Tag: Amandine Henry

Ranking the top players of 2019

Posted on by Backline Soccer

Earlier this week I wrote a piece complaining about the end-of-year awards voting. In particular, I was frustrated to see Megan Rapinoe sweeping all the big awards, despite producing a fairly middling (by her own high standards) 2019. With Rich Laverty’s wonderful Top 100 project for The Offside Rule and The Guardian wrapping up today, we finally got a more informed take on the world’s top players from a broad set of voters who are far more engaged in the game.

And this time around, Rapinoe finished all the way down at…third.

Hmmm.

Well, in the interest of trying to be productive, rather than merely sitting on the sidelines criticizing everyone else, I decided to give it a go at producing my own list of the top 40 players. It was tough, and I don’t feel remotely satisfied with the final list. It’s extremely hard to judge players, especially when it’s so difficult to see league play across the world, when most international matches outside of the World Cup tend to rely on dodgy streams for distribution, and when statistical records are limited or nonexistent.

Given those constraints, there’s simply no way to prevent bias playing a big role. For strikers in the top leagues, we at least have pretty good information about goals and assists. But who is good at holding up the ball? Who contributes most to link-up play? Who makes excellent runs that expose defenses? Much harder to say. And for everyone else, there’s often literally almost nothing to go by. Who were the best center backs in the Frauen-Bundesliga this year? Having seen only a handful of games, I’m stupendously unqualified to make that assessment.

So it’s understandable why names often matter more in the voting than performance. People know names, but the performances are mostly hidden. I’m certainly not free from that kind of bias myself. But lists like these are still helpful because in encountering multiple different perspectives, we all come to a better understanding about those parts of the game that we’re less in tune with.

With all those caveats stipulated, here is my list of the best players of 2019:

  1. Sam Kerr (Australia – Chicago Red Stars)
  2. Vivianne Miedema (Netherlands – Arsenal)
  3. Amandine Henry (France – Lyon)
  4. Julie Ertz (US – Chicago Red Stars)
  5. Crystal Dunn (US – North Carolina Courage)
  6. Caroline Graham Hansen (Norway – Barcelona)
  7. Pernille Harder (Denmark – Wolfsburg)
  8. Ada Hegerberg (Norway – Lyon)
  9. Griedge Mbock Bathy (France – Lyon)
  10. Lucy Bronze (England – Lyon)
  11. Christen Press (US – Utah Royals)
  12. Ewa Pajor (Poland – Wolfsburg)
  13. Dzsenifer Maroszán (Germany – Lyon)
  14. Kosovare Asllani (Sweden – Linköpings/CD Tacón)
  15. Nikita Parris (England – Manchester City/Lyon)
  16. Sam Mewis (US – North Carolina Courage)
  17. Danielle Van de Donk (Netherlands – Arsenal)
  18. Becky Sauerbrunn (US – Utah Royals)
  19. Sara Däbritz (Germany – Bayern Munich/Paris Saint-Germain)
  20. Debinha (Brazil – North Carolina Courage)
  21. Abby Dahlkemper (US – North Carolina Courage)
  22. Nilla Fischer (Sweden – Linköpings)
  23. Kim Little (Scotland – Arsenal)
  24. Wendie Renard (France – Lyon)
  25. Christiane Endler (Chile – Paris Saint-Germain)
  26. Kadidiatou Diani (France – Paris Saint-Germain)
  27. Beth Mead (England – Arsenal)
  28. Eugenie Le Sommer (France – Lyon)
  29. Jenni Hermoso (Spain – Barcelona)
  30. Jill Scott (England – Manchester City)
  31. Casey Short (US – Chicago Red Stars)
  32. Marie-Antoinette Katoto (France – Paris Saint-Germain)
  33. Amel Majri (France – Lyon)
  34. Carli Lloyd (US – Sky Blue FC)
  35. Ellen White (England – Birmingham City/Manchester City)
  36. Lina Magull (Germany – Bayern Munich)
  37. Magdalena Eriksson (Sweden – Chelsea)
  38. Mapi León (Spain – Barcelona)
  39. Barbara Bonansea (Italy – Juventus)
  40. Kailen Sheridan (Canada – Sky Blue FC)

A few comments on some of these players. Starting at the top, it’s incredibly hard to pick a single player as ‘the best’ over the year. I can see a plausible case for everyone in the top 10. They’re all fantastic. In the end, it was Kerr for me, by a hair. Her performances in the NWSL were absurd, and by themselves would have earned her a prominent place at the top of this list. She was also virtually the only Australian to not completely fall apart. And she won the Golden Boot down in the W League. But boy is it hard to argue against Vivianne Miedema, who somehow just continues to get better.

Julie Ertz and Crystal Dunn, meanwhile, were easily the best American players in 2019. Ertz dominated the defensive lines, whether as a #6 or as a center back, and was probably the single most important player on the World Cup winning team, and came very close to being as important as Kerr for the Red Stars. I had Dunn in 4th place for the NWSL MVP for half a season’s worth of games. She was that good. Then consider that she was deputized as a fullback for the World Cup winners. And while I didn’t think she played especially well during the World Cup, she did enough. That kind of versatility is invaluable.

