D2 Saturday

Big Blue v Gold
The Bus v Premier
SF v DTFW
DTN v Spence
East v Feet

What say ye, ye old forumsters

I wouldn't be surprised to see 5 dogfights...

Parker and SG is really must-win for both or bussey has a chance to make space between them and the rest. SG comes off a big win over Feet and Sting CP is rolling. Last time it was 2.0, but SG wasn't good. Hopefully the girls play better this time. If SG starts slow it is over early (again). If Parker is held off early, this goes to the wire.

Bussey 2:0 Premier...I think Bussey is too much, but FCDP keeps it pretty close.

Sting F 1:1 DTFW. I would have picked the minor upset w DTFW winning 1.0, but I don't know if SF gets CPPs to make the difference. DTFW is hanging tough though. I would be surprised to see more than a goal against them.

DTN 1:1 Spence. I think it goes back and forth. If ref doesn't call it tight DTN can get out w the win. Should be a good game.

FCDE 2:2.5 Feet. Feet could get them, but FCDE seems to have found something lately. I think this is very close. If Feet didn't regroup well after Wednesday, FCDE can steal it.

Well thought out. Ok:

Big Blue v Gold: agree with dad mostly; could be interesting for sure; definitely the game of the day. I could see a draw here, maybe 0-0 or 1-1

The Bus v Premier: I think closer than most might. If FCDP can get it to early or mid 2nd and still tied, it can end that way. However,I think the Bus takes it 2-1

SF v DTFW: player pass wildcard, but I think the westies take this one 1-0

DTN v Spence: north snaps out of their downward trend and rights the ship, at least for this weekend 2-1 or 1-0

East v Feet: curious matchup. Not sure East has found something as dad suggests. The real question is does Feet rebound after the SG game. If they can, they win. If they mail it in now that they're out of the running for the top spot, East can take them. I'll go 1-0 or 2-0 Feet

I've got to agree with your comments/predictions Net. Only add is that SF by the CPP rule shouldn't have any unless they are using ECNL players that aren't dual rostered. Not sure who've they been using but all the D1 Sting teams are also playing on Satruday so they wouldn't be eligible to play (legally). With that said, I also think DTFW comes away with 3pts.

backofthenet Come on with all due respect and I mean WITH all due RESPECT that's all you see for Sting Parker is a TIE they have only allowed 3 goals in 13 games in Lakehighlands play. Plus they have beaten both Solar and Bussey THEY have scored 31 goals to 16 for Solar now if you put the tournaments in with that total it's 22 games played with another 2 goals given and 9 goals scored and they went to Washington DC and WON Wages so please give Sting Parker something besides a TIE.

00Talent wrote: backofthenet Come on with all due respect and I mean WITH all due RESPECT that's all you see for Sting Parker is a TIE they have only allowed 3 goals in 13 games in Lakehighlands play. Plus they have beaten both Solar and Bussey THEY  have scored 31 goals to 16 for Solar now if you put the tournaments in with that total it's 22 games played with another 2 goals given and 9 goals scored and they went to Washington DC and WON Wages so please give Sting Parker something besides a TIE.

Did you forget about the 3 ties Sting Parker had in the fall? Given that history a tie is certainly possible.

And this is why you play the game. As Dad stated, could be 5 dogfights today.

All I can say is WOOF.   

Sg wins 1.0 in last minute

WTG Dad

It was an intense game. Very physical and went back and forth all game. Sting had chances, SG had chances. The one that scored was a free kick on a foul from about 10-15 outside the box. GK made an excellent save to keep the shot out, but the ball fell on the foot of SG for the put back. GK was injured on the play. Both teams were close several times before that. Parker cleared one off the line. SG survived some heavy fire and a few free kicks as well. Dogfight for sure.

Okay...what else happened??

00Talent wrote: backofthenet Come on with all due respect and I mean WITH all due RESPECT that's all you see for Sting Parker is a TIE they have only allowed 3 goals in 13 games in Lakehighlands play. Plus they have beaten both Solar and Bussey THEY  have scored 31 goals to 16 for Solar now if you put the tournaments in with that total it's 22 games played with another 2 goals given and 9 goals scored and they went to Washington DC and WON Wages so please give Sting Parker something besides a TIE.

Hmmmm, well you were right, backofnet was wrong in his prediction.  This stat update just in: SG has now scored 17 goals, and Parker has allowed 4 goals (excluding tournament play).

Congrats SG!

Umm, 00Talent, your request "so please give Sting Parker something besides a TIE" seems to have been granted!"   

I saw half of the game (other half the bus).

A blind squirrel finds a but every now and then. Honestly, I am as impartial and unbiased in my observations and comments as anyone. Here's what I believe is accurate:

Bus/FCDP: wind was the name of the game. Goal by FC put Bus in his heals. Late fallout by FC gave the Mustangs the opportunity they needed. Again, wind was the 12th man. You have to be able to play The Bus the proper way, we all know that. If teams don't, they'll keep getting stung by the 'stangs.

