Category: Analysis

Four Days are Better than One: How to Extend the NWSL Championship Weekend

Posted on by RJ Allen

As the NWSL heads toward it’s 6th season–3 years longer than WUSA or WPS went before folding–now is the time to start building the sorts of traditions that are meant to truly last. 

The logical place to focus our attention for this sort of developments is the final week before the Final. While some, including some British NWSL coaches, might wish the league would abolish the playoffs all together, I don’t see the league removing the playoff system going forward. So assuming the playoffs are here to stay, those days are prime territory for some innovation.

While it’s true that fans can only stay in the host city for so long, that’s still a lot of time in which to take advantage of events that might be offered. Make the events exciting enough and people might come just for them, even if they’re not especially interested in watching the final live.

So how would I set up these underused days heading toward the championship game? I’m glad you asked.

Day 1: (Likely Wednesday) The NWSL All Star Game

This is not a new idea or one I haven’t spoken about before. I have wanted an NWSL All Star game for as long as I’ve been covering the league. And there is no better time to have it than in the days leading up to the final.

Think about what it would mean. A game to exhibit the best of the best in the league playing against each other. And in a context where it’s okay to focus on the fun more than the outcome. An All Star game doesn’t have to rise to the stakes of the game coming a few days later. And that’s a good thing.

Here’s the basics of an idea: In early July the league would start allowing fan voting on the All Stars. Set it up however you like–by team or position or something else. The point is to give fans a direct say in who gets to head to game.

Each team would be made up of 17 players, 11 starters and 6 subs. The fans get to vote on 20 of the 34 spots with the coaches picking the reminding spots to make sure that they didn’t have 17 attacking players and no goalkeepers on their roster.

The teams could be broken up in several different ways: east vs the rest of the league, north vs south(ish), or US eligible players vs the world. Even taking the teams that finished 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 would work. The sky is the limit for how they split up the teams.

Two rules I would put in place to make sure that things weren’t slanted too much one way or another. Each team gets 4 spots for USWNT federation players, and every team must have at least one player represented in the game. 

If a player who made an All Star roster is playing in the final, they can be replaced, either by the coach or simply by taking the next highest voted player from the same position. Not a hard fix to having a few out due to playing in the title game.

How do we pick the coaches? The two that didn’t make the final the year before? The two that did? Pull two names out of a hat on a livestream? Have fans vote? Doesn’t matter so long as they are willing to play along with the more relaxed feeling this game should have.

Day 2: (Likely Thursday) The NWSL Media Day

Media day is one of the best and strangest days of the year for those of us involved in writing about the NWSL and covering the teams.

Think of it like this. It’s media speed dating. All of the players are seated at tables, usually paired off together as a starter and a non starter, and the journalists move around the room, talking to players and trying to get quotes for pre-final pieces.

It is a surreal experience. And one that is shockingly effective for getting access to players and finding some interesting quotes to help punch up our pre game pieces.

There is nothing I really would change here with one exception from the 2017 media day. Media day needs to happen at least 48 hours before the final. Writers need to have time to digest the conversations we’ve had with players and write more thoughtful pieces. This year it was the day before the final and it was a difficult task for many of us to manage to get everything accomplished.

Day 3: (Likely Friday) The NWSL Awards Gala

Outside of the draft and the championship, the league has no real statement event. While I think the All Star game can help, even better would be a true annual awards gala, hosted the night before the final.

Think of how cool this could be. All of the nominated players, media from all over the world, league officials, and maybe even some season ticket holders of the ten different clubs, all together for an evening of awards, and a celebration of the league. The awards ceremony could be live streamed so fans from around the country and really the world could watch as Rookie of the Year or MVP is handed out right there. Right now, awards are announced by an email and a tweet from the league. That’s fine, but this would would add real weight to the news.

There are models out there for the league to look at when putting an event like this together. Our own Luis Hernandez even pointed out that Orlando City and the Orlando Pride have a yearly awards gala. While their $300 price tag for a table might be a little high for the NWSL, I do think they could get away with tickets in the $50 to $100 range for media and a select number of season ticket holding fans who would want to be there.

It would also give the league a chance to add more awards. Assist of the Year, Goal of the Year, Save of the Year, Unsung Hero of the Year could join the current cast of awards in the program. Players, coaches, general managers or team owners, even some media could step up to present awards. Maybe the league could event persuade Aly Wagner and Jenn Hildreth to host the event before calling the final the next day.   

This type of event would requite planning and preparation, all of these events would, but it would be something that the league could use as a way to thank the players, teams, media and season ticket holders in a way that they currently don’t have a way to do.

Day 4: (Likely Saturday) The NWSL Championship

You know, the reason we’re all in (insert hopefully predetermined location here) in the first place.

By in large I think the NWSL does a pretty great job with the final itself. I wouldn’t change much that they are already well aware of and will likely tighten up going forward. Hopefully they can work on getting the time of the game a bit later in the day, though I wouldn’t hold my breathe there.

The NWSL needs to make the final more than just a game and a fan zone before it. They can elevate the event and spectacle that it should be by adding in either the all star game or the gala, both would be even better, to the run up to the championship game. They don’t need to break the bank to make the days leading up to the final worth it for fans and media to show up for. It would just take a bit of planning in advance to keep the costs down. 

The league has proven it came improve year after year and that is is around to stay. Now is the time to start making the types of changes that make one of the two biggest events of the year even better.

Fly Away Home: 5 Reasons Players Are Flocking Overseas

Posted on by RJ Allen

Morgan Brian is packing her bags and taking her talents to Lyon. Jessie Fleming is allegedly setting her sights on Europe. Crystal Dunn is playing very well for Chelsea Ladies FC. And Rachel Hill has found her stride in Perth. Meanwhile, what’s going on in America you ask? Well, a very poor transition of women’s soccer out of Kansas City and into Salt Lake, and, as always, a lot of the same unsteadiness that the league has been known for in the past. From not having a commissioner, to clubs not being able to make ends meet, there are a lot of reasons why players are beginning to find American club soccer less appealing. Compare that to some great options for players overseas and the NWSL is left with some real hefty competition and some cleanup work to do. In reality, there are a lot of reasons that the women’s professional leagues in Europe and Australia are looking like more of an attractive option to players here in the U.S. Here are just five of those reasons.

Stability

It’s no secret that the NWSL isn’t the most stable league in the world. But knowing that and realizing that are two different things. For the Kansas City FC women and their fans, they got that reality slap of truth this last week. In America, it isn’t always set that where you are playing one year will equate to where you are playing the next, and that isn’t just because of trades. We saw it with the Western New York Flash too. It isn’t fun for the fans to lose their team and it definitely isn’t fun for the players to up and relocate. But unless you have hit the jackpot and are playing in Portland, your future in a city or with a team isn’t guaranteed. In Europe that isn’t necessarily the case. Part of that is because the beautiful game is a way of life across the pond, but the other part is the fact that the women’s league grew off of the men’s. And sure, that isn’t necessarily the most attractive part of their stability. We would all love for a women’s league to stand by itself, but having a larger league that can offer a history of successful management, an established financial basis, and an existing fan base leads to a better chance for a successful women’s club. Is it ideal? No. But does this structure work? Absolutely. And for a player, that can look really appealing.

Money

Money isn’t everything, but it sure is something. And we live in a time where women know their worth. They certainly know that they are worth more than the NWSL’s $15,000 minimum salary. So, for many young players – and sadly some veterans – they have to swallow a bitter pill and play at a level that is way below their pay grade. And it isn’t the NWSL’s fault. There simply isn’t money available. And for international players that aren’t from the U.S. or Canada, where their paycheck is signed by the National Team, the most that can be made is only $45,000. Take that in. Marta, one of the best women to ever touch a football, can only make $45,000 playing in Orlando. So as much as we would love to have these amazing international players in the NWSL, like Amandine Henry and Nadia Nadim, we cannot blame them when they decide to go back to Europe and make a bigger paycheck.

 Skill Sets

We play women’s soccer at a very high level here in America. No one can deny that. We have the number one ranked National Team in the world, and some of the greatest depth the game has to offer. But there are some skills that we do not have. There are numerous styles of play that we do not possess. If a player is looking to become more well-rounded, then looking to Australia, France, or England may be just the ticket to get them to that next level of play (See: Rachel Hill in her past four matches with the Perth Glory). There is also the added benefit of knowing how to better play against a National Team opponent. And sure, the transition isn’t always an easy one, but it can benefit the player ten-fold if they can perform well. Take, for example, Lindsey Horan. Instead of playing college soccer, she began her professional career in France and because of that, she plays a very different style of game than the rest of her USWNT teammates. But that also leads her to create opportunities for her team that another player wouldn’t consider. It also leads to her having a different kind of strategic mindset when on the pitch. And that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Staying in Form

I made this point last month when I wrote about the W-League. There are great opportunities for NWSL players that do not affect their contract and give them the chance to stay in form during the offseason. For many players, especially young ones who aren’t bogged down by National Team duties, the W-League offers them a chance to further condition themselves, gain some new skills, and become acquainted with other playing structures. This is a great option for so many reasons, but the best part has to be that they get to come back and play a whole season in the NWSL as well. So for all those Americans and Aussies doing a bit of double-duty, keep on keeping on. Because a little bit of extra soccer never hurt anyone. Just ask NWSL MVP, Sam Kerr or NWSL Rookie of the Year, Ashley Hatch.

