You may not have noticed, because Sky Blue FC is in their unfortunately usual form, but Kailen Sheridan is playing incredibly well. The superhuman goalkeeper for Sky Blue did everything humanly possible last week against the Houston Dash to keep her team in the game, only to have her own defense produce the play that led to their second consecutive loss in 2019.
Sheridan, a Canadian international, joined Sky Blue in 2017 and has made 20-plus appearances in each season she has played. Despite the team not being incredibly competitive over that stretch, she has proven herself to be an asset and finally made her way into the international first team in 2018 following an injury to Erin McLeod.
For an example of the difficulty Sheridan faced this past weekend, the Dash had 19 total shots with 11 of them on goal. She parried all but one, which was a result of a defensive error in the final 10 minutes. Sheridan was able to stop the one-on-one attempt but her own defense deflected a Sofia Huerta shot into the net. Despite showing an ability to stop just about everything else before this, was unprepared to have to stop her own team’s chances as well.
The frustration showed on Sheridan’s face. Sky Blue has mustered little offensively and the team’s best player, Carli Lloyd, missed a penalty earlier in the game that would have at least seen Sky Blue share the points.
Sheridan has played too well to be left in obscurity like this. Continuing to play on a team that has been ravaged both on and off the field may hurt her future chances as a starting keeper for the Canadian National team.
For now she will need to continue as a force for futility and hope that Sky Blue match her intensity in the games to come to dig themselves out of a situation that started some time ago
Tag: Houston Dash
Route Two Soccer: Houston and Reign FC fight out a fascinating 1-1 draw
Houston and the Reign met this weekend for an enthralling and exciting game, which saw a lot of fast-paced play, some impressive performances on both sides, and more than a few mistakes. For a game that was a joy to watch, the key moments unfortunately often had more to do with errors than with execution. The key drama came at the end, with a penalty earned, and saved, in literally the final minute of the game. But for this article, I want to focus less on the goals and controversies and more on how the teams set themselves up. In each case, there are fascinating lessons to learn about how these two strong teams will play in 2019.
Houston set up very similar to their approach from 2018, in a 4-3-3, with three central midfielders trying to occupy the middle, two wingers trying to cover some significant defensive responsibilities while also getting forward to spread the opposition’s defensive line, and with play often going through Rachel Daly at the tip of the spear.
However, as the first half began to unfold, there was also some crucial differences. First, Houston pressed more aggressively here than they ever had the previous year. For a Reign team hoping to settle into the game by building out slowly, it was a nightmare, with orange shirts constantly interfering and disrupting play.
Second, new additions Sophie Schmidt and Christine Nairn provided precisely the kind of bite and positional awareness that Houston was desperately missing in their previous campaign. Schmidt in particular shined in this game, constantly clogging up passing channels, stepping forward to disrupt play and intercept passes, and making measured forward runs when the situation called for it. Her performance was a perfect example of how installing a solid gyroscope in the holding role can stabilize the entire team’s structure. And while Nairn was slightly less involved, her presence was also crucial. She had a knack for always seeming to be in the right place, receiving short passes and immediately turning to push the ball forward into space.
The result was a Houston team that still played much the same as in previous years–a direct style, focused on quick attacking passes, trying to create space for the wingers to move at speed–but which also managed to control possession, ending up well ahead of the Reign in both passing attempts and completions. For a team that regularly looked helpless trying to keep the ball last year, this is a significant change.
In the first half, this combination was lethal and the Dash were rampant. They closed down the Reign possession high up the pitch, forcing awkward passes, and generally making it impossible for them to play. This is precisely what led to the opening goal. Though the proximate cause was Theresa Nielsen dilly-dallying in her own box and getting stripped of possession by Nichelle Prince, the setup was a high press that forced the ball back into that position in the first place.
However, things did not go quite as well in the second half, which is a good indication of the risks of this new, more aggressive Houston approach. Whereas last year, after the Dash took a lead, they could rely on dropping deep and setting a low block to frustrate the opposition, this team didn’t seem as willing to commit to defending deep. But they also couldn’t maintain the same levels of high pressure. As a result, the Reign found their way back into the game, finding more room to work with, and probing for gaps in between the Houston lines.
That provides a clear indication of where the Dash will need to focus their attention going forward. Watching them use the whole pitch this weekend was a great sign that they see themselves as capable of taking the game to the opposition. The big question is whether they will be able to successfully adapt their tactics from game to game as opponents and conditions change. New head coach James Clarkson certainly defined this as a project going forward, saying “we have to be able to adapt our tactics, our formation, and the way we play. We’ll look at each opponent separately and develop a game plan.”
For a Houston team that played much the same last year no matter who or when they played, that will be a real change.
For the Reign, this was very much a game of two halves. But even more than that, it was a game of two halves in the first half alone. They came out in a 4-2-3-1, with Allie Long and Morgan Andrews in the double pivot, and with Shea Groom as the number 10. This is a setup with a lot of potential. Long is an excellent player in that #6 role, especially when she is paired with another holding player, since it gives her license to step forward when useful. It also puts Groom into her best role, giving her the ability to move in between the lines and to move with the ball at her feet.
