Tag: Chicago Red Stars

Soccer Takes From Jake: NWSL Semi-Final Edition

Posted on by RJ Allen

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

Well, these are some solid people to start with:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here is your music video break.

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

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Week 22

Posted on by RJ Allen

[media-credit name=”Kelley Piper” align=”aligncenter” width=”300″][/media-credit]

Backline Soccer Recap:

Quick Fire Week 22 Game Previews:

We have arrived in the final week of the 2017 NWSL season before the playoffs arrive and what a season it has been! The four playoff teams are set: North Carolina, Portland, Chicago, and Orlando have all secured their spot. Let’s take a look at how the final regular season weekend matches up. 

Game 1: Portland Thorns vs. Chicago Red Stars

Portland Thorns record: 13-5-5
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 44

Chicago Red Stars record: 11-6-6
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 39

With second place securely locked up in the playoffs, I assume that Head Coach Mark Parsons will be looking at resting some starters to prepare for the home semi-final match the next weekend. Then again, this may be their semi-final matchup so they may want to test some things before that. With one of the best defenses in the league, they will look to contain the Red Stars attacking push. But the struggle they had last week against Orlando was spending so much time defending they were unable to get much going on the offensive end. This worked against Orlando but may not work against Chicago who will exploit the width that Orlando didn’t. So their task this week, if they want to win, will be to spur their offensive attack a lot more than they have been. 

Chicago will need a draw or win to secure the third place spot in the playoffs or for Orlando to draw or lose. This week will be interesting if they decide to go the resting route to prepare for the semi-finals or go all out as this environment and team may be who their semi-final opponent is. By the end of last weeks match the Red Stars looked exhausted as their starters have been put through the ringer this season. If we assume no one rests this should be quite the matchup. While Chicago’s defense has suffered a bit over the last several games, Vanessa DiBernardo coming back to the field will help settle everyone around her and get Chicago clicking better. Chicago will also be without Yuki Nagasato this week due to red-card suspension. Chicago will need the offensive prowess of Christen Press and Sofia Huerta to make something happen for them up top. And the defense will need to make sure to not let Portland get any pockets of space to allow the likes of Hayley Raso to speed past them.

Game 2: Washington Spirit vs. Seattle Reign

Washington Spirit record: 5-15-4
Position: 10th
Total Points: 19

Seattle Reign record: 8-8-7
Position: 5th
Total Points: 31

Washington was only able to put two field substitutes on the field last week due to injury and by the end, the team just looked exhausted. I expect this week to see them put up a good fight in their last home match but that will entirely depend on what Seattle team shows up to play. Washington has some great pieces, save for the offside calls, Mal Pugh netted two goals last game for the Spirit. I expect her to be just as involved this week in sparking the offense. It will be up to the defense, which has struggled especially since Estelle Johnson went out, to stave off the Seattle attack.

Megan Rapinoe is out for the final match of the Reign 2017 season due to yellow card accumulation. With nothing left to play for but pride, I expect Seattle to come out blazing and playing a lot more free. This will also be the final match of her career for Elli Reed, who is retiring. Combine those two and I expect Seattle to not have too many issues this week with a depleted Spirit side. 

Game 3: Boston Breakers vs. Sky Blue FC

Boston Breakers record: 4-12-7
Position: 9th
Total Points: 19

Sky Blue FC record: 9-11-3
Position: 6th
Total Points: 30

Boston has had pockets of good throughout the season but find themselves in a very similar predicament to last year. Progress has been made but they still are not winning very much. With their big road win last week against the Spirit, they carry that momentum into their final match of the season to their house. This week Boston’s biggest task will be shutting down Sam Kerr and letting her capitalize on any opportunities because if they’re there, she’s taking them. Sky Blue’s defensive struggles have been apparent this season and Boston is starting to see a bit of a spark in their offensive. If they can take advantage of that weakness and the opportunities it will inevitably produce, we could see this game go either way.

Sky Blue will be looking to end their season on a high note after fighting to a good draw with the first-place Courage last weekend. Sky Blue saw a lot of opportunities last week against a tough team but could not finish their chances. But this week, with Boston on the struggling end of things as well, if they can capitalize on mistakes and opportunities from the Boston defense, Sam Kerr just might get that goal record this weekend. 

Game 4: North Carolina Courage vs. Orlando Pride 

North Carolina Courage record: 15-6-1
Position: 1st
Total Points: 49

Orlando Pride record: 10-6-7
Position: 4th
Total Points: 37

The Courage are coming into this game on short rest and with the shield locked up, I would not be surprised to see some starters resting. Both Jaelene Hinkle and Katelyn Rowland were completely rested and Taylor Smith saw limited minutes. This may have been in part to save players for this weekend’s match as it is also a potential match we will see in the semi-finals if current standings hold. This will be a deciding factor I think it what we may see in the outcome of the weekend. Overall, the Courage have not scored the most goals this season but enough to firmly cement their place at the top. Sam Mewis has been stellar and will be a threat both offensively and defensively this weekend. The Courage will be tasked with making sure that Marta and Alex Morgan are not given many chances to connect as the Pride engine relies on that a lot. 

The Pride are coming in this weekend with a lot less pressure as they were able to clinch the final playoff spot thanks to the result of the FCKC and Seattle game last weekend. The Pride would be pressed to treat this match like a playoff as this could very well be who they are facing in the semi-final but I can also see Head Coach Tom Sermanni giving some players a rest who may be dealing with slight injuries or fatigue. If I was a betting woman, I do not think we will see Steph Catley this weekend due to the small knock she took last week against Portland. The Pride need to make sure they are exploiting the wide areas against the Courage this week as Portland was able to shut down their entire offensive game last week by making them play too tight. While the Pride defense has gotten a lot better in the last several games, the Courage attack can give them fits if they do not keep their line tight and organized. 

