With so much negativity being shared, many are missing the main problems. Playing simple and faster on the ground is key. This team is young and inexperienced. Coaches are obviously trying to figure it out with all the positional movement. At some point, you have to just play the players that play simple. IMO, this team is over complicating the game. Chemistry will come with time. At times, u see moments of brilliance, and others very low IQ moments. Even those who get much praise! Until they learn to move the ball with purpose, catching L's will be their fate. You can't play kick ball and stay competitive in the SEC or at any College level if you can't connect simple passes. Defensively as a team, we have struggled due to lack of shape discipline and marking players. Our backline and goalie play just has to be better. Can't count how many times our CB's played back or booted it forward when they could've played our Outside backs who IMO have been a bright spot. Keeping possession is key. Our CB's are athletic, but lack experience. They're always looking for the kill shot from the back. Hoang and Hughes are solid at moving the ball forward with simple pass connections and movement off the ball when giving the opportunity. Hughes was solid in the first half, wonder why she didn't return?
As a team, only a few have a broad understanding of movement off the ball. As a hole, the team still feels disconnected from the backline-mids-forwards. Forwards have to work to hard to get on the ball in most scenarios. They almost feel like false nines. Outside Mids really didn't have an impact in this game for some reason. They seemed to high up the pitch at times causing the forwards to have to drop alot to get on the ball. We need more thru balls sent to our forward when they're making runs. Forwards are always receiving the ball in front of the defenders which is to easy to defend. Our outside mids also need to play more box to box. Focus needs to be on connecting backline to forwards. Overall booting the caused chaotic play. The second goal was literally a combo of 4 passes. Sexton-Smith-Buchanan-Churchill. We need more of that and less hero ball. Multiple players have contributed to goals when the opportunities have presented themselves. This team will have its bump and bruises. But I wouldn't count them out just yet! I don't believe this team is slow and unathletic. The style of play is what's hurting them.