Tag: NWSL

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Week 14

Posted on by RJ Allen

Backline Soccer Recap:

Quick Fire Week 14 Game Previews:

We have arrived at week 14 of the NWSL and the last week of matches before a break for the USWNT Tournament of Nations with Japan, Australia, and Brazil all participating. Let’s dive into some previews. 

Game 1: Chicago Red Stars vs. Orlando Pride

Chicago Red Stars record: 7-3-4
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 25

Orlando Pride record: 5-5-4
Position: 6th
Total Points: 19

The Red Stars are finally playing a game at home after coming off a last-minute draw against Sky Blue last week. They will be looking to shut down the Pride attack that came alive last week against FCKC. Chicago, for all of its efforts, is still struggling to finish their chances as well even with the play of Christen Press and Sofia Huerta this season. If Chicago can keep stringing passes together and start to make something of their chances, Orlando may be in trouble. 

Orlando is coming into this game hoping for a much-needed, big win on the road against Chicago. The attack came alive last week, with four different players scoring the four goals. However, Orlando’s biggest problem all season has been staying consistent. If they can stay consistent, bring numbers forward, and make sure their chances are being finished, we should see a very good game. Their biggest threat from Chicago will be two-fold. One, figuring out a way to slip past the Chicago defense, who don’t leave much room for breakaways. Two, making sure, again, the attack is not stifled and making scoring opportunities happen. 

Game 2: FC Kansas City vs. North Carolina Courage

FC Kansas City record: 3-7-4
Position: 9th
Total Points: 13

North Carolina Courage record: 9-5-0
Position: 1st
Total Points: 27

FCKC is struggling this season. There is unfortunately just no other way to say that. They have a lot of talent but are missing a few very key players whose voids have not been filled. For all of the struggles, the team has remained positive but the mental game has been quite strong. Sydney Leroux is still not being used in ways that best suit her game, which is a big part of why they may be floundering on that front. They will have their hands full this week against a very tough Courage attack. The biggest test at home will be if their defense is up to the task.

North Carolina is coming into the week still at number one. Will anyone knock them off of the pedestal? Even though they are playing FCKC this week, the parity of this league has reared its head on more than one occasion this season, so anything can happen. They will be best suited to continue their strong wave of attack, making sure to keep up the pressure against FCKC’s backline, and challenge Nicole Barnhart as much as possible. 

Game 3: Houston Dash vs. Boston Breakers

Houston Dash record: 5-7-2
Position: 7th
Total Points: 17

Boston Breakers record: 3-6-5
Position: 8th
Total Points: 14

The Dash are coming in on a streak and I think it’s sufficient to say that the presence of Carli Lloyd and their renewed faith in their play have both contributed to that. I am of the belief that interim Head Coach Omar Morales does not have a whole lot to do with that, but rather playing a consistent starting line-up has helped a lot. This week against a Breakers side–who are also stringing a few more things together–the Dash will need to remain consistent. This will include preventing silly giveaways but also making sure the defense is on point. 

The Breakers are looking to tally a few more positive results together to get themselves on a run too. With Houston, their thing will be to find a way to score. Sounds easy enough, but Boston is having trouble making that happen, especially since Rose Lavelle went out. The Breakers will have their hands full with Carli Lloyd back in the mix but will also have Allysha Chapman back from suspension as well, who has been an asset for them this season.

Game 4: Seattle Reign vs. Sky Blue FC

Seattle Reign record: 5-3-6
Position: 5th
Total Points: 21

Sky Blue FC record: 7-6-2
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 23

Seattle has been one of the bigger head scratchers of this season for me, points and playing wise. One week, they seem to be on a tear, and then the next, they weaknesses predicted at the beginning of the season rear their ugly head. My co-worker, Charles Olney wrote a great piece about this struggle this week. Facing a Sky Blue team with Sam Kerr in the form she is in, is no easy feat. Their job is to find a way to contain Kerr and not let her produce some late match magic. Megan Rapinoe also had a quiet game last week and with Jess Fishlock out for the foreseeable future, there is even more pressure for her to be on her game. 

Sky Blue is the team of late-match magic this season. They have been inconsistent in stretches and then seem to come back at the very last-minute and put games away. Their defense without Mandy Freeman and some other key players has been struggling a lot this season and if Seattle can capitalize on that, they will be in trouble. While Sky Blue has many different pieces, without Sam Kerr, I believe we would be looking at a much different team right now as she has been the one to usually save the game in the end. 

Game 5: Portland Thorns vs. Washington Spirit

Portland Thorns record: 6-4-4
Position: 4th
Total Points: 22

Washington Spirit record: 3-7-3
Position: 10th
Total Points: 12

Portland, while pulling out a big win against the table leaders last week at home, still seem to be having trouble just figuring out what it is they want to do as a team. Chemistry on a team that has not seen a lot of turnover plus lack of play from some big names is a bit concerning. Christine Sinclair, for all of her international prowess, has been almost non-existent for the team and Adrianna Franch’s distribution issues and weaknesses are starting to be brought more into the light. But somehow, for the most part, they keep etching out wins. They may not have too much trouble this week against a struggling Spirit side, but ultimately, it may be their own lack of chemistry and togetherness that sees the Spirit potentially pull one out on the road. 

The Spirit are at the bottom of the table, seemingly struggling from injuries but also from the predicted outcomes from the beginning of the season. They have some of the pieces capable of turning it around but with Franny Ordega out, their attack has taken another big hit. The Spirit are in desperate need of a turnaround and I am not sure on the road against Portland will do them any favors in that regard. However, if they can just keep their head down and high pressure up against a Portland side that is also struggling with consistency, they might have a chance. Ultimately, the Spirit will need a big game from Mal Pugh and will rely on consistency from core players, Estelle Johnson in the back, Steph Labbé in-goal, and Tori Huster in the midfield. 