However, the Reign struggled mightily to get ahold of the game, and before they really had a chance to even show how this approach would work, Jasmyne Spencer had to come off for a knee injury, forcing a reallocation of players. Elise Kellond-Knight entered, taking one of the holding roles, while Long moved forward and Groom moved out right. Unfortunately for the Reign, none seemed all that comfortable for the rest of the first half. Long has obviously played the #10 role many times before, but she is not really a playmaker. Groom, similarly, has played on the right wing for most of her career, but was isolated for this period, struggling to put herself into positions to receive the ball. Kellond-Knight simply did not look up to the pace of the game. She did very little in possession, nor was she able to exert a calming influence in defense.
To the extent that they found success in the opening half, it came almost entirely from the work of Darian Jenkins and Celia Jiménez Delgado down the left flank. Every attempt to build through the middle faltered, as Andrews and Kellond-Knight were harried in possession.
The Reign also faced real difficulties in defense. This was mostly not down to tactics, but more a matter of execution. In particular, Theresa Nielsen in the right back position seemed well off the pace, and was repeatedly beat by Nichelle Prince, most notably for the goal. It didn’t help that she was given relatively little support from the right wingers–with Spencer doing almost no tracking back, through Groom did put in more of a defensive shift. The center backs were also exposed several times. Rachel Daly is a lot to handle, but they let her wriggle free more than they would have liked. And the situation wasn’t helped when the Reign were forced into a second injury substitution in the 40th minute, with Megan Oyster coming off.
However, after the halftime break, they came out looking far more settled, and were able to exert far more influence on the game. There were no major structural changes, but there was one interesting wrinkle that seemed to make a difference. While Groom continued to play on the right, she regularly pinched in, and also pressed forward. In the deeper role, she added an additional body to the central midfield, giving the Reign extra numbers and helping them stabilize there. In the more advanced positions, she almost functioned like a second striker, allowing them to operate as a sort of lopsided 4-4-2, with Groom back in that playmaking space that the initial setup was supposed to grant her.
With this change, the Reign found far more success with the ball, and were finally able to get Jodie Taylor regularly involved. It created a number of good chances, like this one here, which shows the potential of players who can move into these key central players with no clear markers to corral them. In those gaps, Groom began to play a more significant role, receiving the ball with space to dribble and playmake. And as Houston struggled to challenge her, it also created more room for Long to do what she does best: float away from her markers, receive the ball, and quickly push play forward. That potential is illustrated in this move:
Of course, there are also dangers to this approach. With Groom pinched in, the Reign often left huge exposed spaces on the right wing. To compensate, Long put in a good shift, often drifting wider to fill that space when needed, and Nielsen got more into the swing of the game. But the Reign were also lucky that Houston did little to capitalize on the opportunities.
Going forward, it will be interesting to see whether this was a mere one-off experiment, or whether the Reign decide to employ Groom in this sort of creative winger role more regularly. It’s certainly a role that the Reign have some familiarity with – as Megan Rapinoe has increasingly played in precisely this sort of creative winger role. At the moment, they seem to lack the personnel to make it truly effective. Having to use Long in the #10 left them with two holding players that looked overmatched for much of the game. But once Jess Fishlock returns, which would free Long to play her best position as a ball-controlling #6, this could be a potentially devastating setup.
With the World Cup coming, the Reign will be losing their key creative spark, Megan Rapinoe. This game went some way to demonstrating that they could well survive that absence. Groom on the right could play much the same creative role, and Jenkins showed clearly that she is more than capable of producing a dominant attacking performance as well. If Long – whose ability to dictate play and keep possession is absolutely critical – goes to France, that may be far more difficult to sustain. But if not, the Reign could be one of the few teams to survive those months relatively unscathed.
Backline Chat: The NWSL is back!
Charles Olney (@olneyce): Welcome to the first Backline chat of the 2019 NWSL season. We have four matches under our belts, and a lot of material to cover. To kick things off, let’s stay big picture. Did anyone see anything this weekend that changed their expectations for the year? Or is the sample size still too small to draw any conclusions?
Allison Cary (@findingallison): Too small, for me. Everything I can comment about this weekend, I can also blow off as a bad game. Or a good one
RJ Allen (@TheSoccerCritic): It looked very Week 1 of the season to me. But I do think Portland and Houston were stand outs for me so far in this season. Both looked better in some ways already than their 2018 form.
Luis Hernandez (@radioactivclown): It’s still early. Most teams looked to still be in preseason mode. I felt Portland and Chicago looked the best while North Carolina was exactly what I expected.
Charles Olney: The closest I can say is that Orlando might be even worse than I was expecting. But that’s really only one the evidence of a single half. And as Allison says, anyone can have a bad half. Still, it was a REALLY bad half.
Luis Hernandez: The second half was better. I’ve watch Orlando a bit in the preseason and I know what Skinner wants to instill. It’s going to take time.
Allison Cary: I feel like the Houston game is one they would have lost in the past. Granted, they almost choked. But it meant something to me that they didn’t.
RJ Allen: Houston played like a team with a plan and the ability to (mostly) complete that plan. Which is an upgrade for them.
Allison Cary: Exactly @rjallen, completely agree.
Charles Olney: I feel like Houston did a lot to push off the unlucky loser dynamic last year, when they actually got results in lots of games that (to my eyes) they shouldn’t have. But I agree with Allison that there was something specific about those final minutes that felt different. There was definitely an intensity, combined with a joyfulness, in the Houston players post match. They knew they played well, and felt good about being able to repeat it.
Luis Hernandez: I feel better about Houston and less so for the Reign. That team can’t afford more injuries. As for the Dash, I still think they can do better but I was pleased.
RJ Allen: I do wonder if Washington looked better or if Sky Blue are just somehow worse. More matches are needed there, for sure.
