Talent aplenty in Washington Freedom midfield

By Joe Dougherty

Whether he needs to go with grit or skill, attack or defend, Washington Freedom Coach Jim Gabarra has plenty of talent from which to choose in the middle of the field.

Saturday’s game against the Boston Breakers showed the depth in the Freedom’s midfield. With attacking midfielder Homare Sawa competing for Japan’s national team in the Asian Football Confederation’s Asian Cup, and forward Lisa De Vanna competing for Australia in the same event, Gabarra had to turn to his reserves against the Breakers.

Reserves, however, may be a misnomer. To compensate for De Vanna’s loss, Gabarra pushed Norwegian international Lena Mykjaland up front to play alongside Abby Wambach in the 4-4-2 formation.

Midfielder Sarah Huffman, replacing Sawa, teamed up with Allie Long in the middle of the park, with Jill Gilbeau and Sonia Bompastor filling out the midfield.

"I think we\'re deep everywhere,” Gabarra said after his team battled through heavy, swirling winds for a 0-0 tie with Boston at the Maryland SoccerPlex. “It\'s a huge asset to have when you\'re missing players. Players can step in and make the most of the opportunity.”

The Freedom midfield is particularly deep, and with different playing styles and personalities:
•    Long, the former North Carolina star, is a technical player with crafty feet. Rather than playing deep, probing passes, she would much prefer to play one-two combinations with another midfielder or with Wambach checking back into space. Long also likes to pierce the penalty area on the dribble.
•    Like Long, Sawa is a technically skillful player with good vision. And like Long, she likes going forward, making runs into the space opened by a forward checking into the midfield. Unlike Long, Sawa prefers more one-touch passing.
•    Sarah Huffman gives Washington the best of both worlds – grit and finesse. That was evident against Boston, when she often went toe-to-toe with Boston center midfielder Leslie Osborne, a national team star known for not being afraid to go into a tackle. But Huffman on several occasions used a deft touch to get out of tight situations, helping the Freedom keep possession.
•    Bompastor is an attack-minded midfielder with the dangerous left foot and the speed to get down the sideline to serve in dangerous, bending crosses. She was among the top assist makers in WPS a year ago, and scored a brilliant goal against the St. Louis Athletica and goalkeeper Hope Solo earlier this month.
•    Jill Gilbeau is the classic versatile midfielder; although she doesn’t stand out in any particular area, nor is she weak in the attack or while defending. When she doesn’t start, she is typically the first off the bench for Gabarra.
•    Brittany Bock is another versatile player, capable of playing in the back or in the midfield for Washington. Having recovered from injury, Bock made her first appearance this season when she replaced Mykjaland in the 77th minute against Boston. "When Bock comes in, she can give us something a little different. She can play central defender or holding midfield."
•    Mykjaland is a fleet-footed midfielder/forward who prefers a good run against a defender or two than combining with teammates. That said, she is beginning to show more comfort in Gabarra’s possession-oriented style of play since joining the Freedom in early April.

"It’s extremely promising to see other players stepping up,” said central defender Cat Whitehill. “We look at ourselves as 22 strong. I think it\'s great for our players to step in when needed.”

Depth aside, maintaining a consistent line-up is crucial to developing a rhythm and flow to the game, and the absence of De Vanna – who provides long-ball speed to Freedom’s attack – and Sawa may have influenced Saturday’s outcome.

"We have to realize that we had two starters taken out of the lineup. That\'s going to affect our rhythm,” Gabarra said. “There were times in the first half where we strung some good passes together, and the last pass was a little too impatient. In this wind you\'re not going to be able to play balls over the top at all.

“We had our chances but Boston is a very good defensive team.”

Washington sits in fifth place in the eight-team WPS with a 2-2-1 record, followed by Boston at 1-1-3.

The Freedom travel to Atlanta on Sunday to take on the Atlanta Beat at the new soccer park at KSU Soccer Stadium in Kennesaw, Ga. Washington defeated Atlanta, 3-1, April 18 at the Maryland SoccerPlex.