I have Press at #11, which might be too high. But I still don’t think people understand just how outrageous her performances have been this year, for both club and country. She was the difference between Utah being a playoff contender and an also-ran. And she recorded a ridiculous 12 assists for the US, finally truly owning the wing role that she had struggled with for so long.

Dzsenifer Maroszán is ‘only’ at 13 thanks to the injury that effectively killed her World Cup in the opening 20 minutes. I’m still incredibly angry about that game.

I’ve got a few forwards pretty high on the list based partially on their incredibly impressive statistics. From what I’ve actually seen with my eyes, I probably wouldn’t put Beth Mead quite this high. But there’s no denying her record. She’s an assist-machine. Nikita Parris also gets some extra credit for a dominant WSL season last year (in which she actually led Miedema in xG).

I used the last few slots to pick players that I personally really enjoy watching. The margins at this point are pretty thin, and I certainly don’t feel confident that they were strictly better than the 10-20 great players who fall just beyond that mark. But León is a fascinating player, who plays a huge role in setting the style for both club and country. Bonansea is a bit hard to judge, given the relative weakness of the Italian league, but her performances in the World Cup certainly suggest we should take her numbers there seriously. And Sheridan just completed an absolutely bonkers NWSL season. You could certainly make a case for Van Veenendaal, Naeher, Nayler, Bouhaddi, Lindahl, Alexander, etc. as the next-best keeper behind Endler. But for my money, it’s Sheridan. And it might not be long before she’s clearly the best.

The four players I was most frustrated at leaving off the list were Saki Kumagai, Sherida Spitse, Sara Gama, and Mana Iwabuchi. It’s quite possible that each of them belong much higher. But I just wasn’t able to see enough of them, so couldn’t be confident. I’m also pretty sure there are some Scandinavians who deserve to be a bit higher. But again, I just haven’t seen them enough to be sure.

Conclusion: ranking players is extremely hard, and I commend everyone who put serious thought and effort into it. There may be objectively correct answers, but I don’t know if any of us (apart from maybe Sophie) are capable of finding them. I’m quite confident that players like Rapinoe, Morgan, Lavelle, and Heath are getting massively overrated in most of these lists. They’re all great, certainly, but they didn’t produce enough in 2019 to deserve a spot. However, it’s quite likely that I’m just as guilty of overrating some players from other leagues based on reputation too. So it goes.

Ultimately, all we can ask is that people try, and hopefully we can continue to learn from each other in the process.

12 Standout Players from the Women’s World Cup Group Stage

Posted on by Backline Soccer

Thirty-six games are in the books, with only sixteen left to go. Obviously, the ones remaining are the most important, but it seems like a good point to stop and take stock of who impressed in the group stage of the tournament. I picked twelve names – two from each group. My goal wasn’t to identify the absolute best performers, but rather to pick a range of folks from the obvious to the slightly unconventional. For example, while I would be happy to write another rhapsody about Sam Kerr, it felt more useful to call attention to some less well-known players that also performed superbly.

Group A

Amandine Henry – France

Henry was my pre-tournament tip for the Golden Ball winner, and nothing I’ve seen so far makes me regret that choice. She’s the closest thing there is to a perfect all-around player in the game today. Everything you’d want, she can do it: win tackles, hold the ball, link play, brilliant throughballs, wonderfully struck goals, good in the air, good on the ground. And she sees the game as well as anyone. France is stacked from bottom to top, but Henry is the ticking heart of the team.

Guro Reiten – Norway

She scored and assisted a goal in Norway’s opening match, but was arguably even more impressive over the next two games. She has done some excellent work out wide, where her pace and dribbling skills allow her to run at defenses, but at her core she’s really more of a true #10, at home in the middle of the pitch pulling the strings. The ability to get Reiten more of the ball is one of the key reasons for Norway’s success so far in the tournament.

Group B

Mapi León – Spain

León has excelled in wide defensive roles in the past, but has played center back in this tournament. Theoretically, you risk losing something when you put such a creative and inventive player into that role. But the way León plays center back, it really hasn’t been an issue. We’re used to ball-playing defenders these days, but it’s still exceptionally rare to see someone lean so heavily into the libero (sweeper) role, particularly as part of a back four. But León is doing it, and with distinction. By moving forward in possession, she gives Spain a whole separate hinge from which to build their attack, and is a key part to their strategy of suffocating possession. León has also done excellent defensive work, particularly in her recovery runs, which is crucial since her wanderings often leave her out of ideal position when the opponent does get the ball.

Lin Yuping – China

I could just as easily have gone with Peng Shimeng, who showed exactly what she is capable of in China’s 0-0 draw with Spain, making a number of top quality saves and ensuring her team a point in a game that they generally got blitzed. But Peng is somewhat of a known quantity, one of China’s few true young stars. Lin is different – at 27, she’s hardly young, but still has under twenty caps. I tried to do some digging, but language barriers and a general lack of content left me with nothing. I don’t know her backstory. All I know is that she is dominant in the air and pretty solid as a one-on-one defender. She effectively shut down South Africa before they had a chance to even start attacking, and was a key part of the defensive wall that limited the German and Spanish attacks.

