MWSL Premier 2003/2004

[striker14]

nope...

I did not start it...but I definately ended it
It just blows that I got 10, and she got 3!!! She threw the ball at my goalies head...and that isn't "attempt to harm" which should have costed her 6 games? I think she is blowing the League to be honest with you
I do not argue my penalty, but I do argue hers.
But anyways...

 

[glasgow ghirl]

Blowin the league

Blowin the league .... love it ,but you're given me a bad visual ...JJ nuff said!

Hang in there Striker 14, you're just 17 days away from freedom!

 

[Carebear]

This weekends game

Coquitlam Premier B gets to play on the Beach this weekend
(Centennial Oval that is). We are looking to pull out the 3 points against Vancouver Only, enough with the ties as we have 4 now.

Good luck everyone this weekend and hopefully the weather holds up.

Carebear

 

[Welcome Wagon]

WTF?? How did Richmond possibly tie Coquitlam? Anyway, our game was shitty, to say the least. Final score was 2 for Norvan 1 for Poco. We scored first, and then they scored 2 pretty weak goals at the end of the first half. We must have outshot them 30-3 but their goalie made a few good saves and we could not score to save our lives. We were in their end for pretty much the entire game. This is becoming the storyline for a lot of our games, and it is very frustrating. What went on in the other games?

WWM

 

[Fat Bastard]

Coquitlam struggles

Don't know the whole story, but Coquitlam A is struggling with numbers. Still missing a whack of players with UBC and SFU still playing and not all the Cap players have come back.

Particularly bad today is that both keepers were gone. Gademans with SFU and Lawrence, who joined UBC for the playoffs when their keeper went down.

Could be worse next weekend when they tackle SBAA - a far better team that Richmond.

Of course, this is the nature of the Premier division. The top teams (particularly Coquitlam/Burnaby) lose some motivation as the season progresses into the late fall and winter, and the bottom teams actually do begin to improve and pick up better results. This happened with Poco last year. A far better team now than what they were at the beginning of last season.

Having said that, a tie has to be considered a disappointment.

 

[bravedart]

Saw the whole CFC/Richmond game today.

One problem that I saw from Coquitlam point of view......shoot the damn ball!

It seened too often they were looking to set up the perfect shot when getting the ball on net was all that was needed (as in there first goal which trickled about 30 yards past 10 players and into the corner of the net). Solid shots on net were turned into lobbed passes over the back line to a running attacker who couldn't quite make it, or turned into 3 or 4 more passes that resulted in Coquitlam being on their heels.

All power to richmond who consistently fended off the coquitlam advance and managed to build a few chances themselves but the 3 points were lost by coquitlam in this one.

 

[Carebear]

Premier B result

Coquitlam 0 Vancouver Only 1

Same result as last time we played them. This game was similiar to what welcome wagon said, "we were in their end for pretty much the entire game" but just not being able to finish was our problem. Vancouver had one breakaway in the first half and our goalie made the first save and then one of there other players finished it, our goalie had no chance. This Premier B division seems fairly evenly matched, which has made this season very competitive for all the teams. It will be interesting to see who pulls out the league and better yet who will win the playoffs as I believe almost any of the teams in this division could win the playoffs.

Carebear

 

[Welcome Wagon]

Bravedart,

Coquitlams problem of not shooting is definetly one of our (Poco's) major problems. We only seem to want to shoot if there is a perfect shot, and there really isn't such a thing as a perfect shot. Instead of taking the open shot, we'd rather try and take on 5 or more players and then shoot. Obviously, it is not working as goals for us are hard to come by. And, unless we get a shut out every game, which is very unlikely as we seem to like to give up at least one crappy goal per game, we wont' be winning too many games.
As for us improving since last year, we were terrible at the beginning of last year as the majority of our players at the beginning were Div 6 caliber players( if there was such a thing). We picked up a lot of players in the second half, and have a lot of those same players this year. However, we are still a few players away from being a good team. Too bad all of the really good players from college want to go play for the upper teams, as we could definely strengthen our lineup with a few of them.

 

[Fat Bastard]

Premier B

This Premier B division seems fairly evenly matched, which has made this season very competitive for all the teams. It will be interesting to see who pulls out the league and better yet who will win the playoffs as I believe almost any of the teams in this division could win the playoffs.

