The 2011 WPS season kicks off Friday, Jan. 13th – in a sense, at least – as the league will usher in a new class of 24 players. Below Chris has given the lowdown on the best players available and where they might land. Here’s a general outlook on each team and how the draft could affect their seasons, for better or for worse.

The Draft will only consist of four rounds this year, a decrease from ten in 2009 and seven in 2010. The downsize makes sense considering there are only six teams to start with. Additionally, 72% of the draftees who remained for the duration of the 2009 season came from the first five rounds while 85% of the 2010 draftees who remained for the entire season came from the top four rounds.

Check back here tomorrow for live analysis of each pick courtesy of Chris. Lauren Barker and I are here in Baltimore taking in the sights and sounds of the NSCAA Convention. And trying to find where Stringer Bell got shot.

Overall pick (round)

Atlanta Beat

3 (1), 7 (1), 14 (3)

Key losses: Aluko, McNeill, Zerboni

(Subjective) key gains: Lloyd, Whitehill

The Atlanta Beat benefited tremendously from the mid-season folding of the Saint Louis Athletica last year as several big names including Hope Solo, Eniola Aluko and Lori Chalupny found themselves in Kennesaw. Head coach Gareth O’Sullivan’s team was not able to produce results that reflected the quality of its Atlantica players, however, and was shown the door before the conclusion of the 2010 season. Despite the influx of talent, the Beat ended the season the way it had begun and finished dead last.

Thus far, the Beat have done little to inspire confidence for the 2011 season. In addition to General Manager Shawn McGee, the team has parted ways with several high draft picks and big names like Aluko, Kerr and last year’s #1 overall Draft pick Tobin Heath in a trade with Sky Blue FC. Cost-cutting appeared to be the motive behind the trade but questions were raised when the team then ushered in the likes of Carli Lloyd and Cat Whitehill. Lloyd has yet to make a substantial impact in WPS and Whitehill is in the twilight of her career, with her USWNT days seemingly now behind her.

As of now, the team has a skeleton of a squad. Retaining the likes of Chalupny, Tina Ellertson and Johanna Rasmussen is a positive starting point, however, and the fact that those players will very likely remain in Georgia throughout the World Cup is a major boon for head coach James Galanis.

The team has just three Draft picks, two of which are in the first round. An out-and-out goal-scorer will be of an interest to the team and as Chris says, they might be compelled to roll the dice on Stanford alum Christen Press.

Heading into their second season, the team is still looking to a mold an identity. Drafting three quality players is an excellent way to kick off the year with optimism – something that was in short supply last year.

Boston Breakers

Picks: 6 (1), 12 (2), 19 (3), 24 (4)

Key losses: Lilly, Tarpley

Key gains: Buehler, O’Hara

Other than a few small modifications, the squad that appeared in the Super Semifinal last season has been relatiely untouched. The retention of top-class players like Kelly Smith, Amy LePeilbet, Alex Scott, and Leslie Osborne will likely be critical to the team’s success this year. The sudden retirement of winger Kristine Lilly may have had more of an effect on the team set-up had Kelley O’Hara not signed with the club weeks prior.

A major bug-a-boo for Boston is the World Cup and the toll it will take on the Tony DiCicco’s squad. All five players mentioned may very well be absent during the summer. Throw in the likes of Lauren Cheney, Stephanie Cox and possibly Jordan Angeli and Boston will be without what practically amounts to a starting eleven.

General Manager Andy Crossley conceded that management took a calculated risk in assembling this season’s squad. The team will need the same kind of foresight in its Draft selections. Rather than using the Draft to fill gaping holes, the Breakers will have to use its four picks to help with the team’s depth issues. The team will need reinforcements at the wide positions in both defense and midfield and might have to invest in a forward, given the yet unproven status of Nikki Washington, who holds the distinction of being associated with five of the ten teams that have ever existed in WPS.

The Boston Breakers have the personnel to field a Championship caliber team – if only it wasn’t a World Cup year. They must seek players who can step up and sustain a title pursuit in the absence of much of the squad.

