Tag: NWSL

The Key to Victory is in the Defense for Sky Blue FC

Posted on by RJ Allen

51.

That is the number of goals Sky Blue let in this year.

That’s more than Portland and Chicago let in this year. Combined. That is nine more than top-ranked North Carolina and Portland gave up, combined. It is three more than bottom-ranked Washington gave up.

It’s safe to say they had a bit of a break down on defense this year.

That is where 2018 has to start for Sky Blue. They have to start with fixing the defense and letting their strength help push the midfield and forwards to new heights. Sam Kerr can score as many goals in 2018 as she did in 2017 and it won’t matter if their defense can’t hold on to leads and can’t keep them from going down early and often.

So how does Sky Blue turn the boat around and find a way to go from 6th place to the Top 4 and a chance to go to whichever city is going to host the NWSL championship next year?

1) Newly named head coach Denise Reddy needs to bring a clear vision of what she wants the team to be and use her considerable skills to make the team into her vision.

2) They need to part ways with some players and get experience in return.

3) The game plan can’t just be “Sam Kerr is magic”.

Reddy For a Change

Reddy comes into 2018 facing an uphill battle. The team needs a coach who can come in and provide some steadying forces on the team. There is no telling which of the current assistant coaches will stay. A total cleaning house may be the way to go.

Sky Blue finished their season with a triumvirate of assistant coaches taking over the helm after their head coach, Christy Holly, stepped away from the team. That left the team in an odd place even as it seemed to galvanize them.

Allowing Reddy to put her own unique stamp on the team, in terms of the assistants she feels comfortable with, would put her in the best position to build this team in her image. And that image is likely what got her the job in the first place.

If Reddy can find a way to elevate their defense from the bottom of the league to the middle while at the same time finding a way to bring this team together, it will go a lot way toward bridging the gap between Top 4 and middle of the pack in terms of their finish.

Fix the Roster

One of the biggest indicators of a team’s success is their roster. It sounds silly to type out but it’s the building block of the team’s DNA.

Yes, sometimes rosters do over or under perform what they say on paper. However, if their backline options are seasoned defenders mixed with some rookies they will likely have a better season than one or two solid defenders and a mix of pretty good to just OK defenders.

As of now, the current Sky Blue roster is young. Really young. Reddy is going to have the benefit of experience in the development system that might give her a leg up on training up some of the younger players.  

And with 18 players either having their contracts picked up or having been offered new ones, it might stay that way into 2018.

Take a look at the roster (as listed on their site) they are currently sporting:

Goalkeepers: Caroline Casey, Kailen Sheridan

Defenders: Cassidy Benintente, Mandy Freeman, Kayla Mills, Christie Pearce, Domi Richardson, Erin Simon, Erica Skroski

Midfielders: Daphne Corboz, Sarah Killion, Taylor Lytle, Raquel Rodriguez, Nikki Stanton, Madison Tiernan

Forwards: Leah Galton, Maya Hayes, Sam Kerr, McKenzie Meehan, Kelley O’Hara

This roster needs augmenting. Experience needs to be injected into it before they are going to be able to close the gap between goals scored and goals allowed.

Their goalkeepers are both under 24. Sheridan has a chance to be one of the best in the league – and might lead Canada one day as their number one – but it might benefit Sky Blue to find a more seasoned backup. Kailen Sheridan should stay but she needs a more experienced training partner.

Their defenders need experience with Pearce’s expected retirement. And O’Hara needs to give up the ghost and finally admit she will always be a defender, or at highest a midfielder, at this point. I would keep Mandy Freeman, Kayla Mills, Erin Simon, Erica Skroski and Kelley O’Hara on defense and try to find two defenders on the open market, most likely two center backs, to come in and try to help the defense out.

The midfield is more solid than it might look but suffers from Rodriguez often being played too far back to try to compensate for a weak defense. Stanton is a stand-out player for them who does a lot of the tough work that needs to be done but she needs more help out of her teammates. Daphne Corboz, Sarah Killion, Taylor Lytle, Raquel Rodriguez, Nikki Stanton, and Madison Tiernan can all stay. I think they could use an experienced midfield leader but if all 6 midfielders step their game up for 2018 this might be the most solid area for the team as of now.

Meehan was fine but not much else. O’Hara isn’t a forward. The trio of Leah Galton Maya Hayes, Sam Kerr make a nice group of forwards. If Hayes can keep playing provider and remain a threat to score, if Galton can get and stay healthy, and if Kerr can keep being Kerr they don’t need much more here.

They need to strip away a lot of the fat on the roster that likely is there because they can get away with not paying them much and they need players for practice. Money might be tight but a few key upgrades need to happen or they might give away more goals in 2018 than they did this year. 

I’d keep the following and hunt as hard as I could for some experienced players by either trading the rest or trading 2019 and 2020 draft picks. 

Also if I were them I’d draft Daphne Corboz’s younger sister Rachel if she is still there when they get to their first pick of the 2018 draft – they hold the 5th spot. She is the type of player who can be put in front of O’Hara or Skroski and make a big impact right away. 

The only way for them to compete is to have a roster full of players who can defend. That means looking at who on the team just doesn’t cut it anymore and let them go no matter how difficult it is. This team embraces the “us against the world” mentality but that will only get you so far with sub-par defensive talent. 

Sam Kerr is Magic but What Else Ya Got?

Having a more dynamic gameplay on offense helps the defense. They need to move past “just let Sam do it,” or they might stop giving up goals but they won’t score enough to counter the one or two they let in.

The 2017 season taught us two things: 1) Sam Kerr is, in fact, magic and, 2) She is only able to make so much magic when her team puts her in a hole.

Reddy is not the type of coach I worry about being uncreative with her game planning. I look forward to both her developing the team and seeing what she can do to Kerr’s already impressive talent.

It is as important for Kerr’s own development to have a defense worth a damn backing her up as it is for the team’s chances at winning.

Reddy also needs to take a look at in-game planning. Because next year? Teams are going to be on Kerr as tight as the head of a drum. That means Hayes, Galton, Corboz, Rodriguez and company are going to need to be better at their own finishing when they are left open by the double or triple teaming Kerr will get.

