Author: RJ Allen

The Furt and the Fabulous: Episode 3

Posted on by RJ Allen

I am back with my recurring series of The Furt and the Fabulous. A look at the best and worst of the week. Let’s dig in.

The Furt

Houston is in Major Trouble

Oh, Houston.

To those who thought former Head Coach Randy Waldrum leaving the Dash would provide the catalyst needed for Houston to start coming together and winning games, I am sorry. And for those who thought Carli Lloyd’s return would be the end of the midfield issues, I am doubly sorry.

Right now the Dash seem to be set to make sure Boston doesn’t finish in 10th place for three seasons in a row. Their defense looks lethargic, their midfield is a mess, and their finishing hasn’t been there most of the season. They have had a few bright spots, their win over Washington being maybe the brightest, but between coaching issues and lack of cohesion, it doesn’t look like the Dash are leaving the basement anytime soon. 

 

Two Clean Sheets Lost in the Last 10 Minutes

Chicago scored in the 82′, Portland in the 90+5′ on the rebound from a PK given in the dying moments of the game, and Houston scored on Orlando twice in the 89′ and 90+6′. Three games that should have seen three keepers have clean sheets ended with each keeper giving up a goal (and in the case of Orlando, two). None of the three left the pitch with a loss but in the case of Washington, it stripped 2 points away from what could have been a much-needed away victory.

It’s not new that some teams are better at scoring late goals. Sky Blue had three game winners past the 80th minute at home for their 3-0 start before they had their first home loss to Portland a few weeks ago. 

The danger with letting a goal in, even if your team wins, will always be how high goal differential is on the list of tiebreakers. Right after head-to-head is goal differential and in Week 9 it might not be so dangerous. But come October the goal let in in the 87th minute could be the difference between playing in the playoffs and watching them from home. 

The Fabulous

You Get a Brace and You Get a Brace and You Get a Brace

Sam Kerr, Marta, and Kristen Hamilton all ended the weekend with braces. 

Scoring one goal is great but why stop there when you can score a second? The Pride, Courage and Sky Blue all came away with wins thanks in large part to the braces provided by Marta, Hamilton, and Kerr. 

Marta and Kerr having braces isn’t all that shocking but seeing such a performance out of Hamilton was a welcome surprise with both Williams and McDonald out of the starting XI. 

Each of the 6 goals was great but Sam Kerr wins the best celebration after scoring with her trademark backflip. 

 

NWSL Coaches Have Become Awesome on Twitter

The NWSL coaches have really picked up their game this year on Twitter. While not indicative of on-field performance it is a welcome sight to those of us who enjoy a little Twitter banter.

Below are just a few of my favorites.

 

 

 

 

Promoting Pride in Courage Country

Posted on by RJ Allen

During the NWSL offseason, when the announcement was made that the Western New York Flash were moving their entire operation to Cary, North Carolina, my wife and I were elated.

Like many, we jumped cannonball-style into women’s soccer mania during the 2015 Women’s World Cup and there was no looking back. That summer we attended our first NWSL game as part of a trip to D.C. A year later, we strategically decided D.C. would be a common sense “half-way” point between North Carolina and Buffalo (where we would be married later in the week), so we could catch our second game.

This time, the Spirit hosted the Orlando Pride, in their first match following the massacre at Pulse. I was struck by the strength and unity of the women’s soccer community during that game, and literally felt the furious fusion between the LGBTQ community and Women’s Soccer. The game that provides a safe space for each of us to enjoy healthy competition also opens its arms to welcome fans from all backgrounds – after all, it welcomed us.

The day of the official NC Courage announcement, season tickets went on sale. Since we live that grad student + graphic designer lifestyle, we opted for budget-friendly seats across from the benches, but right up front so we could witness the up-close and personal athleticism of nearly every national team player over the course of a complete season (side note: injuries have plagued this game plan), while getting to know the members of our very own North Carolina Courage. So far, it’s been a great experience.

After a third of the season, we’re starting to recognize familiar faces in our section. We’re also close enough to other fans to gather from their conversations who they’re excited to see and who they’d rather not see. In these moments we have learned that most fans are just like us – grateful for the opportunity to support an NWSL team locally, and for the type of atmosphere that women’s soccer cultivates. As I mentioned already, this is one that is noticeably welcoming to every type of person, with particular attention paid to the LGBTQ community.

In the final months of the offseason, there was a lot of chatter in women’s soccer world about the revival of a professional women’s soccer team in North Carolina, and how the club would function under House Bill 2, especially since the NCAA had removed all collegiate tournament games from the state and the NBA pulled the All-Star game from Charlotte. To be fair, those sporting events are stand-alone and more easily relocated than a more-or-less permanent franchise. After all, the Carolina Hurricanes hadn’t moved out of the state, nor would anyone expect them to. They have, however, hosted Pride nights – something I have been giddy to experience with the Courage.

Early in the season, the social media hype for the Courage was heightened. So much so that they got in a bit over their heads when their first gif tweet at the other NWSL teams declared “We are the champions” and garnered unexpected reactions like “No,” or “actually… the Flash?”

They eventually found their groove, though, and within that groove were the early and frequent promotions for North Carolina Football Club Pride Week events and the mid-June Pride game to be played against the Boston Breakers. Even better, a percentage of ticket sales for the Pride games are being donated to Equality NC, an organization that fights for equal rights and has stood at the forefront of the fight against HB2. Even today, they are still fighting against the inherent anti-trans discrimination written into HB 142, a law that supposedly “repealed” HB2. So as a season ticket holder, and a member of a social media team for a women’s soccer site, imagine my confusion when suddenly the voices holding the power of promotion for Pride night got quiet.

By now, it’s no secret that the speculation as to why one of the Courage’s defenders chose not to attend national team friendlies in Scandanavia got red hot a few weeks ago. For me, this whole ordeal was doubly frustrating. I knew about the history of this player, and I didn’t like it, yet I was attempting to come to terms with it. And then this happened.

I was frustrated because this player is on MY team, and MY team is in North Carolina, where a week before, we hosted a Family and Faith night. It’s true, we’re located in a part of the country where Christianity is held in high regard, and that’s great. If I had to guess, there is a demand in this area for a game that celebrates faith. However, I do not have to guess that there is a demand for a game that celebrates pride. This could easily turn into an argument about privileged groups and safe spaces, but that’s currently being played out in every arena imaginable at the moment. What became frustrating after this incident, was the silence from the Courage regarding their Pride night.

Nearly every other NWSL team used the international break to advertise their Pride game with daily tweets. Some teams changed their social media profile pictures to rainbow logos. I kept up with every other team’s updates, and started to question whether the Courage were going to advertise the Pride aspect of the June 17th game at all. It got worse when the Courage began advertising the game as an opportunity to get food from food trucks before the game, while leaving out any mention of LGBTQ+ Pride.

Food trucks. Yes. I LOVE a good street taco. Who doesn’t?

But do you know what I love more? A stadium filled with rainbow flags in the heart of North Carolina.

A day and a space to be loud and proud while we watch Debinha wow ten-year-olds eating soft pretzels. Is that too much to ask?

Finally, last Tuesday, my social media sleuthing reached its pinnacle when the Courage posted what must have been coordinated and scheduled Facebook and Twitter posts with the caption “stay tuned …” and a photo of Sam Mewis’ rainbow number USWNT jersey. Could it be? Was my team actually going to embrace this Pride game? Before I could comment with an emphatic “Ooooohhhh!!!” the posts were deleted. That’s right. Completely gone. At that moment, I was convinced that we would be celebrating food truck pride during Pride month.

In the days that followed, my wife designed some stellar rainbow Courage graphics and put them all over social media in an effort to spread the word. We were pleasantly surprised when one of the tweets was given attention by the Courage’s general manager, an assistant coach, Equality NC, and Playing for Pride, a coalition of professional players who raise money for the Human Rights Campaign. This attention felt like a little victory, like Pride night hadn’t been forgotten. Thankfully, Thursday night served as the Pride kickoff at a local bar, where Taylor Smith and Abby Dahlkemper acted as guest bartenders, and the Pride aspect of the game was finally given some attention.

