Category: NWSL

Interview with Emma: Taylor Comeau

Posted on by RJ Allen

Emma Bayer is an 11-year-old who does a recurring interview series for Backline Soccer. You can find more out about how Emma got into soccer here.

Taylor Comeau is in her fourth NWSL season. She started with the Portland Thorns and has been with the Chicago Red Stars the past three seasons.

Birthdate: 7/21/93

Nickname from teammates: More like chants: comeback Comeau or Tay haha

Hometown: Los Gatos, California

Age started playing: 4 years old started running around with a ball

College/major: American Studies emphasis on consumerism

Career aspirations after soccer: I am really into nutrition! Have taken some classes on nutrition and loved it.

Why did you pick your particular uniform #: I did not choose my number, but number 7 was my oldest brother’s football number. He was pretty good.

Pregame meal: Depends on the time of the game. The earlier game usually eggs, oatmeal, and pressed juice with beets. The later game usually smoothies and sushi. Always have some matcha before the games.

Workout music: Ranges from Kygo, Drake, to Cardi B.

Favorite cartoon character: This is tough. I like Tina from Bob’s Burgers.

Fave movie: I recently watched the Lion King and remembered how great it was. I can’t say I have a favorite.

Fave actress: I like Rachel McAdams or Kristen Wig.

Hidden talent: I really enjoy music so I have taken piano and singing lessons. Not talented yet! I also enjoy dancing.

Mentor (in soccer or life): My parents have always pushed me to do well. They’ve always supported me too.

Fave charity/cause: Any cause of mental illness or cancer. I also have psoriasis so I enjoy people who try to bring awareness to these issues that people have.

Life motto: Treat others the way you want to be treated.

Superstitions: I have a superstition of nail polish. Very strange but I stick to certain colors.

Pets: I love dogs. I have an Irish setter named Bailey. Also, a cat named Oscar, who basically acts like a dog.

If you were going on Amazing Race, which teammate would you want as a partner, and why? I don’t know if I can choose one! Stef is smart and strong. Sofia is also very strong and smart. Julie is good at everything so maybe her.

If you had your own reality show, what would it be called? Today with Taylor. Haha

Hot or Not: Week 7 NWSL Power Rankings

Posted on by RJ Allen

Warning:

This power ranking is not reactionary.

This power ranking takes outside factors like weather and injuries into account.

It has bias—yours when you read it and mine when I wrote it.

Enjoy it.

It will soon change.

Some Notes:

North Carolina somehow finds a way to win every week. It really is something. 

Seattle has gotten Rapinoe back and they look to be in peak form themselves. 

Orlando moving up 4 spots is more of a course correction from me than anything. The team looked sharp against Portland without Marta even needing to be on the pitch. 

As I am ranking teams it feels like there is a huge space after North Carolina and Seattle. And a second, though smaller, space between Orlando and Utah. The middle of the table is pretty bunched together. 

NWSL First Quarter Review

Posted on by RJ Allen

So we are about a quarter of the way through the 2018 NWSL season. There has been some great moments, some beautiful shots, and some excellent defense. Some teams surpassed expectations, while others are exactly where the world predicted they would be. We still have the majority of the season to go, but now is a great time to review exactly where all our favorite teams are at and how they have fared. So let’s get into it!

Chicago Red Stars
Chicago started their season off with a bit of a depleted roster because of injuries and international players participating in World Cup Qualifiers. The Red Stars have also played more games this season than any other team so far. But despite the roster holes and the heavy schedule the Red Stars are currently camped out near the top of the table. And good news Chicago fans—Sam Kerr is officially back from international duty, so there is a chance that you rise a spot in the table moving forward.

Houston Dash
Well, things aren’t great for the Dash. But they certainly aren’t as horrible so far as originally expected. The Dash had some important draws early in their season, and just this last week they recorded their first win. They are hanging out at the bottom of the table but they aren’t in last place. And now with the return of Kealia Ohai and Kyah Simon the Dash offense is beginning to really take form. They also just recently acquired Allysha Chapman in a trade for North Carolina. So with those added components they may be able to steal a few more points and climb a bit in the standings toward the middle of the season.

North Carolina Courage
The Courage are exactly where everyone expected them to be – in first place. They have been dominant in this first quarter of the season but there are still some things they need to work on. Specifically, converting those shots on goal into actual goals. NC creates a lot of chances and take more shots than any other team in the league, but they haven’t been able to score a lot of goals. Still, the Courage are currently undefeated and don’t look to be slowing down any time soon. And once those finishing touches come they will be even more lethal than they already are.

Orlando Pride
The Pride have done mediocre so far this season. Not too good, but not too bad either. They are camped out in the middle of the table and ended week 6 with a record of 2-2-2. But this team definitely is on the upswing of the pendulum, as their last three results of the quarter ended in two wins and a draw. Orlando had to deal with the loss of Marta and Alanna Kennedy for international duty and had a few other key minor injuries that made the first quarter of their season a bit challenging. But things are looking up for the Pride now that their roster is almost back to full form.

Portland Thorns
The Thorns are at about the exact same place as the Pride at the end of week 6. Though, most would consider their first quarter of the season underwhelming. Much was expected of the Thorns and they haven’t fully delivered yet. But with the majority of the season still ahead, they have plenty of time to find their form. Tobin Heath is only just back from a very lengthy string of injuries, but her touch on the ball seems to be coming back to her rather quickly as could be seen by her first goal of the season against Utah. Overall, the Thorns can do better, and most likely they will continuing through the season.

Seattle Reign FC
Seattle may just be the greatest surprise of the 2018 season so far. They are exciting to watch, incredibly skillful, and are giving their competitors a run for their money. Their current second place position is a bit unexpected, but the Reign are here to defy expectations this season. Even with Rapinoe out on injury, they have still found a way to win. Just look at last week’s match at Providence Park. They weren’t expected to win, but the Reign don’t live in a world where they do what is expected. It’s hard to say what could potentially slow this team down currently, but for our entertainment value let’s hope they don’t.

Sky Blue FC
The 2018 NWSL season surely has not gone Sky Blue’s way up to this point. After numerous roster changes in the off-season, a new head coach, and a on-again-off-again schedule throughout the first quarter Sky Blue has not fared well. They are still in the hunt for their first win of the season and are sitting in last place, but they have also played less games than all other teams. That makes it difficult for a team to get into a good rhythm, and well the women from Jersey are quite a bit off-beat right now. But there is still time to turn it around. They have a lot of attacking power that can be utilized, and they still have 20 matches left to go, so not all hope is lost.