Big blue/Gold: contrary to dad's assessment of the "back and forth game"....not really at all. It was definitely the tale of 2 styles of teams. Blue played the dominant game, possession, control, attack....can't be argued. Gold was very direct, few possession at best, but it offset the continual surge of Blue. I saw 7-8 min of the first half and most of the second. If you didn't know or see a score you would've thought Blue was rolling. "The call" was ticky-tack, but gold took advantage; something Blue couldn't do. Also (as an assigner and evaluator or referees) should've been a no call at owe art and called a foul on the goal. Keeper was exposed and was run through.

In the end, the game is about converting chances. Gold converted theirs, Blue fell short. 00 Talent missed it.

Beat of luck to all as the season wraps up.

backofthenet wrote:I saw half of the game (other half the bus).

Big blue/Gold: contrary to dad's assessment of the "back and forth game"....not really at all. It was definitely the tale of 2 styles of teams. Blue played the dominant game, possession, control, attack....can't be argued. Gold was very direct, few possession at best, but it offset the continual surge of Blue. I saw 7-8 min of the first half and most of the second. If you didn't know or see a score you would've thought Blue was rolling. "The call" was ticky-tack, but gold took advantage; something Blue couldn't do. Also (as an assigner and evaluator or referees) should've been a no call at owe art and called a foul on the goal. Keeper was exposed and was run through.

In the end, the game is about converting chances. Gold converted theirs, Blue fell short. 00 Talent missed it.

Beat of luck to all as the season wraps up.

First, note that there is no dog pile from me...I am not trying to dig anyone. Sting fought hard-kudos to them, glad my dd won. They are still ahead of SG in the standings for good reason. They are a very talented team. They severely outplayed us last time and earned their win. We put one away this time.

Second, I agree with what you say to some extent.  Sting and Solar play divergent styles.  I agree that Sting tried to possess the ball and worked to controlled attacks.  I disagree that Sting dominated the game.

They held possession for more of it, but both teams had numerous attacks...and when I say it was pretty even, I didn't necessarily mean in possession, I meant in opportunities. Sting out possessed SG. A lot of that possession was building from the back...by design...and they were very close several times. The game was a dogfight.

Solar has always played a more direct style and recovering defensively is a large part of what the girls do.  SG knew from the first matchup that Sting wanted possession, and would hold the ball deep in order to maintain it, so keeping their possession away from SGs goal was part of the plan...deny chances and hang in...The plan by SG was to pressure up top, stay behind the ball, then counter.  That is what the girls did.  When they had chances to possess and push forward, they did.  BTW-that is a pretty typical formula for SG...ask any opponent.

I am a little bothered by the fact that you are a referee assignor who thinks the call was "ticky-tack". You describe exactly what is wrong with the no-calls we see weekly. Charging through a player who clearly has possession to get to a ball IS a foul...every time.  It happened right in front of me, and the ball was at the SG midfielder's foot in clear possession (ball on foot, head up looking for a back pass).  The Sting player pushed through her and cleaned the offensive player out from behind leaving her face first on the ground and missing a shoe.  It wasn't a dirty play, but it was an indisputable foul. I don't see how it could be seen otherwise. I am NOT claiming SG didn't foul in the match. There were fouls both ways. I didn't see really DIRTY play, just tough physical play overall-both ways.

I don't agree with you that the goal should have been called back; the ref had a clear view of the play, and there was zero hesitation in her no-call.  It was one of those plays that we have all seen a hundred times.  The keeper made an awesome initial save pushing the ball back out into the box or it would have gone directly in the top corner.  The fact that the ball popped back out to about 2 yards off the line and there were several SG players there to finish it off was fortunate/unfortunate depending on which sideline you were on.  I heard after the fact that the keeper was hit on the play, but it was the result of two teams fighting for a loose ball, not SG trying to "run through" the keeper.

The keeper didn't ever have possession.  The ball was in play.  To say she was "run through" when you dismiss the foul that brought on the kick shows significant bias IMO.

You didn't mention or note the fact that Sting received a generous foul call near the top of SGs box and played a ball out to the side DIRECTLY out of bounds...and when the ref didn't see it...they were allowed a re-kick for no reason whatsoever. Their second shot went over the bar.

I do realize that everyone is entitled to an opinion, but I also feel like directly disputing mine deserves an answer. I have no hard feelings toward backofthenet, so we can agree to disagree on that call and the assessment of the game. I also want to note that you don't come across as particularly disparaging to SG in this, and I appreciate your comments if for no other reason than it livens up an otherwise relatively subdued board. I personally like the way that Sting plays, and I thought the game was a nail biter. Best of luck to Sting...SG would love to catch you in the standings, but you have certainly been more consistent over the season than we have, and you have earned the place where you sit in the table. Hopefully, SG can run Bussey down Wednesday...ending the Feet, SCP, Bussey gauntlet...and thus tangentially helping your cause.

To me, Sting will be the favorite in each of their games from here on, and if they can carry it out, they deserve promotion. If not, Bussey will have earned it...if neither of those, hopefully SG does the unthinkable and sneaks in. Whoever DOES achieve it will have earned it! As it should be.

SG has been winning tight matches for the past 2 years. They finish most matches that are close in the 2nd half.

Dad, (not taking anything away from win) I have to ask: Did SCP press at the end when a tie was in sight and get caught in a counter-attack?