The Unused Sub: When Silly Soccer Boys Tweet

Posted on by RJ Allen

You know what seems very unnecessary? That upcoming “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie.

SO ABOUT LAST WEEKEND

Well, last weekend sure had two matches stand out for different reasons, didn’t they?

Washington Spirit/Sky Blue FC was a barn-burner with seven goals. I think most of us are still recovering from all that back & forth action. Then you had the first installment of the Cascadia Rivalry in 2017 with Seattle Reign FC/Portland Thorns at times resembling a demolition derby that here and there had some moments of soccer. I get it being a rivalry and wanting to come off the block swinging, but Seattle sure had some piss & vinegar in them on Saturday night. Maybe – probably – because of what happened to them in Boston the week before, they came out surly. It was a blessing and a curse, with the highlight of the blessing being that absolute fireball Jess Fishlock blasted. Rightfully she won Goal of the Week honors because of it.

On the flip side, it sure was a physical match that had both coaches Mark Parsons & Laura Harvey yelling at various times at the officials. Four yellows were issued where there surely could have been more, and probably should have been. I don’t know – I’ve always looked at rivalry matches as being something unique and tough for a match official to preside over. Obviously you don’t want to let it get out of hand and run the risk of a brawl or serious injury happening, but you don’t want to call it Tupperware-tight, and you’ve got to give them the respect to let them play. The next two installments in the regular season will happen at Memorial Stadium and I imagine the context of last weekend’s installment will be remembered by whoever is officiating those ones.

And I am in full agreement with Reign FC head coach Laura Harvey that last Saturday’s match would have made for great TV.

JEAN-MICHEL AULAS IS THIRSTY & MERRITT PAULSON OBJECTS

Stop me if you’ve heard of this before: Jean-Michel Aulas, chairman & owner of Olympique Lyonnais is thirsty again.

This prompted Portland Thorns FC owner Merritt Paulson to tell Aulas to get his drink elsewhere.

All sports teams owners are egomaniacs and it’s all to our entertainment. Most, if not all, people here in Seattle get a kick out of it whenever Paulson tweets something because within five minutes he will delete it; hence it’s surprising his tweets to Aulas are still standing. Aulas would probably stop short of tampering to try and get players to join his women’s superteam. You know what – it’s all funny to me. It may not make sense to a lot of us, but you can’t accuse them or any other people of their ilk that they don’t care about their investments. Everyone just has a unique way of expressing it. It may not make sense to plebeians like you and me, but if you had their bank accounts, yeah you’d probably act a little bit off too. That said, I did like Paulson objecting and basically telling Aulas, “Come at me bro.” He cares about his players and wants to keep them in Portland, as he should. Much like Aulas cares about constantly trying to get talent to come to Lyon and the NWSL definitely is producing some talent. Some are just hilariously vocal about displaying their devotion to the team they own like Paulson and Aulas, while others aren’t. This may be the first time we’ve seen Paulson interact with Aulas, but certainly won’t be the last.

Would a friendly between Lyon and Portland Thorns be entertaining? Absolutely.

You know what would be just as entertaining if not more – Aulas & Paulson throwing hands.

Oh and I would not be surprised if Allie Long was playing for Lyon in the near future. Maybe after the 2019 World Cup.

AFTER A SEVEN GOAL-FEST, WATCH THIS WEEKEND BE SCORELESS DRAWS

What’s with Saturday’s games kicking off at the same time? Oh well.

Sky Blue FC OVER Houston Dash.
I really want Houston to get the results here because I really want to believe (and be confirmed) that they are better without a certain midfielder playing overseas at the moment. That said Sky Blue just seems hungry for revenge after that barn burner they had against Washington and will want to take it out on someone. Unfortunately that is Houston. However if Houston gets the result here, I would not be bummed about getting this prediction wrong.

Seattle Reign FC OVER Washington Spirit.
FC Kansas City and Portland Thorns FC play to a DRAW.
North Carolina Courage OVER Orlando Pride.
Chicago Red Stars and Boston Breakers play to a DRAW.

With that out of the way, here’s what you all came for, this week’s music video break.

Song: “Stayin’ Alive” | Artist: Say Lou Lou

Don’t Be Surprised When the Orlando Pride Beat The Courage

Posted on by RJ Allen

As many have noted, the Orlando Pride winless run of 12 matches stretching to last season is in danger of tying the Washington Spirit’s streak of 13 if Tom Sermanni’s side fails to hold home field advantage on Mother’s Day against the North Carolina Courage. However, Coach Sermanni has been quick to point out that the 2017 version of the Pride is different, and vastly improved from last year. Taking him at his word, let’s examine why this team hasn’t been able to get a win so far this year and the adjustments needed to beat North Carolina.

With the level of talent on the Orlando roster, the midfield for the team was a question mark leading into the season.  And going into the fifth match, returning players have not performed to where the team was last year. Monica was one of the starting centerbacks and so far, has appeared more uncomfortable in the holding mid role. Laura Alleway, the other starting centerback, was dropped from the Matildas in the offseason and has not been the first choice to make the starting XI for half the matches. Plus, she gave up the penalty in the first meeting with the Courage which led to Sam Mewis’s game-winning goal from the spot.

Last year’s team golden boot winner Kristen Edmonds seems to be slightly out-of-sorts at times, which pales in comparison to her strong form that ended the 2016 season and led to national team camp invites. Jasmyne Spencer also looks unsettled in the starting XI to begin this year’s campaign. Her strength so far seems to be as a late game sub. Spencer was able to assist in Marta’s goal entering the match in the 64 minute after generating the opportunity with her movement. The pass to Spencer which created the chance came from Edmonds. Could this spark the run of good form which could lead to the first victory?

Sermanni’s side has also been undisciplined at inopportune times in 2017. Both of the game winners against the Pride have been converted penalty kicks, and last week’s draw came from a free kick right outside the penalty area. Eliminating those mental errors could have potentially given Orlando more than the two points it currently has. Has Sermanni focused on the offensive finishing in the final third at the expense of working on correcting the disciplinary miscues?

The North Carolina Courage is rolling into the City Beautiful off a road win in Boston, full of confidence. They will be favored on Sunday, but does Orlando have a chance to win at home? Yes, of course. Parity is still a favor in the NWSL, and the Pride can get wins if they can stop underachieving.