Utah Royals FC
New kids on the block had a bunch of…draws. Utah’s first quarter of their inaugural season was littered with them. Some of them were hard fought, like their match against North Carolina. While others were simply poor luck, like getting a PK called for a hand ball after your best defender actually got drilled in the face. But hey, you can’t win them all. Regardless of the draws in the first quarter, Utah is starting to come together. And with the stable roster they have, matched with the coaching skills of Laura Harvey, they are definitely not a team to underestimate moving forward.

Washington Spirit
Washington is the epitome of young raw talent. They haven’t quite figured out how to harness all that talent yet, but their future-whether this season or next-looks promising. Probably the biggest impact for the Spirit in the first quarter comes from the goalkeeper, Aubrey Bledsoe. She has had some down-right filthy saves this season, and has helped to keep the Spirit competitive. How they will progress through the rest of the 2018 season is still a bit of a question mark, but they are definitely a team to keep an eye on.

So there you have it—a review of where we have been. Where we are going? Who knows. But with so much season left to be played there are sure to be some excitement, some upsets, and some surprises. 

The NWSL Podium: Top Performances in Week 6

Posted on by RJ Allen

The NWSL Podium: Top Performances is a weekly series looking at the top three goalkeeping, defensive, and attacking performances each week.

Week 6 was full of excitement, providing a lot of options to choose from. The Utah Royals earned their first win in franchise history against the Washington Spirit at Rio Tinto Stadium, and the Houston Dash earned their first win under Vera Pauw on the road against Sky Blue. The Saturday matchup between the Portland Thorns and the Seattle Reign was an instant classic, with the Seattle Reign solidifying themselves as a force to be reckoned with this season, and the North Carolina Courage were almost handed their first loss of the season, but were saved by a goal in the 82nd minute. Here is a full breakdown of the scores from Week 6:

Chicago Red Stars vs. Orlando Pride (0-2)

Portland Thorns vs. Seattle Reign (2-3)

Sky Blue vs. Houston Dash (2-3)

Utah Royals vs. Washington Spirit (2-0)

North Carolina Courage vs. Chicago Red Stars (1-1)

Top Three Goalkeepers

1. Alyssa Naeher—  Naeher may have put up the NWSL goalkeeping performance of the season on Sunday against North Carolina. The Courage are a difficult opponent to face under any circumstances, and the Chicago Red Stars were coming in with tired legs after their 2-0 loss to Orlando on Wednesday. The Red Stars faced a total of 42 shots from North Carolina, yet the Courage didn’t get their equalizer until the 82nd minute. It’s hard to pick a single top save from the dozen she managed. In the 17th minute, she made a brilliant block to keep a strong shot from McCall Zerboni. At the start of the second half, Naeher used her face to block a shot from Crystal Dunn, who was only a few feet in front of her. In the 56th minute, she made a diving save to stop a shot from Sam Mewis from sneaking into the bottom-right corner. Ten minutes later she stopped another shot from Crystal Dunn by diving to her right. And that’s just what made the highlight reel.

2. Michelle Betos— The Cascadia Rivalry is always a heated match. For Betos, there was even more meaning as she returned to Providence Park for the first time since leaving Portland at the end of the 2016 season. And the Thorns did not go easy on their former teammate. She and her teammates faced a total of 24 shots in that match, and Betos made eight saves. Amongst her best were back-to-back saves made in the 88th and 89th minute of the match. After Christine Sinclair did a fantastic job keeping the ball in play, Betos faced a shot from Tobin Heath right in front of her. Betos made the initial block, and after the ball bounced around a bit, she grabbed the ball and ended the ball. Only a minute later, the Thorns earned a corner kick. A Portland player got her head to the ball, but Betos was able to make a diving block, keeping the Thorns from scoring. Betos’ saves in the final minutes may have been the difference between a draw or a win on the road.

3. Sabrina D’Angelo— D’Angelo only had to make one save in Sunday’s match against the Chicago Red Stars, but it was a nice one. In the 86th minute, after the Courage had equalized off a goal from McCall Zerboni, Sam Kerr had the ball delivered to her feet inside the 18-yard box. D’Angelo came off her line and charged at Kerr, ultimately blocking the shot when the ball bounced off her leg. D’Angelo’s last minute save kept her team from suffering their first loss of the season.

Top Three Defenders 

1. Amber Brooks—Brooks earned herself a Save of the Week nomination this week after defending an empty goal in the 55th minute. Sky Blue had a nice passing sequence and got the ball up to Katlyn Johnson, who rounded Jane Campbell and seemed to be through on goal. But Brooks anticipated the danger and cut behind her keeper, putting herself in perfect position to block Johnson’s shot.

2. Kelli Hubly— While the Thorns did not have the best defensive weekend, Hubly gets credit for a wonderful save she made on the goal line in the 74th minute. After a bad defensive giveaway a few moments before that nearly cost them a goal, the Thorns had another defensive miscommunication and Nahomi Kawasumi got possession of the ball inside Portland’s 18-yard box. She passed it to Fishlock, who handed it off to Jodie Taylor. Taylor faced three defenders in addition to the goalkeeper, but may have found the back of the net had it not been for a brilliant header by Hubly. 

3. Steph Catley— Catley is a versatile player, who has great moments on both offense and defense. As an outside back, she is great at getting those runs up the field and creating opportunities for her team to score. She was traded to Seattle from the Orlando Pride in the offseason, and she has only been back for a couple of matches with the Reign. But she played a critical role in keeping the ball down the pitch and creating opportunities for Seattle in their 3-2 win over the Portland Thorns this weekend at Providence Park.

Top Three Attackers

1. Katlyn Johnson— Johnson had a stellar match this week against the Houston Dash. She earned her first goal of the night in the 57th minute, tapping in a cross from Shea Groom. Her second goal unfolded similarly, when Sarah Killion sent a ball into the box, and Johnson sent the ball with a header. While Johnson’s brace ultimately wasn’t enough to bring her team points, she is now Sky Blue’s leading goal scorer, with two goals and one assist so far this season.

