Tag: kristen edmonds

What should be Marc Skinner’s Top Priority For the Orlando Pride?

Posted on by RJ Allen

Teams entering the 2019 National Women’s Soccer League season, which coincides with a World Cup year, would be challenged with the loss of federated players preparing for the global tournament in France. Compounded to some of the teams woes is the appointment of a new coach, or like the Orlando Pride no coach officially named until after the draft. Barring any trades, Coach Marc Skinner will need to find players to fill the now twenty-two roster spots, and additionally the four supplemental players will also be important due to the potential of missing ten starters this summer.

Coach Skinner explained his thoughts on the World Cup absences impact to his roster in his initial statements by saying, “But what we need to do is look at what we have, who we’ll have to use during the World Cup, and then we as a coaching staff will work everyday to make those players better. So while our players are out representing in the World Cup, we’ll make sure those holding the fort will be doing their best, keeping us competitive and winning games.”


Head Coach Marc Skinner at Orlando City Stadium – Courtesy Orlando Pride

Impacting the Pride significantly will be the national team players who may end up missing more time than just the World Cup however since the U.S. women’s national team, along with Brazil and England, will be participating in a series of matches in preparation. While the Aussies will be participating in their own set of friendlies at that time. Most national team players have extensive commitments away from their club team leading into France.

In his brief time with the team so far, Coach Skinner has already made his started to make his mark on the roster for the Pride with his selections of Erin Greening and Marisa Viggiano in the 2019 NWSL college draft; additionally,the team announced waiving Brazilian defender Poliana after she expressed her desire to return to her homeland and play there.  Not claiming a preferred formation, Skinner will have a few potential formations to tinker with, based on the remaining non-federated players on the Pride roster there currently won’t be enough players to field a starting XI.

It’s not a matter of if Orlando adds more players to the roster, but when those players will be announced. Until then instead of speculating on where specific players will be on the pitch during the World Cup absences, Coach Skinner will need to address the main hurdle which plagued Orlando last year: who in the remaining group of the roster will step up and score goals for the team. The focus will partly turn to both Danica Evans and Rachel Hill. However, if Chioma Ubogagu doesn’t make the roster for England, the Pride could maintain three forward on the attack in a potential 4-3-3. Both Ubogagu and Hill have spent the offseason in the W-League and could find themselves in form from the beginning of the NWSL season barring injuries.

Hill scored five goals while on loan for Perth, and Ubogagu found the back of the net twice. Having Sam Kerr on her team, Rachel was more successful as a distributor providing six assists as well. Chi scored her goals in her role as a poacher putting the ball passed the goalkeeper on second chance opportunities. From the group, Evans is the more pure striker of the group, but hasn’t been able to generate much momentum since her rookie season. Coach Skinner will need to find a way to give Danica an avenue to contribute more. It has yet to be seen if she can handle that role.

The possibility of Ubogagu making the World Cup roster for England is not unlikely, and if Orlando deployed a two striker front line could play into Hill’s playmaking ability for Evans to get herself on the scoresheet during the season. Scoring threats may have to come from the midfield, and the Pride may utilize a variation of a 4-4-2. Also in the W-League, Christine Nairn playing for the Melbourne Victory and contributed four goals to the team’s tally. Orlando managed 30 goals in 2018, which was a significant drop from the league leading 45 goals in 2017. Sydney Leroux was the team’s golden boot with six goals in 2018 while Marta led the team in 2017 with 13 goals.

The new gaffer for the Pride should also be mindful of the 2016 season when Orlando deployed a single striker formation. Back then the team struggled to provide service to Alex Morgan, and she would have to deal with defenders double teaming her without any other consistent scoring options. The Pride managed a meager 20 goals the team’s inaugural season. Kristen Edmonds had a breakout year and led the team with six goals.

