All of the attention may be in France with the World Cup but NWSL’s regular season rolls on and Sky Blue FC continued their dismal play with a 1-0 loss to the Utah Royals on Saturday.
A long range shot from Amy Rodriguez in the 16th minute decided the contest for Utah. Rodriguez sprinted into a wide open midfield and blasted the ball past goalkeeper Didi Haracic who appeared to be surprised by the long-range power.
“I felt like the Jersey defense kinda set off me a little but,” said Rodriguez post-match. “I just took my space, head up, and thought I could go for it. I honestly didn’t think I could score from there.”
Haracic had a busy day in net, stopping an early free kick attempt by Vero Boquete and giving Sky Blue a chance to grab the momentum. They did put up a bit of a fight before the second half when Nicole Barnhart of the Royals was forced to make a tough save on Raquel Rodriguez’s free kick.
“For the most part our backline was very organized,” said Barnhart. “The chances they got were mostly from outside the 18, nothing too close to the goal. Our backline was willing to put their bodies on the line a couple of times and block a few dangerous chances that they did get.”
The loss drops Sky Blue to a woeful 0-6-2, 11 points off of the playoff pictures and no signs of improving this campaign. Despite signing Carli Lloyd last season, the team was only able to grab one win but it doesn’t seem like they’ll be able to do much better in 2019.
Meanwhile, Utah is looking strong with their second win in three games and just one point back of the Washington Spirit for the top spot in the standings. They’ll have that form put to the test next week as they travel to Portland to play the Thorns.
Tag: Nicole Barnhart
A Conversation on Goalkeeping: The Top 5 NWSL Keepers of the First Third
Goalkeeping is hard. Really hard. And 8 weeks into the season Jordan and I picked out the five NWSL goalkeepers we think have done the best job of doing a hard thing well.
We’re not saying they have been perfect. No goalkeeper ever is over this many games. But these five, we feel, have really stood out.
Number 5 – Nicole Barnhart – FC Kansas City
RJ Allen:
I know some of you might be tuning your pitch forks because Barnie is so low. But hear us out.
Jordan Small:
So here we have Barnie. Can we think of a more consistent goalkeeper over the last five years? This weekend she made her 300th career save. That should speak for itself.
She also has the benefit of having a really great defense in front of her which definitely helps.
RJ Allen:
Averbush and Sauerbrunn might be the best centerback pairing in the NWSL right now. And Barnie really has benefited from having them in front of her. Not her fault but it does knock her a bit down the list. She just hasn’t had as much to do.
Jordan Small:
I think when you look at the other goalkeepers in the league that won’t make our list, it makes a lot of sense where she ended up. She’s just the first one up on a great list of five.
RJ Allen:
She really is great at organizing her backline. Which, when you have who she has on her line might sound easier. But still experienced players sometimes need a firm hand too.
Jordan Small:
That has always been one of her best qualities. Great leader back there.
RJ Allen:
One of the very few downsides is she has lost about 1/4 of the step in the last year or two. And sometimes that does show when she’s coming out for a ball or trying to get a shot. She’ll get a glove on it but not make a grab like she could before. But Father Time pulls no punches.
Jordan Small:
And I think that is what makes her great performances even better. She is just that skilled. I hope to see her for another few years because she is so much fun to watch.
RJ Allen:
She really is fun to watch. And like you said, hitting that 300 saves mark is pretty amazing.
Jordan Small:
She’s obviously doing something right.
#4 – Abby Smith – Boston Breakers
RJ Allen:
The is one of the moves on our list. We tackled the top 10 in our very first look at the goalkeepers. Smith was 6th on our first list. Why the move up, Jordan?
Jordan Small:
Because she is just getting better and better each week. She is making tough saves look easy which is the sign of a great goalkeeper. She has really proven that she has recovered from her injury. And now she has a much deserved call up to the US squad for her efforts.
RJ Allen:
I was really happy to see her called up to the senior team. We don’t know if she will be playing at all against Norway or Sweden but just being on the trip I think is a great reward for her level of play.
Jordan Small:
I think she has been the best goalkeeper in the US system so far this season so I hope she gets at least a few minutes.
RJ Allen:
I really do agree with you on that. We’ll talk about another American later on but they haven’t gotten a sniff at from either the U teams or the full NT. With Smith I think she does have a chance to challenge for a spot.
Jordan Small:
Unlike Barnie, she really isn’t working with a great backline so I think she should be given a lot of credit. I mean who would have thought that Boston would have been able to shutout a team like Seattle? Smith deserves a lot of recognition for her efforts so far this year.
RJ Allen:
She is already better than her first game at knowing when to hold back and knowing when to challenge. That’s a lot of improvement in a pretty short window.
Jordan Small:
Her ability to read the game is amazing. And her distribution is one of the best in the league which is a really underrated skill.
