Category: Analysis

A Little Hollywood Magic: A History of Sky Blue Draft Picks

Posted on by RJ Allen

While I was working on another piece about late round draft picks, I started to notice a pattern with Sky Blue’s draft history. Since 2014, every first round pick they have had has stayed with the team. 

Maya Hayes was their pick in 2014 out of Penn State, followed by Sarah Killion from UCLA in 2015. 2016 saw another Penn State player, Raquel Rodríguez, added to the team, and in 2017 a pair of USC defenders, Kayla Mills and Mandy Freeman, were drafted. The only first round pick that is currently not on the roster is Lindsi Cutshall. Cutshall sat out 2016 because of medical reasons and in 2017 she welcomed a child. If she did come back to the roster Sky Blue would have each and every first round pick. 

Their second round picks have been a bit more hit and miss. Kendall Johnson is still in the league, playing for the Portland Thorns, while both Hayley Haagsma and Kristin Grubka are not currently attached to any clubs. The only second-round pick currently on their roster is Leah Galton, selected in 2016. Galton has been a breath of fresh air on the wings when able to play at 100% and has performed closer to a first-round pick than a second. 

Sky Blue has had more third round picks than any other round, with nine in total. Ashley Baker, Michelle Pao, Shade Pratt, and Catrina Atanda do not currently appear on the roster, but the other five do. That’s Daphne Corboz, Erica Skroski, Caroline Casey, Madison Tiernan, and Kailen Sheridan. All have started games, with Skroski and Sheridan being first choices for their positions. With Corboz, it did take a slightly roundabout route, with her going to England rather than joining Sky Blue after the 2015 draft. But when she decided to return to the states, it was Sky Blue who added her to their roster.  

Sky Blue have had quite a bit of success finding useful players in the 4th round, though often it’s been to the benefit of other teams.  Elizabeth Eddy, Chioma Ubogagu, and Lo’eau LaBonta were all drafted by Sky Blue in the 4th round, but play on other teams. Their other picks include Becky Kaplan–not on an NWSL roster–and their 2017 4th rounder, McKenzie Meehan, who has appeared in seven games, starting two this year. 

But round by round can only tell us so much. The coach for the first three years, Jim Gabarra, left in 2016 to join the Washington Spirit. That left former assistant coach Christie Holly to take over. Turnover at the top means that Sky Blue’s drafts haven’t all been run by the same people at the top. That said, Tony Novo has been the GM for Sky Blue since the winter following the 2013 season, offering a bit of consistency even as the coaches have transitioned.

Still, if you divide the tenures, it becomes clear just how good a job Christie Holly has done. Of the 10 players selected under his watch, only one is currently excluded from the club’s roster. And that one, Catrina Atanda, is still in the practice pool.

Compare that to Gabarra’s tenure, from which only three out of 14 picks are still on the roster. Of course, the further back in time you go the more chance there is for players to move on.  And the three still with the club (Maya Hayes, Sarah Killion and Daphne Corboz) are all fantastic players. But the defining feature of Holly’s tenure has been his ability to pick up up the Madison Tiernans or the Erica Skroskis of the world–good players, but not considered to be draft standouts–and turning them into solid, dependable players who can start for a playoff contender. 

And having someone who can put together consistently strong drafts is a big deal. Drafting takes more than just identifying talent. It means creating a game plan focused on both tactics and club culture, and identifying how well players coming out of college might be expected to fit into that plan. That’s not something every club has. Even very successful coaches (looking at you Tom Sermanni and Laura Harvey) seem to be unwilling or unable to do what it takes to put together a strong draft.

Holly is doing more than just putting together a good 18 to 20 players for his roster. He is looking for players that will grow a culture that is very much “play for the player beside you, damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead” that has paid off with a team in 3rd place at close to the halfway point of the season. 

Rory Dames, long held to be the NWSL’s King of the Draft, finally has a worthy challenger. 

