Backline Chat: Playoffs, Referees, MVPs, and More on Sky Blue

Posted on by RJ Allen

Charles Olney (@olneyce): Hi everyone, and welcome to this week’s Backline chat. It’s been an exciting weekend in the NWSL, so let’s start by discussing the playoff race. I think the general consensus has the current top four (NC, Seattle, Portland, and Chicago) as the most likely to make it in the end. Anyone care to disagree with that?

RJ Allen (@TheSoccerCritic): If Houston can win against Seattle, they would be 4th. I would like peak madness to happen even if I don’t know if they can pull it off. On the other hand, half of Seattle is on the injured reserve this match.

Allison Cary (@findingallison):  I think Chicago is questionable. I’m with RJ, peak madness is fun. I think Houston and Utah are fun.

RJ Allen: If Kerr is scoring you two, you should be able to hold for a win.

Charles Olney: I will disagree that Utah is fun, though I do like them hanging out in the race even in spite of their relatively dire style of play.

Allison Cary: I meant fun in the sense of them sticking around, less so how they play on the field.

Becky Schoenecker(@Beckster20): I’m all for the madness and I’m rooting hard for Houston and for New Jersey to finish the year with some wins.

RJ Allen: I know this might sound cynical but Sky Blue finishing with 0 wins might be better for them long term than finishing with 1 or 2. And by better I mean a better chance they are sold or they are disbanded and the players can go to places with showers.

Becky Schoenecker: My heart just needs one though.

Charles Olney: I haven’t been able to get up to Houston much this year, but I’ll be there next weekend for the match against Sky Blue. Depending on what happens between now and then, it could be an incredibly tense game, or not so much.

Becky Schoenecker: Also, that one win can’t happen against Houston, my heart would not be able to take that.

Charles Olney: If results go against them, Houston could effectively be out by the time that game happens. If results go in their favor, they could be playing to occupy a playoff position going into the final week. Given what we all said about them going into the season, that’s truly astounding.

Allison Cary: It’s impressive.

Luis Hernandez (@radioactivclown): I think Orlando can win its last two and back in, but boy do I have my doubts. If the Dash make it in, I’ll be in shock. I don’t believe in the Red Stars.

Allison Cary: I have no faith in Orlando’s season.

Becky Schoenecker: I’m with Allison I think Orlando are out.

RJ Allen: I don’t think Orlando will win both of their last two and they need to.

Charles Olney: I lean toward thinking that Orlando still has a decent shot, ironically because I’ve rated them a bit worse than most people all season. Which means I don’t see this recent run of results as especially damning, and think it’s still quite plausible they come out strong to close things out.

I’m not predicting they make the playoffs, to be clear, but I wouldn’t be remotely surprised if they did.

Luis Hernandez: I’m questioning (Orlando) the players’ mental fortitude and resistance.

RJ Allen: I’m questioning the tactics and the player selection.

Allison Cary: I’m questioning all of it.

Becky Schoenecker: If they do make the playoffs – which I don’t think they will – they’d be out first round in my opinion

Charles Olney: What could they do to turn things around? Or is it just a lost cause at this point?

Luis Hernandez: As far as player selection, what exactly do people want to see? I never understood that point. Okay bring on Poliana??

RJ Allen: I have a warm take. I won’t call it hot, but warm.

Orlando is spending too much on Marta. They are paying her max which means she is draining the cap.

Becky Schoenecker: I don’t think Marta’s the problem.

RJ Allen: Marta ISN’T the problem. Marta’s pay is.

Becky Schoenecker: But they’ve still been able to field well above average players. Where would you spend her money if you could?

RJ Allen: They need four starting level defenders and help in the midfield. They need that more than they need Sydney, Morgan and Marta.

Luis Hernandez: I think you have a valid point but a bigger issue is talent identification and scouting.

RJ Allen: Sure, but her pay means that is handcuffed.

Charles Olney: I don’t know if I agree with RJ on the whole take, but I do agree that their defense is a lot more suspect than it might seem by looking at the names. I’d love for them to have a bit more flexibility there. I’d also point out that their midfield has never been one of the stronger, and while they’ve managed to shore up (and play around) that weakness to some degree, it’s still a weakness.

RJ Allen: I really think the NWSL needs to change the pay structure. Marta’s salary means they can’t upgrade some players as easily as other teams can. I’m not saying it’s the only reason or the main one. But I do think it is a big factor.

Becky Schoenecker: I would blame it on tactics then.

Luis Hernandez: I can point out Kennedy’s regression and inconsistent play more than Marta’s salary. Or EvE’s face on a milk carton all season long

RJ Allen: That’s on the HC then for keeping them on the roster.

Charles Olney: I guess my ultimate feeling about Orlando is: I don’t think they’re wildly underperforming. I had them 5th (but very close to 4th) going into the season, and that’s right about where they are. I think the issue is that they’re more hot/cold than some of the other teams. When they play well, they blow the doors off. When they play poorly, they’re quite depressing. With a different coach, different structure, they might well play more consistent, but I’m not certain they’d be better.

Luis Hernandez: I have to defend Sermanni’s tactics because when the players follow the plan they play well. They just haven’t put in a full 90 which fine you can blame Tom for that.

RJ Allen: I think Orlando plays some of the worse looking soccer in the league and that’s a mix of players and coaching. They don’t have a really strong flow about them.

Luis Hernandez: I believe the Pride roster is going to get blown up after the season anyway

RJ Allen: Head coaching change and a new roster would do the team wonders.

Luis Hernandez: I hope the coach doesn’t change but I also think after the season anything can happen.

Becky Schoenecker: Tom to Washington? haha

RJ Allen: I do not think Sermanni is a great coach. He is fine, but he isn’t great.

Charles Olney: I’d love to see Sermanni at Washington, FWIW.

Becky Schoenecker: I think he can get teams started.

RJ Allen: He would be good in a Washington or even a Sky Blue.

Luis Hernandez: Tom in Washington would be very interesting

RJ Allen: I think GM/HC needs to be more strongly defined in this league. And that is something that would help a lot.

