Tag: North Carolina Courage

Before the Final: Quotes from Abby Erceg, Jess McDonald and McCall Zerboni

Posted on by RJ Allen

Abby Erceg

Backline: So, championship, second year in a row, sort of. Is there that same feeling as last year? Or do you guys think of this as sort of a different team? 

Erceg: No, I think we have 75% of the players from last year. So other than the rebranding I think it’s more or less the same team. We treat it as the same team. We treat the history the same as you would if a club was obviously the same name. So this for most of us is our second championship consecutively regardless of the name. Regardless of whether or not you’ve won one before, I think you have to put that aside and focus on what’s happening this year because last year’s championship isn’t going to win you this year’s championship, unfortunately. But yeah, we do treat it like it’s the same team. 

Backline: So, championship, second year in a row, sort of. Is there that same feeling as last year? Or do you guys think of this as sort of a different team? 

Erceg: No, I think we have 75% of the players from last year. So other than the rebranding I think it’s more or less the same team. We treat it as the same team. We treat the history the same as you would if a club was obviously the same name. So this for most of us is our second championship consecutively regardless of the name. Regardless of whether or not you’ve won one before, I think you have to put that aside and focus on what’s happening this year because last year’s championship isn’t going to win you this year’s championship, unfortunately. But yeah, we do treat it like it’s the same team. 

Backline: Is there a little bit of that comfort that a lot of your players have gone through a championship before? You don’t maybe have the same amount of nerves. I’m sure there’s nerves, but it’s not that first time you’ve sort of played on that stage. 

Erceg: Yeah, I think that’s a really good thing about it. It just seals the nerves a little bit. We know exactly what to expect. We know what’s going on. We know that it’s going ot be a little disruptive and not the same kind of build up that we have for normal games. So I think having that does help a little bit. You’re obviously going to have the nerves going into a game anyway. But I think it does help. 

Backline: You had the home semi this year. Was that something North Carolina’s first home semi in the league – was that sort of a nice thing to give back to the fans? 

Erceg: Yeah, I’ve played with Chicago and we had a home game there, and it’s kind of the exact same thing. You work so hard throughout the season. Obviously being with North Carolina for the first time you want to give something back to the fans and to everybody that’s supported us. SO I think coming to the championship is a really nice way to do that. 

Backline: Now there is something unusual this year. Both center backs on Portland are Emilys, both center backs on North Carolina are Abbys, is there just a little bit of that sort of weirdness of it? 

Erceg: Yeah, I think just playing with Abby last year, playing with two center backs called Abby, you don’t see that everyday. Even now, it’s weird. But the fact that we’ve got two teams like that. I mean, coincidence, maybe? 

Backline: A little bit about your relationship with Abby [Dahlkemper], sort of your partnership. Has that grown as she’s gotten some national team experience to sort of bring that back in? You yourself have a long history of experience. 

Erceg: Yeah, I think having played with her the first year, I didn’t get to play alongside her. I obviously played the midfield in front of her. We did a lot of switching, we did a lot of changes of formation trying to figure out who went where and what fit best with each other. I think this year hitting it, we know exactly where people fit and who fits best with each other and I think me and Ab have been able to build that relationship from the start. The way that she plays is a lot similar to me. We’re both more on the aggressive side rather than the conservative side so the way that she plays makes it easier for me to as well, I can read her, and I think it works really well together. 

Jess McDonald

Backline: So how are you feeling going into the final? I’ll get the boring question out of the way first.

McDonald: Feeling excited! I’m pumped to be here, obviously the whole team is so. It’s just cool to be back in the championship again. 

Backline: With Duke and UNC right there, is that helpful having a local pro team that those players – they can go to games, the UNC women can just come to a game as a block and watch you guys on the field as professionals. Does that sort of make it more real for the college players do you think? 

McDonald: Oh, most certainly! And the most incredible thing is that a lot of them have actually come and trained with us. So it’s cool to have them throughout the summer time to give them a piece of what the pro game is like. And so I think it’s just a cool experience for those type of college players overall to not only join in at our games and watch us, but to join us at training and to improve their football on the field. So it’s cool to watch them mature as well as players. I think it’s just an absolutely incredible thing for each program. 

Backline: One thing that we’re sort of getting to in the NWSL that we didn’t have in previous leagues. If you came into college as a freshman, and you’re about to graduate, you’ve had the NWSL every year you’ve been in college. Is that stability key to players? They can plan, “yeah, they want to go pro.” vs. “I don’t know if the leagues’ going to be there when I graduate college.” 

McDonald: Definitely! And I feel as if, if you have something like that to look forward to, you’ll want to improve your game. You’ll want to try to be the best player out there, obviously. So I think it’s cool to see how they have a plan to become a pro soccer plan, whereas when I was younger, when I was a freshman in college, we didn’t have a league. So I didn’t have that to look forward to. But for these college players now, that’s something to look forward to. I think it’s just a lot better of a feel. And obviously, parents always want their kids to become pro at whatever sport that they play, so. I know it’s only a small percentage but I just think it’s gonna help college players stay motivated.

Backline: Speaking of mother-son relationships, are you and your son going to be the first mother-son cap of the US? Is that the goal? 

McDonald: I hope so! That would be great! Yeah! 

McCall Zerboni

Backline: So Dan Lauletta put out an interesting stat, I think it was there’s been 3 years or 2 years since 2009 that neither you or Paul hasn’t been in the playoffs. Is that sort of one of those things where you guys have that experience that you can help some of the younger players sort of– it’s just another game guys, you know, you don’t have to–

Zerboni: I hope so, yeah. We’re a fairly young squad, and you know sometimes nerves can work into these things, or expectations get the best of us. But it’s just another game. And people just need to remember that. Nothing’s changed. it’s still a 90+ minute game, it’s still 120 by 75, it’s on a beautiful grass field, it’s what we’ve been doing, what most of us have been doing since we were 5, 6, 7 years old. So just to remind them why we do this, and it’s because we love it, and we should go out there and enjoy ourselves and not freak out. 