Philadelphia Independence

2 (1), 5 (1), 11 (2), 15 (3), 23 (4)

Key losses: Seger

Key gains: Rapinoe, McNeill, Kai

The Independence was the league’s biggest shock last year as Paul Riley guided a team full of first-year internationals, cast-offs and bit part players to the WPS Championship. It was a credit to the outstanding play of several squad members and Riley’s ability as a coach to inspire and motivate his team.

Riley and co. have seemingly retained the core of that squad with Sweden international Caroline Seger being perhaps the only notable departure. The team has added Tasha Kai from Sky Blue FC who will be looked upon to bang in goals in the absence of World Cup bound Amy Rodriguez. Megan Rapinoe will add another dimension to the team’s attack out wide, even if she won’t be a full-timer. The team has also bolstered its center-back pairing as Kia McNeill will add athleticism to Allison’s Falk physical presence.

On paper, Philalphia has an excellent balance of first-teamers and squad players. And yet the team still has five Draft picks at its disposal. Center midfield, goalkeeper and outside mid are areas that could be addressed.

Philadelphia is in the midst of assembling yet another fantastic squad. Only this time it won’t be such a surprise.

Sky Blue FC

16 (2), 21 (4)

Key losses: Kai, Averbuch

Key gains: Aluko, Sjögran, Heath, Asante

Outside of Western New York, Sky Blue FC has been the biggest spenders this offseason. The 2009 champions were much heralded at the start of last season but hit a rough spell in the summer months as the goals dried up. The New Jersey outfit finished a disappointing fifth.

Goal production shouldn’t be as much of a concern this season with the addition of Eniola Aluko, even if she won’t be there for the long haul. Inspiration should also come from midfield which may prove to the deepest in WPS. SBFC fans will hope that Tobin Heath can produce a comeback in the mold of A-Rod ca. 2010 this season. Heather O’Reilly should continue to be the team’s oft-unheralded workhorse. New signing Therese Sjögran, sometimes referred to as the best holding midfielder in the world, will do much of the dirty work for her teammates.

It’s clear the powers that be chose to re-touch the squad via free agency and trades. The fact that the team has just two Draft picks bears that out. New additions could be used for depth but much of the work to Jim Gabarra’s squad should be done already.

magicTalk SC/Washington Freedom

4 (1), 10 (2), 17 (3), 22 (4)

Honestly, who the hell knows what’s going on here. A myriad of questions surround magic Talk SC/Washington Freedom including, but not limited to: is the name for real, are they really only keeping four players from last season, are the likes of Masar, Tarpley, Boxx, and Rampone really on their way, has anybody been hired to keep the lights on at the joint, where will the team be playing next year, will the team sign Marta, who’s going to be representing the team at the Draft tomorrow and what is the team doing to prevent itself from becoming a total laughing stock to both supporters and detractors of WPS. The question of how the team opts use its four Draft picks seems to be a less pressing matter.

Western New York Flash

1 (1), 8 (1), 9 (2), 13 (3), 20 (4)

The Western New York Flash are the new kids on the block who moved in out of nowhere but are totally endearing to the neighborhood by throwing themselves the most awesome housewarming party ever and everyone wants in on the act.

Owner Joe Sahlen and family have put together a truly terrific squad blessed with class and depth at nearly every position. And the team still has five Draft picks to burn, the first of which will belong to Alex Morgan.

The World Cup will be a concern for the club, as it will claim the likes of Christine Sinclair, Caroline Seger, Ali Riley and possibly Whitney Engen, Yael Averbuch and Ashlyn Harris.

If the Flash use the same prudence in its Draft selections as it did its squad assembly, WPS’ newest arrivals are set to leave a lasting impression this season.

Send to Facebook

Tweet This Post

View Original Post at allwhitekit.wordpress.com | View jennaawk's Full Profile

• Filed Under:  
• Soccer, Sports, WPS