2. Chioma Ubogagu— Ubogagu continued to prove her worth this week in the match against the Chicago Red Stars. She opened the scoring in the 28th minute with a ball that took a deflection off a defender and snuck past Naeher into the bottom-left corner. Ubogagu was critical to setting up the goal as well, winning the ball in the midfield and working with Sydney Leroux to take the ball down the pitch. The goal marked Ubogagu’s third goal of the season, and even with all the veteran talent on the Pride’s offense, she is currently the Pride’s leading goal scorer.

3. Diana Matheson—  Matheson scored the second goal for the Utah Royals on Saturday night at Rio Tinto Stadium. As the Washington Spirit were passing the ball around their defense, Matheson made a sliding tackle on Estelle Johnson. Matheson got the ball and Johnson jumped over Matheson to stop from falling. As both players chased after the ball, Aubrey Bledsoe came out from goal. But Matheson got the ball and flicked it over Bledsoe. The ball rolled into the net with no defender to stop it.

 

NWSL QuickCap 6: So That’s What a Goal Looks Like.

Posted on by RJ Allen

Chicago Red Stars 0-2 Orlando Pride
2-2-3/2-2-2

Chicago had the lead in possession, yellow cards, and shots not-on-frame. Orlando had goals from Chioma Ubogagu (28’, Leroux assist) and Rachel Hill (81’, Van Egmond assist.) The NWSL site, famous for full names, also tells me that this was Van Egmond’s first assist since returning from international duty with Brazil, but I get in trouble for making things up. Neither Sam Kerr or Marta directly figured into the scoring, but they had an impact on defensive shape and tactics. Sarah Gorden was a flash of speed for Chicago but couldn’t connect to get anything past GK Ashlyn Harris, or perhaps was afraid of the flying tackle.

Portland Thorns 2-3 Seattle Reign
2-2-2/3-1-1

I feel like Seattle are stealth contenders for no good reason other than they don’t have the attention focused on Portland or North Carolina or the fan-loved roster of Orlando. Or the power-packed roster of the Thorns, who was fun to watch as they poured endless chances in on former Reign-turned-Thorn-turned-Reign Michele Betos. Starting a thread to be seen in the other 3-2 game this week, there was a first-half goal and then single tallies traded until the first-to-score won, but with so much action I’d recommend looking at the replay. Beverly Yanez (from Nahomi Kawasumi) was the first half tally at 36’. W-League scoring monster Emily Sonnett equalized at 61’ on a sloppy bouncer and Nearly Headless Jodie Taylor tallied the PK at 64’. Jess Fishlock drew the penalty on a defending Ana-Maria Crnogorevic by cutting into her path in a tangle of legs that will remain disputed depending on your loyalties (Cymru am byth!). The Great Horan equalized at 70’ on the ten-thousandth marginally-defended cross from Megan Klingenberg. The 2-2 deadlock lasted about as long as it takes me to type a sentence, as Rumi Utsugi scored from Steph Catley at 75’ and the last fifteen featured chances but no goals.

Sky Blue FC 2-3 Houston Dash
0-3-1/1-3-2

Houston tried a new lineup Saturday night, moving Kimberly Keever back and Kristie Mewis to mid, with Rachel Daly up top with Kealia Ohai and Nichelle Prince. Whether a new shape or the skill of the opponent played a role, some of the scoring potential teased in the first five games broke through. Nichelle Prince opened at 24’ and then the teams traded goals in the second half, with Katie Johnson at 57’ followed quickly by Rachel Daly on a shross aided by a lack of hops by GK Kailen Sheridan at 59’. Katie Johnson equalized at 73’, putting herself into the lead in NJ’s scoring race by a likely insurmountable lead, and Veronica Latsko finished it up at 79’. All the goals had assists, too, but I didn’t want to step on the “NJ can’t score” jab, so: Lindsay Elizabeth Agnew to Prince, Shea Groom and Sarah Killion to Johnson, Ohai (and gravity) to Daly, and Kgatlana to Latsko.

Utah Royals 2-0 Washington Spirit
1-1-4/1-3-2

I’m so glad I didn’t predict Washington’s youth movement of high powered talent would be printing goals like money every game. Nope, not me. Don’t bother checking the previews, trust me on this. Pretty sure I said the 30-something Amy Rodriguez would take over a game with a killer assist to 2009 Hermann Trophy winner Kelley O’Hara, marking her first of the season at 7’. Well, I didn’t predict the minutes. I’m not that stellar with my clearly truthful predictions. Also, incredibly youthful Canadian sensation Diana Matheson had the second Utah goal at 66’ on pure hustle. Washington did have more shots, but not on frame, and a slight lead in both crosses and corners, but didn’t convert. Utah’s totally youthful defense played all 90, too, but so did the Hatch-Pugh-Sullivan trifecta that apparently needs more ink for the goal printer.

North Carolina Courage 1-1 Chicago Red Stars
5-0-2/2-2-4

“Sure, North Carolina had 42 shots, but…”

But nothing.

Chicago stole a point in this one, largely via GK Alyssa Naeher. Yes, North Carolina was sloppy at times and didn’t look to be the statistical anomaly the box score presents. Samantha Kerr scored at 37’ but wasn’t largely a factor due to North Carolina’s defense. McCall Zerboni equalized at 82’ with a great shot off an Abby Erceg chip. She also had a yellow card at 71’ but no assist to complete the McCall Zerboni hat trick. Largely, NCC charged in and missed for the better part of the afternoon.

Route Two Soccer – Sky Blue Lose to Houston: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Posted on by RJ Allen

Sky Blue knew this would be a difficult year, but they didn’t know it would start out this rough. After four games, they’ve managed only one solitary point. And while there’s still plenty of time to reverse course, it’s worth taking a moment to assess precisely how things have gone wrong.

This weekend’s game against Houston provides a nice focal point for that conversation, because it illustrates both the potential in this team as well as the glaring weaknesses. Let’s start with the good parts, before turning to the problems.

The Good: a young but very talented attack

First, there is a ton of talent in the Sky Blue attack. Katie Johnson made headlines by scoring two goals against Houston, and there’s every reason to think she could develop into a top-level forward. There’s still some rough pieces of her game, but she’s got a classic striker’s instinct for finding the half-step of space and the knack for finishing once the opportunities open up. She’ll likely never be the sort of player who can carry an offense alone, but with a good supporting cast, she should thrive.

