I'm not sure what is up with Noyola. In the first half, she was ineffective and she got subbed out. She came back in in 2h and was steady, but she was hardly the calming and creative force in midfield she is billed to be.
I fail to understand how the denizens of bigsoccer can be so critical of Ratcliffe. His team is 25-0! Hello! News flash, he might not yet be Guus Hiddink or Anson Dorrance, but I'd say the guy can coach.
Some perspective: 1 Stanford has had, BY FAR, the toughest matches of any of the final 4 teams. 2. In UCLA Stanford was playing a talented, and intense PAC-10 rival. That match was WAR, which is why it was, at times, not the prettiest, free-flowing soccer either team has played. Absolute WAR.
How anybody can rake the SU backline over the coals is beyond me. The back 4 were GREAT. Yeah, Cheney found some space on her goal, but it was one of the few times ALL NIGHT LONG the best pure striker (yes, she is the best "pure striker" in the country. Kelley O'Hara is the best SOCCER PLAYER in the country) could turn on her defender anywhere near the box. Plus, 99 times out of 100 Kira Maker parries that shot effortlessly over the bar for the save and Stanford gets the shutout.
The dmids were far more poised on the ball than I have ever seen them. Bravo. Pressure the ball a bit better when the other team has it, and they are in good shape.
About the only thing I would tell the Stanford players if I were the coach is to cut down on the number of unforced passes to the other team, especially from the GK position. That is entirely doable.
That, and please lets get our corner kicks more than three feet off the ground.
Otherwise, go out there, play hard and have fun, and bring home the cup.
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