Sunday will be the second of three meetings against the Courage. Here’s what Sermanni’s squad needs to do to give themselves the chance to take the three points at home: To begin, the Pride will need to give North Carolina a different look than when the two teams met in Cary. This is already a certainty since reports have indicated Monica will miss the match with a bone bruise stemming from her injury last week. This should give Dani Weatherholt another chance as the starting holding mid. Last week, Toni Pressley earned her first start, and the back line played noticeably better than it had all season. The Courage will continue to high press teams; will Pressley allow the Pride to play quicker from the back compared to Alleway? So far, it seems it might.

Starting Danica Evans created more opportunities in the box from her flip throws in Kansas City. The team should be able to improve by practicing tactics that act like an extra corner kick. The flip throw puts more pressure on the opposing teams, and Orlando really didn’t make the Courage uncomfortable inside their eighteen. The Pride need more numbers in the box to get under the skin of North Carolina. Evans’s energy alongside Marta should make the defenders work much harder than in the first meeting where the Courage were giving Orlando a ton of space to operate.

So there you have it, the Pride can beat the Courage by coming out with a different look, having expected stars perform to expectations while not shooting themselves in the foot by giving up great dead ball chances, and applying pressure inside their attacking third. Easier said than done, right? We’ll see. 

Route Two Soccer – Chicago 2 – 0 Houston: How to Control a Midfield

Posted on by RJ Allen

With Ertz in the holding role, Press dropping back, and the fullbacks ranging forward, Chicago overloaded the midfield and dominated the game.

After suffering a 2-0 defeat away to Houston to open the season, Chicago fared far better in week 4, producing a suffocating performance that allowed them to reverse the scoreline and earn an easy three points.

Now, controlling the game against Houston is not particularly difficult at the moment—given their weakness in the midfield—and Chicago absolutely should expect to beat them at home. Still, there’s a world of difference between expectation and reality. It’s a credit to Rory Dames and his team that they were able to diagnose Houston’s primary weakness and set themselves up to capitalize.

Chicago has been a bit of a tactical enigma so far in 2017. They’re a team with a lot of options and a stated desire to develop a range of styles and setups. In her Unsung Hero column this week, Jacqui Porter noted that Chicago’s defenders have embraced the idea of flexible deployment, with everyone potentially ready to slot into a variety of roles on a given day. And the big news for the Red Stars this year, of course, has been the varied uses of Julie Ertz—who has jumped from center back to attacking midfielder to holding midfielder just in the course of these few games.

But for all that talk, the reality is that Chicago has done very little to move away from their standard approach: a 4-4-2 midfield diamond, with pinched wingers and overlapping fullbacks. Yes, when Chicago was chasing the game at Portland in week 3, they briefly switched to a back three. But on the whole, the basic setup has remained the same. Whatever shifts they’ve tried have mostly happened within that framework—with the same names simply swapping places within the diamond.

That does produce some genuine unpredictability. After all, the 4-4-2 may look the same on paper but it will play quite differently depending on who occupies the spot at the top of the diamond. With Ertz there, you get very little playmaking through the middle, as she focuses more on crashing the box and using her physicality to force play directly down the defense’s throat. With Press, the approach is far more technical and dynamic—with the associated cost of drawing their best scorer away from the goal.

An attacking diamond: capitalizing on Houston’s weakness

On Saturday, though, we saw a third variant—and one that produced a lot of positive results. This time, DiBernardo took the attacking midfield slot, giving Press the freedom to push forward into a withdraw forward role, and allowing two of the team’s most skillful and perceptive players to work together in the attacking corridor. And although she didn’t produce her best game this time around, DiBernardo has the potential to be a true #10 (one of the very few in the US player pool who can make that claim). In the long term, using her front and center could pay enormous dividends for Chicago. 

Meanwhile, Ertz was pushed back to the holding midfield role and Colaprico sent to the left, with Mautz mirroring her on the right.

This setup maximizes the team’s offensive capacity—giving each of the front six room to express themselves and encouraging good build up through the middle. It does, however, come with some drawbacks. First, while Colaprico is certainly capable of playing on the left, it is a bit of a waste of her talents. She is arguably the best holding midfielder in the league, and has less chance to control the game from the left. Second, while Ertz is an excellent defender, she is far less restrained positionally. Where Colaprico is a midfield conductor, keeping a firm hand on the play and easing smoothly on the throttle, Ertz is far more rambunctious—more a traditional box-to-box midfielder than a true holding player. Those forward runs can be devastating, of course, but they can also leave the backline exposed.

However, when executed well, these two dangers mostly cancel out. One of the advantages of using Colaprico on the left is her capacity to drop back to occupy that central holding space when needed–something that most wide players can’t be trusted to do. What’s more, Houston is precisely the sort of team to use this approach against. Given their midfield frailty, they simply can’t risk a high-pressure game in the midfield. That allows Chicago to dominate possession in that area, granting Ertz the freedom to playmake from the back and allowing the Red Stars to dictate the run of play.

At least, in theory, that’s what should happen.  But for the opening half hour, it didn’t look to be working all that well, with Colaprico making a number of very un-Colaprico like errors, and Ertz ranging out a bit too aggressively. However, the Chicago defense did its job—double and triple teaming Ohai to limit the damage, and giving the offense time to settle into their roles. During this period, Chicago was the better team, but still looked a bit out of sorts.

A tightening vice

As the game progressed, however, everything began to flow a bit more smoothly. And the key to it all was Christen Press, who remains goalless on the year, but has turned in some excellent performances nonetheless. Saturday was her best game of the season, and a big part of that is down to the flexibility that this setup affords her. As a slightly withdrawn, wandering forward, she is free to hang on the shoulder of the last defender one minute and then drop deep into the midfield to link play the next. Given her skill and confidence on the ball, the defense can’t afford to leave her unmarked as she flits between the midfield and the front line, but neither can any single player afford to stay with her indefinitely lest it fracture the team’s overall defensive shape. 

