Tag: Houston Dash

6 Takeaways from NWSL: Week Two

Posted on by RJ Allen

An unpredictable Week Two in the NWSL has now come to a close. We saw the first win of the season for the Boston Breakers, the absolute rout of Houston from Seattle, and the first appearance of Marta in Orlando. Here are a few of our takeaways: 

Orlando Pride Draw 14,452: What That Really Means — Luis Hernandez

The Pride held the first match in the new Orlando City stadium which holds 25,500 hoping to break the league attendance record set last year in Orlando’s inaugural home opener. To do so, the club’s marketing department rolled out its “Fill The Bowl” campaign, Pride players made personal appearances, and were on radio and television pushing the #FillTheBowl message. Outsiders will be quick to point this out as a disappointment or a failure to draw in more crowds than before even with the signing of Marta, but I think after a closer examination this is not a bad thing, but a good thing.

The high attendance number of the first game didn’t carry over for the rest of the season. As the city of Orlando grew the sport of soccer on the men’s side, the club needs to do the same for the women, and that will take time. First year, first game brought in those looking for some novelty, and wanted to “check out” the new team for the club. Orlando has a lot going on besides soccer, and this year three teams are playing in the stadium. People are being selective, so the 14K strong in attendance to see the Pride take on the Spirit were more actually fans of WoSo who are more than likely to have a greater number return. The number in attendance isn’t cause for alarm yet for the Pride; however, the next home game falls on Mother’s’ Day, so looking big picture and long term would be the smart way moving forward.

 

Parity, It’s a thing – Luis Hernandez

The North Carolina Courage seem to be the strongest team out the gates going into Week Three as they host the Pride. Yet looking at the standings with the results of the first two weeks, all the teams have at least a point. The Dash beat the Red Stars Week One then get blasted by Seattle and Chicago holds off FC Kansas City. The Reign could only draw the first week against Sky Blue, and KC provided to be too much for the Breakers. Fast forward to Week Two, Boston gets a win over Sky Blue.

See where I’m going here? In this league, each team needs to be ready to give maximum effort, and execution; otherwise it will be a long match (looking at you Houston). Orlando was finally able to get a point from Washington by creating quality in the final third for one moment after the Spirit were able to improve their team’s performance from Week One. No game is going to be a gimme, and that level of competition is one of the hallmarks of the league, not found in most women’s leagues. May it continue for the rest of the season.

The Injury Bug Keeps Biting the Washington Spirit – Jordan Small

In last week’s opening weekend matchup with the North Carolina Courage, the Spirit had to use two subs in the first half due to injuries. Joanna Lohman is out for the rest of the season because of torn left ACL and Cheyna Williams missed this weekend’s match because of a strained right adductor. Things got even worse for the Spirit on Saturday.

In the 19th minute of the match vs. the Orlando Pride, forward Katie Stengel had to be subbed off because of what appeared to be a knee injury. If Stengel is unable to play against the Houston Dash next week, that would leave the Spirit with just three true forwards on the roster. Lohman, Stengel, and Williams join Caprice Dydasco, Cali Farquharson and Kelsey Wys on the list of injured Washington players.

 

Franch is Not Bad, But Also Not Great – Jordan Small

If you look at the box scores of the first two weeks of the season for the Portland Thorns, there doesn’t seem to be a lot wrong with the goalkeeping. A 2-0 win at home and a 1-0 loss on the road are two very respectable results. But what if I told you that the goalkeeping is a position of concern for the Thorns heading into the rest of the season?

Adriana Franch has been the starter for Portland in both matches this season. Despite allowing just one goal in that time, Franch had multiple mistakes that really put her team in harms way. Franch’s distribution out of the back has been suspect this season, forcing her backline to clean up her mistakes. Her mistakes have not cost her team on the scoresheet just yet, but how long will Mark Parsons wait before putting Britt Eckerstrom?

Houston, We Might Have a Problem? – Leigh Nieves

It’s difficult to say if Houston was purely having an off night, or if they really didn’t remember what is was like to play the Seattle Reign. Their shaky defense and questionable starting line up was a complete 180 from their first game vs Chicago. The one thing that was unquestionable? Seattle’s lethal attack.

Saturday night was the game many Reign fans were waiting to see. Jess Fishlock opened the scoring with a lovely ball that slid right past rookie keeper, Jane Campbell. This was only the beginning of Campbell’s nightmare-esque pro debut. In the next fifteen minutes, the Reign bagged two more goals, one from the deadly left foot of Megan Rapinoe and one from rookie defender, Kristen McNabb. Houston only continued to deteriorate, getting only one goal in the 84th minute from Poliana and ending the game with a 5-1 loss.

Houston should have a pretty decent offensive side this year with Kealia Ohai and Rachel Daly leading their formations, but the duo was practically invisible against the Reign. Maybe we can chalk this up to Houston’s bad luck vs Seattle (the Reign is 8-0 all-time against the Dash), or maybe there needs to be a big change in tactics for the next game.

 

Boston is Good? – Leigh Nieves

The Breakers closed out Week Two with a 1-0 shutout vs Sky Blue. And yes, they looked solid. A beautiful pass from Rose Lavelle to Natasha Dowie resulted in the game’s only goal. Sky Blue found themselves struggling against Boston’s ability to maintain possession and break (see what I did there) down Sky Blue’s attack. Though SBFC’s Christie Pearce seemed to be a dominant force in the first half, their second half performance lacked connectivity in the midfield. Ultimately, I would not be worried as a Sky Blue fan, but I would be hyped as a Breakers fan.

Jane Campbell Didn’t Have an Excellent First Start (And That’s Okay)

Posted on by RJ Allen

Saturday evening’s game between the Seattle Reign and the Houston Dash was a bit of a bust for some people. Reign fans were all in, and with good reason. Seattle scored consistently and well, earning five goals over the 90 minutes of play, while the Dash tried time and again and only managed to find the back of the net once, when Poliana scored one for the visitors in the 84′.  Continue reading “Jane Campbell Didn’t Have an Excellent First Start (And That’s Okay)” →

Route Two Soccer: The Counterattack and Houston’s 4-3-3

Posted on by RJ Allen

Welcome to Route Two Soccer, a new (semi) weekly column, where I’ll be discussing tactics in the women’s game.

There are plenty of great resources out there already on soccer tactics in general, and a whole lot more applying those concepts, but there’s not nearly as much available about tactical developments on the women’s side of things. I’m hoping to help fill in a little bit of that gap.

To kick things off this week, I want to talk about the Houston Dash, a team picked by many (including yours truly) to finish near the bottom of the table, who played this weekend without their two biggest stars (Carli Lloyd is in England until June and Morgan Brian carrying an injury), and nevertheless managed to secure a 2-0 victory over a strong Chicago side.

Despite the scoreline, it was a relatively even affair with Chicago arguably having the better of the game for the first 70 minutes. However, the manner in which Houston achieved the win deserves attention, since it has big implications for how the team will need to set up over the rest of the season if they hope to replicate this result.