Charles Olney: To dial in a little bit, let’s talk through each match briefly. Starting with North Carolina-Chicago. It was a rematch of last year’s semifinal (the #DrainageDerby), and North Carolina picked up where they left off. But Chicago managed to hang onto a draw. What were people’s thoughts there?
RJ Allen: North Carolina’s whole MO is to take a bunch of shots and have a few land. They looked a bit rusty which happens early in a season. Plus having McCall Zerboni not look 100% yet changes how that midfield plays. She is really what drove them forward.
Allison Cary: I thought it was North Carolina’s game to lose. After such a dominant season, not being able to get three points out of your home opener isn’t exactly where you wanted to start. But credit to Chicago for going toe-to-toe with them.
Luis Hernandez: I think North Carolina could have been more sharp in the attack, and if they had cleaned that up they could have beaten the Red Stars.
Charles Olney: This very much felt like a game that NC dominated – and I fully expected them to do their normal thing of reeling off two or three goals around the 60th minute. But they didn’t, and Chicago actually ended up with the final great chance. I do think that was more to Carolina being unable to put them away than any special performance from them.
But from Chicago’s perspective, getting a point away to North Carolina, in a game they didn’t actually play that well, is hardly a bad way to start the season.
Allison Cary: Yeah, I’m happy if I’m Chicago.
RJ Allen: That is the magic of Sam Kerr.
Luis Hernandez: However, I felt the Red Stars came in with a smart game plan and Chicago was able to get a result. Taking points from the Courage at Cary is going to be a win for any team.
Charles Olney: I do sort of disagree there. I don’t think Chicago really had a great game plan. The Courage ran right through them most of the game and they depended a lot on excellent performances from the keeper and center backs. Which…it succeeded, I guess, and maybe there wasn’t any better option available. But I don’t think it was a successful game plan. But we’ll have to see them with a full strength team to really draw any conclusions, I think.
Charles Olney: Okay, the other Saturday game was Washington-Sky Blue. In the matchup of the two bottom teams from last year, Washington managed to find a win. How much of that was due to improvements on their end, and how much was due to Sky Blue’s continued problems?
RJ Allen: 40% improvements and 60% Sky Blue being terrible.
Charles Olney: I’ll admit this is one that I’ve still only seen the first half of. But at least there, the quality on both sides was still pretty lacking. But Washington at least seemed to be reasonably coherent, and occasionally exciting. It was, as usual, hard to even tell what Sky Blue thought they were doing.
RJ Allen: Sky Blue just looked bad. And I’m not sure there is anything that can be done at this point that isn’t new ownership or moving the team to fix it. A lot of the changes are a bit like putting lipstick on a pig.
Charles Olney: You do have to wonder about a team coming straight out of preseason, when they’ve had a month to talk about their approach and style, with no particular idea of how to play. And a coach whose postgame comments make clear that she doesn’t have a vision, either. That’s bad, no matter how you dress it up.
Allison Cary: Neither team really looked “good.” I feel like they’re gonna be hard to judge until they go up against other opponents, but if I’m Sky Blue I’m pretty terrified.
Luis Hernandez: The Washington/SkyBlue game was really hard to watch, and I’m not taking Yahoo Sports stream.
Charles Olney: We’ve spent a lot of time on these chats feeling sad about Sky Blue, so let’s turn our attention to the positive side. Do people see this Washington with a real chance to break out from the bottom tier? Or not? Or, again, still too soon to know?
Luis Hernandez: I can’t say too much against the Spirit since they won. I’m reserving judgment on them until they play a game or two more.
Allison Cary: I think it’s too soon but… I’m not encouraged.
Luis Hernandez: It just isn’t an accurate indicator because of who they played.
Charles Olney: The Spirit have Utah next weekend, which could be a good match to tell us a lot about both teams. Or maybe will end up being another game that will just leave us scratching our heads for more data.
The one thing I’ll say for the Spirit is that, whatever the history behind Burke as a coach (which I continue to think has not been taken nearly seriously enough by the team), he seems to be pretty popular at the moment with the players.
Allison Cary: Yeah, I’m not really a fan but I guess I’ll give him a chance to change my mind.
Charles Olney: The real test will be when things go poorly for a while, so it’s absolutely something to keep our eyes on.
Charles Olney: Okay, turning to Sunday’s games, the first was Orlando-Portland. As we’ve already mentioned, the first half was very good for Portland and very not good for Orlando, but the second was much more even. Thoughts on what that tells us?
I’ll start with the controversial statement that Tobin Heath looked very very good, which is a good sign for the US this summer, but a bad sign for other NWSL teams.
Luis Hernandez: It’s going to be a rough year for the Pride. Portland was Portland. Very good. Talented. Deep.
RJ Allen: Orlando is not a good soccer team and hasn’t really been since they were founded. For a team that has some of the best players in the world it is not a good sign. I understand it takes time to build a team and with a new coach it takes more. But they do not have 1-20 a good or solid roster.
Allison Cary: Even if they aren’t as bad as they were in the first half, Orlando is not gonna be able to compete with the top teams in this league.
Charles Olney: In some ways, I wonder if that great run at the end of 2017 actually ended up hurting the Pride overall. I think it’s pretty clear on the evidence of the past few years that this roster isn’t actually a world-beating group, but for a couple months they just looked that way. But because they had that success, they maybe stuck with the plan longer than might have otherwise happened.
Luis Hernandez: Orlando had to field supplemental players in the first match. What else do people need to know?