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 this week’s episode, catch up here:

The Unused Sub: More Than A Feeling With Boston

Posted on by RJ Allen

First and foremost, a big thanks to my Backline Soccer colleagues for wishing me a happy birthday last week.

AS I TOOK ANOTHER STEP IN BEING OLD, I CAN’T HELP BUT GET REFLECTIVE

On  Sunday, the UEFA Women’s European Championship started.

The second half of the NWSL season is underway and with it comes the push for the four playoff spots.

Next week there will be the Tournament of Nations in which the United States, Australia, Brazil, and Japan take part in, across three cities in the US.

Needless to say, times are good for women’s soccer.

Yes, there are still strides to be made in regards to accessibility for fans and media alike to watch a match on a television, computer, or mobile device. Yes, collectively attendances could always use more people going through the turnstiles and attending matches live. Yes, there are jamokes whose sad minds need to be changed from “LOLWOMENSSPORTS” and give these professional athletes, and human beings, the proper respect. That said, it’s pretty remarkable where the women’s game started compared to where it is today. 

Last week, we celebrated the anniversary of the July 10, 1999, Women’s World Cup final where which defender Brandi Chastain converted the winning penalty and subsequent iconic photo. The interest of women’s soccer, let alone soccer, in general, was so far from my radar of interests, that it’s really surreal that here I am, typing out a weekly musings piece for a women’s soccer website.

Like any other world of sports fandom, the fanatics that make up the soccer world, no gender caveat specific, is sure a fascinating one. Yet I would not trade it for anything else in the world.

SO YOU WANT TO BE IN THE NWSL PLAYOFFS? “HIYA” SAYS BOSTON

With the second half of the NWSL season well underway, I think we can be safe in saying it will be North Carolina plus three other teams that will make up the playoff field for the NWSL Championship. Where things stand in the table at the moment, I think those other three will be the Chicago Red Stars, Sky Blue FC, and Seattle Reign FC.  That being said, the teams in the middle aren’t too far off from the playoffs either. There are several squads who–with some strategic wins–could find themselves above the cutoff in that number four spot. But having seen Boston in person last weekend at Memorial Stadium, and watching them hold the Reign FC to just a point, I think the Boston Breakers will do enough to affect the playoff chances of either Portland or Orlando.

In the final two months of the regular season, the Breakers meet Orlando twice (one home, one away) and host Portland. If Boston gets a draw in those three matches and/or somehow get a victory one of them, it could be a proverbial bump in the road on them trying to get into the NWSL playoffs.

When Boston was in Seattle last week, head coach Matt Beard said they had a plan for Megan Rapinoe. You don’t have to look far as to how 2017 Megan Rapinoe has been playing–she’s at the top of her game. But the thing about Boston is … their plan worked. Historically, whenever the Reign FC score first at home, they smell blood in the water. Seattle scored first last weekend and if some final balls didn’t lack that last bit of quality, Seattle could have easily been up one or two goals on Boston, especially some of the chances midfielder Lindsay Elston had. 

Yet Boston’s defense did not break; hell it barely bent considering the firepower capabilities Seattle had in Rapinoe and Nahomi Kawasumi. Goalkeeper Abby Smith and a defensive line led by Julie King stayed in constant communication and their switches and swarming the ball when they needed to worked as well as anyone could expect. If the Breakers are going to disrupt any playoff spot-chasing team in August and September, it’s going to be because of their defense. And we really need to start giving those back five the attention that they deserve. In talking to defender Amanda Frisbie after the match against Seattle, she sounded like a player that was totally into Matt Beard’s program. Previewing the season, I said that Boston could give people a lot more trouble and I’m sticking with it. So at the risk of making two strong and vocal fan bases really mad at me, yeah – Orlando and Portland, do not sleep on the Boston Breakers.

They could very well muck any thoughts you had of playoff soccer.

IN ADDITION TO MY GENERALLY BAD WEEKEND PREDICTIONS …
I am going to add a blurb or two as to what I see when looking at the matchups that leads me to make the predictions. And yes they’ll be from the same sound logic that is my brain and what I think I know about soccer.

Chicago Red Stars OVER Orlando Pride

Red Stars have a stout defense. And they have players up top to actually put shots on goal – I think they’re going to knock Orlando back to reality. And maybe out of that eyebrow-raising power ranking.

North Carolina Courage OVER FC Kansas City

Yes, for the most part, the side that is hosting historically gets the result. However, I don’t think KC will recover from Orlando’s four goals in time for a North Carolina side that is probably still annoyed at being handcuffed last week in Portland.

Houston Dash and Boston Breakers play to a DRAW

Houston will probably dominate the numbers and feel like they “should” win but the Breakers will be a barrier that won’t be broken.

Seattle Reign FC OVER Sky Blue FC

This will be a goal-fest, like four or five. Headlined by Pinoe and Kerr trying to top each other. And in the final minutes, a Seattle defender will get that match winner.

Portland Thorns FC OVER Washington Spirit

Remember that time Portland traveled to Maryland and Washington won because Portland looked lethargic? Yeah, the Thorns remember and will get their retribution.

And here is your music video break.

Song: “The Heavy Entertainment Show” | Artist: Robbie Williams

Unsung Hero of the Week: Boston’s own Iron Woman

Posted on by RJ Allen

In this weekly series, I will be highlighting a player from the weekend who was their respective team’s unsung hero, win, lose or draw. A player who does the dirty work, does the little but important things in a game and someone who didn’t exactly fill up the stat sheet but found other ways to contribute.