Game 5: FC Kansas City vs. Houston Dash

FC Kansas City record: 8-9-6
Position: 7th
Total Points: 30

Houston Dash record: 7-14-2
Position: 8th
Total Points: 23

FCKC put a dagger in the playoff hopes of the Seattle Reign last week and have been on a successful run for their last several games. With the Dash clearly struggling on and off the field, I expect to see FCKC finish their season on a positive note. Look this week for them to exploit the defensive scramble that the Courage were able to mid-week. And if Becky Sauerbrunn plays like she did against Seattle, Houston will have a very hard time getting anything through the defensive line. 

Houston is coming into this game after a 4-0 loss and short rest. We saw a few players rest on Wednesday but I do not expect much of that today, seeing as it is the final game of their season. On Wednesday, their defensive struggled mightily against everything the Courage were throwing at them. This match they will face similar with Shea Groom and Sydney Leroux both springing the offensive attack. Amber Brooks has been a stalwart in defense but she is only one person and if Houston hops to make it out of this match unscathed, she and Jane Campbell will need a lot more help.

The Scouting Report:

We went live on Monday night with our weekly TSR. A reminder that you can catch TSR live every Monday night at 8pm EST on our YouTube channel. Make sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @ScoutingPodcast.

In case you missed the episode, catch up here:

Soccer Takes From Jake: End Of The Line

Posted on by RJ Allen

AND SO THE NWSL PLAYOFFS ARE SET
It’s weird that we’re getting two playoff preview matches on the final weekend of the regular season, but here we are. All four teams will go into them definitely with the intent of using them as film study for the semi-final matches next weekend. The results will surely help set a tone for the win or go home stakes of next weekend, so in a way you can look at the Portland/Chicago and North Carolina/Orlando matches as basically the first leg of the NWSL Playoffs.

HERE WE ARE, WEEK 22, THE FINAL WEEK OF THE REGULAR SEASON
And what a ride it has been.

PORTLAND THORNS OVER CHICAGO RED STARS
For your first NWSL Semi-Final preview, you have Portland hosting Chicago. Decades ago, in another sport, someone playing for Chicago wearing the number 23 lit up a team from Portland. I don’t see the Red Stars’ number 23 doing something similar. Portland is too well balanced of a team and at home, they will look to set the tone and show the Red Stars what’s to come next weekend in a win or go home scenario.

SEATTLE REIGN FC OVER WASHINGTON SPIRIT
The Seattle Impossible did not happen and for the second straight season, the Reign FC miss the playoffs. Where their offseason goes, I think is going to be dictated by if head coach/general manager Laura Harvey becomes the new manager of the England Women’s National Team. No one in their right mind will dispute her credentials, so we shall see what happens in the not too distant future. In the immediate future, Reign win this one on the field and who knows what happens around it in this year’s edition of The Bill Lynch Derby.

BOSTON BREAKERS AND SKY BLUE FC PLAY TO A DRAW
I’m glad the Breakers are keeping head coach Matt Beard for next season. It’s not his fault Rose Lavelle came back broken from national team duty. The development of the Breakers under Beard’s system should be allowed to have more time and with an actually healthy franchise player. While I don’t think we’ll get any solid evidence of what the 2018 Boston Breakers will be from this match, the comfort for the players knowing he will be back I think takes away some anxiety of needing to play for their future. Breakers open the scoring, but Sky Blue’s Sam Kerr answers back and yep becomes the new queen of most goals in an NWSL season, surpassing Kim Little.

NORTH CAROLINA COURAGE OVER ORLANDO PRIDE
North Carolina secured the NWSL Shield, but just like the preview of the Thorns/Red Stars match, this will be a preview of the number 1 seed versus the number 4. Orlando needs to win to move up to the 3 seed, but no way North Carolina loses this one going into the playoffs.

FC KANSAS CITY OVER HOUSTON DASH
It’s crazy to think that in one offseason, the NWSL could lose its two most successful coaches. Just as much as there is uncertainty over the future of Laura Harvey in Seattle, the same can be said about Vlatko Andonovski in Kansas City. Time will tell if we are going to see the last match of the Vlatko Andonovski Era in Kansas City, but take away that question, Kansas City is still the better team and handles Houston easily.

Here is your last music video break of the regular season.

Song: “Cut Chemist Suite” | Artist: Ozomatli

Soccer Takes From Jake: Oh, England

Posted on by RJ Allen

IN THEORY…
Let’s talk about things that are good in theory. Specifically football governing bodies.

Whether it’s FIFA, US Soccer, The FA (of England), these entities mean well and over the years sure have done plenty of good in terms of organizing the beautiful game, forming leagues, and all that jazz.

At the same time, for every bit of good they do, boy do they have some spectacular transgressions that wash out their mission statements and leave us with a bland taste in the mouth that tends towards bad – like eating anything from Subway.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock and/or are choosing to plug your ears, on Wednesday, The FA told Mark Sampson to get to walking. They didn’t give him the boot over the allegations of racial abuse of Eniola Aluko or Katie Chapman’s claims that he dropped her from national team consideration as she was going through a divorce. Instead, he was fired because of his transgressions while he was coach at Bristol City in 2014.

Here’s where things get really stupid.

Those transgressions apparently weren’t deemed to be fireable transgressions – just one that didn’t make him look good (HUH?!). It was only when  Sampson’s now former boss, FA big boss Martin Glenn read the Bristol City report in full  (HUH?!) that he decided to give Sampson the boot.

Oh Marty, why oh why did you just wait until last week to read the Bristol City report? Were you getting annoyed at everyone on social media rightfully tearing into Sampson regarding Aluko and the growing support for her as well as the emergence of Chapman? It’s hard to swallow the idea that the FA simply forgot about this report. Surely as you were getting settled into the job, you’d be told about important things like investigations into your senior national team manager being a scumbag.