League Structure

This may not sound like a very important reason for foreign leagues to look so attractive to players here in the U.S., but there is something to be said about the opportunity to win multiple competitions while playing at a single club. In the NWSL, players can only with the NWSL Championship. They can play all season, be the best team in the league and then lose it all in the Championship Final. North Carolina knows what that’s like. And it’s awful. But then there are clubs oversees like Chelsea Ladies FC that get to play in the FA Women’s Super League, which consists of other English clubs, but also in the UEFA Women’s Champion League, which is made up of clubs across Europe. It’s more competition against different kinds of teams that only lead to more player development. It’s more opportunities to lift a trophy. And it’s more opportunities the completely dominate on multiple levels. Who doesn’t want that?

Surely there are more reasons than just these five for a player to consider playing somewhere other than the NWSL. This isn’t an exhaustive list. Not even close. And in some circumstances, these five reasons aren’t any of the ones that a player may consider when deciding to go play overseas. But the point of the matter is that the NWSL doesn’t hold the single most dominant place in women’s soccer. Not by a long shot. This league isn’t necessarily the biggest pull for professional players and we have to accept that, but we also have to look to fix it. Because what the league is doing isn’t enough. They need to stay competitive and progress. They need to do more to make the league more attractive on an international scale. But most importantly, they need to find stability. Because once they do, the other parts will begin to fall into place.

The Key to Victory is in the Defense for Sky Blue FC

Posted on by RJ Allen

51.

That is the number of goals Sky Blue let in this year.

That’s more than Portland and Chicago let in this year. Combined. That is nine more than top-ranked North Carolina and Portland gave up, combined. It is three more than bottom-ranked Washington gave up.

It’s safe to say they had a bit of a break down on defense this year.

That is where 2018 has to start for Sky Blue. They have to start with fixing the defense and letting their strength help push the midfield and forwards to new heights. Sam Kerr can score as many goals in 2018 as she did in 2017 and it won’t matter if their defense can’t hold on to leads and can’t keep them from going down early and often.

So how does Sky Blue turn the boat around and find a way to go from 6th place to the Top 4 and a chance to go to whichever city is going to host the NWSL championship next year?

1) Newly named head coach Denise Reddy needs to bring a clear vision of what she wants the team to be and use her considerable skills to make the team into her vision.

2) They need to part ways with some players and get experience in return.

3) The game plan can’t just be “Sam Kerr is magic”.

Reddy For a Change

Reddy comes into 2018 facing an uphill battle. The team needs a coach who can come in and provide some steadying forces on the team. There is no telling which of the current assistant coaches will stay. A total cleaning house may be the way to go.

Sky Blue finished their season with a triumvirate of assistant coaches taking over the helm after their head coach, Christy Holly, stepped away from the team. That left the team in an odd place even as it seemed to galvanize them.

Allowing Reddy to put her own unique stamp on the team, in terms of the assistants she feels comfortable with, would put her in the best position to build this team in her image. And that image is likely what got her the job in the first place.

If Reddy can find a way to elevate their defense from the bottom of the league to the middle while at the same time finding a way to bring this team together, it will go a lot way toward bridging the gap between Top 4 and middle of the pack in terms of their finish.

Fix the Roster

One of the biggest indicators of a team’s success is their roster. It sounds silly to type out but it’s the building block of the team’s DNA.

Yes, sometimes rosters do over or under perform what they say on paper. However, if their backline options are seasoned defenders mixed with some rookies they will likely have a better season than one or two solid defenders and a mix of pretty good to just OK defenders.

As of now, the current Sky Blue roster is young. Really young. Reddy is going to have the benefit of experience in the development system that might give her a leg up on training up some of the younger players.  

And with 18 players either having their contracts picked up or having been offered new ones, it might stay that way into 2018.

Take a look at the roster (as listed on their site) they are currently sporting:

Goalkeepers: Caroline Casey, Kailen Sheridan

Defenders: Cassidy Benintente, Mandy Freeman, Kayla Mills, Christie Pearce, Domi Richardson, Erin Simon, Erica Skroski

Midfielders: Daphne Corboz, Sarah Killion, Taylor Lytle, Raquel Rodriguez, Nikki Stanton, Madison Tiernan

Forwards: Leah Galton, Maya Hayes, Sam Kerr, McKenzie Meehan, Kelley O’Hara

This roster needs augmenting. Experience needs to be injected into it before they are going to be able to close the gap between goals scored and goals allowed.

Their goalkeepers are both under 24. Sheridan has a chance to be one of the best in the league – and might lead Canada one day as their number one – but it might benefit Sky Blue to find a more seasoned backup. Kailen Sheridan should stay but she needs a more experienced training partner.

Their defenders need experience with Pearce’s expected retirement. And O’Hara needs to give up the ghost and finally admit she will always be a defender, or at highest a midfielder, at this point. I would keep Mandy Freeman, Kayla Mills, Erin Simon, Erica Skroski and Kelley O’Hara on defense and try to find two defenders on the open market, most likely two center backs, to come in and try to help the defense out.

The midfield is more solid than it might look but suffers from Rodriguez often being played too far back to try to compensate for a weak defense. Stanton is a stand-out player for them who does a lot of the tough work that needs to be done but she needs more help out of her teammates. Daphne Corboz, Sarah Killion, Taylor Lytle, Raquel Rodriguez, Nikki Stanton, and Madison Tiernan can all stay. I think they could use an experienced midfield leader but if all 6 midfielders step their game up for 2018 this might be the most solid area for the team as of now.

Meehan was fine but not much else. O’Hara isn’t a forward. The trio of Leah Galton Maya Hayes, Sam Kerr make a nice group of forwards. If Hayes can keep playing provider and remain a threat to score, if Galton can get and stay healthy, and if Kerr can keep being Kerr they don’t need much more here.

They need to strip away a lot of the fat on the roster that likely is there because they can get away with not paying them much and they need players for practice. Money might be tight but a few key upgrades need to happen or they might give away more goals in 2018 than they did this year. 

I’d keep the following and hunt as hard as I could for some experienced players by either trading the rest or trading 2019 and 2020 draft picks. 

Also if I were them I’d draft Daphne Corboz’s younger sister Rachel if she is still there when they get to their first pick of the 2018 draft – they hold the 5th spot. She is the type of player who can be put in front of O’Hara or Skroski and make a big impact right away. 

The only way for them to compete is to have a roster full of players who can defend. That means looking at who on the team just doesn’t cut it anymore and let them go no matter how difficult it is. This team embraces the “us against the world” mentality but that will only get you so far with sub-par defensive talent. 

Sam Kerr is Magic but What Else Ya Got?

Having a more dynamic gameplay on offense helps the defense. They need to move past “just let Sam do it,” or they might stop giving up goals but they won’t score enough to counter the one or two they let in.

The 2017 season taught us two things: 1) Sam Kerr is, in fact, magic and, 2) She is only able to make so much magic when her team puts her in a hole.

Reddy is not the type of coach I worry about being uncreative with her game planning. I look forward to both her developing the team and seeing what she can do to Kerr’s already impressive talent.

It is as important for Kerr’s own development to have a defense worth a damn backing her up as it is for the team’s chances at winning.

Reddy also needs to take a look at in-game planning. Because next year? Teams are going to be on Kerr as tight as the head of a drum. That means Hayes, Galton, Corboz, Rodriguez and company are going to need to be better at their own finishing when they are left open by the double or triple teaming Kerr will get.

Tiernan has the chance to turn in to a hard-playing winger who can come in and open up games but using her properly, and keeping her from hitting 5 cards before week 7, is something that will need to be kept in mind. Rodriguez and her stint at Perth Glory with Kerr and Stanton will hopefully bring back the attacking side that can be so deadly when she uses it.

If the defense is stronger in 2018 a lot of the midfield problems go away. And when the players who had to tighten up to prevent the weak defense from seeing more shots can relax then they will be more able to be more creative as a group.

The core of the roster isn’t rotted. But they need to work on not always expecting magic or they are going to end up with spells blowing up in their faces.

If they can bring in two or three defenders who have experience on top of one or two attacking players who can concentrate their attacking talents, they have a shot at going from a team that finished in the middle of the pack to a team that has a solid playoff shot. 

Reddy was a smart hire by a team that needed to have a solid win in the search for a new head coach. She brings experience and a fresh perspective I think will go a long way to bringing Sky Blue back in the playoff picture.

So, are you Reddy for 2018 yet?

Who Should the USWNT Pool Include?

Posted on by RJ Allen

A few days ago I wrote a piece about which 23 players I’d put on a roster for a mythical tournament in December.

One of the results of doing so was spending a lot of time thinking about the size of the USWNT pool of players. Who was in? Who should be? Is it better to bring in more players even if the talent isn’t as high to find a possible diamond in the rough or should it remain, as it has often been, hard to get one call up to get and even harder to get a second?

