Tag: Houston Dash

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Week 5

Posted on by RJ Allen

Image Credits to Kelley Piper. 

Welcome to Week 5 of Off the Bench! 

Backline Soccer Recap:

Quick Fire Week 5 Game Previews: 

Hard to believe we have arrived at Week 5 of the 2017 NWSL season already. Let’s dive right into this week’s previews.

Game 1: Houston Dash vs. Sky Blue FC

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

Sky Blue FC record: 1-2-1
Position: 8th
Total Points: 4

The Lifetime Game of the Week this week sees the Houston Dash finally return home for their first home game since opening day, to take on Sky Blue FC. Last week saw the Dash lose their first game to the Red Stars since July of 2015, while Sky Blue lost to the Spirit 4-3. Both teams will be looking to bounce back from their respective losses. Sky Blue was missing some big names last week with Christie Pearce, Daphne Corboz, and Raquel Rodriguez all missing from action. With only Pearce missing because of concussion protocol, Sky Blue can expect to see Corboz and Rodriguez back in action, but as of this writing, Pearce’s status is unknown for Week 5. The Dash will look to produce better results and some goals this week, as they scored none against the Red Stars last week. Amber Brooks will be the key for the Dash, so she will have to have a better game this week. The Dash are looking good as individuals but are still having cohesion issues that will bite them more, the further into the season we go. Hopefully with Morgan Brian seemingly back in action, and Andrea hopefully close, they can start to mesh a little better.

Game 2: Seattle Reign vs. Washington Spirit

Seattle Reign record: 1-1-2
Position: 6th
Total Points: 5

Washington Spirit record: 1-2-1
Position: 7th
Total Points: 4

The Reign are coming in this week after drawing with the Thorns last week after giving the Thorns a little aid from an own goal by Jess Fishlock. The Reign looked to be the better team but just couldn’t hold the lead. This week they will look to keep up the pressure from last week’s match and press early and often. The Spirit are coming off of a big first season win that saw them score four goals on Sky Blue last week. The Spirit looked their best last week and will look to continue that train of momentum into Week 5 against a strong Seattle side. Washington will look, again, to see a big performance from Stephanie Labbé, who has been dominating in goal through the first four weeks. If Player of the Week Francisca Ordega can pull off another big game this weekend, the Spirit just may have a shot to beat the Reign. 

Game 3: FC Kansas City vs. Portland Thorns

FC Kansas City record: 1-2-1
Position: 9th
Total Points: 3

Portland Thorns record: 2-1-1
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 6

FC Kansas City and Portland will face off in the last game on Saturday. Both FCKC and Portland are coming off of hard-fought draws last week against the Pride and Reign, respectively. Portland, while suffering in the first half, had a strong showing in the second half. They will look to carry that momentum into this week. Seattle did a great job last week of making Christine Sinclair and Nadia Nadim almost invisible. Portland will need them more active. It was also reported by Jamie Goldberg that Portland would again be without Tobin Heath, Mana Shim, Katherine Reynolds, and Dagny Brynjarsdottir as they struggle to return from their injuries. Portland will need to figure out the struggles in the final third until Heath returns. FC Kansas City is going to need a lot more out of Sydney Leroux if they are going to start churning out wins. In addition, Shea Groom saw minutes last week, even with a broken rib, but she was looking to be in pain as the match progressed, which could be a factor against Portland. FCKC is strong defensively and with Portland struggling in the final third, this game could see some great action. 

Game 4: Orlando Pride vs. NC Courage

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

NC Courage record: 4-0-0
Position: 1st
Total Points: 12

The battle of the first and last place teams. Could this week be the week the Pride get their first win in twelve games? Crazier things have happened. The Pride, while drawing last week with FCKC, played some of the best soccer they have played all season. They are still struggling with finishing their chances and should have beaten FCKC had they done so. The Courage’s only weakness can be found in their defense at the moment and the Pride were able to break through them the last time they played, but just could not finish their chances. With Danica Evans and Marta both hopefully getting the start again, we could see a better output earlier from the Pride. Last week also saw Ali Krieger’s best game she has played for Orlando, and they will need everything she has for the front line of the Courage. Orlando continues to struggle with their midfield which is causing a lot more unnecessary work for their defense. The Pride starting lineup looked a lot better last week, but with Monica getting injured in the first few minutes of the match, Dani Weatherholt may end up with the start. The Courage just need to continue to play the way they have while shoring up their defensive efforts. If Orlando can finish their chances and work the backline of the Courage, they might just have a shot.