Tiernan has the chance to turn in to a hard-playing winger who can come in and open up games but using her properly, and keeping her from hitting 5 cards before week 7, is something that will need to be kept in mind. Rodriguez and her stint at Perth Glory with Kerr and Stanton will hopefully bring back the attacking side that can be so deadly when she uses it.

If the defense is stronger in 2018 a lot of the midfield problems go away. And when the players who had to tighten up to prevent the weak defense from seeing more shots can relax then they will be more able to be more creative as a group.

The core of the roster isn’t rotted. But they need to work on not always expecting magic or they are going to end up with spells blowing up in their faces.

If they can bring in two or three defenders who have experience on top of one or two attacking players who can concentrate their attacking talents, they have a shot at going from a team that finished in the middle of the pack to a team that has a solid playoff shot. 

Reddy was a smart hire by a team that needed to have a solid win in the search for a new head coach. She brings experience and a fresh perspective I think will go a long way to bringing Sky Blue back in the playoff picture.

So, are you Reddy for 2018 yet?

NWSL: We’ll Cross That Bridge When We Get There

Posted on by RJ Allen

The fifth National Women’s Soccer League is well in the rearview mirror.  National team players are in camp, while overseas leagues like the Australian W-League and England’s FA WSL are underway.

Looking back on the NWSL, the excitement and action of the season was clearly memorable. We had  Sam Kerr scoring goals on her way to the Golden Boot and MVP awards, Marta elevating the play of the Pride and guiding them to the first playoff appearance for an expansion team, and Christine Sinclair leading the Portland Thorns to their second league title.

However, not all the action stayed on the pitch.

Those that followed the league closely will remember the nebulous NWSL disciplinary committee suspending Seattle Reign defender Merritt Mathias and Thorns forward Tyler Lussi. However, even those paying close attention would probably have a challenging time actually explaining the league policy and inner workings of the DisCo, and that’s a problem. As the league becomes more stable and mature, there should be a higher expectation for defined league policies and transparency on how those policies function.

To illustrate the point, it’s worth taking a moment to consider things on the men’s side. At Orlando this year, for example, a couple players had off-the-field issues involving the law. After their arrests, these players were placed into Major League Soccer’s Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health (SABH) policy. This program covers a range of issues, including the codification of player suspensions, potential behavioral health assessments, and treatment for the player if required. The idea is to directly address the direct issue of player arrests, while taking a “whole person” approach that focuses on player wellness as well as simple punishment.

Thankfully, as far as we know, this type of program hasn’t been needed in the NWSL. But there have been some close cases, with one recent prominent example being the Alex Morgan alcohol-related incident at Walt Disney World’s Epcot theme park. The end result of that incident was Morgan and members of her group being escorted out after a day of drinking around the world. Nobody in the group was arrested.

Now, this incident is worth discussing not because of what actually happened. As far as we know, this was an isolated incident, with no reason to expect any recurring problem. The only reason the story received global attention is because of who Alex Morgan is. However, while there is no reason to think anything serious happened here, and no need to rehash the minor details, it did call attention to the question of underlying policy. Because, when asked whether they had a something similar to the MLS SABH policy, the NWSL responded that they did not have any set policy, and would handle any instance on a case-by-case basis.

The SABH policy also governs drug testing. Federated players compete in Olympic and international competitions, in which drug testing is normal, but we have no information about whether the league’s other players might fit into a league drug testing policy. It wouldn’t be shocking if the NWSL drug tested the players somehow–other women’s sporting organizations like the WNBA and LPGA have systems in place–but we have no information about whether it actually happens. And given the general bare bones standards set by the league, it certainly wouldn’t be surprising if the non-federation players are not drug tested. The league is focusing on raising standards from bare-bones to merely acceptable. It’s possible that drug testing simply hasn’t made the cut.  Maybe, just like with the substance abuse policy, they’re operating on a case-by-case basis.

The question: is that the best approach for a growing league?

Back in May, Amanda Duffy was questioned on the NFL policy known as the Rooney Rule, which requires a team to interview a minority candidate for open positions like head coach. The thought here is to promote diversity within the coaching ranks, a point made now that Laura Harvey has stepped down as Seattle Reign head coach. Her response was not all that surprising.

Generally, as a society we prefer to establish policies that are clearly stated, in which actions are treated equally. Anything else risks creating awkward situations and double standards. Had the situation with Alex Morgan escalated into something worse would the league have taken any action or would U.S. Soccer have stepped in? What if the Morgan incident had also included non-federated players? What sort of actions would those players face, and would all the players be treated equally? Could an amateur player looking to make a team turn to performing enhancing drugs, knowing there is no system to prevent it and catch a potential culprit? If so, doesn’t that create an awful incentive for other players struggling to make the roster to engage in similar experiments?

It’s time the NWSL front office establish a formal policy, so that players, front offices, and coaches can understand the rules and play the game fairly. As a growing league, it’s understandable they’ve prioritized other things, but the time for creating policy on the fly is over.

The WNBA uses the NBA as a model for its policy. Is there a good reason why the NWSL couldn’t do the same, and adopt a variation of the MLS SABH policy? Surely, given how involved U.S. Soccer is in the league, it would be no difficult thing.

This would also be a perfect opportunity for the league to act in good faith, and engage with the newly formed NWSL Players Association. That could improve relations with the players, and help set the tone for productive arrangements when a union is eventually formed. 

The old patchwork system, where federated players operate under one set of rules set by the national team, and everyone else operates in a series of grey areas, is no longer acceptable. Players shouldn’t have to speculate about consequences. Fans and media shouldn’t have to speculate either. 

Just create a policy, NWSL. You’ve got a perfectly good guide available in the MLS policy. Don’t wait until a crisis happens. The league has spent a lot of time being reactive. It’s time to start being proactive.

Is 7 the Number to Make the NWSL Playoffs Magical?

Posted on by RJ Allen

The 2017 NWSL playoffs were fine.

They were fine.

The three games we saw were sometimes boring, occasionally exciting, often brutal matches between 4 teams who all managed to keep themselves above the other 6 teams in the league at the end of a 24 game season.

Some people have called for the NWSL to eliminate playoffs all together and crown the Shield winner the season champion. Some have offered the idea of a home and away match in the semis and a single game in the final. Still others think the current set up is what should be used going forward.

