Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Finals

Posted on by RJ Allen

Backline Soccer Recap:

Quick Fire Final Game Preview:

We have arrived at the final weekend of the 2017 NWSL season. It has been filled with many highs and lows, but for Portland and North Carolina, it is the last chance to shine and end up champions at the end of the night. This game will be tough, North Carolina is one of the most physical teams in the league (Portland also shares this title,) and so I expect to see a hard-fought physically defensive match from both sides.  Let’s take a quick look at what Saturday might bring. 

North Carolina Courage vs. Portland Thorns

Portland got here by way of Orlando last weekend at home. For a season that started a bit rocky and without Tobin Heath, I was not quite sure they would make it here. But for the last few months, their play has been consistent and steadfast, which ultimately pushed them into the final. Portland posses the best and strongest defense in the league. The pairing between Emily Sonnett and Emily Menges has elevated this season and has been the saving grace for Portland on many occasions in the back. I expect this to be the case again on Saturday. Portland will need their defense to continue to produce as North Carolina will start attacking early and pressure often. I also anticipate a big game from Lindsey Horan, who has had a great season for Portland. Tobin Heath, for all intents and purposes, did not look like a woman who was starting her first game of the year for Portland. While you could point out a few little things, she looked to be ready for a full load this Saturday, which spells bad news for North Carolina as her creativity on the ball is key. 

North Carolina comes in by way of a last-minute heroic goal against Chicago. They have been dominant all season, only straying from first place for a week, a feat that saw them claim the shield this season. They will be looking to repeat as champions on Saturday. To do this, North Carolina will have to figure out a way to break down Portland’s defense and ultimately, this may come down to a last-minute heroic goal off a mistake like it did on Sunday against Chicago. North Carolina would be wise to spring Lynn Williams early and catch Portland either in the run of play or off of a set-piece. North Carolina did not play their best soccer on Sunday and if they come out like that, sloppy, spread too thin, not capitalizing on their chances, Portland will make them pay. But I expect better on Sunday and I expect the women’s soccer community to be graced with a stellar 2017 NWSL championship game 

Wrapping up the Season:

And here we have arrived at the last Off the Bench of the 2017 NWSL season. It has been a ride and the NWSL has given me many great things to write about in this piece over the season as I prepared to watch a weekend full of games. Thank you to everyone who took the time to check out of my work. If you ever want to chat women’s soccer, WNBA, softball, or anything else your heart desires, hit me up on Twitter, @AdrianaHoop. 

 

Until next season! 

Soccer Takes From Jake: NWSL Championship Edition

Posted on by RJ Allen

Hey did anything chaotic happen in the soccer world this week?

So here we are. The 2017 NWSL season is down to one game.

I wish I could say I am writing this either at an airport terminal or in a hotel in Orlando but I did the responsible thing and bought a new computer instead of making the trip. Trust me, it’s a really neat computer. Though I do wish I was in Orlando with the other familiar NWSL/WoSo media people including some that write for this site. Alas, there’s always next year’s NWSL Championship, provided it’s not going to be at some outlandish destination like the moon.

We know how the teams got to Orlando to be playing for the league’s top prize. Portland had their way with the Orlando Pride to the tune of 4-1. To think that Portland got three goals on basically Orlando committing the cardinal sin of ball-watching is just, yowza. Not the way head coach Tom Sermanni wanted to celebrate that (well-deserved) contract extension. I predicted Portland would edge out Orlando in an anxiety-inducing affair that would go to penalties but instead, we got a decisive result in regulation. In the end, Portland was the better team in all three areas of the field, with the defense shining the brightest.

As for North Carolina, I thought their matchup against the Chicago Red Stars would be done in regulation time. Instead, we got something that definitely won’t be making any highlight reels anytime soon. Both sides were sluggish and way too timid to try anything, which is understandable given it’s a one-game, end-all, be-all format. That said, it was a slog in every sense of the word and we were nearly dreading extra time and possibly penalties until North Carolina’s Denise O’Sullivan claimed the match winner in the 89th minute.

And so here we are, heading into the championship with this year’s #1 and #2 teams, North Carolina versus Portland. And it’s going to be a good one. Both teams have defenses that feature a trio who absolutely do not blink under pressure. Both teams have conductors in the midfield that maybe a certain men’s senior team consider taking lessons from, learning what a midfield looks like and what it is supposed to do. Both teams have opportunistic forwards that can light up the net. This is an NWSL Championship that will feature two complete teams and while the playoff structure in any sport is a Random Luck Generator cranked up to eleven, this is the sort of showcase you want for your showcase match for the top prize.

In the end, what I think will happen is…

Portland Thorns FC OVER North Carolina Courage 2-1 to capture their second NWSL Championship.

