Diamonds v. Lightning debriefing

Anyone got any insight on this game from two days ago? Two teams at the top of D3 go at it, what's the poop?

i heard the Diamonds won 1-0 and dominated the entire game.

FunkyColdMedina wrote:i heard the Diamonds won 1-0 and dominated the entire game.

Not sure where you got the info on that, I watched the entire game. It was a back and forth very even game with a great shot from the Diamond player over the head of the Lightning goaly midway thru the 2nd half. Now if you were referring to the game Lightning played against TFC the week before, I would agree with you because TFC really took it to lightning with better passing, more hustle, and great ball control. Actually they should have won, lightning had a goal in that game very similar to the one Diamonds made against them. Guess it all evens out in the long run. Sting also played Lightning very well with a super exciting game. Lightning came back from a 1 goal deficit to score 2 in the final 10 minutes. From my perspective TFC was the best team lightning has played the fist half of the season. Figure its going to be a much tuffer second half of the season for Lghtning, all teams will play them better for sure.

i know lightning is in 1st place right now. But in my opinion, i think Diamonds and TFC are the 2 best teams in D3. They both play a good game of soccer and have good ball control and possession. That being said, they aren't much ahead of the rest of the league. Ever team is capable of beating the other team. Its a very competitive league this year.

Their keeper is the most valuable of the three, in my opinion. She controls the box well. Any ball near her was swept up and punted out.

When a team scores one goal from beyond the box and generates little offense as was the case for the TFC game, the goalie play becomes paramount.

Apparently the Diamonds shut down as she got no goals. Probably for the first time this season. If i was to give a scouting report for lightning and diamonds, it would look like this: Lightning, shut down and you have a chance of beating them. They do have a great goalie and it will be hard to score on her. The Diamonds are a very well balanced team, with no one in particular that stands out as an overall stud. They are a good passing and possession team with some good size and physicality to them. You better bring your "A" game with you if you want to beat them.

Apparently the lightning didn't bring their "A" game. A little more of an analysis of the lighnting is is also a good player who seems to pass it up to so she can take these long range shots. I have seen kick with right foot and left foot and both kicks were strong. The lightning system works right now at this age group and even maybe next year in D2, but for the most part they have many holes that can be exposed and in time they will fall off the map. More than likely and Goalie will move on. The other girls on the team will be out of select soccer as they aren't developing under this system.

It may sound like a Lightning hater, but its a scouting report of a team that has 1 or 2 strong players that are carrying this team to the record they have. Nothing wrong with that right now...it is what it is... (isn't that what JJ used to say?)

jabberjaw wrote:Apparently the Diamonds shut down as she got no goals. Probably for the first time this season. If i was to give a scouting report for lightning and diamonds, it would look like this: Lightning, shut down and you have a chance of beating them. They do have a great goalie and it will be hard to score on her. The Diamonds are a very well balanced team, with no one in particular that stands out as an overall stud. They are a good passing and possession team with some good size and physicality to them. You better bring your "A" game with you if you want to beat them.

Apparently the lightning didn't bring their "A" game. A little more of an analysis of the lighnting is is also a good player who seems to pass it up to so she can take these long range shots. I have seen kick with right foot and left foot and both kicks were strong. The lightning system works right now at this age group and even maybe next year in D2, but for the most part they have many holes that can be exposed and in time they will fall off the map. More than likely and Goalie will move on. The other girls on the team will be out of select soccer as they aren't developing under this system.

It may sound like a Lightning hater, but its a scouting report of a team that has 1 or 2 strong players that are carrying this team to the record they have. Nothing wrong with that right now...it is what it is... (isn't that what JJ used to say?)

I dont think the other girls will be out of select soccer, they may very well fall apart and go to different teams to get the needed futher developement you speak of. Bare in mind though, this team got thumped in qualifying a year and a half ago and progressed to nearly sweeping the first half the season in LH. Thats a big improvement in a short amount of time. But I do agree their game plan needs improvement, with that type of style not a lot of chances for other girls to shine. Also, there is more than 3 good players on that team, defense is fairly solid as well, goals aginst them is not all the goalie, she is very good, but in many games does not have to do much but watch the game. They improve the passing and ball handling just a bit with a coorinated attack and watch out. I am sure they know is going to get double and maybe triple teamed or at least constantly shadowed by the best defender on the opposing team. We'll see if that gets worked on in the off-season.

BirdMan wrote:

jabberjaw wrote:Apparently the Diamonds shut down as she got no goals. Probably for the first time this season. If i was to give a scouting report for lightning and diamonds, it would look like this: Lightning, shut down and you have a chance of beating them. They do have a great goalie and it will be hard to score on her. The Diamonds are a very well balanced team, with no one in particular that stands out as an overall stud. They are a good passing and possession team with some good size and physicality to them. You better bring your "A" game with you if you want to beat them.

Apparently the lightning didn't bring their "A" game. A little more of an analysis of the lighnting is is also a good player who seems to pass it up to so she can take these long range shots. I have seen kick with right foot and left foot and both kicks were strong. The lightning system works right now at this age group and even maybe next year in D2, but for the most part they have many holes that can be exposed and in time they will fall off the map. More than likely and Goalie will move on. The other girls on the team will be out of select soccer as they aren't developing under this system.

It may sound like a Lightning hater, but its a scouting report of a team that has 1 or 2 strong players that are carrying this team to the record they have. Nothing wrong with that right now...it is what it is... (isn't that what JJ used to say?)

I dont think the other girls will be out of select soccer, they may very well fall apart and go to different teams to get the needed futher developement you speak of. Bare in mind though, this team got thumped in qualifying a year and a half ago and progressed to nearly sweeping the first half the season in LH. Thats a big improvement in a short amount of time. But I do agree their game plan needs improvement, with that type of style not a lot of chances for other girls to shine. Also, there is more than 3 good players on that team, defense is fairly solid as well, goals aginst them is not all the goalie, she is very good, but in many games does not have to do much but watch the game. They improve the passing and ball handling just a bit with a coorinated attack and watch out. I am sure they know is going to get double and maybe triple teamed or at least constantly shadowed by the best defender on the opposing team. We'll see if that gets worked on in the off-season.

i agree with your view. They definitely had a good fall season, and im not taking anything from that. Im not even a hater. They are a good solid team right now.

Lightning will dominate 2nd half as they did the first. Losing sucks but its just what they needed to reignite the fire.

Congratulations to the Diamonds & Solar Red as the only remaining undefeated teams in LH.

doppelgänger wrote:Congratulations to the Diamonds & Solar Red as the only remaining undefeated teams in LH.

Well, there's a random stat. But way to stay positive - I like it.

doppelgänger wrote:Congratulations to the Diamonds & Solar Red as the only remaining undefeated teams in LH.

And didn't Solar Red lose half the team? Bates must be an awesome coach.