Backline: One interesting bit that you sort of touched on is that you have a lot of UCLA players on this team. Is there a little bit of that connection that helps that you guys have that UCLA background? 

Zerboni: You know, our generations were different. Like I never played with the young ones. But you know, a group of them did play together, so I’m sure that helps. I think it’s more fun for like banter, you know we banter all the time. Like oh, if you’re on UCLA, you can’t be in this box over here, you know so we kind of joke around, stuff like that. But yeah, I mean maybe a little bit, just kinda gets us on the same page, or that we have a little something in common, that helps, because we come from all different parts of the world and all different backgrounds, and the more and more we can find commonalities and realize our common goal, that’s helpful. 

Backline: You and Abby seem to have some experience. Does that help having another sort of player that’s not 21, 22, just sort of be like, okay – we’re going to talk about mortgages and about life. 

Zerboni: Yes (laughs). So that’s why I really appreciate her. So since Nora came in, we’ve just really bonded. I think not so much because of our age and our experience, but I mean she’s an amazing person, and we just sort of have the same take on life, and we’ve both been through a lot. And sometimes it was just me and Jess or whoever and so, I’m like, “Anyone? Anyone gotta pay their bills today? No one? okay.” Or, “remember when this happened, or remember when this song came out?” or just to have someone to relate to, to kind of help me lead the troops is helpful. 

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Semi-Finals

Posted on by RJ Allen

Backline Soccer Recap:

Quick Fire Semi-Final Game Previews:

The playoffs are here and our four teams are set. After watching all four teams face off last weekend, this semi-final weekend is sure to be one for the books. Let’s take a look at the matchups. 

Game 1: Portland Thorns vs. Orlando Pride

Portland Thorns record: 14-5-5
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 47

Orlando Pride record: 11-6-7
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 40

Portland fought for the right to get the home-field advantage for the semi-finals. Will it be enough today? I imagine a very tough match for both teams but Portland has that home-side on their side. Portland tends to come out of the gate quick, possessing a lot of the ball, and trying to pressure the opposing team to make mistakes. Their key will be to not get too impatient and ahead of themselves while stringing together a full 90′. Tobin Heath is expected to start but no word yet on how many minutes she will be able to play. She has shown a bit in her last two matches but how much she is able to contribute to this match may prove key for the Thorns. Portland would do well to run their attack through Hayley Raso and make sure she gets plenty of good looks to put one away. Playing such a defensive game against Orlando a few weeks ago provided them very little opportunity at goal, where the shots on goal they did get, relied on an Orlando mistake. The defense will be tested with the attacking duo of Marta and Alex Morgan but if their defense has so far been up to the task. 

Orlando’s Alanna Kennedy pulled off a last-minute free-kick stunner to put the Pride into this semi-final matchup, which will now be one of the bigger tests of their short time in the league. The last time the Pride played the Thorns, it was probably the most physical matchup of the season. The Pride will need to not only be extremely steady on defense but also try to curb their notorious last-minute opportunities and turnovers given to the opposing side. It was also announced earlier this week that Camila would miss the playoffs with a torn ACL and sprained MCL, which is a huge loss for the Pride’s creative side, which struggles to find help outside of Marta and Camila. If they can control their game plan, they have a real shot to steal one in Portland. Their key will be figuring out a way to deal with the defensive shutdown the Thorns will most likely push them into again. What shut them out in the last match against Portland was their inability to use the width, they were forced to play too compactly. Orlando was successful against Portland with the high press but that is hard to sustain for the full 90′. If Orlando can find a way to break the Portland compacted defense and finish the shots they manage to get. This game should be quite the matchup. 

Game 2: North Carolina Courage vs. Chicago Red Stars

North Carolina Courage record: 16-7-1
Position: 1st
Total Points: 49

Chicago Red Stars record: 11-7-6
Position: 4th
Total Points: 39

North Carolina is coming into this match having not beaten Chicago yet this season. Will this match break the losing spell? For all intents and purposes, North Carolina has been the most consistent team this season and their positioning and record prove that. Their biggest problem has been finishing though. A player like Lynn Williams takes a lot of shots but lacks the finishing aspect in some ways and relies on her speed. This could work this weekend or could be a downfall. The Courage will have trouble with Chicago’s defense so they will need to do a much better chance of finishing their chances, especially earlier in the game. Sam Mewis is also expected to have another stellar game, chugging along in the midfield setting up her teammates or taking shots on her own. She will need to be on and clicking for the Courage to roll. 

Chicago has been a bit of an enigma lately but have found themselves now facing the number one team in the league for their spot in the final. They should feel pretty happy with this match-up considering their winning record but the playoffs are a different beast. Chicago’s biggest thing will be consistency. Consistently defending the Courage attack and making sure to not give them any space to move. They will also need to do work to win the midfield battle and get more of their attack spurred. Christen Press was noticeably frustrated last week after the loss to Portland so I expect her to come out ready to lead the attack. Chicago will need to be better about feeding her balls so she does not have to drop so far back to get them. Julie Ertz will also be key for the Red Stars, a player I would argue has been the most important player on the field for Chicago this season. If Chicago can capitalize on their early chances and set their game up, they have a very good chance of pulling the win out. Alyssa Naeher and the Chicago backline will be tested, it is how they respond that will determine the winner. 

The Scouting Report:

We went live on Monday night with our weekly TSR, which was the last episode featuring Sandra Herrera and Jordan Small.