Game day arrived, and I was ready. We set up a mean tailgate right outside the stadium where I could be seen wearing my equality t-shirt, dancing to Kelly Clarkson, Janet Jackson, and the Spice Girls behind my Kia Soul, proudly displaying our brand new rainbow flag.

During our tailgate, we met up with the former leader of one of the prominent supporters groups for the Carolina Railhawks (now NCFC, the men’s NASL team under the North Carolina Football Club umbrella). We discussed the promotion of the Pride game (and lack thereof), and he offered some insight that I appreciated. He expressed that in the past, they tried to push the organization to have different themed nights and that there simply was not the manpower or money to make it happen. He was pleasantly surprised that the organization was even hosting a Pride night, and held the opinion that he was grateful for the progress. I noted during this conversation that I was grateful for the progress too, but now that we have the NWSL in town, the demographic has shifted to include a swath of fans who deserve and expect a Pride night.

Prior to the gates opening, more than half of the Courage roster joined hands for a photo in Equality shirts, a photo that was posted to Twitter as a show of love, support, and solidarity.

Later, upon entering the stadium, we noticed a large number of people wearing the rainbow pride scarves designed for the occasion, and a few rainbow flags were draped over sideline fences. At the conclusion of the national anthem, the supporters section unraveled a giant rainbow tifo, which was subsequently posted on social media by the Courage. All-in-all, the game was a blast, pride was everywhere, and the Courage came away with a big win.

Reflecting on the events of the past two weeks, I am certain finding a balance between Pride promotion and keeping the peace among an increasingly polarized discourse was a PR nightmare. Because of this, fans had to take it upon themselves to make Sahlen’s Stadium the type of atmosphere they were hoping to get out of a Pride night. I’m grateful the game was a success, but I wish it would have been given a bigger push. With this year’s game in the books, now we have something to compare it to. Fingers crossed that next year, the series of events leading up to the Pride game allow for louder and prouder promotion.

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer, International Break #1

Posted on by RJ Allen

Backline Soccer Recap:

Quick Fire Week 9 Game Previews:

This week we see the return of the NWSL as we enter Week 9 of games. Let’s take a look at this week’s matchups.

Game 1: Chicago Red Stars vs. Washington Spirit

Chicago Red Stars record: 5-2-1
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 16

Washington Spirit record: 2-5-1
Position: 9th
Total Points: 7

Things have finally started to click for Chicago in the last several games. They should not have a big test against the Spirit this week but will want to not underestimate them. The one thing that could potentially be a deterrent is the fact that four of their starters, Alyssa Naeher, Christen Press, Julie Ertz, and Casey Short all saw minutes in the USWNT friendlies. With the out-of-country trip, these players may not be as fresh as the ones who have had no matches to play since June 4th. I don’t think this will be a huge problem, especially in this match, but it could factor in. Chicago will look to gain ground on the Courage this week and if they continue in their current form, I don’t see any problems with accomplishing that. 

The Spirit are really looking to just get their season turned around. They will have a big test in attack to get past the Chicago defense and will also have trouble containing an in-form Christen Press. Steph Labbé will have her work cut out for her. Tori Huster has not yet returned, and her absence on the field has definitely been noticed. Additionally, Mal Pugh picked up an injury in warm-ups of the USWNT/Norway matchup and will be out of action this weekend according to Dan Lauletta. 

Game 2: North Carolina Courage vs. Boston Breakers

North Carolina Courage record: 6-3-0
Position: 1st
Total Points: 18

Boston Breakers record: 2-4-2
Position: 8th
Total Points: 8

The Courage are looking to retain their hold on their first place ranking with a win. The extent of the injury to Lynn Williams could pose a problem to this. Williams was in a boot for the duration of the USWNT matches, there’s been no word as yet regarding the extent of her injury. Losing Yuri Kawamura is also a blow to their defense, which had already been showing some signs of weakness. They will look to spur the attack against Boston this week and try to hold their defensive line. 

Boston is going to have to scramble to figure out just what needs to be done to turn their season around.They started out well, surprising everyone, but the past few games they’ve slipped and fallen in the rankings. With both Rose Lavelle and Allysha Chapman sustaining injuries during the FIFA break, Boston will have a hard time replacing their form and presence on the pitch. They will look to players like Natasha Dowie and Adriana Leon to step up even more than usual to try to carry this team through. Their work will be cut out for them against the strong attack of the Courage. 

Game 3: FC Kansas City vs. Seattle Reign

FC Kansas City record: 3-3-2
Position: 6th
Total Points: 11

Seattle Reign record: 3-2-3
Position: 5th
Total Points: 12

FCKC will be looking to pick themselves up after a not-so-great outing against the Courage before the FIFA break. While Sydney Leroux traveled with the USWNT, she did not see any minutes, so she should hopefully be fresh and ready to drive the attack, which FCKC will desperately need. FCKC will also be dependent once again on Becky Sauerbrunn to lead the defense, even after playing every minute of the USWNT friendlies, as well. They will need to find a way to hold off the Reign attack and pressure from the midfield.

The Reign are also coming in after a tough loss to the Red Stars before the FIFA break. With the hope of getting Bev Yanez back this week, the Reign will are going to be attacking FCKC early and often. Additionally, Megan Rapinoe saw very little minutes in the USWNT friendlies so if her season NWSL form continues, and there is no reason it shouldn’t, FCKC is going to have a lot of trouble controlling tempo and resisting the pressure attack from the Reign. Most of all, one of the bigger assets Seattle has this season is goalkeeper Haley Kopmeyer. Her form has harkened some noticeable Hope Solo qualities this season, which is a noticeable asset and trait for the Reign as she continues to hold it down in the back. FCKC will have trouble getting past her. 

Game 4: Houston Dash vs. Orlando Pride

Houston Dash record: 2-6-0
Position: 10th
Total Points: 6

Orlando Pride record: 2-3-3
Position: 7th
Total Points: 9

Houston announced they will keep Omar Morales as the interim head coach this season instead of looking for an immediate replacement for Randy Waldrum. With one match already under his belt, I am not sure if Morales sees the game and the Dash much differently right now than Waldrum but time will tell. The Dash just do not seem to have a cohesive plan and that will be their biggest thing to try to figure out, especially going up against a Pride team that is finally starting to connect their big pieces. The big benefit this week is the Dash will be getting Carli Lloyd back after her stint with Man City. She should inject a sense of urgency and order to the team. The Dash, though, mainly, need to figure out the best pieces to use and make sure to utilize them. Janine Beckie did incredible for Canada during this break but has not seen that translate to the Dash. If she can bring that back, the Dash could start to turn around their season.

The Pride are on the upswing, though fans ought to be cautious in their excitement, the team seems to be trending up in their play. With the announcement that Alex Morgan will miss an additional 3-4 weeks thanks to the hamstring injury she picked up in France, the hopes of a Marta/Morgan attack will have to wait a little longer. The Pride seemed to have settled on a defense, but are struggling mightily in the midfield. Tom Sermanni’s test this week will be to try to get that midfield figured out and finally settled. This week may prove who will end up being cut to make room for Alex Morgan’s return. 

Game 5: Portland Thorns vs. Sky Blue FC

Portland Thorns record: 4-1-3
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 15

Sky Blue FC record: 4-4-1
Position: 4th
Total Points: 13

It was announced this week that the timetable for the return of Tobin Heath has been extended, with no date set any longer for when she might return. The Thorns are still hanging around near the top of the table and in playoff contention, but the lack of the creativity and drive that Heath brings to the pitch may soon expose weaknesses other teams can exploit and capitalize upon. They also have some other players out are dealing with some injuries but will have the addition of Australian international Ashleigh Sykes this week. She will be a huge boost to the attack for the Thorns and may be what they need to help with the Heath-sized hole they have.

Sky Blue will have all of their pieces in play and will need each and every one of them to succeed. Christie Pearce is holding it down in the back but is working with a young defensive squad, which will need to be playing at their best against the Thorns. In addition, Sam Kerr, who could not seem to buy a goal last game, will need to spur the attack and try to find the back of the net early. International Kelley O’Hara, who was dealing with a slight strain a few weeks ago, may have picked up a small knock in the USWNT game against Norway, so her ability to play and also help in some capacity will be crucial. (As of this writing, there is no indication that any such injury will not see O’Hara play this weekend.) The biggest problem with O’Hara is the way Christy Holly has been shuffling her around the field to fill holes instead of tasking her with a single position and allowing her to perform and shine as we all know she can. Sky Blue will need to figure this portion out soon. 