RJ Allen:
If she’s like this now I can’t wait to see what some NT training and more games does to her game.
Jordan Small:
She can only get better from here.
#3 – Kailen Sheridan – Sky Blue FC
RJ Allen:
This is the biggest jump on our list. From #8 to #3. We have been talking about this update for a few weeks and every time we do we seem to move Sheridan higher and higher.
Jordan Small:
We even moved her higher today. I’ve been incredibly surprised with her play. Back when we originally did this, we had her as the third-ranked Canadian goalkeeper. Over the past few weeks, I really see her competing for that second spot and maybe even the first because I think she has played better than D’Angelo as of late.
RJ Allen:
I’ve been to the last three Sky Blue home games and it seems like at each game she is just leaps and bounds better than the game before. She hasn’t been perfect but I have to keep reminding myself she is a rookie. She is playing like someone who has no fear.
Jordan Small:
I think the midweek game vs. North Carolina and then the Orlando game just after that were her two best games. She was playing out of her mind in both of those games. I think she has put in a serious case for Rookie of the Year. She has been that good so far.
RJ Allen:
Honestly I am really thinking she should be in the three nominations for Goalkeeper of the Year. Not that Rookie of the Year isn’t important, it is, but I think she has moved past the rookie designation and just been flat out one of the best in her position.
Jordan Small:
I totally agree with that. I really think our top three all have great cases for Goalkeeper of the Year. It’s been an incredible year for goalkeepers.
RJ Allen:
One other thing I think it’s worth taking note of for Sheridan. Her first choice backline? Two rookies, a sophomore and the GOAT of defending. Mandy Freeman and Kayla Mills are both rookies, Erica Skroski is a second-year player, though Christie Pearce’s resume couldn’t fit on a foot of parchment at 10 point font.
Jordan Small:
I’ve mentioned this on The Scouting Report many times, Christie Pearce has helped so much. I would take just about anyone on my backline if that meant having Pearce back there. A goalkeeper’s dream, especially a rookie goalkeeper.
RJ Allen:
You can tell Sheridan is learning from her which is great to see. And Sheridan has been more vocal and taking more more of the duties that Pearce had taken on herself that should be on the goalkeeper at the start of the season. It’s really one of the best mentorships in the league.
#2 – Stephanie Labbe – Washington Spirit
RJ Allen:
Here is where I turn everything over to Jordan and just let her tell you why Steph Labbé is a rock star.
Jordan Small:
Where do I even begin? First, I want to take a saying from our good friend Sandra and just say that Steph Labbé, we do not deserve you.
She picked up her first shutout of the year this past weekend after making eight saves. Each and every week it seems as if she has a save that could be a Save of the Week candidate. She does not have the greatest backline but somehow she still it keeping them in games. Aside from the week against Seattle, she has been a straight up beast.
RJ Allen:
It’s like she has decided that she is going to keep Washington from being blown out each and every game through sheer force of will.
Jordan Small:
And when we talk to her after the game, it seems that way too. It was nice to see her hard work pay off and to finally have a happy Labbé after a game. Can’t wait to see her play with Canada this week.
RJ Allen:
I say it on The Scouting Report all the time. Canada right now has the best cabal of goalkeepers in the world. It’s really amazing how deep they are and Labbé is leading the way for them.
Jordan Small:
Absolutely. If I’m John Herdman, I’ve got to be loving life right now.
RJ Allen:
I do wonder if there does come a point she just can’t keep up with Washington’s bad backline. That’s a lot of saves, a lot of amazing saves too, she has to make every week. Does there come a point she hurts herself trying to save them or just gets really lit up?
Jordan Small:
She is in such great shape, I hope that helps her. I never want to think about players getting hurt.
RJ Allen:
No, that’s never a fun place to go to. But as long as she keeps playing like she does Washington has a shot to get a few wins under their belt after the FIFA break.
Jordan Small:
I sure hope so. I think the shutout was good for everyone’s confidence.
#1 – Haley Kopmeyer – Seattle Reign
RJ Allen:
Who else but Kopmeyer?
Jordan Small:
Where do you even start with Kopmeyer? She has been amazing all year. I mean looking at the game vs. Chicago this weekend, it seemed as if all the tweets from Seattle were about saves from Kop. The girl is having herself a year. She is definitely embracing this starter gig.
RJ Allen:
She has 38 saves this year according to the NWSL stats. She had 34 all of 2016 with her 11 games. So already she is putting in more work with a backline that, frankly, should be better than how they are playing.
Jordan Small:
You and I both would love to see her with the NT but for some reason it just isn’t happening. It’s frustrating.
RJ Allen:
It is. She has more than proved at this point that she has room for growth. She has the size, frankly something the US hasn’t always had on their side, she reads the game beautifully, she is vocal, she is athletic but doesn’t overcompensate with it. I don’t understand the lack of attention.