Group C

Barbara Bonansea – Italy

You could pick three or four players from this wonderful Italy team, but I want to focus on Bonansea, the hero of their famous victory over Australia for the brace that she scored. She also had a third goal in the back of the net, only to have it called back on the narrowest of offside decisions. Above and beyond just the goals, Bonansea has been a constant threat, with slashing runs that left Australia under constant pressure in their first game, and with cool link play that helped unlock the Jamaican defense in their second. She’s also done some excellent defensive work, dropping quite deep to pressure the ball and provide critical support. And she has an absolute rocket of right foot, and seems as likely a candidate as anyone to score the golazo of the tournament.

Deneisha Blackwood – Jamaica

Blackwood has fewer than 20 caps, but on this Jamaican team that still makes her a veteran presence. She can play in a number of different roles, but the evidence of this tournament suggests left back might be the best spot for her. She was a whirling dervish in the second half against Italy, racing up and down the pitch, winning tackles, delivering crosses, and playing an endless run of clever one-twos. It was one of the most impressive displays from a fullback I have seen in the tournament, and in a fairer world would have led to Jamaica’s first World Cup goal.

Group D

Lorena Benítez – Argentina

Argentina were one of the great stories of the group stage, and while their success should be regarded as a genuine collective effort, two players have generally been specifically singled out for praise: forward Estefanía Banini and goalkeeper Vanina Correa. Both are absolutely deserving, but I want to add a third name to this list: Lorena Benítez. Her performance against Japan was absolutely everything you could hope for in a central midfielder. She disrupted play, she won tackles, she leapt in for critical blocks, and she raced everywhere to plug holes and fill in gaps. If a center back stepped forward to challenge the ball, Benítez dropped behind to fill the space. If a fullback had moved forward in attack, Benítez slipped into the space to block a cross. It was a truly inspired performance, and there’s no way Argentina could have so thoroughly choked off the Japan attack if not for her efforts. In their third game, Benítez took on a more progressive role, serving as a fulcrum for the attack, and demonstrating that she’s far more than just a destroyer.

Erin Cuthbert – Scotland

If you were paying attention to the pre-tournament hype you already know about Cuthbert’s skill and technique. She an inventive attacker, who can dribble, pass, and (especially) shoot with the very best of them. But for me, the most revelatory thing about watching here over these three games is just how big of a pain in the ass she is to deal with. It’s one thing to dazzle with your touch or your precision. It’s another thing to be clinical—to bury your chances when they appear. But one quality I value over almost any other in a striker is peskiness. The players who are constantly in your face, who don’t let a single pass go easily, who are constantly buzzing through the backline, shedding defenders left and right. Cuthbert has this quality in spades. Combine it with top quality skill, and you’ve got a player genuinely ready to take the step up to superstardom.

Group E

Vivianne Miedema – Netherlands 

It’s probably not telling you anything you didn’t already know, but Miedema is a truly exceptional striker. Her success is even more impressive given the existence of some very real limitations in her game. She relies pretty heavily on service, and is unlikely to create much all alone. But give her the ball in any sort of dangerous position, and set her loose, and chances are the ball is going to end up in the back of the net. She might well be the most clinical finisher in the world, and doesn’t need clear chances to convert. The Dutch have generally not looked great so far, but Miedema is a clear exception.  

Desiree Scott – Canada

Canada is not here to make friends, and they’re not here to score goals. They are here to make their opponents miserable, and there’s no player who’s done more for that goal than Desiree Scott. Scott doesn’t offer a huge amount going forward, but more than makes up for that with her relentless defensive work. Her responsibilities are particularly large when Canada shift to a back three, which often leaves Scott as the only player on her line, needing to harass and harry any counter-attacking threats to protect the backline from becoming exposed.  

Group F

Christiane Endler – Chile

Sometimes the obvious answer is the right one. Many of us flagged Endler as the key player for Chile before the tournament, but we don’t really deserve credit for ‘calling’ that one because anyone with access to the internet and two minutes could have told you the same. But Endler really has been marvelous. She’s not the only reason the US scored ten fewer goals between their first and second game, but she’s a big part of why. Her saves were stupendous, even more so because they ran the gamut of different goalkeeping skill. Some were incredibly athletic, requiring significant extension in the air. Some were pure reflex, requiring instant movement. Some were purely about positioning – putting your body in the right spot to make the save virtually inevitable. The second half against the US was truly virtuosic, but she was good throughout all three games.

Kosovare Asllani – Sweden

Asllani used to be a rising star. She spent five years at PSG in France and Manchester City in England and always seemed to be just on the cusp of making the leap into the stratosphere. But it never quite happened. But since returning back to Linköpings in Sweden in 2017, she seems to have settled into a new phase of her career, one that makes her absolutely central to Sweden’s plans. Playing as a true number 10, Asllani is given the freedom to drift. Step back and she can play make from in front of the defensive line. Step forward and she becomes a second striker, able to make intelligent runs into space. Asllani is one of those players who needs only the barest bit of space to work with. Back off by even a foot and she’ll exploit the angle. She was the most dangerous Swedish attacker in the group stages–both in terms of chance creation and in terms of ultimate production. 