This week I’ve chosen Boston Breaker defender Julie King.

King (like myself) is a Saint Louis native who has quietly become an iron woman of the NWSL. Since she signed with the Breakers in 2012 back in the league’s infancy, she has played in 101 games in a Boston jersey. This now puts her just one shy of Kristine Lilly, the United States legend who also played her club ball for Boston in its WUSA and WPS iterations. It’s been tough first five seasons in the NWSL for Boston, who have yet to make the playoffs and have gone through three different head coaches. Yet, they’ve had some incredible talent suit up for them. A few of those names include Lilly, Kelly Smith, Lauren Holiday, and Amy LePeilbet in the WPS years, as well as Heather O’Reilly, Heather Mitts, Adriana Leon, and Sydney Leroux in the NWSL years.

But through it all, the now 27-year-old King has been a steady presence on the roster, and has grown up tremendously in this league. And now she captains the Breakers as they attempt to change their history and make a play for the post-season.

Boston 1-1 Seattle:

The Breakers had their work cut out for them heading into this game with the Reign, who have a  13-game unbeaten streak at home in Memorial Stadium. Containing Seattle was no easy task, especially with Megan Rapinoe in fabulous form this year with nine goals, and sitting in fifth on the table, but King and the Breakers were more than up for the task. Seattle is also the league-leaders in goals scored this season (25), different goal-scorers (nine) and draws (six). But Boston has been on an impressive run of their own, recording three shutouts with rookie goalkeeper Sammy Jo Prudhomme getting the job done until Abby Smith returned for this game.

King made her first appearance on the radar in the 17th minute when she slowed down Seattle’s Rebekah Stott as she raced towards the Breakers’ goal. The veteran slid in to cover her and didn’t let Stott get off a shot or pass. Just a minute later she had to deal with Merritt Mathias in the middle of the Breakers’ defensive end at the top of the 18. She faced Mathias up and managed to get a toe-poke in, showing she isn’t afraid to approach opposing forwards to attempt to win the ball.

Both teams had important players missing for them, which affected their respective game plans. Seattle’s creative midfielder Jess Fishlock was out with a knee injury, while Boston’s Allysha Chapman, who always provides a strong presence on the backline, was out due to yellow card accumulation. Thanks to the absence of Chapman, the backline was a bit different than usual, with King, Amanda Frisbie, Megan Oyster, Christen Westphal. So, communication was vital throughout the first half and King was seen pointing and giving direction to her teammates, putting them in a better position to defend. Little things like that are reasons why she has succeeded in this league.

It was a quite a chess match between King and Mathias, as the two players were willing to take on each other all night, whenever the opportunity presented itself. King challenged the forward again in the 22nd minute, shaking the ball loose and winning possession for her team. Just before halftime she offered her hand in the offensive third, taking a long throw-in deep in Seattle’s half. It almost created something out of nothing as it went off a Reign defender amid confusion, which nearly resulted in an own goal in the Breakers’ favor.

In the 65th minute King sacrificed her body to take away a chance for Seattle’s Christine Nairn, who blasted a shot right off the right leg of King 20 yards from goal. King didn’t even flinch as she stood in front of it, standing her ground long enough to absorb the lethal shot that looked like it would’ve been on target and put the Reign ahead.

In the 73rd minute the defender showed off her skills on the offensive end once again, this time with her feet. She won a loose ball just inside the 18, wove around Stott to slip a pass to Natasha Dowie, who was unfortunately offside. King isn’t usually the kind of player who gets that deep into the offense but it was a wonderful reminder that she can be more than just a central defender. She was smooth on the ball, working well in a tight space to show her mobility as a player.

In the end, the Reign scored a wonder goal courtesy of Nahomi Kawasumi and the Breakers scored the tying goal through the combined efforts of Westphal and Adriana Leon. The hard-fought game ended with a 1-1 draw, and while the result certainly was disappointing for Seattle supporters, I believe it was an encouraging one for Boston to come from behind and earn a point on the road.

For the past five years King has been Boston’s iron woman, a player who does everything she’s asked, who gives everything each and every game. She’s been a consistent player on a team that’s been unfortunately inconsistent over the years. But despite it all, King holds her own against the best forwards in the league. She keeps the flame of hope alive in Boston, and if she and the team can continue to put in this kind of effort, I think the Breakers could climb a few spots and finally make it to the next level this year.

What time is it? Arin Gilliland Time: Making a Case for the USWNT

Posted on by RJ Allen

Since the United States Women’s National team’s 2015 World Cup win, a lot of new faces have put on the coveted shirt for the first time. A few of those names include 19-year-old Mallory Pugh, Casey Short, Rose Lavelle, Lynn Williams, and Andi Sullivan. Another common denominator with these players is how young they are, the oldest being 26 and the youngest being 19. I could name a handful more but instead here is a player who I believe deserves a call-up this year: Arin Gilliland.

The 24-year-old defender plays her club ball for the Chicago Red Stars in the NWSL. Gilliland was drafted out of Kentucky in the 2015 NWSL College Draft, taken eighth overall. The 2015 College Draft is actually my favorite of each that the NWSL has hosted since the league started. It saw players like Morgan Brian, Lynn Williams, and Samantha Mewis enter the league. Players who are all now very important pieces of their NWSL teams as well as the senior national team.

As a rookie in 2015, Gilliland played in 17 games with Chicago, helping to lead them into the playoffs, and was named to the NWSL’s second-best XI. Her second season proved to be even better; she started in 21 games and was a big contributor to the 2016 Red Stars’ 1.0 goals against average. 