Jordan Small:
And she learned from the best.
I just hope she keeps proving Jill Ellis wrong and continues to get better.
RJ Allen:
I really think we haven’t seen her best soccer yet. Which with how she is playing is something big to say.
Jordan Small:
There are a few areas that I think she can improve on and if she does, it’ll be scary for other teams in the league.
Final Thoughts
RJ Allen:
We’ve talked about our top five, Jordan, any final thoughts as we look back at the first 8 weeks of the 2017 NWSL season?
Jordan Small:
A cool stat that I found today is that 11 different goalkeepers have shutouts this season. I love great goalkeeping and I love seeing goalkeepers get clean sheets. It has been really exciting so far.
RJ Allen:
I really think the goalkeeping in the league has taken a giant step forward this season. Each game now I’m expecting goalkeepers to have big games. And often times I’m not disappointed.
Jordan Small:
Even the goalkeepers that struggled at the beginning of the season have improved. That is great for the league.
RJ Allen:
It really is.
So, what do you say? Revisit the wonders of goalkeeping say around week 16?
Jordan Small:
If it was anything like the first 8 weeks, it should be fun!
Thank you everyone for reading. You can catch Jordan and I talking about the great goalkeeping in the league and more every Monday at 8 pm ET on YouTube. The feed is also up on iTunes, Podbean and Spreaker.
Will the Stars Align for FCKC in 2017?
Heading into the 2017 National Women’s Soccer League’s fifth season, I think we can assure any FC Kansas City fans out there that they will have plenty to be excited about this season. For starters, two key playmakers will be returning to the offensive side while two important pieces on the defense will also be back in Blue. On the other hand, some of the departures from Vlatko Andonovski’s side could also have an impact on the club down the stretch.
Departures:
Heather O’Reilly (M) – Perhaps one of the most consistent players to ever grace a pitch has gone overseas in the off-season to play out her life-long dream of experiencing European soccer. She has suited up for Arsenal Ladies and has made public any plans on whether she’ll be returning to FCKC at this time. Simply known as HAO to fans and media alike, O’Reilly gave 1000% every game, running down the flanks and providing service to her teammates. O’Reilly was truly a fan-favorite, always up for a post-game chat, smiling for fans who eagerly awaited just a glimpse of her up close. The gap filled won’t ever be completely filled, but for FCKC’s hope to get back into the post-season this year, they will need to figure out a way to compensate for her absence.
Amanda Frisbie (D) – Having only played two games in 2016 before being let go, the absence of Frisbie shouldn’t have a major impact on the defense or the team as a whole. She was waived and signed to Stjarnan Women for nine games before returning to the NWSL, signing with Boston for the 2017 season as a discovery player.
Caroline Kastor (F) – Kastor had been with KC since 2015, playing in eight games that season and made 15 appearances in 2016. She wasn’t a player that would necessarily stand out or make the big plays, but she put in the work and helped earn KC’s first championship in 2015 by doing her small part. Earlier this year in March, the Wichita, Kansas native announced her retirement from the NWSL and professional soccer.
Tiffany McCarty (F) – Since turning pro in 2013, the speedy forward has been with the Washington Spirit, Houston Dash, Nadeshiko (Japan) and in 2016 played 15 games for FCKC. The 26-year-old has since signed with Medkila, a club in the Toppserien league for Norway. Much like Frisbie, her absence will have little impact overall.
Frances Silva (F) – The tiny Venezuelan played for FCKC from 2014-2016, playing 33 times and scoring two goals. In 2015 Silva led the league in assists per minute played, averaging an assist every 145 minutes. Silva was fun to watch in open spaces and will be missed for her ability to distribute and create. In November of last year, Silva announced her retirement from professional soccer to pursue other interests. She currently is the Social Media Specialist for FoxSoccer.
Additions:
Sydney Leroux and Amy Rodriguez (F) – Two of the quickest players in the game have returned after each missing last season due to pregnancy. Syd and A-Rod each will be relied upon to be the offensive firepower that was heavily missing in 2016. Leroux has moved around a bit, playing for Boston in 2013, Seattle in 2014, and moved to Western New York in 2015. She was brought to KC in a deal that involved two other teams–Houston and WNYF. Leroux got dealt to KC with Tiffany McCarty while WNYF acquired Jess McDonald in exchange for a 2016 and 2017 International roster spot and a 2017 second-round pick. She signed with FCKC in January of 2016 and has the potential to fulfill the scoring needs of FCKC. Leroux has scored 18 goals in her NWSL career and when combined with A-Rod’s impressive goal-scoring ability, these two could pack a serious one-two punch.
A-Rod has been with FCKC since 2014, playing in 37 games and scoring 26 times. She brings incredible energy and literally never stops running on the field. Rodriguez loves to pressure opposing defenses and has a knack for scoring goals when it really counts (most recently the 2015 NWSL Championship where she scored the game-winning goal). I expect both of these players to be the center of the offense and to score at least a handful of goals.