And Portland will win because of Lindsey Horan. I think she will be the player on the field Saturday night that will have that moment of magic that seals the win for Portland. Will it be the match-winning, title-clinching goal, a goal-line clearance, or a soul-eviscerating, dispossession tackle? I don’t know, but from where I’m sitting, what I’ve seen from the teams, and what I think can happen, I think Horan shines just a little brighter than a field full of stars on NWSL Championship Saturday.

Here is your last music video break of the season. It’s been real everyone.

Song: Mistadobalina | Artist: Del The Funkee Homosapien

Before the Final: Quotes from Abby Erceg, Jess McDonald and McCall Zerboni

Posted on by RJ Allen

Abby Erceg

Backline: So, championship, second year in a row, sort of. Is there that same feeling as last year? Or do you guys think of this as sort of a different team? 

Erceg: No, I think we have 75% of the players from last year. So other than the rebranding I think it’s more or less the same team. We treat it as the same team. We treat the history the same as you would if a club was obviously the same name. So this for most of us is our second championship consecutively regardless of the name. Regardless of whether or not you’ve won one before, I think you have to put that aside and focus on what’s happening this year because last year’s championship isn’t going to win you this year’s championship, unfortunately. But yeah, we do treat it like it’s the same team. 

Backline: So, championship, second year in a row, sort of. Is there that same feeling as last year? Or do you guys think of this as sort of a different team? 

Erceg: No, I think we have 75% of the players from last year. So other than the rebranding I think it’s more or less the same team. We treat it as the same team. We treat the history the same as you would if a club was obviously the same name. So this for most of us is our second championship consecutively regardless of the name. Regardless of whether or not you’ve won one before, I think you have to put that aside and focus on what’s happening this year because last year’s championship isn’t going to win you this year’s championship, unfortunately. But yeah, we do treat it like it’s the same team. 

Backline: Is there a little bit of that comfort that a lot of your players have gone through a championship before? You don’t maybe have the same amount of nerves. I’m sure there’s nerves, but it’s not that first time you’ve sort of played on that stage. 

Erceg: Yeah, I think that’s a really good thing about it. It just seals the nerves a little bit. We know exactly what to expect. We know what’s going on. We know that it’s going ot be a little disruptive and not the same kind of build up that we have for normal games. So I think having that does help a little bit. You’re obviously going to have the nerves going into a game anyway. But I think it does help. 

Backline: You had the home semi this year. Was that something North Carolina’s first home semi in the league – was that sort of a nice thing to give back to the fans? 

Erceg: Yeah, I’ve played with Chicago and we had a home game there, and it’s kind of the exact same thing. You work so hard throughout the season. Obviously being with North Carolina for the first time you want to give something back to the fans and to everybody that’s supported us. SO I think coming to the championship is a really nice way to do that. 

Backline: Now there is something unusual this year. Both center backs on Portland are Emilys, both center backs on North Carolina are Abbys, is there just a little bit of that sort of weirdness of it? 

Erceg: Yeah, I think just playing with Abby last year, playing with two center backs called Abby, you don’t see that everyday. Even now, it’s weird. But the fact that we’ve got two teams like that. I mean, coincidence, maybe? 

Backline: A little bit about your relationship with Abby [Dahlkemper], sort of your partnership. Has that grown as she’s gotten some national team experience to sort of bring that back in? You yourself have a long history of experience. 

Erceg: Yeah, I think having played with her the first year, I didn’t get to play alongside her. I obviously played the midfield in front of her. We did a lot of switching, we did a lot of changes of formation trying to figure out who went where and what fit best with each other. I think this year hitting it, we know exactly where people fit and who fits best with each other and I think me and Ab have been able to build that relationship from the start. The way that she plays is a lot similar to me. We’re both more on the aggressive side rather than the conservative side so the way that she plays makes it easier for me to as well, I can read her, and I think it works really well together. 

Jess McDonald

Backline: So how are you feeling going into the final? I’ll get the boring question out of the way first.

McDonald: Feeling excited! I’m pumped to be here, obviously the whole team is so. It’s just cool to be back in the championship again. 

Backline: With Duke and UNC right there, is that helpful having a local pro team that those players – they can go to games, the UNC women can just come to a game as a block and watch you guys on the field as professionals. Does that sort of make it more real for the college players do you think? 

McDonald: Oh, most certainly! And the most incredible thing is that a lot of them have actually come and trained with us. So it’s cool to have them throughout the summer time to give them a piece of what the pro game is like. And so I think it’s just a cool experience for those type of college players overall to not only join in at our games and watch us, but to join us at training and to improve their football on the field. So it’s cool to watch them mature as well as players. I think it’s just an absolutely incredible thing for each program. 

Backline: One thing that we’re sort of getting to in the NWSL that we didn’t have in previous leagues. If you came into college as a freshman, and you’re about to graduate, you’ve had the NWSL every year you’ve been in college. Is that stability key to players? They can plan, “yeah, they want to go pro.” vs. “I don’t know if the leagues’ going to be there when I graduate college.” 