I humbly bring forward another option to satisfy both the desire to see the playoffs and the need to separate the Shield winner from the second place team in terms of benefits from winning the regular season.

The NWSL should have 7 teams make the playoffs.

The format I would put forward is as follows.

Round 1

Game 1 – Team 2 plays Team 7

Game 2 – Team 3 plays team 6

Game 3 – Team 4 plays team 5

Round 2

Game 4: Team 1 plays winner of Game 3

Game 5: Winner of Game 1 vs Winner of Game 2

Round 3

Championship: Winner of Game 4 vs Winner Game 5

So in 2017 it would have looked like this,

Round 1

Game 1 – Portland vs FCKC @ Portland

Game 2 – Orlando vs Sky Blue @ Orlando

Game 3 – Chicago vs Seattle @ Chicago

Round 2

Game 4: North Carolina vs (Chicago vs Seattle) @ NCC

Game 5: (Portland vs FCKC) vs (Orlando vs Sky Blue) @ Higher seed

Round 3

Championship: Winner of Game 4 vs Winner Game 5 @ Predetermined

Now before you call me insane, and I am sure many of you will after you read this anyway, let me explain why in a 10 team league I think there should be a 7 team playoff hunt.

1. It gives the Shield winner a first round bye.

2. Gives more teams a chance to host a playoff game, gives more fans a chance to attend and helps fans who might not make it to the final make it to a playoff game.

3. Prevents the league from ever having a truly horrific playoff in terms of markets. 

Make the Shield Mean Something

The NWSL shield is less than meaningless right now. Every team that has won the shield, no matter how dominant going into the playoffs, has fallen before grabbing the NWSL championship. Talk of the Curse of the Shield is treated like a fact and not something due to possible small sample size and better teams finishing lower on the table.

Giving the Shield winner both a week to recover from a 20 plus game season and an automatic trip to the second round of the playoffs would be a worthy reward for being the best team of the regular season. We saw the North Carolina Courage have a week turn around from losing Debinha in a meaningless, for them, end of the season match against the Orlando Pride to barely slipping past the Chicago Red Stars largely in part of having so little time to change their game place.

Shouldn’t the number one team in the league, if we have a playoff system, have more time than everyone else to rest, adjust and prepare? Outside of having no playoff it might be the best we can offer them.

More Games, More Fans, More Marketing

The NWSL has upped it’s marketing game in 2017. The Lifetime deal and the money it brought in have surely helped. But that doesn’t mean that all of the marketing woes of the NWSL were fixed with a pen stroke.

An additional round of games helps the NWSL’s marketing department in a few ways.

First there are more games so more of a chance to market the playoffs both on line and during the extra games. Three more games and an extra week of postseason gives the league more of a shot to market meaningful games during the season and to reach the biggest markets in the league. If you look at this year and the matchups that would appear in the first round; Portland vs FCKC, Orlando vs Sky Blue and Chicago vs Seattle, all the match ups would be held in great places to play, and they would involve teams that people would watch even if their team wasn’t playing. Both because they would watch each playoff game and because their team might face one of the winner next.

Second more teams get to host playoff games and more teams are involved during the playoffs. Believing your team has a shot to make the playoffs is what drives a lot of fan’s excitement for the playoffs. Knowing that even if you have to go up against the second ranked team in the league as the seventh ranked team, you still get a chance. You still have hope that maybe, just maybe, any given Sunday can happen this time. In a league that needs major matchups and excitement to help bring in the casual fans it keeps trying to go after, this could be a huge win for the league.

What Happens if the Big Teams Fall?

What happens in a practical way if we have an NWSL playoff with FCKC, where they are currently located, Sky Blue FC, the Washington Spirit and the Boston Breakers? No Portland. No Seattle. No Orlando or Chicago.

As laughable as it sounds right now there is a chance one day this happens and happens before any of those teams have the location to host an NWSL semi that is ready for Lifetime or the number of fans that would want to attend. The teams would either have to work to make their current locations work or maybe more likely host the game from a new location. A location that makes hosting that play off game a down step from the home field advantage you would have had.

On top of that in a ratings driven world, how does the NWSL and Lifetime market games that likely would bring in much lower numbers than the 147,000 that watched the 2017 NWSL final? Maybe they get 80,000 or 90,000 from fans loyal enough to watch because it’s the playoffs and these teams were good enough to make the playoffs. But it still would be a bad year and cost the league and Lifetime.

An expanded pool does mean one, maybe two, games over the course of the playoffs might not be held at the best locations. But it does lessen the chances all the teams in the playoffs have locations that aren’t ideal.

 

The system I’m putting forward isn’t perfect.

There will be some who say it’s just too many teams playing the playoffs. I get that. But I think saying it would make the regular season meaningless is an overstatement. It would mean what it does now, seeding. Seeding is key because the difference between seventh and fifth could be a tie breaker to go play the second best in the league or the forth. 

With an extra round it could be said it puts the league at the greatest risk of having a good team go home early. But that has happened already in the NWSL playoffs and will always be a risk in any playoffs. 

There will be some who say that the Shield winner should be the only winner, but to them I would say Americans would hardly be satisfied with a system that gives them a league with no championship game. They can adapt to a lot but we love championships. 

And there will be some who say the home and away for the semis, or even the final, is a better fix. They might be right but we can still get the FCKC, Sky Blue FC, the Washington Spirit and the Boston Breakers playoff I spoke about and all the problems that comes with that. 

All and all I say if we’re going to have a playoff, why not go all in on the type of playoff that would be engaging, exciting and show the world the hardest league in the world to get a title in is the NWSL? 

The High Five: A New Idea For The NWSL Postseason

Posted on by RJ Allen

Everyone loves a good story. It’s what compels us to sit up and listen or watch. But the NWSL failed to do that this postseason. And part of that is the fact that they are a young league, but the other part of that is because their playoff structure is so simple that it is boring. Top four teams. Three games. Two weeks. Blah.

