11-11-2017, 11:03 PM
(This post was last modified: 11-11-2017, 11:14 PM by Viking_Guy.)
F07--
The loss at Florida, second goal was a size thing - after Stanford spurned three golden chances to make it 3-1, including a wide open net by Kuhlmann, Florida launched a long ball from the right into the back post. A 5'5" midfielder, Gabby Seilor, was matched up against 5'1" (if that) Kiki Pickett. She outjumped her to pound in a three-yard header.
Goal conceded to $C - not a great headed clearance by Cook to the top of the box knocked back in for a turning finish when Stanford's defenders were slow to react.
The latter two goals at Florida were also against a backup left back, like tonight - can't remember, but I think it was Hiatt, who replaced a banged-up McGrady in the second half. Both goals started on the right side, with passes getting through into the middle of the box.
What I'm worried about - a fast big team, even if not that skilled, playing negative soccer and bunkering in, looking for a set piece or counter-attacking chance. A knock down header from that restart into a scrum in the middle of the box getting toe-poked in, then an even more furious and physical bunker.
The other thing I worry about - that big physical team being able to body our players off the ball, and the referee deciding to "let the players decide it." It seems to happen to our women's soccer team like it has in the past to our women's basketball team - other teams strategy against a supremely skilled team is "We can't beat them, but we can beat them up." Watching the game today, UVU wasn't very skilled, but was pretty fast, and their players generally were 2-3 inches taller than Stanford's, at least in watching the matchups on set pieces.
I was glad to see Averie Collins get some minutes tonight - as TroyC said, she's made some big goals in the past for the Cardinal, and is probably our best heading target for a front-line player (haven't seen Haley really connect on one yet.) DiBiasi and Carusa get on the end of them, but mostly by being in the right place. We haven't had a true deadly aerial target since Mariah Nogueira graduated.
VG
EDIT: And, by the way, big physical teams? Florida State, Penn State, and West Virginia. And Auburn is one of those "defense first, last, and only" SEC teams - they've scored 25 goals and allowed 22 in 19 matches. They beat Florida 1-0 in the regular season before losing to them by the same score in the SEC tourney. And they won their game today against Hofstra 1-0 as well.
The loss at Florida, second goal was a size thing - after Stanford spurned three golden chances to make it 3-1, including a wide open net by Kuhlmann, Florida launched a long ball from the right into the back post. A 5'5" midfielder, Gabby Seilor, was matched up against 5'1" (if that) Kiki Pickett. She outjumped her to pound in a three-yard header.
Goal conceded to $C - not a great headed clearance by Cook to the top of the box knocked back in for a turning finish when Stanford's defenders were slow to react.
The latter two goals at Florida were also against a backup left back, like tonight - can't remember, but I think it was Hiatt, who replaced a banged-up McGrady in the second half. Both goals started on the right side, with passes getting through into the middle of the box.
What I'm worried about - a fast big team, even if not that skilled, playing negative soccer and bunkering in, looking for a set piece or counter-attacking chance. A knock down header from that restart into a scrum in the middle of the box getting toe-poked in, then an even more furious and physical bunker.
The other thing I worry about - that big physical team being able to body our players off the ball, and the referee deciding to "let the players decide it." It seems to happen to our women's soccer team like it has in the past to our women's basketball team - other teams strategy against a supremely skilled team is "We can't beat them, but we can beat them up." Watching the game today, UVU wasn't very skilled, but was pretty fast, and their players generally were 2-3 inches taller than Stanford's, at least in watching the matchups on set pieces.
I was glad to see Averie Collins get some minutes tonight - as TroyC said, she's made some big goals in the past for the Cardinal, and is probably our best heading target for a front-line player (haven't seen Haley really connect on one yet.) DiBiasi and Carusa get on the end of them, but mostly by being in the right place. We haven't had a true deadly aerial target since Mariah Nogueira graduated.
VG
EDIT: And, by the way, big physical teams? Florida State, Penn State, and West Virginia. And Auburn is one of those "defense first, last, and only" SEC teams - they've scored 25 goals and allowed 22 in 19 matches. They beat Florida 1-0 in the regular season before losing to them by the same score in the SEC tourney. And they won their game today against Hofstra 1-0 as well.