Charles Olney: That said, it was pretty clear this offseason that things needed changing, and they didn’t change much, so maybe not.
Allison Cary: Yeah, they didn’t fix their problems from last year. Even with a new head coach, they needed to do more. It’s gonna be a long year.
Luis Hernandez: The main problem from last year was that they underachieved.
Charles Olney: I do think there’s space in this squad to set things up for the next few years, in anticipation of the team that will come after Morgan and Marta leave. But it may be a bit of a slog.
RJ Allen: The league wants Orlando to be a good team. They might even need Orlando to be a good team. So I hope they can get it together.
Luis Hernandez: I know sports isn’t about patience but that’s exactly what everyone will need to have for the Pride. The roster isn’t even complete.
RJ Allen: That makes it so much worse though.
Luis Hernandez: And look at the first ten matches for Orlando, it’s brutal. Hi. Let’s play Portland at home then travel to North Carolina then to the Reign in one week.
Charles Olney: For Portland, any other thoughts? They looked good, certainly. Better than I was expecting for them out of the gate. I do really worry about what they’ll be able to do during the World Cup, but if they can play this well outside of that window it may not matter.
RJ Allen: I do think they dip a bit during the World Cup but I think they will still end up in the playoff picture and end strong.
Allison Cary: They looked impressive, albeit with very little resistance.
Luis Hernandez: Yeah, I wanted to call out Kling for a dirty foul on Morgan that didn’t get called.
Allison Cary: Yeah, that was a bad missed call.
Charles Olney: I think we’re all pretty sick of rough play going uncalled. This was just one more example.
RJ Allen: A lot of players in the league play to whatever level of reffing there is. Kling is one of them. If they let her get away with murder, she and a lot of other players will go for it.
Luis Hernandez: The Thorns need to grab all the points while they have their starters. They will make the playoffs. I didn’t think they would until Sunday.
RJ Allen: Can we talk about the surprise front runner for best match of the week now?
Charles Olney: Absolutely. In the final game of the weekend, Houston drew with Reign FC. I was able to make it up to Houston for this one, and it was one of the most enjoyable games I’ve attended in a long time. We’ve already talked a bit about Houston, but any further thoughts there, or about the Reign?
Allison Cary: Injuries suck
RJ Allen: Two subs for two hurt players in quickly is going to hurt any team. I think Seattle handled it about as well as you could.
Allison Cary: Yeah, especially considering who they lost and who was already out.
Charles Olney: I’ve got a full post coming up on the site about this game, so I won’t repeat myself too much here. But the main point I do want to hit is that I saw qualities from both of these teams that helped answer some of the lingering questions I had about them.
RJ Allen: Houston had 8 shots on goal. 8! And they were good chances too.
Charles Olney: Houston actually possessed the ball really well, which is a huge change from last year. They also pressed well, which is different, and gives them a new angle. Those suggest a team who isn’t just hanging on. They think they’re good enough to outplay the opposition. That’s great.
For the Reign, the first half was really rough, but the second half showed that they should be very good again. Even accounting for injuries, and for the strange poor play from Theresa Nielsen. They’ve got a real player in Darian Jenkins. They’ve got a potential replacement for what they’ve traditionally gotten from Rapinoe (playmaking from the wings drifting inward) in Shea Groom. They have real depth in the defense, with McNabb and Celia both performing well. But oh boy do they need to get Fishlock back and/or need better performances from Andrews and Kellond-Knight.
RJ Allen: Charles took the words right off my keyboard.
Luis Hernandez: The game I felt was officiated well. I don’t give credit when that happens but I kind of feel like I need to since I’ve been bashing the refs in Orlando.
RJ Allen: Also maybe have Allie Long take the Seattle PKs?
Allison Cary: Yeah that PK from Taylor was… not good.
Charles Olney: Okay, we’ll wrap up with the conversation about matters ON the pitch there. But let’s also take a moment to discuss everyone’s favorite topic: streaming. How was the experience using Yahoo for the first time?
RJ Allen: My Roku played the Yahoo app without issue. The only problem was the steams on day 1 being switched and then switched back.
Luis Hernandez: I had difficulties casting to my TV but I could watch on my laptop. I didn’t try to use the mobile app
Allison Cary: I just watched on my laptop. It was fine.
RJ Allen: Chromecast doesn’t allow Yahoo steams to be cast, so I’ve been told.
Charles Olney: Everything also basically worked for me. I do have some nitpicks: the streams swapping, some difficulty actually finding the streams on the app, technical issues causing problems with the replays (both during the broadcast, and with attempts to watch the streams after the match was over), and the obligatory name-flubs and other commentary issues. But it’s far better than the go90 rollout. And we heard some nice new voices in the broadcasts, too.
Luis Hernandez: I wasn’t expecting Dan on the broadcast.
RJ Allen: Having someone with as much woso knowledge as him back, was nice.
Luis Hernandez: I’m going to try the other options as the matches come up. Or invest in a Roku.
RJ Allen: Roku’s are the best.
Charles Olney: On the whole, it sounds like our experiences were okay, though there could always be improvements. I certainly would like to see more and better options for streaming, casting, and watching. It continues to frustrate me that the experience on the league website is clearly superior to the official one through a huge tech company. But que sera.
RJ Allen: VPNs are good my friends.
Charles Olney: Alright, any thoughts on the matches coming up this week? We’ve got North Carolina and Orlando tonight, and four more games on the weekend. Any that particularly catch your eye?