Fortunately, Sky Blue have a good supporting cast. Shea Groom is perpetually underrated, and often misdiagnosed as a pure striker, when in fact her primary talents are moving at speed with the ball at her feet, and incisive passing to cut open defenses. In a different era, she’d make a hell of a winger, but with the modern move away from classic 4-4-2s, she’s still a great wide attacker. Then there’s Janine Beckie, whose performances for Canada make her talent abundantly clear. She’s blessed with brilliant field vision and can pick out a through-ball with the very best. She never really found her rhythm with Houston, but a change of scenery might be what it takes to unlock that ability. Results from the first month haven’t been great, but she’s a player worth betting on. Sky Blue also picked up Savannah McCaskill from the Boston dispersal draft, giving them a player good enough to earn several national team caps before her first professional game. Her introduction to the league hasn’t been wholly successful—she’s spent a lot of time chasing the game, and hasn’t always handled the speed at which possession gets closed down—but McCaskill is the real deal.

That makes four top-notch attacking players, all with plenty of room to improve (at 25, Groom is the oldest of the group). This core will struggle here and there but should be a strong point for the team in the long run.

What’s more, there’s also an excellent group of supporting players behind this group—featuring Adriana Leon, McKenzie Meehan, Jen Hoy, and Madison Tiernan. That’s a wealth of attacking talent. Almost too much, since you can only play so many of them at a time. A point which will guide our considerations in the next sections…

The Bad: the backline

Sky Blue’s defense was a worry going into the season, and nothing we’ve seen so far suggests that the problems have been resolved. Going into the Houston match, they’d conceded three goals in three games—not a terrible record by any means—but never looked particularly sharp. Against Houston, though, the frailty was truly exposed. Remember, before this game, Houston had managed one solitary goal in 450 minutes. Against Sky Blue, they scored three and easily could have had more.

None of the back five were blameless. Kailen Sheridan had a dreadful game in goal (a theme for the week), while the centerbacks struggled to deal with the pace and physicality of Rachel Daly. The fullbacks, meanwhile, barely played like fullbacks at all. Mandy Freeman virtually never entered the Houston half, and while Christina Gibbons did get forward a bit more, it was severely constrained. She also had a lot of trouble containing Kealia Ohai’s quick attacks.

Still, while none of these five had a good game, it’s also true that they were given very little to work with. Defense is a team game, after all, and the backline didn’t get much help, creating the conditions for the breakdowns that then ensued. If we want to assign blame, then, we also need to look further upfield.

The Ugly: a weak and confused midfield

When she’s on her game, Carli Lloyd is still one of the world’s best players. The big question is just how often she can be on, and whether a team can afford to rely on her for all the other games. Four games into her homecoming, results are somewhat inconclusive, but not especially promising. Certainly, the midfield hasn’t looked good, though it’s not clear precisely where the blame lies.

Sarah Killion spent several years as one of the league’s most underrated players, but she looked a bit lost last year and has failed to rediscover her form this season. At her best, she was great at recycling play and starting attacks from a deep position. But we’ve seen very little of that this year. In a similar vein, Raquel Rodriguez has failed to do much to develop on her promising rookie campaign in 2016. She often drifts out of games for extended periods, and when she does find her way back in, she often pushes too hard and turns the ball over quickly. Defensively, she is almost a complete non-entity, doing very little of the necessary work to occupy space and inhibit opposition transitions.

The point of detailing these flaws in Killion and Rodriguez is not to call them out, but only to note that Lloyd herself suffers from many of these same limitations. When the three are combined, it seems to be a recipe for an aimless midfield which poses vanishingly little threat to the opposition attack, and which struggles to do much with the ball in attack. In particular, this trio is desperately lacking a deep-lying fulcrum who can dictate play on both sides of the ball.

To illustrate the point, observe the first half against Houston, where Sky Blue deployed these three players in a midfield trio, to vanishingly little effect. In practice, this played more like a 4-1-4-1, with Killion as the lone holding player—and the only one contributing anything defensively. Rodriguez and Lloyd, meanwhile, could have been tissue paper for all the difficulty they posed for Houston’s attack. Rodriguez, in particular, spent most of her time on the pitch trailing behind runners who she had let slip past.

As a result, while Houston never had much in the way of sustained possession, they didn’t need it. As soon as they gained the ball, they moved forward at lightning pace, blasting right through the midfield, forcing Sky Blue’s backline to defend on the run. With Rodriguez and Lloyd both providing porous points of entry through the center of the pitch, Houston took firm advantage of the easy access to acres of space.

After the half, Groom came on for Rodriguez, which brought some improvement. This allowed McCaskill to shift into the midfield trio, bringing a better work rate and muscle, while Groom slotted in on the left and brought her trademark aggression and dynamic movement. It was certainly an improvement, without necessarily resolving the underlying issues.

What is to be done?

There are no simple solutions here. The fundamental problem for Sky Blue is an unbalanced roster, with too few defensive players and very little in the way of cover. Moreover, any team built around Carli Lloyd is going to run into problems in the midfield. For all her talents (and they are many), the slow grinding work of defensive structure is a persistent weakness. If Lloyd is one of only three midfielders, you are going to have to compensate heavily with the other slots. Think about North Carolina here, who can afford to use a player like Debinha in the attacking midfield role because they have McCall Zerboni, Denise O’Sullivan, and Sam Mewis available to cover for her. Without players like those to paper over the cracks, or without a change of system, Sky Blue is going to be perpetually overrun in the midfield.

So what should they do? One simple move would be to tweak the formation. As noted above, their 4-3-3 really played more like a 4-1-4-1, with Killion as the lone body in the huge expanse of space between their two banks of four. This went pretty disastrously. They could instead drop a second midfielder back and play a 4-2-3-1, giving Killion some support. The problem with this solution is: who do you put in that second holding role? Rodriguez simply can’t do the job, so do you bring back McCaskill and lose her contributions in the front line? If not her, then who else is even available?

There is one clear answer here: Christina Gibbons. We saw last year that Gibbons is excellent in a holding midfield role. Her incisive passing does a lot more damage there, and her ability to defensively track play is also well-suited to the job of shielding a backline. Moreover, that job also limits the damage of her relative weakness as a single isolated defender. As we saw this weekend against Ohai, Gibbons isn’t particularly good at single-handedly containing an energetic forward. She’s far better suited to playing a complementary role as one half of a double pivot, where her great soccer IQ can truly shine.