Game 5: Chicago Red Stars vs. Boston Breakers

Chicago Red Stars record: 2-2-0
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 3

Boston Breakers record: 2-2-0
Position: 5th
Total Points: 6

The final game of the weekend will see the Red Stars and Breakers face off at Toyota Park. The Red Stars will look to use the momentum of the shut out against Houston last week as they face a Breakers side who are a lot stronger than anyone expected them to be. A big question mark for the Red Stars is Christen Press who, while working hard this season so far, has yet to find the back of the net. She leads the league in shots but is also sitting on two yellow cards in four games, quite the unexpected stat. Once she unleashes her first goal, the season should progress nicely for her. In the meantime, Julie Ertz seems to have gotten this scoring thing down. Chicago continues to struggle in the final third, which may pose a bigger issue against the Breakers this weekend if they cannot correct it. The Breakers, on the other hand, have started this season quite strong. They lost to the Courage last week, but only by one goal. Boston proved last week that the Courage have some points where they can be beaten and they will look to carry that into Chicago this weekend. They mainly struggled with breaking out of pressure to get their runs in. That will be a priority this week against the tough defensive side of Chicago. 

The Scouting Report:

We went live on Monday night with our Week 4 TSR, recapping all of the NWSL games. 

In case you missed it, catch up here:

This week RJ Allen also had the pleasure of interviewing Kayla Mills and Mandy Freeman of Sky Blue FC.

Catch up here if you missed this awesome interview!

Come back next week for the next edition of Off the Bench!

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

Posted on by RJ Allen

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

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

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

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

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

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

An attacking diamond: capitalizing on Houston’s weakness

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

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

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

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

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

A tightening vice

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

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

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

Morgan Brian – very good, but is it enough?

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

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

Unsung Hero of the Week: Gilliland’s Island

Posted on by RJ Allen

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

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

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

Chicago 2-0 Houston

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

6 Takeaways From NWSL: Week Four

Posted on by RJ Allen

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Orlando Finds Ways to Drop Points Again – Luis Hernandez

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

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

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

 

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Week 4

Posted on by RJ Allen

Welcome to Week Four of Off the Bench! 

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

Backline Soccer Recap:

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

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

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

Quick Fire Week 4 Game Previews: 

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

 

Game 1: Chicago Red Stars vs. Houston Dash

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

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

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

 

Game 2: Washington Spirit vs. Sky Blue FC

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

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

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

 

Game 3: Portland Thorns vs. Seattle Reign

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

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

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

 

Game 4: Boston Breakers vs. North Carolina Courage

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

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

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

 

Game 5: FC Kansas City vs. Orlando Pride

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

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

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

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

The Scouting Report:

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

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

You can find Monday night’s TSR here:

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

 

The Way I See It: Unsung Hero of the Week

Posted on by RJ Allen

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Week 3

Posted on by RJ Allen

Welcome to Week 3 of Off the Bench. Next week we will be switching the format to previewing games instead of recapping as our podcast, “The Scouting Report,” will provide you with all of your game recapping needs.

Backline Soccer Recap:

We introduced another new weekly series, Four Star Takeaways from Chicago Red Stars, as well as a goalkeeper rankings series that will be updated throughout the season.

We also introduced our new Backline Soccer Forum. Join us to talk about the NWSL games and all things WoSo.

And don’t forget to check out our Backline Soccer Shop. We have team-inspired merchandise and much more to fit your WoSo wants and needs.

NWSL Week Three Game Recaps:

We’re already through three weeks of the NWSL season and so much has already happened. Let’s take a quick look at the outcome of each game.

Game 1: Portland Thorns 1 vs Chicago Red Stars 0

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

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

Attendance: 14,471

Lifetime’s Game of the Week with the Portland Thorns and the Chicago Red Stars started off the weekend’s slate of much-anticipated matches. The game started right off on the gas pedal with both Alyssa Naeher and Adrianna Franch forced into early saves. Christen Press was trying everything she could to find the back of the net but just couldn’t quite make it happen. In the 21st minute, Press was taken out by Franch which, on replay, should have been a PK as she seemed to get hold of the foot of Press, effectively stopping her from potentially scoring a goal. Then in the 27th minute, Press was called for a handball and Nadia Nadim converted a PK, which would end up being the only goal of the match. Sofia Huerta had a huge opportunity in the 49th minute taking on three defenders, but she hit the side netting. Naeher came up with a pouncing save in 67th minute and Chicago continued to fight but in the end it was not enough. Portland took home the win 1-0.

 

Game 2: North Carolina Courage 3 vs Orlando Pride 1

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

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

Attendance: 4,586

Saturday’s second game featured the first-ever meeting between the North Carolina Courage and the Orlando Pride, broadcast via the go90 app. This was always going to be a tough matchup for the Pride, taking on the Courage’s dominating attacking frontline, and sure enough, the Courage started off the goal scoring early. In the 6th minute, Ashlyn Harris made a great punch out save to deny a sure-fire goal by Lynn Williams but there were no Pride players to clear and Jessica McDonald banked home the rebound, putting the Courage up 1-0. Jasmyne Spencer had a big opportunity in the 14th minute but her shot went over the bar. She has had many missed opportunities to score goals through the first three games and the Pride may benefit from starting Danica Evans in her place next week.