It was a problem that Houston was never able to solve. Time and time again, Press would drift back, overloading the Houston midfield, and allowing quick transitions through the middle. Then, as Houston would push their backline higher in an effort to close down all that free space, she and Huerta would race through and take a ball over the top from Colaprico, Ertz, DiBernardo, or the fullbacks. Press, in particular, found plenty of joy down the left channel. Some excellent defending (from Roccaro in particular) kept those assaults from turning into goals, but it was a constant threat on the day.

Both Ohai and Daly worked hard to contribute defensively, in the hope of rebalancing the numbers, but their efforts were more sound and fury than they were a tactical success. The crucial danger zone for Houston was that pocket of space between Chicago’s midfield and front line, and for all that their forwards put in good shifts to race back and defend, they were mostly trailing behind the play—looking to provide cover after the seam had already been split. 

Morgan Brian – very good, but is it enough?

Things did change in the final twenty minutes, due largely to the season debut from Morgan Brian. With her on the pitch, Houston looked a different team, far more confident in possession, and far more resolute in the midfield. It just goes to show how much they’ve missed her (and Andressa) over the last few games. Still, even with that jolt of energy and additional skill, Houston didn’t really resolve the underlying problems; they simply managed to play around them a bit more successfully.

So, going forward, even if Brian is ready to play 90 minutes every week, it remains to be seen whether they can develop an approach that will capitalize on the extra bit of stability she can bring. Because even with Brian at her peak (and Brian at her peak is one of the world’s best players), Houston will still face the underlying problem of a defense that is excellent when defending deep, or when coming out, but which all too easily gets twisted and turned the higher up the pitch they go. All of which goes to the point I made a few weeks ago: for the Dash, the best bet is likely to defend deep—‘solving’ the problem of an overloaded midfield by simply conceding the point—draw the opposition forward, and look to spring them through a quick counterattack. So far, the team has shown flashes but little sense of a real desire to play that way. One of the big questions going forward is whether Waldrum is willing to make that commitment. And if not, whether he’ll come up with a solution to this persistent problem.

Four Star Takeaways from Chicago Red Stars: Week 4

Posted on by RJ Allen

It’s a new season, folks, and one ripe for some hot new takes. And that’s why this year I’ll be writing a new column for Backline Soccer, and providing our readers with Four Star Takeaways from Chicago Red Stars every week. Be sure to follow along for some post-game takes and match-day quotes!

Week 4 of NWSL action saw the Chicago Red Stars return home to face the Houston Dash. In their opening week matchup back in April, the Red Stars left Houston with a 2-0 loss. Since then Head Coach Rory Dames has shuffled his players in various starting lineups, including rotating forwards and playing Julie Ertz higher in the midfield. With the help of a Houston own goal, Chicago came away with the victory and additional points for the league table. Here are some takeaways from their Week 4 win.

✶ RUNNIN’ THROUGH THE 6 WITH MY WOES

This week saw Julie Ertz in playing the 6 as a defensive mid, and she still scored. This will mark the fourth different position in four weeks that Ertz has played in Chicago’s starting lineup. She has played in four different positions in four weeks and has been able to contribute in each one. She has seen time in the 4, 10, briefly as an 8, and after this week – as a 6.

When asked about her goal, Ertz recognized the demands of a holding mid, displayed her leadership, and credits the goal as a collaborative effort: “It was a lot of hard work from a lot of people kind of keeping the ball alive. A lot of second chances. It kind of popped out from everyone. Really just scrapping to keep the ball in, and it landed right where I was. Being a 6 today, obviously I kind of knew that second ball was going to be more where I would be able to score and help the team, and that’s where I ended up today.”

Despite having played four different positions in four weeks, Ertz is currently the Red Stars leading goal scorer with two goals.

✶ Welcome to Gilliland’s Island: GRITTYLAND

While Casey Short claimed complete ownership of the left flank against Houston, it was Arin Gilliland that was once again given the task of marking Kealia Ohai. In their Week 4 rematch, it was the right back who forced Ohai to switch sides during the second half in order to try and create opportunities for the Dash on the left flank against Short. Ohai would go goalless on the day after facing both outside backs. Gilliland was looking forward to the matchup going against Ohai, stating that, “It’s always great to go up against Kealia, she’s super athletic. Super-fast. Quick with the ball, and it really challenges me. I love going against the top forwards out there. It’s a great challenge. I think I definitely made leaps and bounds from the first time we played each other, but that’s part of the league, you get used to the people in the league and you learn and you get better and better each time. So, I look forward to the next time we’re going to play her too.”

In the 61st minute of the match, there was a collision between Ohai and Gilliland that lead to Chicago’s second goal. Both players were slow to get up, and part of Chicago’s goal celebration included checking on their teammate. After the game during the mixed zone session, Gilliland expressed her grit about the collision and was already looking ahead, stating: “We’re good to go. It’ll [knee] be a little swollen. Little ice, little compression, little Advil, good to go, part of the game.”

Gilliland is also Backline Soccer’s “Unsung Hero” this week, you can check out the article here.

✶ GOAL SHAWTY, IT’S YOUR BIRTHDAY

The weekend full of own goals was kicked off at Toyota Park by birthday girl Danielle Colaprico. A free kick taken by Colapirco was the first of three own goals we would see throughout NWSL in Week 4. A foul from Denise O’Sullivan on Colaprico set up the free kick just before halftime in the 43rd minute. Colaprico played the set piece over Houston, which was deflected into goal off Sarah Hagen.

Colaprico admits there was birthday luck in getting her free kick into a good spot saying: “Our coach [Dames] always says just get it in the right spots and good things will happen, and I think that’s what I tried to do. Got to break that first line of defense and get it up and over the defenders and just got lucky.”

That’s not to say the Red Stars aren’t aware of their lack of finishing in front of the net. Colaprico elaborated as such, but is happy to get the points, stating: “We’ve had a lot of chances in past games, and when teams can’t find the back of the net, they sometimes come from the other team. It was a lucky one, but a win is win. And that’s what matters”

Head coach Rory Dames knows the forward core has another level they have to reach as collective and has stated recently that his team needs to be more ruthless in front of goal. After playing as a forward against Houston, Sofia Huerta echoed a similar statement on whether the string of strikers has hit the gear they are capable of, saying: “I would say, no. Not yet. I think we have such good attacking players, and we all are capable of scoring at least a goal a game, or even a couple goals a game. So, I wouldn’t say we have completely gotten there… I still think that Press, Myself, Jen [Hoy], Steph [McCaffrey], Vanessa [DiBernardo] we still some more goals in us.”