The answer is somewhere between the extremes. The US needs a big enough pool of players for the coach to keep the talent pool fresh, but a wholesale turnover can produce too much instability. There has to be a middle ground between “one at a time” and “everyone at once” in terms of new talent on the team.

At a minimum, bringing in a handful, even a few handfuls, of new players for a January camp or in the “off” years where the USWNT isn’t fighting for a World Cup or an Olympic gold seems necessary. But there’s also value in making sure the core is strong and not too paranoid about imminent replacement. Getting the balance right is key to creating an environment that is stable enough for growth but dynamic enough to allow that growth to happen.

Constructing the player pool

But that doesn’t answer the question of who actually constitutes the extended pool of players.

There are really three ways to think about this. You can speak to the players who have been called up in the last year, but who aren’t part of the consistent core; you can talk about the players right on the edge, who might reasonably expect to make a camp soon; or you can go very broad, and talk about all possible players who are even plausibly available.

The last one is the least useful. It ranges all the way from players like Ella Maser (who calling a ‘long shot’ would be kind) to all the squads from the U23 through U15 teams. At the far edges, you’d have to include every American semi pro and pro player. It’s not so much a pool as a long beach. You can be on the sand that waves haven’t touched since the last flood, the high tide area, in the shallows or out deep. There’s not much value in drawing that broadly.

However, the first approach is too narrow. Identifying who have earned recent call ups is helpful to orient a player in the cosmos of the USWNT, but it hardly tells the whole story. A player who is fith or sixth on the depth chart for centerback, behind a load core, might not get any call ups, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be in the conversation.

So I mostly default to the second approach. Players who are reasonably likely to get called in, whethe or not they’ve actually made an appearance yet. 

To try and draw this group, in order to write “Who Should Make a 23 Person USWNT Roster?” I started with this group of 84 players, which I then whittled down. It’s not quite the ‘every plausible player’ approach, but it’s a pretty generous list, so it’s a useful starting point for developing a reasonable assessment of the player pool. 


I decided to work toward a pool with a set number. That’s not because I think there is a necessary cap at any number, but simply to impose some restraint on the project. This group of 80 players is really just a list of good players, who you could squint and maybe make a case for calling them up. It’s not a good picture of what the pool does (or should) look like.  

30 felt too low, 60 too high. I decided to cut the difference and go with 45. Why 45? Because it feels like a manageable group size but it’s not small enough to drowned in a bathtub.

Dividing the pool: locks, in the mix, and depth players

So, if I were to list 45 players for a USWNT player pool, who would I list?

To be clear, the point of this exercise is not to define the pool as Ellis sees it. Only she and the peacocks know who she sees in the pool. My goal is to think more broadly, about who should be in the pool. To answer that question, I first created three sub-groups.

First, my “locks” – those players it’s impossible to leave off and be serious.

Second, the “depth” players who might not be locks but almost always end up on rosters or lists like this. It’s possible to leave them off but they are usually there.

And finally the “borderline” players. Those players you’d love to have on the roster, but who are never requirements. They’re good players, solid. Sometimes they’re young and hungry–not there yet, but could use a chance to grow. Sometimes they’re old vets, no longer at their peak but useful for stability. Sometimes it’s something else. The US is strong enough that this group is full of great players; they just aren’t quite good enough to regularly break through. 

The Locks

The locks were the easiest group to pick out for this roster. These are the work horses. The ones that show up regularly in everyone’s preferred starting XIs. The ones who you measure all new players by.

Alyssa Naeher is the best option the USWNT has in goal right now. She is the most capped goalkeeper in the program right now, which helps to see where they are building. USSF has never been much for spreading the wealth around in goal. They like running their goalkeepers out for 150 or so caps at a time before searching for the next 150+ capped goalkeeper. So while there are goalkeepers I’d like to see get some more time, to put Naeher under pressure if nothing else, right now if I had to pick a lock at goalkeeper, it’s Naeher.

When it comes to locks as defenders, things get a little murkier. In the end it was Becky Sauerbrunn, Casey Short and Kelley O’Hara. Sauerbrunn and O’Hara are the two most capped and experienced defenders in the bunch. I don’t see either of them being left out of a starting XI against a top 10 team in the next 2 or 3 years. Not unless a coach is trying to experiment to find the next Sauerbrunn or O’Hara. 

What Sauerbrunn provides is a rare combination of security and dynamic play that can start off a scoring run. She’s the default option when it comes to passing the ball back under pressure, and her skill as a pure defender is well known. She doesn’t run forward much, but when she does she has the vision to put the ball on the head or foot of any attacker she chooses.

O’Hara meanwhile is the sort of player you need if you want to play the high attacking style the US has employed of late. She is fast, unrelenting in her defensive duties and willing to be whatever the coach needs her to be. Right back, left back, winger, forward. Outside of goalkeeper (which she might eventually cover if the keeper is ever sent off after all the subs had been used), O’Hara can play pretty much everywhere with the same sense of purpose she plays outside back. Without her the backline might have attacking presences but it lacks a tenacity of spirit that is hard to go without in key moments. 

Of these three, Short is probably the least “locked in,” but she’s made a strong case for herself. And right now finding anyone apart from O’Hara getting starts on the left is a hard sell.

The midfield locks look different today than they would have 6 months ago. But if healthy, these four are vital to helping the US be a version of their best self.

My midfield locks are Julie Ertz, Megan Rapinoe, Sam Mewis, Tobin Heath.

The key here, as always, is when healthy. When healthy Rapinoe and Heath are two of the best wings in the world. When they aren’t they can be ineffective, sloppy and require the outside backs to do much of their work for them. But beautiful soccer happens when they’re at their peaks. Rapinoe is the most vulnerable of the four due to mainly age. Heath has been battling a back issue all year and after making a few appearances at the end of the NWSL season, once again was forced to sit out the Canada friendlies. But when healthy these two are both locks any day of the week.

Julie Ertz and Sam Mewis are the future of the American midfield. Big, strong, smart, and willing to do just about anything to put themselves and their team in a position to win. Ertz has played both midfield and defending roles on the USWNT and can play anywhere from the 10, to 8 or 6 for the team. Sam Mewis is a candidate for captain of the 2023 USWNT World Cup team and has seen incredible growth over the past two seasons. When both are on the field the US plays with a vision and a skill level that is hard to match.

The forwards should shock approximately no one. Alex Morgan, Christen Press and Mallory Pugh are among the best. Pugh is still growing, but the talent is already there, so I could find no reason to keep her from the locks at this point. She still isn’t the finished product yet, but she has that intangible quality that some  players fight their whole careers to find, without ever managing it. And if you don’t know Press and Morgan then I worry about you. Most teams in the world would count themselves lucky to have one striker even close to this level.  We have two.

The Depth Players

What is the difference between the “locks” and the “depth” players?

Well, if I leave Sauerbrunn off a roster, and instead bring in Dahlkemper and Menges, you’d raise an eyebrow (or maybe look at me like I have lost my mind). But a roster without Dahlkemper, with Sauerbrunn and Menges as the central defenders wouldn’t provoke the same response. Sure, you might have questions, but it’s not a total miscarriage of justice. 

So, these are the players with very strong cases, but who aren’t (yet) locks. 

Goalkeeping wise I think I am going to have the hardest time selling my picks. Adrianna Franch and Katelyn Rowland should be called up to the USWNT nearly every time there is a camp to call them up. Both helped their teams make it to the NWSL championship. Both are fantastic shot stoppers who have learned how to organize a defense filled with world class players. And both have often been overlooked because they don’t have the flash of some other goalkeepers.

I hope in 2018 we see both of them get consistent call ups. They have shown they have the tools to make the USWNT goalkeeping pool a little bit deeper.

And while we’re talking about pools that need to be deeper for the USWNT, let’s talk about defending.

Across the NWSL there are three defenders that stick out in the “really hard to ignore how good they are” camp: Abby Dahlkemper, Emily Menges, and Emily Sonnett.

Dahlkemper has become a regular in 2017, and is close to entering the “lock” stage, but there are still some questions to be answered there. While she has proven to be a worthy free and corner kick taker, maybe the best on the team since Lauren Holiday left, there’s still some gaps in her defensive playbook. Some of that is surely youth and can be fixed the more time she sees. Soon enough, she might be a lock. Sonnett has seen time with the USWNT while Menges has so far been shut out of the selection process. All three had strong NWSL season, Sonnett and Menges pairing up for the Thorns as a pair of formidable centerbacks that helped keep North Carolina from the championship crown. 

Each of these should be in the pool to try to supplement a defensive core that has grown weaker over the last half of a cycle. Sauerbrunn, Short and O’Hara can’t do it on their own and won’t be around forever. Growing the next generation of locks now will save us pain later.

Even though center midfield in the current USWNT call ups has been a little thin, the US is blessed with a crop of 20 something center midfield geniuses.

The 5 pack of center midfielders of the future: Andi Sullivan, Danielle Colaprico, Lindsey Horan, Rose Lavelle and Vanessa DiBernardo.