The World’s Best Soccer Nations? A Look At The Women’s Game in France And Croatia

Posted on by RJ Allen

After nearly a month of exciting football in Russia, we finally know who will be playing in the (Men’s) World Cup Final on Sunday. France, the hosts of next year’s Women’s World Cup, are hoping to repeat their 1998 success and join Argentina and Uruguay with two World Cup trophies. But while some people had Croatia as a dark horse in the tournament, very few saw them making it all the way to the Final. While France has won all of their matches without extra time or penalties, Croatia has gone to extra time or penalties for their last three matches. France are the favorites to win, but as Croatia has proven, anything can happen on game day. 

France and Croatia have beaten some of the best men’s sides in the world to get here. Some will call them the best soccer nations in the world. But what about their women’s teams? France offers a solid women’s side that always finds a way to the top international tournaments. But Croatia’s roster have faced more struggles. Here is a full breakdown of both sides: 

France

FIFA Ranking: 3rd

Head Coach: Corinne Diacre

Captain: Amadine Henry

Key Players: Wendie Renard (Lyon, FRA), Eugenie Le Sommer (Lyon, FRA), Amandine Henry (Lyon, FRA)

History: France has had an active national team since 1975. They qualified for their first World Cup in 2003, but didn’t really start to emerge as one of the best teams in the world until Bruno Bini took over as head coach. When Bini took over, France had a lot of young stars that would lead them to success in the coming years. In 2009, they made it to the quarterfinals of the Euros before losing to the Netherlands on penalties. In 2011, they qualified for the World Cup again and made a run to the semi-finals. They continued that success over the next four years and entered the 2015 World Cup as contenders for the championship. But they faced a daunting quarterfinal matchup against Germany. After 120 minutes played, France lost on penalties.

Where They Are Now: France is hosting the Women’s World Cup next summer, which means they have automatically qualified for the tournament. And while some think the hosts will make a run for the title, the team has a lot to work out before they can beat the best in the world. Many of their players play for Lyon, which is arguably the best team in the world. That may sound like a benefit, but the lack of competition within France means much of the French roster is being pushed to get better. In addition, the international retirement of players like Louisa Necib, Camile Abily, and Elodie Thomis has France looking for young talent. They certainly could benefit from finding their own Kylian Mbappe.

Croatia

FIFA Ranking: 53rd

Head Coach: Bozidar Miletic

Captain: Iva Landeka

Key Players: Iva Landeka (Rosengard, SWE), Sandra Zigic (Jena, GER), Maja Joscak (Osijek, CRO)

History: Croatia played their first international match in October of 1993 against Slovenia. In their 25 years, they have fluctuated between 44th and 65th in the FIFA Rankings. They became eligible for the Euro’s in 1995, but have never qualified. They did not enter the qualifiers for the 1995 or 1999 Women’s World Cups, but started playing qualifiers for the 2003 tournament. They have never qualified. Their most capped player—Sandra Zigic—has 58 caps and is still playing. In fact, of the top five most-capped players, four are still active for the national team. 

Where They Are Now: Currently, Croatia’s focus is trying to qualify for the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France. They are in a group with Sweden, Denmark, Ukraine, and Hungary, but unfortunately, they have not had much luck so far. They are at the bottom of the group, with only two points in seven matches.  It seems unlikely that they will qualify for this tournament and there aren’t a lot of signs of growth from the squad. They have yet to win a match in qualifiers, earning draws only against Hungary and Ukraine. Still, Croatia’s team has remained active and has a lot of young talent that could potentially develop into something. Only time will tell. 

So, are these two teams really the best soccer nations? With France, there is a strong argument. In addition to their success on the men’s side, their women’s team is ranked No. 3 in the world. They are hosting the next Women’s World Cup, and they are contenders to win that tournament. Even though France could and should be doing more to shrink the gap between the men’s and women’s teams, both of their national programs are widely respected around the world. But with Croatia, the argument is a lot harder. Despite obvious success on the men’s side, their women’s team has failed to even qualify for a major international tournament. Their federation is comparably young. Perhaps Croatia could use some of that prize money from the men’s tournament to invest in the women’s game as well. But as long as half the population remains virtually unrepresented, I don’t think you can call Croatia the best soccer nation in the world. Their run in the Men’s World Cup has been incredible. It’s time we see that success on the women’s side as well. 

The Unknown International: Amandine Henry

Posted on by RJ Allen

The NWSL may be the American women’s soccer league, but some of their strongest players come from all around the world. This series will look at some of those internationals that you may not know a lot about. Each article will highlight their style of play, the role they play on their national team, and the role they play in their club.

This time we’ll be looking to the Portland Thorns and French international Amandine Henry.

 

What Does She Do?

 Amandine Henry is a midfielder who plays for the Portland Thorns and the French National Team. Widely considered to be one of the best midfielders in the world, Henry is the only French international playing in the NWSL. She has diverse strengths in the midfield, being able to play both attacking and defensive roles depending on the situation. Prior to joining the Thorns, Henry spent nine seasons with Olympique Lyonnais (Lyon). She played a massive role in bringing the world’s attention to both Lyon and France.