In case you missed the episode, catch up here:

 

Soccer Takes From Jake: NWSL Semi-Final Edition

Posted on by RJ Allen

On Wednesday, NFL quarterback Cam Newton said something really dumb. And he rightfully got lambasted for it. Women in sports; guess what it’s fucking awesome. The things I have learned from those that cover sports as a member of the media or work for a professional team are nothing short of awesome. Respect and appreciate the work they do. By no means is this the end-all, be-all list of women in sports I am a fan of because of the work they’ve put in, but every so often the general question is asked, “Who are some women in sports that I should follow?” Well, these are some solid people to start with:

Well, these are some solid people to start with:

Susie Rants / Stephanie Yang / Rachael Caldwell / Jessica Konen / Katelyn Best / RJ Allen / Caitlin Murray / Caitlin Buckley / Alicia Rodriguez / Jamie Goldberg / Meg Linehan / Jackie Maynard / Brittany Alvarado / Jacqueline Purdy / Jennifer Gordon / Jenny Jeffries / Jonana Widner / Stefanie Loh / Ashley Scoby / Adriana Hooper / Elizabeth Wawryzniak / Katie Simons / Justyne Freud / Mina Kimes / Kate Fagan / Sandra Herrera / Kate Preusser / Brynn Baker / Katherine Oberg / Alyse LaHue / Jasmina Schweimler / Lauren Barker / Katie Nolan / Jacqui Porter / Arielle Castillo / Skyler Warrick / Kara McDermott / Emily Giambalvo / Hannah Roberts / Julie Stewart-Binks / Diana Moskovitz / Rachel Nichols / Sarah Spain / Jessica Mendoza / Jemele Hill / Aly Wagner / Kate Markgraf / Jenn Hildreth / Ariane Hingst / Rachel Bonnetta / Jackie MacMullan / Angie Mentink / Iliana Limón Romero / Alicia Rose DelGallo / Jackie Montgomery / Chloe Leadbetter / Alyssa Zajac / Allison Lee / Leigh Nieves / Ann Odong / Alanna Fairbairn / Erica Ayala / Jessica Luther / Kay Murray

Seriously the list can go on and on. The bottom line is whether they cover sports as a member of the media or work for a sports teams, these ladies do amazing work. Respect the hustle & grind they put in. Listen to what they bring to the table. Value what they do because despite what some bums might say (and there are a lot of them), women definitely belong in sports.

THE PORTLAND THORNS WILL WIN IF…
Have you been to Portland? It’s a home-field advantage unlike any other. You have to be something special to go into their house and leave with a win. The team on the field is talent plenty of people would put on a Christmas wishlist. Mark Parsons has more than proven he’s handled the transition from Washington to Portland and the bigger expectations that come with it. If the Thorns hold Orlando scoreless or at most one goal, I think it will be because of the trio of Adrianna Franch and defenders Emily Sonnett and Emily Menges – seriously, how Menges isn’t on the shortlist for Defender of the Year is absurd. And if I were a betting man, how could one not put a fiver on Christine Sinclair doing something good to send an already raucous crowd like the one Portland has into a frenzy? When everything is clicking for them on the field, their supporters provide such a home-field advantage that really it’s a natural wonder and something you have to see in person.

THE ORLANDO PRIDE WILL WIN IF…
Orlando’s work got harder for them with the injury of midfielder Camila. However, the stage is set for just the sort of thing you cannot rule out in which Marta does something that has everyone going, “Yep, that is why she is the Greatest Of All Time.” Her and Alex Morgan turned it on and became the dynamic duo everyone hoped they would when they needed to be in the regular season and that’s why they’re in the playoffs. The magic of the duo could just rise above the intimidating atmosphere inside Providence Park.

THE NORTH CAROLINA COURAGE WILL WIN IF…
They stay the course and stick with what brought them to the dance. It’s not dumb luck that the Courage basically lived at the top of the table. This is as complete a team you’re going to find in the world. Paul Riley’s squad has everything you want in a soccer team. Lockdown defense, amazing conductors in the midfield, and forwards who know how to find the back of the net. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it and while Chicago had their number in the regular season meetings, home field advantage counts for something major in the NWSL and the Courage sure play at home like they’ve been there for years.

THE CHICAGO RED STARS WILL WIN IF…
They can absorb North Carolina’s runs but stop them in the final third. Whether it’s their back four and Alyssa Naeher locking down and direct blocking shots or putting enough of a touch to direct the ball to go wide of the goal. If they can translate this into a counter-attack with an exclamation point of a Christen Press touch that we know she can do, even a formidable defense like North Carolina’s can be broken. They had North Carolina’s number in the regular season meetings, so Rory Dames and gang know how to do it against North Carolina.

THAT SAID, MY PREDICTIONS ARE…
Portland Thorns OVER Orlando Pride
HOWEVER… IT WILL TAKE GOING TO PENALTIES!

North Carolina Courage OVER Chicago Red Stars.
This one though will be decided in regulation.

And there you have it, Portland and North Carolina are Orlando-bound for the 2017 NWSL Championship.

Here is your music video break.

Song: “Sam’s Town” | Artist: The Killers

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Week 22

Posted on by RJ Allen

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Backline Soccer Recap:

Quick Fire Week 22 Game Previews:

We have arrived in the final week of the 2017 NWSL season before the playoffs arrive and what a season it has been! The four playoff teams are set: North Carolina, Portland, Chicago, and Orlando have all secured their spot. Let’s take a look at how the final regular season weekend matches up. 

Game 1: Portland Thorns vs. Chicago Red Stars

Portland Thorns record: 13-5-5
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 44

Chicago Red Stars record: 11-6-6
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 39

With second place securely locked up in the playoffs, I assume that Head Coach Mark Parsons will be looking at resting some starters to prepare for the home semi-final match the next weekend. Then again, this may be their semi-final matchup so they may want to test some things before that. With one of the best defenses in the league, they will look to contain the Red Stars attacking push. But the struggle they had last week against Orlando was spending so much time defending they were unable to get much going on the offensive end. This worked against Orlando but may not work against Chicago who will exploit the width that Orlando didn’t. So their task this week, if they want to win, will be to spur their offensive attack a lot more than they have been. 

