving Sheva, McKenzie, Asman, ect..., we can turn them into NTRP's and then also have freed up space on the roster. Is this a thing that can be done? Or like, waive them and immediately re-sign them as an NTRP?
Also also...did you see Tommy Stroot was linked to United? Booooooo.
I personally don't see the Reyes at the six thing at all. I know she's done it in college blah blah, but nothing at all about her skillset screams "pro-level center midfielder" to me. At this point I don't really see a tremendous difference between her at LB and RB either, which is a credit to her. Müller's never played the six to my knowledge --she played on the wing on occasion for Freiburg-- but I'm sure she could probably do it.....but then Kling is at the other FB and I don't love that. I've seen Kling play well at the six and I know she *can* do it, so she'd be my choice, especially since the third midfielder is probably OWK and it would be nice to have a veteran presence next to her.
I'm sure Sinc will play, and probably play a lot. It sucks. There was a time (like, 2021) where I had some sympathy from a "respect for the declining club legend" perspective, but I've been on the angry side for a few years now. Idk if this is a hot take (and I'm not really a massive believer in Izzy's long term potential anyhow), but I think Sinc's presence *on the field* has had a legitimately detrimental impact on Izzy's growth over the last two seasons and it SUCKS. There's an argument the same is happening to Linnehan, and even Dias. Young players need minutes.
I was leaning towards waiting until the end of the year to make the coaching change unless they have a real plan to spend big this summer both because I don't really think a new coach is elevating *this* roster to a shield (probably already too far behind) or championship winning level, and because this team has had so much coaching turnover. Hearing from Phuoc that they expect to spend is really interesting. IF they make some real signings --and not just Payne/Obaze level signings, but a real attacking star-- then bringing in a new coach midseason makes a little more sense to me. I'd guess that if that happens, they're probably pretty close on a coach. Teams usually figure out ways to get around roster crunches- I wouldn't be surprised if they just buy out a few contracts if they end up making new signings (and yeah, they probably could do what you mention re: NTRPs if the bought out players cleared waivers after getting bought out).
I did see the Stroot thing, no idea why he'd go to United given the state of their women's side atm.