So why not spice it up a bit? Draw things out a tad bit longer, but get more action in as well? The league shouldn’t make too many changes, because it is young and it doesn’t want to bite off more than it can chew. That’s how leagues fold, and no one wants that. But I would like to put forth the argument that the NWSL hasn’t bitten off enough. They can do better when it comes to the postseason. Here’s what I would suggest:

The top five teams go beyond the regular season. The forth and fifth ranked teams play a mid-week wildcard game immediately following the end of the season. The winner of that game plays the number one ranked team on the weekend, while the second and third ranked teams play each other. Then, the winners of those matches play a best of 9 points Final (potential three game series) the following week. Here’s how it would have looked on a timeline for this season:

– Sunday, Oct. 1: End of Regular Season

– Wednesday, Oct. 4: Wildcard game – Chicago(4) v. Seattle(5) in Chicago

– Saturday, Oct. 7: Semifinals – Portland(2) v. Orlando(3) in Portland

– Sunday, Oct. 8: Semifinals – NC(1) v. Wildcard Winner in NC.

– Saturday, Oct. 14: Finals Game 1 at higher ranked teams’ field

– Wednesday Oct. 18: Finals Game 2 at lower ranked teams’ field

– Sunday Oct. 22: Finals Game 3 at higher ranked teams’ field (if needed based on points accumulated)

So yeah, this looks a bit strange. I’ll admit it. But this structure brings a few really great things to the table. It creates a sense or urgency, it takes fan bases into account, and it extends out the postseason just enough to craft some really interesting story lines. Here’s how:

Sense of Urgency

Major League Baseball added the wildcard games in 2012 as a way to extend the postseason, get more fan participation, and gross more money. And since then it has turned into this mentality of ‘win and we’re in’ and ‘do-or-die.’ And as the New York Yankees can attest this year, it has created a lot of fun not just for the players but for the fans as well. It urges the fans to attend, because their team is just on the cusp of making the playoffs. And in this scenario, if you are that fifth seeded team, you are riding that underdog mentality. Everything comes down to 90 minutes. And sure, we have that with the current setup going straight to the semifinals, but what if there was this game in between where players are playing on short rest and the emotions are heightened because of that? What if Seattle pulled off the upset? Could they have gone on and beat North Carolina? I bet Laura Harvey would believe that they could. But the sense of urgency in this structure isn’t just limited to the wildcard game.

The Finals set up as a potential three game series with a best of nine points can absolutely create a phenomenal and urgent game two. Because imagine that your team is going into game two with no points – you couldn’t even pull out a draw in the last match. This match, you need at least a draw to advance to the third game. If not, your season is done, but there was potentially something left on the table – there was a third game…and all you needed was a tie. Because of this, the style of play could change. And the tactic of home field advantage could come into play more. It might be better to play conservatively than risk losing it all if you could have another 90 minutes in a few more days to make it work better and win off of a goal differential. It also might mean you get to go home to your own fans too.

Root For The Home Team

Something that I hate to see: a league final not sell out. What did I see this year? A half-packed Orlando City Stadium. And yes, it was nicely advertised. But there is absolutely no reason that a random Orlando tourist could just walk up to the ticket box ten minutes before kickoff and be able to watch a Championship. That is just plain unacceptable. And we can’t blame North Carolina or Portland fans for not having a larger turnout. That is a long way to travel, especially for Portland, and on short notice.

But if we had a potential three game series that moved between the two teams’ home fields then you have a better chance of selling out the stadium. You have a better atmosphere for the players and for the fans watching at home. Which means the NWSL sells more tickets, and more merchandise, and there is a greater impact on the league as a whole.

It also provides the two teams an edge going into their home game for the Final, because no matter what, they will at least play one match at home. And any player would rather play home than away – that’s obvious. But there are also those players that love to silence the stands. And this structure plays to their strengths as well.

Give It Time To Craft A Story

I started this article by saying that the NWSL playoffs didn’t tell a good story this year, and they didn’t. The most exciting game there was with regards to gamesmanship, social media, and overall hype was the Orlando/Portland match, but that wasn’t because of the NWSL. That was because Portland said they wouldn’t mind visiting Epcot, and Orlando put a Pride scarf on a rather important log. To be fair, the NWSL tried to make the games seem more intense than they were with their pregame videos about each team and what it would mean to them moving forward, and it made me fall asleep. Every team wants to win a Championship, so let’s make the journey a little more grueling, a little more fun, and a little more unpredictable.

With the five team structure so many great stories could be crafted from it, and every team’s story could build upon the last match that was played. Take the fifth ranked Wildcard team. Let’s say they survive and move to the Semifinals. Then they have to play the number one ranked team. They have to become a giant slayer. And to top it all off, they have to play at the number one ranked team’s home field. But somehow they pull it off. Their fans are going crazy and the story line keeps getting deeper because now they are going to a best of three series. And even if they drop the first match, they are going home to their fans to get a little bit more momentum to maybe give them that final push to make it to game three. And of course they do. And now you have the team that no one thought could make it anywhere playing in a 90 minute duel to the death. They know they are the David to the other team’s Goliath, but they still believe. Do you?

Yeah, that would be a story, wouldn’t it? You might tune in for that one, even if you aren’t a fan of that team.

So that’s my pitch. That is what I would like to watch unfold before me. Five teams. One Wildcard game. Two semifinal matches. And a Finals Series. So, I guess at the end of the day that just translates to me being a simple kind of sports fan. Because all I really want is just a packed house, a chance to watch a little more of the sport I love, and a good story that demands my attention. The question is, does the NWSL?

The 123rd Minute: To the Off-season and Beyond

Posted on by RJ Allen

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Women’s Soccer writers RJ Allen and Charles Olney talk about the USWNT roster for Canada, their off season plans and more on this episode of The 123rd Minute.

Intro: Those Better Days by Mimi Page

A New Take: Backline Soccer’s Focus in 2018

Posted on by RJ Allen

2017 was a a crazy ride. We grew as a site and as people covering women’s soccer, we said goodbye to some and welcomed in others.

And we learned a lot about what we liked to do and what didn’t work as well for us.

So we’ve made some adjustments and going forward we’re going to focus our energy in what we hope are the most useful ways to make the biggest and best impact.

So that leads to the question of what will be focusing on going forward?