Many questions are still needing to be addressed by the first year skipper. However, finding more goal scoring needs to be Skinner’s first priority, as in the brief existence of the team has shown the basic principle that goals cure most issues. If Orlando wants to return to the playoffs in 2019, the Pride will need to have multiple goals scorers where the player who leads the team generate more than six goals and get near double digit production.

Can Orlando Pride Capitalize over Sky Blue FC for First Road Win?

Posted on by RJ Allen

With a quarter of the 2017 season in the books, the Orlando Pride sit 8th on the table, three points out of the playoff picture.

Going into Week 7, Coach Tom Sermanni’s side travel out to New Jersey to take on Sky Blue FC for their first meeting of the season. The timing for this week’s match may favor the Pride since Sky Blue is coming off a midweek loss to the North Carolina Courage on the road. Perhaps looking ahead to Orlando, Coach Christy Holly fielded a less than optimal starting XI Wednesday, and had to chase the match late which ended 2-0 in favor of the Courage.

Orlando have finally started to get in rhythm taking points in its last three matches, and have established a sense of identity missing in their first three. The most serious concern going into the match will surround the Pride netminder, more likely to be Caroline Stanley as regular backup goalkeeper Aubrey Bledsoe recovers from a concussion. A full week of practice to rally the Orlando back line will help as the defense looks to clamp down on league golden boot leader Sarah Killion, national team player Kelley O’Hara, and Australian star Samantha Kerr. Another weapon Orlando will be facing is Costa Rican international Raquel “Rocky” Rodriguez who, along with O’Hara and Killion, make for a stacked midfield.

Former Rutgers Scarlet Knight standout Kristen Edmonds is going to need to regain some of her 2016 form on her collegiate stomping grounds and work her way into the Pride attack; however, she’s been pressed to work on the defensive end alongside Dani Weatherholt while Camila has taken up the attacking midfielder role. Edmonds needs to provide better link play to the Pride offense to keep a quick transition, since her contributions so far haven’t been anything to write home about. She hasn’t been able to provide service from her free kicks which helped her last season.

Tactically, Sermanni may feel it more important to focus on the defensive side while on the road with Stanley in the back, but don’t dismiss Orlando’s attacking mindset with Marta leading the blitz against Canadian Kailen Sheridan and Captain American, herself Christie Pearce and the rest of the back line. The Pride need to take advantage of any fatigue plaguing Sky Blue after their rainy midweek game and travel to and from North Carolina. Orlando has demonstrated it can take it to a strong home side to get a result. Sermanni needs to be prepared to face SBFC’s 4-2-3-1 by changing his 4-3-3 formation to something that works to give better match ups for his side.

Orlando will need to be more physical for Saturday’s match without giving up fouls to the home side in dangerous spots. Orlando will need to take the ball up the flanks, and pressure the young Sky Blue defenders with crosses with multiple attacking players making runs inside the box. The Pride can’t push the ball forward with only a couple of players and hope to maintain possession or lob the ball over the top and be successful unless they can break on a quick counter-attack.

I do believe Stanley and the Orlando defense will have enough to keep the Sky Blue attack in check. This is one of the best opportunities to get the first road win of the season, putting to an end an 11-match road winless streak dating back to last year. One of the Pride’s secondary attacking option will need to make an impact to keep defenses honest, and create some space for Marta or Camila who should be taking the ball into the 18 if the Pride play direct or off a cross from one of the backs getting forward. This test will finally convince doubters that Orlando is a legit team. Orlando will get its first victory over Sky Blue and win 2-1.

Don’t Be Surprised When the Orlando Pride Beat The Courage

Posted on by RJ Allen

As many have noted, the Orlando Pride winless run of 12 matches stretching to last season is in danger of tying the Washington Spirit’s streak of 13 if Tom Sermanni’s side fails to hold home field advantage on Mother’s Day against the North Carolina Courage. However, Coach Sermanni has been quick to point out that the 2017 version of the Pride is different, and vastly improved from last year. Taking him at his word, let’s examine why this team hasn’t been able to get a win so far this year and the adjustments needed to beat North Carolina.