Chicago will need a draw or win to secure the third place spot in the playoffs or for Orlando to draw or lose. This week will be interesting if they decide to go the resting route to prepare for the semi-finals or go all out as this environment and team may be who their semi-final opponent is. By the end of last weeks match the Red Stars looked exhausted as their starters have been put through the ringer this season. If we assume no one rests this should be quite the matchup. While Chicago’s defense has suffered a bit over the last several games, Vanessa DiBernardo coming back to the field will help settle everyone around her and get Chicago clicking better. Chicago will also be without Yuki Nagasato this week due to red-card suspension. Chicago will need the offensive prowess of Christen Press and Sofia Huerta to make something happen for them up top. And the defense will need to make sure to not let Portland get any pockets of space to allow the likes of Hayley Raso to speed past them.

Game 2: Washington Spirit vs. Seattle Reign

Washington Spirit record: 5-15-4
Position: 10th
Total Points: 19

Seattle Reign record: 8-8-7
Position: 5th
Total Points: 31

Washington was only able to put two field substitutes on the field last week due to injury and by the end, the team just looked exhausted. I expect this week to see them put up a good fight in their last home match but that will entirely depend on what Seattle team shows up to play. Washington has some great pieces, save for the offside calls, Mal Pugh netted two goals last game for the Spirit. I expect her to be just as involved this week in sparking the offense. It will be up to the defense, which has struggled especially since Estelle Johnson went out, to stave off the Seattle attack.

Megan Rapinoe is out for the final match of the Reign 2017 season due to yellow card accumulation. With nothing left to play for but pride, I expect Seattle to come out blazing and playing a lot more free. This will also be the final match of her career for Elli Reed, who is retiring. Combine those two and I expect Seattle to not have too many issues this week with a depleted Spirit side. 

Game 3: Boston Breakers vs. Sky Blue FC

Boston Breakers record: 4-12-7
Position: 9th
Total Points: 19

Sky Blue FC record: 9-11-3
Position: 6th
Total Points: 30

Boston has had pockets of good throughout the season but find themselves in a very similar predicament to last year. Progress has been made but they still are not winning very much. With their big road win last week against the Spirit, they carry that momentum into their final match of the season to their house. This week Boston’s biggest task will be shutting down Sam Kerr and letting her capitalize on any opportunities because if they’re there, she’s taking them. Sky Blue’s defensive struggles have been apparent this season and Boston is starting to see a bit of a spark in their offensive. If they can take advantage of that weakness and the opportunities it will inevitably produce, we could see this game go either way.

Sky Blue will be looking to end their season on a high note after fighting to a good draw with the first-place Courage last weekend. Sky Blue saw a lot of opportunities last week against a tough team but could not finish their chances. But this week, with Boston on the struggling end of things as well, if they can capitalize on mistakes and opportunities from the Boston defense, Sam Kerr just might get that goal record this weekend. 

Game 4: North Carolina Courage vs. Orlando Pride 

North Carolina Courage record: 15-6-1
Position: 1st
Total Points: 49

Orlando Pride record: 10-6-7
Position: 4th
Total Points: 37

The Courage are coming into this game on short rest and with the shield locked up, I would not be surprised to see some starters resting. Both Jaelene Hinkle and Katelyn Rowland were completely rested and Taylor Smith saw limited minutes. This may have been in part to save players for this weekend’s match as it is also a potential match we will see in the semi-finals if current standings hold. This will be a deciding factor I think it what we may see in the outcome of the weekend. Overall, the Courage have not scored the most goals this season but enough to firmly cement their place at the top. Sam Mewis has been stellar and will be a threat both offensively and defensively this weekend. The Courage will be tasked with making sure that Marta and Alex Morgan are not given many chances to connect as the Pride engine relies on that a lot. 

The Pride are coming in this weekend with a lot less pressure as they were able to clinch the final playoff spot thanks to the result of the FCKC and Seattle game last weekend. The Pride would be pressed to treat this match like a playoff as this could very well be who they are facing in the semi-final but I can also see Head Coach Tom Sermanni giving some players a rest who may be dealing with slight injuries or fatigue. If I was a betting woman, I do not think we will see Steph Catley this weekend due to the small knock she took last week against Portland. The Pride need to make sure they are exploiting the wide areas against the Courage this week as Portland was able to shut down their entire offensive game last week by making them play too tight. While the Pride defense has gotten a lot better in the last several games, the Courage attack can give them fits if they do not keep their line tight and organized. 

Game 5: FC Kansas City vs. Houston Dash

FC Kansas City record: 8-9-6
Position: 7th
Total Points: 30

Houston Dash record: 7-14-2
Position: 8th
Total Points: 23

FCKC put a dagger in the playoff hopes of the Seattle Reign last week and have been on a successful run for their last several games. With the Dash clearly struggling on and off the field, I expect to see FCKC finish their season on a positive note. Look this week for them to exploit the defensive scramble that the Courage were able to mid-week. And if Becky Sauerbrunn plays like she did against Seattle, Houston will have a very hard time getting anything through the defensive line. 

Houston is coming into this game after a 4-0 loss and short rest. We saw a few players rest on Wednesday but I do not expect much of that today, seeing as it is the final game of their season. On Wednesday, their defensive struggled mightily against everything the Courage were throwing at them. This match they will face similar with Shea Groom and Sydney Leroux both springing the offensive attack. Amber Brooks has been a stalwart in defense but she is only one person and if Houston hops to make it out of this match unscathed, she and Jane Campbell will need a lot more help.

The Scouting Report:

We went live on Monday night with our weekly TSR. A reminder that you can catch TSR live every Monday night at 8pm EST on our YouTube channel. Make sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @ScoutingPodcast.

In case you missed the episode, catch up here:

Soccer Takes From Jake: End Of The Line

Posted on by RJ Allen

AND SO THE NWSL PLAYOFFS ARE SET
It’s weird that we’re getting two playoff preview matches on the final weekend of the regular season, but here we are. All four teams will go into them definitely with the intent of using them as film study for the semi-final matches next weekend. The results will surely help set a tone for the win or go home stakes of next weekend, so in a way you can look at the Portland/Chicago and North Carolina/Orlando matches as basically the first leg of the NWSL Playoffs.

HERE WE ARE, WEEK 22, THE FINAL WEEK OF THE REGULAR SEASON
And what a ride it has been.