We’re going to focus on two different areas: a mix of breaking news, weekly series and long form writing, and a trio of podcasts to help fill in content, because podcasting is something we as a site enjoy partaking in. And of course our photos aren’t going anywhere. 

Podcasting

Let’s talk about podcasting.

Podcasting is my personal favorite form of communication when it comes to women’s soccer and something the site as a whole is dedicated to.

Coming in 2018 we will have three different shows. Yes, three.

The Scouting Report

We will have an updated version of The Scouting Report. There, myself and my co-hosts Becca Kimble and Lindsay Schwarz will recap of all of the NWSL or USWNT action from the past week along with delusions and weekly awards. We’ve moved to a prerecorded format to make it easier for us to have longer conversations and to plan out some aspects of the show.

The 123rd Minute

Both Charles Onley and I will be back with 123rd Minute. There is where we take an in depth look at the issues around women’s soccer, from “who should be in the hall of fame” to “do goalkeepers matter.” This is a long form piece in podcast form. We sometimes have great guests on as well.

TSR Quick Kicks

And if two podcasts weren’t enough, I am happy to announce TSR Quick Kicks. It will be a live show on YouTube with Luis Hernandez and me talking about that week’s women’s soccer news, and then doing a Q and A. The news portion will be put up on YouTube for a quick 20 or 30 minute guide to the news that you can play on your way to work or while making dinner.

Written Pieces

On the writing side we’re aiming in three directions.

The first focus will be on breaking news, with rosters moves being the biggest area. As much as we wish we could have a staff of 5 or 6 writing up each bit of news, we don’t have the staff for that. We’ll try to get everyone up on our Twitter feed, but the major pieces will be written up to give important updates on things like USWNT rosters, NWSL roster moves and updates on players and teams.

Next up is the weekly pieces that we all know and love. These weekly columns from the different writers on the site are key for us and we want to make sure that we put a focus on making them part of your weekly women’s soccer habit.

The third area is our long form opinion pieces and interviews, covering things that aren’t in the breaking news or weekly pieces arena that take an in depth look at the teams and players of women’s soccer. We are looking to write more series with multiple writers like we did in “Why We Can’t Stick to Sports” earlier in the year. We’re hoping to bring a more thoughtful feel to our coverage in this area. 

There are some things we won’t be doing next year that we did this year.

Gone are the days of us live tweeting games from the main Backline Soccer Twitter account. Now we will highlight which of our writers are live tweeting so you can follow along with the writer of your choice and we won’t clutter up your feed.

We will keep our previews and recaps of games to The Scouting Report outside of playoff games for the NWSL and important USWNT games. There are a lot of sites that do previews and recaps and we feel TSR does a pretty great job doing it themselves.

We hope all of you have a relaxing off season and here is to a great 2018 for us all. 

NWSL Teams Announce End-of-Season Roster And Contract Updates

Posted on by RJ Allen

All ten National Women’s Soccer League teams have announced their roster and contract updates following the 2017 NWSL season.

Here are the updated rosters:

Boston Breakers

Contract Option Exercised: Abby Smith, Sammy Jo Prudhomme, Megan Oyster, Julie King, Amanda Frisbie, Rosie White, Morgan Andrews, Adriana Leon, Natasha Dowie, Ifeoma Onumonu, Margaret Purce, Hayley Dowd

New Contract Offered: Brooke Elby, Christen Westphal, Angela Salem. Tiffany Weimer, Katie Stengel

Federation Players: Allysha Chapman, Rose Lavelle

Chicago Red Stars

Contract Option Exercised: Danielle Colaprico, Taylor Comeau, Michele Dalton, Arin Gilliland, Sarah Gorden, Summer Green, Jen Hoy, Sofia Huerta, Samantha Johnson. Lauren Kaskie, Alyssa Mautz, Stephanie McCaffrey, Yuki Nagasato, Katie Naughton

New Contract Offered: Vanessa DiBernardo

Federation Players: Morgan Brian, Julie Ertz, Christen Press, Casey Short

FC Kansas City

Contract Option Exercised: Yael Averbuch, Christina Gibbons, Sydney Miramontez, Caroline Flynn, Mandy Laddish, Shea Groom, Maegan Kelly, Brittany Ratcliffe

New Contract Offered: Alex Arlitt, Becca Moros, Brittany Kolmel (nee Taylor), Katie Bowen. Lo’eau LaBonta, Alexa Newfield, Erika Tymrak, Nicole Barnhart, Cat Parkhill

Federation Players: Desiree Scott, Amy Rodriguez, Sydney Leroux, Becky Sauerbrunn

Houston Dash

Contract Option Exercised: Bruna Benites, Jane Campbell, Meghan Cox, Claire Falknor, Andressinha, Kristie Mewis, Janine Van Wyk

New Contract Offered: Poliana Barbosa, Amber Brooks, Rachel Daly, Sarah Hagen, Caity Heap, Bianca Henninger, Cami Levin, Kealia Ohai, Cami Privett, Cari Roccaro

Federation Players: Janine Beckie, Carli Lloyd, Nichelle Prince

Placed on Re-Entry Wire: Kelly Conheeney

North Carolina Courage

Contract Option Exercised: Abby Dahlkemper, Debinha, Elizabeth Eddy, Abby Erceg, Kristen Hamilton, Ashley Hatch, Jaelene Hinkle, Jessica McDonald, Katelyn Rowland, Taylor Smith, Darian Jenkins. Yuri Kawamura

New Contract Offered: Makenzy Doniak, Denise O’Sullivan, Meredith Speck, Sam Witteman, McCall Zerboni

Federation Players: Sabrina D’Angelo, Samantha Mewis, Lynn Williams

Placed on Re-Entry Wire: Stephanie Ochs

Retirement: Nora Holstad

Orlando Pride

Contract Option Exercised: Aubrey Bledsoe, Camila, Nickolette Driesse, Kristen Edmonds, Danica Evans, Jamia Fields, Rachel Hill, Monica, Toni Pressley, Jasmyne Spencer

New Contract Offered: Stephanie Catley, Alanna Kennedy, Chioma Ubogagu, Dani Weatherholt