When they were talking about today’s events on TalkSport, someone said that the “best” thing for The FA  to do at this point is lay out all their cards on the table. Likely alluding to making that Bristol City report available for the public to read and just see for themselves how bad Sampson’s conduct was. This whole notion of that whatever his conduct was, it wasn’t a risk to the safeguard of players is quite the eyebrow-raiser. If the assertions from the Bristol City report are Sampson was pretty much a scumbag, how is that not a threat to player’s safety and well-being, physically and/or mentally? I’m really going to need an adult to explain that one to me.

It’s one thing to appoint someone with the charisma of a paper towel tube, like Roy Hodgson being appointed to the men’s side. Some might even say it’s hilariously fitting. It’s a completely different thing to know someone has a dark cloud above them and still give them the keys. The FA’s position is, basically: “While we feel Mark Sampson is not a racist, we’ve determined that he was kind of a scumbag.” That is the message The FA, under Martin Glenn’s helm have chosen to close the Mark Sampson era as manager of their senior national team. You and The FA might feel like you’ve done the right thing in dumping him now before more voices get louder and stronger with the receipts, but you put this stain on yourself and reputation of the governing body as a whole by not taking it seriously years ago. Matthew Lawson at The Daily Mail said it best: how can you survive the way this one has been mishandling?

So let’s actually get it all on the table.  Omit the names to protect their privacy if you must, but we the public deserve to read that Bristol City report. Trying to keep it all away from public eyes is only going to heighten the scrutiny and when it’s eventually leaked, things will only be worse. Get it all out now, and let’s have a true accounting. 

Fans are going to trash the governing body executives for all kinds of reasons – not liking who they appoint, corruption, ineptitude, etc. But that’s all standard stuff. When those suits turn a blind eye to genuinely awful behavior, public trust will go out the window for good. If there was any defense for their actions, they need to put it out there, or risk a total collapse of legitimacy. 

We can all concede that overseeing a governing body is not an easy job and there are tons of moving parts. However if you’re involved in the game and when it’s time to actually govern for the right, moral reasons and you don’t – this is what undermines your practices and render the entity as just… good in theory.

WEEK 21 NWSL PREDICTIONS
Hey, back to actual soccer and stuff that happens on the field!

PORTLAND THORNS OVER ORLANDO PRIDE
Reign FC fans might find it weird hoping Portland does them a solid and beat Orlando to keep their playoff hopes alive, but there is incentive for the Thorns to win this in general. They are two points behind the North Carolina Courage and the allure of retaining the NWSL Shield for best regular season record is there for them.

WASHINGTON SPIRIT AND BOSTON BREAKERS PLAY TO A DRAW
They’ll play this game and probably not a whole lot of eventful things will happen.

HOUSTON DASH AND CHICAGO RED STARS PLAY TO A DRAW
The Red Stars need a win to keep their grip on the three-seed but I can see this one being a draw, leaving us at least a little bit of drama going into the final weekend.

NORTH CAROLINA COURAGE OVER SKY BLUE FC
The Portland Thorns are right on North Carolina’s heels for that NWSL Shield. While I don’t think Paul Riley’s squad views that piece of hardware as a priority, it sure would do a nice job of trying their championship from last year under a different name together with their new position in NC.

SEATTLE REIGN FC OVER FC KANSAS CITY
Who knows if the tone of the FourFourTwo article will have an affect on the Blues coming into Seattle, but with things in flux and in Seattle’s home finale, they should be amped up. I don’t see a shootout but I can see Seattle throwing everything including the kitchen sink to get the full three points and make that final weekend of the regular season exciting and anxiety-inducing.

So yes, the third and fourth playoff seeds will come down to the final weekend. Hope you remained buckled into the roller coaster that is the NWSL. Here’s your music video break.

Song: “Doing It For The Money” | Artist: Foster The People

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Week 21

Posted on by RJ Allen

[media-credit name=”Kelley Piper” align=”aligncenter” width=”300″][/media-credit]

Backline Soccer Recap:

Quick Fire Week 21 Game Previews:

We have just two games left (three for North Carolina and Houston) in the 2017 NWSL season and what a season it has been. We seen more parity between the upper part of the table than years before, which should make an exciting playoff setup. There are three teams competing for the final two playoff positions, Seattle, Orlando, and Chicago. If Orlando and Chicago win this weekend or Seattle loses, both will secure the playoff positions. Let’s break down what to look forward to this weekend. 

Game 1: Orlando Pride vs. Portland Thorns

Orlando Pride record: 10-6-6
Position: 4th
Total Points: 36

Portland Thorns record: 13-5-4
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 43

Orlando’s final home game of the season has serious implications. A win puts them into the playoffs. They would already be there if not for a crazy last second goal by Jess Fishlock last week, but they’ll hope to put it to bed this time around. They’ll need to be careful about the minutes of their returning players who were on national team duty. Six of the eleven starters were with their national teams, Marta, Monica, Steph Catley, Alanna Kennedy, Alex Morgan, and Ashlyn Harris, but only four of them saw minutes. Hopefully they are prepared and recovered enough to put in a solid shift. Alex Morgan is on a tear, with three goals in the two games for the USWNT. If she takes this form into Saturday, Portland will be hard-pressed to shut her down. The Pride’s biggest task will be their defense. Ali Krieger is their leader in the back but she cannot be expected to cover everyone. Portland will put up a big test and it will be up to the backline to shut them down.

Portland also has players returning from international duty, including Allie Long, Tobin Heath, Lindsey Horan, Hayley Raso, Amandine Henry, and Nadia Nadim, all of whom saw minutes. Tobin Heath played about fifteen minutes for the USWNT on Tuesday night so I would expect her to maybe get 20-30 minutes in this match as a sub. They will not want to push her too much.  Portland started the season slow, looking unable to make much happen with top players not producing and the loss of Heath. But in recent games, they’re starting to look much better. That said, their last game against Boston wasn’t great, and if they come out in the same way this time, it could make for a long and difficult game. 