PORTLAND THORNS OVER CHICAGO RED STARS
For your first NWSL Semi-Final preview, you have Portland hosting Chicago. Decades ago, in another sport, someone playing for Chicago wearing the number 23 lit up a team from Portland. I don’t see the Red Stars’ number 23 doing something similar. Portland is too well balanced of a team and at home, they will look to set the tone and show the Red Stars what’s to come next weekend in a win or go home scenario.

SEATTLE REIGN FC OVER WASHINGTON SPIRIT
The Seattle Impossible did not happen and for the second straight season, the Reign FC miss the playoffs. Where their offseason goes, I think is going to be dictated by if head coach/general manager Laura Harvey becomes the new manager of the England Women’s National Team. No one in their right mind will dispute her credentials, so we shall see what happens in the not too distant future. In the immediate future, Reign win this one on the field and who knows what happens around it in this year’s edition of The Bill Lynch Derby.

BOSTON BREAKERS AND SKY BLUE FC PLAY TO A DRAW
I’m glad the Breakers are keeping head coach Matt Beard for next season. It’s not his fault Rose Lavelle came back broken from national team duty. The development of the Breakers under Beard’s system should be allowed to have more time and with an actually healthy franchise player. While I don’t think we’ll get any solid evidence of what the 2018 Boston Breakers will be from this match, the comfort for the players knowing he will be back I think takes away some anxiety of needing to play for their future. Breakers open the scoring, but Sky Blue’s Sam Kerr answers back and yep becomes the new queen of most goals in an NWSL season, surpassing Kim Little.

NORTH CAROLINA COURAGE OVER ORLANDO PRIDE
North Carolina secured the NWSL Shield, but just like the preview of the Thorns/Red Stars match, this will be a preview of the number 1 seed versus the number 4. Orlando needs to win to move up to the 3 seed, but no way North Carolina loses this one going into the playoffs.

FC KANSAS CITY OVER HOUSTON DASH
It’s crazy to think that in one offseason, the NWSL could lose its two most successful coaches. Just as much as there is uncertainty over the future of Laura Harvey in Seattle, the same can be said about Vlatko Andonovski in Kansas City. Time will tell if we are going to see the last match of the Vlatko Andonovski Era in Kansas City, but take away that question, Kansas City is still the better team and handles Houston easily.

Here is your last music video break of the regular season.

Song: “Cut Chemist Suite” | Artist: Ozomatli

Soccer Takes From Jake: Oh, England

Posted on by RJ Allen

IN THEORY…
Let’s talk about things that are good in theory. Specifically football governing bodies.

Whether it’s FIFA, US Soccer, The FA (of England), these entities mean well and over the years sure have done plenty of good in terms of organizing the beautiful game, forming leagues, and all that jazz.

At the same time, for every bit of good they do, boy do they have some spectacular transgressions that wash out their mission statements and leave us with a bland taste in the mouth that tends towards bad – like eating anything from Subway.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock and/or are choosing to plug your ears, on Wednesday, The FA told Mark Sampson to get to walking. They didn’t give him the boot over the allegations of racial abuse of Eniola Aluko or Katie Chapman’s claims that he dropped her from national team consideration as she was going through a divorce. Instead, he was fired because of his transgressions while he was coach at Bristol City in 2014.

Here’s where things get really stupid.

Those transgressions apparently weren’t deemed to be fireable transgressions – just one that didn’t make him look good (HUH?!). It was only when  Sampson’s now former boss, FA big boss Martin Glenn read the Bristol City report in full  (HUH?!) that he decided to give Sampson the boot.

Oh Marty, why oh why did you just wait until last week to read the Bristol City report? Were you getting annoyed at everyone on social media rightfully tearing into Sampson regarding Aluko and the growing support for her as well as the emergence of Chapman? It’s hard to swallow the idea that the FA simply forgot about this report. Surely as you were getting settled into the job, you’d be told about important things like investigations into your senior national team manager being a scumbag.

When they were talking about today’s events on TalkSport, someone said that the “best” thing for The FA  to do at this point is lay out all their cards on the table. Likely alluding to making that Bristol City report available for the public to read and just see for themselves how bad Sampson’s conduct was. This whole notion of that whatever his conduct was, it wasn’t a risk to the safeguard of players is quite the eyebrow-raiser. If the assertions from the Bristol City report are Sampson was pretty much a scumbag, how is that not a threat to player’s safety and well-being, physically and/or mentally? I’m really going to need an adult to explain that one to me.

It’s one thing to appoint someone with the charisma of a paper towel tube, like Roy Hodgson being appointed to the men’s side. Some might even say it’s hilariously fitting. It’s a completely different thing to know someone has a dark cloud above them and still give them the keys. The FA’s position is, basically: “While we feel Mark Sampson is not a racist, we’ve determined that he was kind of a scumbag.” That is the message The FA, under Martin Glenn’s helm have chosen to close the Mark Sampson era as manager of their senior national team. You and The FA might feel like you’ve done the right thing in dumping him now before more voices get louder and stronger with the receipts, but you put this stain on yourself and reputation of the governing body as a whole by not taking it seriously years ago. Matthew Lawson at The Daily Mail said it best: how can you survive the way this one has been mishandling?

So let’s actually get it all on the table.  Omit the names to protect their privacy if you must, but we the public deserve to read that Bristol City report. Trying to keep it all away from public eyes is only going to heighten the scrutiny and when it’s eventually leaked, things will only be worse. Get it all out now, and let’s have a true accounting. 

Fans are going to trash the governing body executives for all kinds of reasons – not liking who they appoint, corruption, ineptitude, etc. But that’s all standard stuff. When those suits turn a blind eye to genuinely awful behavior, public trust will go out the window for good. If there was any defense for their actions, they need to put it out there, or risk a total collapse of legitimacy. 

We can all concede that overseeing a governing body is not an easy job and there are tons of moving parts. However if you’re involved in the game and when it’s time to actually govern for the right, moral reasons and you don’t – this is what undermines your practices and render the entity as just… good in theory.