 

Charles Olney: Alright, we’ve spent a lot of time talking about the playoff teams, but very little about North Carolina, probably because there’s nothing really new to say there. Their season has been astonishing, and there’s no doubt they’re the best team in the league. But we all know that the playoffs can be a crapshoot and (famously) the Shield winner has never actually taken home the title. So: if I gave you even odds would you bet North Carolina or the field?

Luis Hernandez: The Courage for me. I love the killer instinct

Becky Schoenecker: I’d bet North Carolina.

Allison Cary: I bet on the Courage.

RJ Allen: I think the match up is important.

Portland: 60/40

Seattle 70/30

Chicago: 80/20

Orlando: 90/10

All in North Carolina’s favor.

Becky Schoenecker: RJ what about Houston?

RJ Allen: lol

Charles Olney: #TeamOfDestiny #DashTFOn

Becky Schoenecker: #DashTFOn

Charles Olney: I have to say, much as I love this Carolina team, I think I’ll still bet the field. We’ve seen Chicago play them very close in two games recently. And even Orlando was giving them real trouble this weekend until the wheels came off. And we all remember what happened when the rubber hit the road in the final last year.

RJ Allen: I think this NC team remembers the pain of last year.

Becky Schoenecker: I still think when it matters they’re going to win in commanding fashion.

Charles Olney: Even if they’re 2 to 1 favorites in both matches, that’s still under 50% chance of actually winning.

Luis Hernandez: There’s a blueprint to beat N.C. Doing it is a separate story

RJ Allen: I think you could make a super team out of the other 8 teams in the league and NC still wins.

Allison Cary: I would tentatively agree with that.

RJ Allen: It’s going to be a shame when expansion comes and strips half their players.

 

Charles Olney: Dialing into the games a little bit, it was a pretty exciting weekend with plenty of talking points across the league, with referees featuring a number of times. Any in particular that people want to discuss?

Luis Hernandez: Sky Blue! I really thought they could win this week.

RJ Allen: I’m sorry Sky Blue fans, from what I saw the ref did nothing wrong giving 3:50ish in stoppage and not stopping at 3 minutes on the dot.

Charles Olney: The level of anger about that one really surprised me. I understand why people were frustrated – for the sake of Sky Blue who really deserved a win there – but there is just no there there in this controversy. Three minutes just means a minimum of three. If the ref felt like there should be 3.5 minutes, he’d signal 3 and stop it whenever (in his judgment) full time was up. This is bog standard stuff.

Now, as I tweeted on Saturday night, I find the stoppage time process overall to be dumb and far too reliant on ill-defined norms. But it is the process. So I’d happily join a general complaint against the whole approach, but there was nothing wrong in this instance.

RJ Allen: I have no real issue with stoppage time.

Charles Olney: It’s very low on my list of changes. So I’ll spend my capital elsewhere, for sure.

Luis Hernandez: Agreed

Charles Olney: Okay, any thoughts on the calls (or non-calls) in Portland? Do we think Chicago’s anger about either goal scored against them is justified?

Becky Schoenecker: I have a semi cool story related to that. Yesterday, after our women’s college match I was talking to the refs about the NWSL and the calls. The second I mentioned the league he goes oh that call against Chicago that wasn’t called? He watched the broadcast on ESPN news and from the sound of it a lot of higher up referees are. Just a fun little tidbit.

RJ Allen: I think Portland manages to get a lot of non calls that go their way.

Luis Hernandez: Especially at home.

Charles Olney: I wouldn’t be confident saying that they get better treatment than the average team, but anecdotally lots of people feel that way. It certainly wouldn’t surprise me if they were on balance benefactors of refereeing calls.

Luis Hernandez: The ref bias out of Portland is head-shaking. It just stands out so much. How do you explain it? The way the Thorns play, you should be whistled more than that.

Charles Olney: In this game, I don’t really think Chicago were correct about either complaint, in the sense that the goals should CLEARLY have been disallowed. But you see stuff like that called plenty, so it wouldn’t have been out of line if things had gone that way. And I can understand frustration at losing a bunch of 60/40 calls.

In terms of physicality, I think y’all know my feelings there. I wouldn’t call that favoritism, but more that the Thorns are exploiting a general problem. Utah is the same way. Both play extremely aggressive (far beyond the bounds of what I’d call acceptable), but mostly get away with it.

Allison Cary: Yeah, agree with that 100%.

Luis Hernandez: Someone should explain persistent infringement to the referees.

Charles Olney: Ironically, for all that North Carolina are possibly the most physically intense team in the league, I don’t really see them as villains on this front. At least not this year.

Luis Hernandez: I think the Courage have been less just bull in a china shop physical

RJ Allen: I am as much a fan of brutal soccer as anyone. But I am starting to really move toward the league is going to end up really hurting someone. Like not an ACL but a spine.

Luis Hernandez: NWSL Fight Club.

 

Charles Olney: Alright, another topic I wanted to bring up is the MVP race. Obviously, this depends to some extent on what happens over the final week. But I have to say that I’m thrilled with just how wide open things are.

I think you could make a serious case for at least these players: Kerr, Rapinoe, Dunn, Zerboni, Horan, Sinclair, and maybe Sauerbrunn or Erceg. I’m not saying *I’d* vote for all them, but I can see a reasonable case.

RJ Allen: Corsie over Sauerbrunn, I’m sorry but it’s true. Corsie hasn’t missed the time Sauerbrunn has and IMO has been as solid on the field when they are together.

Luis Hernandez: If the MVP comes from a non-playoff team I’d be shocked. No playoffs no MVP award.

RJ Allen: Zerboni has been my MVP since about week 9 and I haven’t changed on that.

Charles Olney: I’ve been similarly locked into Dunn, but while she’s remained quite good (as has Zerboni) I think a bunch of the folks who were below them most of the season have really kicked into gear.

RJ Allen: North Carolina isn’t 100 points ahead of everyone else if not for Zerboni.