The Scouting Report:

We went live on Monday night with our weekly TSR. This week we covered the two USWNT friendlies against Sweden and Norway. A reminder that you can catch TSR live every Monday night at 8pm EST on our YouTube channel. And make sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @ScoutingPodcast.

In case you missed this week’s episode, catch up here:

Come back next week for the next edition of Off the Bench.

The Unused Sub: Something About Soccer In Video Games

Posted on by RJ Allen

So did anything interesting happen in the world of WoSo?

THIS FIFA BREAK WAS SUPPOSED TO BE PROBLEM-FREE!
And then we saw the announcement that Boston Breakers midfielder Rose Lavelle would be out six weeks. There was also an injury that will keep Chicago Red Stars’ Yuki Nagasato out of rotation at the moment. Seattle Reign FC’s Rumi Utsugi has some injury that at the time I write this, we don’t know the extent of. Lynn Williams reportedly needs an MRI. And then there was some freak accident involving inflatable bodies that gave Sabrina D’Angelo a bum ankle.

WHAT IN THE WORLD DID YOU DO, SOCCER GODS!?

This FIFA break was supposed to just have some friendlies where nothing major happens, yet there’s some cruel bastard that decided to make some players hurt. And that’s not cool.

PRESS START
If you’re a gamer, then these past couple of days were like Christmas for you as this year’s E3 happened. E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) is the convention show of the video game industry. There the industry shows the world what they’re working on with the intention to release within the year or some point next year. Electronic Arts, makers of the FIFA video game series, are no stranger to the event. This year’s release of FIFA titled FIFA 18 features some guy named Cristiano Ronaldo. I hear he’s good.

When it comes to the women’s side of the game, FIFA made waves when FIFA 16 in 2015 included women’s national teams. They were USA, Germany, France, Sweden, England, Brazil, Canada, Australia, Spain, Italy, China, and Mexico. The next iteration continued that, adding the Netherlands and Norway. While it wasn’t announced/confirmed at E3, it stands to reason that FIFA 18 will have women’s national teams, maybe an addition or two.

But how about the next step, how about women’s club teams?

We still have a lot of time before FIFA 18’s September worldwide release and surely during that time, EA Sports will drop more info about what licensed teams and leagues will be joining the already robust offering of over 30 leagues, over 650 teams. Could this year’s release give us women’s club teams in some form? I don’t know. I can be like you and hope for it, that someday there will be women’s clubs teams. When FIFA 16 gave us the women’s national teams, the gaming modification community went to town with the PC version of the game and made a mod featuring NWSL teams. It surely gave women’s soccer fans a glimpse into hopefully a future that is sooner than later. I mean really, what is the argument against having women’s club teams available to play in FIFA’s exhibition mode? Or better yet a full on career mode where you could have leagues like the NWSL, FAWSL, Division 1 Féminine, and Frauen-Bundesliga? Just think of being able to be in charge of, say, the Seattle Reign FC and, after winning the NWSL Championship, getting the chance to face off against Arsenal Ladies in a virtual Club World Cup showdown?

In the weeks leading up to the worldwide demo release of FIFA 17, social media freaking out was at a fever pitch when an image dropped saying said demo would feature Arsenal Ladies, Liverpool Ladies, Boston Breakers, and Orlando Pride as playable women’s club teams. The image turned out to be fan-made, but just the idea of it got everyone buzzing. Not even the staunchest hater would deny the existence of a demand for women’s clubs teams in a future iteration of FIFA. Surely with the NWSL looking to be on the path to sustainability, it’d be impossible to find a better outlet to expand their brand and the profiles of the league’s stars than with an appearance in a FIFA video game. Throw in the leagues from England, France, Germany and I promise you, there will be a whole world of people grateful that they can play as their soccer heroes on the virtual pitch.

Time will tell if women’s club teams will be in FIFA. As much as I’d like to see it with this year’s release, I don’t expect it. Of course, if I had a direct line with the producers of FIFA, I’d bug them about that along with other wishes for the next game. My realistic guess as for how far the women’s game will go with this year’s release is, they’ll have the teams participating in this summer’s UEFA Women’s European Championship along with the staples like USA, Australia, Canda, and all other nations that have appeared since. In 2018, with FIFA 19, that’s where I think we could see some traction with getting women’s club teams into the game.

For the longest time, the motto of EA Sports was, “If it’s in the game, it’s in the game.”

It’s just a matter of time folks before the women’s game gets proper and full representation in one of the world’s biggest and most successful video game franchises.

SERIOUSLY, YOU ALREADY WON IF YOU MADE IT THROUGH THE FIFA BREAK, INJURY-FREE
Here are this weekend’s predictions.

  • Chicago Red Stars OVER Washington Spirit.
  • North Carolina Courage OVER Boston Breakers.
  • Seattle Reign FC OVER FC Kansas City.
  • Houston Dash and Orlando Pride play to a DRAW.
  • Portland Thorns FC OVER Sky Blue FC.

And with that, here’s this week’s music video break.

Song: “Symphony” | Artist: Clean Bandit featuring Zara Larsson

Route Two Soccer – NWSL Teams at the Break: Buy/Sell/Hold?

Posted on by RJ Allen

We are now one-third of the way through the season, and things seem to be settling down a bit. While there have been plenty of surprises week-to-week, the league table points toward some broad stability. We’ve got one tier of clear frontrunners, a second group of playoff hopefuls, and a third group of teams just starting to drift away from the pack a bit. 

Still, there is still plenty of time left for teams to shake things up and rearrange the playoff race. So this column will take the opportunity of the break to take the pulse of each team. I’ll also offer my best guess about whether each team is likely to rise, fall, or hold steady from this point out. Just remember: predictions are always something of a fool’s game, so don’t take the bottom line too seriously.

1. North Carolina Courage (18 points, GD +4): SELL

The Courage raced out to an early lead, and have managed to hold onto first place, but that grip is getting shaky. They dominated Portland in their first meeting, offering a great example of how their rambunctious style of play—high-pressing, with a powerful midfield supplemented by two aggressive and uncontainable forwards—can overwhelm even a very good team. However, that style is difficult to sustain over a full season, and teams are starting to figure out how to exploit it. Even when they were playing well the backline was exploitable, and that will be only more true with Kawamura now out for the season. Further, they rely heavily on getting rock solid performances from Mewis and Zerboni. A bad (or even just lackluster) game from either, and their high pressure will get split too often and the whole system could implode.

Still, there is a ton of talent on this team—and they’ve got a coach who seems to be able to get a real commitment from top to bottom. So my ‘sell’ recommendation is only grounded in a sense that they’ll most likely drop out of first place. But even with a bit of regression, this still looks like a solid playoff team.

2. Chicago Red Stars (16 points, GD +4): HOLD

Chicago started out slowly once again this year, but have found a solid groove in the past month. The heart and soul of this team is Christen Press, who has been the league’s MVP through the first third (by a country mile, if you ask me). Even if she wasn’t finding the net, her movement in between the midfield and forward line is world-class. Combined with top-notch dribbling ability and a keen creative sense, she’s been close to unplayable so far this year. Meanwhile, Sofia Huerta is settling in very well to her role of support striker, and the midfield is finally starting to play the sort of smooth-passing possession game that they have teased so much in the past couple years. And it should only improve once they add Yuki Nagasato into the mix.

So why are they only a ‘hold’? Two reasons.

First, for all the talk of flexibility and fluidity in the system, we’ve seen very little evidence that this team really has another look available. While Rory Dames has shifted the personnel around a bit, the vast majority of the time it’s the same classic midfield diamond. It’s a time-tested approach, and fits the players well. But too much predictability will allow other coaches to set their teams up to manage them. They have a target on their back now and it still remains to be seen if Dames will be able to adapt to what’s thrown at them.

Second, the defense remains stingy as ever, and they’ve been getting real value using Ertz higher up. But Johnson/Naughton is merely a good defensive pairing, not a great one. They’ve done well so far, but there is room to exploit them, if anyone is able to figure out a way of consistently piercing that midfield shield.