WEEK 21 NWSL PREDICTIONS
Hey, back to actual soccer and stuff that happens on the field!

PORTLAND THORNS OVER ORLANDO PRIDE
Reign FC fans might find it weird hoping Portland does them a solid and beat Orlando to keep their playoff hopes alive, but there is incentive for the Thorns to win this in general. They are two points behind the North Carolina Courage and the allure of retaining the NWSL Shield for best regular season record is there for them.

WASHINGTON SPIRIT AND BOSTON BREAKERS PLAY TO A DRAW
They’ll play this game and probably not a whole lot of eventful things will happen.

HOUSTON DASH AND CHICAGO RED STARS PLAY TO A DRAW
The Red Stars need a win to keep their grip on the three-seed but I can see this one being a draw, leaving us at least a little bit of drama going into the final weekend.

NORTH CAROLINA COURAGE OVER SKY BLUE FC
The Portland Thorns are right on North Carolina’s heels for that NWSL Shield. While I don’t think Paul Riley’s squad views that piece of hardware as a priority, it sure would do a nice job of trying their championship from last year under a different name together with their new position in NC.

SEATTLE REIGN FC OVER FC KANSAS CITY
Who knows if the tone of the FourFourTwo article will have an affect on the Blues coming into Seattle, but with things in flux and in Seattle’s home finale, they should be amped up. I don’t see a shootout but I can see Seattle throwing everything including the kitchen sink to get the full three points and make that final weekend of the regular season exciting and anxiety-inducing.

So yes, the third and fourth playoff seeds will come down to the final weekend. Hope you remained buckled into the roller coaster that is the NWSL. Here’s your music video break.

Song: “Doing It For The Money” | Artist: Foster The People

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Week 21

Posted on by RJ Allen

[media-credit name=”Kelley Piper” align=”aligncenter” width=”300″][/media-credit]

Backline Soccer Recap:

Quick Fire Week 21 Game Previews:

We have just two games left (three for North Carolina and Houston) in the 2017 NWSL season and what a season it has been. We seen more parity between the upper part of the table than years before, which should make an exciting playoff setup. There are three teams competing for the final two playoff positions, Seattle, Orlando, and Chicago. If Orlando and Chicago win this weekend or Seattle loses, both will secure the playoff positions. Let’s break down what to look forward to this weekend. 

Game 1: Orlando Pride vs. Portland Thorns

Orlando Pride record: 10-6-6
Position: 4th
Total Points: 36

Portland Thorns record: 13-5-4
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 43

Orlando’s final home game of the season has serious implications. A win puts them into the playoffs. They would already be there if not for a crazy last second goal by Jess Fishlock last week, but they’ll hope to put it to bed this time around. They’ll need to be careful about the minutes of their returning players who were on national team duty. Six of the eleven starters were with their national teams, Marta, Monica, Steph Catley, Alanna Kennedy, Alex Morgan, and Ashlyn Harris, but only four of them saw minutes. Hopefully they are prepared and recovered enough to put in a solid shift. Alex Morgan is on a tear, with three goals in the two games for the USWNT. If she takes this form into Saturday, Portland will be hard-pressed to shut her down. The Pride’s biggest task will be their defense. Ali Krieger is their leader in the back but she cannot be expected to cover everyone. Portland will put up a big test and it will be up to the backline to shut them down.

Portland also has players returning from international duty, including Allie Long, Tobin Heath, Lindsey Horan, Hayley Raso, Amandine Henry, and Nadia Nadim, all of whom saw minutes. Tobin Heath played about fifteen minutes for the USWNT on Tuesday night so I would expect her to maybe get 20-30 minutes in this match as a sub. They will not want to push her too much.  Portland started the season slow, looking unable to make much happen with top players not producing and the loss of Heath. But in recent games, they’re starting to look much better. That said, their last game against Boston wasn’t great, and if they come out in the same way this time, it could make for a long and difficult game. 

Game 2: Washington Spirit vs. Boston Breakers

Washington Spirit record: 5-13-4
Position: 9th
Total Points: 19

Boston Breakers record: 3-12-7
Position: 10th
Total Points: 16

Washington has had a very tough season. They have few healthy players on the bench to sub in. This week they take on the Breakers, who have also been seriously struggling, in what seems to be a race for the number one draft pick. The Spirit were able to pull off a great win against Sky Blue last time out, and will hope to build on that performance. The biggest thing for them at this point in their season is just to take care of their players and keep them healthy and motivated for next year.

Boston is currently sitting in last place. If you had said that would be the case after the first few weeks of the season, I would have called you a liar. But here they are. Boston is in a similar position as the Spirit in terms of needing good draft picks next season to help build their team. This week, with Mal Pugh looking to start to hit a bit of a stride, they will want to work to contain her and work their way through the Spirit defense. 

Game 3: Houston Dash vs. Chicago Red Stars

Houston Dash record: 7-12-2
Position: 8th
Total Points: 23

Chicago Red Stars record: 10-6-6
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 36

The Dash are out of the playoffs but have the opportunity to play spoiler a bit for the Red Stars if they can pull off the win. Houston really has nothing to lose at this point so it will be interesting to see how they come out. If that’s going to happen, I think it starts with Rachel Daly finally getting in more on the attack and another big game from Jane Campbell. She was away on national team duty but did not see any minutes so should be fresh. The Dash have looked decent at times, but often just do not seem to have a clear game plan. Lack of a real head coach might have something to do with that. Against the Red Stars, they will have a lot to handle, with plenty of big names like Yuki Nagasato and Julie Ertz coming at them. But the Chicago defense has been shakier of late, so there is room for Houston to make a mark here. 

