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What Does This Picture Have To Do With the Boston Breakers? Read On.

The Boston Breakers seem to relish in dramatics. In 2009, the team missed out on qualifying for the playoffs by the slimmest of margins, despite a string of inspired turns by talisman Kelly Smith.

In 2010, the Breakers’ second half revival was nothing short of marvelous. Rejuvenated team performances and outstanding individual contributions propelled the team to the upper-half of the table after languishing in the doldrums for months. The comeback was curtailed at the hands of the Philadelphia Independence in the Super Semifinal, however, as Danesha Adams scored a dubious game-winning goal in the 103’ to see the Independence through to the championship game. After a plodding first half, a stirring second and a tense third, the curtain closed on the Boston Breakers’ 2010 season.

Head coach Tony DiCicco had found a way to lead his team through the malaise and frustration that defined the Breakers’ first three months of the season. During that span, the team won one game before proceeding to earn four draws and five losses over the subsequent nine matches. Despite the attacking fire power available in Kelly Smith, Kristine Lilly, and Lauren Cheney, the team only mustered five goals in that time.

The renaissance began on Independence Day, as the Breakers downed Philadelphia away 2-1. The team never looked back after that. Nine wins, two draws, four losses, and 29 goals later, Boston snatched second place from a taxed Independence side. Smith and Cheney finally found the target while Jordan Angeli and Lindsay Tarpley also provided goals from midfield. Leslie Osborne provided expert defensive cover in front of class defenders Amy LePeilbet, Alex Scott, and Stephanie Cox. It was a truly terrific turnaround that speaks to the effect momentum and confidence can have on a team.

DiCicco and the Breakers organization heeded the lessons learned from the season, and worked to retain the nucleus of the team that had come together in such inspired fashion. Naturally, there was some deviation from the plan.

No one expected Kristine Lilly’s shock retirement in early January. Lilly had been a key component in the Breakers organization since the team’s WUSA incarnation. Lindsay Tarpley came up with several key goals and assists after arriving in Boston after the Saint Louis Athletica’s folding. The outside midfielder/forward was snatched up by magicJack in the offseason, however. Laura del Rio needed time to settle in Boston, and was eventually acquired by Philadelphia.

The team did succeed in protecting their core players from other suitors, however. Lauren Cheney, Kelly Smith, Leslie Osborne, Alex Scott, Amy LePeilbet, Stephanie Cox, Alyssa Naeher, and Jordan Angeli will be appearing in Breakers blue this season once more. Role players like Kasey Moore, Ifeoma Dieke, and Taryn Hemmings were also re-signed. Players who have historically drifted in and out of the squad such as Niki Cross, Liz Bogus, Claire Zimmeck, Ashley Phillips, and Leah Blayney – a goal-scoring machine on the Breakers’ WPSL reserve side – have all made the final cut.

There have also been several key additions. Boston have ushered in a pair of former FC Gold Pride standouts in Kelley O’Hara and Rachel Buehler. The respective winger/forward and center-back/full-back were significant cogs in the FCGP machine last year.

The unavoidable bug-a-boo with the duo is the issue that could potentially undermine the Breakers’ squad this season: the World Cup.

The Breakers will stand to lose the highly-touted foundation of the squad. The World Cup will claim Boston’s entire starting back line, as LePeilbet, Buehler, and Cox will be nabbed by the USWNT and Alex Scott will be on duty for England. The team will also lose its potent attacking phalanx as Kelly Smith and Lauren Cheney will be unavailable. The loss could be multi-fold, as the two players are as capable of scoring goals as they are creating them. New signing Kelley O’Hara could also very well play her way into the final USWNT roster over the next few months.

That leaves a capable, yet lean reserve squad. Jordan Angeli will be expected to be as productive as she was last summer, as goals could evade the squad once more. Leah Blayney will be hoped to score at the same wild rate she had in the second-division WPSL. Katie Schoepfer had a disappointing stint with Sky Blue FC last season, but looked up to the task for the U-23’s recently. Taryn Hemmings was drafted last overall in 2010 and should play a more prominent role up top this season. Leslie Osborne will have to help shore up a paper-thin backline led by Kasey Moore and Ifeoma Dieke.

The lack of depth at everywhere other than goalkeeper could be disconcerting. On paper, the Breakers seem to be the most ill-prepared to deal with the World Cup depletion. The team used three of their four draft picks on forwards, all of whom failed to make the final roster. The choices are especially puzzling, given the glaring deficiencies in defense.

But this is Tony DiCicco we’re talking about. No coach in WPS is more experienced than DiCicco. His two World Cups (a U-20 World Cup counts just the same) speak for themselves. Decisions that might seem to beggar belief to the outside observer could actually turn out to be part of a well thought-out, methodical strategy.

And perhaps his plan is fairly ovbious. DiCicco drafted Keelin Winters from the 2011 WPS Draft. He recently ushered in Elli Reed after being cut adrift by the WNY Flash. His faith in goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was validated last season as Naeher had a very efficient rookie season. The team signed Nikki Washington early on in free agency. The common denominator among all four of these players? A 2008 U-20 Women’s World Cup championship. (Kelley O’Hara was very much in the team set-up before DiCicco infamously dropped her from the squad in a move that makes her arrival in Boston all the more dramatic).

Although Sydney Leroux and Alex Morgan were ultimately the stars of the tournament, DiCicco helmed a team that excelled in every area of the field. His apparent decision to stockpile players from the team is as obvious as it is logical. DiCicco clearly knows how to get the best out of these players, even if most of them arrive to WPS still wet behind the ears. Perhaps DiCicco is putting serious stock in the idea that this is the group that will step in and continue to turn the wheels while the Breakers’ central core is away.

And when it comes down to it, how wise is it to doubt Tony DiCicco? He’s done it before.

The Breakers open their season away to the Atlanta Beat on Saturday, April 9. The team will make their home debut against the WNY Flash on Sunday, April 17. The game will be on FSC starting at 6pm ET.

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