The Current

Sky Who? Oh, right.

Hi!
I’m Tristanne, huge Breakers supporter and member of the Riptide, after seeing the Current have the same post up for a few months I thought I’d start it back up. I’ll try to update it every week with my thoughts on the games and anything else Breakers related. Let me know if you have any suggestions for topics.

SBFC Game
It’s almost the mid point of the season, and it seems the biggest question on every Breakers’ supporter is: Can we get a win? As I write this the Breakers have not won a game since the opener on April 10th in DC and It would have been nice to finally get 3 points against our Jersey rivals Sky Blue, but a penalty called into stoppage time killed that idea. Some good things, however, did come out of the Sky Blue game, the newest Breaker, Tarpley was truly an inspiration in the game and seems to be the spark that has been missing in the line-up. Another thing that seemed to be a stand out was the linking up between the right field players of Alex Scott and Fabiana. When Fabs wasn’t running the ball in to try to pass it over to Tarps or Cheney she was trying to shoot it in herself. Alex Scott also made several good runs into the box from a Fabiana feed. Then there’s the corners, those were brilliant. Jordan Angeli scored off a corner sent in by Kasey Moore. Every time the Breakers got a corner they looked dangerous, and so it seemed the Breakers were a good bet to win the game.

The question now begs with all the positives how on earth did we lose the game, and how has it been an issue all season? It would be nice to just point to something and say that was the instant fix, but that never happens and so while I cannot pinpoint a definite answer I can give a few ideas that may help move the team in the right direction. As I said Sunday’s game was a revelation, or well at least the first half was. Once the team emerged from the locker some players seemed a bit tired and possibly a little overconfident, whilst some other players haven’t really looked confident all season. They say confidence comes from winning and we haven’t had that, so that does seem a little understanding, but the coach needs to recognise this and try to work it out. Also missing from the game the lack of subs. Only two subs were made, one in the 78th and one in stoppage time. Lilly came off for Del Rio, which frankly was a little baffling. Lilly was, as usual, one of the hardest working players on the field, she seemed unhappy being taken off and so did the crowd. With the tired legs and the game tied one would think there would have been another sub made, but there wasn’t until stoppage time. On the bench sat Tiffany Weimer and Chioma Igwe both of which would have been good subs to come into the game. The Breakers did finally have loads of shots at the keeper, but unfortunately they faced a very in-form Karen Bardsley, but if they keep shooting the ball like they did, they should be getting that elusive win very soon.

Highlights of the match:
Angeli’s first goal in the WPS, chanting “Robert Green” to SBFC’s Karen Bardsley, chanting “Lucky woulda saved it” to SBFC’s Bardsley and Kristen Luckenbill (who was a Breaker last season).

Next up the team will travel to California to play top of the league FC Gold Pride on Saturday without Alex Scott and Kelly Smith, who are playing for England against Spain on Saturday (Good Luck England!) and without Osborne who continues to heal from her injured leg.

My projected line up for Saturday:

Phillips

Cox      Moore         LePeilbet    Angeli

Lilly     Weimer      Igwe              Fabiana

Cheney       Tarpley

Got any thoughts or reactions you want to share? Come visit the Dock at the next home game (Friday June 25th) when the Breakers will take on Chicago.

Countdown to 2010

Kristine Lilly’s on board. Are you?

Get your Dock tickets for the home opener on April 18 at http://www.breakersgroups.com, password: riptide.

The Halfway Point

It’s been a long time without a post, and for that I apologize.  Just like that, we’re halfway through WPS’s inaugural season.  Let’s take a look at where we stand:

Lately, things haven’t looked too great. We spent the first third of the season hovering around second place, with early wins against St. Louis and Washington (this match, with a beautiful goal from Hucles and a PK save from Luckenbill, has been the highlight of the season for me thus far).  Earning four points in back-to-back games against first-place LA in early May was impressive, but after that, things took a turn for the worse.  Winless since May 2, 0-2-3 in their last 5, the Breakers have fallen into a slump and are looking to make some changes.

Resting a hurting Kelly Smith, the Breakers began Wednesday’s match against FC Gold Pride looking as they have looked for the past couple of games – disorganized and unimpressive. Starting Alli Lipsher in goal was the first of many changes head coach Tony DiCicco had in store for this match. At halftime, he moved Alex Scott (one consistently bright spot among a lot of mediocre play lately) into the midfield, taking out Stacy Bishop (who has since been waived, somewhat surprisingly) and bringing back Nancy Augustyniak-Goffi, whom we haven’t seen in a while. He also brought in Jennie Nobis for Christine Latham, and inserted Kelly Smith early in the second half. The moves paid off, as the team played significantly better in the second half, and Smith connected with Nobis on a corner kick to give the Breakers the tying goal.

And it looks like more changes are in store for this team. According to L.E. Eisenmenger’s article here, WUSA-era Breaker Mary Frances Monroe will be getting a shot with the team, perhaps to replace Bishop.

Will these changes be enough to put the Breakers back on track? I hope so. The Breakers’ biggest problem right now is scoring – they have just three goals in their last five games, and haven’t had a multi-goal game since May 2 (in fact, they’ve only had three all year, corresponding exactly to the team’s three wins). The three strikers who have been splitting the vast majority of the minutes (Schmedes, Rodriguez, and Latham) have one goal between them, and the team has proven to be utterly unable to score when Kelly Smith is not on the field, something they are going to have to learn how to do quickly, with Kelly and Alex due to miss some time playing for England later this summer.

Languishing in a tie for 4th-6th place in a seven-team league is not where I expected the Breakers to be a this point in the season. Will DiCicco’s recent changes give the team what it needs to turn around and play up to their potential in the second half?  Let’s hope that the tale of two halves that we saw on Wednesday is indicative of the season as a whole.