Houston set up in a 4-3-3, led by an attacking triumvirate of Ohai, Daly, and Beckie—a group with the talent to be one of the best frontlines in the league. Ohai and Beckie were nominally positioned on the left and right respectively, but swapped sides easily over the course of the match. Daly mostly held the center, playing off the others, and trying to set the conditions for successful linkup play.

Houston’s 4-3-3: strengths and weaknesses

When it works, this sort of fluid attacking line creates enormous difficulties for the defense. All three are adept at picking off isolated defenders, dragging defenses out of position, and then slicing through the resulting spaces. Working together, they can trigger a cascading effect. As one creates a gap, the next moves through it to receive the ball, further dragging defenders off their mark and creating space for the third to gain a solid look on goal.

However, this approach has limitations as well. For one thing, it misses out on the advantages of a traditional center forward. While Daly can deputize as a #9, she lacks the physical presence to dominate in the air or allow for a game built around hold-up play. Moreover, this trio is chock full of great goals, but is far less adept at the sort of goal poaching that’s so often is necessary to grind out a tough win.

But most importantly, with all three forwards at their best facing goal and/or moving laterally, it can be difficult for Houston to orchestrate much buildup through the midfield. When it’s not working, this 4-3-3 leaves the attacking trio isolated, and the midfield overrun.

This effect is compounded by Houston’s relative dearth of good possession-oriented central midfielders. Andressa certainly fits that bill—with as much skill on the ball as almost anyone in the league—but Denise O’Sullivan and Amber Brooks do not. They both have excellent work rates, and can be trusted to put in a shift, but these are hardly the players to build a tiki-taka game around. Houston’s 4-3-3, therefore, can easily set up their opponent to dominate possession and choke off attacks before they begin, something that happened all too often last year (including an almost unbelievable scoreless run of 567 minutes).

In theory, this setup should be relatively flexible, shifting quickly back and forth between the 4-3-3 in attack to a 4-2-3-1 in defense (with Ohai and Beckie dropping back to the midfield, and O’Sullivan dropping back to form a bank of two defensive midfielders). However, neither of the wide attackers is particularly adept defensively, minimizing the value of this switch. And, even more importantly, the 4-2-3-1 is best suited for facilitating transitions through the center of the pitch, using the extra bodies in the midfield to support the attack. But this isn’t really Houston’s objective, and it remains to be seen whether they try to move more in that sort of direction.

Houston’s 4-3-3 in action – Week 1

On Saturday, we saw clear evidence of both the strengths and weaknesses of the 4-3-3.

On the negative side, Chicago’s excellent central diamond used their extra body and greater skill in possession to great effect, running circles around the beleaguered Houston midfield. Despite their best efforts, O’Sullivan and Brooks spent most of the first hour chasing shadows, giving dangerous players like DiBernardo, Colaprico, and Press far too much time and space on the ball. Meanwhile, Andressa spent a lot of time getting kicked, but didn’t find much joy threading needles through quickly collapsing spaces.

However, on the positive side, as Houston dropped deeper in defense Chicago was forced to come forward, leaving acres of space behind their defensive line. And this sort of expanse is precisely the terrain that Houston’s frontline is best suited to exploit.

You can see the effect quite clearly in Houston’s first goal. It all began with Chicago slicing open the Houston defense and then rattling the post with a shot. But in the space of just a few seconds, Brooks went from standing over the ball in her own defensive third (with five Chicago players behind her) to launching a ball over the top right to the feet of an onrushing Ohai, with only the keeper to beat. It was a ridiculously fast transition: from nearly conceding to putting the ball in the net in the space of 15 seconds.

And this is the issue for Houston in 2017. Their chief resources are blistering pace and skillful attackers who do best attacking head-on, taking defenders on directly, or rushing into space to meet a throughball. In that sense, they seem ideally suited to a counterattacking setup. However, Houston’s primary weakness is its backline, where none of their defenders are without significant questions. A strategy of resolute defending and lightning counterattacks might serve them well, but it could be exceptionally dangerous to sit back and wait for opponents to attack their weakest link.

The return of Lloyd and Brian

These questions will only grow as Lloyd and Brian return. Both are excellent players, of course, but it remains to be seen whether and how they can be fitted into a more successfully tactical setup.

Lloyd, in particular, is a real enigma. Her presence in 2016 coincided with (by far) the team’s best run of form. Consider: in Lloyd’s six full games, Houston scored 17 goals and earned 12 out of 18 points. In their other 14 games, Houston scored just 12 goals and earned only 10 out of 42 points. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether Lloyd actually fits into the system that Houston needs to play. She’s certainly not well suited for a lethal counterattacking unit built on pace and quick one-touch passing to slice through a defense in transition.

And if she does return to the Dash starting XI, whom would she replace? Sacrificing any of the midfielders would only exacerbate the defensive frailty. Losing one of the front three, however, would radically change the offensive structure—with Lloyd likely slotting in as more of an attacking midfielder at the top of a 4-4-2. We have seen Lloyd excel in that role before—when she is on her game, she truly fits the bill of the trequartista. But those games are rare in the best of times, and Lloyd is now solidly in her mid 30s. Can the Dash afford to build their entire offense around the gamble of getting Lloyd at her best?

What to do with Morgan Brian is an easier topic, though not without its own subtle concerns. Thanks to national team duties and a series of injuries, Brian has never quite achieved what the Dash hoped from her when they selected her with the #1 pick in 2015. But a healthy Morgan Brian is one of the most skillful and gifted (both physically and mentally) players in the world–the sort of player that any team can use.

So, looking forward, the question for the Dash is just how soon they’ll be able to get that version of Brian, and where they should use her once she becomes available. I’ve argued before over at Stars and Stripes FC that Brian’s best role going forward might be as a holding midfielder, in something of the Sergio Busquets role. That position maximizes the value of her skill on the ball, her field vision, and her control in tight spaces. However, if Houston plan to play a counterattacking game, they simply won’t have much use from a short-passing playmaker in the deep holding slot. It might make more sense, then, to continue slotting in Brooks at the #6—where she is more than serviceable—and swap out O’Sullivan instead.

For Houston, Brian’s value will probably be maximized if she plays as a box-to-box midfielder, dropping deep and effectively playing as the second piece of a double pivot when in defense—enhancing the midfield shield that will help to protect the frail backline—but with the freedom to range forward to link up with Andressa, Poliana and the attacking three when in possession. O’Sullivan did well enough in that role on Saturday, but there’s no denying that a fully fit Brian would make it easier for the Dash to shift fluidly between the 4-3-3 in attack and the 4-2-3-1 in defense.

If they’re able to integrate Brian into the system in that slot and if she and Andressa can form a solid relationship in those roles, it would significantly enhance Houston’s tactical versatility, and could be the difference between a successful campaign and another mediocre season.

Going forward

Houston performed well on Saturday, managing to play fairly even with a strong Chicago team, and start their season with three points. But the flaws of this roster were very much on display, and the real problem is: it’s not really clear that there are many solutions available.

The 4-3-3 is the best way to maximize the attacking abilities of their front six, but it’s a fairly rigid framework. When it works, it produces moments of magic. When it doesn’t, it produces a lot of frustration. And unlike other teams in the league, with enormous flexibility to rebalance their team on a given day, Houston doesn’t have a lot of other options.