3. Portland Thorns (15 points, GD +6): BUY

Portland looked like the best team in the league going into the season, and even with some struggles early in the year, they’re still within shouting distance of first place. I don’t expect that gap to last much longer.

Their biggest problems have been, 1) weakness in possession, particularly in building from the back (as NC exposed so well), and 2) lack of width, especially in the back. But there’s clear signs of progress on both of those fronts. In the first case, it’s taken a while for them to get comfortable, but the midfield trio of Henry, Horan, and Long are starting to play up their ability. Meanwhile, the front three has found it much easier to get involved in possession, with Nadim in particular having her best games of the season in the past few weeks. And in the back, Franch seems to have settled down a bit. She’s still not great on the ball, but is no longer quite the same bundle of nerves. As for the problem in width, Klingenberg’s return has been huge. Her weaknesses are well known, but she is a solid player and has significantly improved their control over the left wing. Beyond that, the improvements in midfield possession have also helped here. With Henry and Long looking more confident, there’s been less need for bunching along the central spine, freeing up Horan and the attackers to spread out a bit more going forward—thereby helping to pin the opposing fullbacks back.

Oh, and Portland is about to add Ashleigh Sykes to the mix. And Savannah Jordan. And they’ve also got someone…Tobin something…who has been out with an injury all season but will be coming back at some point, too. I hear she’s pretty good.

Basically, the rest of the league is going to sorely regret not getting more out of Portland while they were stumbling a bit.

4. Sky Blue FC (13 points, GD -1): SELL

It’s been an odd season for Sky Blue, who have been hot and cold, but whose results often haven’t correlated very well with the performances.

They were pretty awful against FCKC but came away with a win. And then they earned six points from back-to-back matches against the tailspinning Houston Dash. Now, those nine points are real and they’re in the bank, but it’s not entirely clear how much those matches tell us about their chances going forward. However, on the flip side, Sky Blue played very well in the opening game, and against Portland in Week 8, but only managed a single point from those two efforts. So which is the real Sky Blue? As always, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

There is certainly plenty of talent on this roster. When Sam Kerr is on her game, she might just be the most impossible player to contain in the league. Sarah Killion has been a rock. Kailen Sheridan has had a standout rookie performance as the keeper. Christie Pearce is one of the best defenders in history, and has barely lost a step. And there are so many young players here who could very easily make that next step up to elite status.

If everything clicks, there’s no reason Sky Blue can’t make the playoffs. But I’m opting to ‘sell’ because it feels like a big ask for everything to click. As it stands, Raquel Rodriguez is a good but limited player, who can step up big at times but is wasteful in possession and a bit slow in her decisions. There’s plenty of skilled attackers here, but not much evidence that anyone knows what formation or structure is going to get them all moving together. And the backline is a ticking time bomb. Kayla Mills is a world-class talent, and (in my mind) a future national teamer. But she isn’t quite there yet. Mandy Freeman should grow into a great defender, but for now has far too many lapses in judgment. As she gets more used to the pace of play (and takes advantage of the chance to play next to Pearce), she’ll definitely improve. But for now, her tendency to step forward and force the rest of her backline to scramble to fill the gap has caused plenty of problems. With Pearce and Skroski, they’ve got two extremely dependable players, but beyond that there’s a persistent chance of serious mistakes.

Ultimately, I expect Sky Blue to play better going forward than they have so far. But I’m opting to ‘sell’ because I think they’re a bit lucky to be this high on the table given the underlying performance. That said, I wouldn’t really be shocked to see them finish anywhere from 3rd to 10th. 

5. Seattle Reign (12 points, GD +6): SELL…BUY…HOLD?

Seattle’s goal difference of +6 (tied for first in league) hints at a team that ought to be primed to rocket up the table. And yet, a third of the way into the season, the Reign have only actually managed to beat Houston and Washington. So until we see some evidence that Laura Harvey’s adjustments are capable of allowing the Reign to flourish against good opposition, it’s going to be hard to avoid thinking of them as flat-track bullies.

Because at the end of the day, this is still a roster casting around a bit for a clear style of play. The bulldozer teams Harvey has built in the past were never based on responsiveness or adaptation. They were simply a reflection of the attitude that the best team can impose its will on a game. For the Reign, that option simply isn’t available anymore in most games. I do have a lot of faith that Harvey will develop methods for getting the most out of the talent that’s here, but so far it’s been very much a mixed bag.

If Katie Johnson can sustain her form and transition into more of a full-time role, that could make a big difference. There is still a ton of creative talent on this team, but they’ve lacked a real focal point. Bev Yanez has notched three goals, but just isn’t the sort of player that can be the fulcrum of an attack. If Seattle wants to score enough goals to compete against the playoff teams, they need someone to draw defensive attention in the center, who can then allow the creative supporting cast a bit more room in which to flourish.

6. FC Kansas City (11 points, GD +0): BUY

Mid-table, with a goal difference of 0. That about sums it up so far. With Amy Rodriguez at the tip of the spear, KC looked like a championship-contender in their first game. Since then, it’s been a slow process of keeping all the leaks plugged defensively and trying to build into a more viable attack. Things looked pretty grim for the first couple weeks, but lately there have been some definite signs of life. Shea Groom has been excellent (even as she’s played through a rib fracture), and the developing partnership between her, Leroux, and Ratcliffe has breathed some definite life into the KC attack.

From top to bottom, this doesn’t really look like the roster of a playoff team. But I’m opting to ‘buy’ because I have a lot of faith in Vlatko Andonovski’s ability to give his players the greatest chance to succeed. The roster is full of limited players, but limited players who always seem to find a way to get the absolute most out of their talents. The central midfield pairing of Scott and Labonta won’t set the world alight, but you can depend on them to get the job done. Ratcliffe was waived by Boston last year (ouch), but has thrived in a role where her work rate and commitment have been given productive outlets. Christina Gibbons is not (yet) a great defender, but she’s been relatively protected and given a chance to capitalize on her superb delivery from the wings.

Plus, I make it a general rule to never bet against any defense with Sauerbrunn, Averbuch, and Barnhart at its base.

7. Orlando Pride (8 points, GD -1): BUY

This was maybe the toughest call for me. I think Orlando has made great strides in the past few weeks, and the return of Alex Morgan really should make a big difference. The underlying problems with this roster aren’t going to get fixed (absent another huge new signing), but—as I wrote a couple weeks ago—Tom Sermanni does seem to have a clear understanding of those problems and is working to address them. And while Marta has been quite good (which has, strangely, flown a bit under the radar), I think she still has another gear which should be engaged as the rest of the team grows more comfortable and aware of her expectations. For all those reasons, I’m opting to ‘buy’ despite not having a clear sense of which team further up the table I expect to fall below them.

8. Boston Breakers (8 points, GD -3): HOLD

They burst out of the gate, to the joy of anyone with a soul, earning six points from the opening three games. Since then, it’s been a different story, with only two lonely points out of the next five games. More worrying, their last two performances have looked a lot more like the 2016 Breakers, as opposed to the high-flying, smooth-passing, confident team that we saw in the previous matches. To some extent, this is simply regression to the mean. To some extent, it’s a matter of teams getting a chance to observe and respond to their style of play, with Operation Don’t Give Rose Space to Run at the Defense now starting to pay dividends. And partly it’s simply a problem of depth. With Oyster out to injury and Chapman out with a red card, Boston’s backline went from surprisingly sturdy to disaster area. It’s also not a coincidence that their other awful performance on the season (week 1 against KC) came with Julie King out. There simply isn’t margin for error in this backline, and anytime they lose a starter, it’s going to cause big problems. I’ve been pleasantly surprised to see Christen Westphal mostly work as a center back this year, despite my loud objections to the idea at the start of the season. But there are limits to that success. Westphal supported by Oyster, King, and Chapman—and shielded by the effervescent energy of Angela Salem—has mostly worked. But she can’t keep the defense afloat by herself.

If they can get a healthy backline together again, and avoid any other injuries to key players, the high-flying Breakers that routed Seattle early in the season might well return. But the more likely result is a series of modest results as they settle back into the ‘optimistic rebuilding’ narrative that they started the season with. That might feel like a disappointment after the start, but would still be a huge step forward compared to last year.

