August 16, 20241 yr 1 hour ago, Rickylovesweed said: Missimo goal early. 1-0 Texas vs UH. #17 Texas wins 1-0 over UH on Missimo's 45th career goal. It could have easily been more, but the UH keeper had a hell of a night with six saves. Edited August 16, 20241 yr by MuellerHorn
August 16, 20241 yr 1-0 Texas FT. Texas kept possession most of the game but couldn’t finish in the final 3rd. Texas actually beat UH 6-1 last season, but we looked rusty today. Houston played a couple of preseason games but Texas played none
August 16, 20241 yr 1-0 win against UH. Probably should have finished a couple more but dominated possession/shots on goal. I think the key for this team will be the willingness to stay disciplined with all these offensive players. You can't always push forward and have to be willing to win some 1-0 and 2-1 type games.
August 16, 20241 yr 2 minutes ago, perfectchaos007 said: 1-0 Texas FT. Texas kept possession most of the game but couldn’t finish in the final 3rd. Texas actually beat UH 6-1 last season, but we looked rusty today. Houston played a couple of preseason games but Texas played none My biggest worry with this team is actually scoring too many goals early in the year. They can push numbers and score more goals. The problem is that's not going to work against better teams. You have to keep some type of defensive shape even with all these offensive players.
August 18, 20241 yr Villarreal was our top recruit and you can already tell she needs to play. Just not sure where you play her with Byars and Missimo that also really likes to push forward. Edited August 18, 20241 yr by Rickylovesweed
August 18, 20241 yr Well our top 2 recruits in Maalouf and Villarreal are showing why they were so highly ranked.
August 18, 20241 yr 2nd half and they're trying Villarreal, Missimo, and Byars together. Think you have to do this. Some recruiting services had Villarreal as the #3 recruit and she was doing this with the youth national team. You have to try and make it work with those 3 together.
August 18, 20241 yr 2 goals in about 6 minutes with those 3 together. Yeah, this won't be a tough decision for Kelly. You have to play those 3 together.
August 18, 20241 yr 2 minutes ago, Rickylovesweed said: Oh no, think Cox just blew out her same knee again. Yeah shes getting helped off the field. Can't walk on her own power. Very concerning
August 18, 20241 yr That would be brutal. 1.5 games back from a full year missed to blow out the same knee.
August 18, 20241 yr Just now, Rickylovesweed said: That would be brutal. 1.5 games back from a full year missed to blow out the same knee. She's crying on the medical table. I feel like she knows its the same injury she just spend 18 months rehabbing.
August 18, 20241 yr 2 minutes ago, perfectchaos007 said: She's crying on the medical table. I feel like she knows its the same injury she just spend 18 months rehabbing. Think it's more fear than anything. Knowing it's the same knee.
August 18, 20241 yr 9 minutes ago, perfectchaos007 said: 4-0 win today, but if we lost EmJ Cox for the season, this is a major loss Would definitely be a loss and especially on free kicks. We would still have our 4 starters from last year though.
August 19, 20241 yr Returning our entire starting XI plus the addition of Amailia Villarreall (#11 ranked recruit) and Rosa Maalouf from the Canadian U20 squad should be a Final Four squad at the very minimum. If Kelly can't get there with this team, it's time to cut ties. Recruiting at a high level be damned.
August 19, 20241 yr 10 hours ago, Spider2YBanana said: Returning our entire starting XI plus the addition of Amailia Villarreall (#11 ranked recruit) and Rosa Maalouf from the Canadian U20 squad should be a Final Four squad at the very minimum. If Kelly can't get there with this team, it's time to cut ties. Recruiting at a high level be damned. Villarreal was ranked higher than #11 by some services. #3 by prep soccer. She's definitely better than the #11 recruit based off what she was doing with the youth national team. If she played club soccer in Texas she would be ranked higher by some services.
August 19, 20241 yr The issue with Villarreal is that we are essentially playing 3 forwards if she starts. Byars is a forward, Missimo is an attacking mid that essentially plays like a forward, and Villarreal also likes to play in an attacking mid role. You have to figure out a way to make it work though. In the 2nd half they had Villarreal playing on the wing and more of a defensive center mid role. It's unfortunate for good players like Haugen, Ward, and Miller but they need to lose some minutes because they simply aren't better than Villarreal. Edited August 19, 20241 yr by Rickylovesweed
August 19, 20241 yr We will find out how good Texas is in the next 2 games. @ SMU: 2-0 and played A&M really close in an exhibition game. They're normally pretty good and probably a fringe top 25 team. We destroyed them last year when they were receiving votes but that's because they got a red card in like the 5th minute. Then Iowa who is ranked in the top 25. Edited August 19, 20241 yr by Rickylovesweed
August 19, 20241 yr 2 hours ago, Rickylovesweed said: We will find out how good Texas is in the next 2 games. @ SMU: 2-0 and played A&M really close in an exhibition game. They're normally pretty good and probably a fringe top 25 team. We destroyed them last year when they were receiving votes but that's because they got a red card in like the 5th minute. Then Iowa who is ranked in the top 25. Last time we played @ SMU they beat us, and it was unfortunately an NCAA tournament match that ended our season in 2021. Lexi, Trinity, and EmJ were all on the team that lost to SMU, so we know they won't take them lightly. We're still waiting on the injury update on EmJ but I doubt she travels to Dallas.