Luis Hernandez: Just check the golden boot standings and you’ll get your MVP winner

Charles Olney: On that point, one name I didn’t bring up among the favorites is Lynn Williams. But per Luis’s point, she might well win the Golden Boot. If she does, do people think she’ll continue the trend of the MVP and Golden Boot being identical awards? Or could this be the year they’re finally severed?

RJ Allen: I think if Williams wins Golden Boot she’ll be the MVP. Same with Kerr.

Luis Hernandez: If Kerr were to win the golden boot, you’d have to believe the Red Stars are in the playoffs

RJ Allen: I think Kerr can win the Golden Boot and they still are 5th. But it would be hard.

Charles Olney: I’d like to believe that people could see their way to breaking the connection with Williams. But I generally agree if Kerr does win the Boot, it’ll be because she scored enough that Chicago made the playoffs. And she’d also have done enough to deserve the MVP regardless. In fact, that might be where I’d bet at this point.

RJ Allen: I think 2017 might still be on people’s minds. She has been very good this year but not 2017 Kerr.

Charles Olney: Sam Kerr is very good.

RJ Allen: Sam Kerr is very good.

Luis Hernandez: I’m going to say the unpopular thought but I think Horan should be MVP

 

Charles Olney: Alright, one final topic: the situation at Sky Blue. We’ve talked about their problems a few times here, but Cloud 9 just put out a statement confirming that the promised changes haven’t materialized, and that there doesn’t seem to be any indications of progress. Thoughts about where this stands at the moment? Does anyone have any faith that Sky Blue can survive in its current form?

RJ Allen: I know a few of the Cloud 9 people and they care about their club, the league and women’s soccer as much as anyone I know. They are good people and reading the statement I can only imagine how difficult it might be. But I think they said what needs to be said in a way that is very honest and in the end I think they are right. The league needs more than part time GM’s and part time staff. Sky Blue promised to change and they have not.

Luis Hernandez: I’m going to hope Sky Blue uses the off-season to right the ship with better improvements. It’s hard to find a better practice field right at the end of the season

RJ Allen: I think the only way it gets “righted” is a sale and move a la Western New York or the Boston route. The ground needs to be salted.

Charles Olney: I would really like that to not be true, but I’m increasingly finding it hard to see any other alternative.

Luis Hernandez: I think things went passed the point of no return but I’m still hoping Sky Blue can fix thing by the start of next season. Don’t mean to talk out of both sides of my mouth here.

Charles Olney: Sky Blue were barely able to meet standards at the beginning of the league when expectations were much lower. What they provide has never been acceptable but at least you could squint and say that it was necessary. It no longer feels necessary. If they can’t make big improvements (and I don’t think they can) that may be the end of the road.

RJ Allen: I think it’s alright to be sad about this. Mourning the history and the jobs and team lost. But I do think if the league wants to make it, it has to grow and that includes higher standards. The NWSL should have higher standards than nearly everything Sky Blue has done.

Luis Hernandez: I’m curious how much better off things are in Seattle. Is it safe to say that the Reign are next after Sky Blue?

RJ Allen: No.

Luis Hernandez: Then who is the team above Sky Blue in this department?

RJ Allen: I think they are apples and oranges. I don’t think it’s that kind of scale. It’s not nearly that easy.

Luis Hernandez: It is a scale; meet the standards as they rise.

Charles Olney: Seattle have some serious issues, but in their case it’s a matter of finding ways to thread the needle. It absolutely can be done, and they’re working on it. Maybe they’re the team that’s ‘next after Sky Blue’ but only because someone has to be next. I don’t think it’s even in the same ballpark.

RJ Allen: I agree with Charles.

Charles Olney: The stadium issue obviously has to get fixed, and if they can’t figure out an answer, they’ll have to leave. But I have much much more faith in their ability to get a satisfactory answer than I have faith in Sky Blue resolving they’re many problems.

Allison Cary: I have very little knowledge of what’s going on in Seattle, but I would agree with Charles. It seems like Sky Blue and Seattle aren’t even close in terms of problems.

RJ Allen: Seattle’s big issues are 1) Finding a better home field and 2) Keeping some staff in like the media departments for more than a year at a time. That is like one-tenth of the Sky Blue list.

Luis Hernandez: For sure.

 

RJ Allen: How many NWSL teams do we have opening day of 2019?

Luis Hernandez: An even number.

Becky Schoenecker: It’d be nice to have 10

Allison Cary: 10 would be nice.

Luis Hernandez: 12 would be crazy

Allison Cary:I don’t see things staying the same no matter what.

Becky Schoenecker: I would LOVE 12.

Luis Hernandez: Expansion draft for 2019 for sure. In a Wold Cup year.

Charles Olney: Reading the tea leaves, I don’t see any of the usual suspects that seems like they’ll be ready to enter in 2019. And if we think Sky Blue might not be long for this world, it’s really hard to see them finding two franchises. I’m not saying that it won’t happen, but I’m a lot less certain that it’ll be 10 than I was a few months ago.

Luis Hernandez: 8?

RJ Allen: That is my guess.

Becky Schoenecker: I really hope it isn’t 8 that would be concerning and I don’t feel like the NWSL is in a place of concern, but growth (or change).

Luis Hernandez: That would just be a down ending

RJ Allen: I think 8 would be fine for a year to get the house in order. Growth without stability is an issue.

Charles Olney: I don’t think eight would be a real problem. But I agree the optics wouldn’t be great. Still, I’d rather have eight solid franchises than struggle to make 10.

Allison Cary: I agree. Hopefully not long-term obviously, but stability should be key.

The Attacking Half: So You Wanna Watch Some Soccer?

Posted on by RJ Allen

Dan and RJ answer questions in Mail Bag about “who should be the USMNT GM, should we be worried about the USWNT going into the Women’s World Cup, and which “old time” player should they go find film on”.

Then, Dan and RJ give you an American club soccer 101 guide for you or a loved one to understand the beautiful game here in America a little better.

Wrapping it up Dan and RJ tell you what they are looking forward in the world of soccer this week.