✶ We Don’t Always Win, But When We Do, It’s a Shutout

The first quarter of the season still has two games left in it. Four weeks in, the Red Stars now sit in 3rd place with two wins and two losses. Both wins against Houston and Kansas City came with shutouts for the backline and goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher. The starting goalkeeper is happy to get the results, points, and shutouts, stating: “Always happy to get a shutout. I think when you come into any game as a defense and as a team our goal is to get a shutout every time. So, to be 2 for 2 at home with wins and shutouts is a good feeling”

With Julie Ertz being played more in the midfield, the backline has seen strong performances from center back duo Katie Naughton and Samantha Johnson. As a veteran in the backline, Johnson’s role has become more vocal, and her goalkeeper acknowledges and appreciates her growth as a center back. Naeher elaborated saying: “Julie [Ertz], she definitely ran, vocally, the backline. But I think as a backline everyone is responsible for different pieces of communication, otherwise it’s not going to work. So, I think Sam has stepped up, she’s doing what she’s always been good at. Which is getting in hard for tackles. Playing and being smart. And I think the vocalization piece of it is coming as well. She’s [Johnson] controlling the line, Katie’s controlling the line, and it’s been working.”

Ahead in Week 5

Chicago will face Boston, as the Breakers visit the Red Stars at Toyota Park. It will be the second match in two weeks that Chicago plays host. The Red Stars have a strong home record, and while there are fan concerns over dwindling attendance league wide, Head Coach Rory Dames recognizes that the team can only control how they approach game days at home. “It’s an unbelievable atmosphere to play in. Especially for the players that were here when we were in Benedictine. I mean we’ve worked hard as a collective group from the players, to the staff, to the front office, to the owner to be able to transition here. We really understand that it’s a privilege to play here. And every time we step on the field we try to continue to earn the right to keep playing here.”

You can watch the match on the Go90 app, this Saturday May 13th at 3 pm C.T. For tickets visit the Chicago Red Stars website.

Unsung Hero of the Week: Gilliland’s Island

Posted on by RJ Allen

In this weekly series, I will be highlighting a player from the weekend who was their respective team’s unsung hero, win or lose. A player who does the dirty work, does the little but important things in a game and someone who didn’t exactly fill up the stat sheet but found other ways to contribute.

This week I’ve chosen Chicago Red Star defender Arin Gilliland.

The 24-year-old has been in the National Women’s Soccer League since 2015, when she was drafted fifth overall by FC Kansas City but was quickly acquired by Chicago. Gilliland has played in 45 games for the Red Stars, and has been a force to be reckoned with from the moment she joined the club.

Chicago 2-0 Houston

After losing to Houston 2-0 in the first week of the season, the Red Stars flipped the script on Saturday. This time Chicago were the dominant team and a big part of that was Gilliland. The third-year player once was tasked with containing Kealia Ohai, Rachel Daly and later on Morgan Brian. Despite the considerable talents of those players, none found the net or even produced any particularly dangerous moves. That is evidence of a strong defensive performance from Gilliland.

But she’s not just a good defender. Back in her college days, suiting up for Kentucky, she was a serious threat up top–scoring 30 goals in her time as a Wildcat. And with Chicago’s reliance on attacking fullbacks there’s room for her to get back to those roots with the Red Stars. Early on in the game against Houston, Gilliland worked the right flanks aggressively, combining with midfielder Alyssa Mautz to generate some dangerous chances. In the 15th minute she reached the Dash end line after combining with Mautz on a give-and-go and earned her team a deep throw-in. Throughout the first half, her efforts to push forward created space on the right and pinned Houston back, giving Chicago real momentum.

In the last two seasons, Gilliland has played with several different backlines and players. In her first year, she was lined up next to Abby Erceg, Taryn Hemmings, Michelle Lomnicki, Rachel Quon, Julie Johnston (now Ertz) and Sam Johnson. In 2016 Gilliland, Ertz, and Johnson were the mainstays while adding Katie Naughton, Sarah Gorden, Courtney Raetzman and Casey Short to the mix. In fact, with the emergence of Short at left back, Gilliland switched sides from left to right without missing a beat, demonstrating her adaptability.  Now, in 2017, Chicago is working with the same group, but has achieved a new balance after moving Ertz in the midfield and working with a backline of Gilliland, Naughton, Johnson and Short.

In a recent post-game mix zone session, Gilliland briefly talked about the merry-go-round of a defense in Chicago that seems to be working:

“I think all five of us, me, Julie, Katie, Sam, Casey, we’ve all got a great dynamic, you really move us anywhere in the backline and we’re all gonna work well off each other no matter where we are.”

Gilliland went on to explain how that helps her team and what to expect:

“I think that’s the best part about our team we can move people to different positions and we can still be dangerous that way, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we changed things up again.”

As the game went on, Gilliland settled in for her defensive duties, chasing down Ohai a handful of times to put a stop to a potential threat. In the last two years, Gilliland has become known for her strong tackles, and that was on display this weekend. Her timing is near perfect, but those flashy tackles are often only possible because she has the pace to match even the quickest forwards in the league–putting her in position to make the crucial interventions.

Her individual effort to win the ball led to Chicago sealing the victory in front of 2,114 fans in the 61st minute. Gilliland went in for a crunching tackle with Ohai and the loose ball appeared at the feet of Christen Press who whipped in service that Danielle Colaprico couldn’t handle and it fell to Ertz for the powerful volley for the 2-0 lead and eventual win. Without Gilliland’s hustle, Chicago would’ve been racing back to defend their own goal as Ohai was on the verge of taking off down the sidelines with the advantage.

Gilliland would return to the game after the collision and played until the 90th minute, being subbed out for Gorden.

Chicago put in a strong team defensive performance on the night–with good organization and pressure that prevented Houston from getting the ball over the top.  Every time the Dash midfield looked for that ball, Gilliland and her teammates on the backline read the threat and shut it down, calling for double and triple teams for whoever possessed the ball in a dangerous area. She was composed in her decision making, knowing when to settle play down, or maintain shape again.