August 19, 20241 yr 5 hours ago, Rickylovesweed said: Villarreal was ranked higher than #11 by some services. #3 by prep soccer. She's definitely better than the #11 recruit based off what she was doing with the youth national team. If she played club soccer in Texas she would be ranked higher by some services. Yeah, I saw that you mentioned that up top after I had already made my post. She's definitely a top 5 recruit. Kelly can recruit, but it's time to put up or shut up. I'm tired of her dragging the team down. If she can't make the final 4 with this team, she needs to go. This is a final 4 roster, you know?
August 22, 20241 yr No EmJ Cox today, which isn't a surprise. Still no word on how severe her injury is.
August 22, 20241 yr SMU needs a yellow already. You can tell their strategy is to just foul Byars and Missimo when they touch it. Edited August 22, 20241 yr by Rickylovesweed
August 22, 20241 yr Byars goal. Missimo and Byars are so good together. Beautiful creation by Missimo.
August 22, 20241 yr Goal by Byars but all started with creation from Villarreal. 2-0 Texas. Villarreal needs to be in the starting 11 and playing 80 minutes a game against good competition. She's simply too good.
August 22, 20241 yr Byars with another. 3-0 Texas in the first half. Showing why we should be a top 5 team in this 1st half.
August 22, 20241 yr Goal Clark. 4-0 Texas in the 1st half. Again, anybody that didn't recognize this team would be really good just wasn't paying attention. Insane talent all over this team.
August 23, 20241 yr Nice free kick by SMU to make it 4-1. We are also playing a lot of subs right now.
August 23, 20241 yr Villarreal has to start on the wing over Ward or Miller. Both really good players but Villareal is just a different caliber player. You have to maximize the minutes with Villarreal, Missimo, and Byars together.
August 23, 20241 yr 6-3 win against SMU. Quality win on the road. They're probably a fringe tournament team. Probably would have been uglier if we didn't sub as much but makes sense with the heat and a top-25 opponent (Iowa) on Sunday.
August 23, 20241 yr I think we will be fine if Cox is out long-term. We will really miss her on free kicks but the biggest worry with this team is vulnerability on direct balls over the top because of how high we push. Both Cox and Lapo love to get forward in those fullback spots. In a way, I think defensively we may be better just having somebody back there that plays conservative and doesn't push forward.
August 23, 20241 yr 40 minutes ago, Rickylovesweed said: I think we will be fine if Cox is out long-term. We will really miss her on free kicks but the biggest worry with this team is vulnerability on direct balls over the top because of how high we push. Both Cox and Lapo love to get forward in those fullback spots. In a way, I think defensively we may be better just having somebody back i there that plays conservative and doesn't push forward. I hope you are right.
August 23, 20241 yr The key with this team is finding a happy balance between attacking and staying disciplined enough to keep a defensive shape. This team is very offensive-minded. All our midfielders love to get in a very high position. This was even more of an issue with Cox because both Cox and Lapo also love to push forward at those fullback spots. If Cox does return, they just need to figure out a happy medium between attacking and keeping a defensive shape.
August 23, 20241 yr The big thing that needs to change moving forward is Villarreal's minutes. 49 and 60 minutes (last 2 games) is not enough against better competition. She needs to be playing 80+ minutes a game. I think Kelly has the same apprehension as me though......you can't have an entire roster that likes to push forward with zero defensive shape. But, I think that's something you have to figure out with somebody else in the midfield willing to play more of a defensive role.
August 23, 20241 yr 22 hours ago, Rickylovesweed said: Villareal is legit. Yep. She's a generational talent. Was a great game yesterday. She's the truth.
August 25, 20241 yr Author 5 minutes ago, Rickylovesweed said: Top 25 match up about to start with #24 Iowa. First athletic contest on SEC network as conference members
August 25, 20241 yr This is a good test against a quality team and this is how good teams will play tactically against us. I.e. to put 5 or 6 players in the middle of the field around Missimo and Byars. Then attempt to play over the top because our fullbacks sometimes get out of position trying to push too high. Overall, I thought our defenders did a pretty good job of staying disciplined in the back. Need more creativity around Missimo and Byars with them drawing so much attention.
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