Ashlyn Harris came up with a huge save in the 21st to deny Debinha a rocket of a goal. Finally in the 27th minute, Camila sent a rocket past the Courage’s keeper to even the game at 1. She has been a workhorse for the Pride through the first three games and will be one to watch moving forward; it’s nice to see her efforts pay off with a goal. But a handball on Laura Alleway in the 33rd minute gave Sam Mewis a chance to convert the PK and put the Courage up 2-1. In the 39th minute, Spencer played a beautiful cross to Marta but Sabrina D’Angelo comes up with a huge save. On replay, however, the ball looks like it may have crossed the goal line. Ashlyn Harris had a big miscue in the 70th minute that led to the Courage’s third goal of the night, and Lynn Williams’ first of the NWSL season. Harris played a poor ball out which the Courage intercepted, and Williams’ shot bounced hard off of the crossbar and went in. This sealed the game as the Courage continued their undefeated season with the win 3-1 over the Pride.

 

Game 3: Boston Breakers 3 vs Seattle Reign 0

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

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

Attendance: 2,315

The next game saw the Boston Breakers taking on the Seattle Reign and what a different Reign team took the pitch this week! Gone was the dominating performance last week against the Dash, and instead the Boston Breakers took home three points and added three goals to their differential. The Breakers started off early with a supreme goal from Adriana Leon in the 11th minute. She pulled off some cheeky moves and caught Kopmeyer off of her line. Four minutes later, in the 15th minute, Rose Lavelle banked her first NWSL goal past Kopmeyer to put the Breakers up 2-0. In the 50th minute, the Reign almost found the back of the net, but were denied. Last week’s Boston hero, Natasha Dowie, then came right back in the 52nd minute, off of a beautiful assist from Adriana Leon, and put the Breakers up 3-0. The Reign looked to be struggling for most of the game against the Breakers, who have started off this season very strong. Boston, on the other hand, are seem to be making a name for themselves this season, and moving past the disappointments of previous seasons. They took home all three points with the 3-0 win over the Reign to put them just under North Carolina in the league standings this week.

 

Game 4: Washington Spirit 0 vs Houston Dash 1 

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

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

Attendance: 3,154

Saturday’s last game, on simultaneously against the BOSvSEA match, was the season’s first meet-up between the Washington Spirit and the Houston Dash. This game was a tale of two halves. The Spirit came out in the first 45′ lacking fire, unable to make much happen. They’re currently a team lacking depth due to numerous injuries, and they played like it. Kealia Ohai made them pay in the 27th minute with a goal to put the Dash up 1-0. But come the second half, the Spirit looked like a different team. They took more control over the play and style but still could not come up with anything to show for it. Stephanie Labbé continues to be a dominating force for the Spirit in goal and is a huge asset for them this season. She was forced to make many saves during the match and handled pretty much all of them very well. Estelle Johnson, being underappreciated, also continues to show her worth to the Spirit side with all of the work she is doing on the field this season. Their massive injury list certainly does not help but this team still has fight in them to try and get results. They just weren’t able to connect and finish in this match, giving Houston their first-ever win in Washington.

 

 

Game 5: Sky Blue FC 1 vs FC Kansas City 0

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

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

Attendance: 2,562

The final game of the weekend was a matchup between Sky Blue and FC Kansas City. Sky Blue was without some big names, including Christie Pearce (out on concussion protocol) and Sam Kerr (excused absence).  And FC Kansas City were missing a player as well, with Shea Groom suffering from a broken rib she picked up in Week 2. The game was a little underwhelming, which is unfortunate, because both teams have stellar players. Neither side could really get anything going. We saw some big stops from both goalkeepers, Kailen Sheridan and Nicole Barnhart, in the 36th and 78th minute respectively. But it wasn’t until the 83rd minute that Raquel Rodriguez put one in the back of the net for Sky Blue, off an assist from Kelley O’Hara, that put them up 1-0. In the 88th minute, it looked like FC Kansas City had found the equalizer but were called offside, a decision that had some checking the game tape later, believing the refs had erred in their judgment. The game ended with with Sky Blue winning over FC Kansas City 1-0, for their first-ever victory over the visiting Blues on their home pitch at Yurcak Field.

 

The Scouting Report:

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

You can find last night’s TSR here:

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

The XI Commandments of the NWSL

Posted on by RJ Allen

Commandment I: Thou Shalt Pick a Team and Love Thy Team Over All Others

In my experience, the fastest way to become deeply integrated into sports is to have a team to call your own. Yes, there are players you might like on other teams. And some teams you might like more than others. But everyone needs a team to call their own. 

Commandment II: Thou Shalt Learn the Players Names

Yes, even the players who aren’t on the national team. Even the bench players. Even that one player who got 15 minutes all season. Learn the names, learn their numbers, and learn what they look like. Make an effort to know who you’re rooting for.

