Jldlax wrote: ↑Fri Oct 28, 2022 8:06 am
rolldodge wrote: ↑Fri Oct 28, 2022 5:23 am
HGK wrote: ↑Thu Oct 27, 2022 6:23 pm
Have to find the right mix to turn this into a 2 midfield line team. We have lacked that for 3 years or more. Who will be the Trippi/Petkovich slashers, who will play attack from the grad transfers? Will be interesting to see how Warne and staff set that up. Lots of firepower here plus underclassmen like Wray and others should allow for midfield and attack to be deep however it plays out. Goalie is a high class problem with two very strong keepers after McElroy graduation. Haley at X, Face-off and close D seem set. SSDM need to find a third if Hess plays more offense. Poles will need another player or two to add depth.
Let’s go Hoyas!
There's a glut of "starting attackman" on this team now, which is unusual for Georgetown and the kind of problem you are happy to have.
I keep going back and forth on this, but now I wonder if Dordevic will play midfield.
Attack would be Haley, Minicus, and either Kelly or Salomon. Which of these two is more suited to midfield?
1st Midfield Bundy, Dordevic, and McDermott.
2nd Midfield Hess, Kelly/Salomon, and an underclassman like Wray.
Or do you move someone like McDermott to anchor the second midfield and have a more off-ball attackman round out the third spot on 1st?
Thats a lot of talent to juggle and will probably take some time to find the best mix. And that's not even including some dark horse underclass talent that could breakout.
I think a midfield with Bundy and Dordevic is the way to go. Who gets the pole in this alignment? I do not think that double poling the midfield and playing a short stick on an attack of Haley/Minicus and Kelly/Solomon would work either. That attack is too mobile for that to work. And hopefully, Haley will have a healthy year.
I can also see Hess on the second midfield with one of the NC transfers and an underclassman. Or Hess in a lineup where he gets the SSDM and inverts. But in all, there should be an abundance of depth and versatility that allows matchup advantages depending upon opponent and situation.
On defense the key will be depth at midfield and LSM. Hopefully GU can find a third SSDM from the returnees or an incoming middie. The incoming class has a strong midfield group and perhaps GU can develop one of these guys into a solid defender. And finally, I hope that GU can give decent time to a back up FO guy, to keep Reilly fresh and minimize bangs and bruises.
I hope that the coaches and program master the expectations and develop the mental toughness to break through in the postseason. This may be the biggest challenge this year.
So many offensive possibilities with this group.
If Dordevic does play attack, I see could see something like:
A: Haley, Minicus, Dordevic
M1: Bundy, McDermott, Wray
M2: Kelly, Salomon, Hess
At attack this gives you two guys who can break down the defense, a stretch shooter, and a distributor.
At midfield, you have two groups of guys (Bundy/McDermott and Kelly/Salomon) that have played 3 to 4 years together on the same lines.
Presumably, they could also just put there best 6 guys out there and slot them differently each game depending on matchups.
Who knows? Wish we'd been able to see more this fall, but really looking forward to how this all plays out.
Good points on midfield D, FO, and postseason preparation.