Draft Class Magic: Late Round Picks that Paid Off

Posted on by RJ Allen

The NWSL draft has brought some truly outstanding players into the league from the world of college soccer: Crystal Dunn, Rose Lavelle, both Mewis sisters, the list of first round picks could go on and on.

But past the second round the chances of success can fade. I’ve gone back as far as the very first draft in 2013 to pick out my top 10 picks from the 3rd or 4th rounds, to see who went late and paid off for their clubs.

Each of the ten I picked are starters (at least are when both ACLs are healthy), and have made major impacts for their clubs since coming on board.

2015 – 19th Overall Pick – Caprice Dydasco – Washington Spirit

Dydasco was the very first pick on the third round of the 2015 NWSL draft. While she only played 6 games, with 1 start, in 2015 it was 2016 where she really started to shine. With 12 appearances, all starts, the speedy defender proved her worth to the Spirit, helping take them to the NWSL championship game. While she ended up with a torn ACL before half time, she has made a quick recovery and already returned to the pitch in 2017, which will surely be a delight for Spirit fans far and wide.

2015 – 21st Overall Pick – Sabrina D’Angelo – Western New York Flash

Only two goalkeepers were taken in the 2015 draft. FC Kansas City selected Katelyn Rowland with the 17th pick, which was followed by the Flash taking D’Angelo four spots later. While the two would end up as teammates during the Flash’s 2016 championship run, it is D’Angelo who has come out on top in terms of playing time and accolades. The Canadian international has been quite good since coming in to the NWSL. And no one can forget her 3 PK saves during the title game in 2016. 

2016 – 23rd Overall Pick – Erica Skroski – Sky Blue FC

In 2016 Sky Blue took four players, each still on the current roster. Their third pick was used to snag Rutgers defender Erica Skroski, who made an immediate impact on the Sky Blue starting XI. Her speed, calmness under pressure, and willingness to put in the work have made her a mainstay in a young Sky Blue backline, where she has brought maturity far beyond what most second year players can find.  Some minor injury worries have limited her time somewhat this year, but once she is back to 100%, her tough defending will once again be a rock in that back four.

2017 – 23rd Overall Pick – Kailen Sheridan- Sky Blue FC

Goalkeepers always go late. It’s a fact of the draft. But if early returns are any indication, a few coaches might have wanted to take a bigger risk in 2017. Sheridan won the starting job right out of the gate for Sky Blue and hasn’t looked back since. Her performances seem to only get better week to week. While some young goalkeepers have struggled coming into the league in the past it seems that Sheridan is thriving under the pressure.

2013 – 24th Overall Pick – Amber Brooks – Portland Thorns FC

Amber Brooks is one of those players who sometimes struggles to find playing time, despite performing extremely well whenever she actually gets the chance to take regular minutes. She is smart on the ball, able to play a hard position, holding mid, well and has a rocket of a shot when she takes it. It is against all reason that Brooks has not been in the USWNT picture since a brief stint in 2013.

2013 – 25th Overall Pick – Jen Hoy – Chicago Red Stars

Jen Hoy is often the odd woman out for Chicago when people discuss their many attacking options. And there are certainly plenty of other names to focus on there. But while she might not have the panache of Press or the outright speed of Huerta, Hoy has some beautiful footwork, great vision and had put in work over her time on the Red Stars. 2015 may serve as her high water mark with 1110 minutes played over 18 matches, with 4 goals scored but I think given the chance she has more in the tank.

2014 – 25th Overall Pick – Emily Menges – Portland Thorns FC

Over the last 3 years, Menges has been one of the best defenders in the NWSL. She’s the kind of player who rarely gets the recognition she deserves–solid no-nonsense defenders are often underappreciated.  Always solid, she has developed one of the most sophisticated readings of the game, and her defending has only grown over the years.