McDonald: Definitely! And I feel as if, if you have something like that to look forward to, you’ll want to improve your game. You’ll want to try to be the best player out there, obviously. So I think it’s cool to see how they have a plan to become a pro soccer plan, whereas when I was younger, when I was a freshman in college, we didn’t have a league. So I didn’t have that to look forward to. But for these college players now, that’s something to look forward to. I think it’s just a lot better of a feel. And obviously, parents always want their kids to become pro at whatever sport that they play, so. I know it’s only a small percentage but I just think it’s gonna help college players stay motivated.

Backline: Speaking of mother-son relationships, are you and your son going to be the first mother-son cap of the US? Is that the goal? 

McDonald: I hope so! That would be great! Yeah! 

McCall Zerboni

Backline: So Dan Lauletta put out an interesting stat, I think it was there’s been 3 years or 2 years since 2009 that neither you or Paul hasn’t been in the playoffs. Is that sort of one of those things where you guys have that experience that you can help some of the younger players sort of– it’s just another game guys, you know, you don’t have to–

Zerboni: I hope so, yeah. We’re a fairly young squad, and you know sometimes nerves can work into these things, or expectations get the best of us. But it’s just another game. And people just need to remember that. Nothing’s changed. it’s still a 90+ minute game, it’s still 120 by 75, it’s on a beautiful grass field, it’s what we’ve been doing, what most of us have been doing since we were 5, 6, 7 years old. So just to remind them why we do this, and it’s because we love it, and we should go out there and enjoy ourselves and not freak out. 

Backline: One interesting bit that you sort of touched on is that you have a lot of UCLA players on this team. Is there a little bit of that connection that helps that you guys have that UCLA background? 

Zerboni: You know, our generations were different. Like I never played with the young ones. But you know, a group of them did play together, so I’m sure that helps. I think it’s more fun for like banter, you know we banter all the time. Like oh, if you’re on UCLA, you can’t be in this box over here, you know so we kind of joke around, stuff like that. But yeah, I mean maybe a little bit, just kinda gets us on the same page, or that we have a little something in common, that helps, because we come from all different parts of the world and all different backgrounds, and the more and more we can find commonalities and realize our common goal, that’s helpful. 

Backline: You and Abby seem to have some experience. Does that help having another sort of player that’s not 21, 22, just sort of be like, okay – we’re going to talk about mortgages and about life. 

Zerboni: Yes (laughs). So that’s why I really appreciate her. So since Nora came in, we’ve just really bonded. I think not so much because of our age and our experience, but I mean she’s an amazing person, and we just sort of have the same take on life, and we’ve both been through a lot. And sometimes it was just me and Jess or whoever and so, I’m like, “Anyone? Anyone gotta pay their bills today? No one? okay.” Or, “remember when this happened, or remember when this song came out?” or just to have someone to relate to, to kind of help me lead the troops is helpful. 

Route Two Soccer – Evolve or Die

Posted on by RJ Allen

Kat Farris

Kat Farris

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

The Big Change

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

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

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

Why did this happen?

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

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

The 442 Diamond: Constraints and Limitations

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

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

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

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

Route One Soccer with a Route Two Roster

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Where to Go from Here?

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

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

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

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

Ellis Names Roster For Korea Republic Friendlies

Posted on by RJ Allen

Jill Ellis has named 22 players to the roster for two friendlies between the U.S. Women’s National Team and Korea Republic.

Carli Lloyd returns to the roster while continuing to recover from an ankle injury, while Stanford senior Andi Sullivan returns to camp after recovering from an ACL tear suffered in late 2016.

Rose Lavelle (Boston Breakers) will be in camp,  but will not be on the game day rosters as she continues to work her way back to full fitness.

U.S. Women’s National Team Roster by Position:

GOALKEEPERS (3): Campbell (Houston Dash), Harris (Orlando Pride), Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)

DEFENDERS (7): Dahlkemper (NC Courage), Ertz (Chicago Red Stars), Huerta (Chicago Red Stars), O’Hara (Sky Blue FC), Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City), Short (Chicago Red Stars), Smith (NC Courage)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Heath (Portland Thorns FC), Horan (Portland Thorns FC), Lloyd (Houston Dash), Long (Portland Thorns FC), Mewis (NC Courage), Rapinoe (Seattle Reign FC), Sullivan (Stanford)

FORWARDS (5): Dunn (Chelsea FC), Morgan (Orlando Pride), Press (Chicago Red Stars), Pugh (Washington Spirit), Williams (NC Courage)

Looking Back: 5 Things That Made This Season Phenomenal

Posted on by RJ Allen

Looking back at this NWSL season, a lot has happened. We saw a good amount of uncertainty and instability among the league as a whole. Between not having a commissioner, mid-season player retirements, and a whole lot of financial inadequacies for some clubs, it would be easy to say that this year has been more than rocky. And one could make an argument for that. But one could also make the argument that a lot of really great things happened this year as well. And since we are going into the Finals this weekend, and since that is probably all that WoSo news is revolving around currently, I thought we might take a look back at five great things that happened this season in the NWSL.