Of course, there are risks to moving Gibbons off the backline. As already noted, Sky Blue’s defensive depth is quite limited, and there are no obvious candidates to slot in at fullback if Gibbons vacates the role. Kayla Mills might still be a long-term solution, but fitness issues have kept her from playing a meaningful role during most of her tenure with the club. Erica Skroski is probably a better fullback than center back, and could certainly slot over. But then who fill that job in the middle?

I can see two possible solutions, which share a lot of common DNA. The first is to shift to a 3-5-2 setup. Freeman, Stott, and Skroski are all well-suited to the job, and with two holding mids, the math of attackers vs. defenders stays effectively the same. The primary difference is where pressure gets exercised. At the moment, Sky Blue is investing a lot in protecting their flanks but exposing far too much space right down the middle. A back three would significantly strengthen the spine, and close down those quick counter attacks that ripped them apart this weekend. But it does so at the cost of opening up wide channels.

The second solution is a bit more radical, but one that I think deserves serious attention. And that is: convert Shea Groom to a right back. I’ve floated this idea speculatively before, in reference to the US national team, but it makes a ton of sense for Sky Blue right now. As I noted at the start, Groom is versatile enough to play as a traditional striker, but is better deployed as a winger or inside forward, where her ability to move in space is given a chance to flourish. As fullback, those opportunities would abound. She has the pace and energy to cover the job. And while no transition is ever seamless, her tenacity on the defensive end suggests that she might take reasonably well to the change.

Sky Blue got a huge amount of mileage last year out of Kelley O’Hara playing a hybrid fullback/winger role. It might be time to see whether Groom can play a similar role this year. Given the lack of balance in this team, some great attackers are inevitably going to be left on the bench. It might be risky, but there’s a strong argument for shifting the team to get another good player on the pitch, and shore up a weakness in the process.

How Well Did the NWSL Internationals Play in Week 6?

Posted on by RJ Allen

There was a lot of action this weekend in the NWSL and some great games! If you missed them or even if you watched them you’ll want to read this! Here’s a wrap up of how all of the internationals in the NWSL played:

The Australians:

Kyah Simon (Houston Dash)
Rating: 8/10
Good game for Simon, had lots of creative plays that got her teammates through. She played striker in the first half but was moved to the #10 role in the second. Personally I like her at both; it’s just a matter of what Houston needs. Her passes were good and she was a huge part of breaking down Sky Blue’s backline.

Sam Kerr (Chicago Red Stars)
Rating: 8/10
Vs Orlando- Kerr played great as usual. Created lots of space for herself and her teammates. There were a few times she got through the entire Orlando defense and ripped off a shot. Most of them were way off target: not to take away from the brilliant dribbling, but as a striker she must hit the target more. When her striking partner Yuki Nagasato was subbed on they connected well but we are yet to see a full match with both of them playing as strikers.
Vs North Carolina- Sam put in 100% against the Courage, always running down defenders to try to gain back possession. Kerr scored a brilliant goal in the first half; the ball was played to Kerr, she settled it against the challenge of Dahlkemper and finished it into the bottom left corner. A great day for Kerr.

Alanna Kennedy (Orlando Pride)
Rating: 9/10
Kennedy was back to being the connector in the midfield we’re used to, providing brilliant long balls placed perfectly between Chicago’s backline and Alyssa Naeher. She covered a lot of ground which took some pressure off of the backline. She was able to calm the play down and spread the ball over the field consistently. Nothing but positives from this game for Kennedy!

Emily Van Egmond (Orlando Pride)
Rating: 8.5/10
Van Egmond tallied her first assist in purple and it was a beauty! She received the ball, picked her head up and placed the ball perfectly into Rachel Hill’s run and obviously Hill finished it, but a lot of credit to Van Egmond for reading Hill’s run. Also a lot of energy coming from Van Egmond, she also covered a lot of ground. Solid performance.                                                                    

Steph Catley (Seattle Reign)
Rating: 7.5/10
Good work up the flank today. Steph got in advanced positions but also tracked back well to not get caught on the counter. She provided decent corner services and is definitely someone to consider for corner kicks in Megan Rapinoe’s absence. Would like to see a little more from Catley.                                           

Katrina Gorry (Utah Royals)
Rating: 8/10
Gorry showed us what she’s capable of today, she spread the ball around the field well and got her teammates in behind a couple times. Her composure is amazing; the way she’s able to be so calm and collected when there are 4 defenders around her is impressive. She had some fun moments in the game, like when she pulled off a perfect scorpion kick that was a perfect through ball to the winger. Fun to watch!

The Brazilians:
Debinha (North Carolina Courage)
Rating: 8.5/10
Good work from Debinha, she’s a very dynamic player. She created plenty of opportunities for North Carolina, but Naeher was having a phenomenal day in goal and she came up with several great saves. Debinha has been that player for North Carolina that can play the through balls to unleash their pacy attackers, which is much needed.

Marta (Orlando Pride)
Rating: 7/10
Marta didn’t quite have the impact on a game the way she usually does. Her teammates didn’t get her the ball very much, which isn’t smart considering what Marta can do with the ball at her feet. She did well when she got the ball but it’s vital to Orlando’s success that she gets the ball more. She had a good vision when she played the ball across Chicago’s backline to Hill which was easily collected by Naeher, but other than that a rather quiet night for Marta.

Poliana (Orlando Pride)
Rating: N/A
Subbed in very late in the match (84’). Poliana still slipped a through ball in to Rachel Hill whose shot was saved but it was impressive how Poliana made an impact that late into a match.

Mônica (Orlando Pride)
Rating: 7.5/10
Solid shift for Monica, consistently a rock in the backline. She’s always there to cover if her teammates get beat. She was great passing out of the back this week as well. There weren’t any specific instances that stood out but she had a pretty regular game.

Andressinha (Portland Thorns)
Rating: 9/10
Outstanding performance from Andressinha, she came into the match and found it quite well. Andressinha is so creative; her vision is a thing of beauty. A situation where a normal player would just do the simple pass, she’d play a stunning through ball that gets her teammates in on goal. Her passing ability is something no one else in this league measures up to. A great day for her!

The Canadians:
Nichelle Prince (Houston Dash)
Rating: 8.5/10
Outstanding match for Prince. Knew when to dribble, when to pass, and even when to shoot. Created plenty of opportunities for her teammates but they couldn’t get them on frame. Had a few key dribbles where she took on 2 or 3 players and came out of it still obtaining possession. Great day for Prince!