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Problems With the Pride: Don’t Put It All On Tom Sermanni

Posted on by RJ Allen

When the Orlando Pride were announced in the team’s introductory press conference by the fountain of Lake Eola which is the basis for the team logo, Tom Sermanni was named the first head coach in team history. Since being appointed as gaffer he’s gone on to a 25-26-14 overall record. His tactical vision was able to turn a struggling squad year one into a playoff contender by year two. Granted, the front office was able to sign Marta–one of the greatest players in the game–and her inclusion sparked a potent attack, along with the return of Alex Morgan from an overseas stint in France.

Fast forward to year three of the club’s existence: the path to the playoffs is a bit bumpier, and the offense averaging 1.38 goals per game down from 1.89 the team produced last season. The impatient fan base has started to wonder if Sermanni, who earned a contract extension last season, is the right person to lead the team. Concerns have been raised about tactics, substitutions, and motivation of players down the final stretch of the season.

Recent poor home showings against last place Sky Blue FC and the Portland Thorns have turned the final four matches of the season into must win affairs. But while these performances weren’t great, it is a little too easy to put the blame for disappointing results on the coach.  American fan culture tends to focus on national team players and big name internationals, with some super fans who focus most of their attention on a specific player rather than her team. In this ecosystem, complaints about coaches are common, but few ever put the blame on the players.

Addressing this idea, Sermanni commented, “I know that we’ve got a whole lot of perceived star players, but to be honest, the second half was abysmal in every regard. I’m lost…Our lack of willingness to actually just simply defend is just so poor. And then we go in their malaise where nobody seems to be able to get the team, pick them up and get us back in the game. To be honest, for most of that second-half performance, I apologize to the crowd for coming and keep supporting us because our team on the field didn’t deserve that support in the second half. It was extremely poor.”

Yes, the gaffer is ultimately responsible for results, but we shouldn’t let that absolve players from accountability for mental mistakes and loss of focus. When the players follow the direction of Sermanni and stick with the plan, the team is successful. As team captain Ashlyn Harris said after the Thorns match: “I think the first half we were really committed to the game plan and our commitment to go forward and our commitment to defend was some of the best that I’d ever seen. Unfortunate part about the game is, if you don’t produce and you don’t put chances away, this is what happens. We had them by the throat probably the first 10 minutes and we just didn’t capitalize and as we let the game wear on and wear on and wear on, the momentum clearly shifts. We had one lack of concentration and it cost us the game. We just mentally crumbled.”

The major problem for the Pride this campaign has been lack of consistency more than any true structural issue. In Sermanni’s words, “I would love to be able to say it’s this, or it’s this, or it’s this, it’s either individual lapses where we suddenly get caught out, it’s ball watching when we’ve got the ball and then suddenly we get caught on the counter attacks, or we’re dominating games and we’re just not ruthless enough to put chances away.”

He continued his message a different match, “Déjà I’m saying similar things every week. We started out terrific first 15, 20 minutes, probably searching into the first 30 minutes. I thought we dictated the game, the tempo was good, our attacking was good, movement was good. But then we don’t score. You dominate and dominate in games and you don’t score.”

Frustration and pressure continue to mount for the Pride, and Sermanni has to bear some responsibility. The question is why the players are unable to consistently meet expectations. With calls for his dismissal floating out there right alongside #InTomWeTrust, there’s clearly a lot of theories. But it’s too simplistic to put it all back on the coach. He’s not on the pitch kicking the ball around or defending the opposing team’s striker. He comes up with the game plan and picks the best players to execute this for 90 minutes. But at the end of the day, the players themselves have to go out and earn the results.

The NWSL Podium: Top Performances in Week 20

Posted on by RJ Allen

The NWSL Podium: Top Performances is a weekly series that looks at the best attacking, defensive, and goalkeeping performances each week.

With only a handful of games left for each team this season, the race for a spot in the NWSL playoffs is heating up. In Week 20, the Seattle Reign moved closer to cementing their spot as a playoff team with a 1-0 win over the Utah Royals in a hot and smoky afternoon match. The Chicago Red Stars earned a point against the North Carolina Courage, which they needed to keep their playoff hopes afloat. The Orlando Pride seem to be slipping from that playoff spot, losing 2-0 at home to the Portland Thorns this weekend. While the Seattle Reign are starting to pull away in second, this week did little to clarify who will be going on to the postseason and who’s season will soon come to an end. Here is a full breakdown of the scores from Week 20:

Utah Royals vs. Washington Spirit (1-0)

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

Utah Royals vs. Seattle Reign (0-1)

Sky Blue vs. Houston Dash (1-2)

Orlando Pride vs. Portland Thorns (0-2)

Top Three Goalkeepers

1. Adriana Franch— Franch had an outstanding night for Portland against the Orlando Pride in Week 20. She faced thirteen shots from the Pride offense and made six saves, earning her second shutout of the year. In the opening minutes of the game, the Orlando Pride earned a corner and Franch had to punch the ball twice to keep it out of the net. In the 63rd minute, Marta took a shot that forced Franch to make a diving save, which earned an NWSL Save of the Week nomination. When Marta launched another shot in the 88th minute, Franch was able to get her fingertips too it and knock the ball over the net to keep her clean sheet.

2. Abby Smith— Smith returned to the Starting XI for the Utah Royals this weekend after missing a few weeks due to injury, and the Seattle Reign decided to test her early. Rapinoe started things off with a powerful shot in the tenth minute. Smith positioned herself correctly, but with the strength on the ball, she juggled it a bit before making the final catch. Rapinoe took another shot from about 30 yards out in the 17th minute. But Smith fell to her right and blocked the ball. That stop earned her an NWSL Save of the Week nomination. Overall, Smith made five saves and faced ten shots from the Seattle Reign. 

3. Jane Campbell— The Houston Dash are keeping themselves alive in the playoff picture with 26 points, just four points off the No. 4 Orlando Pride, but there chances are distant. Still, they wanted to leave New Jersey with three points and that meant holding off a Sky Blue offense that had scored three goals in the two matches prior to this one. Campbell faced sixteen shots from Sky Blue FC and made five saves.  Houston dominated the attack at the beginning of the match, scoring an early goal. But the Sky Blue offense came charging forward in the 29th minute. Imani Dorsey had a good ball served to her, and she got behind the Houston defense, forcing Campbell to bat the shot away. Savannah McCaskill settled the rebound, but sent the ball flying over the net. That save earned her an NWSL Save of the Week nomination. 