With the level of talent on the Orlando roster, the midfield for the team was a question mark leading into the season.  And going into the fifth match, returning players have not performed to where the team was last year. Monica was one of the starting centerbacks and so far, has appeared more uncomfortable in the holding mid role. Laura Alleway, the other starting centerback, was dropped from the Matildas in the offseason and has not been the first choice to make the starting XI for half the matches. Plus, she gave up the penalty in the first meeting with the Courage which led to Sam Mewis’s game-winning goal from the spot.

Last year’s team golden boot winner Kristen Edmonds seems to be slightly out-of-sorts at times, which pales in comparison to her strong form that ended the 2016 season and led to national team camp invites. Jasmyne Spencer also looks unsettled in the starting XI to begin this year’s campaign. Her strength so far seems to be as a late game sub. Spencer was able to assist in Marta’s goal entering the match in the 64 minute after generating the opportunity with her movement. The pass to Spencer which created the chance came from Edmonds. Could this spark the run of good form which could lead to the first victory?

Sermanni’s side has also been undisciplined at inopportune times in 2017. Both of the game winners against the Pride have been converted penalty kicks, and last week’s draw came from a free kick right outside the penalty area. Eliminating those mental errors could have potentially given Orlando more than the two points it currently has. Has Sermanni focused on the offensive finishing in the final third at the expense of working on correcting the disciplinary miscues?

The North Carolina Courage is rolling into the City Beautiful off a road win in Boston, full of confidence. They will be favored on Sunday, but does Orlando have a chance to win at home? Yes, of course. Parity is still a favor in the NWSL, and the Pride can get wins if they can stop underachieving.

Sunday will be the second of three meetings against the Courage. Here’s what Sermanni’s squad needs to do to give themselves the chance to take the three points at home: To begin, the Pride will need to give North Carolina a different look than when the two teams met in Cary. This is already a certainty since reports have indicated Monica will miss the match with a bone bruise stemming from her injury last week. This should give Dani Weatherholt another chance as the starting holding mid. Last week, Toni Pressley earned her first start, and the back line played noticeably better than it had all season. The Courage will continue to high press teams; will Pressley allow the Pride to play quicker from the back compared to Alleway? So far, it seems it might.

Starting Danica Evans created more opportunities in the box from her flip throws in Kansas City. The team should be able to improve by practicing tactics that act like an extra corner kick. The flip throw puts more pressure on the opposing teams, and Orlando really didn’t make the Courage uncomfortable inside their eighteen. The Pride need more numbers in the box to get under the skin of North Carolina. Evans’s energy alongside Marta should make the defenders work much harder than in the first meeting where the Courage were giving Orlando a ton of space to operate.

So there you have it, the Pride can beat the Courage by coming out with a different look, having expected stars perform to expectations while not shooting themselves in the foot by giving up great dead ball chances, and applying pressure inside their attacking third. Easier said than done, right? We’ll see. 

In a time when our country is most divided, is the national women’s team most inclusive?

Posted on by RJ Allen

In case you missed it, there was a presidential election in the United States this past Tuesday. No matter how you voted, or whether you were able, you might have had some feelings about it the following day.

There’s Nothing Like an Election to Remind You How Divided We Are

Full disclosure, I was one of those people with feelings. After the election, I was left more than discouraged, plagued with concern for the future of my friends and family, as well their own personal safety – and my own as included. To be even more honest, I was finding it hard to get excited about the upcoming pair of international friendlies the United States national team was about to face. I love sports. I love women’s soccer. How low must I be if I couldn’t get enthusiastic about sports?

The US national team is currently ranked number one in the FIFA standings. They will be facing Romania in these two upcoming matches. Romania is currently ranked 36th overall, and were eliminated from qualifying to the Euros. It not difficult to imagine the US will come out victorious in these matches. I thought maybe I’d skip these games and continue with my post-election processing.