Each brings a level of vision, talent, and skill that the US has never really had in such high doses before. Imagine a future where the USWNT has an in-form and healthy Lavelle, Colaprico, Horan, Sullivan and DiBernardo, plus Ertz and Mewis, to pick from when composing a starting XI. That will be a bright day for those who believe that a strong midfield paired with a strong defense is key to winning companionships. Colaprico, DiBernardo and Ertz have shown in Chicago just how well they work together. Add in Mewis, Horan, Lavelle and Sullivan and that is a midfield core that few other countries could beat.

One difficulty here: all of these players are center midfielders. Only Lavelle has seen time for the US on the wing and that was more a matter of finding her a spot than a reflection of her natural position. The same with Colaprico, who played on the left for Chicago this year, but is really a central holding player. This is a consistent problem in the US pool, with lots of central players and almost no true wingers. 

However, it may just be a matter of perspective, because the forward group certainly contains some width. Lynn Williams, in particular, has seen time for the USWNT as a wide forward in a 4-3-3. And while that’s not her ‘natural’ position, she’s been pretty successful in the role. Williams has all the tools to start the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France as the right wing if she can keep progressing the way she is.

The Borderline Players

‘Borderline’ isn’t an insult here. Having someone able to come in to fill in for another player is an underrated quality in a player and on a roster. These players are stuck behind some stars, but that doesn’t mean they’re not great themselves. The point of this group is to identify those players who might sit on the bench, or see 15 minutes at the end of a match, or who could play a full 90 in some cases. And you need a stable of good depth players, because reality is often less forgiving than hypotheticals. When your first and second choices are hurt, having a talented player ready to step in can be the difference between winning a tournament and going home early.

In terms of goalkeeping, the list is long. Ashlyn Harris, Michelle Betos, Abby Smith, Aubrey Bledsoe and Jane Campbell all have the skills to be a second or third choice goalkeeper. And at least historically, there’s been very little difference between second and fifth. Mary Harvey then Briana Scurry and then Hope Solo, with their supporting cast rarely seeing more than a game here and there. Each time a strong number one has risen the others in the pool have all taken, not the backseat, but the seat in the back of the car behind them.

Of this group, Harris and Campbell have received the most call ups, but neither have seen much playing time. Bledsoe showed herself to be a capable backup when Harris was hurt this season. Betos was one of the best in the league before heading to Europe. There’s plenty of other options here, but it would be nice to bring her in for a camp to see her progress. And Smith is similar to Campbell: a young and up and comer, worth keeping an eye on.

The defensive core has grown a little lightweight, and needs to be bolstered sooner rather than later.  Looking at the NWSL gives us some clue as to who might be in the depth pool for the US. In my eyes, this group is composed of: Ali Krieger, Amber Brooks, Erica Skroski, Jaelene Hinkle, Katherine Reynolds, Katie Naughton and Taylor Smith. 

Krieger may not have a spot in Ellis’s eye, but still has plenty of talent and could be a calming force for the team. But while she made a name for herself at outside back, it’s at center back where she’d be most useful now. She played nearly all of the season there for Orlando, and showed that it was a good fit for her now. She isn’t the speedster she once was at outside back but she is still fast for a centerback and has the soccer smarts to be able to help lock down a game late on the national team.

Brooks, Skroski, Hinkle, Reynolds, and Naughton all have shown their chops in the NWSL over the last season. Brooks moved into the role partway through the season for a weak Houston team, but took to the role very well. Skroski’s sophomore season wasn’t as dynamic as her rookie year, but a lot of that can be chalked up to minor injuries that nagged her all season. If she’s back to full health, she remains a useful option at outside back. Hinkle had a solid season in North Carolina with an attacking presence on the left to help spark the North Carolina offense. Reynolds and Naughton both deserve looks after solid seasons on playoff level teams. Naughton in particular really showed growth between last year and this year. 

For depth in the midfield I went with Allie Long, Christina Gibbons, McCall Zerboni, Morgan Brian and Sofia Huerta.

Allie Long was given a shot to shine on the national team and never quite was able to show there what she had in Portland. With the strength of the other central midfield options I think we are likely to see less of Long both on the bench and on the field for the national team.

McCall Zerboni had a wonderful 2017 and she deserved the call up she got, warm body call or not. But the problem going forward for her is there are players nearly a decade younger with the same range of talents and ability. I wish things were different, but her peak likely has come a bit too late. If she has any role with the team, it’s likely to be a late sub in a game where the US needs to stay tough and hold a lead.

Who would have thought in 2015 anyone would be talking about Morgan Brian as a depth player? If it were just about talent, she’d still be up there as a lock, but at this point her injury history is a serious red flag. While I think she has a chance to recover with some extended time to recuperate, as of right now, it’s hard to see her in the XI or even on the 23. Every game she isn’t playing is another chance for a center midfielder to write their name above her’s on the list.

Sofia Huerta has seen some calls up as an outside back, but in the long term I don’t see that as a long term solution for either player or team. Christina Gibbons is also a possible defensive option, but her transition into the central midfield at FCKC has shown that the midfield is her best position. Still, when you’re talking about depth, having players like these with a lot of positional flexibility is never a bad idea.

The forward pool is one of the most interesting we have to talk about. I’ve gone with Ashley Hatch, Carli Lloyd, Crystal Dunn, Margaret Purce, Merritt Mathias and Shea Groom.

Dunn has sadly taken a step back after going to England in 2017. Maybe that’s a matter of different usage, maybe it’s simply a regression in form. For now, she’s a depth option, though we all know what she’s capable of. If the form returns, maybe the placement changes.

Carli Lloyd is simply not the player she once was. Nor is she the player that the USWNT needs now. When she comes on the field the formation has the bend to her to keep her from becoming a liability, and she just isn’t good enough anymore to justify those contortions. At this point the trend is moving in only one direction, as she slowly fades from starter to bench player.

Ashley Hatch Margaret Purce, Merritt Mathias and Shea Groom are a tale of two groups.

Hatch and Purce are both up and comers. They have bright futures if they can grow as players. Hatch could very well be a nice pairing in a 4-4-2. She worked well with Williams this year in North Carolina and might fill the type of roll Amy Rodriguez did for much of her national team career. Purce could be a nice wide player to bring out when the US needs a bit of a spark late in a game. She has a nice cross in and showed a resilience during her season with Boston.

Mathias and Groom are not rookies. But they do bring something that a lot of the players don’t on the current team. They have the type of hard-nosed play that befuddles opposing teams. That can be risky–they both have disciplinary records to match their styles–but it can be very effective when a team needs to go full out. Mathias and Groom also could, in theory, play wingback if needed.

The Final 45

It was much harder to find players to find players for some positions than it was for others. It shows where the US could do with some investment as they move toward 2019 and 2020.

So this invites the question. If you were coming up with your own 45, who would you add to my list and who would you take off?

Chelsea Ladies: The Real Chelsea

Posted on by RJ Allen

About two months ago, I moved to London to pursue my Masters in Human Rights at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). Being a massive fan of soccer (or football as it is called over here), and women’s soccer in particular, I was eager to check out some of the London area teams in the FA WSL. My first choice was Chelsea, and shortly after moving to the city, I went to their season opener against Bristol City.

I knew that women’s soccer in the United Kingdom was still in its early stages. It didn’t exactly shock me that it took 90 minutes to get from my apartment in Central London to the stadium—about 45 minutes on the Underground and 45 minutes on a bus—but I could see where conversations about accessibility come into play. The match had little advertising outside of the women’s soccer circles on social media, and the team’s new stadium—officially known as the Cherry Red Records Stadium—left much to be desired. But there were over 1,000 people at the season opener, and Chelsea looked impressive in their 6-0 victory. I knew I was seeing some of the best players in the world—Ramona Bachmann, Crystal Dunn, Fran Kirby, and Hedvig Lindhal, amongst others. Even better, a ticket to the match was only £6.

I had every intention of going back to another Chelsea Ladies match. At the same time, I was starting my program at LSE. A few of the people on my program were soccer fans, although admittedly most of those soccer fans were men. I was talking to one of my classmates about it as we walked to an event. I told him that I was a women’s soccer fan and I told him he should check out some of the women’s teams in the area. I told him that I was getting ready to see Bayern Munich vs. Chelsea in Champions League and that it was only £6.

A random stranger stopped us as we were walking through the building. “I’m sorry,” this man said. “Did you say you saw Chelsea for £6?”

“Yeah,” I said. “Their women’s team.”

The stranger looked at the guy I had been talking to and laughed, as if they were sharing some personal joke.

“Oh,” he said. “I thought you meant the real Chelsea.”

He laughed again and kept walking. 

I didn’t say anything to my friend about it. In fact, I had drawn this reaction to women’s soccer with such frequency that it didn’t even stand out to me until later, when I was getting ready to go to the match. I was so excited to go to my first Champions League game. I didn’t understand why some people sought to undermine it. The Chelsea Ladies had looked great in their first match—so, why were they any less worthy of this man’s respect?

When I got to the match, I was surprised. I expected a Wednesday night match to struggle for attendance, especially since Chelsea Ladies draw a lot of families. But to my surprise, there were over 2,000 fans in attendance and Bayern Munich had their own traveling supporters section.