Commandment III: Thou Shalt Not Overlook Consistency

Goals are nice. Flashy goals are nice. But do not turn your attention to flashy goal scorers who manage a good game every three or four matches over that holding midfielder who does their job consistently well every game. You might even find you enjoy watching consistent excellence over momentary brilliance.

Commandment IV: Thou Shalt Not Forget the Importance of Good Defense

Defenders are a needed part of the game. Don’t forget that without at least a semi-solid defense there to keep your team in the game, no amount of goals will save them. And defenders who save goals off the line? That’s about as good as it gets.

Commandment V: Thou Shalt Learn the History

This goes for team and player history. Learn about the team you have pledged your loyalty to. Learn about the players who wear the team colors. Learn about the history of women’s soccer, both local and national. Learn about the past leagues. It’s important to know how much work it’s taken to get here to fully appreciate what you’re seeing now.

Commandment VI: Thou Shalt Remember Time Is a Tricky Thing

Players can have a moment so good that the effects of time on your perception of that player are rendered null and void. That player who did that amazing thing for your team in 2013 might not be the same player in 2017. Just be aware time has tricked many of us.

Commandment VII: Thou Shalt Take Opponent into Account

Beating a last place team by two early in the season when they have all given up by the 60th minute should not be spoken about with the same pride as beating the first place team with two to go when they are fighting for the Shield. Remember to take all of these factors into account when talking about your team both positively and negatively.

Commandment VIII: Thou Shalt Not Forget the NWSL Is Sports

As family friendly, as geared toward being role models, as sanitized as the atmosphere may sometimes be, never forget that women’s soccer is sports. The fan culture needs to grow out of a place of sports first. That means some sections maybe aren’t meant for kids. It means there might be rude language. It means that this should be treated as sports even when the marketing from the league or teams themselves doesn’t always point in that direction.

Commandment IX: Thou Shalt Remember to Be Respectful

Number 8 being said just remember to not cross the line. When talking about players, or other fans, don’t bring up the big 5 subjects to avoid: race, gender, sexuality, family, personal life. You can still give a player shit, just remember to be respectful and to focus on the playing, not the personal lives, of players and you should be safe in the minds of most sports fans.

Commandment X: Thou Shalt Remember This Is Someone’s Job

Something that can get lost in all of the noise of role models and doing it for the next generation is the fact this is the player’s job. They are paid, in some cases far too little, to be on the field. If media writers write critically about a player they aren’t doing it to be a “hater” they are doing it because it is part of their job to look critically at the how a player is doing at their own work. Have enough respect for the players to treat them like professionals.

Commandment XI: Thou Shalt Be Open Minded ... Without Letting Thy Brain Fall Out.

Be open minded when someone is speaking to you about a player they are passionate about. Maybe they are seeing something you don’t. But don’t be so open minded that you take everything people say about a player they dislike the style of as gospel. Stick up for your positions as long as the supporting evidence is there. Have respectful discussions with people you disagree with. Learn from as many people as you can.

Battle of the Keepers: NWSL Goalkeeper Power Ranking

Posted on by RJ Allen

RJ Allen:

Hey Jordan, you wanna talk about goalkeepers?

Jordan Small:

Of course! Who doesn’t want to talk about the best position in the game?

RJ Allen:

So before we started,Jordan and I ranked 1-10 the best goalkeepers in the league. Then we made a joint list I think we’re both pretty happy with.

We’re both pretty happy, right?

Jordan Small:

I think so. We talked about how the middle of the pack could be interchanged right now because of how well everyone is playing so far.

RJ Allen:

Someone has to be number 10 and sadly you and I both put Adrianna Franch in that spot.

Jordan Small:

You know, looking at Portland’s stats this year, people might scratch their head at why we put her at the bottom. I mean she has only given up one goal. But her distribution has been anything but clean. She has really put her defenders in a tough spot and you can see that they are frustrated with her. These mistakes may not have cost them yet, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it happens soon.

RJ Allen:

It’s amazing how well she played in 2013 and after some time off because of being hurt, some time overseas, and a year of being a backup, she looks nothing like the player so many thought would be a staple on the national team.

Jordan Small:

Yeah, I mean even in a few camps last year, we thought she would be getting back in with the national team. Now we are seeing why she was the backup to Michelle Betos last season.

RJ Allen:

Number 9 is a 2 for 1 special. We both agreed that because of how the season has gone to rank Lydia Williams and Jane Campbell together.

Which, let’s be fair, drops Williams a few spots.

Jordan Small:

Of course, since they both have played only one game, we thought it was fair to put them together. Obviously Campbell had a rough outing last weekend in Seattle, but I don’t think that is indicative of how Campbell will be at the professional level. On the other hand, you have a goalkeeper like Williams who played very well on opening weekend and picked up the win for Randy Waldrum’s side. It will be interesting to see what Waldrum does this week with his goalkeepers.