This isn't surprising. This division existed in a previous incarnation a few years back, but was called Division One A - a higher-tier first division, as opposed to a lower tier Premier division. It's essentially semantics and an extra few bucks per player. Anyhow, that division back then was also very competitive. It certainly makes the year more enjoyable for all of those involved.

About playoffs - or Cup - is Premier B getting their own? I know that Premier B teams will have the option to compete in BC playdowns. I hope a few teams take up on that opportunity. The Island teams are not up to par with the MWSL, and a few B sides could steal a game against the A teams, and then who knows what happens after BC Soccer does the draw.

I am picking Valley United to win the B group - sorry Besty - and get promoted to Premier A. As for who is coming down - my money was on Richmond, but after this past weekend's results, who knows? Westside looks to be in trouble. They have historically had good starts and rocky finishes. They don't have a lot of room for error in the second half of the season.

Should be interesting.

 

[Fat Bastard]

national team players

Apparently the league has passed a rule that would limit teams to having a maximum of 2 current national team players and 2 national youth players on their roster. (I believe this may have a substantial effect on Sportstown, not as much on Surrey, and very little on anyone else.)

As it is well known, Even Pellerud will be moving to BC in the summer. Next Fall the CSA will base the women's program in Vancouver/Victoria. The MWSL seems to think there will be an exodus of national team players making their way to Lotusland. I think they're overestimating this. Keeping in mind that a majority of national team players are in university in the states, or have regular jobs, it is unlikely national team players from abroad will move to BC, except during the summer when the Whitecaps will be the true beneficiaries of this turn of events.

Frankly I think this is crap. While I understand the league's desire to make things more equitable. Clubs must accept some responsibility and put in the time needed to BUILD a winner, as opposed to having success handed to them. Parity, or lack therof, is a problem, but this is not the solution. (PS: Sub limits in Premier are more part of the answer if you ask me.)

In fact, this may actually hurt MWSL players. Even has little tolerance for the politics of Canadian soccer. He expects full cooperation from the various organizations within the Canadian soccer community. He may look at this move as stifling his players' development. As such, he may dissuade local players from playing in the MWSL. Rather, the MWSL should be encouraging a relationship with Pellerud and the national program. If the man is living here, it is certainly not out of the realm of possibility to expect him to take in his fair share of MWSL or Lower Island premier games. If the MWSL pisses him off, it may cost MWSL players valuable opportunities.

Also, I have heard that Pellerud may locate on Vancouver Island or one of the Gulf Islands. If this is the case, the LIWSA may be more in line to reap any rewards, big or small, than the MWSL is.

Just my $0.02, but I think this is a bad idea. And I think this is being driven by one board member in particular who has a vested interest in the Premier Division, backed up by another board member who has somewhat of a history of strained relations with some of the more successful Premier managers and coaches. The big picture is being missed here.

 

[bravedart]

we were terrible at the beginning of last year as the majority of our players at the beginning were Div 6 caliber players( if there was such a thing).

Welcome Wagon.....I highly doubt this as the Semi team was mostly div. 2 players who could certainly walk over any div. 6 player out there....which didn't happen so you must obviously be mistaken with your comment.......

 

[bravedart]

Sub limits in Premier are more part of the answer if you ask me

Why that is a great idea Fat Bastard.....where on earth do you come up with these

As it is well known, Even Pellerud will be moving to BC in the summer. Next Fall the CSA will base the women's program in Vancouver/Victoria.

I certainly hope that with Even moving out here we don't see a severe downturn in the caliber of play in order to impress him

 

[Fat Bastard]

front to back

I certainly hope that with Even moving out here we don't see a severe downturn in the caliber of play in order to impress him

I do expect to see Phebe Trotman, Diana Artuso and Megan Blaker anchoring backlines by the end of the season.

$20 says that converting strikers to defenders becomes all the rage with the coaches out there who are unable to have an original thought. I'm serious. Look how many teams - youth and senior - are now playing 'thump & run' under the guise of 'direct soccer.'