I sat down towards the front. They had been handing out free Chelsea flags outside of the stadium and I didn’t want those waving in my face, so I sat behind one of the academy teams. These girls were probably between 8-10, but I quickly realized how well they knew their stuff. Two of the girls sat down next to me, with the rest spread out in the front row.

“There seems to be a lot of stoppage in this game,” one of the girls said during the first half.

“Yeah,” the other said. “Munich fouls a lot.”

Shortly after that, Chelsea came close to a breakaway, before a Bayern Munich player tackled her to the ground.

“Come on!” The girls moaned.

It kept going like that for most of the game. The girls argued about the calls they didn’t like, and pointed out which players they were most like.

“I’m like Fran Kirby,” the girl next to me said.

“Yeah,” another one laughed. “Cause you’re short!”

“And fast,” the girl said, swinging her legs under her seat.

It was a thrilling 1-0 win for Chelsea Ladies, with a goal scored by Drew Spence, who I met after the match. For me, the best moment of the game was when the women walked out of the tunnel. All the people around me—a lot of them families—had their flags waving in the air. They were singing the Chelsea song. And the two little boys behind me—no older than five or six—were freaking out. “CHELSEA!” They kept screaming. They went on like that for most of the game. “GO CHELSEA!”

That’s right. Chelsea. Because to those kids—those young boys who hadn’t been taught to think less of the women than the men, those young girls who thought that maybe someday they could be on that pitch—these players were the “real” Chelsea. There was no difference for them. And that was enough to give me hope.

Who Should Make a 23 Person USWNT Roster?

Posted on by RJ Allen

Sometimes thought experiments are a good way to go through players pools and figuring out what you like and don’t like about players. As someone who writes about women’s soccer, I do a lot of thought experiments that never see the light of day. But the last one I did was something I thought I’d share.

It started with a simple question: Who could reasonably be included in the USWNT pool? It then turned quickly into who would make the best 23? Not who ARE the best 23 players in the country but which 23 would make the most solid team? I’m sure if you looked at the list of the last few rosters of players called up to the USWNT you could put together a 23 woman list that would be the envy of most countries on earth.

But is that the best the US could do?

I think if there was an event, a fictional mid December tournament, let’s say in France with Germany, the US and Australia all invited. Each team gets 23 players on the roster and the USWNT no longer has players they have to call up due to contracts, who makes the cut?

If I were in charge, and every player were healthy, this is what would my 23 for this tournament look like.

Before you crack your knuckles and start commenting and why this or that player should have made the cut, let me explain how I got down to the pool I did. I listed out all of the players in the NWSL, sorry college players but I don’t know you well enough to judge you yet, who could be called up to the USWNT. 

Goalkeeper Defenders Midfielders Forwards
Abby Smith Abby Dahlkemper Allie Long Alex Morgan
Adrianna Franch Ali Krieger Andi Sullivan Ashley Hatch
Alyssa Naeher Amber Brooks Christina Gibbons Beverly Yanez
Ashlyn Harris Arin Gilliland Christine Nairn Carli Lloyd
Aubrey Bledsoe Becky Sauerbrunn Dani Weatherholt Cheyna Williams
Haley Kopmeyer Caprice Dydasco Danielle Colaprico Chioma Ubogagu
Jane Campbell Cari Roccaro Daphne Corboz Christen Press
Katelyn Rowland Carson Pickett Julie Ertz Crystal Dunn
Michelle Betos Casey Short Kealia Ohai Jasmyne Spencer
  Christen Westphal Kristen Edmonds Jessica McDonald
  Emily Menges Kristie Mewis Lynn Williams
  Emily Sonnett Lindsey Horan Mallory Pugh
  Erica Skroski Lo’eau LaBonta Margaret Purce
  Estelle Johnson McCall Zerboni Merritt Matthias
  Gina Lewandowski Megan Rapinoe Rachel Hill
  Jaelene Hinkle Meggie Dougherty Howard Savannah Jordan
  Katherine Reynolds Morgan Andrews Shea Groom
  Kelley O’Hara Morgan Brian Stephanie McCaffrey
  Kristen McNabb Nikki Stanton Sydney Leroux
  Lauren Barnes Rose Lavelle  
  Mandy Freeman Samantha Mewis  
  Megan Oyster Sarah Killion  
  Meghan Klingenberg Sofia Huerta  
  Sam Witteman Tobin Heath  
  Taylor Smith Tori Huster  
    Vanessa DiBernardo  

To start pairing down the list I removed the players who I gave a “soft pass” to. These are players who either have never been in the USWNT system, have been passed by it, or I don’t think have that special something needed to be on the full national team. 

The players given a “soft pass” are marked in red.

Goalkeeper Defenders Midfielders Forwards
Abby Smith Abby Dahlkemper Allie Long Alex Morgan
Adrianna Franch Amber Brooks Andi Sullivan Ashley Hatch
Alyssa Naeher Becky Sauerbrunn Christina Gibbons Carli Lloyd
Ashlyn Harris Caprice Dydasco Dani Weatherholt Cheyna Williams
Aubrey Bledsoe Cari Roccaro Danielle Colaprico Chioma Ubogagu
Jane Campbell Carson Pickett Daphne Corboz Christen Press
Katelyn Rowland Casey Short Julie Ertz Crystal Dunn
Michelle Betos Christen Westphal Kristen Edmonds Jasmyne Spencer
Haley Kopmeyer Emily Menges Lindsey Horan Lynn Williams
  Emily Sonnett Megan Rapinoe Mallory Pugh
  Erica Skroski Meggie Dougherty Howard Margaret Purce
  Jaelene Hinkle Morgan Andrews Rachel Hill
  Katherine Reynolds Morgan Brian Savannah Jordan
  Kelley O’Hara Rose Lavelle Shea Groom
  Kristen McNabb Samantha Mewis Beverly Yanez
  Mandy Freeman Sarah Killion Jessica McDonald
  Taylor Smith Sofia Huerta Merritt Matthias
  Ali Krieger Tobin Heath Stephanie McCaffrey
  Arin Gilliland Vanessa DiBernardo Sydney Leroux
  Estelle Johnson Christine Nairn  
  Gina Lewandowski Kealia Ohai  
  Lauren Barnes Kristie Mewis  
  Megan Oyster Lo’eau LaBonta  
  Meghan Klingenberg McCall Zerboni  
  Sam Witteman Nikki Stanton  
    Tori Huster  

Then it was time to look at the remaining players and remove those who just aren’t ready yet in my best estimation. Some were rookies, some had been in the league for a few years but were just becoming starters, and still yet some had shifted positions and I wanted a bit more “burn in” before they were called up.

The players given “Give Them Time” are listed in blue.
The players given a “Soft Pass” are marked in red.

Goalkeeper Defenders Midfielders Forwards
Adrianna Franch Abby Dahlkemper Allie Long Alex Morgan
Alyssa Naeher Amber Brooks Andi Sullivan Ashley Hatch
Ashlyn Harris Becky Sauerbrunn Danielle Colaprico Carli Lloyd
Michelle Betos Casey Short Julie Ertz Christen Press
Abby Smith Emily Menges Lindsey Horan Crystal Dunn
Aubrey Bledsoe Emily Sonnett Megan Rapinoe Lynn Williams
Jane Campbell Jaelene Hinkle Morgan Brian Mallory Pugh
Katelyn Rowland Katherine Reynolds Rose Lavelle Shea Groom
Haley Kopmeyer Kelley O’Hara Samantha Mewis Cheyna Williams
  Taylor Smith Sofia Huerta Chioma Ubogagu
  Caprice Dydasco Tobin Heath Jasmyne Spencer
  Cari Roccaro Vanessa DiBernardo Margaret Purce
  Carson Pickett Christina Gibbons Rachel Hill
  Christen Westphal Dani Weatherholt Savannah Jordan
  Erica Skroski Daphne Corboz Beverly Yanez
  Kristen McNabb Kristen Edmonds Jessica McDonald
  Mandy Freeman Meggie Dougherty Howard Merritt Matthias
  Ali Krieger Morgan Andrews Stephanie McCaffrey
  Arin Gilliland Sarah Killion Sydney Leroux
  Estelle Johnson Christine Nairn  
  Gina Lewandowski Kealia Ohai  
  Lauren Barnes Kristie Mewis  
  Megan Oyster Lo’eau LaBonta  
  Meghan Klingenberg McCall Zerboni  
  Sam Witteman Nikki Stanton  
    Tori Huster  

After the first two rounds of cuts I had 33 players left. A mix of older and younger players that was really difficult to break down much more than I had. It was from this group I’d make my 23. 

Goalkeeper Defenders Midfielders Forwards
Alyssa Naeher Becky Sauerbrunn Julie Ertz Alex Morgan
Adrianna Franch Casey Short Lindsey Horan Christen Press
Ashlyn Harris Kelley O’Hara Samantha Mewis Mallory Pugh
Michelle Betos Abby Dahlkemper Tobin Heath Ashley Hatch
  Amber Brooks Allie Long Carli Lloyd
  Emily Menges Andi Sullivan Crystal Dunn
  Emily Sonnett Danielle Colaprico Lynn Williams
  Jaelene Hinkle Megan Rapinoe Shea Groom
  Katherine Reynolds Morgan Brian  
  Taylor Smith Rose Lavelle  
    Sofia Huerta  
    Vanessa DiBernardo  

My person preference when I’m putting together a roster is a balance between defenders, attacking players who are strong defenders and attacking players who bring the heat with the usual 3 goalkeeper set up.