As noted above, when Lloyd returns they may choose to shift to a 4-4-2 (pushing Ohai to the wings and using Lloyd as the #10), and they did have some success in this formation last year. But it relies heavily on getting top-quality performances from Lloyd (a risky gamble), and also risks seriously unbalancing the midfield.

Ultimately, it’s hard to look at the roster and not think that a trade might be their best option. At the end of the day, Houston’s season will be made or broken on the backline, and while they can and should work on drilling a bit more positional solidity into that backline, there’s a limit to how much water you can squeeze from a rock.

But Lloyd remains an incredibly dangerous player. Might not some other team in the league be willing to offer up some defensive support in order to get her? If it’s possible to bring in some additional strength from outside, they would be well advised to consider it.

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Week 1

Posted on by RJ Allen

Welcome to our first installment of “Off the Bench,” the latest Backline Soccer weekly series.

Backline Soccer Recap:

This last week on Backline Soccer, we posted all ten of our 2017 NWSL team previews. If you haven’t yet read them, please visit our site to check them out and let us know what you think!

NWSL Week One Game Recaps:

What a great first weekend back for the NWSL we had! Let’s dive straight into a recap of the five matches we had this past weekend.

 

Game 1: Houston Dash 2 vs Chicago Red Stars 0

Houston Dash record: 1-0-0
Chicago Red Stars record: 0-1-0
Attendance : 4,484

First up, to kick off the 2017 NWSL season, the Houston Dash took on the Chicago Red Stars at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston. Kealia Ohai opened up the scoring giving the 2017 season its first goal in the 15th minute. Alyssa Naeher stuck to her line a little too long and Ohai made her pay. Then, in the 80′ minute, Rachel Daly sent a rocket past Naeher, for goal number two, and was featured on ESPN’s SportsCenter for it!

 

Game 2: Portland Thorns 2 vs Orlando Pride 0

Portland Thorns record: 1-0-0
Orlando Pride record: 0-1-0
Attendance : 16,145

The first Lifetime Game of the Week started shortly after the Houston game, with the Portland Thorns taking on the Orlando Pride. It was a pretty even game for most of the match. The 24th minute saw a killer diving header from Ashlyn Harris to keep the Thorns from scoring but an unfortunate handball on Alanna Kennedy in the 32nd minute led to a converted PK by Nadia Nadim. Christine Sinclair netted home the final goal to seal the Thorns’ win in the 67th minute.

 

Game 3: Washington Spirit 0 vs North Carolina Courage 1

Washington Spirit record: 0-1-0
North Carolina Courage record: 1-0-0
Attendance : 2,400

Next up were the Washington Spirit and North Carolina Courage, in their inaugural match. McCall Zerboni scored the game’s lone goal–and the first in NC Courage history–in the 19th minute but it was Spirit goalkeeper Stephanie Labbé who put on a spectacular performance that kept the Courage from scoring any more after that. With one spectacular save after another, Labbé demonstrated to everyone just what an asset she will be for the Spirit this season. Unfortunately for the Spirit, Joanna Lohman went down in the first half with what was confirmed on Monday as a torn ACL in her left knee.

 

Game 4: Seattle Reign 1 vs Sky Blue FC 1

Seattle Reign record: 0-0-1
Sky Blue FC record: 0-0-1
Attendance : 3,521

The final match of the day was between the Seattle Reign and Sky Blue FC, which ended up being the game of PKs. A foul committed by a Sky Blue player saw Megan Rapinoe convert a PK in the 56nd minute. Then in the 62nd minute, a foul by a Reign player saw Sarah Killion bury a PK to level the game. Seattle Reign goalkeeper, Haley Kopmeyer, who had a player of the week worthy game as well on Saturday, almost stopped the PK taken by Killion.

 

Game 5: FC Kansas City 2 v. Boston Breakers 0

FC Kansas City record: 1-0-0
Boston Breakers record: 0-1-0
Attendance : 3,340

The final game of the first weekend back for the NWSL between FC Kansas City and the Boston Breakers saw the return of Amy Rodriguez and Sydney Leroux to the pitch after maternity leave. Leroux kicked off the party early with her first goal in over a year in the 7th minute. Amy Rodriguez decided she wanted to be part of the goal scoring party too and netted herself one in the 48th minute. Then in the 58th minute, we all held our breath as Rodriguez went down with a non-contact injury and was stretchered off shortly after. Official confirmation has not been given but it was reported to be the left leg which was then immobilized with a brace.

The weekend ended with the Dash, Thorns, Courage, and FCKC all taking home 3 points, while Sky Blue and the Reign each left with a point. Held winless and pointless in the first weekend were the Red Stars, Pride, Spirit, and Breakers.

The Scouting Report:

The Scouting Report went live last night with the first 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!

To Playoffs & Beyond? 2017 Houston Dash Preview

Posted on by RJ Allen

2016 Record: 6-10-4, 8th Place.

Coach: Randy Waldrum

Since joining the league in 2014, the Houston Dash have always had potential. For an expansion team, the first couple of seasons are more or less expected to be rough, but by 2016 (my first full-year as an NWSL and Dash fan) it seemed like the pieces were finally falling into place. They had filled holes in the defense and a stagnant attack, drafting or acquiring a host of dynamic forwards in Rachel Daly, Chioma Ubogagu, and Janine Beckie. They had Becca Moros and Ellie Brush anchoring a backline that also included the dangerous Poliana and Allysha Chapman on the wings. The midfield was to be anchored by Morgan Brian and Carli Lloyd, who was finally training with the team ….

It was a dream off-season and Dash fans had every reason to be optimistic.

The Dash even started the season strong solidifying a 4-4-2 system that fit the personnel and gathered a good core of young players that seemed to have a chemistry together that previous rosters lacked. For a brief, shining moment the team was even on the top of the table (in Week One), and Dash fans looked at each other, and wondered, “is this real life?”

It wasn’t.

Injuries to Lloyd and Brian, international duty for seven of their players during the Olympics, and a let down of some of the players (like Ubogagu, Moros, and Brush) who failed to deliver on their promised potential left the Dash in a hole by the middle of the season that was impossible to climb back out of, even when Kealia Ohai went on her scoring tear in the last 10 games.

Now, looking ahead to the 2017 season the Dash have once again lost some key players–though not nearly as many as the last off-season–and signed some really exciting new pieces that they hope will provide a spark to propel them into a truly competitive position, and even a shot at the playoffs. Will 2017 be the year of the Dash? I have a couple of reasons to be optimistic that it will be.

 

Continuity Helps

One of the first pieces of news to come out of the off-season was that a huge chunk of core roster pieces were re-signed for the 2017 season. According to the press release, the Dash exercised second-year contract options on a large number of players, including: forwards Rachel Daly, Melissa Henderson, and Kealia Ohai; midfielders Amber Brooks, Caity Heap, and Denise O’Sullivan; defenders Poliana, Cami Privett, and Cari Roccaro; as well as goalkeeper Lydia Williams. Houston also offered new contracts to Andressa (M), and Stephanie Ochs (D). The Dash also have several players allocated by the Canadian and US Soccer federations returning to the pitch this year, as Morgan Brian, Janine Beckie, and Carli Lloyd (sort of–more on that later) will each don the team’s bright orange kits once again.