RJ Allen:

We’ve seen good goalkeepers have bad games but usually you aren’t starting a rookie over a top 10 international keeper. I think it has to play mind games a bit on both goalkeepers going into this weekend.

Even if Williams is back in goal.

Jordan Small:

Absolutely. I think Waldrum has an interesting situation on his hands.

But like you said, starting a rookie over a top 10 international keeper is not always the smartest decision. It’s even worse when it’s on the road against one of the best home teams in the league.

RJ Allen:

Him picking Campbell was a head scratcher. Starting her in Seattle feels like an even bigger one.

Jordan Small:

Exactly. But now that she has that first game under her belt, I hope she continues to improve.

I also think it was super smart to leave her in for the whole game. Really helps with the confidence going forward.

RJ Allen:

The next place is hard because I think we’re getting into a list of goalkeepers that are playing well but they have to be somewhere so they end up lower than fans will think they should be. So, at Number 8 we put Kailen Sheridan.

Jordan Small:

Sheridan was a wild card for me. I had seen her play in college and for the Canadian national team a few times. I think she has played well this season. The first game of her professional career, she gives up one goal off of a penalty kick. You can’t complain too much with that.

RJ Allen:

And the Dowie goal I think would have been hard for most goalkeepers to save.

I think she still looks like a young goalkeeper but right now I think she is playing pretty well.

Jordan Small:

For sure. Dowie is a world class goalscorer. Not many people are stoping that.

RJ Allen:

I do think with two rookies, a second-year player and Pearce as lead on the backline, she has to be a little bit more commanding.

Jordan Small:

She definitely does not have it easy in her first year. But I am sure that Pearce has been a great help adjusting to this level. I mean who better to have as your centerback in your first year as a pro?

RJ Allen:

I think if anyone can help her grow to be a stronger leader, it’s Pearce.

Jordan Small:

Definitely.

RJ Allen:

Number 7 is going to get us into some hot water, I think, but we did both agree on this one. Number 7, Ashlyn Harris.

Jordan Small:

She had to end up somewhere on the list. I put her down here because she has made some mistakes that have put her team in dangerous situations. This past weekend against Washington, she had some moments where I was like ‘what are you doing?’

But she has one of the shakiest defensive lines in the league right now, so I think number 7 is a good spot for her.

RJ Allen:

Her decision making has been very much “they can’t do the thing so I will do the thing for them” which, with the backline she has, I can understand. But it doesn’t make for great goalkeeping.

Jordan Small:

As cool as it looks, I don’t think you want to see your goalkeeper performing diving headers at the top of your own 18 yard box.

RJ Allen:

The more the line breaks down the more she has to do things that take away from her own skill set. Which is not going to do Orlando favors in the long run.

Jordan Small:

Not at all. She is a solid goalkeeper but does a little too much sometimes.

RJ Allen:

Number 6 might shock a few people but we went Abby Smith.

Jordan Small:

Abby Smith is a name that NWSL fans should get used to hearing. She is coming off a knee injury that kept her out most of last year, but she has a ton of potential. We’ve seen what she can do in the first two games of the season. The first game against FCKC may not have been the best, but man did she have a great game against Sky Blue. I really think she should have won Save of the Week. That’s a different conversation though.

RJ Allen:

It is but I think it’s one we agree about.

Smith has really looked good in the first town games for a team we both agree will surprise a few teams this year. She has not looked unsure once this season.

Jordan Small:

I think she will be the key to Boston having a better season. If she can continue her great play, this could be a year to remember for the Breakers.

RJ Allen:

How long before you think we see her get a national team call up, or do we?

Jordan Small:

I would like to see her get a call up. I’m not sure we will though.

RJ Allen:

Number 5 is a player I really thought we’d have higher until I started ranking them all, national team #1 Alyssa Naeher.

Jordan Small:

At the time of the SheBelieves Cup, I was calling Naeher the best goalkeeper in the world. I still stand by that. However, she has not looked her best as of late. The first game of the season was not a good one from her. She struggled with positioning a lot in that game. But then she came out in the second game and shut out FCKC at Toyota Park. I know she can play better and I can’t wait to see Naeher back at her best. Naeher at her best is my favorite.

RJ Allen:

Naeher is a really, really good goalkeeper but I have a hard time calling her world class. And if you are the number one goalkeeper in the US I think you need to be world class. And she hasn’t shown that to me this year for country or club.

But I do again her best is really damn good.

Jordan Small:

I think she is in a difficult spot because she has to follow up Hope Solo. I just wish Solo was around to help her transition into the number one instead of just being thrown in there.

RJ Allen:

I do wonder what it says for the future of USWNT goalkeeping, if anything, that all the current goalkeepers in the conversation are 5-10 and none are top 4.