I started to pair down by looking first at the goalkeepers.

Goalkeepers

Alyssa Naeher, Adrianna Franch, Ashlyn Harris, Michelle Betos were the goalkeepers that survived my first two rounds of cuts.

At 29, 26, 32 and 29 it’s not a young group by any means.

For this roster I wanted Naeher’s experience as the current number one. Adrianna Franch, the best goalkeeper in the NWSL in 2017, was my second choice.

Third choice was down to Ashlyn Harris or Michelle Betos. In the end I went with Betos. I want to see how her time away from the NWSL has done to her game.

I would give each of the three a game to see just what they could do against high level attacks.

Just like that 3 of the 23 slots were decided.

Defenders

Going from 10 really solid defenders down to six is never easy. I am the type of roster builder that usually tries to sneak an extra defender or two in, but with the 23 I’m building I don’t have room for more than the 6 I went with.

Amber Brooks, Emily Menges, Jaelene Hinkle and Katherine Reynolds were the four that ended up chopped last.

Dahlkemper, Sauerbrunn and Sonnett are three centerbacks that give me the type of tenacity and reliability I’m looking for. Sauerbrunn has been the rock of the USWNT backline over the last 3 years in a way that has saved more goals than her lack of speed has created. In Dahlkemper and Sonnett I’d get a pair of up and coming players who are hungry to prove their worth.

And with O’Hara, Short and Smith you have speed, defense and each has an attacking soul deep down that tends to pop up in key moments.

I’d start O’Hara and Short, use Smith as a sub if needed for Short and shift O’Hara to the left. With the centerbacks I’d like start safe with Dahlkemper and Sauerbrunn and bring in Sonnett as needed.

9 players down, 14 to go. 

Attacking Players

This is a bit of a two for one.

Let’s look at the center of the park and then the forward attack.

I tend to forget just how stacked the center midfield is for the US because Ellis doesn’t call a lot of the players in.

No matter who I went with in this pool I was going to get center midfielders who can do work. I ended up keeping Julie Ertz, Samantha Mewis, Andi Sullivan, Danielle Colaprico, Rose Lavelle, and Vanessa DiBernardo.

I want a little bit of what each brings. Is it a lot of options in the center, yes. But with Ertz ability to be the 6, 8 or 10, Colaprico’s skill on the ball, Sullivan’s talent for disruption, Lavelle’s vision, Mewis’s crazy soccer smarts and DiBernardo’s everything, it is a 6 pack worth having.

Yes, I cut Horan from this, mostly because I think with the midfield I’m thinking of, Colaprico or DiBernardo could do the job with a few less yellow cards. 

Any three put out there will have all the keys needed to prevent being run over. And the level of finesse to physicality can be turned up or down depending on the team of the moment.

No team wins without attackers, right? So for my wingers/wide forwards/forwards I went with the idea of “if it isn’t broken, don’t try to fix it too much”.

Having Alex Morgan, Christen Press, Mallory Pugh, Lynn Williams, Ashley Hatch, Tobin Heath, Megan Rapinoe, and Sofia Huerta all on the same team feels a little like playing a video game. They are all so good.

I added Ashley Hatch because the forwards need a little more spark at times. Dunn used to have that role but England has hurt Crystal Dunn’s game on the USWNT. I wish it hadn’t but she didn’t look like the same player in her minutes with the team. I hope she can come back to the NWSL and find her mojo. But until then I have to go with another attacker.

And yeah, no Carli Lloyd. They are a better team when she isn’t there to force the line up in her image.

So the full 23 would be:

Goalkeeper Defenders Midfielders Forwards
Alyssa Naeher Becky Sauerbrunn Julie Ertz Alex Morgan
Adrianna Franch Casey Short Samantha Mewis Christen Press
Michelle Betos Kelley O’Hara Tobin Heath Mallory Pugh
  Abby Dahlkemper Andi Sullivan Lynn Williams
  Emily Sonnett Danielle Colaprico Ashley Hatch
  Taylor Smith Megan Rapinoe  
    Rose Lavelle  
    Sofia Huerta  
    Vanessa DiBernardo  

So is my 23 the 23 best players in the NWSL that the US could take? Maybe. I went with some young choices in hopes of growing the players and trying a few new things. I think the 23 I went with would at least be a bit of an entertaining mix.

If you were going to pull together a 23-player roster for a December tournament, if all spots were open, who would you go with? 

The High Five: A New Idea For The NWSL Postseason

Posted on by RJ Allen

Everyone loves a good story. It’s what compels us to sit up and listen or watch. But the NWSL failed to do that this postseason. And part of that is the fact that they are a young league, but the other part of that is because their playoff structure is so simple that it is boring. Top four teams. Three games. Two weeks. Blah.

So why not spice it up a bit? Draw things out a tad bit longer, but get more action in as well? The league shouldn’t make too many changes, because it is young and it doesn’t want to bite off more than it can chew. That’s how leagues fold, and no one wants that. But I would like to put forth the argument that the NWSL hasn’t bitten off enough. They can do better when it comes to the postseason. Here’s what I would suggest:

The top five teams go beyond the regular season. The forth and fifth ranked teams play a mid-week wildcard game immediately following the end of the season. The winner of that game plays the number one ranked team on the weekend, while the second and third ranked teams play each other. Then, the winners of those matches play a best of 9 points Final (potential three game series) the following week. Here’s how it would have looked on a timeline for this season:

– Sunday, Oct. 1: End of Regular Season

– Wednesday, Oct. 4: Wildcard game – Chicago(4) v. Seattle(5) in Chicago

– Saturday, Oct. 7: Semifinals – Portland(2) v. Orlando(3) in Portland

– Sunday, Oct. 8: Semifinals – NC(1) v. Wildcard Winner in NC.

– Saturday, Oct. 14: Finals Game 1 at higher ranked teams’ field

– Wednesday Oct. 18: Finals Game 2 at lower ranked teams’ field

– Sunday Oct. 22: Finals Game 3 at higher ranked teams’ field (if needed based on points accumulated)

So yeah, this looks a bit strange. I’ll admit it. But this structure brings a few really great things to the table. It creates a sense or urgency, it takes fan bases into account, and it extends out the postseason just enough to craft some really interesting story lines. Here’s how:

Sense of Urgency

Major League Baseball added the wildcard games in 2012 as a way to extend the postseason, get more fan participation, and gross more money. And since then it has turned into this mentality of ‘win and we’re in’ and ‘do-or-die.’ And as the New York Yankees can attest this year, it has created a lot of fun not just for the players but for the fans as well. It urges the fans to attend, because their team is just on the cusp of making the playoffs. And in this scenario, if you are that fifth seeded team, you are riding that underdog mentality. Everything comes down to 90 minutes. And sure, we have that with the current setup going straight to the semifinals, but what if there was this game in between where players are playing on short rest and the emotions are heightened because of that? What if Seattle pulled off the upset? Could they have gone on and beat North Carolina? I bet Laura Harvey would believe that they could. But the sense of urgency in this structure isn’t just limited to the wildcard game.

The Finals set up as a potential three game series with a best of nine points can absolutely create a phenomenal and urgent game two. Because imagine that your team is going into game two with no points – you couldn’t even pull out a draw in the last match. This match, you need at least a draw to advance to the third game. If not, your season is done, but there was potentially something left on the table – there was a third game…and all you needed was a tie. Because of this, the style of play could change. And the tactic of home field advantage could come into play more. It might be better to play conservatively than risk losing it all if you could have another 90 minutes in a few more days to make it work better and win off of a goal differential. It also might mean you get to go home to your own fans too.

Root For The Home Team

Something that I hate to see: a league final not sell out. What did I see this year? A half-packed Orlando City Stadium. And yes, it was nicely advertised. But there is absolutely no reason that a random Orlando tourist could just walk up to the ticket box ten minutes before kickoff and be able to watch a Championship. That is just plain unacceptable. And we can’t blame North Carolina or Portland fans for not having a larger turnout. That is a long way to travel, especially for Portland, and on short notice.

But if we had a potential three game series that moved between the two teams’ home fields then you have a better chance of selling out the stadium. You have a better atmosphere for the players and for the fans watching at home. Which means the NWSL sells more tickets, and more merchandise, and there is a greater impact on the league as a whole.

It also provides the two teams an edge going into their home game for the Final, because no matter what, they will at least play one match at home. And any player would rather play home than away – that’s obvious. But there are also those players that love to silence the stands. And this structure plays to their strengths as well.

Give It Time To Craft A Story

I started this article by saying that the NWSL playoffs didn’t tell a good story this year, and they didn’t. The most exciting game there was with regards to gamesmanship, social media, and overall hype was the Orlando/Portland match, but that wasn’t because of the NWSL. That was because Portland said they wouldn’t mind visiting Epcot, and Orlando put a Pride scarf on a rather important log. To be fair, the NWSL tried to make the games seem more intense than they were with their pregame videos about each team and what it would mean to them moving forward, and it made me fall asleep. Every team wants to win a Championship, so let’s make the journey a little more grueling, a little more fun, and a little more unpredictable.