Luis Hernandez: I’m looking forward to seeing Utah.
Allison Cary: Orlando is gonna get killed.
Luis Hernandez: Which match Allison?
RJ Allen: Both.
Charles Olney: Both.
Allison Cary: I meant NC, but both.
Charles Olney: I actually would be a little surprised if they lose both. But not that surprised.
Luis Hernandez: I think they’ll fare better in Tacoma.
Charles Olney: To me, Chicago-Portland looks like the game of the week, and could give us a real sense of where those teams stand at this point. But I also am excited about Utah and Washington, as a game with two teams that have some potential to make big improvements this year facing off.
RJ Allen: I’m just glad the NWSL is back and we can talk soccer weekly.
Allison Cary: Amen
Charles Olney: RT @rjallen
Luis Hernandez: Are we expecting a Chicago win at home or a Portland win on the road. RJ picked a draw.
RJ Allen: Spoilers!
Allison Cary: Portland win. Because why not.
Charles Olney: Draw seems like a fair call. I wouldn’t be surprised at any result, though.
Luis Hernandez: I expect Chicago to find a way to win.
I also expect Kerr to get fouled like it was going out of style.
Allison Cary: Fair prediction.
Charles Olney: Alright, with that we’ll call it a wrap for this week. Thanks to everyone for joining us. And as always, feel free to hit me any of us up on twitter with questions or comments.
Five Questions for the 2019 NWSL season
Can North Carolina continue their incredible run?
Last year, the North Carolina Courage’s completed the most impressive season in the history of American women’s soccer. This is a bold statement, considering the star-studded lineups possessed by some other teams from the past—most notably the 2014-2015 Seattle Reign, the WPS-era FC Gold Pride, and a number of WUSA teams able to draw from the very best players in the world. But the Courage stand above the crowd. Not just for their dominant record, good as it was. And not just for the strength of their roster, though it’s a great roster. But North Carolina is the greatest because of the full team dynamic, which lifted a group of stellar individual players up to become an unstoppable force.
The big question now is whether they can keep the magic alive. It seems impossible to imagine them maintaining the same levels of dominance – if only because the team will be splintered for several months during the World Cup. But based on their performance last year, I wouldn’t bet against the Courage finding a way to continue their obliteration campaign.
Who will step up as the next big star?
In 2015, Crystal Dunn was the final player left out from the World Cup roster. She responded by running roughshod over the league all season. There’s no guarantee we’ll get something similar this year, but there are plenty of candidates who might just seize the opportunity to take center stage and show everyone what they’re really capable of. Lynn Williams is one obvious possibility. It’s never been clear to me why she fell out of the national team rotation in the first place, but her skills are unavoidable. We might just see her improve on her Golden Boot winning campaign a few years ago.
Can Houston take the next step forward?
Many people seem to have Houston as their dark horse candidate to upset the playoff hierarchy, and there’s good reason for thinking so. After entering the 2018 season as a consensus pick for bottom of the league, they showed everyone just how much punditry and predictions should be trusted—performing strong all season and staying in the playoff hunt until the final weeks. This year, with a roster that will be less hit by the World Cup than most, they could level up again.
But there are also reasons for concern. All accounts so far suggest a positive environment around new head coach James Clarkson, but change always invites the possibility of breakdowns or disruptions. Something could go wrong there. There’s also the question of whether the Dash’s offseason moves to remedy some of last year’s weak spots will pay off. Is Sophie Schmidt the answer to a soft central midfield? Maybe. But she’s not the player she once was, so that comes with some risk. Can Ari Romero and Satara Murray shore up the defense?
There’s also the reality that Houston probably overperformed last year. Luck tends to even out in the long term, but one season isn’t necessarily long enough for it to show. So it’s possible they’re in for a bit of regression. On the other hand, as they say, good teams often find a way to make their own luck. So it’s going to be exciting to watch, and see whether their success truly was a bit lucky, or whether it was simply down to resilience, perspiration, and class.
How will the Reign enjoy their new home?
The Reign have moved to Tacoma, and it will be fascinating to watch how the transition goes. It’s an important test for a two reasons. First, Seattle has long been one of the strongest independent teams, but in spite of their success they faced structural problems. This move to Tacoma seems to have shored up those issues, and kept the organization on track. If they can succeed, that could be a good sign that independent ownership really can work. Second, Tacoma is an interesting city for a women’s soccer franchise. It has a reasonably dense population center, and can draw in a huge population base from the broader metropolitan area. But it’s also small enough that the Reign will instantly be one of the biggest draws in town. If they can build a good relationship with their new city, that could be a sign that league expansion might succeed best in cities that aren’t already saturated in sports franchises.
Can anyone displace the top 4?
At the moment, he four playoff teams from 2018 look like strong contenders to reach that status again this year. In an offseason that didn’t feature much movement, it’s hard to identify one of the five who were outside-looking-in that looks especially primed to knock any of the top teams out. One of the NWSL’s big selling points, compared to other top leagues in the world, is the degree of parity among its teams. But there actually hasn’t been that much movement at the top in recent years. Will this year be any different, or will we just get another season of the likely contenders coming out on top?