Top Three Defenders

1. Abby Erceg— We’ve run out of superlatives for the North Carolina Courage, and the same is quickly becoming true of Abby Erceg. She has been on the NWSL Team of the Month every month this year for a reason. In the match against the Chicago Red Stars, she faced a stronger offense than the Courage had seen in previous weeks. In the first part of the match, Erceg did a good job at heading the ball any time it got near the 18-yard box. Chicago’s offense built more momentum at the end of the first half, but the North Carolina defense denied them too many serious chances. One example of her importance could be seen in the second half, when Chicago tried to mount an attack on North Carolina. Chicago was trying to get the ball into the box, but twice in the 74th minute, Erceg just sent the ball back to the midfield before Chicago could put an attack together. 

2. Katie Naughton— Naughton played in the central defense alongside Julie Ertz in the match against the North Carolina Courage and they both did a fantastic job at holding off the North Carolina offense. Naughton had a particularly impressive moment towards the end of the match, when North Carolina was looking for that second goal and three points on the road. The ball came into the box for Lynn Williams, and Alyssa Naeher tried to grab the ball but Williams got their first. Naughton covered Williams while Naeher got back on her line, and Naughton tracked Williams up and down the box, until she had no choice but to send a poor cross/shot in that Naeher grabbed easily. 

3. Taylor Comeau— Comeau put up another solid performance for the Houston Dash on Saturday night against Sky Blue. She played at right-back and helped her team get the ball forward to create scoring chances. Her best defensive moment of the night came in stoppage time, when Sky Blue was searching for the equalizer. Comeau cleared the initial chance, blocked a shot from Sky Blue, and tracked her player forcing Sky Blue to make an awkward cross into the ball for another attempt. 

Top Three Attackers

1. Rachel Daly— Daly had a brace this week against Sky Blue FC, helping her team secure three points on the road. The first goal came in the 7th minute, after Ohai did some nice work to get the ball down the field. Daly finished off her cross, heading the ball past Kailen Sheridan and into the back of the net for an early lead. Daly’s second goal came off a penalty in the 72nd minute, after Raquel Rodriguez was called for a hand ball. Daly sent Sheridan the other way and put the ball into the top corner. Daly had five shots and four shots on goal that night. 

2. Jess Fishlock— The Utah-Seattle match was important for both sides, and both teams were desperate to walk away with three points. Fishlock was the difference-maker for Seattle, scoring the only goal of the match in the 48th minute. Utah cleared the ball after a short corner, but Megan Oyster kept the ball in play, sending it into the box for Fishlock who was able to get her head to it and send it past Abby Smith. Fishlock had two shots in the match, both of which were on goal. 

3. Hayley Raso— Raso was on fire for the Portland Thorns in Saturday night’s match against the Orlando Pride. In another match-up critical to the playoff race, Raso solidified her team’s 2-0 win with a goal in the 53rd minute. After getting the ball from Ana Crnogorcevic, Raso charged past the Pride defenders and beat Harris in front of the net. Raso had a couple of other close chances, including one in the 16th minute that went off the post. Overall, she played a critical role in helping her team create chances. She had four shots in the match, one of which was on goal. 

Who Are the NWSL Team MVPs?

Posted on by RJ Allen

Every year there is a conversation on who the NWSL MVP should be. We here at Backline Soccer decided to offer 9 nominations, one from each NWSL team.

Chicago Red Stars: Sam Kerr
~Charles Onley

Sam Kerr, who else? It’s not that Chicago doesn’t have other potential options. Julie Ertz is a game-changer; Yūki Nagasato has become one of the league’s most incisive providers; Katie Naughton has grown by leaps and bounds into her defensive role; Dani Colaprico remains as solid as ever. But Sam Kerr is the best player on the planet right now. After missing the opening month of the season for World Cup qualifiers, it took her a few games to settle in with her new team. But since then it’s been vintage Kerr. She’s still scoring goals at almost the same clip as in her record-setting 2017, and is also finding a lot more room for link-up play, thanks to a much stronger supporting cast. At Sky Blue, it was Kerr or bust. Now that she doesn’t have to put the team on her shoulders every week, we’re seeing some livelier and more sophisticated play. Sometimes the easy answer is also the right one. Kerr is the best player in the world, and she should probably be the MVP, even if she did miss a quarter of the season.

Rachel Daly: Houston Dash
~Erica Ayala

Rachel Daly is the solid MVP choice for the Houston Dash. She has nine goals in 20 games this year, good enough for fourth in the league. Daly has been a bright spot for a struggling franchise since her rookie season in 2016. She tallied four goals and three assists in 16 games. The next season, she led the team with five goals and two assists. When healthy, Kealia Ohai is a solid choice for MVP of the Dash. She has four goals and three assists on the season. Sofia Huerta is another honorable mention for the Dash. She has tallied three goals and two assists since being traded to Houston in June.

McCall Zerboni: North Carolina Courage
~RJ Allen

The whole of the starting XI for the Courage should be in contention for MVP. From tip to tail this team has been outstanding on and off the ball. But the heart of the team and the reason it all flows so brilliantly is the work of one McCall Zerboni. Without Zerboni doing what she does to both control the midfield and protect the defense, players like Dunn, Williams and O’Sullivan wouldn’t be having the seasons they are. Someone has to clean up on each team and that role is done expertly than how Zerboni does it for the Courage. 

Orlando Pride: Dani Weatherholt
~Luis Hernandez 

In a season of inconsistent play from a star-studded squad, this year’s Orlando Pride “most valuable player” is Dani Weatherholt. The former Santa Clara midfielder drafted in the first pick of the fourth round at the 2016 NWSL college draft has grown and developed as a versatile mainstay since the team’s first year of existence. As a third year professional, she has translated her defensive grit into offensive tenacity. Coach Tom Sermanni praised Weatherholt’s performance this season after a 2-2 home draw with Sky Blue FC by saying, “I’ve said this before but I would love 10 Dani Weatherholts out on the field and that’s what she’s been for us this season. She’s a person that’s really dragged our team along in games quite often. Whether that’s been a decisive tackle, a decisive run, a decisive goal like it was tonight, or whatever. She’s just been magnificent this year. As I’ve said, I need 10 players doing that. If we had 10 players doing that then I think we would be a little bit further up the table.”