Lindsay Agnew (Houston Dash)
Rating: 7.5/10
Agnew earned her first start for Houston, and she got herself an assist. A corner came in to the back post and Agnew tapped it back across the face of goal and Prince put it away. She definitely showed us she can be a starter all season with her defending and great passing. A good showing for her.

Sabrina D’Angelo (North Carolina Courage)
Rating: 8/10
Wasn’t called upon much–on the Chicago goal she may have been a little out of position, but she made a huge save late in the game to keep North Carolina level. Sam Kerr was in on goal and D’Angelo made a huge kick save. But other than that a normal day for D’Angelo, one huge save and one not so great moment.

Rebecca Quinn (Washington Spirit)
Rating: 7/10
Quinn was subbed in late in the first half and brought some energy to this Washington team. She was always running and giving it her all. She helped Washington get past the first wave of defense with her dynamic skills on the ball. But I’d like to see some more composure from Quinn, sometimes when she did break the press she’d play a bad pass, which isn’t terrible but it’s not exactly great to give up the ball at the halfway line. That should come with experience and time but it must be worked on.

Shelina Zadorsky (Orlando Pride)
Rating: 7.5/10
Very creative play out of the back: she’s always ready to start an attack and get the ball up quickly. The defensive side wasn’t as great this week as she let Sam Kerr get through a few times but covering Kerr is never an easy job.

Diana Matheson (Utah Royals)
Rating: 8.5/10
Great game for Matheson, who got on the scoresheet, a just reward for her hard work. She and Estelle Johnson were running for a bad pass in Utah’s attacking third and Matheson slid to get the ball and when she got it, it was just her and the keeper, she calmly chipped it over Bledsoe and in the back of the net. She had some very creative passes as well as dribbles. 

Desiree Scott (Utah Royals)
Rating: 8/10
As I mentioned last week, Scott is so good at breaking pressure. When she receives the ball in a tough position she finds a way to get out of it with the ball. Her experience definitely gives a boost to the midfield of Utah which is mostly new to the NWSL. Not to mention her work rate that will put a smile on any coach. She’s a real unsung hero for Utah!

Christine Sinclair (Portland Thorns)
Rating: 8/10
Sinclair is always a vital asset to Portland’s attack, she is able to calm the play down and spray the ball out wide to create a crossing opportunity. Sinclair had a few shots, none of which hit the back of the net but credit to Michelle Betos for keeping Sinclair scoreless.

Janine Beckie (Sky Blue)
Rating: 6.5/10
In the first half it seemed as Beckie couldn’t string any passes together, that did change in the second half where she seemed to play a little better. She either overhit them or she didn’t read the player’s run correctly. Beckie just didn’t quite find her rhythm tonight–not her best game.

The Japanese:
Yuki Nagasato (Chicago Red Stars)
Rating: N/A
Vs Orlando- Came in the match in the 81’ minute, and still created some chances. She had a great flick header to Sam Kerr which got Chicago a great opportunity. When she and Kerr are playing together at striker they will be a dangerous duo.
Vs Chicago- Nagasato started in the striker role but was pushed into the midfield as a tactical change and it was a good move. Nagasato was on the ball more which Chicago needed, she had a phenomenal lobbed ball to Sam Kerr that got her in on goal but forced a great kick save out of D’Angelo.

Rumi Utsugi (Seattle Reign)
Rating: 9/10
Scored the game winning goal for Seattle, she took a touch around the defender and ripped a perfectly placed shot into the bottom right corner. As well as the goal, she had a phenomenal game in the midfield. Calmed the play down and allowed her team to get forward, covered a lot of ground too. A solid shift for Utsugi.

Nahomi Kawasumi (Seattle Reign)
Rating: 7.5/10
Kawasumi had a decent game, nothing too spectacular. She had some good services from out wide and had some nice dribbles. Kawasumi tallied an assist from her corner kick, but then there were times her play was a little sloppy.

The South Africans:                                                 

Thembi Kgatlana (Houston Dash).
Rating: —
Came in late (76’) and assisted on the game winning goal. A long ball was played over the top and with Kgatlana’s pace she got to it and played it across the face of goal to the oncoming Latsko and she tapped it in.                                                                

Janine Van Wyk (Houston Dash)
Rating: 7.5/10
A fairly normal day for Van Wyk, was ready to defend when she was needed and had some decent passes. Nothing too special, but credit to her for being consistent.

The English:
Rachel Daly (Houston Dash)
Rating: 9/10
A good day on the pitch for Daly, she showed her pace in the amount of times she was in on goal due to chasing down long balls. She scored Houston’s 2nd goal with and error from Sheiran but credit to Daly for creating the chance. She played outside back for the last part of the game, showing she can play wherever she’s needed.

Jodie Taylor (Seattle Reign)
Rating: 6.5/10
Scored a PK to redeem herself from last week, ran hard and gave it her all but overall it just wasn’t her day. Credit to Taylor for converting the penalty but just a few minutes earlier she had an unmissable chance–Sonnet slipped on the ball, Taylor pounced and dribbled about 20 yards to put herself one on one with the goalie but Reynolds took her angle off and Taylor shot it straight at the keeper. She put in 100% effort but she should have come out of the game with 2 goals.

The Mexican:
Katie Johnson (Sky Blue)
Rating: 8.5/10
Bagged a brace in this weekend’s game, great day for Johnson. She scored with a header and a tap in but she was the target forward they were aiming for. Great passing, dribbling, and shooting as you can see. But that’s what you want from your forward, and she really delivered for Sky Blue today!

The New Zealanders:
Abby Erceg (North Carolina Courage)
Rating: 8/10
Erceg shut things down quickly to keep Chicago out of North Carolina’s defensive half, she also assisted on the only North Carolina goal of the match. Overall a good day for her but she didn’t see too much action.

Katie Bowen (Utah Royals)
Rating: N/A
Came in as a sub in the 85’. Didn’t get on the ball much if at all.

Rebekah Stott (Sky Blue)
Rating: 7/10
Played decent defense but gave a way a lot of passes due to Houston’s high press. Nothing spectacular from Stott tonight but she didn’t play badly. She will need to step up in future games against the likes of Portland or Seattle’s attacking power.