The biggest takeaway from that long list of names is that with such a significant number of players returning, the team can continue to build on the flow and communication they had finally established by the end of the 2016 season. Considering the team’s post-Rio performance was basically the polar opposite of the first half of the season, the potential for them to come out strong and persist throughout the season is definitely real.

Additionally, the Dash may be one of the teams that will benefit most from having no major international tournaments in the middle of the season. The Olympics were particularly rough, with over half the starting lineup out for the month leading up to Olympics (Williams for Australia, Beckie and Chapman for Canada, Poliana and Andressa for Brazil, and Morgan Brian and Carli Lloyd for the US). By contrast, the Euros will have no impact on the lineup. Instead, they will have a chance to build on the chemistry that was established last season. I am especially excited to see many of the young players brought in last year grow together and start to gel.

 

New Signings & Draft Picks

The Dash also added a number of big names in the off-season, with both international players and draft picks. While the draft class for the Dash was small, with only three picks overall, Randy Waldrum and the team used those three picks to their advantage, acquiring the rights to Jane Campbell (GK), and Erin Smith (D).

Campbell has been in the US National Team conversation since she was 17–an impressive feat during the years of Hope Solo’s dominance when very few goalkeepers were even in consideration, much less called up for a look. She has been considered the future of National Team goalkeeping and has been consistently called up to train with Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride) and Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars) in the camps after the Olympics when more spots opened up in the GK conversation for the US. In her career at Stanford, she was outstanding, with NCAA reported that by the end of her career, Campbell came in “first in goalkeeping minutes with 7,233, fourth in saves with 208, tied for second in shutouts with 34 and fifth in goals against average with a .66 per game.” She is more than capable as a backup to Australian international Lydia Williams.

There is some speculation that Campbell’s current position on the National Team will put pressure on Waldrum to start her over Williams. I honestly do not think that Waldrum would do that to Williams. Williams is one of the top international goalkeepers, and she has plenty of league experience – both in the NWSL and the W-League. While Campbell was a top-rated college player and has trained with the USWNT (getting her first cap and 15 minutes of play against Russia), she is still a rookie in the league. She doesn’t have the international experience. There is no reason, from a club perspective, to start her over Williams. She will still develop by training with one of the best keepers in the world. 

As far as new international players go, the Dash have acquired Janine van Wyk (D, South Africa) and Bruna Benites (D, Brazil), as well as American defender Claire Falknor who played for Germany’s Bayern Munich in 2016 after graduating from the University of Florida in 2015.  Van Wyk is perhaps the biggest name on this list last year July’s friendly pitted her South African side against the USWNT for the first time. In that match, Banyana Banyana held the powerful US team to only one goal, a feat that was led by van Wyk in her role as center defender and captain. She used that opportunity to display her skills to her advantage, revealing when she signed with the Dash that the process to bring her to Houston had started almost as soon as she stepped off the field from that display of defensive dominance.

It seems safe to assume that Houston is trying to fix some major holes that appeared in the defense, particularly in the late minutes of matches. Last year, despite moving past their scoring drought in definitive form, they couldn’t hold leads in the late minutes. This was a combination of their center backs slowing down late in the game, a lack of communication and chemistry with substitutes, and a tendency to watch the ball. This year, with the exception of Prince, all of their draft picks and signings have been focused on adding depth to the defense and hopefully building a backline that will be able to stay solid for a full 90 minutes. There is better communication between the backline, largely because of van Wyk’s experience, and the overall fitness of the line is improved, but their depth is still worrisome. If anyone gets injured, it may be another scramble requiring midfielders to be converted in a week’s time (as with Cami Privett last season).

 

Can Ohai Continue to Dominate?

One overwhelmingly bright spot of the second half of 2016 was Kealia Ohai’s scoring spree. She scored 11 goals in ten games and racked up four assists on the season, coming in second to Lynn Williams (WNY Flash) in the Golden Boot competition, who won with 11 goals, five assists.

Ohai also grew into her role as captain last season. After starting the year off as co-captain with Lloyd, she assumed sole possession of the armband after the National Team player’s early-season injury and extended international duty. She led the Dash out of the scoring drought and established herself as an offensive threat. Her late-season display earned her a call-up to the USWNT in October, which resulted in her first cap against Switzerland and a stunningly fast goal, 48 seconds after she stepped on the pitch.

However, Ohai has always struggled with consistency. She was one of the players who contributed (or rather, didn’t) to the scoring drought, and her numbers over the 2014-2015 seasons were not spectacular. It seemed she had turned over a new leaf at the end of 2016 that turned her into one of the top names in the league, but her preseason has been quiet and frustrating. The question Houston needs her to answer is whether she can continue her club dominance and effectively lead the team to bigger and better things in 2017.  I believe that she can. Over the past couple of years, she has shown that she can withstand tough times and come out stronger on the other side. While she was part of the scoring drought, it was also her leadership that helped lead them back into attacking dominance in the second half.

 

Life Without Lloyd

Finally, the question every Dash fan always seems to be asking: What about Carli Lloyd? Traded to the Dash in the 2014 offseason, Lloyd’s a player from whom great things are expected, no matter where she’s playing, and having her in Dash orange seems like it should spell great things for the club. The problem is that she is often just a name on the roster–not on the field–leaving fans to wonder if she will ever fully dedicate herself to the club.

Her play for the Dash in 2015 was hampered not only by the World Cup in Canada, but by the sheer amount of media she was expected to do in her role as World Cup Final Hero. In 2016, it was an injury and then the lead up to the Olympics (and an extended vacation after the end of the US Olympic run for recovery) that hampered her appearances on the pitch for Houston. For those who wondered if she would finally start to take her commitment to her NWSL team seriously in 2017, Lloyd once again seemed to defer, announcing that she had signed with Manchester City Women in the FAWSL as they compete in the UEFA Women’s Champion’s League tournament, on a contract that lasts until July 1st of this year.

This leaves two questions for Houston:

  1. What will they do without her for the first half of the season?
  2. Will she actually come back?

As to the former, I think that Houston will be just fine – and perhaps even better – without Lloyd on the field. Yes, Lloyd is dominant. Yes, she is an accomplished goal scorer, a top attacking midfielder, and the reigning two-time FIFA Player of the Year. However, Lloyd plays best in a system that is built entirely around her and her playing style. This is true with the National Team and it is true with her club teams. At the very least, she needs to know and be comfortable with the players on the field with her. Her extended absences have made any kind of on-field chemistry nearly impossible to establish with Houston. And it is difficult for a coach to train a team to be successful in two very systems, one for when Lloyd is there, and one for when she’s not.