But that’s just who Gilliland is, the unsung hero who gladly does her part, and does it REALLY well on a consistent basis. She has been one of the main reasons Chicago has risen to the top of the NWSL over the last few years. If Gilliland can continue to play her part, Chicago could once again be in the playoff hunt in September.

6 Takeaways From NWSL: Week Four

Posted on by RJ Allen

Welcome to the second month of the NWSL season, where April golazos bring May own-goals. At least so far. Yes, indeed, this weekend was notable for the three OGs scored on Saturday; one per game, in fact.

But while the action this week was both entertaining and at times frustrating, the level of competition has never been higher, with all but one match decided by a single goal.

Still, there’s no need to be coy, you’re here for takeaways, so let’s see what we took away from this week.

Now That’s How You Play Three in the Back – Elizabeth Wawrzyniak

Seattle came out strong Saturday night, but what impressed me most was their initial formation. Many teams have tried a variation of the three-back form this season, as Jill Ellis has made it clear with her National Team formations that it’s something she wants players to have in their toolbox. But of all the teams to try it so far, Seattle–by leaps and bounds–has looked the best. A three-back isn’t just about crowding the attack, it’s about flexibility, and the only way it works out for a team is if there’s a midfield that can support it. And Seattle’s midfield, with talent and experience packed into every corner, was able to do just that. A bridging midfielder (making the backline feel a little like a 3-1/2 back formation at times) delicately balanced defensive duties and forward movement, and Seattle capitalized upon their powerful attacking talent in less than a minute of game-play. The Reign demonstrated just what a three-back can do, but also just what’s needed in order to make it work on the field. Hopefully Ellis caught the game.

That’s a Lot of White Space, Chicago – Elizabeth Wawrzyniak

The Windy City hosted their first Lifetime Game of the Week matchup this weekend against the Houston Dash, and to be honest, for all their efforts and success on the field, after the final whistle I was more focused on the image of the empty seats in the stands than anything any one player or team did. Don’t get me wrong, Chicago played a great game and came away with a solid three points that should keep them in the upper-half of the table this week. But their attendance was only 2,114 for the match, just slightly lower than their 2,153 home opener in Week 2 of the season. And this is a team with four popular National Team players on it! This is the team of Christen Press! Alyssa Naeher! Julie Ertz and Casey Short!

We’re all aware of just how much effort and time Chicago has poured into their rebranding and marketing campaigns this season–those player pics in the downtown are on fire!–but I don’t know that they’ve seen much gains in ticket sales yet. (I do know they’re calling previous attendees, because a lovely woman representing the team woke me up with a phone call one morning last week to ask if I’d bought tickets for the season yet–I have.) Either way, something needs to change because Chicago is one of the teams lucky enough to play in a professional-level stadium every week, but they’re pulling in fewer numbers than teams like Boston and Sky Blue, who call local college-level fields home. Chicago needs to figure out what they’re doing wrong–ticket prices, marketing campaigns, etc–and somehow put more fans into the stands.

At This Point, It’s Anyone’s League – Jordan Small

If we’ve learned anything from season five of the NWSL, it’s that the league is more competitive than ever before. Each week, it is very difficult to pick a winner for any game because anyone can beat anyone. Aside from North Carolina, every team has lost at least once, with all ten teams picking up at least a point through the first four weeks.

Last week, we saw the Breakers beat Seattle 3-0 in Boston. The week before that, Seattle beat Houston 5-1 in Seattle. That week, Boston beat Sky Blue 1-0, and Sky Blue and Seattle tied 1-1 on opening weekend. So like I said, anyone can beat anyone. At the end of Week 4, just five points separate the #2 and #10 in the league table. While it’s only Week 4, the parity of the league has made it fun and exciting for fans of the NWSL to tune in each week.

Christie Pearce is Even More Important to Sky Blue Than You Think – Jordan Small

Even at 41-years-old, Christie Pearce is still one of the top center backs in the NWSL. After being out with a concussion for two weeks, it’s become apparent just how important Pearce is to the Sky Blue backline. Without her in the lineup, all four players for Sky Blue were in just their first or second year in the NWSL, not to mention that the goalkeeper is a rookie drafted just this year.

Without Pearce, and with O’Hara playing an attacking role for the most part, the backline for Sky Blue has struggled to maintain a consistent shape. Washington Spirit forward Francisca Ordega really exposed the young backline in Week 4, penetrating the line twice to notch a brace for the home team. On top of her skills as a centerback, Sky Blue also misses her leadership on the field. Both fans and the team alike are hoping for a quick return to the lineup for our Captain America.

The Dash Can’t Figure Out Who They Are – Luis Hernandez

Of all the teams with two wins, the Houston Dash are the most enigmatic in the bunch. Houston has the talent to beat the likes of Chicago in Week 1 and then hold off the Washington Spirit in Week 3, but when they lose they lose badly. The offense can’t seem to put on a consistent performance, and defensively the goals conceded are kind of weak. The up-and-down nature of this team doesn’t seem to make sense. Since they host Sky Blue for only their second home game this season, is it a safe bet to predict a Dash win?  Who knows! That’s just how up and down they are.

With players like Rachel Daly, Kealia Ohai, Denise O’Sullivan, and a returning Morgan Brian on the roster, perhaps the Dash are soon to be rounding a corner. The Dash have good players, obviously, but still, they felt the need to add players like Sarah Hagen and Cami Levin, frequent bench-warmers on Tom Sermanni’s Orlando Pride. If the Dash can figure it out, the team might be able to hang on as a playoff team in time for Carli Lloyd’s return.

Orlando Finds Ways to Drop Points Again – Luis Hernandez

And speaking of teams who can’t figure things out, Orlando seemed poised to earn the team’s first win of the season only to have a late and questionable free kick awarded to FC Kansas City. Ultimately, it was their inability to clear the ball out of danger that left the Pride with a 1-1 draw after Marta had scored her first NWSL goal to take the lead. But the team should focus on continuing to build chemistry with Marta and across the pitch, because for the most part, they played a good game.