Game 2: Washington Spirit vs. Boston Breakers

Washington Spirit record: 5-13-4
Position: 9th
Total Points: 19

Boston Breakers record: 3-12-7
Position: 10th
Total Points: 16

Washington has had a very tough season. They have few healthy players on the bench to sub in. This week they take on the Breakers, who have also been seriously struggling, in what seems to be a race for the number one draft pick. The Spirit were able to pull off a great win against Sky Blue last time out, and will hope to build on that performance. The biggest thing for them at this point in their season is just to take care of their players and keep them healthy and motivated for next year.

Boston is currently sitting in last place. If you had said that would be the case after the first few weeks of the season, I would have called you a liar. But here they are. Boston is in a similar position as the Spirit in terms of needing good draft picks next season to help build their team. This week, with Mal Pugh looking to start to hit a bit of a stride, they will want to work to contain her and work their way through the Spirit defense. 

Game 3: Houston Dash vs. Chicago Red Stars

Houston Dash record: 7-12-2
Position: 8th
Total Points: 23

Chicago Red Stars record: 10-6-6
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 36

The Dash are out of the playoffs but have the opportunity to play spoiler a bit for the Red Stars if they can pull off the win. Houston really has nothing to lose at this point so it will be interesting to see how they come out. If that’s going to happen, I think it starts with Rachel Daly finally getting in more on the attack and another big game from Jane Campbell. She was away on national team duty but did not see any minutes so should be fresh. The Dash have looked decent at times, but often just do not seem to have a clear game plan. Lack of a real head coach might have something to do with that. Against the Red Stars, they will have a lot to handle, with plenty of big names like Yuki Nagasato and Julie Ertz coming at them. But the Chicago defense has been shakier of late, so there is room for Houston to make a mark here. 

Chicago are in a similar position to Orlando: win, and they’re in. They also had six players with the USWNT, Alyssa Naeher, Christen Press, Julie Ertz, Sofia Huerta, Casey Short, and Morgan Brian. All six saw minutes, with both Ertz and Naeher seeing significant time. The team has seemed a bit sluggish and off their mark for several games now but have managed to pull together enough positive results to keep things afloat.  Christen Press has dipped a bit in form, but I expect her to step up this weekend and push her team into the playoffs. Julie Ertz is coming off a hot two games with the USWNT, and should be able to bring that energy to Chicago as well. Overall, if their big players produce as they should, the Red Stars should not have much trouble this week against the Dash.

Game 4: Sky Blue FC vs. North Carolina Courage

Sky Blue FC record: 9-11-2
Position: 6th
Total Points: 29

North Carolina Courage record: 15-6-0
Position: 1st
Total Points: 45

Sky Blue is officially out of the playoffs which may afford them the opportunity to play more freely this week, and with Sam Kerr on the prowl, that could end up being deadly. Facing the Courage will be a tough challenge, but we have seen them pull off some big wins this year, and if anyone is going to give the Carolina defense a rough time, it’s Kerr and company. Defensively, things look dicier, so they’ll try to keep things as tight as possible, but victory is most likely going to be a matter of outscoring the opposition.  

The Courage are still sitting atop the standings and will be looking to stay there through the end. They also had players off on national team duty. Lynn Williams, Taylor Smith, Abby Dahlkemper, Sam Mewis, Denise O’Sullivan, and Debinha all saw minutes. I don’t expect much experimentation here – they know what works, and will want to focus on locking things in for the playoffs. That said, they have a lot of depth, so we might see them do a bit of minute-management for those who were busy with their national teams. Whoever they run out, North Carolina’s attack will be strong, and will definitely look to exploit a fragile Sky blue backline. 

Game 5: Seattle Reign vs. FC Kansas City

Seattle Reign record: 8-7-7
Position: 5th
Total Points: 31

FC Kansas City record: 7-9-6
Position: 7th
Total Points: 27

Seattle needs a win (and a Orlando and Chicago loss) to stay in the playoff hunt. It is no small task but they have the fight to make it happen. FCKC has been officially eliminated, but are playing some of their best soccer of the year, so could pose a serious challenge to the Reign. Defense has been an issue all season for the Reign but signing Lydia Williams has locked up the back a bit as she has saved their butts quite a few times already. However, she will be on short rest and long travel, after playing every minute for Australia in both games. FCKC have finally started to click and have made a lot of hay from pressuring the opposition and poaching goals, so Seattle will need to be careful as they press the attack to not get caught.  

FCKC’s playoff hopes were dashed with their draw against the Red Stars. However they have been a very good string of positive results and with Seattle’s defensive woes, KC will like their chances of finding the net. They are returning Becky Sauerbrunn and Katie Bowen from national team duty, both seeing significant minutes, but should otherwise be fresh. Seattle’s range of attacking options will pose a real test for the FCKC backline. Hopefully, both sides stay in form and we get a great match. 

The Scouting Report:

We went live on Monday and Wednesday night with two special TSR’s to cover the U.S.A vs. New Zealand matches. A reminder that you can catch TSR live every Monday night at 8pm EST on our YouTube channel. Make sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @ScoutingPodcast.

In case you missed the episodes, catch up here:

Breaking: FIFA Approves Change Of National Association For Huerta

Posted on by RJ Allen

U.S. Soccer has announced that FIFA has approved a one-time change of national association for Chicago Red Stars player Sofia Huerta.

Huerta had previously represented Mexico in official competition at the Under-20 National Team level but had no official appearances with the Mexican senior team.

Huerta is now eligible to play for the U.S. Women’s National Team at the senior level, including their friendlies against New Zealand on Sept. 15 and Sept. 19.