With the five team structure so many great stories could be crafted from it, and every team’s story could build upon the last match that was played. Take the fifth ranked Wildcard team. Let’s say they survive and move to the Semifinals. Then they have to play the number one ranked team. They have to become a giant slayer. And to top it all off, they have to play at the number one ranked team’s home field. But somehow they pull it off. Their fans are going crazy and the story line keeps getting deeper because now they are going to a best of three series. And even if they drop the first match, they are going home to their fans to get a little bit more momentum to maybe give them that final push to make it to game three. And of course they do. And now you have the team that no one thought could make it anywhere playing in a 90 minute duel to the death. They know they are the David to the other team’s Goliath, but they still believe. Do you?

Yeah, that would be a story, wouldn’t it? You might tune in for that one, even if you aren’t a fan of that team.

So that’s my pitch. That is what I would like to watch unfold before me. Five teams. One Wildcard game. Two semifinal matches. And a Finals Series. So, I guess at the end of the day that just translates to me being a simple kind of sports fan. Because all I really want is just a packed house, a chance to watch a little more of the sport I love, and a good story that demands my attention. The question is, does the NWSL?

Route Two Soccer: 3 Winners and 2 Losers from the NWSL Final

Posted on by RJ Allen

Winner: Portland, for getting the job done

The Thorns showed up with a chip on their shoulder, ready to complete the ‘unfinished business’ of last season. It’s strange to say for a team that has now won either the league title or the shield in three out of the league’s five seasons, but Portland has felt like an underachiever. With the talent at their disposal, not to mention the infrastructure and institutional support, anything less than a title this year would have felt like a disappointment. Beyond that, it’s important to remember that Portland started this season poorly, and still looked to be struggling well into the summer. There was talk about ‘too many stars, not enough teamwork’ and questions about whether they would ever actually put it all together.

Well, they put it together. Following a loss on July 1, Portland went on a run in which they won 11 of 13 games, including the semifinal and final. They integrated their stars as they returned from the Euros and injury, settled into a flexible tactical system, and started to look as good as they always expected to be.

In a league without all that much tactical innovation, coach Mark Parsons’ back three was a breath of fresh air, and helped to revitalize their attack without doing anything to weaken their stout defense. Dropping Christine Sinclair back behind the forwards was another critical innovation, allowing her to orchestrate the attack from a deeper position, and then crash in behind to pick up second balls and knockdowns.

Portland didn’t have anything close to their best game of the year in the final, but it was enough to get the job done. They played a composed, compact, and stultifying game—conceding plenty of marginal chances but stifling the big ones. It wasn’t pretty, but no one in Portland will care much about that.

Loser: The beautiful game

All three of the games between these two teams this season were tight affairs, but this one took things to a different level. That’s not surprising, necessarily, since cup finals often end up being some of the least exciting games of an entire campaign. When the stakes are this high, teams play conservatively, looking to avoid mistakes, and the quality of play often suffers. This game was no exception.

In their postgame press conferences, both coaches specifically used the word “battle” to describe the game, and neither seemed to be using the term metaphorically. It was a tense and brutal affair, a grim and physical game, without much to recommend it in the way of skill or tactical quality.

Portland deserves special credit (or blame, depending on your perspective), making it clear from the first minute that they would match North Carolina’s aggressive style directly. This preemptive physicality ensured a choppy and violent game, with tight marking and aggressive tackling making it very difficult for either side to develop any rhythm.

To the extent that there was any real ‘beauty’ in the game, it came on the defensive side of things. In particular, North Carolina deserves credit here, for the way that their players moved as a unit. The interactions between the central defense and central midfield, in particular, were lovely. As Dahlkemper tracked a runner, Mewis would drop in behind to take her spot. As Erceg drifted out wide to fill in the gap left by an attacking fullback, Dahlkemper stepped left and Zerboni drifted in to close down the angles exposed by those moves. It was lovely stuff.

But this was the exception more than the rule. On the whole, these teams came to shut each other down, and they mostly succeeded. That did plenty to raise the tension but didn’t do much for the lover of the beautiful game.

Loser: Danielle Chesky, for calling a truly terrible game

As noted, this was a physical and violent game, and ultimately that comes from the teams who chose to play that way. But the final guilt has to rest with the referee, who allowed it all to unfold. While she got some hold back on the game in the second half, the first 45 minutes were a nightmare of escalating violence. I have written before about the problems with loose officiating in this league. And it would be hard to find a more representative example than this game.

There’s an unwritten code for referees: lighter punishments for star players, no cards early in the game, don’t make yourself the focus. Those all came together in this game, in the opening three minutes, when Tobin Heath barged into Taylor Smith from behind, dislocating her shoulder. It was about as clear a yellow card as you’ll ever see, but received only a warning. And things only escalated from there. In the opening half hour, there were at least half a dozen awful challenges, and dozens more examples of rough play. And Chesky still hadn’t seen a single foul that she judged worthy of a booking.

By the 39th minute, North Carolina was forced to make their second injury-based substitution, and the game had gone completely off the rails.

She eventually discovered the cards in her pocket and showed a couple to Portland players before the end of the half. And by the second half, with control at least marginally re-asserted, things started to look more like a soccer match and less like a game of rugby. But even with those improvements, the damage was mostly done.

The players deserve a referee who will punish dangerous play. The fans deserve a referee who will call fouls accurately. “Letting the players decide the game” is a canard, and you only need to watch this match to see why. By letting violent play go unpunished, Chesky didn’t stay out of the limelight; she made herself the story, to the detriment of the game that everyone was hoping to see.

Winner: The NWSL, for turning the corner

The NWSL suffers under the weight of history. Previous women’s soccer leagues have generated far greater fanfare, bigger audiences, more excitement, only to fold after three years. This league has survived, but sometimes has seemed to achieve this success at the expense of intensity or excitement. It can feel like the unloved stepchild of the US Women’s National Team, a training ground to keep them fresh but not something to generate much passion.

But, increasingly, that narrative is falling apart. Sure, some of the old guard clearly didn’t value the league, and maybe some of the current stars don’t treat it entirely seriously. But you only have to look at the passion and commitment and intensity of the players in this match to see how much it matters.

For the young stars of US soccer—players like Sam Mewis, Abby Dahlkemper, Lindsey Horan, and Lynn Williams—the NWSL has always been a part of the landscape. To them, this is the pinnacle of their professional achievement, and there is absolutely nothing second rate about it. They care. They care a whole lot.

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I talked to Sam Mewis in the mix zone after the game, and she had the demeanor of someone who had just lost the World Cup final. The intensity, the passion, the commitment that she feels about the national team…it is all there in precisely the same degree for this league.

And that is a great thing.

Winner: Orlando, for doing a great job hosting

There has been a lot of discussion in the past week about future NWSL finals. Should the league return to a system of allowing the top seed to host, or persist with the predetermined venue? There are fair arguments on both sides (and decent arguments for going an entirely different third direction), but one huge advantage of a preset location is the opportunity for the league and media to plan ahead of time, and to showcase the nicest venues on offer.

This is not a knock on North Carolina, who I’m sure would also have done a great job hosting. But Orlando gave us a fantastic experience, and deserve some recognition for the work they put in. It’s my favorite stadium experience of any in the league, with a beautiful pitch and a wonderful design. The accommodations for the media day on Friday were stupendous, the press facilities were excellent, and the staff went above and beyond the call of duty to give us a great experience.

While the overall attendance numbers were less than ideal, the pre-set location gave a lot the league’s superfans a chance to attend. And in many ways, that’s more important than the simple topline number. Making it easier for those who care the most to make the pilgrimage should be a big priority. The NWSL final should be an Event—and Orlando did it’s best to help that process along.

Shoutouts are also deserved for Jen Cooper, who put on a great WoSoCo, and for the supporters groups of teams all around the league who made the journey and showed up strong. And an extra special mention goes to the Riveters, who flew 3000 miles to support their team, and helped bring the intensity and excitement that this game and this league deserves.

The Unknown International: Denise O’Sullivan

Posted on by RJ Allen

The NWSL may be the American soccer league, but many of its most talented players come from all over the world. This series takes a look at the best internationals in the NWSL, analyzing their role and impact on their national team and their NWSL club, as well as their overall style of play. This week, we will be looking at North Carolina Courage and Irish midfielder, Denise O’Sullivan.

Who Is She?

If you’re reading this article, there is a good chance that you recognize O’Sullivan’s name from her game-winning goal in the NWSL Semifinal match against the Chicago Red Stars. Denise O’Sullivan is a 23-year-old midfielder from Cork, Ireland. She is a versatile midfielder, who can be strong both on the attack and in the defense. Thus, her role on each of her teams has varied depending on where she was needed.