So here they are – five reasons this season has been phenomenal … 

Kerr Broke Some Records

The brightest spot for the NWSL this season was Sam Kerr. Hands down. Not only did she set the single-season and single-game scoring record for the NWSL this season on top of becoming the all-time leading scorer in the league, but she also made soccer fun for everyone. Whether it was her crazy post-goal acrobatics or her extra-time header to lift Sky Blue to victory, there came a point in this season when each and every fan – no matter their usual club – stood up and applauded for Sam Kerr.  Kerr made the impossible seem like a walk in the park. She made the difficult look easy. And she made the game entertaining. Plain and simple. And she now has the Golden Boot to prove it.

She also has her name in the record books: 17 goals for the season. 4 goals in a single match.

Sam Kerr really was magic this year. One might even say the best (not FIFA though).

Sky Blue Had The Fans On Their Backs

I think one of the greatest victories of the year, and the one that no one is really talking about, is the fact the Sky Blue FC brought up attendance 21% from the 2016 season. It was the highest increase in the league. And sure, this may not sound like the most exciting statistic in the league, but go with me on this for a minute. Sky Blue FC plays in Piscataway, New Jersey. They don’t have a major city or a major stadium. They also only have one U.S. Women’s National Player on their roster, while other teams have as many as six. But still, their fans came. And they supported. And they loved every minute of it. It just goes to prove that a club doesn’t necessarily need all the flash and pomp and circumstance to get the fans to follow them. Sometimes just realizing your identity as a club, owning it, and flaunting it is enough. If you build it and rep it, the fans will come. Sky Blue understands this, and they capitalized on it this year.

Franch Saved Some Balls

Adrianna Franch was a pretty amazing goalkeeper this year. Sure, she does have a rather talented Portland side to help her with regards to defense, but Franch led the league with 11 clean sheets, allowed the fewest goals in the league at 20, and had a league-high save percentage of 80%. So yeah, one could say that the Portland Thorns’ goalkeeper had a pretty extraordinary year. And all that hard work helped get her team into the postseason as well. Because as good as Portland’s offense was this season, none of that matters without an ace standing between the posts. She was that ace, and her statistics prove it. So overall, it’s a great year to be Adrianna Franch.

Labbé Got Real About Mental Health

Some people may not think Stephanie Labbé opening up about her battle with depression is something that made this NWSL season phenomenal, but I would disagree. In fact, the candid comments she made in her Lifetime interview should be applauded. She took a very real issue that a vast number of people deal with and brought it to the forefront. She owned how hard it can be when the world sees you as one thing, but you feel like something else. She took this taboo subject that no one wants to talk about and owned it. And that did more good than anything else that happened this year in the league. Because as fans we often see professional athletes as these giants who are untouchable – they are strong and together and can take on anything. But Stephanie Labbé reminded us that athletes are people too. And they can struggle with confidence and depression too. And what she did was brave and inspiring to anyone who has ever gone through some sort of mental health issue. So yes, Labbé’s vulnerability and willing openness is a win in my eyes. One that I will continue to applaud.

Alex Morgan Apologized

Last week it was reported that Alex Morgan got removed from Disney World’s Epcot for trespassing. She and some Major League Soccer players were intoxicated, became belligerent at the park, and were removed. If the story ended right there then this incident wouldn’t have made my list. Even after Orange County Deputies removed Morgan from the happiest place on earth, no one for a minute believed that she would be seriously reprimanded. Everyone knew she would play in Saturday’s match against Portland and that the Orlando Pride would brush this incident under the rug. Their statement of them handling the incident internally almost all but confirmed that. 

But then: Alex Morgan apologized. 

It was not only a smart PR move for her but also kind of important. Because Morgan is the pinnacle of what women’s soccer is – she makes more money than anyone else in the league, she is one of the faces of the USWNT, and she is arguably the most recognizable female player in the world. No one would have called her on it if she completely ignored what happened and kept going on with business as usual. But that would have set a precedent for the future of the sport and what is acceptable behavior. It would have told young players everywhere that acting like this during the season – or at all – is okay. It also would have sent a negative message to the city she represents through her talents. So she apologized. And by doing so she acknowledged that she was wrong. She set the bar. And though not very high, it still showed that her actions off the field matter just as much as those on it.