This season Gilliland has played in 11 games, starting 10 of those. She has been a huge part of the Red Stars’ success this season, quietly doing her part as usual. She has helped Chicago to a 7-3-3 record, which is good for 24 points, second on the table and within striking distance of first. In her third season, Gilliland has been steady as ever, working well with a rotation of players that include Short, Julie Ertz, Katie Naughton, and Sam Johnson. Gilliland is well known in the league for her lock-down defense, her ability to contain just about every player she goes up against.

The current USWNT list of defenders does include another Red Star–Casey Short, who has accumulated 10 caps since debuting in 2016. And Gilliland has been called into national team camp, getting her first call-up in October of 2016. But somehow this capable, steady, and superb defender doesn’t have a cap to her name. She rarely gets beaten down the right side, but in the rare event that she does, her recovery speed reminds me of a certain USWNT veteran who is universally known for her incredible speed when tracking back (if you guessed Ali Krieger, you are correct).

In their 13 games so far this season, Chicago has scored 16 goals while only giving up 11. Gilliland has been doing her part exceptionally well. The team relies on her strength and positioning each game, and her willingness to do whatever it takes to win. When you see her play, there is passion in her eyes, fight in her tackles, and her domination on the backline is evident in the lack of opponent’s goals on the scoreboard. Gilliland is what the NFL would refer to as a “shut-down-corner.” She is one of the best in the league, certainly a top-five type of player and, in my opinion, sorely underrated.

Arin Gilliland player is the kind of player who is consistently great across the back.  With her quality possession, her eagle-eye vision, her crunching tackles, and the way she handles opposing threats, she would be a welcome and reliable presence on the USWNT backline, a defense that feels more like a merry-go-round these days.

And, yes, I get it. Head coach Jill Ellis is working out a lot of things, experimenting in just about every position to find what works in anticipation of the next tournament cycle. But, given the resume Gilliland has along with her talent, this Chicago Red Star deserves a chance to take the pitch in a US jersey.

If the USWNT want a chance at another WWC trophy in 2019, we need to build another Department of Defense. Arin Gilliland could be one of the pieces we need to make our backline great once again.

It’s time for a call-up, Jill.

The Curse of California

Posted on by RJ Allen

Women’s soccer has had a slow climb to popularity in the United States. Before the NWSL existed there were two other leagues that started and failed. Both of those teams, Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) league, and the Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA) had two teams in California. The WUSA had teams in San Diego and San Jose while the WPS had a team in Carson and Hayward California. However, the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) does not have a single team in California.

The pattern of women’s soccer in California seems to be on a downward trend. Going from having professional teams in major cities in California, to smaller cities, and now to absolutely no teams at all is telling of the culture of women’s soccer in California. Unfortunately, soccer is still seen as a men’s game in parts of the state, from men-only small-sided pickup games to schools struggling to field a team of 11 girls for a game. Moreover, the announcement of a new Major League Soccer (MLS) team coming to LA is representative of the culture of support the men’s game receives.

Is there even room for women’s professional soccer in California? Can a team tap into the prominent men’s side in order to build a fan base and support, as well as partner with for financial stability? What are the options for expanding the NWSL into the sunny state of CA?

Really, there are three possible options for an NWSL California expansion: by adding a women’s club to a pre-existing MLS team in California, by promoting a semi-pro women’s team, or by courting an investment by an international club. And all three are possible, if not equally likely.

The new MLS team, LAFC, is slated to enter the scene in 2018 and is partially owned by none other than Mia Hamm. She has already spoken about her desire to add a NWSL team to the LAFC team. However, Jeff Plush, former commissioner of the NWSL, has said that he believes the window to add another team will close in October 2017, which is just a few short months away. Would LAFC be able to put together a NWSL team during their inaugural season in the MLS, or would they want to wait a year or two? Could they afford to start one in their early MLS days, or might it be better to wait until they’ve got a few years and a large base of support–financial and fan-based–to make a move in the direction of women’s soccer?

A second option would be to promote a semi-pro women’s soccer team. The Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) fields 13 teams based in California at the moment. A WPSL-related expansion This could happen either independently, a WPSL owner making the case and having the financial backing to convince the NWSL to expand with them. Or, it could happen with international support. One of these teams is WPSL teams is sponsored by Ajax, a European team out of the Netherlands. If Barcelona followed Ajax to California, as is predicted, it could make a strong argument for an NWSL expansion, and the numerous WPSL teams would help to fill out the roster after a college draft, allocation process, and (likely) expansion draft. 

If Barcelona is interested in backing an NWSL team, is it likely they would follow Ajax’s interest in the California area? Or might they stay in New York where their office is based? Honestly, the likelihood of Barcelona not going to New York is slim.  Especially after Western New York moved to North Carolina, leaving behind a professional WoSo vacuum in the state. But, there are already many NWSL teams on the East coast, and provisions to protect teams from encroaching upon the markets of others within the league. 

Despite the unsteadiness of the past two women’s leagues in the United States, the NWSL is doing well and looks to be continuing to improve and grow. Additionally, the teams in the NWSL that are sponsored by an MLS team have proven to be stable teams and are avoiding any financial issues. Orlando City added the Pride in 2015, and the Houston Dynamo added the Dash in 2013, and the Portland Thorns have always been closely associated with their men’s side, the Portland Timbers. 

Between Barcelona and LAFC, someone will take California on and attempt to break the downward trend of the women’s game. Hopefully, the fact that there are 13 WPSL teams to pull talented and young players from will encourage someone to start a team in California. Will anyone be brave enough to take California on, or will the curse scare a team off?

The Rock(y) of the Team: Raquel Rodriguez is Making her Mark

Posted on by RJ Allen

There are few players in the NWSL today who you can say truly transform a team’s play when they step onto the pitch. But Sky Blue’s Raquel Rodriguez is definitely one of those players. Every time she steps out onto the field, Sky Blue’s play becomes more dynamic and more focused. 