Jordan Small:

I also think that says something about the strength of goalkeepers internationally. But you’re absolutely right, it is a little bit worrisome that they are not in the top 4. However, there is a goalkeeper in the top 4 that you and I both would agree should see time with the national team. Unfortunately, I don’t think that will ever happen.

RJ Allen:

Before we get to that goalkeeper let’s talk about our number 4. A goalkeeper who happens to be the third most capped USWNT goalkeeper, Nicole Barnhart.

Jordan Small:

Man, Nicole Barnhart. The goalkeeper that never seems to drop off. Barnie is a special one. She has been probably the most consistent goalkeeper in the NWSL over the years. It has been no different in year five. She has made some incredible saves that have really kept her team in it. If it wasn’t for her and Becky Sauerbrunn, I don’t know where FCKC would be right now.

RJ Allen:

She is an ageless wonder of soccer. Someone who really is just always there, always knows what needs to be done and always works her tail off to do what she can to get her team the win.

Underrated I think by a lot of fans.

Jordan Small:

I really wish she was able to play more for the national team. Timing is everything at the national team level, especially at the goalkeeper position. But you can’t argue that she is one of the best to ever play in the league.

RJ Allen:

I would argue that if we’re just talking NWSL she is the best goalkeeper the league has seen.

Jordan Small:

I can’t argue that.

RJ Allen:

Let’s talk top 3, shall we? Kicking off the top 3 is a goalkeeper I know you watch very closely, Steph Labbe.

Jordan Small:

Ah, yes. Steph Labbé. Let’s just say that the Washington Spirit are very lucky that she stuck around. She has been incredible for them this season. I mean if you look at the game against North Carolina in week one, she is the only reason that game didn’t end up 5-0, 6-0. She finished with seven saves I believe. Just incredible. But she did get kind of crossed up in the Orlando game on the game tying goal. She could really save the season for the Spirit.

RJ Allen:

She really has looked sharp lately. And she is is getting toward her peak goalkeeper years, later than peak field player years, which is great for both Washington and Canada.

Though I do still worry about her having to over compensate for her backline.

Jordan Small:

I think that this backline will get better in a few weeks now that Caprice Dydasco has been cleared. But if you’re Washington and Canada, you have to be happy with the product you are getting from your number one.

RJ Allen:

Number 2 and number 1, you and I could have swapped and felt pretty good about. But our number two right now is Haley Kopmeyer.

Jordan Small:

Haley Kopmeyer is finally getting her chance at number one. Good things come to those who wait. After waiting for so long behind Solo, she is finally getting her chance. She has looked so good in her first two games of the year. I can’t wait to see what she can do moving forward. I wish we could see her get called into the national team, but I just don’t think that’ll happen. We’ll just have to settle for seeing her lead the team in Seattle instead.

RJ Allen:

I would take her on the national team over just about anyone right now. She has clearly learned from Solo over her time there when it comes to deciding to make a move and doing it. She really looks like someone who could spend the next decade playing at a super high level.

Jordan Small:

I don’t disagree with that.

If she continues to impress this season, maybe we will see her get a call up this year.

RJ Allen:

Shall we talk about the number 1? I believe it’s that time.

Jordan Small:

I think we owe the people that much. So let’s talk about our number 1.

Sabrina D’Angelo has not allowed a single goal all season, so she was my obvious choice for number 1.

RJ Allen:

Going D’Angelo as the number one was pretty easy even with Kopmeyer playing the way she is, yeah.

Jordan Small:

Although I think you could make the case for Kopmeyer to be number 1, D’Angelo has piggybacked off of an incredible 2016 championship game performance.

She wasn’t forced to be very active in game one, but those pesky Portland Thorns really put her to work. She showed why she deserves to be number 1.

Do you think this puts John Herdman in a tough spot when it comes to the number 1 spot in net for Canada?

RJ Allen:

I think it does but I think it’s a problem that any coach would love to have.

Right now if I were Herdman I would go D’Angelo 1, Labbe 2, but I can understand having Labbe start for Canada as well.

I do wonder if she has less of the confidence issues that Labbe has fought in the past too, which can help.

Jordan Small:

I think I would go with Labbé just because she has more experience at the international level. However, with no major tournaments coming up, this could be the time to have a battle play out. It’s a nice situation to be in.

RJ Allen:

It really is. And for North Carolina having her be at the level they are with everything else that’s going for them? They have a shot at the playoffs for sure.

Jordan Small:

I think they are the most complete team in the league right now.

RJ Allen:

We are planning to revisit the goalkeepers in the league a few times this season. Who do you think has the most room to make the biggest jump up the board in that 10-6 range?

Jordan Small:

Probably Abby Smith. I think that if she keeps playing the way she has been, she can be a star in this league.

RJ Allen:

Yeah I really think she can go pretty far.