Federation Players: Ashlyn Harris, Ali Krieger, Alex Morgan

Placed on Re-Entry Wire: McKenzie Berryhill, Jocelyn Blankenship, Jordan O’Brien

Under Contract: Marta

Portland Thorns FC

Contract Option Exercised: Ashleigh Sykes, Tyler Lussi, Savannah Jordan, Emily Menges

New Contract Offered: Adrianna Franch, Britt Eckerstrom, Katherine Reynolds, Celeste Boureille, Dagny Brynjardottir, Meg Morris, Hayley Raso, Mallory Weber

Federation Players: Christine Sinclair, Tobin Heath, Allie Long, Meghan Klingenberg, Emily Sonnett

Placed on Re-Entry Wire: Kendall Johnson

Leaving the Club: Amandine Henry (Olympique Lyon), Nadia Nadim (Manchester City)

Seattle Reign FC

Contract Option Exercised: Haley Kopmeyer. Maddie Bauer. Rachel Corsie, Merritt Mathias, Kristen McNabb, Rebekah Stott, Christine Nairn, Larissa Crummer, Kiersten Dallstream, Katie Johnson, Beverly Yanez

New Contract Offered: Lauren Barnes, Carson Pickett, Jessica Fishlock, Rumi Utsugi, Nahomi Kawasumi, Lydia Williams

Federation Players: Megan Rapinoe, Diana Matheson

Retirement: Elli Reed, Madalyn Schiffel

Sky Blue FC

Contract Option Exercised: Cassidy Benitente, Mandy Freeman, Kayla Mills, Christie Pearce, Daphne Corboz, Sarah Killion, Madison Tiernan, Sam Kerr, McKenzie Meehan

New Contract Offered: Caroline Casey, Domi Richardson, Erin Simon, Erica Skroski, Taylor Lytle, Raquel Rodriguez, Nikki Stanton, Leah Galton, Maya Hayes

Federation Players: Kailen Sheridan, Kelley O’Hara

Placed on Re-Entry Wire: Tasha Kai

Washington Spirit

Contract Option Exercised: Yanara Aedo, Lindsay Agnew, Cali Farquharson, Francisca Ordega, Arielle Ship, Cheyna Williams, Estefania Banini, Meggie Dougherty Howard, Tori Huster, Joanna Lohman, Morgan Proffitt, Havana Solaun, Whitney Church, Caprice Dydasco, Estelle Johnson, Alyssa Kleiner, DiDi Haracic

New Contract Offered: Kassey Kallman, Kelsey Wys

Federation Players: Mallory Pugh, Stephanie Labbe, Shelina Zadorsky

Placed on Re-Entry Wire: Line Sigvardsen Jensen

Hot Mess Hotel: 5 Ridiculous Things That Happened in the NWSL Final

Posted on by RJ Allen

When I sat down to watch the NWSL Final this year I was not particularly excited. I thought it was going to be a rather boring match, considering the teams and their style of play. I have never been so wrong in my entire life. As a fan of the sport, but not of either club in particular, I have to say that this was one of the most entertaining matches I have ever seen. And I loved every minute of watching it. But that does not mean that this was a good match by any means. No. In fact, this match was ridiculous. Here are the five reasons why:

The Super Smash Sisters

This NWSL Final was, by far, one of the most physical matches to ever come out of the league. But surprisingly, the players that were expected to be physical weren’t, and the ones that are generally cool, calm, and collected came barreling through other players like a freight train. And surely, between Horan, Raso, and Heath, Portland will come out of that match looking like a bunch of brutes, or thugs, as many people on social media have called them. But North Carolina didn’t play the neatest game either. Lynn Williams’ tackle on Heath was anything but clean. They also had 13 fouls called against them, while Portland only had 9. But the difference was that Portland didn’t finish the match with doctor’s surrounding their team bench.

 

North Carolina Injuries

When Taylor Smith went down from a poorly timed tackle from Tobin Heath, everyone knew she was in extreme pain. Her legs kicked out in agony and she clutched her shoulder, and all of a sudden the Courage, for the first time all season (despite what Paul Riley would tell you), became the underdogs. To make matters worse, Kristen Hamilton then went down with an MCL injury at the end of the first half, once again on a poorly executed tackle. And finally, although Jess McDonald (Kristen Hamilton’s substitute) would stay in the game, her hamstring that has been giving her trouble all season began to strain her in the late minutes of the match. Anything that could go wrong with regards to player health for North Carolina did. And if anything, these injuries just added more fuel to the fire of this already out of hand match.

 

The Refs Never Had Control

The worst and most ridiculous part of this match for me was the officiating. It became apparent early on in the match that they would allow physicality. But because of the officials’ lack of control, that physicality led to injuries and continued unsafe play. Sadly, it took the referees much too long to decide to try and calm things down before halftime and it cost the Courage dearly. To the officials’ credit, they did attempt to get more of a handle on the match in the second half, but they simply kept missing the mark. For example, Dagny Brynjarsdóttir got booked within her first twenty minutes upon entering the match after a completely accidental clipping of Denise O’Sullivan. It was her first foul of the match, and not at all malicious, but she still received a card. At that point, it became clear to me, and I am sure most fans out there, that there needs to be some changes in training and process among the officials for next season. Because we cannot have another match like this one. Especially not in a league final.

 

The Amandine Henry Substitution

Twitter erupted when Amandine Henry went down at the end of the match. She got help from a teammate stretching out her leg. She then got some medical assistance and was pulled over to the sideline. She then proceeded to go back onto the pitch while Allie Long prepared to be subbed in. And like the intelligent player she is, Henry made it to the middle of the pitch before she got subbed out for Long. She then took a very long, and a very slow walk to the sidelines. And all of this ate up a lot of time. A lot of time that North Carolina could have used to mount a comeback. And Courage fans were mad. And they had a right to be. But nothing that Henry did was wrong. In fact, it was the smartest play for her team. It was probably the most perfectly executed play of the whole game…and she didn’t even touch the ball. People will say that it was Busch League, or immature, or amateur. But at the end of the day, it was just plain smart. A bit ridiculous, like the rest of the match, but also insanely intelligent of the French veteran.