We saw just how much her presence can affect the tone of a game at Saturday’s match-up between Sky Blue and the Chicago Red Stars. When she checked into the game in the 56th minute, the midfield’s play started to shift in Sky Blue’s favor. And you wouldn’t be hard-pressed to link her play in the midfield to Sam Kerr’s extraordinary feats of late-game scoring, as Rodriguez’s movement on the ball helps to create space for Kerr and the other forwards to do their thing.

In her rookie season, she was awarded Rookie of the Year, and became the first non-American to bear the title.  And now, in just her second season as a pro, Rodriguez has made the center of the midfield her dominion to rule over.

With a large share of the pressure to control the midfield on Rodriguez’s shoulders, she approaches it game-by-game. But aAs I watch her week in and week out I can’t help but get flashbacks to when a young Lauren Holiday moved to center midfield. Rodriguez has the same spark that Holiday displayed, the same sense of being the spine of the team, the same drive to grow and learn as a player. They both can take a team on their back and deliver out of this world results. It’s just a matter of time before we see Rodriguez playing at the level of Lauren Holiday in her prime.

Backline Soccer: Your rookie season was about as good as could be, you won Rookie of the Year. A lot of players seem to have sophomore slumps, but you seem to have avoided that so far. You’ve had a couple late goals. You’ve played well. Is that something you’re sort of taking game-by-game? Or are you saying, you know, I want to have that type of season every year. I don’t want a slump. Is that in your head or is it just game-by-game? 

Rodriguez: I think during the season I take it game by game. My first off-season was this past one, and I think one thing that I learned from the rookie season where I came in knowing nothing more than what I heard, to come in the second season, I think the off-season was really key to feeling prepared for this game. But during the season I take it game-by-game. I always want to get better season after season. But that also means that every day I take care of the little things and then that will take care of the big picture. So I take it game by day. 

Learning from the game and fellow teammates is something that any good player should do. As much as Orlando or Houston considered to be packed with international players, Sky Blue, too, has their share of national team-quality players from all around the world. Players from Sky Blue have caps with Canada, Australia, England, American and Costa Rica. 

Backline Soccer: You have a lot of internationals on the team this year, but they tend to go unnoticed because they’re not from teams like Germany or France. Is that sort of nice that you can learn from these different styles, you don’t have to necessarily play the American style, you have other things to learn from? 

Rodriguez: 100%. I think I’m a person who tries to learn wherever I go with whatever experience I live. But, I mean, you’re totally right. Whether it’s Americans, Canadians, Australians, English, I learn every day from world class players. And I think that’s also the standard from this team, and we push each other and we learn from each other. So 100%. It’s a blessing to be in this team. 

But it isn’t just Sky Blue that Rodriguez puts on a uniform for. The Costa Rican international has been playing for her country’s senior team since 2010. With over 30 goals tallied for her country, she is an up-and-coming superstar at the international level. In fact, Rodriguez scored Costa Rica’s first ever Women’s World Cup goal in their tournament debut back in 2015. 

Backline Soccer: Costa Rica went to the 2015 Women’s World Cup, you scored the first Costa Rican goal in the World Cup. Do you have your sights on 2019? Are you in “we’re going to go to the World Cup again” mode?

Rodriguez: 100%. I think when I think about that, I really want it really bad. You know I want to–we all want to come back to the World Cup in 2019. That’s the goal, of course. I think qualifiers are next year, 2018, so that’s something that is in the back of my head, being a Costa Rican national player. It’s the dream, it’s a dream that I carry in my heart, and I know that my teammates do as well. So anything that I learn here in the international level, here in the NWSL, it’s to bring back to Costa Rica. 

And on the topic of captains? Rodriguez considers herself blessed.

Backline Soccer: I spoke to Kailen Sheridan a little bit last week. She has Christine Sinclair and Christie Pearce as her country and club captain, respectively. You have Shirley Cruz and Christie Pearce. Shirley Cruz is sort of a big figure in Costa Rican soccer in general, and internationally as well. Is it nice to have two captains of that sort of experience level, and you can sort of learn from those two captain styles? 

Rodriguez: For sure. I think, again I try to learn always, but you know it is an honor and a blessing. Like you mentioned, the two of them. It truly is an honor because they are legends. I say it’s a blessing because you know them as the people they are–not only as the soccer players they are, and the public figures they are. And when you get to know them personally then it just adds that little more you know, it’s a blessing and an honor, truly. 

There are players that you can watch just because the way they play the game, who they are in the game, is pure joy to witness. Raquel Rodriguez is one of those players. When she is good she lights up to pitch in a way so few can. And she’s always pretty damn good.

As far as France in 2019? I fully expect to watch Costa Rica take the field for their second Women’s World Cup appearance and to see Rodriguez there with them.

Amber Brooks Deserves Another Shot With the USWNT

Posted on by RJ Allen

Amber Brooks may not be the first name that comes to mind when talking about who might be called up to the USWNT in the next year or so, but perhaps she should be.

With the USWNT officially in the rebuilding stage in between major international tournaments, there has been much conversation about who might factor into the picture for the 2019 World Cup. Jill Ellis said at the beginning of this process that she would be looking at the NWSL as the prime market for identifying talent that could translate to the international stage. This has paved the way for many of the new faces we’ve seen in recent friendlies, including Casey Short, Lynn Williams, and Kealia Ohai. 