The 2017 NWSL season treated fans and WoSo enthusiasts pretty well. It was entertaining. It was engaging. At times it was heartbreaking. But that is what we want out of a league and out of a season. We want a reason to run around our living rooms screaming at the television after Sam Kerr does the impossible. We want to exhale a breath when Franch saves another shot. We want to go to the matches, and follow the players, and care about how they represent themselves and the game. We will always want this. And we will always want more.

So here’s to 2018 – may you be just as phenomenal as your predecessor.

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Semi-Finals

Posted on by RJ Allen

Backline Soccer Recap:

Quick Fire Semi-Final Game Previews:

The playoffs are here and our four teams are set. After watching all four teams face off last weekend, this semi-final weekend is sure to be one for the books. Let’s take a look at the matchups. 

Game 1: Portland Thorns vs. Orlando Pride

Portland Thorns record: 14-5-5
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 47

Orlando Pride record: 11-6-7
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 40

Portland fought for the right to get the home-field advantage for the semi-finals. Will it be enough today? I imagine a very tough match for both teams but Portland has that home-side on their side. Portland tends to come out of the gate quick, possessing a lot of the ball, and trying to pressure the opposing team to make mistakes. Their key will be to not get too impatient and ahead of themselves while stringing together a full 90′. Tobin Heath is expected to start but no word yet on how many minutes she will be able to play. She has shown a bit in her last two matches but how much she is able to contribute to this match may prove key for the Thorns. Portland would do well to run their attack through Hayley Raso and make sure she gets plenty of good looks to put one away. Playing such a defensive game against Orlando a few weeks ago provided them very little opportunity at goal, where the shots on goal they did get, relied on an Orlando mistake. The defense will be tested with the attacking duo of Marta and Alex Morgan but if their defense has so far been up to the task. 

Orlando’s Alanna Kennedy pulled off a last-minute free-kick stunner to put the Pride into this semi-final matchup, which will now be one of the bigger tests of their short time in the league. The last time the Pride played the Thorns, it was probably the most physical matchup of the season. The Pride will need to not only be extremely steady on defense but also try to curb their notorious last-minute opportunities and turnovers given to the opposing side. It was also announced earlier this week that Camila would miss the playoffs with a torn ACL and sprained MCL, which is a huge loss for the Pride’s creative side, which struggles to find help outside of Marta and Camila. If they can control their game plan, they have a real shot to steal one in Portland. Their key will be figuring out a way to deal with the defensive shutdown the Thorns will most likely push them into again. What shut them out in the last match against Portland was their inability to use the width, they were forced to play too compactly. Orlando was successful against Portland with the high press but that is hard to sustain for the full 90′. If Orlando can find a way to break the Portland compacted defense and finish the shots they manage to get. This game should be quite the matchup. 

Game 2: North Carolina Courage vs. Chicago Red Stars

North Carolina Courage record: 16-7-1
Position: 1st
Total Points: 49

Chicago Red Stars record: 11-7-6
Position: 4th
Total Points: 39

North Carolina is coming into this match having not beaten Chicago yet this season. Will this match break the losing spell? For all intents and purposes, North Carolina has been the most consistent team this season and their positioning and record prove that. Their biggest problem has been finishing though. A player like Lynn Williams takes a lot of shots but lacks the finishing aspect in some ways and relies on her speed. This could work this weekend or could be a downfall. The Courage will have trouble with Chicago’s defense so they will need to do a much better chance of finishing their chances, especially earlier in the game. Sam Mewis is also expected to have another stellar game, chugging along in the midfield setting up her teammates or taking shots on her own. She will need to be on and clicking for the Courage to roll. 

Chicago has been a bit of an enigma lately but have found themselves now facing the number one team in the league for their spot in the final. They should feel pretty happy with this match-up considering their winning record but the playoffs are a different beast. Chicago’s biggest thing will be consistency. Consistently defending the Courage attack and making sure to not give them any space to move. They will also need to do work to win the midfield battle and get more of their attack spurred. Christen Press was noticeably frustrated last week after the loss to Portland so I expect her to come out ready to lead the attack. Chicago will need to be better about feeding her balls so she does not have to drop so far back to get them. Julie Ertz will also be key for the Red Stars, a player I would argue has been the most important player on the field for Chicago this season. If Chicago can capitalize on their early chances and set their game up, they have a very good chance of pulling the win out. Alyssa Naeher and the Chicago backline will be tested, it is how they respond that will determine the winner. 

The Scouting Report:

We went live on Monday night with our weekly TSR, which was the last episode featuring Sandra Herrera and Jordan Small.