9. Washington Spirit (7 points, GD -5): HOLD

Things looked grim for the Spirit to start the season, when a team already expected to do poorly was then battered by injuries. But things have picked up since then, with their recent victory over Houston even lifting them out from the cellar. As I wrote in my analysis of that match, Washington clearly lacks the talent to seriously challenge for a playoff spot, but they appear to be settling into a coherent and workable game plan. Defend deep, stay solid, put pressure on the ball, and then hit hard and fast on the counter.

In fact, if I felt confident that Washington could stay disciplined and really invest in this plan, I’d even be tempted to make this a ‘buy.’ Despite a couple obvious disasters this year, I think this is one of the more solid defensive units in the league (especially once they get Tori Huster and Caprice Dydasco back from injury). I just have a hard time seeing the discipline sticking quite that well. It is exceptionally hard to commit to this sort of approach over the long haul, and there will almost certainly be some backsliding. But if they can avoid it, I genuinely wouldn’t be shocked to see them earn enough 1-0 type results to keep themselves in the playoff conversation through the summer.

10. Houston Dash (6 points, -10 GD): BUY, WITH RESERVATIONS

Houston are a ‘buy’ simply because there is a lot of talent on this roster, and for all of her foibles Carli Lloyd really is the sort of player who can make a big difference. Probably more than any team in the league, the Dash are desperately in need of a coach who can instill some team cohesion and structure. The defense is weak, certainly, but it shouldn’t be this bad. A good coach ought to be able to get them organized and close off the tap a bit. And with the wealth of attacking quality here, that really ought to be enough to keep them mid-table.

We didn’t see much evidence of progress in new coach Omar Morales’s first bite of the apple against Washington. But the international break came at a good time, and may offer a real chance to reset. So the big test will be over the next few weeks. If Houston continues to spin their wheels, continues the cycle of players moving through the defense, and continues to miss good chances, things could really start to spiral out of control. But if they settle on a consistent backline, start to look a little bit better organized, and accept that they don’t have the roster to win the midfield battle, there’s still plenty of time to turn the season around.

And if you want to tell an optimistic story, there is something there to hang your hat on. Even when they’ve been playing terribly, they still have enough creative firepower to generate quite a few good chances. The finishing has been lacking but it’s still a good sign that this team has the ability to hang in games even when things aren’t going well.

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: US v. Sweden and NWSL Week 9

Posted on by RJ Allen

Welcome to Off the Bench, Week 9!

Backline Soccer Recap:

USWNT v. Sweden Recap:

With no NWSL games to ponder over this weekend, the USWNT filled the void Thursday morning when they took on Sweden in their first match-up since their heartbreaking quarterfinal exit in the Rio Olympics. (But enough talk about that horrible day for all of the USWNT fans as both Ian Darke and Julie Foudy covered it plenty and we have suffered enough.) 

The U.S. started off in a standard 4-4-2.

The game opened up with Sweden on the front foot, while USWNT fans looked on with their hands covering their face. The US looked a bit lost, and many of the players seemed to have trouble with a slippery pitch.

Things remained scoreless and relatively uneventful until the 56th minute, when a combined effort from Crystal Dunn and Rose Lavelle put the USWNT up 1-0. That would be the only goal of the game, although there were plenty of chances from both sides in the final half hour. Alyssa Naeher earned her ninth shut-out and the USWNT finally won their first match against a Pia Sundhage coached Sweden side. 

Now let’s break down a few key moments and observations from the game.  

As I mentioned before, in the opening stretch the US looked a little out of sorts and unsure about the game plan. Whether that was the weight of who they were playing, or just not having enough time together, it’s hard to say. But either way the start of the game was short on quality with both sides seeming a bit lackluster. Chances were blown, finishes were incomplete, and the overall level of play was below what we’d expect from these teams. Rose Lavelle looked bright at times, trying to move centrally and get things going, but she found little backup and had some trouble with that previously mentioned slippery turf. Carli Lloyd was the intended target on through balls, but found herself frustrated as Sweden’s defenders regularly cut out that run. On the other side, Becky Sauerbrunn did much the same with Sweden, swooping in to intercept their passes through the middle. In a game lacking in many top-notch performances, Sauerbrunn was the best exception.

In the 44th minute, the U.S. had a panic moment when Allie Long almost sent in an own goal. A miscommunication occurred as she intercepted a ball that Alyssa Naeher was going for and had to run back and clear the ball from the goal-line, to prevent her mistake from turning into goal. That seemed to be the biggest panic moment of the first half. It ended with no goals and some re-tooling needed in the locker room.

The second half started with two subs. Lindsey Horan came in for Carli Lloyd and Abby Dahlkemper came in for Meghan Klingenberg. Shortly after these two were subbed out, the game seemed to settle and open a bit more for the USWNT. This saw Casey Short shift to left-back and Dahlkemper patrol the center with Sauerbrunn. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the two natural center backs worked well together and Short looked more comfortable at fullback. On the other end, with Lloyd off the pitch and no longer the center of the attack, the U.S. seemed to settle into a bit more of a passing rhythm.

The big blow came from Crystal Dunn creating an opportunity out of nowhere, finding Rose Lavelle on the right, who then executed as clinical a finish as you could hope to see.

This seemed to finally spark the US, who played with a bit more confidence and forcefulness from that point forward.  

There were, however, some panic moments in the last 10 minutes of the game. One saw Naeher needing to field a corner kick but, once she hesitated coming off her line, she was left scrambling to just barely get enough her fingertips on a ball blasted over her head. Then another panic when a defensive miscue put Lotta Schelin through. However, some stout recoveries kept Sweden out, and the US took home the win.

Still, despite the final result, this game did not show much evidence of progress. This year has seen a lot of experimentation, but sometimes it seems like Jill Ellis is doing so just for the sake of saying she has done it. We will see if more settling and less travel from the USWNT produces a better performance against Norway on Sunday.

Aside from the performance itself, anyone watching will have noticed the team’s new look. The USWNT is celebrating Pride this month and wore jerseys with rainbow numbers on them for this match and will again wear them for the match against Norway on Sunday. It was great to see the jersey’s on the gals and to see U.S Soccer standing up for equality. 

And most of all. I really liked the You Can Play video put together by both USWNT and USMNT players.

The Scouting Report:

We went live on Monday night with our Week 8 TSR, recapping all of the NWSL games from the weekend. A reminder that you can catch TSR live every Monday night at 8pm EST on our YouTube channel. And make sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @ScoutingPodcast. 

In case you missed this week’s episode, catch up here:

https://www.spreaker.com/user/brewsports/the-scouting-report-season-5-week-8

Come back next week when I will back to regular programming previewing the weekend’s NWSL games!

Unsung Hero of the Week: Abby Road

Posted on by RJ Allen

In this weekly series, I will be highlighting a player from the weekend who was their respective team’s unsung hero, win or lose. A player who does the dirty work, does the little but important things in a game and someone who didn’t exactly fill up the stat sheet but found other ways to contribute.

This week I’ve chosen North Carolina Courage defender Abby Dahlkemper.

The 24-year-old American was the third overall pick in the 2015 College Draft, selected by the Western New York Flash out of UCLA. Dahlkemper appeared in 40 games for the Flash, winning the NWSL Championship with them in 2016. So far this year for the re-branded and re-located North Carolina Courage she has started all nine games. The Courage head into the break with a 6-3-0 record and are now first in the league standings.

North Carolina 2-0 Kansas City

Leading into this game, I was curious how the Courage would handle FCKC forward Sydney Leroux, who just last week had a two-goal performance against Washington to earn her Player of the Week honors. My curiosity was quickly washed away in the eighth minute when Dahlkemper first made her presence in the game known to Leroux. Kansas City had managed to clear the ball out of their half to Leroux but Dahlkemper out-muscled her for several steps near the midway line. The Courage defender read the situation perfectly to steal the ball away from Leroux and gain possession for her team. In turn, Dahlkemper glided a pass to Jaelene Hinkle who gave it up to Sam Mewis for North Carolina to regroup.

Dahlkemper establishing her presence early was vital to stopping Leroux from gaining any kind of confidence early on, and her work paid off.