Christine Sinclair: Portland Thorns FC
~Allison Cary

There were lots of options for MVP for the Portland Thorns this season. Lindsey Horan is having a fantastic season, as well as Tobin Heath and Hayley Raso. But my choice for MVP is Christine Sinclair. Sinclair is a versatile midfielder, who has a noticeable impact on both defense and offense. She is ranked No. 5 in the league with seven goals and leads the league in assists with six. Sinclair has worn the Captain’s armband this season and has lead her team to a potential playoff run. Sinclair featured in the June NWSL Team of the Month.

Imani Dorsey: Sky Blue FC
~Charles Olney

Well, it has to be someone. Imani Dorsey gets credit for showing up late after finishing up her degree—and therefore missing some of the worst parts of the season. Since joining the squad, she’s been a breath of fresh air, and provided some of the crucial attacking width and pace that has often been missing for the New Jersey club. Three goals in nine games isn’t going to challenge for the golden boot, but it’s a perfectly serviceable tally, particularly on a team that has struggled so mightily to find the net at times. Her time on the team has coincided with some of their few bright moments on the season, with Dorsey seemingly functioning as the key that has finally unlocked some of the creative potential in the attacking ranks. When and if Sky Blue do find that elusive first win, you wouldn’t go wrong betting on Dorsey to be the goal-scorer.

Megan Rapinoe: Seattle Reign FC
~Erica Ayala

It’s hard to think of anyone but Megan Rapinoe for MVP of the Seattle Reign in 2018. In 15 games, she leads the team in both goals (7) and assists (5). Rapinoe is crafty on the ball, making her a threat to score or create chances for her teammates. She is both exciting for fans and aggravating to opponents, making her entertaining to watch (even aside from her National Team popularity). Lydia Williams has 35 saves and eight clean sheets for the Reign in 12 appearances. The Reign have the least goals allowed (15) and sit in second place behind the North Carolina Courage.

Rachel Corsie: Utah Royals FC
~RJ Allen

The Utah Royals have had an odd season. Players that otherwise would have been in the XI every week have been hurt or in some cases just played poorly. Their attack has been anemic far too often this year but the one player who has been pretty outstanding every week has been Rachel Corsie. The Reign centerback turned Royal’s centerback has shown all the more with Sauerbrunn having missed some games. Her calm on and off the ball and a few Save of the Week wins have really cemented her place as the team’s MVP. 

Aubrey Bledsoe: Washington Spirit
~Allison Cary

My MVP for the Washington Spirit is Aubrey Bledsoe. While it has been a tough year for the Spirit, Bledsoe has been a bright spot. This is her first year with the Spirit, following a trade with the Orlando Pride in the offseason. Bledsoe leads the league with 93 saves and has earned four shutouts this season. With a defense that has struggled, Bledsoe often faces many shots throughout the game and has been forced to make some creative saves. She has earned her share of Save of the Week nods throughout the season, and in Weeks 11 and 12, was named the NWSL Player of the Week.

The NWSL International Player Power Rankings

Posted on by RJ Allen

The NWSL has some truly outstanding international soccer talent rostered on the nine current teams in the league.

We are all incredibly lucky to be able to watch some of the best in the world, week in and week out in this league. You have five time FIFA Women’s Player of the Year, Marta, playing in Orlando. Women’s World Cup winner, Nahomi Kawasumi, putting in crosses for Seattle. The former New Zealand captain and Olympian Abby Erceg defending the goal in North Carolina.

One evening I was talking with a friend about Kim Little and the impact she had on the league. After the conversation ended, I started to think about the wealth of talent in the NWSL and the players who have come and gone in the league. We often talk about the NWSL as a training round for the future of the USWNT but other countries have sent us their best and brightest and reaped the benefits for themselves.

I came up with my own ranking. But I wanted to see if my thoughts held up so I then reached out to the masses of the internet to get their feeling on who should be ranked where.

I set forward the criteria as 1) The players impact on the league while playing, 2) Their impact on the league after they left, if they are no longer playing in the league, 3) Their personal awards (MVP, Best XI, ect) and if they have any 4) NWSL titles.

What follows is a list of the power rankings (based on votes) of the greatest international players the NWSL has seen in it’s six year history.

The French midfielder was an impactful player from the get-go, on a team that was full of impactful players. She played just over 30 games for the Thorns before heading back to Europe but having the 2015 Silver Ball winner in the league did bring a little elevation to the league.

While her time with the English women’s national team has been choppy as of late, the English forward has been one of the true bright spots in Houston. Playing in both the attack and the defense for Houston has kept them much more alive this season than they were expected to be the first week of the season.

While the focus has largely been on the American World Cup winners in the last few years, it should not be understated that Naho has shown just why she has a World Cup winner’s medal at home. Her two stints on the Seattle Reign have shown her ability to cross the ball on to a player’s head or foot with astonishing ability.

Stories like Nadim’s go far past just a feel good sports story. During her time in the NWSL, Nadim brought into focus a world many here in the US didn’t often think about in terms of the human element. She was also a PK champion during her time for Sky Blue FC and Portland.

Angerer was a solid goalkeeper during her years for the Thorns. But it is maybe her impact on the league as the Thorns goalkeeping coach that puts her as high on this list as she is. Her work with the goalkeeping unit in Portland has shown just how impactful a coach can be.

Abby Erceg may go down as one of the best, if not the best, non-federated defenders in NWSL history when all is said and done. On top of her work in the NWSL, highlighting the New Zealand federation’s lack of support for their women’s national team has, hopefully, helped make things better for her fellow Kiwi’s.

