[MWSL Premier] 2007/2008 Predictions, Results & Banter

[nutmegs]

So league play gets started on the weekend and the Premier league has seen lots of change in this offseason.

The league has grown to 9 teams with Abbotsford, SBAA, and Semiahmoo joining the league, while Richmond folds and West Van becomes NSGSC. Pegasus has a new coach and Westside has added a Pork Chop flavor to its coaching staff.

So there's lots of questions going into the season: Can Abbotsford, the Beavs and Semi compete in Premier? Will Pegasus keep its core together now that Eggy is gone? Will there be more parity in the league or will it still be the same old strong 3-4 teams? And my personal question, how the hell do the two North Shore teams have the worst kick-off times in league history - 9:30am Sunday morning for Norvan and 8:00pm Sunday night for NSGSC - WTF?

What are everyone's thoughts on the upcoming season? Who will win it all and who, if anyone, will be the surprise long shot?

[Captain Shamrock]

Originally Posted by nutmegs

So league play gets started on the weekend and the Premier league has seen lots of change in this offseason.

The league has grown to 9 teams with Abbotsford, SBAA, and Semiahmoo joining the league, while Richmond folds and West Van becomes NSGSC. Pegasus has a new coach and Westside has added a Pork Chop flavor to its coaching staff.

So there's lots of questions going into the season: Can Abbotsford, the Beavs and Semi compete in Premier? Will Pegasus keep its core together now that Eggy is gone? Will there be more parity in the league or will it still be the same old strong 3-4 teams? And my personal question, how the hell do the two North Shore teams have the worst kick-off times in league history - 9:30am Sunday morning for Norvan and 8:00pm Sunday night for NSGSC - WTF?

What are everyone's thoughts on the upcoming season? Who will win it all and who, if anyone, will be the surprise long shot?

Megs,

Richmond went to Semiamhoo.......well at least a portion of them did.......Semi knew it was their way into the Premier League and Richmond figured that would help them too, so it could be good for both parties.

Abbotsford will surprise some teams even though they jumped from Division One.....

And yes, those Sunday night 8:00 games are fantastic.

[Fat Bastard]

My questions for the season...

1. How many fresh faces can Jimmy Holiday fit into his squad? Coquitlam had a bumper crop of U18's last year (a team that won five straight BC titles), all of them stayed north of the 49th. Coquitlam should be primed come the second half. (And Coquitlam's youth program is bursting at the seams from U16 on up right now ... if managed properly... hmmmmm.)

2. Does Surrey have enough left for another run at the title? They've already laid claim to being one of the two best women's clubs in BC history (alongside UBC Alumni, late-90's vintage). I like their chances for repeat at Nats, but I do think they may stumble a bit after that.

3. Can North Shore Girls SC finally run a decent top-flight women's program?

4. Can Westside build on last year's great finish?

5. Will a watered-down League be more interesting than last year's weather-ravaged, all-too-long, interminable bore of a season? Top three will run roughshod over the bottom four or five teams, but at least everyone will only play each other twice in League play. Then again in the WOT Cup.

PREDICTIONS:

League Winner: Coquitlam Metro-Ford, followed by Peg and SU.
WOT Cup Winner: Peg
Provincial Cup: Coquitlam

[Captain Shamrock]

Fat Bastard is spot on with the Coquitlam crop.........They actually are bringing youth players in which will make the difference in the end......

Thos predictions look pretty good and accurate......

[nutmegs]

Originally Posted by Fat Bastard

PREDICTIONS:

League Winner: Coquitlam Metro-Ford, followed by Peg and SU.
WOT Cup Winner: Peg
Provincial Cup: Coquitlam

Wow! You don't even think we could win one of the three trophies up for grabs.

I guess playing last year with no more than 13 players at each game and a ton of injuries but still winning our fourth provincial cup didn't prove anything.

Thanks for some more inspiration on our "Drive for Five".

[bandcamp]

Can anyone tell me how many provincial cups SU has won? Can't seem to locate that anywhere on here...

[Can'tHeadABall]

Originally Posted by nutmegs

.....and Westside has added a Pork Chop flavor to its coaching staff. .....

Megs, I'll be kicking Mr. Pork Chop all season at training as I've been bugging him to help me out with my Selects Team but the lure of Premier was just tooooo much for him What a wanker! I say Surrey or Coquitlam for league winner. Good luck this season. You should be used to playing with a "short" bench , you did at Nation's.

Oh, as Alikira indicated, those 8 pm sunday night games are best time slots.

CHAB

[Fat Bastard]

Originally Posted by nutmegs

Wow! You don't even think we could win one of the three trophies up for grabs.

I think Nationals takes alot out of teams, and SU will probably drop a few points in October. Hopefully, a second gold medal will take the sting off a League loss or two.

And to be honest, UBC-Sportstown-Peg-Alumni-whatevertheyrecalledthisweek always seem to take the WOT Cup more seriously than the others. If the League decides to put top Provincial Cup seed on the line again, I may reserve my right to change that pick. Of course, they probably wouldn't announce that until half time of the final anyhow.