2016 – 27th Overall Pick – Abby Smith – Boston Breakers

Another goalkeeper, another late round gem. Of the 5 goalkeepers who were selected in the 2016 NWSL draft Smith is the only one starting games. Lindsey Luke, Caroline Casey, Madalyn Schiffel, Britt Eckerstrom have all found themselves on NWSL rosters as backups, while Smith (when not fighting off nasty injuries) is the clear #1 in Boston. Her play has even gotten attention from the USWNT, as she was called into the US roster for the recent friendlies in Norway and Sweden Smith was on hand. Though she watched both games from the bench it was still a deserved call up. 

2015 – 30th Overall Pick – Whitney Church – Washington Spirit

29 players had their names called before Whitney Church in 2015, nine of them defenders. And while you might not argue with Gilliland or Dahlkemper going before her it is clear that Washington got a bargain when they took Church 30th overall. Speed has never been Church’s primary feature but her brains on the pitch and her skill in the air have kept her in the Spirit’s lineup every game so far in 2017.

2013 – 31st Overall Pick – Haley Kopmeyer – Seattle Reign FC

Maybe the greatest late round draft pick of all time. Haley Kopmeyer joined a Seattle team already populated by the likes of Michelle Betos and Hope Solo and outlasted both of them. She joined in 2013 as a clear 3rd choice, but has taken the time spent as a backup to craft and hone her trade, growing by leaps and bounds into a top 3 goalkeeper this year. Her growth is in no small part to the Reign’s commitment to develop her and to Hope Solo’s mentorship of her during her time on the team. From second-to-last to one of the best isn’t too shabby.

Route Two Soccer – Let’s Talk About Tori Huster

Posted on by RJ Allen

In this game, we focus a great deal on the players who do things. And for good reason. Most of the time, the action is…well, where the action is. But there is always a lot more going on than just what’s happening near the ball. And there is no player in the league who better illustrates this point than Tori Huster.

Watching her reminds me of Vicente del Bosque’s praise of Sergio Busquets: “If you watch the whole game, you won’t see Busquets—but watch Busquets, and you will see the whole game.” Huster is a similar player. Watch her and you’ll see the whole game.

Washington 1 – 0 Portland

After spending six weeks out with a quad strain, Huster made her return this week. It was a big ask—coming straight back in for a full 90 without a chance to build back up her match fitness and form. And against Portland, no less. But Huster looked as comfortable as if she’d never left, helping to lock down many of the improvements that the team had made in her absence.

Generally, teams have found success against the Thorns this year primarily through a high pressing game: harass them high up the pitch, break up their rhythm, force them into dumb mistakes, and generally just keep them from playing their game. North Carolina provided the template early in the season, but others have found some good results using the same techniques, including Sky Blue last week.

The problem with that approach is that it needs a lot of pace. In order to keep the channels clogged as you press high, you need to play a high line and do a lot of running. Even more, to play this way you desperately need a midfield who can hold possession under pressure, to capitalize on turnovers and spring attacks in transition.

And while Washington has certainly looked better recently, those improvements haven’t solved those fundamental weaknesses in the team. Unlike their 2016 iteration, which really did have the personnel and speed to play that way, the 2017 squad can’t afford to fully commit to a full field press.

Now, that may change over the coming weeks. After all, the Spirit should soon be getting Mallory Pugh back from injury, Estefania Banini back from Europe, not to mention an increasingly fit Caprice Dydasco (who made a big difference pushing higher up the pitch in her half-hour this week). Combine those additions with some increasingly confident and active players like Francisca Ordega and Meggie Dougherty Howard, and you’ve got the core of a truly solid unit. By the end of the year, the Spirit may well be playing a lot like they were at the end of 2016. But for now, lack of team speed and midfield control will doom them if they try to play too expansively.

High pressing with a low backline: Wait, what?

Their solution is as simple as it is effective: focus your play on the attacking thirds, and don’t worry too much about what’s in between. In effect: keep your defense as deep as possible—to avoid the backline getting turned and their limited pace exposed—while still pushing as high possible in the attacking end.