One example of Dahlkemper dipping her toes in the offensive end for North Carolina came in the 24th minute. A big part of her game is her ability to provide set pieces that are not only quality but dangerous. Dahlkemper sent in a high-arching corner that found her fellow centerback Abby Erceg. The former New Zealand international sent it towards goal where Mewis redirected it on frame. It surely was going in, but FCKC defender Brittany Taylor got in the way of the header and saved the day for the Blues.

After that play, Commentator Aly Wagner expressed her opinion that she doesn’t think there’s a better set-piece taker in the women’s game. After thinking about it, I would have to agree with Wagner’s sentiments. The Courage have great service and height in their ranks, which has equaled success. Along with Dahlkemper, they have Erceg, who stands in at 5’10 and Mewis who is 5’11. These three combined provide enough evidence to claim the Courage are the most dangerous team when it comes to set pieces so far this season.

In the 44th minute, the roles were reversed for a change. This time it was Mewis taking the corner and Dahlkemper waiting for it. Mewis sent it to the back post and Dahlkemper was right on cue, sending a powerful header just wide of Kansas City’s goal.

Dahlkemper had a busy and productive first half but she didn’t stop there. On the other side in the 60th minute, North Carolina finally capitalized on a chance. The Courage earned another corner and Dahlkemper was up to the task of providing pin-point service. Once again, she found Erceg at the top of the 18, who sent it back into the mix. This time it found veteran midfielder McCall Zerboni near the six-yard box who flicked it in for the 1-0 lead. It was a well-deserved goal and one that had been brewing for some time.

It was brought up in the commentary that North Carolina leads the league in crosses and completions in the box. This game against KC was yet another prime example of why they are atop the standings; they are being efficient and it’s setting them apart from the rest of the league so far.

This upcoming week the NWSL is on international break. So, no games until the weekend of June 17. The United States Women’s National team will be playing Sweden June 8 (ESPN 2 – 1:30 PM ET) and Norway on June 11 (FOX – 1:00 PM ET). One defender who I was glad to see get called up was, in fact, Dahlkemper. She made two appearances for the USWNT back in 2016 and now once again has the chance to show what she can do for the Senior team. I hope she sees some playing time because her play in the NWSL has absolutely been top notch.

If Dahlkemper can keep this pace for her club, don’t be surprised if the North Carolina squad earn another piece of hardware come October.

Route Two Soccer – Washington Keeps It Simple, Get Results

Posted on by RJ Allen

Washington squared off against Houston this weekend in a matchup between the two bottom teams in the table, and in many ways that’s precisely what the game felt like. Neither team looked particularly confident in possession, both suffered awkward defensive breakdowns, and the play was often more than a little sloppy. However, there were also some important signs of life, particularly from the Washington side.

Dueling 4-3-3s, but very different approaches

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Washington came out in a fairly standard 4-3-3, with the only twist being the lack of a true central player in the forward line. Arielle Ship was nominally deployed as the central striker but drifted back and to the wings as much as she stayed in the middle. To the extent that the Spirit had anyone consistently in that central attacking zone, it was due to Kristie Mewis pushing forward.

The result was a very contained approach, with all eleven players taking on meaningful defensive responsibilities, and generally looking to strike on the counter more than to build out of the back.

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On the other side, Houston also employed a 4-3-3, as they have used most of this season. However, with new interim coach Morales at the helm, there were some changes. Once again, they experienced a major shuffle in the backline, with Amber Brooks being dropped from the holding midfield role to serve as center back, paired with Cari Roccaro, and flanked by Levin and Daly.

Presumably, these moves were designed to bolster Houston’s midfield, allowing Brian to play the holding role, creating space for both Andressa and O’Sullivan to join her. It’s an idea that makes some sense in theory—bring in more skillful attacking players to link play with the forward line and maintain possession—but which did very little to address their underlying problems.

Washington in 2017: defensive woes

The Spirit’s game plan was quite simple, but also fairly effective. Stay behind the ball in numbers, apply aggressive pressure once the opponent enters your half, and let your forwards break with pace when the chance comes. There have been teams playing like this for almost as long as there has been a game of soccer, and there’s a reason why it’s never truly gone out of style: it’s devilishly effective.

Going into the season, Washington’s strength looked like its backline, which had been quite stingy in their run to the final last year and which was returning with most of its key players. However, the defense has been anything but solid, conceding sixteen goals so far (most in the league).

The real question is whether those failures are primarily the fault of the backline, or whether responsibility needs to be shared more widely. And here the answer is clear: the blame needs to be spread around. The key to Washington’s team defense last year was the way it began from the front. They swarmed high up the pitch, closing tight on the ball to limit time for decision-making, closing down passing lanes, and generally making it difficult to play. And that is where Washington has really suffered this year. Losing the likes of Crystal Dunn, Joanna Lohman, Christine Nairn, and Diana Matheson—all two-way players with the intelligence and experience to work in combination—has made it extremely difficult for them to recover that defensive solidity. And in potentially the biggest blow, they’ve been forced to go without Tori Huster—one of the best defensive midfielders in the game today—since early May.

Coach Jim Gabarra has tried a number of different approaches to compensate, some more effective than others. At times, their deep-defending 3-5-2 has looked effective, but it’s not clear that they have enough quality in central midfield to take advantage of the numbers that it offers there. There is potential there, but so far it’s been a mixed bag at best.

A simple approach: defend in numbers, and let Pugh hit them on the break

But against Houston this weekend, the team finally looked a bit more like their 2016 selves. Not on the attacking side, where smooth passing, confident possession, and creative interplay continues to remain a distant memory. But defensively, this was a far more coherent team performance. From a team that has looked disjointed and more than a little frustrated at times this year, it was a breath of fresh air to see them defending as a unit. Havana Solaun and Meggie Dougherty Howard deserve special acclaim. Neither really fits the mold of a true holding player, but they worked together to close down Houston’s midfield—taking advantage of some relatively lax refereeing to establish a disruptive physical presence.

Meanwhile, the team’s discipline—keeping plenty of numbers back consistently—gave the center backs a bit more freedom to push forward without as much fear of leaving holes behind them. All of this allowed Washington to create a reasonably condensed field—packing the defensive third and stepping out to pressure the ball once it got close. That left Houston with plenty of possession, but also plenty of turnovers from their unsuccessful attempts to pick the lock. And those turnovers were deadly.

This was Mallory Pugh’s third game with the team, but the first time when they took full advantage of her presence. Her blistering pace and skill on the ball was enough to rip Houston apart on the counter and was the clear difference-maker in the game. Washington has other talented attackers, ones who can play the same role on occasion (Ordega, in particular, showed her ability against Sky Blue earlier this year), but none have the consistency or skill of Pugh. Without Pugh, Washington’s approach would be effective but all-too-predictable. With her, even when you know what’s coming, it’s difficult to avoid getting caught out.

It worked against Houston, but …

However, it’s important not to overstate the case. Washington earned a deserved victory on Saturday. They had a clear game plan and executed it well. And it’s certainly a replicable model. After all, a well-organized defense and lightning counters can beat any team in the league on its day.

But it was particularly well-suited for Houston. As mentioned, this was a team with a new (and agonizingly slow) center back pairing, which was hoping to control the midfield with relatively small numbers. And in order to make that plan work, they needed to ask quite a bit of Morgan Brian—who was tasked with occupying the holding midfield role and with pressing forward in the attack. It’s not that Brian can’t do both (indeed, she had her best game of the season), it’s simply that without a second skilled defender in the central midfield, there was no one left to shield the backline from the inevitable counters.

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Given that setup, this Washington approach was perfectly suited. And even with that being the case, it’s hardly like they shut Houston down entirely. Brian and Andressa both picked out some excellent passes, and both Ohai and Beckie found themselves with plenty of solid chances. And while Washington was quite successful at holding a rigid backline and relying on the offside trap to aggressively compress the field, they were only a few inches from getting caught on several occasions.

Against a better team—with an offense more in-sync and a backline with more pace and skill—Washington might have been in trouble.

So it would be a mistake for them to simply rest on their laurels here. Still, this was an incredibly important proof-of-concept game. It showed that they have a good sense of what Mallory Pugh brings to the team, and the ability to capitalize on it. It gave the team a win and lifted them off the bottom of the table going into the international break—which should also do wonders for team confidence and cohesion.