The NWSL Is About To Start, Three Things I’m Excited For
Like most who follow the National Women’s Soccer League, I’ve been eagerly counting down the days to the start of the 2019 season. The off-season lacked a bit of drama for most teams, and while there was the occasional huge news drop, like the termination of the deal between the NWSL and A&E which will no longer have game of the week broadcasts on the Lifetime network, the late “will she or won’t she” drama of Tierna Davidson declaring for the NWSL draft, or the Reign FC name change that came with the move to Tacoma. As teams finalize rosters for the upcoming campaign in the shadow of the World Cup this summer, and league activity ramps up to come at us fast and furious, here are what I’m looking forward to this year.
New Gaffers In Charge
One of the signs on how competitive the NWSL is a team changing a head coach when results are poor or when a team needs a new voice to get the players over the hump, and into the playoffs. Washington and Orlando sacked veteran coaches when the teams ended in the bottom third of the standings, while Houston parted ways with Vera Pauw and hold new manager James Clarkson. I’m excited to see how the Marc Skinner can give Orlando a new identity in what is to be a challenging year. As players heading to the World Cup come and go, will Orlando be able to take a step forward in development? I’m curious how the Spirit will bounce back with what has to be a shift in culture from how Jim Gabarra ran the show. Coach Clarkson has the pieces to finish higher than the 2018 version of the team. However, the Houston Dash appear to have the talent in place to see the team make the playoffs for the first time in team history. Houston appears less impacted from the World Cup as the other teams with new coaches. Could this be the year the Dash make the postseason?
World Cup Bounce
With the league not on television and attendance dropping for most teams last season, the “World Cup bounce” is something that needs to happen for the league to continue on a positive trajectory. NWSL matches will be streaming on Yahoo Sports domestically, but I want to see what sort of TV deal the league can get in place after the World Cup is over. My expectation is the league has to have at a minimum the playoffs and championship games broadcasted on television. I’m trying to give the league office the benefit of the doubt on having a plan to boost the presence of its players and the product on the field once all the players that missed time in France return. Additionally, I’m hoping to see a spike across the league at the gate. Each team in the league should be thinking of marketing during and after the World Cup, and I know it isn’t going to have the same impact across the teams. I just want the momentum to actually be a thing. Perhaps even have the league announce any plans of expansion around this time. This pipe dream is starting to get carried away.
Can Lightning Strike Twice For the Courage?
I think it’s fair to say that North Carolina was one of the most dominant teams to play in the world. On top of all the Courage achieved domestically, the team came away with the International Champions Cup over the likes of PSG and Lyon. Recently, the ICC was announced to take place in Cary with the Courage defending the cup at home. Obviously the champions of the league last year are also favored for this season, and even though my loyalty isn’t with North Carolina, I’m just looking forward to seeing if they can be as successful this year as they were in 2018. Every match played for the Courage will be must-watch as far as I’m concerned, either to watch the dynasty continue or to see them stumble, it will be entertaining to me.
Those are my top three things I’m excited for this NWSL season. Hopefully, we are all in for a treat as women’s soccer will be in the spotlight. There are several unanswered questions still to be seen, such as how will the season go for Sky Blue or will the Reign attendance change with a new location. That being said: Are you not entertained?
The View from the Sideline: Sky Blue vs Houston
Leanne Keator was in New Jersey as the Dash visited Sky Blue. Check out her photos below.
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”61″ gal_title=”Sky Blue vs Houston – May”]
NWSL First Quarter Review
So we are about a quarter of the way through the 2018 NWSL season. There has been some great moments, some beautiful shots, and some excellent defense. Some teams surpassed expectations, while others are exactly where the world predicted they would be. We still have the majority of the season to go, but now is a great time to review exactly where all our favorite teams are at and how they have fared. So let’s get into it!
Chicago Red Stars
Chicago started their season off with a bit of a depleted roster because of injuries and international players participating in World Cup Qualifiers. The Red Stars have also played more games this season than any other team so far. But despite the roster holes and the heavy schedule the Red Stars are currently camped out near the top of the table. And good news Chicago fans—Sam Kerr is officially back from international duty, so there is a chance that you rise a spot in the table moving forward.
Houston Dash
Well, things aren’t great for the Dash. But they certainly aren’t as horrible so far as originally expected. The Dash had some important draws early in their season, and just this last week they recorded their first win. They are hanging out at the bottom of the table but they aren’t in last place. And now with the return of Kealia Ohai and Kyah Simon the Dash offense is beginning to really take form. They also just recently acquired Allysha Chapman in a trade for North Carolina. So with those added components they may be able to steal a few more points and climb a bit in the standings toward the middle of the season.
North Carolina Courage
The Courage are exactly where everyone expected them to be – in first place. They have been dominant in this first quarter of the season but there are still some things they need to work on. Specifically, converting those shots on goal into actual goals. NC creates a lot of chances and take more shots than any other team in the league, but they haven’t been able to score a lot of goals. Still, the Courage are currently undefeated and don’t look to be slowing down any time soon. And once those finishing touches come they will be even more lethal than they already are.
Orlando Pride
The Pride have done mediocre so far this season. Not too good, but not too bad either. They are camped out in the middle of the table and ended week 6 with a record of 2-2-2. But this team definitely is on the upswing of the pendulum, as their last three results of the quarter ended in two wins and a draw. Orlando had to deal with the loss of Marta and Alanna Kennedy for international duty and had a few other key minor injuries that made the first quarter of their season a bit challenging. But things are looking up for the Pride now that their roster is almost back to full form.