Your front players should press aggressively and look to quickly close down on the ball high up the pitch. Your defenders, however, should drop off the ball as much as possible. Don’t step up to challenge, and risk getting beat. Just drop, and drop quickly. Keep the other team in front of you and build a wall in front of your goal.

At times, this could be mistaken for ‘bunkering,’ since it involves setting a deep backline and soaking up pressure rather than trying to play through the midfield. But it’s different in the important respect that you’re really only playing with six players behind the ball. The attacking four will drop when necessary, but their focus is upfield, not down. That’s what makes it possible for them to exert effective high pressure, and what keeps them available for good looks on goal.

Now, there are two clear problems with this approach:

First and most obvious: it requires conceding dominance over a (pretty important) part of the field. Games are won and lost in the midfield, and this setup is a recipe for losing a lot of midfield battles. However, there is an important element of expedience here. Because the fact is: given the available personnel, Washington is probably going to get beat in the midfield a lot anyways. So the question is how to structure those defeats. More on that in a moment.

Second, this approach is bad for possession. Creating such a wide gap between the front and back lines makes it difficult to link them together when you do get the ball. It’s a recipe for a lot of long balls over the top and speculative crossing runs, most of which will go astray. This is a real problem since it’s hard to win the game without the ball. But again, this is a matter of facing realities. Even if they wanted to, Washington simply isn’t going to get a ton of joy from keeping the ball on the ground and playing tiki-taka through the middle. So it’s quite reasonable to think about this not in terms of how much possession you get, but rather how useful you’re able to make your limited chances.

Tactical judo: turning your weaknesses into strengths

In both of these cases, the underlying logic owes as much to the martial arts as anything else. Because the key is to use your opponent’s strength against them by carefully managing how that strength can be expressed.

By accepting a disadvantage in the midfield, you draw your opposition out. If they manage to unlock the high pressure, they’ll move quickly through that vacant midfield space, hoping to pounce on the retreating backline. But if you can hold the line, they’ll often find themselves spinning their wheels—far more stretched than they expect. Like the dog who catches the car, you may end up with an attacker who sprang forward anticipating a devastating counter only to find herself 30 yards ahead of any help.

Alternatively, if they do manage to get forward in numbers, that creates the space that you want for your counterattacks. Stay resolute, break up play, and then quickly turn and look for the long crossing ball that will give your forwards room to run.

Everything depends on the holding midfielders

Making this setup work is no simple thing. It requires a lot of organization and needs defenders who are solid with their back to goal. It needs a keeper who is comfortable dealing with shots from distance, and who can handle crosses well. And it needs attackers who can thrive without much support from the midfield—players who can make their own chances, by beating a couple defenders, or by racing down low-percentages balls and making something out of nothing. But more than anything else: you need dependable holding midfielders. And that’s where Tori Huster comes in.

Because while there are plenty of great holding midfielders these days, some with more creative attacking flair, some who are better goal scorers, and some who are better tacklers. But I’m not sure there’s anyone in the league who is more dependable. And this weekend’s game was as clear an example as you could ever hope for.

Washington managed only 38% possession and were consistently overrun in the midfield. But for all that, Portland looked fairly toothless all game—only managing three shots on goals. Certainly, some of the blame can be placed on the Thorns themselves, but a lot of credit needs to go to Dougherty Howard and (especially) Huster—the holding midfielders who held the rock on which Portland crashed for most of the evening.

While the high press gave the Thorns some trouble, it was by no means able to coop them up entirely. But every time they broke through and tried to come in numbers, Huster was there—tracking along and slowing their attack, giving the defense time to drop and set before they were overrun, tracking the front runners and closing down passing angles. And once the defense set, Huster and Dougherty Howard were a constantly-moving shield at the top of the 18-yard box, forcing play to go wide, interfering and disrupting.