 

The Shield Curse Continued

Maybe this isn’t so ridiculous. Lord knows I believe in sports curses. But I really wasn’t buying into the whole ‘if you win the shield you won’t win the championship’ hoopla. That’s probably because the league is so young, and I believe this statistic to be more of a fluke than a truth. But absolutely nothing went North Carolina’s way on Saturday. So maybe the shield winners are cursed. Because even though they had four times as many shots, a higher passing accuracy, and twice as many crosses as the Portland Thorns, they could not even the playing field from kickoff. Between the injuries and the refs and Sam Mewis’ half-field shot smacking the crossbar, the Courage just couldn’t catch a break. So here we are, another year with this ridiculous curse that seems to prevent the team with the best regular season record from actually winning the championship. Which begs the question, ‘Is it a curse, a mind game, or a fluke?’ I think this curse thing is ridiculous, but if I am North Carolina, I am maybe starting to believe the rumors after that match.

So that’s it, my friends. Another NWSL season in the books. We saw some amazing things this year – amazing comebacks, phenomenal teamwork, and overall great football. None of which came from the NWSL Final. No, that match was saved for ridiculousness. But hey, if you’re Portland, why does it matter how you won? It’s really just the fact that you did. So congratulations to the Thorns. Better luck next year to the Courage. And apologies to anyone who thought they were going to see a great match last Saturday. It was entertaining, but it definitely wasn’t what one would consider world-class. Regardless, it’s a clean slate starting now, so let’s get ready for some more NWSL action next year…and hopefully a little less ridiculousness.

NWSL Final

Posted on by RJ Allen

Well, the Shield Curse stands. This year’s #1 team, the North Carolina Courage, lost to the #2, the Portland Thorns, in a 90+ minute bruiser of a game that saw two injury substitutions within the first 40 minutes of play. 

In the end, Portland took home the laurel wreath on a 49′ goal by Lindsey Horan, managing to continuously shut down North Carolina’s attempts to find the back of the net in front of 8,124 fans at the Orlando City Stadium, and a large audience watching at home on Lifetime. It was a long defensive game, with most of the play on both ends shut down by two stalwart midfields. And really, the win came down to clock management and endurance, with Portland just better prepared to see the match out to the very end. 

The game started out slow, with neither team really showing an advantage over the other. Even after a hard challenge by Tobin Heath forced North Carolina to use their first sub in the 12′ (Makenzy Doniak in for Taylor Smith, shoulder), the play back and forth was fairly even. The Courage had some early looks at goal in the 13′ and 14′, when Hinkle sent a cross into the box where Franch collected it easily, and then Mewis took a shot from just under the half-field line off of Franch’s distribution, sending the ball just over the crossbar. The Thorns’ first real attempt at the goal came in the 22′, when Henry sent in a ball to Horan just in front of the NC goal, but Rowland collected it easily and distributed it to her midfield. 

Much of the early attack was dominated by North Carolina, but Portland’s midfield and backline was able to deflect any attempts at their goal fairly easily, partially due to the Courage’s inability to link their play together, a problem that would ultimately prove their downfall.

In the 35′, North Carolina earned their second corner kick of the match. Dahlkemper sent the ball into the top of the box where Portland cleared it directly into the foot of Denise O’Sullivan. O’Sullivan took a direct shot through the jumble of Thorns in the box before her but Franch made an easy save. Then, just a few seconds later, Kristen Hamilton went down after attempting to challenge Heath off the ball as she drove down the left sideline. Despite Hamilton walking off under her own power (though obviously in a great deal of pain, revealed to be a suspected MCL injury), Paul Riley was forced to make his second substitution of the match in just the 39′, sending Jess McDonald onto the pitch far earlier than he had planned. 

Up until this point, discipline had been scarce, with the only real occasion coming in the 15′ when center ref Danielle Chesky pulled Horan to the side for a talking to after a hard challenge on McCall Zerboni. But in the 41′, after what looked like a fairly soft challenge on Mewis, Tobin Heath was shown the first yellow card of the match, and then in the 45’+1, Raso was shown the second for her foul on Doniak, going for the Courage player’s legs and taking her down from behind. But just before the four minutes of stoppage time expired before the half, when Doniak took down Heath on Portland’s own half, swiping at the Thorns’ legs while making no real effort to go after the ball, there was no call. Despite the seemingly obvious egregiousness of the challenge, no foul or card was given, and Portland instead was awarded a throw-in, but North Carolina intercepted and shortly after the whistle blew for the half. 

At halftime, the score stood at 0-0. North Carolina had 5 shots (1 on goal) while Portland had only notched a single shot. They had, however, racked up 7 fouls in comparison to the Courage’s 4, and been shown two yellow cards. Possession, though fairly equal, was slightly in the Thorns’ favor (52% to the Courage’s 48%), but they had only earned a single corner kick while their opponents had double that, to no effect, however. 

The second half started out with an exciting, but unproductive, attempt by North Carolina. In the 47′, Williams collected the ball near the top of the Portland 18. Franch, anticipating Williams’ attempted, came out toward the top corner of her goal box, getting a touch on the shot to deflect it as she went down but put it right in front of McDonald. McDonald turned to take a shot and literally missed the ball, the force of her kick throwing her off-balance and sending her to the pitch. The ball sat open in the box as Franch recovered her position, the Portland defense unable to clear it or collect it. Ashley Hatch made a run into the box and took the shot which went wide, finally ending the frenzied activity of both teams and giving Portland a goal kick. Just minutes after missing what looked like three sure things, the Courage gave up the ball in their own half on a handball by Dahlkemper. 

In the 49′, just minutes after missing what looked like three sure things, the Courage gave up the ball in their own half on a handball by Dahlkemper. Sonnett took the freekick and served the ball into the box where Amandine Henry headed it on to Horan, who sent it just over Rowland’s head and through her arms for the only goal of the match. 

North Carolina attempted to come back but were unable to break through the Portland midfield and defense. A hard challenge by Henry in the 52′ pushed Williams into Portland’s Raso, earning the Courage a free kick at an advantageous spot, but Mewis’s direct shot went high. And shortly after, Portland made their first substitution of the match, bringing on Dagný Brynjarsdóttir for Ashleigh Sykes in the 54′. Around this time, North Carolina’s biggest weakness began to show itself: their play was far too individual. Where the Portland players seemed to find their rhythm in the second half, spurred on by Horan’s goal, North Carolina’s attacking players neglected to link their play together in a way that would have allowed them to capitalize on their attempts at equalizing the score. Just after the Portland substitution, for example, the Courage had a throw-in opportunity in the attacking third of the field. Mewis was targeted, but unable to collect, and Hatch sent the second ball into the box toward the near post where Franch collected it easily. A runner to the post for North Carolina might have been able to flick that ball in, but no one ran the route. 