Portland Thorns
The Thorns are at about the exact same place as the Pride at the end of week 6. Though, most would consider their first quarter of the season underwhelming. Much was expected of the Thorns and they haven’t fully delivered yet. But with the majority of the season still ahead, they have plenty of time to find their form. Tobin Heath is only just back from a very lengthy string of injuries, but her touch on the ball seems to be coming back to her rather quickly as could be seen by her first goal of the season against Utah. Overall, the Thorns can do better, and most likely they will continuing through the season.
Seattle Reign FC
Seattle may just be the greatest surprise of the 2018 season so far. They are exciting to watch, incredibly skillful, and are giving their competitors a run for their money. Their current second place position is a bit unexpected, but the Reign are here to defy expectations this season. Even with Rapinoe out on injury, they have still found a way to win. Just look at last week’s match at Providence Park. They weren’t expected to win, but the Reign don’t live in a world where they do what is expected. It’s hard to say what could potentially slow this team down currently, but for our entertainment value let’s hope they don’t.
Sky Blue FC
The 2018 NWSL season surely has not gone Sky Blue’s way up to this point. After numerous roster changes in the off-season, a new head coach, and a on-again-off-again schedule throughout the first quarter Sky Blue has not fared well. They are still in the hunt for their first win of the season and are sitting in last place, but they have also played less games than all other teams. That makes it difficult for a team to get into a good rhythm, and well the women from Jersey are quite a bit off-beat right now. But there is still time to turn it around. They have a lot of attacking power that can be utilized, and they still have 20 matches left to go, so not all hope is lost.
Utah Royals FC
New kids on the block had a bunch of…draws. Utah’s first quarter of their inaugural season was littered with them. Some of them were hard fought, like their match against North Carolina. While others were simply poor luck, like getting a PK called for a hand ball after your best defender actually got drilled in the face. But hey, you can’t win them all. Regardless of the draws in the first quarter, Utah is starting to come together. And with the stable roster they have, matched with the coaching skills of Laura Harvey, they are definitely not a team to underestimate moving forward.
Washington Spirit
Washington is the epitome of young raw talent. They haven’t quite figured out how to harness all that talent yet, but their future-whether this season or next-looks promising. Probably the biggest impact for the Spirit in the first quarter comes from the goalkeeper, Aubrey Bledsoe. She has had some down-right filthy saves this season, and has helped to keep the Spirit competitive. How they will progress through the rest of the 2018 season is still a bit of a question mark, but they are definitely a team to keep an eye on.
So there you have it—a review of where we have been. Where we are going? Who knows. But with so much season left to be played there are sure to be some excitement, some upsets, and some surprises.
Come What May: 5 Matches to Watch Next Month
April is coming to an end, my friends. And the first full month of NWSL action has not disappointed. We had some unlikely draws, a few sparks of magic, and an excessive amount of PKs in my opinion. Yes, April was a fine month, but looking ahead to May should get us all very excited as well. So this week I have outlined five matches coming up next month that you should tune in and watch. I challenged all you lovely NWSL fans earlier in the season to watch a game that you had no stake in. Most likely, one of these will fit that bill. So sit back, relax, and let’s see what we have to look forward to in the upcoming month.
- May 5: Seattle Reign FC at Portland Thorns
Who doesn’t like to celebrate their Cinco de Mayo with a rivalry game? This match, held at Providence Park, is the Lifetime game of the week, being played at 3:30 ET. Seattle and Portland have a long history of confrontation, and probably the most well known rivalry in the league. Because of their close proximity, it is almost impossible for the two teams to not form a bit of gamesmanship between each other. And the fans? Oh, they love to talk a little smack to the opposing side. So get ready to see a packed house that may get a little loud and unruly. Also, this will be the first time Allie Long will be back in Providence Park since being traded to Seattle for the rights of Australian international, Caitlin Foord. How will her welcome back be? Tune in to see.
- May 5: Houston Dash at Sky Blue FC
Once you are done with the Seattle/Portland match on the 5th, take another shot of tequila and turn your attention to go90 to watch what I am affectionately calling ‘The Battle at the Bottom.’ The Houston Dash travel to New Jersey to see if they can get the win over their former teammate, Carli Lloyd, and the women of Sky Blue. These two teams are currently camped out at the bottom of the table and definitely still have some kinks to work out. Both will undoubtedly be looking to have this game change their momentum and get them back to their winning ways.
- May 9: Orlando Pride at Utah Royals FC
One thing is probably certain in this world. Utah, and Becky Sauerbrunn’s face, cannot wait to have a rematch against Orlando on May 9. After their season opener, which ended in a draw, and a very controversial hand ball call, Utah is looking to set the record straight and take their three points from the Pride. Orlando, on the other hand, is looking to gain some momentum with a full roster, including the Brazilian and Australian internationals they have been missing as of late.
- May 19: Chicago Red Stars at Seattle Reign FC
Seattle has been looking good lately as a team. They look solid. And with the assistance of Megan Rapinoe, they are extremely creative with the ball. But what happens when that creativity is up against the likes of a dynamic offense that is looking to show what their offseason acquisition, Sam Kerr, can do? Well, the result could be exhilarating to behold. I am recommending this game as one to watch for the month of May because it will potentially give the viewers some great things to cheer for—fantastic midfield work, quick transitional attacks, and two of the greatest finishers currently playing the game. What wouldn’t a soccer fan like about this match?
- May 30: North Carolina Courage at Portland Thorns
Rounding out the month we have a fantastic grudge match. A redo of week one, and of the 2017 NWSL Championship. The Thorns got to hang the banner after the final, but the Courage took the first match between the two this season. So what happens when the Courage travel to Providence Park? Does the momentum swing back in Portland’s favor? We can’t know for sure, but one thing we can probably bank on is that there is going to be a lot of heated physical play from the two teams, and a lot of world-class soccer on display. Is there a better way to end the month? I don’t think so.