The answer to the second question is little more than speculation. Based on her previous attitude towards the team–from her obvious disappointment at being traded to the Dash, to her choice to stay in New Jersey with her trainer while rehabbing in 2016 instead of remaining in Houston and with the Dash community–I really don’t think Lloyd wants to be on the Dash. Granted, players do not “technically” have control over the teams they play for. But NWSL fans know that if a big name National Team player wants to be somewhere, chances are they will end up there eventually (see: Alex Morgan’s move to the Orlando Pride, and Sydney LeRoux’s trade to FCKC). It’s entirely possible that she will lean on the front offices and USSF and make her move sooner, rather than later. Tellingly, the Dash have stopped including her in any marketing for the upcoming season, or even mentioning her in press releases about NT call-ups. Whether that’s because her rights are technically owned by Manchester City until July or not, it seems that Lloyd, in trying to find any way to not be in Houston, may have finally fallen out of Houston’s good graces.

 

Can Morgan Brian Stay Healthy?

Morgan Brian is another piece of the puzzle with a question mark currently. She’s been training with the team but has not played in preseason matches because of a knee injury. This week, the USWNT announced that she had been ruled out of the upcoming camp and friendlies because of that injury.

Brian has the potential to be a key piece in the midfield in both the attacking and defending roles. She has better chemistry on and off the field with her teammates and seems committed to making it work with Houston. When she’s there and healthy, she makes a distinct difference in the flow of the game and offensive presence, showing why she was a top draft pick in 2015. However, she has struggled with injuries off and on since the 2015 World Cup. This knee is only the most recent. Can Brian stay healthy, or will the Dash have to rely on Brooks and O’Sullivan in those roles?

 

Predictions

Going from their preseason play (some of which I’ve had the privilege of seeing in person), the Dash are raring to go the year. Their intensity is up across the field, their communication is vastly improved both within and between their lines. They are keeping their shape much better, and finding plenty of opportunities behind the lines with the combined speed of Daly, Beckie, and especially Ohai up top.

However, there are a few questions that will take regular season play to totally answer:

  1. How fast can their new defense gel? With a mostly new cast of characters, the Dash will live or die based on how well they handle the inevitable moments of miscommunication and move past them. Will they be able to finally defend for 90 minutes?
  2. Can their offense turn it on? Last season, the problem was with the offense for much of the first half. Their preseason games have shown no great offensive force, but they have shown a team who knows how to get the job done. Fans can hope this continues through the season.

As a fan, I am eager to see the Dash in 2017 as they develop their young talent and bring in veteran leadership from a larger international pool to solidify their defensive line. I really think that they have the potential to slot all the pieces together and turn into a true competitor for the top spots on the table.

It is going to be a great year to #DashOn!

2017 Houston Dash Roster

Goalkeepers (2): Jane Campbell, Lydia Williams

Defenders (6): Bruna Benites(INTL-BRA), Claire Falknor, Cami Privett, Poliana(INTL-BRA), Cari Roccaro, Janine Van Wyk (INTL-RSA),

Midfielders (6): Andressa (INTL-BRA), Morgan Brian (FED-USA), Amber Brooks, Caity Heap, Carli Lloyd (FED-USA, OOM), Denise O’Sullivan (INTL-IRE),

Forwards (7): Janine Beckie (FED-CAN), Rachel Daly (INTL-ENG), Sarah Hagen, Melissa Henderson, Kealia Ohai, Nichelle Prince (FED-CAN), Stephanie Ochs

U.S. Soccer Announces NWSL Allocations for 2017

Posted on by RJ Allen

After yesterday’s exciting news that a new 5-year CBA agreement had been reached, the USSF followed today with the names of those players to be allocated in the NWSL this season. 22 players across nine teams in the league will have their salary paid for by US Soccer, an arrangement that benefits both sides as players are able to continue playing competitively outside of their National Team duties and teams are able to feature players they might otherwise be unable to afford in a league where the minimum salary is still below $20,000.

Boston Breakers

After the loss of Whitney Engen, their sole US player from last year, fans weren’t sure who would be allocated to the team in 2017. But when Rose Lavelle was selected first overall in the 2017 NWSL College Draft earlier this year, it was a pretty sure bet that the rookie, who already has two caps at the senior level, would find her name on the list.

 

Chicago Red Stars

It’s no surprise to us here at Backline Soccer to see defender Casey Short’s name on this list. The newly allocated player has earned several caps on the senior team during the off-season. Her performance on Chicago’s backline in the 2016 season earned her a well-deserved call-up to the USWNT and she’s continued to put in her Chicago-style work ethic to the test on the international stage.

Other allocated players (no surprises here) are defender Julie Ertz (nee Johnston), goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, and forward Christen Press.

https://twitter.com/chicagoredstars/status/850003520153681920

 

FC Kansas City

FCKC’s three allocated players include recently returned Amy Rodriguez and Sydney Leroux in addition to one of our favorites, Becky Sauerbrunn. Leroux and Rodriguez took a year off from the USWNT to give birth to their sons and once back in form, we expect them to slip right back into the US’s attack.

 

Houston Dash

Carli Lloyd and Morgan Brian make up the US allocations for the Houston Dash, and with good reason. The two make up key pieces of the USWNT’s midfield, and Lloyd is a formidable element in the attack. Even with Lloyd over helping the FAWSL’s Manchester City in their quest to win this year’s UEFA Champion’s League and Brian recovering from a minor injury that’ll keep her from the Russian friendlies this month, the Houston Dash look to make their name in the table this season, and these two will be big contributors in that drive.

 

NC Courage

In the Courage’s inaugural season, midfielder Samantha Mewis and forward, and last year’s NWSL Golden Boot winner, Lynn Williams, have been allocated. Mewis has been a steady contributor to the team since her first cap at the 2014 Algarve Cup, and was one of Western New York Flash’s allocations for the 2016 season. Williams is newly allocated after her stellar 2016 season earned her a call-up to the USWNT, where she’s notched two goals in seven appearances.

 

Orlando Pride

In their second season, the Pride have been allocated some of the USWNT’s best defensive and offensive players. Goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris and defender Ali Krieger have a long and successful history on the backline together, playing at the international and league level, and Orlando’s backline will be a tough one to crack with those two directing the defense. And Alex Morgan may be away in France on a temporary loan to Olympique Lyonnais, but the long-time USWNT forward scored four goals in fifteen appearances for the Pride last season and will be in prime shape to net even more in 2017.

 

Portland Thorns

The Portland Thorns once again lead the list with five allocated players. Between defenders Emily Sonnett and Meghan Klingenberg, and midfielders Tobin Heath, Allie Long, and Lindsey Horan, Mark Parsons’ powerhouse should be a contender for the Shield again this season, especially considering that the allocated players won’t be absent for large chunks of the season due to National Team duties.  If they can all stay healthy, the Thorns should be right up there at the end of the season, making a play for the Championship.

 

Seattle Reign

For the first time in their history, the Seattle Reign have only one allocated player from the US. But considering that player is Megan Rapinoe, they’re probably just fine with that. Back to full-strength this season after an injury suffered on National Team duty, and then the trip to Rio, kept her off the Memorial Stadium pitch for most of 2016, the Reign will be eager get Rapinoe back in their mix and work their way back up the table after last year’s disappointing absence from the post-season.