Marta brings a legitimacy to whatever team and league she is on. There is no way of getting around that fact. Her name on a roster might mean more in terms of marketing dollars than nearly any other name in women’s soccer. She might be a step or two slower than a decade ago, but she still makes magic happen when she touches the ball.

If you look at the list of top goal scorers in NWSL history, Little still finds herself near the top. Even being out of the NWSL, she still has left her mark on the league in the history she helped create. It was Little who Kerr had to pass for the scoring record (more on Kerr in a minute). It was Little who Rapinoe had to pass for the Seattle scoring record. She might be gone but her name still lives on in the league’s records.

Jess Fishlock makes every player around her better. She makes a mark, cleat or otherwise, on every game she plays in. And when she is in the match, other teams have to pay attention to her in ways that few other players command. She has scored game winners, assisted them and brought to Seattle two NWSL Shields.

What is there to say about Sam Kerr? She owns the single season scoring record, and the most goals in NWSL history. Kerr nearly brought Sky Blue FC to the 2017 playoffs behind some of the most brilliant moments the season had to offer, including a four goal game against two time NWSL Champions FC Kansas City. Sam Kerr will go down among the all time greats of the league and is on pace to do so for the sport at large. 

Backline Chat: High and Lows as the NWSL Returns

Posted on by RJ Allen

Charles Olney (@olneyce): Welcome to our midweek Backline chat. The international break is over. The NWSL is back. There’s plenty to cover, but let’s start with the playoff race. Did this weekend’s results change anyone mind about who will make the cut?

RJ Allen (@TheSoccerCritic): I knew the results of the Orlando game going in. But boy oh boy did they not look like a playoff team.

Allison Cary (@findingallison): I literally was just typing the same thing.

RJ Allen: It was almost shocking how not put together they were for a game they should have gotten 3 points on. They needed 3 points on it, really.

Charles Olney: The first half of that game was dreadful, on both sides. And while Orlando put together a nice 20 minutes or so in the second half, they also stumbled wildly for parts. It certainly wasn’t the sort of performance that screams ‘we’re a playoff team.’

RJ Allen: Utah didn’t look great, and they need some help to get there, but they did look more put together than they had been. The math is wildly not in their favor but in terms of the eye test they were better than Orlando.

Allison Cary: Luis had a good tweet about it, he said “Orlando Pride playing to the level of their opponent once again” on the first Sky Blue goal. That summarizes my feelings on the whole game.

Charles Olney: We feel very far removed from that ridiculous performance the Pride put up against Chicago a month or so ago. But they could easily turn it back around and blow someone out of the water again. It’s just so hard to tell with them.

RJ Allen: At this point the playoffs almost have to be North Carolina, Seattle, Portland, Chicago just on the numbers, right? I feel like something would really have to go wrong for it not to be that mix. Even if Portland and Chicago swapped.

Charles Olney: I wouldn’t bet against Orlando yet, but they’ve given themselves very little margin for error.

Allison Cary: Orlando is unpredictable. But I think NC, Seattle, Portland, and Chicago is a reasonable prediction/assumption.

Charles Olney: They do have two games against other contenders left, and a game against Sky Blue. If they can get nine points there, they’re probably in. If not, they may be out, unless they can steal some points from Carolina.

RJ Allen: It’s funny because any other year Seattle, Portland, Chicago, Orlando would be a great playoff. But with North Carolina blowing everyone out of the water it leaves everyone trying not to be 4th on top of making the playoffs.

Charles Olney: Chicago have a brutal run-in, but that also means they have more chances to pick up important points. You’d have to say that this weekend went about as well as you could hope for on their part. And they didn’t even play!

RJ Allen: I really can’t wait for more teams for a longer playoff. 6 teams in the playoff, with a first round advance for 1 and 2, I think is a real sweet spot in a 12 team league. And I hope the NWSL gets to 12 solid teams soon.

Charles Olney: I’ll disagree there. As I think we’ve covered here before, I don’t really like playoffs at all, so maybe that’s coloring things. But I especially don’t like playoff systems where 50% of the teams make it. I’d be happy keeping it to four teams for the foreseeable future.

RJ Allen: I would be happy with every team making the playoffs and the regular season used for seeding. So you and I might never agree there.

Charles Olney: That is fair.

Alright, so do we have any thoughts about Seattle? They’re not quite locks yet, but you’d have to like their odds at this point. Securing those three points this weekend was huge.

Allison Cary: Admittedly, I’ve missed a lot of Seattle’s games because of the time difference. But I like what I see.

RJ Allen: There once was a soccer team from Seattle. When they were good they were very, very good and when they were bad they were … still pretty good and will likely force Lifetime to host a playoff game in a place Lifetime does not want to host a playoff game in.

Charles Olney: I have to say, Memorial is a garbage venue, but it’s OUR garbage venue and Lifetime just needs to get over themselves and put it on TV. It’s not THAT bad.

RJ Allen: I think if this was the first year that the team played there, I might get Lifetime’s worry. But we all know where Seattle plays and what it looks like.

Allison Cary: Agreed.

RJ Allen: I am fascinated by the goalkeeping in Seattle. I get the stats pack and Betos and Williams are nearly identical this year. Vlatko gave Barnhart like 92% of all minutes when FCKC was still a thing. And now he’s a swapper.

Allison Cary: Yeah, is there a reason Betos didn’t start this weekend? I was a bit surprised to see Williams in goal after she played all of ToN. I would have thought he would go with the better rested option.

RJ Allen: I have not been able to tell when he is going to play one or the other. By man oh man what a gift to be able to have both as an option.

Charles Olney: I think Williams is clearly better, but that it’s also to have two solid options, and I do think your points are interesting: that the numbers are so similar and that Vlatko is rotating.

RJ Allen: They have the rights to Solo too. I mean now that could be a fun 23 person roster with those three.

*crickets*

What? What did I say?

Charles Olney: Okay, final question about the playoff-bound: North Carolina wrapped up the Shield this weekend, surprising absolutely no one. Any thoughts on them, or have we run out of superlatives?

My take is that they played at maybe 75% of their potential this weekend, and in doing so brushed aside arguably their biggest rival without too much trouble. That’s scary.