 

L’Equipe de France

 Henry made her first senior appearance with the French national team in 2009. She has earned 61 caps for the senior team, appearing in the World Cup, the Olympics, and the Women’s Euros, and has scored six goals. She was a part of the team that won the SheBelieves Cup in the United States earlier this year, serving as the captain in their first match against England and starting in all three matches in the tournament. While she might struggle with a language barrier in Portland, on l’Equipe de France she is a vocal leader. She has been nominated for and won countless awards. In 2015 and 2016, she was put on the shortlist for FIFA Women’s Player of the Year.  In 2015, she made the FIFPro XI and was put on the shortlist for it again in 2016. Following the World Cup, she was named to the Women’s World Cup All-Star Team after starting in all five matches for France and scoring a goal in the group stage against Mexico. In 2015-2016, she was the runner-up for UEFA Women’s Player of the Year, which she ultimately lost to her former Lyon teammate Ada Hegerberg.

 

Portland Thorns FC

Henry plays more of a solidly defensive role on the Thorns. She started and played in the first twelve matches for the team this year and scored her first NWSL goal on May 27th in the team’s 2-0 win against the Boston Breakers. Last season, she earned ten appearances in nine starts for the Thorns, tallying one assist. Henry plays amongst a strong midfield in Portland, arguably the strongest midfield in the NWSL. Yet even amongst a crowd that includes players such as Tobin Heath, Dagny Brynjarsdottir, Lindsey Horan, Meg Morris, and Allie Long, Henry is a regular starter. That alone speaks volumes about her strength and skill. When she made her move to the NWSL last year, it was a massive boost for the league. Being able to draw one of the best players in the world away from one of the best teams in the world lifted the NWSL to another level. Henry’s reason for the move was quite clear—she wanted to win a championship in what she viewed to be the best women’s soccer league in the world. She’s still chasing after that dream—maybe this year will be the year it comes true.

Unsung Hero of the Week: Reliable Raso in the Rose City

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 Portland Thorn FC forward Hayley Raso.

The 22-year-old Australian is with her second NWSL club, playing for the Washington Spirit in 2015 and with the Thorns since 2016. Raso has proven to be a dynamic player, one who can be utilized as both forward and midfield for club and country. She has already made 21 appearances for Portland and in each one, she has been a steady and reliable player.

Portland 2-0 Boston

Having just faced off nine days previously (ending in 2-2 draw), these teams were already somewhat familiar with each other. Portland wasted no time in getting on the board and taking control of the game. An unfortunate own goal in the first minute by Boston’s Julie King gave the Thorns the early and unexpected lead.

Raso’s first major contribution came at the five-minute mark; as the Breakers were attempting to gain possession, she intercepted a pass at midfield and it it landed at the feet of Amandine Henry. The French playmaker looked around to pass but inevitably chose to take it herself and 20 yards out ripped a low shot to the right corner. It reminded me of how my old club coach would say “accuracy over power.” Henry did just that and it was somehow only her first goal as a Portland Thorn in 16 games.

The play started with the hustle and individual effort by Raso to win the ball. Portland quickly reaped the benefits of that kind of play, grabbing a two-goal lead at Providence Park. Anyone who knows anything about the NWSL, knows that when Portland get a comfortable lead at home, well, it’s almost impossible to come back and get any points in that kind of atmosphere. Raso and Henry gave the Thorns all they needed for the win on Saturday afternoon.

Throughout the game, I noticed Raso’s ability to win free kicks for her team, the first coming in the 10th minute. Raso dug her heels in to do a bit of defensive work and it paid off. She and Christine Sinclair doubled-teamed a Breaker on the sideline in Portland’s half and Raso came away with the free kick. It looked like a reminder to the opponent that even though Portland was winning, they wanted more and were working hard to show that.

Just one minute later, Raso would be at it again; this time it was just her and King fighting for the ball in Boston’s end. Raso got on the end of a Nadia Nadim ball and she tussled with Boston’s captain for a few seconds before Raso earned yet another free kick for her club, one in a more dangerous spot. While nothing came out of it, once again, Raso showed why she has earned a starting spot for Portland so far this season. Her energy and constant mobility remind me of a certain FCKC forward who is currently out of commission this season (Amy Rodriguez).

Raso could not be contained, this time making her presence known in the 17th minute. The Aussie made an identical run with Sinclair into the box, somehow getting in behind the backline of Boston for an impressive step-by-step play. Sinclair opted to take the shot, which just went wide, but I thought Sinclair should’ve passed to the open Raso. She made a lovely run to make herself available but the pass never came. Nonetheless, Raso had great movement throughout the whole play to present Portland with a serious opportunity.

Continuing her strong first half, Raso finally found some serious real estate in front of her in the 24th minute. Guided by an outlet pass from Portland’s own 18-yard-box thanks to the pinpoint service from Nadim, Raso was off to the races, competing against Boston’s Emilie Haavi for possession. Raso took it wide, took heavy contact from Haavi and I’m sure you guessed it … earned another free kick.

Once again, the Thorns failed to capitalize on it but it’s a perfect example of how Raso does in 1v1 situations and her vision to take it wide knowing she needed to wait a few more seconds for her teammates. Due to the foul, she never got the chance to get service into the box but getting that set piece was just as important.

One last example of how well Raso played this past weekend was in the 75th minute. The Thorns won a ball 20 yards out and two seconds later Raso sent a perfect pass to Lindsey Horan who had snuck inside the box. Horan would’ve had the shot, but Allie Long was making the same run from across the box so they collided and the play went dead.