And with the likely return of Huster once the season starts back up in two weeks, there’s every reason to think that Washington can improve on the general model exhibited here. A bona fide defensive all-star guarding the backline should give everyone else a bit more space to press higher, and allow the Spirit to build back toward the sort of all-encompassing defensive unit that they were last year.

Washington still seems like an extreme longshot to make the playoffs—there are just too many unseasoned players in key positions here to achieve the kind of consistency that would require—but this is a respectable team and a far cry from the disaster that many were predicting a few months ago.

A Conversation on Goalkeeping: The Top 5 NWSL Keepers of the First Third

Posted on by RJ Allen

Goalkeeping is hard. Really hard. And 8 weeks into the season Jordan and I picked out the five NWSL goalkeepers we think have done the best job of doing a hard thing well.

We’re not saying they have been perfect. No goalkeeper ever is over this many games. But these five, we feel, have really stood out.

Number 5 – Nicole Barnhart – FC Kansas City

RJ Allen:

I know some of you might be tuning your pitch forks because Barnie is so low. But hear us out.

Jordan Small:

So here we have Barnie. Can we think of a more consistent goalkeeper over the last five years? This weekend she made her 300th career save. That should speak for itself.

She also has the benefit of having a really great defense in front of her which definitely helps.

RJ Allen:

Averbush and Sauerbrunn might be the best centerback pairing in the NWSL right now. And Barnie really has benefited from having them in front of her. Not her fault but it does knock her a bit down the list. She just hasn’t had as much to do.

Jordan Small:

I think when you look at the other goalkeepers in the league that won’t make our list, it makes a lot of sense where she ended up. She’s just the first one up on a great list of five.

RJ Allen:

She really is great at organizing her backline. Which, when you have who she has on her line might sound easier. But still experienced players sometimes need a firm hand too.

Jordan Small:

That has always been one of her best qualities. Great leader back there.

RJ Allen:

One of the very few downsides is she has lost about 1/4 of the step in the last year or two. And sometimes that does show when she’s coming out for a ball or trying to get a shot. She’ll get a glove on it but not make a grab like she could before. But Father Time pulls no punches.

Jordan Small:

And I think that is what makes her great performances even better. She is just that skilled. I hope to see her for another few years because she is so much fun to watch.

RJ Allen:

She really is fun to watch. And like you said, hitting that 300 saves mark is pretty amazing.

Jordan Small:

She’s obviously doing something right.

#4 – Abby Smith – Boston Breakers

RJ Allen:

The is one of the moves on our list. We tackled the top 10 in our very first look at the goalkeepers. Smith was 6th on our first list. Why the move up, Jordan?

Jordan Small:

Because she is just getting better and better each week. She is making tough saves look easy which is the sign of a great goalkeeper. She has really proven that she has recovered from her injury. And now she has a much deserved call up to the US squad for her efforts.

RJ Allen:

I was really happy to see her called up to the senior team. We don’t know if she will be playing at all against Norway or Sweden but just being on the trip I think is a great reward for her level of play.

Jordan Small:

I think she has been the best goalkeeper in the US system so far this season so I hope she gets at least a few minutes.

RJ Allen:

I really do agree with you on that. We’ll talk about another American later on but they haven’t gotten a sniff at from either the U teams or the full NT. With Smith I think she does have a chance to challenge for a spot.

Jordan Small:

Unlike Barnie, she really isn’t working with a great backline so I think she should be given a lot of credit. I mean who would have thought that Boston would have been able to shutout a team like Seattle? Smith deserves a lot of recognition for her efforts so far this year.

RJ Allen:

She is already better than her first game at knowing when to hold back and knowing when to challenge. That’s a lot of improvement in a pretty short window.

Jordan Small:

Her ability to read the game is amazing. And her distribution is one of the best in the league which is a really underrated skill.

RJ Allen:

If she’s like this now I can’t wait to see what some NT training and more games does to her game.

Jordan Small:

She can only get better from here.

#3 – Kailen Sheridan – Sky Blue FC

RJ Allen:

This is the biggest jump on our list. From #8 to #3. We have been talking about this update for a few weeks and every time we do we seem to move Sheridan higher and higher.

Jordan Small:

We even moved her higher today. I’ve been incredibly surprised with her play. Back when we originally did this, we had her as the third-ranked Canadian goalkeeper. Over the past few weeks, I really see her competing for that second spot and maybe even the first because I think she has played better than D’Angelo as of late.

RJ Allen:

I’ve been to the last three Sky Blue home games and it seems like at each game she is just leaps and bounds better than the game before. She hasn’t been perfect but I have to keep reminding myself she is a rookie. She is playing like someone who has no fear.

Jordan Small:

I think the midweek game vs. North Carolina and then the Orlando game just after that were her two best games. She was playing out of her mind in both of those games. I think she has put in a serious case for Rookie of the Year. She has been that good so far.

RJ Allen:

Honestly I am really thinking she should be in the three nominations for Goalkeeper of the Year. Not that Rookie of the Year isn’t important, it is, but I think she has moved past the rookie designation and just been flat out one of the best in her position.

Jordan Small:

I totally agree with that. I really think our top three all have great cases for Goalkeeper of the Year. It’s been an incredible year for goalkeepers.

RJ Allen:

One other thing I think it’s worth taking note of for Sheridan. Her first choice backline? Two rookies, a sophomore and the GOAT of defending. Mandy Freeman and Kayla Mills are both rookies, Erica Skroski is a second-year player, though Christie Pearce’s resume couldn’t fit on a foot of parchment at 10 point font.

Jordan Small:

I’ve mentioned this on The Scouting Report many times, Christie Pearce has helped so much. I would take just about anyone on my backline if that meant having Pearce back there. A goalkeeper’s dream, especially a rookie goalkeeper.

RJ Allen:

You can tell Sheridan is learning from her which is great to see. And Sheridan has been more vocal and taking more more of the duties that Pearce had taken on herself that should be on the goalkeeper at the start of the season. It’s really one of the best mentorships in the league.

#2 – Stephanie Labbe – Washington Spirit

RJ Allen:

Here is where I turn everything over to Jordan and just let her tell you why Steph Labbé is a rock star.

Jordan Small:

Where do I even begin? First, I want to take a saying from our good friend Sandra and just say that Steph Labbé, we do not deserve you.

She picked up her first shutout of the year this past weekend after making eight saves. Each and every week it seems as if she has a save that could be a Save of the Week candidate. She does not have the greatest backline but somehow she still it keeping them in games. Aside from the week against Seattle, she has been a straight up beast.

RJ Allen:

It’s like she has decided that she is going to keep Washington from being blown out each and every game through sheer force of will.

Jordan Small:

And when we talk to her after the game, it seems that way too. It was nice to see her hard work pay off and to finally have a happy Labbé after a game. Can’t wait to see her play with Canada this week.

RJ Allen:

I say it on The Scouting Report all the time. Canada right now has the best cabal of goalkeepers in the world. It’s really amazing how deep they are and Labbé is leading the way for them.

Jordan Small:

Absolutely. If I’m John Herdman, I’ve got to be loving life right now.

RJ Allen:

I do wonder if there does come a point she just can’t keep up with Washington’s bad backline. That’s a lot of saves, a lot of amazing saves too, she has to make every week. Does there come a point she hurts herself trying to save them or just gets really lit up?

Jordan Small:

She is in such great shape, I hope that helps her. I never want to think about players getting hurt.

RJ Allen:

No, that’s never a fun place to go to. But as long as she keeps playing like she does Washington has a shot to get a few wins under their belt after the FIFA break.

Jordan Small:

I sure hope so. I think the shutout was good for everyone’s confidence.

#1 – Haley Kopmeyer – Seattle Reign

RJ Allen:

Who else but Kopmeyer?

Jordan Small:

Where do you even start with Kopmeyer? She has been amazing all year. I mean looking at the game vs. Chicago this weekend, it seemed as if all the tweets from Seattle were about saves from Kop. The girl is having herself a year. She is definitely embracing this starter gig.

RJ Allen:

She has 38 saves this year according to the NWSL stats. She had 34 all of 2016 with her 11 games. So already she is putting in more work with a backline that, frankly, should be better than how they are playing.