However, good teams find ways to win. The North Carolina Courage make good things happen because they are a good team. Across the league, the talent level in the NWSL is pretty even. Our own Jordan Small talked about league parity, yet having just two points out of four matches for Orlando is mediocre. The Courage are coming to Orlando Sunday. The good teams find a way; what’s Orlando going to do?

Well, folks, there you have it, our most important takeaways from the Week Four matches. Did we miss anything? Do you want to argue or challenge one of our points? Or do you just have an opinion about Week 4 games or play?  Go ahead and share it in the comments below or join the conversation in the Backline Soccer forums.  We’re looking forward to hearing from you!

 

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Week 4

Posted on by RJ Allen

Welcome to Week Four of Off the Bench! 

This week, the format has shifted from game recaps to short game previews. Take a moment and let us know what you think by leaving a note in the comment section!

Backline Soccer Recap:

This week we welcomed four new people to our staff. So give a warm welcome to the three newest members of our social media team: Alyssa Zajac, Becca Kimble, and Caitlin de Souza. And we can’t forget our new writer, Chantelle DeRose.  We’re excited to be working with these awesome soccer fans!

In addition to our new staff members, we introduced another new weekly series for our readers this past week, The Way I See It: Unsung Hero of the Week. As always, we invite you to let us know your thoughts on any of our pieces in the comments section!

Make sure to join us on our new Backline Soccer Forum. And don’t forget to check out our Backline Soccer Shop. 

Quick Fire Week 4 Game Previews: 

A reminder for U.S. fans that you can catch the Lifetime Game of the Week live and on demand either via TV, computer, or mobile, and all other games live and on demand at the go90 app and the go90 website. Additionally, after 48 hours, all go90 games will be archived and available to watch on demand on the NWSL app and website. And if you’re an international fan, you can catch every game, live and on demand, on the NWSL website.

 

Game 1: Chicago Red Stars vs. Houston Dash

Chicago Red Stars record: 1-2-0
Position: 7th
Total Points: 3

Houston Dash record: 2-1-0
Position: 4th
Total Points: 6

This week the Lifetime Game of the Week matchup will find the Dash taking on the Red Stars in Chicago. Coming off a bit of a slow start to the season, the Red Stars will be looking to pull out three points at home. The Dash have started off relatively well, notching two wins and six points so far despite a disappointing loss in Week 2 at Seattle. Lydia Williams found herself back in goal last week in the Dash’s 1-0 win over the Spirit but they were not really outstanding as a whole. The Dash did just enough on the defensive side to get by, but it will not continue to carry them further into the season. The Red Stars will look to counter on this when stepping up their attacking front. The Red Stars aren’t lacking in much and with a few key moves on the attacking front, they could very well pull out the win.

 

Game 2: Washington Spirit vs. Sky Blue FC

Washington Spirit record: 0-2-1
Position: 9th
Total Points: 1

Sky Blue FC record: 1-1-1
Position: 6th
Total Points: 4

Sky Blue will look to capitalize on their win against FCKC last week and the Spirit are going to want to bounce back from their disappointing loss to the Dash. Hopefully this week the backline for Sky Blue will see Christie Pearce rejoin the team from concussion protocol as she will be a key part of the team moving forward. On the Spirit side, Stephanie Labbé has had a lot of work to do in net this season but she has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that she is up for the task. The Spirit are going to need her at the top of her game this week, faced with the likes of Kelley O’Hara and Sam Kerr on the attacking front. Washington has taken hits on the attacking front, and they’re going to need to find a way to overcome their losses on the attacking front if they want to climb out of the basement this week.

 

Game 3: Portland Thorns vs. Seattle Reign

Portland Thorns record: 2-1-0
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 6

Seattle Reign record: 1-1-1
Position: 5th
Total Points: 4

The Portland Thorns will take on the Seattle Reign at home this week in the first of what essentially amounts to the NWSL’s own version of the Cascadia Cup. Several of Portland’s most exciting and game-changing players are still listed on the Injury Report and likely will not dress, including Tobin Heath, Mana Shim, Dagny Brynjarsdottir, and Katherine Reynolds, and this should ultimately favor Seattle’s chances. The Reign, of course, are looking to bounce back after being soundly defeated by the Boston Breakers last week 3-0. Seattle’s primary problem in Week 3 seemed to be in giving the Breakers too much space, which is something they will need to shut down this week in order to not let the Portland attack get by them. Portland, on the other hand, has been able to sneak out two wins this season, with last week’s victory accompanied by a bit of controversy regarding a penalty that wasn’t, and a penalty that probably shouldn’t have been. Even though Adrianna Franch has come up with some key saves for the Thorns, her distribution and work out of the back leaves a lot to be desired and eventually, will not be enough to keep other teams from capitalizing on her mistakes. But look for the Thorns to continue to take advantage of the Reign’s positioning errors if they continue from last week.

 

Game 4: Boston Breakers vs. North Carolina Courage

Boston Breakers record: 2-1-0
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 6

North Carolina Courage record: 3-0-0
Position: 1st
Total Points: 9

Who knew coming into Week 4 of the NWSL we would be seeing a match up between the number one team (NC Courage,) and the number TWO team (Boston Breakers?!?) The Breakers will take the pitch this week after a strong 3-0 win over the Seattle Reign while the Courage are coming in hot from their game against the Pride where they won 3-1. Boston could be the team to figure out how to beat the Courage, as the #1 team’s only real weakness might be its defense. The attacking front is covered but if the teams they have faced in the first three weeks had been able to capitalize when they needed to, the Courage might not be sitting undefeated at the top. Boston will look to attack this backline of the Courage consistently and get ahead early. This matchup should be a fun one to watch.

 

Game 5: FC Kansas City vs. Orlando Pride

FC Kansas City record: 1-2-0
Position: 8th
Total Points: 3

Orlando Pride record: 0-2-1
Position: 10th
Total Points: 1

The final game of the weekend features FCKC and the Pride, and both teams are struggling to overcome disappointing losses in Week 3. FCKC is clearly missing Amy Rodriguez, their attack has suffered since the moment she went down in Week 1. In addition to Rodriguez, Shea Groom was out last week with a broken rib, and her status for Week 4 is unknown at the time of this writing. Leroux, coming back from maternity leave and doing a great job, needs some help up top with ARod no longer in the picture. FCKC will look to hold more of the possession this week, something that has been one of the Pride’s strong suits this so far this season, though they don’t have much to show for it.