The teams continued to foul each other and challenge each other throughout the field, running the ball back and forth between the two boxes with no real attempts or chances by either side. In the 66′, a hard challenge on Mewis by Horan led to a free-kick that was cleared out by Portland, giving the Courage a throw-in in a dangerous position. McDonald threw the ball into the box where it was sent out, Erceg recovering after a scramble. Hinkle received the ball and sent in a cross. Portland blocked the initial attempt but McDonald got the ball and sent it out toward O’Sullivan, who dribbled into the box around three Thorn players. Sinclair stole it but was pressed hard by Mewis and Zerboni intercepted the attempted pass, sending the ball toward Williams in the box who made a shot but was denied by Franch once again. 

Danish international Nadia Nadim took the field for the Thorns one last time, subbing in for Raso in the 68′, and immediately began to pressure the North Carolina goalkeeper at every opportunity. After a harried attempt by NC, Doniak sending the ball into the box for McDonald, who challenged Franch for it in the air, a mistake by the Courage backline who collected Franch’s distribution led to a wild melee in the box. Courage center back Abby Dahlkemper passed the ball back to Rowland, unaware or unconcerned by Nadim’s nearby presence. Nadim chased after the ball, forcing Rowland to come almost to the top of the penalty box to attempt a save. Rowland and Nadim collided over the ball, which was still loose in the box as Nadim went down. As Erceg and Dahlkemper tried to help out their keeper, Heath moved forward to retrieve a short pass Nadim managed to make from the ground. Heath took a shot, her own momentum bringing her down as Rowland blocked it with her body but was still unable to collect the ball. Nadim, recovered, pursued the loose ball, turned with it, but lost the ball and went down again in front of Mewis who had come in to defend. North Carolina was finally able to clear but the ball landed right at the feet of Horan. Portland passed the ball around as they moved forward once again, with Nadim ultimately dribbling into the box for a shot but was denied again by Rowland, who was able to collect the ball this time. 

Brynjarsdóttir received the third yellow of the match shortly after in the 72′, as the Courage attempted to drive toward the Portland goal off of Rowland’s distribution. McDonald headed the ball forward for O’Sullivan, who was tripped up by the international. Dahlkemper took the freekick, playing it into Mewis who came off the wall, turned and took a shot toward goal that was blocked by the Portland wall. Doniak recovered the ball on the right side and sent a cross into the box which was headed out by Horan. Heath collected the ball and began to move forward, but Williams came up behind her and made a hard challenge that left Heath on the pitch in pain for several minutes.

Portland, with only just over ten minutes left in regulation, began to slow down their game, choosing not to drive forward as often and instead take time off the clock. Mewis directed a shot right into Franch’s hands in the 79′, after Williams, unable to get a good angle in the box, had passed the ball back to the top for Zerboni to lay off to the US national team player. North Carolina’s play at this point began to become a little more desperate, while at the same time the players were looking obviously fatigued. Faced with a corner kick by Portland, the Courage repeatedly cleared the ball out for throw-ins, seemingly unable to collect it and move it down the pitch. In the 86′ Mewis finally managed to bring the ball down without sending it out for a Portland throw-in and passed it downfield to Zerboni. Williams made a run into the box but with no one there to support her, or for her to pass to, what was really one of the Courage’s last good looks at goal was thwarted.

The final sub from North Carolina, their only second-half sub, was Stephanie Ochs on for O’Sullivan in the 86′. Ochs brought fresh legs and an enthusiastic spirit to the field, but her North Carolina teammates already seemed beat. She received the ball near the top corner of the Portland box in the 87′, and took a shot, but the Thorns cleared it out for a corner. The Courage responded with unorganized desperation, and seemed to start sending balls in from the back on sheer hope that Mewis or McDonald could get on the end of them and give them a second chance. But their attempts were either denied by Franch and her backline, or wasted by bad placement or lack of support. Their final chance in regulation came in the 89′, when McDonald took a throw-in. Portland headed out the initial ball, but directly back to McDonald, who leapt over Nadim to head it back toward the near post, where eventually Erceg was able to chip it toward goal, but once again, Franch was there to make the save. 

With only four minutes of stoppage time left in the game, Portland began to waste every second they could. A 90’+1 throw-in by McDonald was flicked on toward goal by Mewis but denied again by Franch. The commotion in the box left Henry down in front of her own goal, and she slyly took her time getting up, returning to the field a moment later even as Allie Long stepped up to sub in for her, eating up precious more seconds of the clock. Long was subbed in at the 90’+3, and despite the ref adding almost three more minutes on to counter the Thorns’ antics, North Carolina just couldn’t get it done, and the final whistle blew at 95:45, giving Portland their second-ever NWSL championship and denying the 2016 champions a back-to-back victory. 

Post-Game Stats and Awards

MVP: Lindsey Horan

NC 0 : 1 POR
16 Shots 4
5 Shots on Goal 3
5 Shots Blocked 0
4 Corners 2
3 Offsides 0
13 Fouls 9
0 Yellow Cards 3
347 Passes 327
55.3% Passing Accuracy 51.7%
51.9% Possession 48.1%
2 Saves 5

As you can see, North Carolina really dominated the stats [source]. They out-shot the Thorns, out-possessed them, out-passed them, and were more accurate in their passing than the champions. But they were consistently unable to capitalize, and it was their inability to follow-through, to make those second-ball runs in, to send a player toward the post in hopes of a rebound, that really left them in Portland’s dust tonight. 

When the initial disappointment is gone, North Carolina will have all the long off-season to revisit their mistakes and hopefully correct them before the 2018 season begins. But for now, Portland can rest easy knowing that when the chips were down, it was their teamwork that got them through. They might have gotten off to a shaky start in the 2017 season, but once they found their rhythm with each other, they truly were unstoppable.