In case you missed the episode, catch up here:

 

Soccer Takes From Jake: NWSL Semi-Final Edition

Posted on by RJ Allen

On Wednesday, NFL quarterback Cam Newton said something really dumb. And he rightfully got lambasted for it. Women in sports; guess what it’s fucking awesome. The things I have learned from those that cover sports as a member of the media or work for a professional team are nothing short of awesome. Respect and appreciate the work they do. By no means is this the end-all, be-all list of women in sports I am a fan of because of the work they’ve put in, but every so often the general question is asked, “Who are some women in sports that I should follow?” Well, these are some solid people to start with:

Well, these are some solid people to start with:

Susie Rants / Stephanie Yang / Rachael Caldwell / Jessica Konen / Katelyn Best / RJ Allen / Caitlin Murray / Caitlin Buckley / Alicia Rodriguez / Jamie Goldberg / Meg Linehan / Jackie Maynard / Brittany Alvarado / Jacqueline Purdy / Jennifer Gordon / Jenny Jeffries / Jonana Widner / Stefanie Loh / Ashley Scoby / Adriana Hooper / Elizabeth Wawryzniak / Katie Simons / Justyne Freud / Mina Kimes / Kate Fagan / Sandra Herrera / Kate Preusser / Brynn Baker / Katherine Oberg / Alyse LaHue / Jasmina Schweimler / Lauren Barker / Katie Nolan / Jacqui Porter / Arielle Castillo / Skyler Warrick / Kara McDermott / Emily Giambalvo / Hannah Roberts / Julie Stewart-Binks / Diana Moskovitz / Rachel Nichols / Sarah Spain / Jessica Mendoza / Jemele Hill / Aly Wagner / Kate Markgraf / Jenn Hildreth / Ariane Hingst / Rachel Bonnetta / Jackie MacMullan / Angie Mentink / Iliana Limón Romero / Alicia Rose DelGallo / Jackie Montgomery / Chloe Leadbetter / Alyssa Zajac / Allison Lee / Leigh Nieves / Ann Odong / Alanna Fairbairn / Erica Ayala / Jessica Luther / Kay Murray

Seriously the list can go on and on. The bottom line is whether they cover sports as a member of the media or work for a sports teams, these ladies do amazing work. Respect the hustle & grind they put in. Listen to what they bring to the table. Value what they do because despite what some bums might say (and there are a lot of them), women definitely belong in sports.

THE PORTLAND THORNS WILL WIN IF…
Have you been to Portland? It’s a home-field advantage unlike any other. You have to be something special to go into their house and leave with a win. The team on the field is talent plenty of people would put on a Christmas wishlist. Mark Parsons has more than proven he’s handled the transition from Washington to Portland and the bigger expectations that come with it. If the Thorns hold Orlando scoreless or at most one goal, I think it will be because of the trio of Adrianna Franch and defenders Emily Sonnett and Emily Menges – seriously, how Menges isn’t on the shortlist for Defender of the Year is absurd. And if I were a betting man, how could one not put a fiver on Christine Sinclair doing something good to send an already raucous crowd like the one Portland has into a frenzy? When everything is clicking for them on the field, their supporters provide such a home-field advantage that really it’s a natural wonder and something you have to see in person.

THE ORLANDO PRIDE WILL WIN IF…
Orlando’s work got harder for them with the injury of midfielder Camila. However, the stage is set for just the sort of thing you cannot rule out in which Marta does something that has everyone going, “Yep, that is why she is the Greatest Of All Time.” Her and Alex Morgan turned it on and became the dynamic duo everyone hoped they would when they needed to be in the regular season and that’s why they’re in the playoffs. The magic of the duo could just rise above the intimidating atmosphere inside Providence Park.

THE NORTH CAROLINA COURAGE WILL WIN IF…
They stay the course and stick with what brought them to the dance. It’s not dumb luck that the Courage basically lived at the top of the table. This is as complete a team you’re going to find in the world. Paul Riley’s squad has everything you want in a soccer team. Lockdown defense, amazing conductors in the midfield, and forwards who know how to find the back of the net. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it and while Chicago had their number in the regular season meetings, home field advantage counts for something major in the NWSL and the Courage sure play at home like they’ve been there for years.

THE CHICAGO RED STARS WILL WIN IF…
They can absorb North Carolina’s runs but stop them in the final third. Whether it’s their back four and Alyssa Naeher locking down and direct blocking shots or putting enough of a touch to direct the ball to go wide of the goal. If they can translate this into a counter-attack with an exclamation point of a Christen Press touch that we know she can do, even a formidable defense like North Carolina’s can be broken. They had North Carolina’s number in the regular season meetings, so Rory Dames and gang know how to do it against North Carolina.

THAT SAID, MY PREDICTIONS ARE…
Portland Thorns OVER Orlando Pride
HOWEVER… IT WILL TAKE GOING TO PENALTIES!

North Carolina Courage OVER Chicago Red Stars.
This one though will be decided in regulation.

And there you have it, Portland and North Carolina are Orlando-bound for the 2017 NWSL Championship.

Here is your music video break.