The Pride have had a very lackluster start to their season after some promising moves in the offseason. They have held a good amount of possession the first three weeks of action but big mistakes, mental and positioning wise, have cost them in each meeting. The backline has a lot of talent but an almost non-existent midfield has seen them have to do a lot more to get the ball up the field to the attack. Once it makes it there, the Pride’s finishing has been abysmal. Danica Evans has been an energetic and creative spark in the minutes she has played, so starting her will help the Pride out a lot this week. In addition, Marta had some great moments last week; look for her to capitalize this week and get her potential first NWSL goal. Pride Head Coach Tom Sermanni will need to make some changes to his lineup and put the best XI on the field in order to pull the three points out against FCKC. And FCKC needs to work quickly on figuring out how to move their attack forward without Amy Rodriguez.

The Scouting Report:

Huge news on the TSR front. We have joined Brew Sports Network!

The Scouting Report went live this past Monday with our NWSL Week 3 TSR recap. Make sure to tune in every Monday at 8pm EST to catch our weekly series!

You can find Monday night’s TSR here:

Come back next week for the next edition of Off the Bench! And don’t forget to check out the rest of our great content created weekly on the Backline Soccer website!

 

The Unused Sub: The Funny Thing About Making Matchup Predictions

Posted on by RJ Allen

How in God’s name are we in the first week of May?!

WHAT IS GOING ON AROUND HERE!? I DON’T LIKE CHANGE!
Actually I do, and there are some new faces joining Backline Soccer and this place is growing. Just being the resident dude who says a lot of nonsense to everyone around here (really that Backline Soccer Slack – whoo – there’s some hot fire going on there), I am happy to see the growth of this place. So welcome new people, apologies in advance for my nonsensical attempts at comedy.

And the announcement of “The Scouting Report” joining Brew Sports is nothing short of incredible. The folks that make up Backline Soccer are some really good people – yes I haven’t met any of them personally yet, but I feel like I could go a good thirty minutes before I wore out my welcome and I don’t know, they threw a pie at me for being a silly dude. But dammit, will I make those thirty minutes one they won’t forget. But Backline Soccer is doing some incredible work, with bigger and better things are coming to the collective and I am just happy to be a passenger.

NOW TO BUSINESS – HA HA NEVER MAKE PREDICTIONS AGAIN
Boy did I take it on the chin on my predictions for Round 3’s games in the NWSL.


A BIG FAT, STINKING ZERO FOR FIVE on the predictions last weekend. The most stinging one of course the Seattle Reign FC going to Boston and the Breakers running wild all over them. I’ll say: all the credit to the Breakers. They finally got one on Seattle and they did it incredible style. Adrianna Leon conducted the orchestra en route to winning NWSL Player of the Week honors – well deserved there. And WoSo’s new favorite thing Rose Lavelle lived up to the billing of being the first overall draft pick by winning NWSL Player of the Month honors. Saturday showed how good the Breakers can be, and I am telling ya – come August/September, the Breakers are going to jack up a team’s hopes of getting into the NWSL Playoffs.

As for the Reign, I can’t say I’m surprised. Doesn’t mean seeing them get smoked on the field for all 90 minutes didn’t sting but there’s going to be something of a Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde situation with them this season. That said, I still think the experience and savvy of Laura Harvey will get her mix of veteran players and new faces sorted out, and when it’s crunch time they’ll be in the NWSL playoffs. It just could be an interesting ride for them.

DON’T MAKE PREDICTIONS HE SAID…
But here they are for this weekend’s matches anyway.

  • Chicago Red Stars OVER Houston Dash. (atch this game be some bonkers goal-fest – let’s say 5 goals total)
  • Sky Blue FC OVER Washington Spirit.
  • Seattle Reign FC OVER Portland Thorns.
  • Boston Breakers and North Carolina Courage play to a DRAW.
  • FC Kansas City OVER Orlando Pride.

And since none of you heathens left a comment in the last piece about your karaoke songs, I’m just going to arbitrarily start closing each of these with a music video. It could be something I recently came across or something I’ve long enjoyed. So yeah, enjoy your music video break.

Song: “What You Mean To Me” | Artist: Montaigne

Week 4 Woes: Orlando Pride Face Must-Win Game

Posted on by RJ Allen

July 10th of last year may not seem like forever ago, but for Orlando Pride fans it probably feels like that right now.

That’s the date of the last Pride victory, a Week 12 home victory against the then-not-so-great Boston Breakers of 2016. Orlando’s current 11-match winless streak is tied for second all-time now with Seattle, and is only two matches away from meeting the 2013 Washington Spirit’s 13-match run of futility. However, based on a recent Orlando Sentinel story, Tom Sermanni is still pretty upbeat and not overly concerned whether he’ll be in the hot seat anytime soon.

But I believe the Pride’s inability to win is a problem that goes deeper than the tired excuse of new players getting comfortable in a different system or anything to do with Marta. Coach Sermanni has made some poor early decisions in his starting XI, a few of his in-game adjustments have been head scratching, and miscues and lack of execution have resulted what I would call a must-win situation in their Week Four match on the road at Children’s Mercy Victory Field against FC Kansas City, a team also looking for answers to their current woes.

Heading into the first match against Portland, I was fairly confident I had a grasp on how the Pride wanted to play and who would be where on the pitch. I’d seen them off and on in the preseason, both in practices and in scrimmages. Perhaps spending so much of the preseason in a three-back line can now be attributed to not having all of the starting defenders in camp at one time for most of the run up to Opening Weekend. Steph Catley arrived later in the preseason after wrapping up her duties in Australia, and Ali Krieger and Ashlyn Harris departed for national team commitments mid-way through. So, going four in the back on the road in Providence Park seemed like a wise move since most of the players are more familiar in that formation, and at that point, a lot of fans and critics in the league were saying that the Pride had one of the stronger back lines. On paper, at least.

