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I aspire to be the male Meg White

There are a lot of unanswered questions about this year's Minnesota Thunder squad. Rookie coach in Amos Magee. Heavily re-vamped roster. Here's my take:

1. Dustin Branan is back. After a one-year hiatus riding the pine in Kansas City, he will anchor the revamped four-man back line. Last year the squad sorely missed his tenacity, vocal leadership, and aerial dominance. His presence makes the defense instantly better. He'll be joined in the center by younger brother Brett, with Zafer Kilickan and Kevin Friedland on the flanks. Add in veteran goalkeeper Joe Warren and this squad will be extremely difficult to break down. (Alfredo Esteves and Chad Dombrowski will eventually fit into the mix defensively as well.)

2. Johnny, Jay, and Jeff. The team lost three of its most dynamic attacking players during the offseason. Johnny Menyongar (51 goals in six seasons with the club), as explosive on the ball as any forward in the league, decamped to Rochester. Jay Alberts, the team's tireless outside midfielder who scored a couple of incredible long-range goals last year, will be suiting up for Vancouver. And Jeff Matteo, the team's only credible threat on set pieces, has landed in Charleston (along with former Thunder defender Chris Brunt).

3. Can anyone on this team pass? Nobody on this roster could legitimately be deemed a creative playmaker. Godfrey Tenoff is probably best suited to this role, but he's stuck in South Africa and will miss the opener. Even with Tenoff in the mix, this team will struggle to keep possession and set up the attack.

4. Who will handle set pieces? Matteo was, by far, the best free kick sniper on the team last year. Whatever his flaws (defensively indifferent, tendency to fight with his own teammates), Matteo could be counted on to strike a couple of dazzling balls into the back of the net each season. When he was out of the lineup last year, the team was terrible on free kicks. Kilickan, despite being roughly 87 years old, might be one decent option.

5. Speed, speed, speed. This team could be dangerous up top. Nate "Pickles" Knox didn't show much offensive spark last year, but he's a credible target forward with superb ball skills. If he can hold the ball and pick out speedsters Melvin Tarley and Aaron Paye, this team will score some goals. After a disappointing stint in MLS, Tarley should be poised for a huge year. When motivated, his combination of speed, strength, and grit is unmatched in the 1st Division.

6. What will Nate Winkel bring to the squad? After a five year hiatus, and a stint playing professionally in Sweden, Winkel returns to his hometown team. The midfield could use some additional spark. He's been hobbled by a groin injury in the pre-season.

Posted by Paul Demko at April 21, 2006 10:20 AM

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