Song: “Sam’s Town” | Artist: The Killers

How To Beat Cancer by Selling Sports Bras

Posted on by RJ Allen
McCall Zerboni and Emma Bayer in September

Can a sports bra save a life?

When that sports bra is signed by a professional athlete and sold to raise money for the Keep-A-Breast Foundation, they can.

North Carolina Courage midfielder McCall Zerboni and 11-year-old Emma Bayer have teamed up since 2010 to help raise money by selling signed sports bras from professional women’s soccer players and then donating the funds to the Keep-A-Breast Foundation.

I asked Emma’s father, David, why the duo settled on Keep-A-Breast for their fundraising efforts. “Keep-A-Breast is focused on educating young women, so it seemed like a good fit for McCall & Emma, and the players of the soccer league. KAB has been very supportive. They send us literature, which we pass on to bra buyers and contributors.”

Bayer and Zerboni don’t just stop at the once a year auction, David explained. “In September, we went up to North Carolina for McCall’s game. It was breast cancer awareness night. We had done a Gofundme and raised $620 for a local charity up there (Pretty in Pink Foundation).”

Zerboni’s teammates have more than stepped up to help the cause. Abby Dahlkemper, Ashley Hatch, Darian Jenkins, Debinha, Denise O’Sullivan, Elizabeth Eddy, Jaelene Hinkle, Katelyn Rowland, Kristen Hamilton, Lynn Williams, Makenzy Doniak, Meredith Speck, Sabrina D’Angelo, Samantha Mewis, Samantha Witteman, Steph Ochs, Taylor Smith, Kelly Glendenning, and Brittany Bock have all signed and decorated sports bras in support.

A lot can be said for the league going back to the well of making NWSL players into role models. But in this case, I think Zerboni is showing that the players do play some role in showing the next generation they can do some good in the world.

If you are interested in bidding on one of the sports bras the link can be found here. Their Facebook can be found here, MZ & Emmers Sports Bra Auction for Breast Cancer.

Route Two Soccer – My end of the year ballot

Posted on by RJ Allen

It’s that time of year. With the close of the regular season, it’s time to start thinking about the end of the year awards. Here’s my take.

MVP

  1. Sam Kerr
  2. Marta
  3. McCall Zerboni
  4. Sam Mewis
  5. Julie Ertz

This is a close race, and I certainly wouldn’t argue with anyone who swapped first and second. Marta was incredible this year—the pivot of Orlando’s transition, the supplier of key passes, provider of holdup play, scorer of goals, and heart and soul of the team. Plus, I’m inherently skeptical of the goals-are-everything attitude which tends to dominate awards voting, and would really like to make the case for Marta.

But Kerr …

I think we’ll be talking for years about the season that Sam Kerr had in 2017. She was a force of nature and almost single-handedly kept Sky Blue afloat. That she played a role in that many goals, on a team so fundamentally limited, was nothing short of miraculous.

The top two are pretty clear in my mind, but there’s a lot more room for disagreement after that. I’m picking Zerboni third, though could just as easily go with her midfield partner Sam Mewis. Julie Ertz had a wonderful season, as the fulcrum of the Chicago defense, and as an important attacking force as well. The same goes for Jess Fishlock in Seattle. Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan missed time but were world-class when they played. Christen Press was the best in the league for the opening third of the season but then settled back to merely ‘good’ in the back half.

Ultimately, I chose Zerboni, Mewis, and Ertz to round out my top five. All three have been integral to their teams, but I picked Zerboni third because I think she is the absolute heart of the system North Carolina has built and sustained. Her work rate is unparalleled, and her ability to disrupt play unquestionable. Without a player like her, shielding the backline and stitching the attack together, the whole system would break down. It has been an incredible year for Zerboni, and she deserves immense credit for finding this next level of performance.

Rookie of the Year

  1. Ashley Hatch
  2. Meggie Dougherty Howard
  3. Mallory Pugh

In many ways, Rookie of the Year is the toughest category to define. In an MVP race, the quality is so high across the board that simply showing up is critical. You aren’t providing any value if you’re off the pitch. But for a rookie race, where the quality is generally lower, it’s less obvious. If Player A contributes 2000 minutes of league-average performance, there is a lot of real value there. But how to compare 2000 minutes of ‘average’ against Player B, who only managed 1000 minutes but was very good? From a team’s perspective, Player A is probably more valuable, especially given the low replacement level of the league right now. But from the perspective of deciding on a ‘rookie of the year’ award, it’s less obvious.

All of which is to say: I don’t have a clear method here, and in a very close race ultimately just went with my gut. And my gut tells me that Hatch was the best of the year. She scored goals, harassed the opposition, and almost seamlessly integrated into the North Carolina system. She played for a stacked team and therefore was only able to get about 1200 minutes, but I think she provided the best combination of bulk and peak performance.