And yet, Jamia Fields got the start at right back against Portland? And got a nod again when Orlando hosted Washington just a week later? Perhaps when the Pride were practicing behind closed doors, Fields, a forward who never played defender professionally before, was given time there; but then why not give her minutes at right back in a preseason match to learn the position better under game conditions. In the games we saw her on the backline, her play didn’t pass the eye test and her game stats left a lot to be desired. Yet, Sermanni only made the back line adjustment when Fields was forced off the pitch late in the first half of the home opener versus the Spirit. Having Catley, Kennedy, Alleway and Krieger in the back four is simply placing the team’s best players in those positions where they belong. Which also begs the question, why aren’t the Pride fielding their best XI in the starting XI?

Going into the season, I felt Jasmyne Spencer was best suited to come off the bench to inject energy in the second half and use her speed to go 1v1 at a tiring defense. However, she’s been in the starting XI all three matches with lackluster results. The Pride attack has looked better once Spencer is subbed out for Danica Evans. I don’t fault Spencer, but I think Tom is being a bit too loyal to his players with too little to show for it. The season is early enough to make a change as players adjust to their roles.

Another aspect of the Pride’s puzzling starting formations is the use of the 4-3-3. It’s easy to second guess after the fact, but Orlando’s biggest issue isn’t creating goals. The right answer is the midfield play for Orlando. The “right” midfield should be able to cover the back line while being able to distribute the ball forward and creating positive goal scoring opportunities. Evan’s goal to draw the Spirit was the result of a sequence of six passes. In the Week 3 match against the Courage, Orlando’s attack was isolated for the majority of the game with only a couple of players consistently moving into the attacking third.

With a strong midfield in mind, Dani Weatherholt has to be a starting player every week. Once she was subbed out in the first game in the 63′, the Thorns were able to take advantage of Weatherholt’s absence–namely her ability to spin away from trouble and distribute the ball forward–and score quickly in the 67′. She’s looked more comfortable as the holding mid than Monica, the other player Sermanni has gone to play in that position. 

On the pitch, the Pride have had too many miscues and poor execution. Last season Orlando yielded just two scores from the spot. But we’re only heading into Week 4 this weekend, and so far the Pride have been penalized in two out of the first three matches with first-half penalty kicks due to errors made by both Australian centerbacks, Kennedy against Portland and Alleway in North Carolina, who should know better than to defend with their arm stretched out inside the box. Ashlyn Harris, who was critical of her teammates after the loss to North Carolina last week, has given opponents second chance opportunities with her weak clearances that the other teams have been able to capitalize upon.

Even though the season is just in its fourth week, the Pride have to realize that the match against the Blues is must-win. The NWSL season isn’t long enough (even with 24 games this season) to fall this far back from the playoff pack. Orlando has already dropped points at home, and have just one road win ever, in Week 6 against the Houston Dash last year. Sermanni needs to throw everything into this match to get the win, start Orlando’s best starting XI, make the right adjustments, and somehow get his players to perform at the level of which they are capable instead of the underachieving we’ve seen so far. The club ownership has given Tom all the resources to succeed, bringing in top talent like Marta and Krieger, but haven’t demonstrated much patience to wait for results, and Sermanni may not think so now, but his seat is hot. Orlando hosts the NWSL championship and are expected to contend for a playoff spot. Four points in four games will go a long way toward building the team’s confidence as they return home to face the Courage in Orlando on Mother’s Day.

The Way I See It: Unsung Hero of the Week

Posted on by RJ Allen

In my new weekly series, I will be highlighting a player each week from the National Women’s Soccer League who was their respective team’s unsung hero, win or lose. A player who does the dirty work, does the little but important things in a game and someone who didn’t exactly fill up the stat sheet but found other ways to contribute.

This week I’ve chosen Washington Spirit defender Estelle Johnson.

Johnson has been with the club since 2015 and has since become a crucial contributor not only to the backline, but to the team as a whole. In her two years, she has started 32 games out of 33 she appeared in. The 28-year-old was shown just how much she means to the Spirit when they signed her to a new contract in March of this year.

This past weekend, Washington played a hard-fought battle with Houston, ending in a 1-0 defeat. While some would see just another loss on the scoreboard, I saw a bounce back game from the team, and a quietly impressive performance from Johnson. She had the tall task of keeping three extremely dynamic players in check: Rachel Daly, Kealia Ohai, and Janine Beckie. Now, I’m not saying she was mistake-free, as Ohai did manage to grab a goal in the 28th minute for the win, but without a doubt Johnson was one of the biggest reasons her team stayed in the game for as long as they did. The goal certainly doesn’t take away the effort by Johnson.

Throughout the game, Johnson showed her veteran leadership by constantly communicating with her fellow defenders Shelina Zadorsky and Whitney Church in the suddenly-popular 3-5-2 formation. Her patience played a big role in dealing with the Houston attack, with one example coming in the 47th minute when Houston initiated a promising attack through Ohai, which was then squashed by one hell of a tackle from Johnson. It’s one thing just to track down Ohai, but Johnson did more, she closed down the window of opportunity and preventing her opponent from taking a shot or sending in service. Against a player like Ohai, getting beat occasionally is inevitable. Where Johnson shined was in her ability to make crucial recoveries down the right side, keeping the opponent contained while her team got organized.

Johnson also was working hard to get the ball for her team, forcing several turnovers throughout the game and earning key possession opportunities. A prime example of this came in the 52nd minute when Johnson managed to block a powerful shot by Daly just outside the eighteen. In doing so, Washington grabbed possession and stopped any serious momentum from Houston. Johnson was linking up well with her midfield, even taking the opportunity to get into the offensive third when she saw fit. She created a chance in the 62nd minute when she slotted a neat pass to Francisca Ordega who in turn found Arielle Ship which resulted in a corner for the Spirit. Creating out of the back is an underrated quality in this league and Johnson showed how good she was at it on the night. Washington had nine shots, with Johnson taking one of those. As a team, the Spirit put just one shot on target, showing that they’ll need all the help they can get from the back.

Johnson hustled all night and played one solid game in my opinion and while her team did lose (by a narrow margin at that), her individual performance shouldn’t be overlooked. Estelle Johnson is my unsung hero for Week 3 and if Washington want a chance at being near the top of the table come September, Johnson will need to play like this for much of the season.