“I want to thank U.S. Soccer for the opportunity and I sincerely appreciate the work that went into getting this change done,” Huerta said in U.S. Soccer’s press release. “Now it’s about working to continue to improve and trying to earn my chance to get on the field.”

If she plays in either of the New Zealand matches, Huerta will become the second Mexican-American player in USWNT history to earn a cap.

 

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Week 20

Posted on by RJ Allen

[media-credit name=”Kelley Piper” align=”aligncenter” width=”300″][/media-credit]

Backline Soccer Recap:

Quick Fire Week 20 Game Previews:

The playoff race could be decided this weekend as some big matches are taking place to decide the fate of some teams. Let’s take a look.

Game 1: Orlando Pride vs. Seattle Reign

Orlando Pride record: 10-6-6
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 36

Seattle Reign record: 8-7-7
Position: 5th
Total Points: 31

This game was moved to Thursday to better prepare for Hurricane Irma and get the players to safety before the storm was scheduled to hit Florida. It was a relatively back and forth game until literally the last seconds. Alex Morgan scored in stoppage time in what was sure to be their playoff winning berth. But Jess Fishlock said, not so fast, and scored just seconds later to close an exciting 1-1 draw. 

Game 2: FC Kansas City vs. Chicago Red Stars

FC Kansas City record: 7-9-5
Position: 7th
Total Points: 26

Chicago Red Stars record: 10-6-5
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 35

FCKC has hit on a nice hot streak save for the Orlando loss. They are really hitting their form this late in the season and could spell spoiler to a few potential playoff teams. Heck, they are technically still in contention as well. They have the potential to run away with this game at home if they can capitalize. This week they need to really center their game plan around Shea Groom, who has had a hand in quite a few different runs this season. The Chicago defense has had issues over the last several games so FCKC would do well to take advantage of those pockets of breakdown and capitalize. If FCKC can continue the path they took against Sky Blue last week they may see this one out. 

Chicago finally pulled out a win last week against the Courage in dramatic fashion but still have a bit to go in getting back to their full strength and form. Their defense has been shaky and looked out of sorts so that will be one thing they will need to shore up and lock in against an offensive FCKC. There were some bright spots starting with newcomer Yuki Nagasato last week she should be starting this weekend to give Chicago some good spots right out the gate. I would also like to see more involvement throughout the match from Christen Press as I know she has a lot more to contribute. Overall Chicago will have its work cut out against a surging FCKC and will need to be in top form to compete all 90 minutes. 

Game 3: North Carolina Courage vs. Houston Dash

North Carolina Courage record: 14-6-0
Position: 1st
Total Points: 42

Houston Dash record: 7-11-2
Position: 8th
Total Points: 23

The Courage will be disappointed with last week’s match against Chicago so they will be coming in this week looking to rebound and take all three points. They really should not have much trouble against the Dash. Their biggest problem last week was that they just could not finish their chances. With more hustle and work in the final third, North Carolina should be on the board early. 

Houston is looking to finish the season strong even if it is without some key players, namely Carli Lloyd. As it looks like she will continue to be out this weekend, the Dash will need to see great production from the returning Rachel Daly. The Dash have some great pieces but really need help on the defensive end and that will most likely show this weekend with the offensive firepower of the Courage. Overall, there is a lot of work to do as an organization for the Dash in the off-season but this week, they just need to stick to the basics and stay in the game. 

Game 4: Boston Breakers vs. Portland Thorns 

Boston Breakers record: 3-11-7
Position: 9th
Total Points: 16

Portland Thorns record: 12-5-4
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 40

Boston is officially eliminated from playoff contention but with just a few games left, they can still set some groundwork for next season. Rose Lavelle saw limited minutes last weekend which is a positive step for them and will most likely see some time this weekend as well. Boston has the pieces but just have not been able to string together enough. The biggest thing they can do this week against the Thorns is to capitalize on any potential mistakes they see. This would include defensive lapses or breakdowns, which is how they capitalized last week against Orlando. 

Portland sits just two points behind the Courage for first place and honestly, I am a bit surprised. I did not expect this to be their outcome this season considering how the season started and how out of sync they looked. The most surprising thing about this season I think, for me, is the drop off in the play of Allie Long, who quite frankly has been hard pressed to break back into the starting lineup as of late.  Portland has just been clicking together the last several games and is showing no signs of a slow down. This week though they have to be careful to not let up as the Breakers still have the fight in them to win some games. Hayley Raso will also be back after serving her yellow card accumulation suspension which will be another thorn in the Breakers side. 

Game 5: Sky Blue FC vs. Washington Spirit

Sky Blue FC record: 9-10-2
Position: 6th
Total Points: 29

Washington Spirit record: 4-13-4
Position: 10th
Total Points: 16

Sky Blue is still in playoff contention but needs some help from teams above them to make that happen. After last week’s loss to FCKC they will look to bounce back this week against the Spirit. It has been hard to really pinpoint the exact reason for the decline but to simplify it, the team just seems to be missing an identity outside of “Sam Kerr will score all of the goals and save us each week.” Last week she did not really look at the top of her game and I think in some ways she was playing a bit down to the opponent, which ultimately hurt them. But one of the bigger problems is the incredibly young backline and their inability to stop the attack of many bigger teams. The Spirit may not pose too big of a challenge this week but as with any game, anything can happen if you are not prepared. 

You have to feel for the Spirit players this season. A lot of core leadership was traded (or left) in the off-season and I am not sure anyone really stepped up to fill those voids, especially off of the field. Add on the many injuries they have accumulated and being eliminated from the playoffs, I am sure they just want to get to the end of the season and regroup. This week also brought the news that goalkeeper Steph Labbé would be sitting out the rest of the season for medical reasons. I wish her all of the best for whatever she is going through. Last game saw Estefania Banini looking to be dealing with a hamstring issue and also Mal Pugh limping a bit after a play. While there is no official word, the injury report this week will be the deciding factor. Ultimately, the Spirit are having trouble fielding players. This week, their biggest hope is to make sure they can stave off any further injuries and spur enough of an attack against Sky Blue and put some goals away.