To balance things out, my #2 is Dougherty Howard, who was an integral part of Washington’s team, stepping in to fill the holding role when Tori Huster was injured, and then doing very well as more of a #8 once Huster returned. She struggled at times, but it’s incredibly impressive to contribute that much and to play that many minutes, in a rookie year.

For my #3, I seriously considered Christina Gibbons (whose season shares a lot of similar characteristics with Dougherty Howard’s), Kailen Sheridan, and even Rose Lavelle. But ultimately I kept coming back to Pugh, who often struggled (understandably) to express herself for the Spirit. But she did enough to ultimately convince me.

Goalkeeper of the Year

  1. Adrianna Franch
  2. Katelyn Rowland
  3. Nicole Barnhart

Franch wins this one in a walk. She had some early season struggles with her distribution but improved significantly on that front. And in terms of shot stopping and control over the box, she was easily the best. Conceding just 20 goals in 24 games is impressive enough, and Franch wasn’t simply the beneficiary of a strong team defense. Her shots-on-goal per game ratio of 4.3 was on the low side, but not an extreme outlier (league average was 5.0). Which means her save/goal ratio was an extreme outlier. At 4.1, she was a full half point ahead of the closest competition, miles above the league average of 2.5.

Second place was also an easy call, with Rowland doing very well in every capacity. For third, I was tempted by a few names. Plenty of keepers had strong runs during the year: Kopmeyer and Labbe early, Sheridan in midseason, Harris toward the end. But ultimately I came back to the steadiness of Barnhart.

Defender of the Year

  1. Abby Dahlkemper
  2. Emily Sonnett
  3. Casey Short

I have no strong opinions on this one, and could easily have reversed the order, or swapped out these three for an entirely different set and still been pretty satisfied. To my eyes, Dahlkemper was the steadiest of the bunch, while Sonnett did a fantastic job reminding us why we were so hyped about her in the first place. Short, meanwhile, performed admirably at left back, with some decent play covering at center back when needed. Any of the three would be worthy winners. And I could equally make a case for players like Ali Krieger, Becky Sauerbrunn, Abby Erceg, Emily Menges, Kelley O’Hara, Taylor Smith, and Steph Catley.

Coach of the Year

  1. Paul Riley
  2. Tom Sermanni
  3. Vlatko Andonovski

The only real question here is which of Riley or Sermanni deserves first place. To me, it’s Riley. That North Carolina team has been incredibly impressive, relentless, and dominating all season. And while they’ve got plenty of great players, this is a true gestalt system, with many players doing far better than I would have guessed. They’ve integrated new faces without any trouble, swapped systems, handled injuries to key players without much difficulty, and stayed at the top of the league all season. There are more tactically savvy coaches, but none who got anything close to this sort of total buy-in from their team.

That said, Sermanni deserves immense credit for what he’s done in Orlando, particularly given the clear limitations of the roster. His big moves (including relying heavily on Kennedy and Weatherholt to anchor the midfield – which, raise your hand if you saw that coming) have worked splendidly, and the team looks more unified and more dangerous every week.

In third place, I went for Andonovski, not because his team looked particularly great this year. But unlike other teams facing serious difficulties, FCKC never folded. Even when the results weren’t coming, you could see them working hard, and see how they were going to get better. So it was no real surprise when things turned back around and they started moving back up the table.

Team of the Season

Sam Kerr – Alex Morgan – Christen Press

Marta – Sam Mewis – McCall Zerboni

Casey Short – Abby Dahlkemper – Emily Sonnett – Kelley O’Hara

Adrianna Franch

Most of these should be obvious from the comments above. Toughest call was leaving out Ertz, but I already have Zerboni in my XI to fill that role, so I chose to go with Press as a third striker instead.

Second XI

Megan Rapinoe – Lynn Williams – Shea Groom

Lindsey Horan – Jess Fishlock – Julie Ertz

Allysha Chapman – Ali Krieger – Becky Sauerbrunn – Taylor Smith

Katelyn Rowland

Williams didn’t score as many goals this year as in 2016, but I think she might have been a better all-around player. Groom may raise some eyebrows, but she was excellent for KC, supplying plenty of goals and assists directly, but contributing even more to the set-up. I went back and forth several times on Horan, who frustrated me at times this year. But on the whole, I think she did enough to justify a spot. Allysha Chapman had a marvelous year and was a big part of Boston’s defensive turnaround.

Honorable mentions (i.e. – the toughest exclusions): Amandine Henry (more minutes and she’d have made it), Naho Kawasumi (a magician, but drifted out of games a little too often), Vanessa DiBernardo (excelled in the #10 but was less effective in other roles, and missed time), Abby Erceg (could absolutely make a case for her as the best CB), Steph Catley (slow start but excellent second half), Sofia Huerta (really coming into her own), Angela Salem (the heart of the Breakers’ setup), and Christine Sinclair.