One of the hardest things about defending well is the discipline it takes to judge when to step and when to drop. And it’s often even harder to assess that quality from afar. We focus on the perfectly executed tackles, the last-ditch efforts that save a goal, the narrow inches between winning the ball and conceding a penalty. But often the most successful defenders are the ones who keep the dangerous play from developing in the first place. By holding their position, they delay the attack long enough for support to arrive. By dropping, they fill the space where the through-ball might have gone. By being patient, they maintain control.

This is an important quality for anyone, but it’s especially important for the holding player in Washington’s setup. Defense is a team problem, and a defense is only as good as its weakest link. But ‘weakest’ isn’t a static concept. Good players don’t just do good things individually; they also help build an infrastructure that helps everyone do better.

When the Spirit have played well this year, it’s been driven by good performances in those central midfield roles–protecting the defense in transition, preserving the ball long enough to launch attacks, marshaling the troops to keep everyone in line. Dougherty Howard has grown into the role and looks a very useful player. Havana Solaun was deputized there with some success but is far better utilized in a more attacking role where her creativity can shine. And Line Sigvardsen Jensen has filled in where necessary. But Huster’s return is a game-changer.

Watch Huster, and you’ll see the whole game

Think about the quote I mentioned at the start: watch the game and you won’t see her; watch her and you’ll see the whole game. That’s because so much of what she’s doing never shows up in plays that go into the box score. She’ll win her share of tackles and make her share of passes, sure, but more than anything she’s a shepherd. Her job is to make sure everything stays on course, not necessarily to do it herself.

And it takes incredible discipline to successfully play this way. You need someone who will run endlessly just to make sure that the passing channels stay clogged. Who can see play in motion and anticipate where someone will need to be. Who can cover for her teammates when they’re dragged out of position. Who can understand the team’s shape as it ebbs and flows and keep everyone working together.

It’s a cliché when talking about a ‘weak’ team who is tough to score against to say “they’re just really well organized,” but we don’t spend nearly enough time thinking about where that organization comes from. Obviously, coaching is immensely important here, but it also takes a lot of work from the players on the pitch to actually execute the plan. And it depends in particular on the field general who can keep everyone marching to the same tune.

That’s Huster.

Watch Washington play with her on the pitch and notice how often she’s pointing—drop into this space, protect that flank, watch your blind side, pass into that channel, and so on. Watch to see how often she’s moving ahead of the play—protecting space that’s not threatened yet, but which is about to be attacked. Watch to see how assiduously she manages breakaway attacks—not looking to make a spectacular (but risky) tackle; trusting that her defense will be able to stifle the attack if she can just give them the time to reset.

But more than anything, watch to see how often the opponent seems strangely quiet on the night—unable to find those penetrating runs, unable to successfully isolate and turn defenders, unable to do much of anything with all the possession that they seem to have.

There are plenty of flashy players in the league, and we rightly give them a lot of credit for the incredible things they can do. But I’m not sure there was any player more crucial to their team’s success this week than Tori Huster. That her contributions were so quiet only makes them that much more impressive.

Unsung Hero of the Week: Fantastic Freeman on Display

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 Sky Blue FC defender Mandy Freeman.

The 22-year-old was taken 10th overall in the first round of the 2017 College Draft by Sky Blue. Fresh off a NCAA Championship with USC, Freeman jumped right into the NWSL, so far starting in all 10 games for the New Jersey side. In her first season, she has the opportunity of a lifetime: to be paired next to Christie Pearce. What a mentor to have, huh? Going into the season I wasn’t sure if Sky Blue would be able to start strong, but 10 games into the year we find them in third place and really starting to find a groove.

Sky Blue 3-1 Portland

Sky Blue got off to a perfect start, scoring the opening goal just 24 seconds in. Officially it was given to Raquel Rodriguez (after a lovely pass from Sam Kerr) 25 seconds in, but I have watched it several times and it’s clearly in the back of the net at the 24 second mark–which would make it the fastest goal in NWSL history.