Sorry, Megs, but I was pretty full of praise for SU after they won BC's last year. I have since recovered from that state of deliriousness and am back on my meds. My hate-on for all things Surrey United has been fully restored.

And the Black-And-Blue returns to the MWSL Premier... how can I go against that? It brings a tear to the eye.
Glory, Glory Metro-Ford

[Conductor]

SU won 2-0 over Norvan yesterday. After sitting out for a year while being pregnant, Sara M made her debut noticable yesterday. Not only was she working hard and creating chances, she ended up getting the GW with Bi adding insurance. Norvan is young and might surprise teams this year!

[Regs]

the GW with Bi adding insurance.

This grabbed my attention, tell more!



Good start for the ladies, well done!

[Conductor]

Regs, I would like to tell you more about it, but I feel you would appreciate it more by coming out this friday for SU's fundraiser for Nationals and getting it first hand from the ladies!

[Regs]

Friday? Where is it? Was it posted 'cause I didn't read it

[Captain Shamrock]

Early prediction for Nationals........


London's team is going to be the toughest team Surrey United plays......


They've just finished their 22 game season at 22 - 0 and haven't given up a goal.............. They won the Ontario final 9 - 0..........

[Conductor]

Regs the fundraiser is this friday at the Mirage tickets are $10 includes drink and cover. I'm surprised Nutmegs hasn't gotten a hold of you for this with all of your contacts? Any support or contribution you can make would be greatly appreciated!
As for Alikira, where you predicting anything for Nationals or just making a statement that London will be the toughest opponent that SU faces? Cause I was hoping for an early prediction from you!

[nutmegs]

Originally Posted by alikira

London's team is going to be the toughest team Surrey United plays......

They've just finished their 22 game season at 22 - 0 and haven't given up a goal.............. They won the Ontario final 9 - 0..........

Okay Alikira, but how do you know if their competition was any good? You piqued my interest so I checked out the Ontario Soccer Association website and found this quote from their coach.

"This is a very young team -- most of them played Under 16 last year," said Galaxy coach, Jeff Painter. "We made the transition and obviously it was successful and we are very pleased with the team's performance. I told them before the game that one day they would play the best game they ever played and tonight they did that. Unfortunately, at the Nationals we have to play the reigning champions first -- Surrey United from BC are going to be really tough, but if we can get by them, I think we'll have a good chance."

Not that I'm trying to take anything away from them but other than being younger than us, I don't think they have any decided advantage. I will agree that they will probably be the toughest team that we face in our pool.

[nutmegs]

Sorry conductor, about not getting on promoting the Mirage night but I've been busy with the Women's World Cup Draws. Fundraising sucks!

[Captain Shamrock]

Originally Posted by nutmegs

Okay Alikira, but how do you know if their competition was any good? You piqued my interest so I checked out the Ontario Soccer Association website and found this quote from their coach.



Not that I'm trying to take anything away from them but other than being younger than us, I don't think they have any decided advantage. I will agree that they will probably be the toughest team that we face in our pool.

I didn't say they had a decided advantage against the 4 time B.C. champion. I'm guessing they're going to be your toughest game.....that's all. They have some VERY good player APPARENTLY and mixed the U-18 team(who won the Nationals at U-14 and U-16) with 7 ex-university players......again, I only heard from one of the girls' fathers. And now, of course, they know everything there is to know about Surrey United.

[Captain Shamrock]

Originally Posted by Conductor

Regs the fundraiser is this friday at the Mirage tickets are $10 includes drink and cover. I'm surprised Nutmegs hasn't gotten a hold of you for this with all of your contacts? Any support or contribution you can make would be greatly appreciated!
As for Alikira, where you predicting anything for Nationals or just making a statement that London will be the toughest opponent that SU faces? Cause I was hoping for an early prediction from you!

Just stating they will be your toughest opponent......at least according to what I was told.......nothing more.

[Fat Bastard]

Young teams traditionally don't do well at Senior Nationals. I would think a team like Surrey will use their experience to their advantage, and give these kids a nice warm welcome to senior soccer - West Coast style.

Good on the CSA for scheduling the deciding game first. Lose this game and sure is going to make the rest of the week a bit of a drag.

As for the MWSL season. A little surprised at the results. Especially Coquitlam's draw. But I think Coquitlam will have to deal with some early season struggles until they can get their university players into the lineup. But frankly, they should still be beating an expansion team. We'll chalk it up to early season rust.

Any word on tonight's results?

[Conductor]

SU 1-0 over SBAA. Not much to report on this game other than Nutmegs scoring early in the game. SU played well defensively and even though SBAA took it to them for a little bit there really wasn't any danger of them(SBAA) scoring. SBAA will do alright this year as an expansion team and they will get points off the top teams if they are taken lightly. On to Westvan next week, should be interesting with all the recruiting they have supposedly done over the summer. Rumour is that they signed 6 girls from the Ottawa Fury!