There are still pieces of the puzzle missing, however, if their struggles against the top teams in the She Believes Cup is any indication. One of those pieces happens to be a primarily defensive-minded, holding midfielder who can hold down the fort and spring the strong attack. Without the steadying defensive presences of Lauren Holiday and Shannon Boxx, the USWNT has looked slightly lost when it comes to feeding the ball through the middle and stopping attacking runs before they get to the backline.

In the NWSL, there are few better at that job than Amber Brooks.

Brooks came up with the National Team youth system, playing in major tournaments for the U-17, U-20, and U-23 sides. Her college years were spent playing for the vaunted UNC Tarheels under legendary Anson Dorrance. Brooks was looked at by the USWNT in 2013–during Tom Sermanni’s tenure–earning one cap and 81 minutes against Brazil. Her club career includes a stint at Bayern Munich, as well as playing with Portland and Seattle in the NWSL before landing in Houston.

Brooks came to Houston in October of 2015, by way of the blockbuster trade that landed Alex Morgan in Orlando and Meghan Klingenberg in Portland. While Houston has struggled (to put it lightly), Brooks has provided a bright spot in their lineup. She’s a strong presence on the field, she’s a ruthless defender, and her free kicks and eye for offensive service make her a perfect lynch-pin for an attack. With Morgan Brian out with persistent injuries and National Team duty for much of 2016, Brooks became the stalwart presence that helped the Dash midfield and defense steady themselves after their shaky start. She has only grown in that role for them as the 2017 season has progressed.

For a USWNT so desperate for defensive solutions that they have resorted to putting attacking midfielders in at center back, under the guise of needing someone to direct the attack from the back, Brooks would be a valuable stop-gap as a defensive mid. She is not particularly fast, but she is smart about compensating for her speed by choosing her moments, similar to Sauerbrunn. Having her in front of the backline would provide some peace of mind to a struggling defensive system and allow attacking mids like Allie Long and Carli Lloyd to range farther forward where their heads can provide perfect targets for Brooks’s strong service. 

Houston has most definitely benefitted from having Brooks offensive skills over the past couple of years. Her solid presence and ability to direct play allows players like Andressinha, Morgan Brian, and Carli Lloyd to assume their preferred attacking roles. Brooks has also developed good connections with Rachel Daly and Kealia Ohai in the Dash’s frontline, often feeding them through balls that they can run onto as often as their heart desires. 

While Brooks is 26–a bit older than the young phenoms that Ellis has shown a preference for–she definitely deserves another look at the defensive mid position for the USWNT. Her years of experience are exactly what the USWNT needs to balance out their glut of young attackers and strengthen the backbone of the lineup. Brooks can provide an offensive rallying point and perhaps give Becky Sauerbrunn some peace of mind. 

The Unknown International: Amandine Henry

Posted on by RJ Allen

The NWSL may be the American women’s soccer league, but some of their strongest players come from all around the world. This series will look at some of those internationals that you may not know a lot about. Each article will highlight their style of play, the role they play on their national team, and the role they play in their club.

This time we’ll be looking to the Portland Thorns and French international Amandine Henry.

 

What Does She Do?

 Amandine Henry is a midfielder who plays for the Portland Thorns and the French National Team. Widely considered to be one of the best midfielders in the world, Henry is the only French international playing in the NWSL. She has diverse strengths in the midfield, being able to play both attacking and defensive roles depending on the situation. Prior to joining the Thorns, Henry spent nine seasons with Olympique Lyonnais (Lyon). She played a massive role in bringing the world’s attention to both Lyon and France.

 

L’Equipe de France

 Henry made her first senior appearance with the French national team in 2009. She has earned 61 caps for the senior team, appearing in the World Cup, the Olympics, and the Women’s Euros, and has scored six goals. She was a part of the team that won the SheBelieves Cup in the United States earlier this year, serving as the captain in their first match against England and starting in all three matches in the tournament. While she might struggle with a language barrier in Portland, on l’Equipe de France she is a vocal leader. She has been nominated for and won countless awards. In 2015 and 2016, she was put on the shortlist for FIFA Women’s Player of the Year.  In 2015, she made the FIFPro XI and was put on the shortlist for it again in 2016. Following the World Cup, she was named to the Women’s World Cup All-Star Team after starting in all five matches for France and scoring a goal in the group stage against Mexico. In 2015-2016, she was the runner-up for UEFA Women’s Player of the Year, which she ultimately lost to her former Lyon teammate Ada Hegerberg.

 

Portland Thorns FC

Henry plays more of a solidly defensive role on the Thorns. She started and played in the first twelve matches for the team this year and scored her first NWSL goal on May 27th in the team’s 2-0 win against the Boston Breakers. Last season, she earned ten appearances in nine starts for the Thorns, tallying one assist. Henry plays amongst a strong midfield in Portland, arguably the strongest midfield in the NWSL. Yet even amongst a crowd that includes players such as Tobin Heath, Dagny Brynjarsdottir, Lindsey Horan, Meg Morris, and Allie Long, Henry is a regular starter. That alone speaks volumes about her strength and skill. When she made her move to the NWSL last year, it was a massive boost for the league. Being able to draw one of the best players in the world away from one of the best teams in the world lifted the NWSL to another level. Henry’s reason for the move was quite clear—she wanted to win a championship in what she viewed to be the best women’s soccer league in the world. She’s still chasing after that dream—maybe this year will be the year it comes true.

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Week 13

Posted on by RJ Allen

Backline Soccer Recap:

Quick Fire Week 13 Game Previews:

We have arrived at Week 13 of the NWSL. Parity is still a real thing as we continue to move through the season, but the gaps are widening. The Courage and the Red Stars are pulling away from the pack but the fight for the 4th spot is fierce; even the 3rd spot is potentially up for grabs as we progress through the season. Let’s take a look at some quick notes on this weekend’s games.