Becca Moros (D) – Moros returns to the Blues after spending one season down in Houston. She previously played for FCKC in 2015, anchoring part of that incredible defense that won the title that season. Moros will bring stability to the backline as well as veteran experience.
Christina Gibbons (M) – The rookie out of Duke was selected fifth overall in the 2017 NWSL College Draft. Gibbons played 88 games at Duke, netting 10 goals and 19 assists. I would love to see her earn serious minutes this season, she is a strong player and if she does well, could be in the Rookie of the Year conversation come August.
Not So Bright in 2016:
In 2014 and 2015, FCKC were unstoppable and shined the brightest out of all teams in the NWSL. 2016 was a bit dimmer. FCKC had a less-than-ideal start to the season, not earning the first win until May 28; well under the expectations after winning back-to-back championships in 2014 and 2015. In 2016 they earned just seven wins, eight losses, and grabbed five draws. FCKC did finish the season strong, winning three games in September and taking a draw.
FCKC struggled offensively, managing just 18 goals – no one player reached double digits in goals. It’s no secret that Vlatko is a defensive minded coach, but they just simply didn’t execute enough on the other end. The midfield last season had trouble combining with the forwards and when you add the lack of finishing when they did finally connect, Kansas City just wasn’t sharp enough offensively. The Blues had seven different goal-scorers but three players contributed just one goal in 20 games. It was an extreme drop-off in production from the previous year where they had 13 different goal-scorers and had the second-most goals with 32.
The Veterans Return:
The only two-star team in the league has several players returning who will be consistent starters: Becky Sauerbrunn, Nicole Barnhart, Yael Averbuch, Shea Groom, Erika Tymrak, Mandy Laddish, and Desiree Scott. On the defensive side with Broon, Barnie, Katie Bowen, and Averbuch, I expect them to continue to be solid this season but they also need to find which combination of personnel will work best. Last season they didn’t have a consistent backline. They added in Averbuch but technically she is best in the midfield. She should be someone who is in the attacking third, not sitting on the backline every game. We can expect polished work from Barnie and Broon, two players who are still under-appreciated in my opinion but deserve serious praise for the work they’ve put in. Yael is always a threat on set-pieces and can help FCKC in the scoring department occasionally.
Adding in Moros will help with finding the right chemistry. I think the more Bowen plays on the outside, the more she could be a factor for the offense. She scored in pre-season action against Missouri at the end of March and looked ready to do some lifting on the offensive side of the ball. FCKC do have one of the older backlines, so we will see how that comes into play later on in the season. All of these core veteran players need to have a bounce-back year after finishing sixth and missing the playoffs last season.
In the midfield, they have a talented bunch with Tymrak, Scott, and Laddish. These three are all under 25 years-old and have been playing very well since arriving in KC in 2014. Each will also need to step up their play from last season.
Tymrak had a very quiet year, scoring just one goal in 15 appearances compared to scoring eight goals combined the two previous seasons. She has the talent to take on a defense and make things happen. If she can find a way to tap into her potential a little bit more, she could be one of the top scorers for the Blues.
Scott is known for her ability to win the ball and is a physical player. She is another player who I feel is a bit underrated for the work she puts in. Between these three players, just one goal was scored, which will be unacceptable this season if they want to get back to winning ways.
Laddish has contributed one goal in 18 appearances for Kansas City but her stat sheet doesn’t need to be filled up for fans to appreciate the hustle she puts in every time she is called upon. She has the potential to add a few more if she can receive the ball in the right spaces for her to pull the trigger. The partnership of the midfield will be one to keep an eye on early on, to see who is clicking.
Groom’s The Way:
If you’re a fan of FCKC, you should be happy that Shea Groom is back for 2017. Groom was the top scorer for the Blues last season with eight goals, a career-high for her. She led the way for an offense that clearly was not what it used to be. But after adding a few key pieces in Syd and A-Rod I think the offense could return to the compelling threat it was in 2015.
Overall, I have Vlatko and company finishing fifth in the table but with this roster, I also would not be surprised if they managed to squeak their way back into the playoffs somehow.
2017 FC Kansas City Roster
GOALKEEPERS (2): Nicole Barnhart, Cat Parkhill
DEFENDERS (7): Alex Arlitt, Yael Averbuch, Katie Bowen (INTL-NZ), Becca Moros, Brianne Reed, Becky Sauerbrunn (FED-USA), Brittany Taylor
MIDFIELDERS (6): Christina Gibbons, Lo’eau LaBonta, Mandy Laddish, Alexa Newfield, Desiree Scott (FED-CAN), Erika Tymrak
FORWARDS (3): Shea Groom, Sydney Leroux (FED-USA), Amy Rodriguez (FED-USA)
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