Raso was making these small but important plays all game for Portland. She was one of the most active players on both sides of the ball. It didn’t have the outcomes they wanted (like goals or assists), but her liveliness and effort didn’t go unnoticed. The more I watch her play, the more I want to see her on the field for Portland when available. She is young and extremely talented and has proven how useful she can be.

Can The Rose City Blossom Once Again?

Posted on by RJ Allen

The 2017 Portland Thorns will look very similar to last season’s team, and if you’re a Rose City fan, that’s got to be a great feeling. For Portland, three important elements of the NWSL Shield-winning 2016 team are back:  an explosive offense, a core veteran group, and a dominant defense. There’s only really one area of concern–who will stand in goal for the Thorns–but we’ll dive into that below.

The Thorns were lucky this off-season, not having any major holes or weak areas that need addressing, but with a handful of European internationals likely to be called up for the 2017 Euros in July, head coach Mark Parsons had to be strategic in his pick-ups and trades.

Departures:

Michelle Betos (GK) – Left to play professionally in Norway for Valerenga. Being the solid starter for Portland in 2016 and earning NWSL Goalkeeper of the year the season before, Betos will be missed greatly. She was one of the leaders and fan-favorites as well. I’m still not sure how Portland were not able to keep her in a Thorns uniform, she was extremely important to the success this team had. 

McKenzie Berryhill (D) – Selected in the third round of the 2016 draft, Berryhill played in five matches. She was claimed by Orlando City on waivers last August. With such little time on the field, her absence won’t likely make a big impact on the Thorns’ performance this season. 

Maureen Fitzgerald (M), Shade Pratt (D), and Samantha Lofton (D) – These three amateur players called in last June to  help fill in during for National team players Meghan Klingenberg, Allie Long, and Emily Sonnett who were away for the 2016 Olympics in Rio. The trio are back on the reserve team to start the 2017 season. 

Jennifer Skogerboe (D) – Portland signed her last June as Mark Parsons realized that she was a versatile player, someone who could play full back, center back, attacking midfielder, and even holding midfield if needed. With so many players on NT duty over the season, this kind of versatility was much needed. Skogerboe appeared in three matches and after the Thorns declined her 2017 contract option, she went on to sign with the South Korean club Suwon FMC. 

Kat Williamson (D) – Williamson spent three years in Portland, winning the 2013 Championship with the Thorns as well as helping win the 2016 Shield, and announced her retirement at the end of last season. The 27-year-old was the club’s first-ever draft selection back in 2013 when they took her eighth overall from the University of Florida. She appeared in 47 matches and had become a reliable player. While it is unfortunate she chose to retire, Portland’s defense is very strong. Still, her experience on the field will be missed.  

 

Additions:

Britt Eckerstrom (GK) – This is the most exciting addition the the Thorns for me. The second-year player was acquired from the North Carolina Courage in a trade that sent two fourth-round picks in the 2018 NWSL College Draft to the newest franchise in the league. Eckerstrom is young and appeared once with her draft team (known at the time as the Western New York Flash), but she has the talent and work ethic to make it in the NWSL. Considering the fact that Adrianna Franch’s play can be questionable at times, I would like to see if Eckerstrom has what it takes to earn the starting spot. This position will be a battle all season long. 

Ashleigh Sykes (F) – It was announced at the beginning of March that Portland had signed Australian forward Sykes. She won the Golden Boot for Canberra in the 2016 season, grabbing 12 goals. Sykes has explosive talent and a serious knack for scoring. She will be another weapon for the Parsons arsenal to be used, and is expected to report in June.

Spread Offense?

Let’s begin with the offense.

Portland scored 35 goals in 2016, second only to the Western New York Flash (now North Carolina Courage), who ended up taking home the NWSL Championship trophy in October.  Good news for the reigning NWSL Shield winners–Portland’s leading scorer in the 2016 season, Danish international Nadia Nadim, will be returning to PDX to cause havoc for the opposition once again.  Nadim will be looking to best the personal record she set last season, netting nine goals in 21 games.

But Nadim certainly wasn’t the only one who found success on Portland’s score sheet last year. Canada’s pioneer Christine Sinclair contributed seven while the Iceland international and NWSL newcomer Dagný Brynjarsdóttir found the back of the net five times. Two Americans rounded out the high scorers, with newcomer Lindsey Horan and longtime Thorn Allie Long each adding six to the Thorn’s total goals.

The most important piece of the offense, though, is midfielder Tobin Heath. Considered a mastermind of tricky foot skills (especially her nutmeg and snake skills), and one of the most intense players on the pitch (although she makes everything look relaxed and effortless), Heath is always up for some one-on-one action. She only managed one goal last season but she was the league leader in assists with 10. What makes it even more impressive is that Heath did that in just 14 games.

Still, in addition to Heath, French star Amandine Henry must also be mentioned here. Henry played just nine games in 2016 for Portland after being acquired from Olympique Lyonnais in March. Hopefully Henry can get healthy and have more of an impact this season, especially now that she’s had successful groin surgery this past November to repair some nagging damage. 