The Scouting Report:

We went live on Tuesday night with our weekly TSR. A reminder that you can catch TSR live every Monday night at 8pm EST on our YouTube channel. Make sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @ScoutingPodcast.

In case you missed the episode, catch up here:

Soccer Takes From Jake: Stay Strong Orlando

Posted on by RJ Allen

First & foremost, stay strong everyone in Orlando. I know this includes some people that are a part of Backline Soccer, so yeah, hopefully everyone is safe and secure as best as they can be.

Former Seattle Reign FC midfielder Lindsay Elston announced her retirement yesterday. She posted her retirement statement on Twitter, which I recapped over at Ride of the Valkyries. It’s a wonderful statement and showed that she did not take for granted one bit of her professional career. Especially being fortunate to have played most of it for the hometown team where friends and family could watch her play. There are many reasons why an athlete could call it a day on their playing career and whether they choose to elaborate on it or just say, “Peace, see you later,” if you have an interest in the field they applied their athletic skills to, it must be respected when the athlete calls it a day and thank them for the time they gave on the field and what impact (hopefully positive) they made.

We also had Washington Spirit goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe announce her 2017 season is over for medical reasons. Again, no one should demand a further elaboration from her about something personal. We must repsect her decision and wish her all the best going forward.
The professional athlete may do some incredible, even superhuman things on the field of play, but you must remember, they are still human beings that wake up and go to bed like you and me.

WEEK 20 NWSL PREDICTIONS
Hope you stayed buckled up after last weekend because the road to the end of the regular season will get bumpier.

SEATTLE REIGN FC OVER ORLANDO PRIDE
Oh please do I want the Reign FC to win because they need it to stay alive in the playoffs. Sorry people, I’m going with my gut, my fandom on this one even if it likely will be wrong. That said, we can all agree we just want this game to happen, the weather cooperating as best as it theoretically can, no one gets hurt and when it’s over, everyone is able to leave and get to wherever they need to feel as safe as they can with Hurricane Irma coming.

FC KANSAS CITY OVER CHICAGO RED STARS
FC Kansas City continues to jack up other playoff-hopeful teams just to keep things interesting going into the final weeks of the regular season.

NORTH CAROLINA COURAGE OVER HOUSTON DASH
Courage are feeling the pressure from the Portland Thorns on the table, moreso after losing to Chicago on the road. Even though Paul Riley’s squad say they likely aren’t thinking about it, they still have the NWSL Shield to play for. They right themselves this weekend.

PORTLAND THORNS OVER BOSTON BREAKERS
It’d be really something if Boston holds them to a draw or pulls off something even more shocking and beats them. Nah it ain’t happening though. Portland punched their ticket to the NWSL Playoffs, but they have a chance at capturing the NWSL Shield. They’ll keep the heat on North Carolina with what should be a problem-free match for the Thorns.

SKY BLUE FC AND WASHINGTON SPIRIT PLAY TO A DRAW
Jersey isn’t technically out of it and should be able to get the full three on Washington but something about this matchup just looks like a draw. And not even an entertaining one at that. When the weekend ends and this scoreline is a scorless draw, I would not be surprised.

And here is your music video break.

Song: “Body Double” | Artist: Lushlife & CSLSX

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Week 19

Posted on by RJ Allen

[media-credit name=”Kelley Piper” align=”aligncenter” width=”300″][/media-credit]

Backline Soccer Recap:

Quick Fire Week 19 Game Previews:

We are winding down in the 2017 NWSL season but the race for the playoffs is heating up. Let’s take a look at what the matches on deck have for us this weekend. 

Game 1: Portland Thorns vs. Washington Spirit

Portland Thorns record: 11-5-4
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 37

Washington Spirit record: 4-12-4
Position: 10th
Total Points: 16

Portland at home and Portland on a hot streak should make this a fairly easy match if the streak continues. Tobin Heath has also been added to the active roster but is not expected to play this weekend. The main focus for Portland this weekend will be to continue to add elements to their attack and keep the pressure moving forward. 

What can we say about Washington at this point? With more potential injuries to Estelle Johnson and Franny Ordega in the midweek game, the Spirit are hurting for healthy players. It is unknown if Steph Labbé will be available this weekend which I believe is another story in and of itself. Overall with the Spirit officially eliminated from the playoffs, this week, they just need to focus on keeping themselves in the game. I expect to see some sparks from their attack with Cheyna Williams leading the charge. But one of the biggest weaknesses is their defense, and if Johnson is unavailable to play, the already weak backline potentially without Labbé in-goal will have a heck of a time containing Portland at full strength. 

Game 2: Orlando Pride vs. Boston Breakers

Orlando Pride record: 9-6-5
Position: 4th
Total Points: 32

Boston Breakers record: 3-10-7
Position: 9th
Total Points: 16

The Pride did not play their prettiest soccer last week against FCKC but pulled out the last-minute win. This week they are looking to secure another three points against the Breakers as they push for their playoff spot. The team is playing like the roster on paper was expected to play for the majority of the season. This week they logically should not have a whole lot of trouble with Boston but if we have learned one thing from this season, it is that any team can win or any given day. Their last match against Boston was also not their best so they will need to focus on getting service through to their attack and shoring up the back-end in the defense. If Alex Morgan and Marta can link up early in this match it will be very hard for the Breakers to stop them both. The defense has also looked a lot better and more compact throughout August so they should make sure to keep that progress, and not let poor turnovers cost them points. 