 

Sky Blue FC

Kelley O’Hara is this year’s lone allocation from the USWNT in the Sky Blue kit. The forward-turned-defender has been converted back to the attack this season by coach Christy Holly, and so it might almost seem there are two O’Haras in the world of WOSO at the moment–the USWNT’s #5 defender and Sky Blue’s #19 forward. But no matter who she’s playing for or in what position, it’s always exciting to watch O’Hara on the pitch.

 

Washington Spirit

Maybe you’ve noticed that the Washington Spirit didn’t tweet out any allocation news this morning? For the first time in their NWSL history, the Spirit don’t have any players allocated to their roster. They lost one in 2015 when Ashlyn Harris was traded to the Orlando Pride in the Expansion Draft, and then two just this past off-season, when owner Bill Lynch and coach Jim Gabarra traded Ali Krieger to Orlando in exchange for a higher position in the distribution ranking order, and forward Crystal Dunn announced she’d signed with the FAWSL’s Chelsea Ladies. After their franchise-history making season, and a heart-breaking loss at the Championship match in Houston, the Spirit are putting all their eggs in new talent acquired through the 2017 Draft or off-season trades. And, it could pay off. At the very least, their season will give us all a look at some potential future USWNT call-ups if their performance on the pitch grabs our attention.

Around the World of WoSo: NWSL TV details, Mittag to Sweden

Posted on by RJ Allen

Mittag on the move:

German international Anja Mittag has announced she will be returning to Sweden’s FC Rosengard this season. The-31 year-old striker is familiar with the club, having played for them from 2012-2015. She will leave Wolfsburg behind after just one season, and played her final game for the German powerhouse in the Champions League last week, losing to Lyon in the quarterfinals round.

Mittag appeared 68 times for FC Rosengard during her last tenure there, scoring a remarkable 61 times. After leaving Sweden in 2015, Mittag went on to play for Paris Saint-Germain for one year, playing in 18 games and contributing 10 goals, before returning to Germany to join Wolfsburg.

Mittag joins a squad that is filled with international playmakers, including Ali Riley (New Zealand), Erin McLeod (Canada), Lotta Schelin (Sweden), Lieke Martens (Netherlands), and Sofie Junge Pedersen (Denmark).

 

Reign sign Katie Johnson:

The Seattle Reign have officially welcomed Katie Johnson to the family. The dynamic forward was selected in the second round of the 2017 College Draft, eager to acquire the kind of player who always seems to find a way to score goals. Johnson is explosive in open spaces, and her finishing skill alone is appealing for the average soccer fan. In her last match as a senior she scored two goals for USC, going on to win the National Championship against West Virginia. Across her total collegiate career, she netted 24 goals and six assists.

The Reign lost two key pieces of the scoring puzzle in Kim Little and Manon Melis in the off-season, so bringing in a young talent like Johnson was a no-brainer. Even with a roster that has Bev Yanez, Nahomi Kawasumi, Megan Rapinoe, and Larissa Crummer, I still think Johnson has a shot at earning quality minutes this season.

 

USWNT trio out with injuries:

The United States Women’s National team will be without three midfielders for the two matches with Russia on April 6th and 9th later this week. Tobin Heath is ruled out with a back injury, Morgan Brian has a minor knee injury, and Lindsey Horan is dealing with a hip-flexor strain.

Heath is one of the key veterans on the team, appearing 131 times and has 18 goals. Two things the 28 year-old veteran loves to do is to create plays and distribute the ball, giving her teammates as many opportunities as possible. Brian has slowly become an important piece as well, already appearing 66 times and has six goals. Horan arrived on the scene first in 2013, and has appeared 33 times while scoring three goals.

 

Shim and Daly go the distance:

Over the weekend, the Portland Thorns held a pre-season tournament at Providence Park, consisting of the Chicago Red Stars, Houston Dash and the United States U-23 team.

In the finale between Portland and Houston, two players were equally responsible for securing their respective teams point in the 1-1 draw on Saturday. The first strike ordered was by Thorns midfielder Mana Shim in the 17th minute. She had a small window of space on the left of the 18-yard box and Shim just let it fly, ripping a left-footed shot that flew past Dash keeper Lydia Williams for the opening goal. While Williams did manage to get a slight hand on it, there was just no saving this ball. It was a spectacular effort and finish.

Next up was Rachel Daly’s turn. The England international and Dash forward got a hold of the ball in the 76th minute to run at the back four of Portland. She started on the left but drifted towards the middle and from just over 20 yards out, Daly unleashed a shot. Thorns’ keeper Britt Eckerstrom had no chance to save this shot either. It was the kind of goal you can watch over and over again and not get tired of, that’s how special it was. Not too shabby for a preseason game.

 

Lotzen goes down:

Bayern Munich forward Lena Lotzen tore her ACL during the Paris Saint-Germain Champions League match. Lotzen is unfortunately no stranger to injuries in her career, in 2014 she tore her ACL and then in 2015 tore her meniscus in the same knee. The 23-year-old has played for Bayern since 2010 and has made 70 appearances while scoring 23 goals. At the National team level, Lotzen has played in 25 games and netted nine goals for Germany.

Each time, Lotzen managed to make a comeback and is still young and has been playing at a very high level since she was 16. I hope she can continue to prolong her career and make another strong comeback.

 

NWSL releases TV schedule:

After patiently waiting and wondering, the people have gotten what they want. The National Women’s Soccer League has finally released the TV schedule, two weeks before the fifth season kicks off. The details regarding who will be calling the action were also included in the same release.

The schedule has 22 regular season matches every Saturday as well as playoff and championship coverage in the fall. The first televised game on Lifetime will be the Portland Thorns hosting the Orlando Pride at Providence Park at 4 pm. The reigning champions NC Courage will play their first televised game against FC Kansas City on June 3rd at Sahlen’s Stadium (formerly WakeMed Soccer Park) in Cary, NC.

Details of the four members of the broadcast team have also been announced. Brought on to call the play-by-play is Jenn Hildreth. Fans might remember her from her coverage of the 2015 Women’s World Cup in Canada and or the NCAA DI Women’s National Championship as well. Former USWNT star Aly Wagner has been added as an Analyst. Wagner was also a member of the 2015 WWC reporting team and calls USWNT matches.

The last members of the team are Dalen Cuff, who will serve as a pre-game host and sideline reporter and Kate Markgraf, who will join him on the pre-game coverage and also contribute as an analyst. Cuff covered the 2016 Rio Olympics when he represented NBC Sports Network while Markgraf is known for her work during the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games for NBC.

Down to 25: NWSL Preseason Rosters Updated

Posted on by RJ Allen

Teams across the league released updated preseason rosters, cutting down from their 30+ player lists to just 25. Just an FYI if, like us, you find yourself counting names, a few teams will have more than 25 players listed, due to listing selected players as “Out of Market” or NYR (not-yet-returned) at the moment–these are players who have not reported for one reason or another. For example, Julie Ertz, nee Johnston, who is currently on her honeymoon, and Natasha Kai, who is recovering from a late-season injury.  Also, most teams still contain a number of players listed as NRI, or non-rostered invitee.