The Irish:
Denise O’Sullivan (North Carolina Courage)
Rating: 7.5/10
O’Sullivan didn’t get on the ball as much as she usually does, but she had a great opportunity that forced a huge save out of Neaher. Good passing as always but a relatively quiet day for O’Sullivan.

The Argentinian:
Estefania Banini (Washington Spirit)
Rating: 7.5/10
Subbed on in the 63’ and helped get Washington the ball in the attacking third. She showed us her skill on the ball and her playmaking ability. She played some smart through balls to Washington’s frontline that got them in on goal a few times, nothing came of them though. A good late sub for Washington.

The Nigerian:
Francisca Ordega (Washington Spirit)
Rating: 8/10
Ordega had a great game, she pressed high up on the pitch and caught Utah in possession a couple times. On top of that she is a dynamic dribbler–the way she’s able to turn so quickly is a handful for defenders.

The Welsh:
Jess Fishlock (Seattle Reign)
Rating: 8.5/10
Great work from Fishlock today, or in the words of last weeks commentator “Fishlocker”. She drew a penalty with a brilliant dribble in the box, she got sandwiched by 2 defenders and the penalty was called immediately. She was exciting in the attack, whenever she got the ball you know she’s going to do something with it. Subbed out in the second half due to an few knocks before today, but she was not going to miss this game.

The Icelandic:
Gunny Jonsdottir (Utah Royals)
Rating: 9.5/10
Another player that works day in and day out for Utah, she’s running up and down the pitch constantly. It makes me tired just watching how much she runs. Jonsdottir was always going up for headers and giving it her all for every ball. She had a giveaway in the first half but Abby Smith recovered for her. Fantastic work rate!

The Swiss:
Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic (Portland Thorns)
Rating: 8/10
Played her first full 90 for Portland and looked motivated. Ana was great today as an aerial target in the box for the amount of services Portland put in. She did make the foul that got Seattle a penalty but she was just going hard for the ball. Very excited to see her season ahead.

The Scottish:
Rachel Corsie (Utah Royals)
Rating: 8.5/10
Another solid performance from Corsie, specifically her play out of the back. She is great at playing out of pressure which Utah needs. Great defending in her contributions toward keeping a clean sheet. A solid day!

Hot or Not: NWSL Week Six Power Rankings

Posted on by RJ Allen

Warning:

This power ranking is not reactionary.

This power ranking takes outside factors like weather and injuries into account.

It has bias—yours when you read it and mine when I wrote it.

Enjoy it.

It will soon change.

Some Notes:

North Carolina is going to stay at number one until they lose. There is no way around the Courage being the best team in the league right now. 

Seattle and Portland flip flop this week thanks to their head to head match up. 

Utah goes up by 2 mostly because the teams ahead of them – Chicago and Washington – both dropped. 

Orlando holds at 7. 

Houston and Sky Blue flip spots in the 8 and 9 spots on the head to head match up. 

The Turning Tide: 5 Reasons Utah Could End Up On Top

Posted on by RJ Allen

The Utah Royals FC have had a bit of a rough start to their inaugural season. They haven’t been able to win a game yet, they have been the victim of some rather questionable officiating, and they have some key players coming off injuries. But that doesn’t mean that they haven’t had their moments of greatness either—they opened Rio Tinto Stadium to over 16,000 fans for their home opener, they’ve had many hard-fought draws against major competitors, and we have seen flashes of brilliance from their individual players. What the Royals need to do now is make all of their fabulous moving parts fit together. And they will. The tide will turn in their favor. The wheel will spin. And they just might end up on top when all is said and done.

Here are just five reasons why:

1. Their Roster Is Pretty Great

When looking at the Royals’ roster there aren’t a lot of holes that need filling. Unlike other teams, who may need to look to acquire more support in their midfield or defense, Utah is pretty solid all the way around. Sure, they don’t have as many ‘big’ names as some other teams, but they have quality position players that know what their roles are for the team. Of course they have Becky Sauerbrunn and Kelley O’Hara from the USWNT, but they also have players like Desiree Scott who will gladly provide a tough tackle, or Gunny Jónsdóttir who adds creativity to their attack. So a team like Utah does not have to hang their hat on a few individual players for its success. It is the collective whole that will allow them to be a force going forward into the season. And that is something that only a few teams are able to say this season.

2. Their Draws Have Been Heartbreaking But Promising

So it’s true that Utah has not won a match yet this season. But they have only lost one. And the four draws that they do have on their record have been real heartbreakers. But they have also shown every other team in the league that the Royals are a force to be reckoned with. And let’s not lie to ourselves—the match against Orlando should have been a win, because Becky Sauerbrunn’s face is definitely not a hand. But another thing to consider when evaluating these draws is who they have been against. Sure, the second one against Houston was unexpected. But they also drew against North Carolina and Portland, who have arguably two of the strongest rosters in the league. Honestly, not having a win yet can be discouraging, but their draws haven’t been the worst.

3. Some Players Still Getting Back To Full Health/Form

Although the majority of Utah’s players are able to take the field, that does not necessarily mean they are up to full form yet. For example, Kelley O’Hara is currently battling a bit of a hamstring issue. She has still been performing decently, but she hasn’t been playing a full 90 minutes. She is getting back up to that, but there is still reason to play her cautiously. Another example is Amy Rodriguez. She is just now getting up to form after tearing her ACL in Kansas City FC’s season opener last season. She had a marvelous goal in Utah’s last match against Portland, but she still has a little ways to go until she is in top form again. She will undoubtedly get there. And once that happens—once key players are fully healthy and up to form—well, Utah is going to be something to shake a stick at.

4. Harvey Will Not Let Them Lose

Laura Harvey is the NWSL’s most winningest coach. She is great at what she does. She is involved. She is focused. And damn if she isn’t the kind of coach that players want to win for. But Laura Harvey is also more than just a coach. She is an orchestrator. And the thing that she likes to orchestrate most is greatness. We can see it when a call or a result doesn’t go her way. She is never satisfied. And she will look at all her options available to change the outcome the next time around. So Laura Harvey is not just going to sit around a allow a team with the talent that Utah has lose. Sure, some losses are unavoidable. Sometimes teams just get outplayed. But Laura Harvey will look to ensure that she produces the best version that her team can be.