RJ Allen: They are the best team the NWSL has fielded in 6 years of play. I think they have, as much as it pains me to say, passed the 2014 Seattle Reign. They have a bunch of “no name” players who put in work that has sent 6 to the USWNT. And yeah, yeah Dunn was on the radar but not like she was before this year.

Charles Olney: All the other teams in the league have to be hoping that they run into the same playoff troubles as the Reign.

RJ Allen: Well Holiday has retired and ARod isn’t going this year most likely. Unless Seattle trades for her. For max lol’s.

Allison Cary: The only team that seems to be able to consistently draw points from NC is Utah. Maybe they could share that magic with NC’s playoff opponents?

RJ Allen: I do wonder what a North Carolina vs Seattle final in Portland would look like though.

Allison Cary: Not that I’m looking for them to lose. I’m just not seeing who is going to beat them.

RJ Allen: What will happen first: Sky Blue wins a game or North Carolina gets their second loss?

Charles Olney: Sky Blue! Somehow, they’ve actually been okay in their last few games. And I have a feeling that the climax to this weekend’s game will be enough to draw the team together a bit. I really hope that they’re able to at least pull themselves up to Breakers level of respectability. There’s too much talent on that team for them to be THIS far adrift.

RJ Allen: I don’t know. They are playing teams that need points to survive and that might sink them.

Charles Olney: My case for Sky Blue: the combination of Dorsey, McCaskill, and Groom (and Lloyd when she’s back from her suspension) is finally starting to click. They also have Rodriguez back, and while she isn’t quite the player they need, that’s a big upgrade from Thaisa. And Gibbons is back in the mix. That’s a team that COULD win a couple games in a row. At least in theory.

RJ Allen: Maybe neither happens and the season runs out before either do?

Allison Cary: I’m tempted to go with that answer. Although I think Sky Blue is getting better and might be able to sneak in a win.

Charles Olney: Yeah, ‘neither’ is quite possibly the best bet here.

Slightly turning the conversation, here’s a (not so fun) thing I noticed: if you combined the points from Washington and Sky Blue, they’d still be in last place. By nine points. That is rough.

Allison Cary: Yikes.

Charles Olney: Which leads to an obvious question: if you actually combined their rosters, would they in fact still be in last place? Or would that provide enough depth to paper over some of the problems?

RJ Allen: There is no way either coach can survive, is there? I think they would be higher with a single roster. At least some of the issues with not having XI quality starters would be gone.

Charles Olney: I’d be very surprised if Gabarra is back next year. I wouldn’t be shocked if Reddy is back…assuming that Sky Blue continues to exist. But I have major doubts about that premise, and if there are changes it’s very hard to see Reddy sticking.

Charles Olney: I agree. Both teams struggle defensively, but combine the options and you could get a serviceable backline out there. Then again, neither team should be nearly this bad even just looking at the actual rosters they have, so…

RJ Allen: I don’t know how the league doesn’t step in on Sky Blue after this year. Governor of New Jersey or not. Gibbons might be able to play in the midfield!

Charles Olney: From your lips to god’s ear.

Alright, one more little topic, on a slightly goofier note: imagine that you’re starting a brand new franchise next year. You’re given the option of poaching any single player in the league to build your team around. Who do you pick and why? (I think there’s an obvious answer, but I’m curious if y’all agree)

RJ Allen: Sam Kerr. 100% Sam Kerr.

Allison Cary: Yeah, Sam Kerr is where my brain immediately went.

Charles Olney: Yeah, that’s the one. So if we all agree there, who would be your NEXT choice?

RJ Allen: McCall Zerboni. You can’t build a house without a solid base and I can get good defenders farther down the line. There is not around midfielder who can who what she does as well.

Allison Cary: I have no idea after Sam Kerr, but I like RJ’s answer lol.

Charles Olney: I’m torn here. I’d want to take someone on the younger side, who still has room to grow and you can count on getting quite a few good years from. I think I might take Sam Mewis if she were fully healthy, but that’s a gamble at the moment. It’s hard to argue with Horan, though I’ve never quite been a true believer there.  I can’t really justify not taking Rapinoe, if given the option. Or Dunn. Ertz gives you flexibility. In conclusion: I don’t know, but also like RJ’s answer.

Allison Cary: Horan and Dunn both crossed my mind.

RJ Allen: So I’m working on a “Non American/Non Canadian NWSL Player Power Ranking” to look at the talent from outside of the US and Canada that the league has hosted.

I gave the selection criteria as:

  1. Impact on the league while playing
  2. Impact on the league after they left, if they are no longer playing in the league
  3. Personal awards (MVP, Best XI, ect)
  4. NWSL Titles

100ish votes in, any guesses on the top 5 the world of Twitter has put forward and who would be on your top 5’s?

Charles Olney: I can’t see much of an argument against Little, Fishlock, and Kerr being the top three, so I’m guessing (hoping) they are in the top 5.

RJ Allen: They are all top 5, yes. But one name is much lower than the other two.

Charles Olney: I’m tempted to include Erceg, though I’d be surprised if she is in the top five.  Based on the second criteria, I think you could make a case for Angerer, who has contributed a lot as both player and coach. It’s hard to argue against Marta. And Alanna Kennedy would be in the mix for me as well. And there are plenty that fall into the category just below this group.

RJ Allen: Right now it is:

  1. Sam Kerr 101/105
  2. Marta 91/105
  3. Jess Fishlock 90/105
  4. Kim Little 73/105
  5. Abby Erceg 71/105

No one else is higher than 58, which is Amandine Henry. Angerer is 44.

Allison Cary: Interesting. I actually would not have thought people would vote for Henry. Catley is up there for me.

Charles Olney: I’m disappointed that the top four aren’t all unanimous, but what can you do? It’s a pretty solid list.

RJ Allen: I do think it’s interesting that players who, I would argue have made a huge impact like Nadim aren’t super high. I don’t know if it’s who is voting, if they are trying to not vote for some in place of making others higher or what. But I thought it was neat. The NWSL has a ton of non-American or Canadian talent.