So there you have it, my friends—five matches you should check out next month. No matter who you cheer for, these matches should be entertaining to watch. And who knows, you may just find yourself on the edge of your seat, shouting at your television over a couple teams that aren’t necessarily your favorite. But don’t worry, it doesn’t make you any less of a fan for your own team.
Not That Bad: 5 Things the Dash Have Going For Them
We can all agree that the Houston Dash didn’t quite have things go their way this off-season. They lost some great international players to trade, ended up being shunned by Christen Press, and had their owner make some rather unfathomable choices for the club. It went so horribly that the women’s soccer media and NWSL fanbase seemed to give up on analyzing the decisions and defaulted to just pitying them. Yeah, it was that bad. And it still isn’t great by any means. But going into this international break, Houston can repeat this point of pride to themselves: “We are currently an undefeated team.” Sure, it’s only two draws, but that’s not nothing.
Everyone is still looking at them like winning a match will be a miracle. Analysts are plopping them at the bottom of their power rankings. Old southern women are practically ‘blessing their hearts.’ But this isn’t necessarily rock bottom for the club. And they shouldn’t be written off so easily. To paraphrase Monty Python, they’re not dead yet! So although things are bad, there are still some bright spots for the team looking forward into the season. Here are five of them:
1. Jane Campbell Is A Boss
One of the biggest takeaways from the first two games of the season is that Jane Campbell is a phenomenal goalkeeper. She has played on a new level for the start of this season, and brought a lot of stability for the Houston side. As a last line of defense, Houston can at least feel comfortable in the fact that they have Campbell. She comes up big when they need it. She is confident. And she is finding her rhythm in Houston, a fact that I am sure allows Vera Pauw to breathe a little easier. While a good keeper alone isn’t enough to make you the best team in the league, it sure is a start. If she can continue this trend, other US keepers are going to need to watch their backs.
2. Daly & Mewis Bring Creativity
When Rachel Daly was moved to fullback, I was seriously wondering what Houston was doing, especially since Kealia Ohai was still out on injury. But there has been a certain level of magic created by the pairing of Daly and Kristie Mewis as Houston’s outside backs. They command the offense and set the pace for the team. They bring creativity up and down the pitch. And they are all over the field, aggressively going after the ball because they both have the speed to make it back on defense in time. The commentators of the Houston-Utah match called them two of the best in the league, provoking some snarky comments. But there’s something to it. Neither of them is a singularly phenomenal outside-back. But together—working as one unit, establishing a proper give and take for the team—they are a force to be reckoned with.
3. Pauw Has A Plan
It was clear from the first few games that Vera Pauw doesn’t particularly care what others may think of her team. She is coaching with purpose, and convincing her players to play with purpose. She understands that her team has weaknesses. She isn’t ignorant of that fact. But she is also able to see that this team has strengths. Every player brings a different skillset, and her job is to find how all those pieces fit. It’s still a work in progress, but one that she is working diligently at. She’s also been quite honest about where things stand, owning in her last post-match interview that her team wasn’t fully able to play to their strengths against Utah—that they still had some homework to do. But it looks as though Vera is willing to put in the work as long as the players are. No phoning it in from the Dutch leader.
4. The Return of Ohai
Houston hasn’t won a match yet this season. But they also haven’t had their greatest attacking threat on the pitch yet. Kealia Ohai, who is coming off of an injury, will be a welcomed sight. Although she only got to play 10 matches last season before tearing her ACL, in the 2016 season she recorded 11 goals and four assists in 20 matches. Even if her return to the pitch doesn’t immediately bring those kind of results, it will still be great news for the Dash, because even when Ohai isn’t on the ball, she is still going to pull the attention of defenders. That is something that Houston has been missing. With Ohai’s return, we’ll get a chance to see some new dynamics of the Houston team. They haven’t shown all of their cards just yet.
5. The Underestimation Factor
Everyone knows Houston is supposed to be bad this year. But in a funny way, that’s an advantage. When your opponents expect very little out of you, they tend to get complacent. And then they lose. Just ask the University of Virginia men’s basketball team—whose first game as the overall favorite in the NCAA March Madness Tournament against 16th seed University of Maryland, Baltimore County didn’t quite go to plan. When there isn’t a lot expected of you, opponents tend to sit back and allow things to happen. They allow the underdogs to set the pace—and then the underdogs have no choice but to seize opportunity when it comes. It is David and Goliath. It is the tortoise and the hare. It is USA vs Russia in the 1980 Olympics. Could it be Houston vs North Carolina or Portland? Maybe. The stage is surely set and primed to have it played out.
So in light of all this, I refuse to feel bad for Houston. And I will not do the team the disservice of pitying them. Instead I will root for them—to get better, to fight the good fight, to play to their strengths. Because this team isn’t a lost cause, and we should stop treating it like one. They have a lot of talent and a great coach in Vera Pauw to steer this team toward a season that could mean something for them. They have some positive aspects that they bring to the table. We need to stop only talking about the negative.
Hot and Not: NWSL Week One Power Rankings
Warning:
This power ranking is not reactionary.
This power ranking takes outside factors like weather and injuries into account.
It has bias—yours when you read it and mine when I wrote it.
Enjoy it.
It will soon change.
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