The date for final season rosters is still several weeks away, but already it’s clear how some teams are shaping up their squad in anticipation of the fifth season.

By April 10 the rosters must be between 18 and 20.

Boston Breakers

Did not release updated roster, currently at or under 25 players:

Goalkeepers (3): Sammy Jo Prudhomme, Abby Smith, Libby Stout

Defenders (7): Allysha Chapman (FP-CAN), Brooke Elby, Amanda Frisbie, Julie King, Megan Oyster, Kylie Strom, Christen Westphal

Midfielders (6): Morgan Andrews (Draft Pick), Amanda DaCosta, Rose Lavelle (Draft Pick), Angela Salem, Tiffany Weimer, Rosie White

Forwards (6): Hayley Dowd (Draft Pick), Natasha Dowie, Emilie Haavi, Adriana Leon (FP-CAN), Ifeoma Onumonu (Draft Pick), Margaret Purce (Draft Pick)

 

Chicago Red Stars

Goalkeepers (2): Michele Dalton, Alyssa Naeher (FP-USA)

Defenders (6): Arin Gilliland, Sarah Gorden, Samantha Johnson, Julie Ertz (FP-USA, Out-of-Market), Katie Naughton, Casey Short

Midfielders (11): Jackie Altschuld (NRI), Danielle Colaprico, Taylor Comeau, Vanessa DiBernardo, Sofia Huerta, Lauren Kaskie (Draft Pick), Mary Luba, Alyssa Mautz, Morgan Proffitt (Draft Pick), Courtney Raetzman, Brittany Ratcliffe (NRI)

Forwards (7): Jannelle Flaws (NRI), Summer Green, Jen Hoy, Simone Kolander (NRI), Stephanie McCaffrey, Christen Press (FP-USA), Cara Walls

 

Houston Dash

Did not release updated roster, currently at or under 25 players:

Goalkeepers (3): Jane Campbell (Draft Pick), Bianca Henniger, Lydia Williams

Defenders (9): Bruna Benites, Megan Crosson (NRI) Claire Falknor, Jaylyn Odermann (NRI), Stephanie Ochs, Cami Privett, Poliana, Cari Roccaro, Erin Smith (Draft Pick), Janine Van Wyk

Midfielders (7): Andressa, Morgan Brian (FP-USA), Amber Brooks, Anna Maria Gilbertson, Caity Heap, Carli Lloyd (FP-USA), Denise O’Sullivan

Forwards (6): Janine Beckie (FP-CAN), Rachel Daly, Melissa Henderson, Amber Munnerlyn (NRI), Kealia Ohai, Nichelle Prince (FP-CAN)

 

FC Kansas City

Goalkeepers (4): Nicole Barnhart, Kaela Little (NRI), Cat Parkhill, Danielle Rice (NRI)

Defenders (9): Alex Arlitt, Yael Averbuch, Rashida Beal (Draft Pick), Katie Bowen, Becca Moros, Toriana Patterson (NRI), Brianne Reed, Becky Sauerbrunn (FP-USA), Brittany Taylor

Midfielders (9): Christina Gibbons (Draft Pick), Maegan Kelly (NRI), Lo’eau LaBonta, Mandy Laddish, Sydney Miramontez (NRI), Alexa Newfield, Desiree Scott (FP-CAN), Josie Steiver (NRI), Erika Tymrak

Forwards (3): Shea Groom, Sydney Leroux (FP-USA), Amy Rodriguez (FP-USA)

 

NC Courage

Goalkeepers (2): Katelyn Rowland, Sabrina D’Angelo (FP-CAN)

Defenders (9): Elizabeth Eddy, Abby Erceg, Taylor Smith, Abby Dahlkemper, Jaelene Hinkle, Courtney Niemiec, Meredith Speck, Claire Wagner (Draft Pick), Tina Iordanou (NRI)

Midfielders (8): Michaela Hahn, Samantha Mewis (FP-USA), McCall Zerboni, Samantha Witteman, Rosana, Debinha, Maria Lubrano-Lavadera (NRI), Megan Lindsay (NRI)

Forwards (6): Makenzy Doniak, Lynn Williams, Jessica McDonald, Kristen Hamilton, Ashley Hatch (Draft Pick), Darian Jenkins (Draft Pick)

 

Orlando Pride

Goalkeepers (3): Aubrey Bledsoe, Ashlyn Harris (FP-USA), Hannah Seabert (NRI)

Defenders (8): Laura Alleway, Steph Catley, Monica Hickmann Alves, Alanna Kennedy, Ali Krieger (FP-USA), Cami Levin, Camila Martins Pereira, Toni Pressley

Midfielders (5): Jocelyn Blankenship (NRI), Nickolette Driesse (Draft Pick), Kristen Edmonds, Maddy Evans, Dani Weatherholt

Forwards (9): Christina Burkenroad, Danica Evans (Draft Pick), Jamia Fields, Sarah Hagen, Rachel Hill (NRI), Carol Rodrigues (NRI), Jasmyne Spencer, Tabitha Tindell (NRI), Chioma Ubogagu

 

Portland Thorns

Did not release updated roster, currently at or under 25 players:

Goalkeepers (3): Emily Armstrong (NRI), Britt Eckerstrom, Adrianna Franch

Defenders (9): Ellie Boon (NRI), Meghan Cox (NRI), Caroline Flynn (Draft Pick), Kelli Hubly (NRI), Kendall Johnson, Meghan Klingenberg (FP-USA), Emily Menges, Katherine Reynolds, Emily Sonnett (FP-USA)

Midfielders (7): Celeste Boureille, Dagny Brynjarsdottir, Amandine Henry, Lindsey Horan (FP-USA), Allie Long (FP-USA), Mana Shim, Mallory Weber

Forwards (6): Tobin Heath (FP-USA), Ashley Herndon (NRI), Nadia Nadim, Christine Sinclair (FP-CAN), Meg Morris, Hayley Raso

 

Seattle Reign

Goalkeepers (3): Haley Kopmeyer, Maddie Schiffel, Brianna Smallridge (NRI)

Defenders (10): Elli Reed, Merritt Mathias, Lauren Barnes, Rachel Corsie, Carson Pickett, Anjel Brown (NRI), Maddie Bauer (Draft Pick, Out-of-Market), Kristen McNabb (Draft Pick), Rumi Utsugi, Rebekah Stott

Midfielders (9): Veronica Perez (NRI), Christine Nairn, Jordan Jesolva (NRI), Haley Rosen (NRI), Mimi Rangel (NRI), Lindsay Elston, Paige Nielsen (NRI), Jessica Fishlock, Diana Matheson (FP-CAN, Out-of-Market)

Forwards (6): Beverly Yanez, Kiersten Dallstream, Megan Rapinoe (FP-USA), Nahomi Kawasumi, Katie Johnson (Draft Pick), Larissa Crummer (Out-of-Market)

 

Sky Blue FC 

Goalkeepers (3): Caroline Casey, Kristyn Shea (NRI), Kailen Sheridan (FP-CAN, Draft Pick)

Defenders (6): Mandy Freeman (Draft Pick), Kayla Mills (Draft Pick), Christie Rampone, Domi Richardson, Erin Simon, Erica Skroski