It’s not too outlandish to say that if Henry has a more productive season (and all the other pieces fall into place) Portland could find themselves in the title game. Henry was on the FIFA shortlist for best Women’s Player of the Year in 2016. She has the ability to turn the game around with just one pass, one goal, or one world class play. While Portland have many of the necessary elements to get them to the post-season again this year, Henry was brought to the Rose City for a reason–to win Championships. They were so close last season, they could find themselves in the title game if the French star plays her part. 

 

Plenty of Experience

Every successful team needs a group of veteran players to help guide the mission and vision of the squad, and to share their knowledge and experiences. The core group that has been in Portland since day one consists of Heath, Sinclair, and Long. With a combined 189 appearances for Portland, they have more than committed to this team. Each player comes back every year with one goal in mind-winning the NWSL Championship.

Since winning the NWSL championship back in 2013, these veterans have each been vital to the Thorns becoming one of the most respected teams in the world. They each bring something different to the pitch–Heath distributes the ball very well, while Long and Sinclair have been two of the best finishers since the league began in 2013. 

In what could be considered down years in 2014 and 2015, Portland finished third and sixth respectively. They had players like Alex Morgan and Rachel Van Hollebecke on the roster then, but during that time National Team players were frequently gone for World Cup Qualifying events and eventually the World Cup in 2015. When that happens it is extremely difficult to sustain any kind of the chemistry needed to be successful. 

In 2016 they reached the semifinal game but lost to Western New York in a wild seven-goal overtime thriller at their home pitch, Portland’s Providence Park. Like many fans, I expected them to win and be in the title game, but it wasn’t to be. Heath and Long played a solid game, Sinclair got on the score sheet. But none of that was quite enough. WNYF youth combined with pressure on the Thorns midfield eventually wore down Portland’s attempts moving forward. The Flash offense wouldn’t stop, they kept finding cracks in the Thorns defense and eventually the effort paid off for them. 

So to say that this season those veterans are returning and will be hungry to accomplish even more would be an understatement. That loss in front of 20,086 Rose City faithful surely left a bitter taste in their mouths.

But their veteran depth doesn’t stop with that core. This season Meghan Klingenberg and Nadia Nadim will be returning to play in Portland again. These two players were key in the Thorn’s drive towards the 2016 playoffs. Nadim took fourth in the league in scoring, while Klingenberg helped to anchor the best defense in the league’s historic fourth season. The fact that both will be proudly wearing Thorn colors again this season is welcome news for the fans.

 

A Steady Defense

The 2017 Thorns will be able to boast the return of their strong defensive line, a backline that allowed in just 19 goals in 21 games. Klingenberg, Emily Menges, Emily Sonnett, and Katherine Reynolds led the league in goals against last year, with Chicago and KC close behind with only 20 each.  But the Thorns aren’t just concerned about this year–they’re interested in building for the future, which is why it’s important to note that Sonnett and Menges are just 23 and 24 years, balancing the more veteran players with them on the line (Reynolds and Klingenberg are 29 and 28, respectively) and certainly benefiting from both the experience and the guidance.

Last season was the first these four played together and it was uncertain how (or if) they would pan out. Menges joined the team as the 25th pick at the 2014 draft, and has already become an extremely reliable defender, appearing 59 times, while Sonnett was drafted first overall in the 2016 NWSL College Draft and has a reputation for being very organized on the line. Both work well in tight spaces, using their quickness to get out of trouble. 

Kling and Reynolds have been around a bit longer. Klingenberg, drafted by Houston in the 2014 Expansion Draft, was part of a three-way trade that sent Alex Morgan to Orlando in late 2015, and briefly landed her in Seattle for about a week before being sent to Rose City. Reynolds has been shopped around a little more, playing for WNYF in 2013-2014 before being traded to the Washington Spirit in 2015. But she seems to have found a home in Portland. Kling brings the energy all game and she likes to get involved in the offense as well. Reynolds also is known for getting into the attack, not afraid to take that chance to create a scoring opportunity. Now that this group of players have a year under the belt as a defense, I expect more of the same from these two in 2017

With these four returning to the Thorns backline, I see no reason why they can’t once again be dominating and unforgiving to opposing offenses.

 

Dilemma between the posts?

With the departure of starting goalkeeper Michelle Betos, the Portland Thorns now have to figure out who they can rely on to keep their Goals Against stats low. Adrianna Franch has been with the Thorns just one season after playing for WNYF in 2013 and in Norway for Avaldsnes in 2015. And in this past off-season, Portland landed Britt Eckerstrom from WNYF in exchange for two fourth-round draft picks in the 2018 College Draft.

Franch will have the slight upper hand having played in the league already and with 28 appearances to her name. But 26-year-old has yet to prove she can again be a starting keeper for a whole season, something she hasn’t done since 2013.  In the six games she started for Portland last season Franch earned three shutouts while making 19 saves. How well she performs in pre-season will decide who is the clear front-runner. Even with this small sample size, could Franch live up to her full potential and be the starting keeper for the Thorns? My answer is no. I believe Franch would be better utilized as the back-up. She has not played admirably or consistently since 2013, and I just don’t have that kind of faith in her anymore. 