Nothing Like Sports to Show Us How United We Can Be

Sports can sometimes be a way for people to try and find some solace. Sports are a constant in our American culture. Need to take your mind off something? Watch a game. I heard you can even find drone racing on television these days. Sports can be therapeutic at times. Whether you’re out on the pitch, in the press box, or watching in your home – sports can be a source of comfort.

In pulling myself out of political limbo, I’ve tried to remind myself why I should watch a couple of games that ultimately are meaningless in terms of major tournaments. This team hasn’t always been the most diverse. History has shown that. Former USWNT goalkeeper Briana Scurry recently had her jersey and gloves enshrined in the brand new National Museum of African American History and Culture. The same jersey she wore in 1999 just 17 years ago when the USWNT won their second Women’s World Cup.

17 years ago: that’s younger than our nation’s voting age.

In spite of the lack of diversity on this team–largely to things like “pay to play” and the failure, on multiple levels, to make formal youth soccer opportunities available and accessible in ethnic urban areas–the Women’s National Team has always given its fans reasons to cheer. In winning their World Cup championships and Olympic medals. They have also given its fans players who are uniquely their own to root for. Whatever your politics, if you cheer for this team you probably have favorite players.

Whether you’ve been around awhile and have looked up to a legend like Mia Hamm, or maybe you’re a LGBT youth who has found representation in a player like Megan Rapinoe. Maybe you’re strong in faith and looked up to players like Lauren Holiday. Maybe you’re a young girl or woman of color and are searching for someone who looks like you, and realizing that for the first time, watching this team on the field tonight, you have LITERAL options.

When You Cry Because There Are So Many Players For You to Cheer For

When the national call-ups first dropped, it truly was a welcome surprise. Yes, this team is different than a year ago, but that wasn’t the surprise.  It was the range of diversity and inclusion represented on it. It was mainly because of its diversity and inclusion, something that has been somewhat scarce in games past.  It gave us six players of color to watch and cheer for in these upcoming games.

Along with national team regulars Crystal Dunn and Christen Press, we saw players like Casey Short and Lynn Williams earn their second camp call-ups. We saw the return of Jaelene Hinkle and a first time call-up for Orlando Pride’s Kristen Edmonds. When Hinkle had to decline due to injury, her Western New York Flash teammate Jessica McDonald received the call-up, and tonight, earned her first cap with the senior team. Six players. More than one hand. More than enough to help heal a heart in this divisive time in our country.

To my knowledge, I am unaware of there being any current Asian or Latinx or non-Christian players on this team. I also understand that this is professional sports and one should expect the best roster of players. I acknowledge that could mean the team can literally look different at any time.  Therefore, I will always celebrate these small moments that mean so much to so many.

The Personal Is Political

It’s easy to dismiss people’s feelings when they don’t directly affect your own. There has been a lot of that in this country the last few days. It’s also easy to say sports are just entertainment. However, let’s not act like sports hasn’t been a unifying tool for people in their time of need. Sports has always been a place for people to try and come together. Maybe these November friendlies came at the most perfect time, even if they are ‘meaningless.’

They will allow us a moment to imagine that things aren’t looking so grim.

A large amount of work must take place at a grassroots level to make this game more accessible to everyone. However, these games and this moment will give us a roster that’s starting to look toward a more diverse future. That includes representation for a sector of fans that hasn’t always been so visible. Representation matters, and these players care about that. Crystal Dunn is very good at having that conversation and has been more than willing to take on that role. 

These games might not see all these players on the pitch. Maybe these games will be completely one sided. Maybe we could all use something simple to root for, like our soccer team vs the other soccer team. Maybe as citizens we will get to a point where we will allow more love and less fear.  I will always be on the lookout for the next great national team Latinx superstar, and I will always look for women of color being dominate in their respective sports, but I have never felt more hopeful about the national team’s future than now.