I think Sheridan can make a jump but that is also going to be a lot to do with her backline.

Jordan Small:

I agree with you on that. Sheridan will have to really learn to control that backline.

RJ Allen:

Any final thoughts on the league and goalkeepers?

Jordan Small:

You know, the goalkeeping has been great to start off the year. I think this could be the most competitive year on record for goalkeepers. Nothing makes me happier than great goalkeeping, so this should be fun.

RJ Allen:

I agree. I’m looking forward to seeing some great goalkeeping this year and seeing if any of the non starters get time and who might break in to the league.

Jordan Small:

Is there a certain spot in the league where you could see a non-starter get some time?

RJ Allen:

Portland I think gives the best odds.

Jordan Small:

I definitely agree with that. I think the only question there is when? The 

RJ Allen:

It’s only a matter of time before Franch has a game like Campbell the way she’s playing.

Jordan Small:

I hope Parsons makes the change before it costs them.

I think that’s really the only place we will see a different person in net unless you are looking at someone being away on national team duties.

RJ Allen:

I think we’ll see. Never know what might happen with only 20 goalkeepers on the rosters right now.

Jordan Small:

And that’s what is so much fun about goalkeeping.

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Week 2

Posted on by RJ Allen

Backline Soccer Recap:

Last week on Backline Soccer, we introduced several new series that you can look forward to reading throughout the 2017 NWSL season.

  • The Unused Sub – Jacob Cristobal graced us with two pieces in this series last week. The first piece details the introduction of the streaming platforms and where we are at in year five. In the second piece, Jacob breaks down his thoughts on the uproar about Week 1 streaming, curses the Gods for taking Amy Rodriguez and Joanna Lohman out of the 2017 NWSL season with torn ACLs, and more. As always, he asks you to give him your best shot on twitter, @jacobcristobal, for any questions or comments!
  • Route Two Soccer: The Counterattack and Houston’s 4-3-3 – The first piece from our newest addition, Charles Olney, is all about tactics. In this first edition, he breaks down the tactics of the Houston Dash in their game against the Chicago Red Stars. This series is sure to be a hit, so make sure you keep your eyes peeled to our site for the next one.
  • Rising Blues, Falling Spirit- NWSL Power Rankings Week 1 Edition – Jenn Hayes will take you through power rankings each week of all ten NWSL teams. Week 1 saw FC Kansas City claim the top spot after a great opening game but the Washington Spirit, a team who made the 2016 NWSL championship game, found themselves at the bottom.
  • 6 Takeaways from NWSL: Week One – Jordan Small, Leigh Nieves, and Luis Hernandez will take you through their six takeaways each and every week following a weekend of NWSL games. Some highlights for week one included streaming issues, the first game on Lifetime, and the huge game Stephanie Labbé had.
  • Jane Campbell Didn’t Have an Excellent First Start (And That’s Okay) – Elizabeth Wawrzyniak takes a look at Jane Campbell’s first pro start for the Houston Dash. Even with the goals allowed she looks into why Campbell is going to be just fine.

Check them all out on our website–make sure to catch up on last week’s great pieces before diving into Week 2!

NWSL Week 2 Game Recaps:

We have arrived at the end of Week 2 in the 2017 NWSL season! We saw some great games this past weekend, so let’s dive right in.

 

Game 1: Chicago Red Stars 1 vs FC Kansas City 0

Chicago Red Stars record: 1-1-0
FC Kansas City record: 1-1-0
Attendance: 2,153

The first game of the day was the home opener for the Chicago Red Stars against FC Kansas City. Both teams were bringing the heat with some quality matchups, but it was ultimately a goal by Julie Ertz in the 41st minute that decided the game. Yes you read that right, Julie Ertz, our beloved JJ, scored the lone goal and game winner for the Chicago Red Stars! The 49th minute provided a PK to the Red Stars but Christen Press’ shot went wide, continuing the struggles with PKs for another USWNT star. FC Kansas City was noticeably different without the star power of Amy Rodriguez (who is out for the season with a torn ACL) but Nicole Barnhart kept Chicago limited to just one goal with some amazing saves. We’re only in week 2 but she is looking prime Barnie in goal so far.

Game 2: Orlando Pride 1 vs Washington Spirit 1

Orlando Pride record: 0-1-1
Washington Spirit record: 0-1-1
Attendance: 14,452

The Lifetime Game of the Week this week showcased the Orlando Pride and the Washington Spirit. This was the home opener for the Pride, the first appearance in their brand new stadium, and also the first game for Marta. A lot of give and go between both teams took us into halftime with no goals but plenty of excitement. Orlando has arguably one of the best backlines (at least on paper) in the league, but some slipups forced goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris into a number of crucial saves. Pride fans will appreciate the saves but I’m sure would prefer to see Harris less busy. She herself has said that a perfect game involves having to make no saves. With the continuing struggles of the front line for the Pride, the addition of Marta should provide a much needed boost. The return of Alex Morgan in June will also be a big help, but let’s hope Pride fans don’t have to wait that long for the team to start finishing their chances.