Chicago are in a similar position to Orlando: win, and they’re in. They also had six players with the USWNT, Alyssa Naeher, Christen Press, Julie Ertz, Sofia Huerta, Casey Short, and Morgan Brian. All six saw minutes, with both Ertz and Naeher seeing significant time. The team has seemed a bit sluggish and off their mark for several games now but have managed to pull together enough positive results to keep things afloat.  Christen Press has dipped a bit in form, but I expect her to step up this weekend and push her team into the playoffs. Julie Ertz is coming off a hot two games with the USWNT, and should be able to bring that energy to Chicago as well. Overall, if their big players produce as they should, the Red Stars should not have much trouble this week against the Dash.

Game 4: Sky Blue FC vs. North Carolina Courage

Sky Blue FC record: 9-11-2
Position: 6th
Total Points: 29

North Carolina Courage record: 15-6-0
Position: 1st
Total Points: 45

Sky Blue is officially out of the playoffs which may afford them the opportunity to play more freely this week, and with Sam Kerr on the prowl, that could end up being deadly. Facing the Courage will be a tough challenge, but we have seen them pull off some big wins this year, and if anyone is going to give the Carolina defense a rough time, it’s Kerr and company. Defensively, things look dicier, so they’ll try to keep things as tight as possible, but victory is most likely going to be a matter of outscoring the opposition.  

The Courage are still sitting atop the standings and will be looking to stay there through the end. They also had players off on national team duty. Lynn Williams, Taylor Smith, Abby Dahlkemper, Sam Mewis, Denise O’Sullivan, and Debinha all saw minutes. I don’t expect much experimentation here – they know what works, and will want to focus on locking things in for the playoffs. That said, they have a lot of depth, so we might see them do a bit of minute-management for those who were busy with their national teams. Whoever they run out, North Carolina’s attack will be strong, and will definitely look to exploit a fragile Sky blue backline. 

Game 5: Seattle Reign vs. FC Kansas City

Seattle Reign record: 8-7-7
Position: 5th
Total Points: 31

FC Kansas City record: 7-9-6
Position: 7th
Total Points: 27

Seattle needs a win (and a Orlando and Chicago loss) to stay in the playoff hunt. It is no small task but they have the fight to make it happen. FCKC has been officially eliminated, but are playing some of their best soccer of the year, so could pose a serious challenge to the Reign. Defense has been an issue all season for the Reign but signing Lydia Williams has locked up the back a bit as she has saved their butts quite a few times already. However, she will be on short rest and long travel, after playing every minute for Australia in both games. FCKC have finally started to click and have made a lot of hay from pressuring the opposition and poaching goals, so Seattle will need to be careful as they press the attack to not get caught.  

FCKC’s playoff hopes were dashed with their draw against the Red Stars. However they have been a very good string of positive results and with Seattle’s defensive woes, KC will like their chances of finding the net. They are returning Becky Sauerbrunn and Katie Bowen from national team duty, both seeing significant minutes, but should otherwise be fresh. Seattle’s range of attacking options will pose a real test for the FCKC backline. Hopefully, both sides stay in form and we get a great match. 

The Scouting Report:

We went live on Monday and Wednesday night with two special TSR’s to cover the U.S.A vs. New Zealand matches. A reminder that you can catch TSR live every Monday night at 8pm EST on our YouTube channel. Make sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @ScoutingPodcast.

In case you missed the episodes, catch up here:

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Week 20

Posted on by RJ Allen

[media-credit name=”Kelley Piper” align=”aligncenter” width=”300″][/media-credit]

Backline Soccer Recap:

Quick Fire Week 20 Game Previews:

The playoff race could be decided this weekend as some big matches are taking place to decide the fate of some teams. Let’s take a look.

Game 1: Orlando Pride vs. Seattle Reign

Orlando Pride record: 10-6-6
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 36

Seattle Reign record: 8-7-7
Position: 5th
Total Points: 31

This game was moved to Thursday to better prepare for Hurricane Irma and get the players to safety before the storm was scheduled to hit Florida. It was a relatively back and forth game until literally the last seconds. Alex Morgan scored in stoppage time in what was sure to be their playoff winning berth. But Jess Fishlock said, not so fast, and scored just seconds later to close an exciting 1-1 draw. 

Game 2: FC Kansas City vs. Chicago Red Stars

FC Kansas City record: 7-9-5
Position: 7th
Total Points: 26

Chicago Red Stars record: 10-6-5
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 35

FCKC has hit on a nice hot streak save for the Orlando loss. They are really hitting their form this late in the season and could spell spoiler to a few potential playoff teams. Heck, they are technically still in contention as well. They have the potential to run away with this game at home if they can capitalize. This week they need to really center their game plan around Shea Groom, who has had a hand in quite a few different runs this season. The Chicago defense has had issues over the last several games so FCKC would do well to take advantage of those pockets of breakdown and capitalize. If FCKC can continue the path they took against Sky Blue last week they may see this one out. 

Chicago finally pulled out a win last week against the Courage in dramatic fashion but still have a bit to go in getting back to their full strength and form. Their defense has been shaky and looked out of sorts so that will be one thing they will need to shore up and lock in against an offensive FCKC. There were some bright spots starting with newcomer Yuki Nagasato last week she should be starting this weekend to give Chicago some good spots right out the gate. I would also like to see more involvement throughout the match from Christen Press as I know she has a lot more to contribute. Overall Chicago will have its work cut out against a surging FCKC and will need to be in top form to compete all 90 minutes. 

Game 3: North Carolina Courage vs. Houston Dash

North Carolina Courage record: 14-6-0
Position: 1st
Total Points: 42

Houston Dash record: 7-11-2
Position: 8th
Total Points: 23

The Courage will be disappointed with last week’s match against Chicago so they will be coming in this week looking to rebound and take all three points. They really should not have much trouble against the Dash. Their biggest problem last week was that they just could not finish their chances. With more hustle and work in the final third, North Carolina should be on the board early. 

Houston is looking to finish the season strong even if it is without some key players, namely Carli Lloyd. As it looks like she will continue to be out this weekend, the Dash will need to see great production from the returning Rachel Daly. The Dash have some great pieces but really need help on the defensive end and that will most likely show this weekend with the offensive firepower of the Courage. Overall, there is a lot of work to do as an organization for the Dash in the off-season but this week, they just need to stick to the basics and stay in the game. 

