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No. 13/8 Rutgers Women's Soccer Begins Big Ten Play at Home with Minnesota and Wisconsin

The Conference has a lot of parity this year. This is also one of the weakest Penn State teams in quite some time...
 
Suprised about PSU as they have had top notch recruiting - may be just a matter of time till they get it together. Iowa is surprisingly good at 8-0. Michigan is rising and will be a very difficult opponent - beat 2 ranked teams so far. MSU is 7-1 but their schedule looks a bit on the weak side. No givens in the B1G.
 
RUDad, I was wondering if you could share any of the specifics about what the program will have in the new Rodkin Center and if the fact that the steel is well in the air, is that helping recruiting ? Thanks.
 
RUDad, I was wondering if you could share any of the specifics about what the program will have in the new Rodkin Center and if the fact that the steel is well in the air, is that helping recruiting ? Thanks.
Heaven I have no knowledge on what the program will have in Rodkin. Haven't spoken to anyone regarding it. As to the steel, it was well on the way up a couple of weeks ago. As an old ironworker I'm always interested in that. As to recruiting, I have to believe that it can't hurt & will in all likelihood help.
 
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Heaven I have no knowledge on what the program will have in Rodkin. Haven't spoken to anyone regarding it. As to the steel, it was well on the way up a couple of weeks ago. As an old ironworker I'm always interested in that. As to recruiting, I have to believe that it can't hurt & will in all likelihood help.
I hope we get a video scoreboard at Yurcak when the Rodkin is finished.
 
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Good win. We had a good first half & scored both goals in it. Held on in the 2nd. IMO it was Amirah's best game-- because she shared the ball. Both she & Nneka with the goals. Swaby was back & it made a difference.
 
Swaby definitely made a difference! Odd game.......however, got outshot and came out victorious, LaPlant assisted the Nnekka goal but was not awarded an assist, there would be no goal without her poking it forward to Nnekka, replay clearly shows the touch. Still missing that extra pass,.......make that pass to an open player in behind the defense and this game ends 4,5,6-0........still a win is a win, big test Sunday! And I agree with rudad, Amirah sharing the ball helps, but......we stilled played back and the decision to make the pass while moving forward is way to slow! When you pull the defense one way, there is almost always an option to the weak side, that's where the opportunity lies, especially when the forwards know to hold that position.
 
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Swaby definitely made a difference! Odd game.......however, got outshot and came out victorious, LaPlant assisted the Nnekka goal but was not awarded an assist, there would be no goal without her poking it forward to Nnekka, replay clearly shows the touch. Still missing that extra pass,.......make that pass to an open player in behind the defense and this game ends 4,5,6-0........still a win is a win, big test Sunday! And I agree with rudad, Amirah sharing the ball helps, but......we stilled played back and the decision to make the pass while moving forward is way to slow! When you pull the defense one way, there is almost always an option to the weak side, that's where the opportunity lies, especially when the forwards know to hold that position.
Bees, yes LaPlant clearly assisted on Swaby's goal. Who makes the call on that? Can it be corrected? Agree with being to too slow with the pass moving forward. Thought Almer returned to form & had another strong game. Swaby in the back helped & it allowed Provenzano to move back to holding mid which helped there. Still need some stronger & consistent mid play from some of the girls.
 
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Bees, yes LaPlant clearly assisted on Swaby's goal. Who makes the call on that? Can it be corrected? Agree with being to too slow with the pass moving forward. Thought Almer returned to form & had another strong game. Swaby in the back helped & it allowed Provenzano to move back to holding mid which helped there. Still need some stronger & consistent mid play from some of the girls.
Unfortunately I only got to watch the second half as I worked late but always a good win but as you and Killer Bee said we are so slow to make that pass and I don't understand why that is not being corrected; also boy in the second half we totally went into a shell for 45 minutes and I don't like that having to lay back and defend for 45 minutes
 
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Unfortunately I only got to watch the second half as I worked late but always a good win but as you and Killer Bee said we are so slow to make that pass and I don't understand why that is not being corrected; also boy in the second half we totally went into a shell for 45 minutes and I don't like that having to lay back and defend for 45 minutes
Second half was hard to watch.
 
Let's do it Sunday; Sunday Wisconsin is going to be a true test their only losses have been to UCLA and FSU who are ranked 5 and 6 respectively and both losses were 1-0 so we have our work cut out for us on Sunday!!
 
Let's do it Sunday; Sunday Wisconsin is going to be a true test their only losses have been to UCLA and FSU who are ranked 5 and 6 respectively and both losses were 1-0 so we have our work cut out for us on Sunday!!
True test indeed.
 
Lost in OT today. Honestly, what’s the deal with our offense. We went 50+ without a shot to finish the game. Wisco looked like a much better team today. We looked tired and disinterested.
 
Lost in OT today. Honestly, what’s the deal with our offense. We went 50+ without a shot to finish the game. Wisco looked like a much better team today. We looked tired and disinterested.
I couldn't agree more. I watched the second half and it seemed as if Wisconsin was not only the better team, but pressured us to the point where we barely had any offensive attempts. I agree with you; they looked tired, disinterested etc. I saw no fire in them at all.

And as a fan of soccer (my sister was an all state goalie) I still HATE the PK. To me it's the DUMBEST aspect of soccer. The goalie compared to any other sport is at the biggest disadvantage I know. It's comical actually trying to cover an 24 foot wide goal with one person.
 