Meanwhile Eckerstrom is a fresh talent and eager to make an impact. She led Penn State to a DI Championship in 2015, and ended her college career with a .80 goals against average and had an impressive record of 64-14-3. In her brief time with Western New York she made one appearance for the eventual NWSL Champions while showing a .67 goals against average and looked strong as a rookie under Sabrina D’Angelo. Some could say that going with Eckerstrom would be a risk considering she has minimal professional experience but I actually am hoping she wins the job in preseason. I want to see how well she works with this backline when it matters and if she can help fill some of the void that Betos has left.

Considering all of the above, this is a team that is ready to go on paper. But we all know that’s not what it takes to win championships. With this kind of roster I fully expect the Portland Thorns to make the 2017 playoffs.

2017 Portland Thorns Roster

GOALKEEPERS (2): Britt Eckerstrom, Adrianna Franch

DEFENDERS (5): Kendall Johnson, Meghan Klingenberg (FED-USA), Emily Menges, Katherine Reynolds, Emily Sonnett (FED-USA)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Celeste Boureille, Dagny Brynjarsdottir (INTL-ISL), Amandine Henry (INTL-FRA), Lindsey Horan (FED-USA), Allie Long (FED-USA), Mana Shim, Mallory Weber

FORWARDS (6): Tobin Heath (FED-USA), Meg Morris, Nadia Nadim (INTL-DEN), Hayley Raso (INTL-AUS), Christine Sinclair (FP-CAN), Ashleigh Sykes (INTL-AUS, OOM)

Around the World of WoSo: Crummer to Seattle and Canberra takes Prem

Posted on by RJ Allen

Seattle Sign Crummer:

Laura Harvey has signed Australian Larissa Crummer, who is 21 years old and has emerged from a defender to talented forward since turning pro in 2013. Her previous club experiences were with Sydney FC and Brisbane Roar before signing on with Melbourne City in 2015.

Crummer’s profile went up significantly when she scored City’s first ever goal in the W-League in September of 2015. Crummer won the Golden boot for that season, scoring 11 goals, three ahead of former Reign great, Kim Little. The young forward also made her Matilda debut in the summer of 2015, appearing twice in the Women’s World Cup in Canada. Crummer will be a nice addition to the Seattle forward group that has vet Bev Yanez and two rookies in Katie Johnson and Arielle Ship.

Adelaide Shock Sydney:

Sixth place Adelaide United spoiled Sydney’s chance of finishing first and grabbing the premiership this past weekend. Two players who made sure of it were Adriana Jones and Sofia Huerta, who each scored to put Sydney away in a convincing 5-2 match. All season, these two have been almost unstoppable, with Jones tallying nine goals and two assists while Huerta grabbed eight goals with five assists.

With the win, Adelaide finish the regular season out of the top-four. But they should be proud of how they finished the season, absolutely energized and scoring 17 goals the last three games. Meanwhile, Sydney falls to third place but will be in the semifinals this upcoming weekend. While the Premiership isn’t up for grabs anymore, the Championship still is. They must re-focus and re-group if they want to beat Perth on Sunday.

Henry Loaned to PSG:

Portland Thorns midfielder Amandine Henry has announced her loan to French giant, Paris Saint-Germain this past weekend. In her brief time with Portland in 2016, Henry played in nine matches, grabbing one assist and helping the Thorns to the NWSL Shield.

Henry has plenty of familiarity with the Division 1 Feminine league, as she spent nine successful seasons there prior to coming to the NWSL. Now the 27 year-old moves on to PSG for six months, joining the likes of Shirley Cruz, Veronica Boquete, Marie-Laure Delie, Erika and Laura Georges. Last season PSG finished second to Lyon, who once again will be serious challengers for the title.

Canberra Wins Third Premiership:

Canberra United have secured its third Premier in program history. The best team in the regular season with seven wins, two draws, and three losses, they scored the most goals in 12 games, accumulating 33 goals in that span, with a 2.75 average per game. United also have the Golden Boot winner in Ashleigh Sykes, who scored 12 goals and added two assists along the way.

Ending the regular season with a 5-1 thrashing of Melbourne Victory pushed Canberra to first, while keeping Victory in last place and ending a disappointing season to say the least. United still have unfinished business as they meet Melbourne City for a semifinal match on Saturday.

Riley to NC:

The North Carolina Courage (formerly known as Western New York Flash) are the newest team in the NWSL, but they are also the defending champions. The coach that led them was Paul Riley, who previously coached the Portland Thorns (2013-2015) but only managed to make the playoffs once in those seasons. Riley led the Flash to a championship in 2016 which surprised many, so it’s no wonder the club wants him back.

The NC Courage are bringing back most of the roster from last year, including Sam Mewis, Lynn Williams and Jess McDonald, all who were major influences for WNYF winning the title. It may be a new club with a new location, but to have so much of the same personnel and now coach has to be exciting for the fans, old and new.

Dydasco Re-signs with Spirit:

The Washington Spirit finally have some good news to share with fans, as they have announced that Caprice Dydasco will be back for the 2017 season. Dydasco went down with a knee injury in the NWSL Championship game last October and has since been recovering and preparing to get back on the field as soon as possible.

The 23 year-old defender played in 14 games last season for the Spirit, starting 12 of those. Taken in the third round of the 2015 NWSL College Draft out of UCLA, Dydasco has shown improvements in each of the last 2 seasons. She has worked her way into the starting eleven, and with the crazy off-season Washington are having, Dydasco could be an important piece when she returns.