How Did You Get On? The 07-08 version...

[darren_brady@msn.com]

well done on winning the league
i tried to get all my players to score but it just never worked out but the girls weren't that bothered

daz

[Val]

We lost 1-0 to a team we beat two weeks ago 4-2. Much bigger problems holding team shape this weekend. I've started playing the 4-4-2 with a defensive mid and attacking mid (as opposed to a flatter midfield), and after week of playing well, my DMs lost shape and became more of 5 man back four and my AM played as a third forward, leaving huge holes in midfield all day. I've learned as a coach that if the team starts out retaining shape, we do well all game, regardless of who I place where. By the same token, as I plugged girls back into the smae positions they had done so well with last week, we never regained shape. Frustrating. We were the better team, I think, but didn't show it on Sunday. This week we've got the best team in a rematch of our rain-called game from last week.

[Val]

Won 3-0. Finally got other girls scoring. My best player has scored, up to this point, 11 of our 14 goals, but yesterday, everyone else picked up the slack. One girl has learned to make runs into the box in anticipation of the cross, scored a beauty and had a second fine shot that another player converted the rebound from. And my worst player, who is also the most combative/physical player, bulled her way in for the score as well. Now we’re off for a week (Mother’s Day in the US) before our final regular season game. We’ve clinched second, which is fine for me, given that this was a new team.

[Val]

Had a pickup game on Saturday, very wet, and we played well and won 4-1. Moved some players around: one defender who doesn't like playing forward, played striker very well. I moved a wing defender into the middle and she struggled but played gamely. My best player did a great job involving everyone in the play, passed up two clear shots to give other girls a chance to shoot, and she was more communicative today. Actually, all the girls are starting to talk. It's not onfield coaching, more passing along compliments really, but it is a welcome progression. And one of my best athletes really came on, she's developing a couple of turns and so she's much better at switching play. Most importantly, it was just fun to watch and the girls had fun playing.

[Val]

Big game tomorrow. Well, maybe not. We play the weakest team in the division. If we win very big, like on the order of 7-0 or better, we take first in the league (and it's the last game of the season). Win small, and we finish second, tie or lose and we finish third. How's that for a tight league?

I'm not about to try to pile it on against a team that is 1-6 (and who only beat the other weakest team in the league) and I'm not sure my girls have the mentality either, so I'm just telling the girls that if they win, they finish second and get a trophy, or that if they lose or tie they finish 3rd and get a handshake from me.

[Val]

Well, we won big, 5-0, but it turns out the league had decided that goal differential or head-head record didn't matter. If you are tied on points, there's a playoff, so we have a playoff game for second, maybe in two weeks. There is one team that is clearly better (though we only lost to them in the wind tunnel game), there's my team and the team we split two games with, and there were the remaining three teams.

Good game, though, today. We held possession well, two of my good, but certainly not great, players had their best performances of the season, we got goals from 5 different players, and my most athletic player has really turned the corner and is playing with as much skill as she athletic ability. Light rain all first half, but the rain stopped in the second half and we had just a good time all around. Good times...

[tony75]

Season finished last week. won 1 and drew the other. lads finished 6 points clear, and are hoping to get promoted 2 leagues up so they can be scouted by Premier League clubs. Will be more physical, and higher pressure, but unfortunately due to family commitments & money issues I cant make it next season, so I hoep they get a manager who has an understanding of technique & their requirements to improve.

[Val]

That's harsh, Tony, not being able to contine with your players, though I've changed teams repeatedly over the past 4-5 years. Congratulations on a good season, though.

[JCoupe]

Tied for #1 in the final standings out of 8 teams.

Lost 4-3 in double overtime in the league finals.

Lost 2-1 in the cup finals.

yah, this year we collected 2nd in all leagues, last year was 1st *sigh*