But I’ll move on from that and get down to specifics.

The first play worth talking about from Freeman was in the 11th minute. #22 had darted forward to intercept a pass intended for a Thorn player at the halfway line. Freeman got it to Kerr, who charged forward and put herself in a dangerous position in the middle of the park. Emily Sonnett eventually won a tackle, stopping Kerr just before she entered the 18-yard box. But it was a wonderful attacking move which started with Freeman winning possession and then quickly finding Kerr moving forward.

Now, it’s certainly no easy task to rattle to Portland … at Providence Park … in front of an enthusiastic crowd of 16,736. Also add in the fact that the Thorns had not lost at home since July of 2016. Quite an impressive feat, but in the first half Sky Blue were playing like they were the home team, executing their game plan to a tee.

Freeman wasn’t only doing her defensive duties, she wanted in on the action at the other end too. She awaited the service of a Kelley O’Hara corner in the 17th minute, volleying it towards goal where forward McKenzie Meehan sent it just just over the crossbar.  Obviously, Sky Blue drafted her for her defensive abilities but at 5’8″ Freeman could sneak onto the scoring sheet eventually. In her college days at USC, Freeman did find the net twice and earned eight assists as well, so it’s not a completely foreign land to her.

The next big play came in the very next minute. Portland patiently strung together a series of passes, working their way deep into the Sky Blue end. At the end of it, Sinclair turned Mills away with a cute stop-and-go on the right side of the 18 and found Raso, who was in the middle, with a point-blank shot. Or so she thought. But instead, Freeman comes lunging forward with such graceful desperation, putting her body in front of a ball that was on its way to being blasted upper 90 for the equalizer. Freeman once again read the play, reacted in the right way and preserved the lead for Sky Blue. It was a crucial moment. With Portland’s pressure growing and the game moving at a frantic pace, an equalizer could easily have turned the tide on the night and shifted the momentum. Freeman’s clutch stop gave Sky Blue some refuge and let them restore some order to their game plan.

As every team in the NWSL knows, containing Portland is extremely difficult to do. With the likes of Nadia Nadim, Christine Sinclair, Allie Long, Amandine Henry, and Lindsey Horan, Sky Blue and their balanced defense managed to do just that. Balanced meaning two veterans and two rookies keeping the line very organized. Freeman deserves individual plaudits for her containment of Sinclair–a player who has proven capable of escaping from the world’s best defenders. In maybe her best game of the season so far, Freeman kept Canada’s legendary forward in check and off the score sheet.

In the second half, Portland didn’t start well but in the 64th minute, they could’ve had a quality chance on goal if not for Freeman. Building from the back, the Thorns found Meghan Klingenberg out wide, looking to serve the ball toward Long in the box. Once again, Portland were inches away from a goal, but somehow Freeman burst in to steal the header from Long and deny a golden scoring chance.

One last play to highlight Freeman came in the 88th minute with Portland desperately searching for a bit of pride back and a consolation goal. Henry won the ball near the midfield and surged forward, leaving two Sky Blue players in the dust on her way to goal. Freeman came over to support, stood tall against the French playmaker and took it away from her. Then she had the awareness to slot it to Madison Tiernan in the midfield, who sent a long searching ball to a certain Aussie (who beat the entire Portland backline) and raced 15 yards before faking out Adrianna Franch for the cool finish and a brace.

Freeman had to deal with some incredible talent on the night and taking the ball away from Henry and starting the final goal-scoring sequence had to feel good for the rookie as it capped off a fantastic game for her. I thoroughly enjoyed watching this game, it was end-to-end action. And in my opinion, Freeman made the difference for her club on the night.

Sky Blue are currently sitting in third place with five wins, four losses, and one draw. If Freeman and this backline can continue this type of electric play, we could see this team back in the playoffs for the first time since 2013.

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.

 

 

 

 

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.

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

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
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.

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
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.

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

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.