Midfielders (8): Catrina Atanda (Draft Pick), Kelly Conheeney, Daphne Corboz, Sarah Killion, Taylor Lytle, Raquel Rodriguez, Nikki Stanton, Madison Tiernan (Draft Pick)

Forwards (8): Kim DeCesare, Leah Galton, Maya Hayes, Sam Kerr, McKenzie Meehan (Draft Pick), Kelley O’Hara (FP-USA), Danielle Schulmann, Catherine Zimmerman

 

Washington Spirit 

Goalkeepers (4): Kori Butterfield (NRI), Didi Haracic, Stephanie Labbé (FP-CAN), Kelsey Wys (Out-of-Market)

Defenders (6): Whitney Church, Caprice Dydasco, Estelle Johnson, Kassey Kallman, Alyssa Kleiner, Shelina Zadorsky (FP-CAN)

Midfielders (7): Cameron Castleberry (Draft Pick), Meggie Dougherty Howard (Draft Pick), Tori Huster, Lauren Lazo (NRI), Joanna Lohman, Kristie Mewis, Line Sigvardsen Jensen

Forwards (9): Lindsay Agnew (Draft Pick), Gloria Douglas (NRI), Cali Farquharson (Out-of-Market), Francisca Ordega, Arielle Ship (Draft Pick), Havana Solaun, Katie Stengel, Crystal Thomas (NRI), Cheyna Williams

 

Breaking: NWSL Releases Full 2017 Schedule

Posted on by RJ Allen

The NWSL dropped the full 24-match schedule for each of the 10 teams this morning, to the great relief of fans across the world.

Each team will play 24 matches–12 home and 12 away–and meet with every club at least twice, once at home and once away. The teams’ schedules include three games each against six selected teams, and two games against the remaining three teams.

The confirmed schedules include three FIFA windows–one in each June, July, and September–to allow international players the freedom to return home for National Team duties, but will not feature an extended break as it has over the past two summers (for 2015’s World Cup and 2016’s Olympics, respectively).

Details on which games will be aired on Lifetime each weekend are not yet available.

Around the World of WoSo: Harvey Takes the Reigns, Matildas on TV

Posted on by RJ Allen

Edwards to Sweden:

A couple of months ago, former Orlando Pride player Becky Edwards announced her retirement from the NWSL. But it seems the 28-year-old midfielder/defender has found new life in Sweden, as the club Kristianstad DFF have announced her signing this past weekend. Edwards is set to play again, in a lower-tier club, but with players such as Lisa Karlsson, Johanna Rasmussen and Alice Nilsson.

Edwards is no stranger to new adventures on the soccer front, and she’s traveled to a handful of different cities and countries to play the game she loves. Early on in the States it was New Jersey Wildcats, then the Washington Freedom Reserves, before moving on to California’s FC Gold Pride, and Western New York Flash. She them suited up for Sweden’s Hammarby IF DFF and her current club Kristianstad DFF. Since the start of the NWSL in 2013 she has played for Portland Thorns, Houston Dash, and the Western New York Flash before ending her US domestic career with the Pride in 2016.

 

Harvey’s New Role:

Seattle Reign head coach and General Manager Laura Harvey has temporarily been given the U.S. U-23 job. They are currently in Spain for the La Manga tournament, which will take place between March 2nd and March 7th. This might not come as a surprise for those of you who were aware that Harvey was in attendance for the team’s January camp.

The U-23 team will take on Japan, England and Norway to conclude the tournament. This will be the first international competition of the 2017 campaign and they also are booked at the end of March to play in the Portland Thorns Spring Invitational. Out of the 22-player roster, Harvey will be accompanied by two members of the Seattle Reign, Madalyn Schiffel and Kristen McNabb. Schiffel is a goalkeeper signed after a tour with Norway’s Avaldsnes IL, and McNabb was the 37th pick in the recent 2017 NWSL College Draft.

With Harvey at the helm, expectations are, of course, going to be high.

 

FIFA PRO 2016 Shortlist:

The shortlist for the 2016 FIFA Pro World XI was released this past week. The U.S. leads the nominations with nine players, France comes in second with eight, and Germany holds up third with six. The short list consists of 55 players in total, including five goalkeepers, 20 defenders, 15 midfielders and 15 forwards.

I was surprised by a few of the names, including United States’ midfielder Megan Rapinoe and defender Meghan Klingenberg. Obviously both of these players are very talented and there’s no denying that, but for the World XI?  For 2016? Both players were under-par last year, hampered by injuries, and neither played near to the level that they are capable of when healthy and fit. I just don’t buy it. However, for the most part, I agree wholeheartedly with the selections. Rightfully on the list were familiar names such as: Melanie Behringer (GER), Ada Hegerberg (NOR), Steph Catley (AUS), Steph Houghton (ENG), Hedvig Lindahl (SWE), and Saki Kumagai (JPN).

 

Portland Re-sign Duo:

The Portland Thorns have now brought back their 17th and 18th players from their successful 2016 season. Though they did not advance to the NWSL Final in Houston, the Thorns did take home the NWSL Shield for the first time in program history.  And both Emily Menges and Mana Shim, now officially back in the Rose City for 2017, played significant and crucial roles in chasing down that spot at the top of the regular season table.  Menges, a 2014 College Draft signing, is just 24 years old, but she’s started 59 games for the Thorns and some would name her as one of the biggest reasons for the team’s success. Shim is just a year older at 25, and the product of an open tryout in 2013, but she’s also a steady contributor on the pitch, and with the potential for the 2017 Thorns to find themselves atop the table again, it’s safe to say that both are happy to be back with the team this year.

 

Houston Dash Sign Falknor:

The Houston Dash announced another off-season signing this week, this time adding a player to their defensive options. Claire Falknor is a defender/midfielder, having played the latter during her time at Bayern Munich, where she made nine appearances in 2016 and scored two goals. Falknor is only 23 and played for the University of Florida from 2012-2015. She has also earned experience at the youth level for the United States, getting two caps for the U-23 program in the 2015-2016 season. Falknor will be a familiar face to some of the Dash players, especially former teammates Cari Roccaro and Jane Campbell, and this will only help to strengthen Houston’s performance on the field.

Houston is looking to improve from last year, and with the pieces they’ve managed to find, on paper it looks decent. But in the NWSL we know that isn’t always enough. Nonetheless, Dash fans have every right to be excited to get underway.

 

Matildas on Fox Sports:

The 2017 edition of the Algarve Cup in Portugal will begin on March 2nd and conclude on March 7th. The Matildas are in the tournament for the first time in 17 years, and it’s been announced the home fans will be able to watch every game on Fox Sports.

This is not only great news for fans Down Under, as it gives the AUSWNT some well-deserved exposure, but it’s also also a chance to see the talent-heavy Australian women play some great competition.  The Matildas are set to face Sweden, the Netherlands, and China in group C. The group stage games will be televised, as well as final placement depending on who tops the group.

This will be the first time the Matildas take the field since the 2016 Rio games in August. But their quest for the cup won’t be easy–defending champions Canada are back as well and certainly look to retain the title.