5. Time Is On Their Side

It’s early. And that is a great thing for the Utah Royals. They have time to figure it out. They have time to tweak their game. They have time to make this season truly historic. While other teams could peak a bit too soon, Utah is on the uphill trajectory that allows them to strengthen throughout the climb. They are only five matches in. They have 19 left. And a lot can happen in 19 matches, not just for Utah, but for other teams too.

So I am of the belief that Utah just needs to keep calm and carry on. They are on the right path. The pendulum will begin to swing their way. And when it does, they are primed to take it into their hands and not let it go. Their players will get up to full form, their draws will become wins, and with Laura Harvey at the helm of the ship, the team has little to fear. Sure, it has been a slow start, but this still very well may be Utah’s season.

The NWSL Podium: Top Performances in Week 5

Posted on by RJ Allen

The NWSL Podium: Top Performances is a weekly series looking at the top three goalkeeping, defensive, and attacking performances each week. It was another week of tight score lines in the NWSL, with three of the four matches ending in a 1-1 draw. The North Carolina Courage remain undefeated, with one draw and five wins in their six matches so far this season. The Utah Royals found their first goal at Rio Tinto Stadium, although Utah, Sky Blue, and Houston are still searching for their first win of the season. The NWSL table is starting to take shape, but it’s hard to ignore the domination of the North Carolina Courage, with seven points more than the second place Chicago Red Stars.  Here is how the Week 5 matches finished:

Houston Dash vs. North Carolina Courage (0-2)

Washington Spirit vs. Chicago Red Stars (1-1)

Orlando Pride vs. Seattle Reign (1-1)

Utah Royals vs. Portland Thorns (1-1)

Top Three Goalkeepers

1. Aubrey Bledsoe— Bledsoe has always been a quality goalkeeper, and this year she is getting the chance to shine as the starter for the Washington Spirit. Her performance on Saturday was stellar. She faced 17 shots from the Chicago Red Stars and made three saves, keeping her team level against one of the best offenses in the leagues. She had a couple of good moments, but her best save of the night came in the 41st minute. Danielle Colaprico sent a corner into the box, which was then headed by Samantha Johnson. Bledsoe made a diving save and the ball bounced off her fingertips. It was enough to earn her the NWSL Save of the Week for the second week in a row.

2. Abby Smith— Facing a Portland Thorns offense that includes Lindsey Horan, Christine Sinclair, and Tobin Heath is daunting for any defense. But Smith made a few impressive stops, helping her team get a point in front of their home crowd. In the 18th minute, Smith punched a shot from Midge Purce out of the 18-yard box. Her lone save came in the 50th minute, when she blocked a shot off a Portland free kick that was heading for goal. She hit the ball into the air on the initial save, but was able to follow the ball and catch it. Overall, the Utah Royals put together a solid performance against the Portland Thorns, with the only moment of weakness coming when Smith was bested one-on-one with Tobin Heath.

3. Sabrina D’Angelo— D’Angelo was the only NWSL goalkeeper to walk away with a clean sheet this weekend, her fourth of six matches so far this season. While the North Carolina Courage definitely dominated possession, D’Angelo was able to shut down the chances that Houston created. In the 26th minute, Amber Brooks launched a header towards goal, but D’Angelo stretched out her hand and was able to deflect it. As she came down, the ball continued to bounce in the box and she had to dive right back in, blocking Nichelle Prince. D’Angelo had three saves in the match.

Top Three Defenders

1. Janine Van Wyk— While the Houston defense definitely struggled against the North Carolina Courage, Van Wyk and her teammates still had some good moments. Van Wyk had a particularly nice double-save in the 6th minute, where she made a sliding stop to keep McDonald from getting the ball. The ball deflected off her leg and to the feet of Lynn Williams, but before Van Wyk had even fully stood, she slid to stop Williams from getting a shot off. She had another good stop in the 74th minute, when she headed away a shot from Crystal Dunn. The shot bounced off her head and she fell to the ground, but still, she was able to make the save. Houston faced 27 shots from North Carolina, and the talent of Van Wyk and others on the Houston defense kept that score line from being worse than it was. 

2. Becky Sauerbrunn— Sauerbrunn is one of the top defenders in the NWSL, and her talents showed as she faced off against the Portland offense this week. In the 20th minute, a bad giveaway in the box led to Christine Sinclair finding her first look at goal. But a sliding block from Sauerbrunn sent the ball flying into the stands. She also helped her teammate take on Sinclair in the 75th minute, when Sinclair was once again setting up her shot. 

3. Kristen McNabb— McNabb played the full 90 minutes for the Seattle Reign this weekend in Orlando, and had a few solid defensive moments. It isn’t easy to hold back the likes of Alex Morgan, Sydney Leroux, and Marta, but the Seattle Reign defense held back all but one of the Pride’s 18 shots. McNabb tracked Morgan in the 14th minute, and made a sliding tackle that stripped Morgan of the ball. The Seattle defense did a good job of positioning themselves throughout the night in a way that made it difficult for the Pride to take clear shots. 

Top Three Attackers 

1. Amy Rodriguez— Rodriguez has been plagued by injuries the last two NWSL seasons, and everyone was excited to see what she would do this year when she took the pitch for the Utah Royals. On Saturday, she brought that spark of magic to the pitch. In the 53rd minute of the game, Rodriguez was able to strip the Portland defender of the ball and calmly place it into the back of the net. The goal marked the first for Rodriguez this season and the first-ever goal in Rio Tinto Stadium for the Utah Royals. She also had a fabulous defensive moment in the 36th minute– a save on the goal line that kept the Portland Thorns from pulling ahead. 

2. Marta— The Orlando Pride definitely missed their legendary midfielder, and she made her presence known on the field this weekend at Orlando City Stadium. She had a total of four shots on goal, and found the back of the net in the 61st minute to give Orlando the equalizer. Her goal came off a free kick. She got her foot under the ball, sent it over the Seattle Reign wall and into the top-right corner of the net. The goal was a beauty, and reminded Orlando Pride fans why, despite all their offensive talent, they missed having Marta on the pitch.

3. Francisca Ordega— This weekend against the Chicago Red Stars, Francisca Ordega found her third goal in five matches for the Washington Spirit. Ordega put the Spirit ahead early in the match, finishing off a cross from Mallory Pugh in the 4th minute. It wasn’t the prettiest goal, but it gave the Spirit an early lead. Ordega is hoping to score more goals this season so she can continue showing off her dance moves to the Spirit fans.