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I couldn't agree more. I watched the second half and it seemed as if Wisconsin was not only the better team, but pressured us to the point where we barely had any offensive attempts. I agree with you; they looked tired, disinterested etc. I saw no fire in them at all.

And as a fan of soccer (my sister was an all state goalie) I still HATE the PK. To me it's the DUMBEST aspect of soccer. The goalie compared to any other sport is at the biggest disadvantage I know. It's comical actually trying to cover an 24 foot wide goal with one person.
Soccer would open up immensely if you got rid of offsides. I’ve played soccer and it’s the one rule that really kills offense. It shortens the field too much. The PK is always brutal. I don’t know what the deal was today but it was not an encouraging effort. So many poor first touches. They should bounce back
 
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R's objective was clear, just keep Wisconsin from scoring, no offense, and no fault of the team! Designed by the coaching staff! Absolutley no mid field, need to seriously consider a different formation!!! And get off the defensive scheme and use your talent!! This team has the players to score goals in bunches!!! Score, then defend!
 
R's objective was clear, just keep Wisconsin from scoring, no offense, and no fault of the team! Designed by the coaching staff! Absolutley no mid field, need to seriously consider a different formation!!! And get off the defensive scheme and use your talent!! This team has the players to score goals in bunches!!! Score, then defend!
Exactly. Which puzzled the heck out of me. I don't care what sport it is, but if you play not to lose, you lose. Period. And you're right. We have the talent to score in bunches. To worry about our midfield and D is in IMO the wrong way to think about the strategy. Score, and let them figure out how to beat our D. And btw, our D is very solid, so I don't understand O'Neil's way of thinking.
 
Soccer would open up immensely if you got rid of offsides. I’ve played soccer and it’s the one rule that really kills offense. It shortens the field too much. The PK is always brutal. I don’t know what the deal was today but it was not an encouraging effort. So many poor first touches. They should bounce back

Soccer IS soccer because of the offside rule. Without the offside, teams would pack the box with tall guys. The game would be totally different - another sport altogether.

Personally, I'd make the goal larger - 10 feet high. There are a few other tweaks, I could go for - teams get option of moving the ball 10 yards forward after a foul, keepers cannot ever use their hands to play the ball - except to stop a shot. But all in all, soccer is great just as it is.
 
R's objective was clear, just keep Wisconsin from scoring, no offense, and no fault of the team! Designed by the coaching staff! Absolutley no mid field, need to seriously consider a different formation!!! And get off the defensive scheme and use your talent!! This team has the players to score goals in bunches!!! Score, then defend!
Killerbees3 is absolutely right. This is squarely on the Coach. Defensive game plan. Gave up the middle of the field. Chasing the game all day. Absolutely squandering our offensive talent.
 
R's objective was clear, just keep Wisconsin from scoring, no offense, and no fault of the team! Designed by the coaching staff! Absolutley no mid field, need to seriously consider a different formation!!! And get off the defensive scheme and use your talent!! This team has the players to score goals in bunches!!! Score, then defend!
Killerbees3 is absolutely right. This is squarely on the Coach. Defensive game plan. Gave up the middle of the field. Chasing the game all day. Absolutely squandering our offensive talent.
He did this all of last year with this defense first and play not to lose I thought with all the talent this year that would change but apparently not. I believe you have to start questioning this coach and how he is playing even the second half Friday night he played so defensive they couldn’t generate any offense.

Maybe the girls are are getting tired and looking disinterested is because all they are doing is defending and if they generate any offense it comes from the defensive side where our players have to make a long and tiring run because we have no one up front
 
He did this all of last year with this defense first and play not to lose I thought with all the talent this year that would change but apparently not. I believe you have to start questioning this coach and how he is playing even the second half Friday night he played so defensive they couldn’t generate any offense.

Maybe the girls are are getting tired and looking disinterested is because all they are doing is defending and if they generate any offense it comes from the defensive side where our players have to make a long and tiring run because we have no one up front
Yes.
 
Were the ladies out partying late last night?
Absolutely not, and I am not an expert but my perception is the forwards are playing like midfielders and defending 18 to 18, which is quite untypical, they are so deep in their own end at times that when R regains possession they cannot recover to be in the attack, and obviously the mid fielders are even later, often Amirah will get a ball just inside their own 1/2 as she is usually the highest player and she then has a 1 on 5 or 6, if she doesn't lose the ball there's then no option but to play back to keep possession, and often by then it seems the counter attack is off, this was not the case in games earlier in the season, the apparent change has significantly lowered our shot count and reduced pressure. Now we could counter that by playing back and then right away forward over the back line of defense as the offense recovers but that doesn't happen, its more possession oriented. Don't get me wrong, the forwards are certainly doing VERY well what it appears they are being asked to do by cutting off balls and interrupting the opposing teams offense, in fact, some of the best defense is being played by the offense, but as rudad stated, it's got to be tiring chasing the ball all over, a lot of energy is being expended and then its difficult to have the same energy on offense.
 
I don't know much about soccer, but I noticed that they don't score much

Also lack of energy on a Sunday afternoon usually means a late Saturday night
By doubling down on your supposition you clearly demonstrate the validity of your statement that you don't know much about soccer. Killerbees3 just gave you an accurate explanation of the effects our scheme had on our girls. These young women are deadly serious about their team & the business at hand.
 
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