Boston 2, Saint Louis 0

Boston saw their first Breakers game since August 2003 on Saturday, as the Breakers defeated St. Louis Athletica 2-0 on second-half goals from Kelly Smith and Kristine Lilly.  Thanks to all those who came out and supported the Breakers, and special thanks to those that watched the game from the Dock and made their voices heard. From the opening chant of “We’ve waited six years for this game” to the chants of “Scurry would have saved that” that got under Hope Solo’s skin, we’re well on our way to giving Boston the best home field advantage in WPS.

The tailgate was rain-soaked and freezing (but the food was delicious and the drinks refreshing), but things dried up just in time for kickoff. The first half was chippy, as players adjusted to the super-slick Fieldturf. In the second half, the Breakers gave us a glimpse of the exciting attacking soccer we’ll be looking forward to seeing as the season progresses. Here’s a roundup of news surrounding the game:

Boston Globe – Breakers home in on win

Examiner – Boston Breakers crash over Athletica 2-0 in Harvard Stadium opener

Boston Herald – Home right by Breakers

Highlights/Interviews from NESN

Photos from Tony Biscaia

Breakersnet – Breakers Win Home Opener 2-0

… Bring on the Freedom!

And We’re Off…

With preseason officially underway, here’s what the Riptide is up to this week:

• Our online shop just went live (check it out here). You can now become a member, order a button,  pre-order a scarf, (or do all three with our “Get Your Feet Wet” pack), all via Paypal. Items can be shipped or picked up at any Riptide event or Breakers home game.
• Check out Tony Biscaia’s photos from the Breakers’ first practice, here. They’re a great first glimpse of our team.
• On a related note, the Breakers released their preseason roster today. It can be found here.
• Come meet some Riptide members (or become one yourself) at the Breakers Happy Hour with Social Boston Sports this Wednesday, March 4 from 6:00 to 8:00, at The Greatest Bar on Friend St. in Boston.
• Don’t forget, this Saturday, March 7 is our Meet the Coaches event with Tony DiCicco and Lisa Cole. Come chat with the coaches and get the inside scoop on our new team! More info can be found here.

Hope to see you all Saturday!

Scarf Sneak Peak

We’re currently in the process of getting some supporters scarves made. Thanks again to Evan for the design:

Our Inaugural Scarf!

Look out for pre-order information soon. We’re hoping to have these ready for the home opener on April 11.

Kit Unveiling

Here they are - the 2009 WPS kits from Puma.

WPS unveiled their 2009 kits last night, made by Puma. Overall, I’d say they err on the side of boring, which is a good thing (as anyone who has seen the infamous MLS kit unveiling will know).

Remember this?

Of course, all the discussion has been about the skort (excuse me, wrap) sported by many players on the runway yesterday. It caused quite the uproar, eliciting a near-unanimous groan from fans in anticipation of the ridicule we’d hear from critics. Statements were then released from WPS assuring us that the wraps were “optional”, and should be thought of as an accessory.  As “A League of their Own” comparisons continued to fly, WPS put this statement on their website, confirming that players will not be wearing the wraps on the field.

I know this is just Puma’s attempt to be unique, and at the very least this has given the league some publicity, but here’s hoping these “accessories” disappear so we can all forget this ever happened (skort the issue?… sorry).

Skorts aside,  I think the Breakers kit is pretty sharp. It’s not my favorite kit of all time, but it’s simple and classy. I like it, and I hope they sell long-sleeved replicas. Despite four other teams sporting blue home kits, the Breakers kit is distinct. Boston is also one of only three teams to go with a white away kit, and FC Gold Pride actually managed to put out a gold kit without bringing back bad memories of the 2007 WWC. As much as I hate to say it, I like Jersey’s kits best. The colors are bold, and they blend well with the team crest. All in all, they could be better, but they could be a lot worse. I’m satisfied.

One step closer…

Gearing Up

First, the Breakers announced today the signings of Candace Chapman and Fabiana, bringing the team up to the league maximum of five international players. They join Kelly Smith, Alex Scott, and Christine Latham. Read the article from the Breakers website here.

With only a month until the season starts, the Riptide has been hard at work. Our Meet the Coaches event is finalized for March 7, at 2:00, at the Days Inn of Boston on 1234 Soldiers Field Road. Registration begins at 1:30. Be sure to come with all your questions for Breakers coaches Tony DiCicco and Lisa Cole!

After the Q&A with the coaches, we’ll be gathering to discuss plans for the season. Plans for scarves, buttons, and other merchandise are in the works. We’re also hoping to do a bus trip to Jersey for the July 4 game, and to organize other away trips and viewings.

Hope to see you all on March 7!

Smith to Boston: Int’l Signing Update

One of WPS’s most highly-anticipated signings (second only perhaps to Marta) has been confirmed today. Kelly Smith has signed a four-year deal with the Breakers. BBC has the details here.

The Breakers are allowed five international players on their roster, and may hold the negotiation rights of six. Smith joins England defender Alex Scott and Canadian striker Christine Latham among the Breakers’ international signings thus far. They hold the negotiation rights to Brazil’s Fabiana, Canada’s Candace Chapman, and Japan’s Shinobu Ohno (though it appears that Ohno has re-signed with her club in Japan).

Welcome to Boston, Kelly!

2009 Preseason Events

Riptide Charter Meeting

Sunday, February 15, 12:00 PM

The Fours, Quincy, MA (http://www.thefours.com)

Come, meet other Breakers fans, sign our charter, elect our officers, and plan our season!

Meet the Coach

Saturday, March 7

Time and Location TBA (Send us suggestions if you have them)

Meet Breakers coaches Tony DiCicco and Lisa Cole, and find out all about the team they’ll be fielding in April.

Hope to see you there!