Jordan Small:

You and I both would love to see her with the NT but for some reason it just isn’t happening. It’s frustrating.

RJ Allen:

It is. She has more than proved at this point that she has room for growth. She has the size, frankly something the US hasn’t always had on their side, she reads the game beautifully, she is vocal, she is athletic but doesn’t overcompensate with it. I don’t understand the lack of attention.

Jordan Small:

And she learned from the best.

I just hope she keeps proving Jill Ellis wrong and continues to get better.

RJ Allen:

I really think we haven’t seen her best soccer yet. Which with how she is playing is something big to say.

Jordan Small:

There are a few areas that I think she can improve on and if she does, it’ll be scary for other teams in the league.

Final Thoughts

RJ Allen:

We’ve talked about our top five, Jordan, any final thoughts as we look back at the first 8 weeks of the 2017 NWSL season?

Jordan Small: 

A cool stat that I found today is that 11 different goalkeepers have shutouts this season. I love great goalkeeping and I love seeing goalkeepers get clean sheets. It has been really exciting so far.

RJ Allen:

I really think the goalkeeping in the league has taken a giant step forward this season. Each game now I’m expecting goalkeepers to have big games. And often times I’m not disappointed.

Jordan Small: 

Even the goalkeepers that struggled at the beginning of the season have improved. That is great for the league.

RJ Allen:

It really is.

So, what do you say? Revisit the wonders of goalkeeping say around week 16?

Jordan Small: 

If it was anything like the first 8 weeks, it should be fun!

Thank you everyone for reading. You can catch Jordan and I talking about the great goalkeeping in the league and more every Monday at 8 pm ET on YouTube. The feed is also up on iTunes, Podbean and Spreaker. 

6 Takeaways from NWSL: Week 8

Posted on by RJ Allen

Well, Week 8 is done and gone, and we’re firmly into the season now, folks. 

This week saw some unexpected wins from teams on the lower-half of the table, PKs made and PKs missed, and a lot–A LOT–of rain down Florida way. 

As usual, after a weekend full of great soccer, we have some armchair opinions. So stick around and see what we each took away from Week 8.

Houston Won’t Be Rebuilt in a Day – Jordan Small

The struggles over the past few years in Houston have been apparent and the Dash finally took a step in the right direction this past week when they fired general manager and head coach Randy Waldrum. While Waldrum was a great college coach, it just didn’t translate to the NWSL. So this week against the Washington Spirit, interim head coach Omar Morales was tasked with leading the struggling Houston team. Let’s just say that there is still a lot of work to be done.

This team has a lot of issues that need to be resolved and it’s not surprising to see that they weren’t all fixed in the first week of Morales’ tenure. It’s going to take time and patience. There is a lot of talent on this Houston team, but there is definitely a lack of confidence in this team. Will it all be fixed in a few weeks? Not possible. But by the end of the season, could we see a resurgence in H-Town? Don’t count them out.

Havana Solaun is Washington’s Secret Weapon – Jordan Small

In four of the last five games for the Washington Spirit, Havana Solaun has a goal or an assist. After coming over from Seattle in a trade that sent Christine Nairn back to the west coast, it was unclear how Solaun would fit in or even how she would do in her first full season as a professional. But she was able to put her injured past behind her to get a fresh start with her new team.

Solaun has played a huge role in the midfield so far this season. Whether it has been coming in off the bench or as part of the starting XI, Solaun brings a different edge to the game with her great vision. That vision was clear prior to both Spirit goals on Saturday as she had an assist on the first goal and the pass to set up the assist on the second goal. Solaun’s vision on the first goal allowed Cheyna Williams to get in behind the defense with a well timed through ball waiting for her on the other side. With Tori Huster out, Solaun and Meggie Dougherty Howard have both helped Washington cope with Huster’s absence. This off-season trade has worked out well for the Spirit.

Orlando Home Schedule Could Pay Off in the End – Luis Hernandez

In just about every league, if you get results at home while stealing points on the road, it’s going to be successful season. Looking at the standings, North Carolina and Chicago are the top two teams in the league, but also have each had five home matches this season. Meanwhile, Houston and Orlando, who are in the bottom end of the table, are in the opposite end of the scheduling spectrum and have each only been at home three times this year. Thankfully, Orlando has been more successful than the Dash in those three opportunities by not losing at home.

The Pride, a talented team some would say have played inconsistent and underachieved so far, are looking more together with each passing match. This week Tom Sermanni added Rachel Hill to the starting XI, and the arrival of Alex Morgan will boost the team around the same time Ashlyn Harris is projected to return from injury. As the team looks to be on the rise, the schedule is looking more and more favorable to Orlando after a challenging start. Going into the FIFA break, the Pride will prepare for a home series against the struggling Houston Dash, and getting six points is a realistic possibility which could give this developing team the confidence it needs. Not to mention that in the tail-end of the season, the Pride will have multiple home games to try and make a real push for the post-season.

Breakers’ Growing Pains Planting Seeds to Future Success – Luis Hernandez

It’s been a rough spell of play for the Breakers, who are winless since April with only two points to show for in five matches. However, the team isn’t playing like mediocre reflections of previous seasons. Boston has turned to a balanced blend of young talented players and experienced veterans. The team doesn’t seem down on itself as it has in winless streaks before this year. Matt Beard has been able to change the culture of the team, and they have been strong at home. Abby Smith’s performances for the Breakers have led to her call-up by the senior national team for the June friendlies against Sweden and Norway, while Rose Lavelle has been as good as advertised for Boston.  They’re a couple of pieces from a complete package, but once the team figures how to put everything together for a full 90, the Breakers are going to be a hard out for teams in the league. They aren’t a bottom-dwelling team anymore. This bunch is trending up.

Sky Blue Caught Ball-Watching – Elizabeth Wawrzyniak

Sky Blue’s loss against Portland was not for lack of trying. But it wasn’t their inability to get in the goal that led to Portland taking home all three points on the road. It was some messy and unorganized defending.

First was Kayla Mills’ just ill-advised challenge to Nadia Nadim in the 20’ minute. That mistake led directly to another, when the NJ player trying to mark Horan played her too loose and gave the Portland player too much room to maneuver, leading to Horan’s header past Sheridan.

The third was again a mistake by Mills. Playing to high up along the wing opened up space behind her, and she was too easily turned, caught reacting to Boureille’s drive in instead of defending proactively. That mistake by Mills drew the NJ team toward the left side of the box, so when the ball was sent back to the top of the box for Portland to reset their attack, the right was wide open for Klingenberg’s pass in and all a Thorn had to do was wait to receive it and tap it toward goal. Which is exactly what happened.

The entire NJ team got caught ball-watching, the entire game. They spent almost 90 minutes playing reactionary soccer instead of making organized moves to interrupt the ease that Portland had moving the ball around.

Let’s Talk About Heat – Elizabeth Wawrzyniak

So, I never thought I’d have to talk about hydration breaks so much this season. But a few things happened over the past week, and it seems a little important to bring it up again.

First, there was last week’s game in Houston where Rachel Daly collapsed with heat exhaustion almost exactly as the whistle blew. Next, the US federal government announced that the US would be withdrawing from the Paris Accord meant to help combat climate change.

And then just today, Chicago and Seattle played 90+ minutes in 90+ degree temps (humidity around 45%).  Afterward, Christen Press reportedly looked a little worse for wear, and Dan Lauletta, a well-respected WoSo journalist, tweeted that he didn’t really believe in the necessity of hydration breaks, but if they had to happen, could the clock stop at least?

Here’s the thing.

Climate change leads to rising temperatures.

Rising temperatures leads to the need for hydration breaks. (Because soccer is a game, not a gladiator-style execution. I want to be entertained; I don’t want anyone to die.)

And no matter what we do, the clock isn’t going to stop. We can’t pause the damage we’ve done to the planet, and we can’t turn back time and fix it.  All we can do is try to minimize the damage already done.

We’re here because we love soccer. But it’s time to start talking about how politics and policies affect the game.

Withdrawing from the Paris Accord is going to do generations-worth of harm to the planet. Already the damage we’ve done is affecting our favorite sport.

The question isn’t “should there be hydration breaks” (there should be) but “how did we get here,” followed up with “what can we do to fix the larger–literally, global–problem?”

Sports is always, always political.