Game 1: Portland Thorns vs. North Carolina Courage

Portland Thorns record: 5-4-4
Position: 5th
Total Points: 19

North Carolina Courage record: 9-4-0
Position: 1st
Total Points: 27

Portland’s season has been a bit of a head scratcher and an argument between Allie Long and Meghan Klingenberg caught on camera at the end of last week’s match, it seems cohesion and team chemistry may actually be the bigger problem this year. They will also be without Nadia Nadim, Amandine Henry, and Dagny Brynjarsdóttir, who are off with their national teams to compete in the Euros. Playing at home this week should give them the energy and motivation they need to get back on track. Look for players like Christine Sinclair to feed off of that energy and hopefully get her season in a groove. Facing a strong wave of attack from the Courage, the Thorns will need to be careful of not being spread too far and allowing the attack to find pockets of space. Adrianna Franch has been having problems with her decision-making in big moments and will need to shore that up this week to have a fighting chance. Overall, if the Thorns can find their attack early, coupled with the Courage’s seeming struggles on the road, they may just pull one out at home. 

The Courage have spent all but about 12 hours of this season on top, but over the last several games, they have proven that they are beatable. They would certainly prefer to continue to reign at the top. With both Lynn Williams and Jess McDonald fully back from injury as well as an in-form Ashley Hatch, the Courage have plenty of attacking power to test the Thorns defense, which they will look to do this week. Playing on the road and especially in Portland, the Courage will want to get on the board early. 

Game 2: Sky Blue FC vs. Chicago Red Stars

Sky Blue FC record: 7-6-1
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 22

Chicago Red Stars record: 7-3-3
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 24

Sky Blue is looking for three big points at home this week. After a come-from-behind win thanks to the dominating play of Sam Kerr last week, I ask, where would they be without her? I think you would be hard-pressed to find a team that needs the likes of Sam Kerr more than Sky Blue as another attacking option just does not seem plausible without her. Sky Blue will be facing a tough Chicago attack with Christen Press leading the way and a stalwart midfield, led by Julie Ertz. While they have been in the habit of winning games late, they are going to want to wrap this one up early in order to stave off Chicago, who gets progressively better as the game goes on. The big focus for Sky Blue this week will be their defense. Mandy Freeman was injured last week, spraining her left ankle in the big win against FCKC, and will be out this week. Even with her healthy, the backline of Sky Blue has had struggles holding games together and will more likely have big problems against Chicago this weekend. 

Chicago would also like to move on from a disappointing draw last week with three big points this week. Their main focus this week will be to figure out how to contain Sam Kerr. If they can shut down Kerr, the Sky Blue attack will be mainly stifled. However, Chicago has had issues this season stringing passes together and maintaining meaningful possession. To accomplish pulling out a win and containing Kerr, they will need to rely more heavily on the team as a whole–not just Christen Press–to drive the attack. Press works better as the main striker and with her not playing last week there, their best asset was not being utilized properly. The Red Stars, though, continue to be a force to be reckoned with in the back. Expect Naeher and company to be tested frequently. 

Game 3: Orlando Pride vs. FC Kansas City

Orlando Pride record: 4-5-4
Position: 6th
Total Points: 16

FC Kansas City record: 3-6-4
Position: 8th
Total Points: 13

Orlando’s season has been one big roller coaster but if they want a chance at that fourth spot, they have got to get better at finishing their chances and stop giving away games with dreaded penalties. This week, with FCKC struggling in the attack, as long as the Pride can finish more of their chances, they should see positive results. The Pride seem to have a different struggle each week. For example, Orlando needs to find a better and more suitable defender than Kristen Edmonds as her play is becoming detrimental at times. This game should not prove defensively troublesome but if the Pride cannot convert their load of possession into the end result of goals, then the struggles will continue. Look for more cohesion from Alex Morgan and Marta this week, as they have another week of practice time under their belts. If Morgan can get her timing right this week, she may just be the extra push and clinical finisher they need up top with Marta.

FCKC just doesn’t have the answer for replacing Amy Rodriguez as a linking attacking player, which would free up players like Sydney Leroux and Shea Groom in the attack. Without Groom this week, due to a red card suspension, it will be mainly up to Leroux to hold down the attack and try to work in behind the Pride defensive line. If Leroux is able to find an opening and get on the board, FCKC may be able to start building the game from there. They will have their hands full, however, up front, staving off the attack Morgan, Marta, and Camila; the latter two players have been leading the way for most of the Pride season. 

Game 4: Houston Dash vs. Washington Spirit

Houston Dash record: 4-7-2
Position: 7th
Total Points: 14

Washington Spirit record: 3-6-3
Position: 10th
Total Points: 12

Houston is on the slow and steady upswing of their season, pulling out some crucial points. Without Carli Lloyd this week, due to red card suspension, we will see if her influence is just as palpable on the bench as on the field. The flair of the Spirit attack will test the Dash backline. While Lloyd has not yet supplied a good amount of goals, she has been crucial in developing play and linking passes to the goal-scorers, so they will need to make sure someone steps up in her absence. If Houston can get more production from Rachel Daly and similar production from Poliana–who should be starting–they may get positive results in the week without Lloyd. 

The Washington Spirit attacking duo of Estefania Banini and Mal Pugh will be key this week. Banini and Pugh showed off some early connections against the Pride last week, so with more time together, they should prove deadly for anyone facing them defensively. The Spirit have some dark horses in Meggie Doherty-Howard and Havana Solaun and if they can engage their talents more this week, they should see some good production. As always, the Spirit will look to rely on Tori Huster and Steph Labbé who have been huge and crucial for the success that Spirit have had this season. 