Game 4: Boston Breakers vs. Portland Thorns 

Boston Breakers record: 3-11-7
Position: 9th
Total Points: 16

Portland Thorns record: 12-5-4
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 40

Boston is officially eliminated from playoff contention but with just a few games left, they can still set some groundwork for next season. Rose Lavelle saw limited minutes last weekend which is a positive step for them and will most likely see some time this weekend as well. Boston has the pieces but just have not been able to string together enough. The biggest thing they can do this week against the Thorns is to capitalize on any potential mistakes they see. This would include defensive lapses or breakdowns, which is how they capitalized last week against Orlando. 

Portland sits just two points behind the Courage for first place and honestly, I am a bit surprised. I did not expect this to be their outcome this season considering how the season started and how out of sync they looked. The most surprising thing about this season I think, for me, is the drop off in the play of Allie Long, who quite frankly has been hard pressed to break back into the starting lineup as of late.  Portland has just been clicking together the last several games and is showing no signs of a slow down. This week though they have to be careful to not let up as the Breakers still have the fight in them to win some games. Hayley Raso will also be back after serving her yellow card accumulation suspension which will be another thorn in the Breakers side. 

Game 5: Sky Blue FC vs. Washington Spirit

Sky Blue FC record: 9-10-2
Position: 6th
Total Points: 29

Washington Spirit record: 4-13-4
Position: 10th
Total Points: 16

Sky Blue is still in playoff contention but needs some help from teams above them to make that happen. After last week’s loss to FCKC they will look to bounce back this week against the Spirit. It has been hard to really pinpoint the exact reason for the decline but to simplify it, the team just seems to be missing an identity outside of “Sam Kerr will score all of the goals and save us each week.” Last week she did not really look at the top of her game and I think in some ways she was playing a bit down to the opponent, which ultimately hurt them. But one of the bigger problems is the incredibly young backline and their inability to stop the attack of many bigger teams. The Spirit may not pose too big of a challenge this week but as with any game, anything can happen if you are not prepared. 

You have to feel for the Spirit players this season. A lot of core leadership was traded (or left) in the off-season and I am not sure anyone really stepped up to fill those voids, especially off of the field. Add on the many injuries they have accumulated and being eliminated from the playoffs, I am sure they just want to get to the end of the season and regroup. This week also brought the news that goalkeeper Steph Labbé would be sitting out the rest of the season for medical reasons. I wish her all of the best for whatever she is going through. Last game saw Estefania Banini looking to be dealing with a hamstring issue and also Mal Pugh limping a bit after a play. While there is no official word, the injury report this week will be the deciding factor. Ultimately, the Spirit are having trouble fielding players. This week, their biggest hope is to make sure they can stave off any further injuries and spur enough of an attack against Sky Blue and put some goals away.

The Scouting Report:

We went live on Tuesday night with our weekly TSR. A reminder that you can catch TSR live every Monday night at 8pm EST on our YouTube channel. Make sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @ScoutingPodcast.

In case you missed the episode, catch up here:

Soccer Takes From Jake: Stay Strong Orlando

Posted on by RJ Allen

First & foremost, stay strong everyone in Orlando. I know this includes some people that are a part of Backline Soccer, so yeah, hopefully everyone is safe and secure as best as they can be.

Former Seattle Reign FC midfielder Lindsay Elston announced her retirement yesterday. She posted her retirement statement on Twitter, which I recapped over at Ride of the Valkyries. It’s a wonderful statement and showed that she did not take for granted one bit of her professional career. Especially being fortunate to have played most of it for the hometown team where friends and family could watch her play. There are many reasons why an athlete could call it a day on their playing career and whether they choose to elaborate on it or just say, “Peace, see you later,” if you have an interest in the field they applied their athletic skills to, it must be respected when the athlete calls it a day and thank them for the time they gave on the field and what impact (hopefully positive) they made.

We also had Washington Spirit goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe announce her 2017 season is over for medical reasons. Again, no one should demand a further elaboration from her about something personal. We must repsect her decision and wish her all the best going forward.
The professional athlete may do some incredible, even superhuman things on the field of play, but you must remember, they are still human beings that wake up and go to bed like you and me.

WEEK 20 NWSL PREDICTIONS
Hope you stayed buckled up after last weekend because the road to the end of the regular season will get bumpier.

SEATTLE REIGN FC OVER ORLANDO PRIDE
Oh please do I want the Reign FC to win because they need it to stay alive in the playoffs. Sorry people, I’m going with my gut, my fandom on this one even if it likely will be wrong. That said, we can all agree we just want this game to happen, the weather cooperating as best as it theoretically can, no one gets hurt and when it’s over, everyone is able to leave and get to wherever they need to feel as safe as they can with Hurricane Irma coming.

FC KANSAS CITY OVER CHICAGO RED STARS
FC Kansas City continues to jack up other playoff-hopeful teams just to keep things interesting going into the final weeks of the regular season.

NORTH CAROLINA COURAGE OVER HOUSTON DASH
Courage are feeling the pressure from the Portland Thorns on the table, moreso after losing to Chicago on the road. Even though Paul Riley’s squad say they likely aren’t thinking about it, they still have the NWSL Shield to play for. They right themselves this weekend.

PORTLAND THORNS OVER BOSTON BREAKERS
It’d be really something if Boston holds them to a draw or pulls off something even more shocking and beats them. Nah it ain’t happening though. Portland punched their ticket to the NWSL Playoffs, but they have a chance at capturing the NWSL Shield. They’ll keep the heat on North Carolina with what should be a problem-free match for the Thorns.

SKY BLUE FC AND WASHINGTON SPIRIT PLAY TO A DRAW
Jersey isn’t technically out of it and should be able to get the full three on Washington but something about this matchup just looks like a draw. And not even an entertaining one at that. When the weekend ends and this scoreline is a scorless draw, I would not be surprised.

And here is your music video break.

Song: “Body Double” | Artist: Lushlife & CSLSX