I've met Even. He's a great guy. He's a wicked motivator, and regardless of what you think of his style of play, or strikers at the back, he's a pretty damn good coach. I just can't come around to becoming a fan of his system.


The 5-sub limit was BD's idea. He's a bit of a trailblazer, as Semi played much of last year under that rule.

 

[Welcome Wagon]

Bravedart,

I didn't say that our entire team at the beginning of last year was div 6 players. I said that we had quite a few of them though. In the second half of the year, many of them either quit, got cut, or simply got little play time. That is why we improved so much. At the beginning of the season we only beat you 4-0, and in the second half it was 15-0 (or something like that)
As for the sub limit, I think that is a great idea. Too many subs are made in the game, at least by certain teams, and it totally takes away from the game.

 

[Carebear]

Premier B

This isn't surprising. This division existed in a previous incarnation a few years back, but was called Division One A - a higher-tier first division, as opposed to a lower tier Premier division. It's essentially semantics and an extra few bucks per player. Anyhow, that division back then was also very competitive. It certainly makes the year more enjoyable for all of those involved.

I agree, this Premier B division is made up of mostly the better teams of Division 1. It's great that we can play every game at a competitive level and for the teams looking to get promoted to Premier A it's probably a better transition rather than coming from Div. 1 and then having to go against teams like UBC and Surrey. All I'm saying is that I think having the Premier B division lessen's the gap so it's not a huge jump for some of the teams who move on and get promoted Premier or Premier A now.

Carebear

 

[Welcome Wagon]

Carebear,

Although I do agree that having a Premier B league is more helpful to a team who gets promoted to Premier A, I still think the gap is very big. I occasionally played on a summer team with a team who is one of the top teams in Premier B, and I can honestly say that I think they would get absolutely killed against every single Premier A team, maybe even Richmond. The gap between the best and worst teams in Premier A is unfortunately huge, and I think it would be the same with any Premier B team and all of the Premier A teams, especially once all of the players are back from University. Who knows though, maybe some Premier B team will do ok, but it would probably take them a few seasons, and unfortunatly by then they would be back down in PRemier B.

 

[nutmegs]

WW,

I honestly don't think there is as huge of a gap as you are saying between Premier A and B. I know quite a few of the B teams and I don't think they would get killed by all of the teams in Premier A. Surrey beat Norvan 7-0 two weeks ago and I don't think that Norvan team would kill any of the B teams that I know. I'm sure it would be quite competitive and the same with teams like Richmond. I know some A teams (like Norvan and Coquitlam) are missing college/university players but I think any B team that moves up to A next year would probably be able to recruit some college players as well. I like the idea of having the B side and if they do compete in the playdowns you never know what can happen.

And, FB, that crazy two national team and two youth national team players on a team is just insane. Having a limited sub rule would definitely make more sense. And as our coach pointed out when the MWSL proposed this rule, there are around 40 BC youth players in the regional training centre, if all of them wanted to join the MWSL and there were spots on teams, some would be forced to play Prem B or Div 1 because there are only 8 teams in A which would allow only 16 players to be in the league. Of course this all depends on how the MWSL rules what is a national team player and what's not. All in all, it's absolutely stupid rule-making - let's punish our good young players by not allowing them to play at the highest level.

Off my soapbox, nutmegs

 

[Bloodthirsty]

Re: national team players

Originally posted by Fat Bastard

Also, I have heard that Pellerud may locate on Vancouver Island or one of the Gulf Islands.

My money's on North Van....

 

[Welcome Wagon]

Nutmegs,

I was thinking more along the lines of when all of the university players are back. I have no clue if Richmond will get any better, but I know Norvan should improve a fair amount, at least offensively, and obviously Coquitlam will get way better, since they are missing a lot of their good players. Are you guys picking up any new players? It shouldn't matter too much anyway because Surrey is always good. The MWSL should definetly not put a limit as to how many national or youth players teams are able to pick up. Bottom line is that if they are good enough, they should be allowed to play. The league should want to get stronger by taking the best players possible.

WW

 

[Captain Shamrock]

The league should want to get stronger by taking the best players possible.

True, but it doesn't do the league any good if all the best players go to one or two teams, a la New York Yankees. When does the Pellerud Hump and Run Soccer Academy start?