Game 5: Seattle Reign vs. Boston Breakers

Seattle Reign record: 5-3-5
Position: 4th
Total Points: 20

Boston Breakers record: 3-6-4
Position: 9th
Total Points: 13

Seattle will be without Jess Fishlock for a while, and once they looked out of sorts last week against the Courage without her. They will need to bounce back quickly to continue their quest for a playoff spot. Megan Rapinoe will need a much better game this week in order for the team to see success. If Rapinoe can connect and get back to the form she has had all season, the Reign should roll through this game. But if the Reign continue to have inconsistency issues, the Breakers could feasibly fight for the win. 

While Boston is sitting near the bottom of the table, they have begun to play a little better lately. The Breakers will sorely miss Allysha Chapman, out on yellow card accumulation. Boston will have to find an answer for Rapinoe this week, especially if she is back to her usual self. If they can contain her and put up a quality attacking presence, they just might be able to come out of Seattle with the win. 

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 this week’s episode, catch up here:

The Curious Case of Red Card Appeals

Posted on by RJ Allen

Going into Week 13 action, the focus has been officiating and discipline from the previous week. Week 12 saw two red cards given to Shea Groom of FCKC and Carli Lloyd of the Houston Dash, both in controversial plays that had many questioning the validity of the officiating. Carli Lloyd indicated that they would appeal her card and one-game suspension, but according to Dan Lauletta, the NWSL doesn’t have a process for such an appeal to occur: 

Just when it seemed like everyone was about to turn the page on red cards, the league announced a series of fines on Thursday to Dash player Amber Brooks, interim Head Coach Omar Morales, and FCKC gaffer Vlatko Andonovski. Somehow, the outspoken Carli Lloyd managed to escape a fine, but she will miss this weekend’s match against the Washington Spirit. (Lloyd missed three games with Manchester City earlier this year after she received a straight red there for elbowing an opponent.)

Many are saying this type of controversy is taking away from the play on the field. As the NWSL looks to grow into one of the top women’s leagues in the world, it’s a serious concern that the league does not have a policy in place to review red card decisions.

So, is it time for the NWSL to make adjustments to league’s discipline policy? And what would that look like?

Major League Soccer’s policy to appeal a red card is pretty straight forward: each team in the league puts up a $25,000 refundable bond for the opportunity to have red card appeals. The team is only allowed two unsuccessful appeals a season, and as a deterrent from this system being abused, if the ruling body determines the red card appeal is frivolous then the team loses the bond, loses the right to appeal any decision for the current season as well as the next season, plus the punishment of the red card appeal is doubled. For the appeal to be successful, the decision of the ruling body has to be unanimous otherwise the appeal is considered denied and the suspension stands. The ruling body is composed of a three-person panel made up of a member of U.S. Soccer, a member of the Canadian Soccer Association, and a member of PRO, the organization which manages the referees in North American soccer. The makeup of the panel is such so MLS can claim that the panel is independent since no one from MLS sits upon it.

This seems to work in MLS as the majority of teams don’t appeal a red card unless it is an obvious error. One of the recent successful appeals was back on June 7 when Orlando City won a red card appeal from a decision of Ted Unkel – who ironically is married to Christina Unkel the referee who dismissed Carli Lloyd last week.

Can a similar system work with the NWSL structure? Already one of the glaring problems that would have to be addressed is that league is backed by U.S. Soccer, so the league couldn’t claim that the ruling panel was independent since it works with the backing of the Federation. Would it matter if the panel wasn’t “independent” like MLS? Could an individual from a separate organization–the MLS, perhaps–sit on the panel in place of U.S. Soccer? Since the numbers of appeals would be so few and far between, it wouldn’t seem likely to be an issue, but the optics of impartiality may be something that could not sit well with a fan base for a team already frustrated by a red card of a player which merited an appeal.

Another item which the league would have to address is the amount of the bond which teams would have to put up. This being NWSL, if the league established the bond would every team even put up the cash for the bond? It seems unlikely it would be an amount as high as $25,000 but it would still be an amount significant to act as a deterrent if a team were to appeal frivolously. Thankfully Western New York isn’t in the league anymore, to be the team that doesn’t put up the money to give themselves red card appeals. It would still be something the league would have to figure out, but keep it from being public since the team’s fan bases would have a meltdown if their team didn’t put up a bond.

Ultimately, it doesn’t seem the league has ever thought to have a red card appeal system because it didn’t consider that the growth of the league would merit such a mechanism. Even going into the fifth season, the league seemed more focused on maintaining the existence of the league. However, at this point, nobody is questioning if the league will have a 2018 season and beyond. The league can finally shift its focus on improving policies like the adjusted hydration break policy midseason. As more attention is on the NWSL, we can expect to have a red card appeal process. We could even see a change in policy in yellow card accumulation like other leagues, as the season continues the twenty-four-match season and looks to expand to a longer season.

The next issue to address is that of the referees. The inconsistent decisions of the PRO referees reflect two things. First, the league is still young–in just its fifth season–so our referee pool is not fully developed and may need more experience to mature. A part of the growing pains of being a five-year-old league is the referees for the NWSL need to have the match time to improve. Even though the officials go through a series of training sessions, nothing is a substitute for match minutes – just like the players. As the play of the league improves, the speed of the game will get quicker, and the skill of the some of the referees will need to catch up with that.

And lastly, now that the league is consistently on television and more eyes are on the league, officiating errors will be more magnified. The referees are human and will make mistakes. Every league in the world has some type of officiating errors and fans complaining about the refs is just as common as soccer scarves and tifos. For now, there needs to be some patience with how the league handles red cards. Fans, players, and coaches will all have to wait and hope the NWSL will adjust its policy for future seasons.