Boston should have Rose Lavelle back this week and she may get some minutes. Since they are out of playoff contention, they do not have much more to lose, so playing spoiler will most likely be their game for the rest of the season. The Breakers have the ability to get behind but they are missing the creativity to close their games, something Lavelle was doing for them at the beginning of the season. This week, their biggest focus will be finding a way to shut down the Morgan/Marta duo and finding a way behind the newly compacted backline of Orlando. 

Game 3: FC Kansas City vs. Sky Blue FC

FC Kansas City record: 6-9-5
Position: 7th
Total Points: 23

Sky Blue FC record: 9-9-2
Position: 5th
Total Points: 29

FCKC’s winning streak came to an end last week but they still have the ability to keep the ship upright and continue their winning ways. They held Orlando most of the match and let a silly foul at the end cost them at least a point. This week they will need to work on keeping someone on Sam Kerr throughout the match. That task will most likely come down to either Becky Sauerbunn or Becca Moros. FCKC very much has the ability to win this match if they can get a goal or two early and then hold down the back-end of the game from there. 

Sky Blue is still in the hunt for a playoff spot on the back of the magical Sam Kerr. I say it every week but really, I think their season would be much different without her. They do not seem to have an identity outside of “Sam Kerr,” which I think will need to be solved, especially if they make the playoffs. She scored the game-winning goal last week but was otherwise quiet. This week expect to see a bit more from her, knowing what is on the line. Sky Blue will have their work cut out for them with FCKC’s attack of Sydney Leroux and Shea Groom. Sky Blue’s defense is already shaky so if FCKC can get in behind and put the pressure on, Sky Blue will have their work cut out for them.

Game 4: Chicago Red Stars vs. North Carolina Courage

Chicago Red Stars record: 9-6-5
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 32

North Carolina Courage record: 14-5-0
Position: 1st
Total Points: 42

Chicago has some work to do to maintain their playoff spot in the last few weeks of the season. They pulled out the win last week but it was not pretty. The once strongest defense in the league is having a lot of trouble sustaining that title and keeping opposing players out of their final third. The Red Stars need to see more from Sofia Huerta in these last few weeks as she has seemingly not been as active on the field as she was with Christen Press for the majority of the season. Christen Press did her thing in the waning minutes to give Chicago the win last week but I would like to see more from her throughout this match against a strong Courage side. Chicago is going to need everything she has got to pull out the win here. Alyssa Naeher is another one to watch for in this match as she still seems to be struggling with the strain suffered at the Tournament of Nations, which has slowed down her game a bit.

The Courage have been pretty much dominating the entire season. They still are fighting for first place but are in the playoffs. With short rest, I think they key here will be who starts the match for them, knowing they still have an extra game to make up against the Dash and are in the playoffs. The Courage bench is quite deep so almost any formation they field will give Chicago good opposition. The Courage attack has not produced that many goals this season but that does not seem to matter much considering their positioning on the table. The focus this week will really just to pad the first place run more. Chicago has more to lose, so the Courage should expect a fight. 

Game 5: Houston Dash vs. Seattle Reign

Houston Dash record: 7-10-2
Position: 8th
Total Points: 23

Seattle Reign record: 7-7-6
Position: 6th
Total Points: 27

The Dash have not had much time to practice or get together as a team this week due to Hurricane Harvey so this match will be tough for them mentally and physically. At the beginning of the week, I picked Houston to pull out the win here against a bit of a declining Seattle side but with limited team practice and the loss of two big players in trades–Lydia Williams and Morgan Brian–I think this game is a bit harder to predict. Additionally, the Dash have added Kristie Mewis. I also do not think Carli Lloyd will be available to play either. All of this adds up to a very tough match up for the Dash. This week they really need to focus on finding their form in the attack; perhaps Mewis will be able to help in that department. But their main focus should be their backline. They needed defensive depth and recently added Meghan Cox, who may see some minutes. They have struggled to hold off high pressure from attacking teams and if they are not finding the goals, their backline has to salvage something. 

Seattle gained a world-class goal keeper in Lydia Williams this week so it will be interesting to see what comes of this. Will she stay? Is she a part of another trade?   Hayley Kopmeyer has had issues this season in her first full starting season out from under Hope Solo, but I do not think they are worth losing her starting spot. I would still not be surprised to see Lydia Williams get some minutes. The biggest thing Seattle needs to work on starting this week is their defense. The defense has struggled to hold off most of the teams in this league and without Megan Rapinoe adding goals at the other end, the defense has been under more pressure to do their job and keep the opposing team at bay. I expect to see some shift in Seattle this week as they fight for a playoff spot. 

The Scouting Report:

We took a hiatus from TSR this week but not to fret, we will be back next week, Monday at 8pm EST, with our recap from the weekend’s NWSL action.

Route Two Soccer – How Will Chicago Use Morgan Brian?

Posted on by RJ Allen

[media-credit name=”Kelley Piper” align=”aligncenter” width=”300″][/media-credit]

When news arrived that Houston had traded Morgan Brian to Chicago, it immediately inspired speculation about the motivations for the deal. Was Brian the rumored national teamer that might be headed to Lyon? Was this simply Houston’s effort to get something out of the player before she departed for foreign shores? If so, and given her lingering health issues, would she even play for Chicago? But we’ve now heard that Brian plans to stay in the States and that she’s ready to suit up this weekend.

So, while there is certainly some interesting reporting to be done about how this all went down, this is a tactics column, and we’re going to jump right over the ‘how did we get here’ part and take a look at how Brian might be used now that she’s joined the Red Stars.

The most likely scenario: a 4-4-2 diamond

Early in this season, there were some rumblings that Chicago wanted to work on their tactical flexibility. And in the first few games, we even saw glimpses of it. But as the season has progressed, they have settled quite firmly back into coach Rory Dames’ preferred approach: the 4-4-2 diamond. This setup looks to back the center of the pitch, relying mostly on fullbacks for depth. It’s generally very compact, and while Chicago has shown flashes of higher-level ball control, they often seem less concerned with holding possession and more interested in quick, direct attacks.