She played youth soccer in Ireland and made her senior debut in 2011 for Peamount United. After their exit in the 2011-2012 UEFA Women’s Champions League, O’Sullivan returned to her hometown of Cork and joined their newly formed professional women’s club, Cork City Women. After two years, another opportunity came knocking at her door — to join Glasgow City Women, one of the premier teams in Europe. O’Sullivan joined the team in 2013 and scored 33 goals in 65 appearances with the club. But in March 2016, O’Sullivan earned an opportunity to join the NWSL’s Houston Dash. She took advantage and joined them before the start of the 2016 season.

O’Sullivan spent the 2016 season and the start of the 2017 season with the Dash. In 2016, she started in 14 matches in 18 appearances and snagged two goals and three assists. But with a coaching change at the beginning of the 2017 season, O’Sullivan saw herself getting less and less playing time. She asked to leave the team, and a return to Europe seemed imminent, with offers from clubs in England and Germany. But in the end, O’Sullivan was picked up off waivers by the North Carolina Courage.

Irish National Team

O’Sullivan made her senior team debut for Ireland in 2011 and since she has garnered over 50 appearances for the Irish women. Ireland has been on the edges of qualification in Europe, narrowly missing the 2017 Women’s European Championship after having qualified in 2013. Similarly, they missed the 2015 Women’s World Cup, but they’re hoping to change that narrative in 2019.

They will face some tough competition in their qualifiers, having been drawn into a group including Norway, and the new European Champions, the Netherlands. But there are other problems that seem to be hindering the Irish women, like so many other women’s national teams around the world. In April 2017, they took a stand against what they deemed “gross inequality” in the Irish FA. They complained about basic things, like not having changing facilities and not having their own uniforms. The negotiations were tense, but in the end, the Irish women got what they wanted. There is still a long way to go on the path of equality, but they took a step in the right direction.

North Carolina Courage

O’Sullivan joined the North Carolina Courage during the 2017 season, after being picked up off waivers from the Houston Dash. O’Sullivan made 11 appearances with the Dash in 2017, earning one assist.

Playing in North Carolina, she was around some of the best midfielders in the world, including McCall Zerboni and Sam Mewis. But O’Sullivan wasn’t far behind, earning starts in both of the Courage’s 2017 postseason games. Her 90′ goal against the Chicago Red Stars sent her team to the championship. While her team wasn’t able to earn another trophy this year, O’Sullivan has proven that she is a different player in North Carolina than she was in Houston. It’s unsure what the offseason will bring for O’Sullivan and the Courage, but one thing is clear: despite being a late addition, O’Sullivan took her opportunity and made her moment in the spotlight count.

Route Two Soccer – Evolve or Die

Posted on by RJ Allen

Kat Farris

Kat Farris

The Chicago Red Stars entered 2017 with high hopes. After several strong seasons that ended in the semifinals, this year was supposed to be their turning point. And not just in terms of results. They were going to be more flexible, would take better advantage of their talented roster, would develop and grow. But now after another disappointing semifinal result, it’s time to take a look back and see what happened to those promises.

The Big Change

There was one big change, and it was an enormously successful one. After starting the season at center back, Julie Ertz was soon moved up into the midfield, where she had an immediate impact. Ertz is a dynamic defensive player, exceptionally disruptive, and capable of initiating quick attacks after winning possession. Those skills become more valuable in a more advanced role, and Chicago used her to great effect.

In the early stages of the year, coach Rory Dames even experimented with playing Ertz in an attacking midfield role. While she is not anyone’s idea of a playmaker, her physical presence, disruptive abilities, and aggressive attacking ability all were useful in that advanced role. However, as the season progressed, she mostly played in a pure holding role, occasionally coming forward but mostly sitting back and shielding the defense.

On the whole, the Ertz experiment was a success, even as the effect seemed to diminish as the season progressed. But this wasn’t just about Ertz; the whole team seemed to wilt in the final several months, eventually stumbling into the playoffs as the 4th seed after a strong start.

Why did this happen?

The simplest answer might be injuries and fatigue. While Chicago was notable all season for the sparseness of its injury report (often listing everyone as fully healthy), it was also clear that many of those ‘fully fit’ players were actually carrying some knocks. Key players like Alyssa Naeher, Danielle Colaprico, Christen Press (just to name a few) have looked less than 100% for months. That might be due to the wear and tear of the season.

Sometimes teams just peak at the wrong time, and that might be what happened with Chicago. However, the story of Chicago’s failures shouldn’t be reduced purely to a problem with the players on the field. Because this team was also hampered by a serious lack of tactical innovation, something that became all too clear in the semifinal this weekend.

The 442 Diamond: Constraints and Limitations

Chicago spent virtually the entire season in the same tactical setup: a pinched 442 diamond, which is characterized by tucked in wide midfielders. We saw this again on Sunday, with Colaprico and Huerta (neither of whom would fit anyone’s idea of a traditional winger) playing in the wide positions.

This setup offers a very stable base and is excellent for choking off threats through the midfield. The pinched in wide players offer support, and can easily collapse on the ball when needed. And at least theoretically the diamond facilitates a short-passing midfield game. By moving away from the 442 as ‘two banks of four,’ you generate some forward impetus in attack.

However, the diamond is also severely limited. It features no true wide attackers, offloading the entire responsibility for width in the attack to the fullbacks. Of course, the modern fullback is generally expected to contribute significantly to the attack, but in most systems is given support by some form of wide attacker. In the diamond, there is no such support. That can be an advantage—since it gives your fullbacks a lot of empty space to run into—but is also a danger. Without clear partners to link up with, the fullbacks can easily become isolated. They may find it difficult to join the attack at all, which effectively condenses the team’s attacking options to a very narrow pathway down the center of the pitch.

Furthermore, the diamond also cedes wide spaces to the opponent’s attackers, to potentially devastating effect. On Sunday, North Carolina’s wide attackers (especially Taylor Smith down the right) were given endless expanses of green space to race through. With the Red Stars fullbacks stuck back in their defensive third, there was no one to stop those free runs. Casey Short did admirable work defending deep, but without her and Gilliland moving forward to join the attack, Chicago was left with a clogged midfield and nowhere else to go.

Route One Soccer with a Route Two Roster

When it works well, a diamond can give those players a chance to shine. But once countered, it offers very little flexibility. Facing off against North Carolina’s 4-2-2-2 ‘magic square,’ Chicago were deprived of space in the midfield and pressed back deep in defense. Without any real wide attackers, they could not push back Carolina’s fullbacks in order to relieve pressure.

And this was by no means the first time that Chicago has run into problems with their diamond. In fact, their persistence with this setup is one of the most baffling things about their season. For all the claims early in the year about fluidity and flexibility, they arguably were the most rigid team in the entire league.

In principle, a diamond can provide a useful staging ground for a strong midfield possession game. And at times this year, we saw the Red Stars finally seeming to produce the sort of technical soccer that has long been promised. The problem is that this depends almost entirely on the opposition’s willingness to let you play. As teams have increasingly packed the midfield and pressed their fullbacks high, Chicago’s central players have been starved of both space to operate and outlets for relief.

This is compounded by the apparent desire for Press to stay high up the pitch, rather than having her drop back to receive the ball and initiate attacks. Without her support in the midfield, passing lanes grow even more clogged, and attacks fizzle into wasted possession or costly turnovers.

Ultimately, against teams willing to adapt to circumstance, Chicago has been reduced to a caricature of their direct style. Instead of quick ball movement opening up lanes for through-balls, they are forced to resort to lumping the ball forward and hoping for knockdowns. This is hardly a good use of their resources under any circumstance and was an unmitigated disaster against North Carolina. On long ball after long ball, players like Mewis, Zerboni, Dahlkemper, and Erceg rose far above their Chicago counterparts to easily control the ball and restart their attack. It was as ineffective as it was baffling.

If Chicago were a fast, physical team with players of limited skill but maximal effort, this would make perfect sense. Route one soccer is an effective way to level the playing field against superior opposition. It allows your strong defensive unit to stay deep while giving you a modest chance at a lucky break on the attacking end.

But a team with Dani Colaprico, Vanessa DiBernardo, Christen Press, and Yuki Nagasoto in the middle of their attack has no business playing that way.

Where to Go from Here?

Chicago is blessed with an excellent roster, and much of the credit for that goes to coach Rory Dames, who has built this team up year by year. Dames was nominated for manager of the year, at least partially in recognition of that work. However, there’s a difference between assembling a top-level group of players and getting the most out of those players once you have them. And on the second front, it’s hard to say that Dames’ reign has been a success.

A team picked by many to win the Shield instead finished a distant fourth, and played one of their worst games of the season in the semifinal. And that’s not too dissimilar from what happened in 2016, either.

All in all, a team with a stacked roster and limitless potential has now spent the past two seasons barely staying above water. Over 46 games (regular season plus two semifinals) Chicago has managed a goal difference of only +5. That’s a shockingly weak result for a team filled with such good players. And it suggests that whatever the proximate causes for their poor performance in the semifinals, there are deeper issues with the team as a whole.

It would be surprising if Chicago made a coaching change in the offseason, but for the first time since the start of the NWSL, it’s no longer outside the realm of possibility. And regardless of who takes the helm in 2018, the priority will need to be significant tactical evolution. Playing direct helped turn Chicago into a playoff team, but unless they can diversify their options, they are unlikely to take the next step forward.