The Washington Spirit also looked much better this week, with Stephanie Labbé continuing to perform well. Marta made her anticipated appearance in the 59th minute, only to see Line Sigvardsen Jensen notch her first NWSL goal and put the Spirit up 1-0. But it was a stunner of a goal from rookie Danica Evans, her first as a professional, in the 87th minute that tied the game up. Shortly after, Marta came very close to scoring her first  and sealing the Pride’s first win of the season but couldn’t quite find the mark. Both teams come away here with a hard fought point.

Game 3: North Carolina Courage 1 vs Portland Thorns 0

North Carolina Courage record: 2-0-0
Portland Thorns record: 1-1-0
Attendance: 6,298

The Courage were up next in their home opener, the first for the newly relocated team, against the Thorns. In a rematch of the intense semi-final of last season, both teams game out of the gate swinging. Portland started off early as a FK by Nadia Nadim almost found its way to Allie Long for the first goal of the match but we went into halftime still scoreless. On both sides, Franch and D’Angelo came up big in the net to keep this game tight. Finally, in the 81st minute, Debinha scored the lone goal of the night to put the Courage up 1-0. She also came close earlier in the match with a supreme bicycle kick. The game was intensely physical, with the Courage ultimately coming out on top and seeing out the win in their new home in North Carolina.

Game 4: Seattle Reign 5 vs Houston Dash 1

Seattle Reign record: 1-0-1
Houston Dash record: 1-1-0
Attendance: 2,727

The final game of Saturday night saw the Reign take on the Dash in Seattle. The Dash were coming off a hopeful start after a win and shutout for Lydia Williams last week against the Chicago Red Stars but this time they looked like a different team. Jane Campbell made her NWSL debut in goal for Houston, and was put under pressure early and often. Jess Fishlock opened the goal-fest in the 17th minute. From there, it was all downhill for the Dash. Rapinoe launched a rocket in the 26th minute, McNabb followed in the 29th minute, Yanez in the 55th minute, and finally Katie Johnson, (her debut and first professional goal) in the 74th minute. Poliana put the Dash on the board, finally, in the 84th minute, but by then it was too late. Amber Brooks came up huge for the Dash in the 51st minute with a goal line clearance to keep the Reign off of the board but the Dash struggled most of the night against the Reign.

The decision to go with Campbell over Williams in goal was met with skepticism by many, and unfortunately she did not seem to be quite ready for the test. However, she certainly wasn’t helped by a shaky backline which, missing Janine Van Wyk due to illness, looked messy and unorganized. Ultimately, while it wasn’t a great night for Campbell, she should fare better going forward.

On a final note, Merritt Mathias took a hard knock and had to come off after a huge welt formed on her head. Despite the bump, she was seen laughing about it with teammates Haley Kopmeyer and Megan Rapinoe and seems to be OK.

Game 5: Boston Breakers 1 vs Sky Blue FC 0

Boston Breakers record: 1-1-0
Sky Blue FC record: 0-1-1
Attendance: 2,329

The final game of the weekend was the Boston Breakers’ home opener against Sky Blue FC. Not wanting a repeat of last years slow start, the Breakers came out determined to get three points. They looked much better this week and should give their fans a lot of hope. On the other side, Sky Blue also looked different from week 1, but in the other direction. After the dominating performance against the Reign last week, they could not buy a goal on Sunday to save their life. It was Natasha Dowie who scored the deciding goal in the 37th minute, thanks to Rose Lavelle’s first career assist. Kelley O’Hara took quite a beating this match as she was hustling all over the pitch, shuttling from forward to midfield, trying to make things happen for her team and fill in holes as needed. In the later part of the game, she was moved to fullback, in an effort to bolster the backline, but did not seem pleased about it. Both keepers, Abby Smith and Kailen Sheridan, looked dominant all game for their respective teams and should be proud of their output.

The weekend saw the Red Stars, Courage, Reign, and Breakers come away with three points, while the Pride and Spirit each garnered their first point of the season. Held winless and pointless this week were FCKC, the Thorns, Dash, and Sky Blue.

A reminder for U.S. fans that you can catch the Lifetime Game of the Week live and on demand either via TV, computer, or mobile and all other games live and on demand on the go90 app and (as of this weekend) on the go90 website. Additionally, after 48 hours, all go90 games will be on demand on the NWSL website. All international fans can catch every game, live and on demand, on the NWSL website.

The Scouting Report:

The Scouting Report went live last night with our second official NWSL weekly TSR recap of all NWSL games from the weekend. Make sure to tune in every Monday at 8pm EST to catch our weekly series!

You can find last night’s TSR here:

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