In its most successful iteration, the diamond has featured Ertz in the holding role, with Colaprico on the left, DiBernardo in the 10, and Huerta on the right. And the arrival of Yuki Nagasoto seemed like it could be the final piece of the puzzle—giving them another player with elite technical skills to pair with Press.

However, in recent weeks some of the luster has come off this basic setup. Despite a wealth of quality midfielders, they’ve had a difficult time producing much; generating tons of opportunities, but very few good ones. Meanwhile, the forwards have drifted further and further back, hoping to revitalize the attack, but taking themselves further out of scoring range in the process. It’s all been a bit stagnant.

It also hasn’t helped that the injury bug has bit a few times—forcing some reallocations between the backline and midfield, and some last minute substitutions.

So … if we assume that Dames is likely to stick with his preferred setup, the question is where Brian will fit into the mix. And it’s actually a difficult question to answer, given the impressive versatility of many of these players. If DiBernardo has to miss another week, Brian could easily replace her in the attacking midfield role. If Ertz is needed at center back, Brian could easily take over the holding role. And while no one would mistake Brian for a winger, the whole point of the diamond is to allow the ‘wide’ midfielders to pinch in. Just as Colaprico has thrived on the left this year, Brian could easily take over the right.

But, if we assume a full strength side in Chicago’s traditional diamond, this is probably the most likely deployment of resources. While Ertz has been excellent in the midfield, it was a luxury that depended on strong performances from Naughton and Johnson in the back. As they’ve begun to falter, the arrival of Brian might be the trigger to move Ertz back.

Ultimately, it’s a question of what Dames believes the team’s main problem to be. Because there are plenty of minor variants available here, all of which are slightly better or worse in small ways. Brian and Colaprico could swap, as could Huerta and Nagasoto. Alternatively, Brian could take over the attacking midfield role, pushing DiBernardo to the right (where she played much of last year), with Ertz staying at the bottom of the diamond.

The problem with all these approaches, however, is that they don’t really resolve the underlying problems. Now, that may not be necessary. After all, Chicago were flying high a month ago using this system, so maybe simply adding another elite player into the mix will be enough to achieve a reset. But if Dames sees the rot as going a bit deeper, Brian’s arrival opens up a broad new realm of tactical possibilities.

Pushing the attack higher with a back three

With Brian now joining the team, Chicago probably has the strongest midfield of any team in the league, with a wealth of top-level talent, who all excel on both sides of the ball. Dani Colaprico is one of the best holding midfielders in the US pool but is arguably only the third best of this group.

The ‘problem’ is that for all their depth here, Chicago simply doesn’t have much width. With a back four, that’s addressed by asking the fullbacks to run like crazy. But that’s been hit or miss and creates serious exposure risks at the back. A back three resolves this problem by pressing the fullbacks up to become wingbacks and allowing the central trio free reign to control play through the middle.

This is one possible setup, which deploys Huerta as a wingback. It’s a bit risky, but Huerta is potentially interesting in that role, and it gives Chicago a much firmer grip over the midfield. An alternative would be to swap Gilliland in for Huerta, which offers a bit more defensive solidity but a bit less attacking flair.

But the heart of this approach is the space it creates for Brian, Colaprico, and DiBernardo to operate freely in the central midfield. Bringing Brian into the mix, in particular, is a huge upgrade given her comfort and vision with the ball in tight spaces. She isn’t quite the wrecking ball defensively that Ertz has been—though she is shockingly good at occupying space and managing play—but she makes up for it with smoothness in possession and the ability to organize play through the middle.

Tactical fluidity

There are obviously pluses and minuses to every approach, and the back three is no different. But it offers a lot of advantages to a team overloaded with talented central players who need a bit more support from the wings. And it also offers a lot to a team with several world class attackers, which nevertheless has consistently struggled (for several years now) to actually find the back of the net.

So, there is a real case for making a change here. But, as with all tactical conversations, it’s important not to overstate the differences. While the back three might seem like a major shift, it’s actually not that far away from the 4-4-2 diamond discussed above. In effect, the back three pushes Ertz back from her holding role, while pushing two fullbacks up into the midfield. The result is a much wider attacking line, which prevents opponents from collapsing into the center to suffocate the passing game. It is an approach that can be exposed by speed on the wings, but the extra body in the backline does a lot to limit the damage here.

Indeed, one of the big advantages of exploring your tactical options is the ability it gives you to shift things mid-game to exploit opportunities as they arise. And here, the versatility of the Chicago players becomes absolutely deadly.

With the right players, a 3-4-1-2 can switch fairly seamlessly into an aggressive, attacking 4-3-3. All you have to do is drop Short into the backline and push Huerta forward into the front.

Alternatively, you can capitalize on the wealth of talent in the holding midfield role by loading up the central midfield and shifting to a 4-2-3-1.

The key point here is simply: Chicago has options. It remains to be seen how many of those options they employ, and some may work out better than others. But at a bare minimum, they ought to at least be exploring the possibilities.

How far can the diamond take them?

In the end, Dames doesn’t seem likely to make any major tactical moves, at least not in the short term. But he should seriously consider it. Chicago has been very good for three years now but has consistently stumbled once everything was on the line. That may be nerves, bad luck, or just happenstance. But it also likely has something to do with their stagnant style of play. The diamond is a solid setup and can be very successful on its day. But it’s very constrained and doesn’t give your star players many chances to seize the game by the reins and do something special.

With the additions of Brian and Nagasoto, Chicago is now bursting at the seams with top level attacking talent, and they have a rock solid support system to give those players a chance to impose themselves. The diamond has served them well, but it’s time to unfurl the sails a bit and see what else they can do.