Tag: NWSL

Around the World of WoSo: NWSL Draft, Morgan in Lyon

Posted on by RJ Allen

NWSL College Draft Tidbits:

The 2017 National Women’s Soccer League College Draft was held in Los Angeles over the weekend and – no surprise – Rose Lavelle was taken number one overall. The first of 40 picks, the talented midfielder out of Wisconsin spent all four years a Badger and led her team to two (2014, 2012) trips to the postseason. 

2016 National Champions USC had plenty to celebrate on the day, as five player’s names were called. Three players went in the first round; Morgan Andrews third to Boston, Kayla Mills fourth to Sky Blue who also grabbed Miranda Freeman with the 10th pick. Two more players were selected in the second and fourth rounds respectively as Seattle took a chance on Katie Johnson, while Samantha Prudhomme found a home in Boston.

The newest team in the NWSL, the North Carolina Courage (formerly the Western New York Flash) had three picks. They grabbed Ashley Hatch from BYU with the second pick, Darian Jenkins out of UCLA with the seventh and Claire Wagner from Clemson at 20.

Alex Morgan Suits up for Lyon:

In her first action for Olympique Lyonnais in the Division 1 Feminine, Morgan helped Lyon to a 3-0 victory over Guingamp. Morgan managed 72 minutes and grabbed her first assist to French superstar Eugenie Le Sommer. This was a positive result for OL, considering the last match between these clubs was all Guingamp in a 3-1 win over Lyon last November.

A few reasons for the turnaround could be the additions of the American Morgan, Canadian Kadeisha Buchanan and German Josephine Henning. On paper, this roster could now be the best in the world. Other stars include; Le Sommer, Dzenifer Maroszán, Wendie Renard, Ada Hegerberg, Camille Abily, and Caroline Seger. All these world-class players on one team should be certainly intimidating for the rest of the league. Lyon leads the league in most titles with 14 and I do expect them to win it again this year.

USWNT Called Into January Camp:

Jill Ellis has called 29 players in for the first United States Women’s National Team camp of 2017. This camp will serve as evaluation for the upcoming SheBelieves tournament in March.

22 players from last year are back, including Carli Lloyd, Alyssa Naeher, Becky Sauerbrunn, Tobin Heath, Crystal Dunn, Alex Morgan and Julie Johnson. Ellis has also called in six players who have not yet earned a cap; Jane Campbell, Adrianna Franch, Rose Lavelle, Christina Gibbons, Kristen Edmonds, and Taylor Smith. The young and explosive forwards Lynn Williams and Kealia Ohai are also back.

Ellis has also decided to bring in five U-23 players to the senior camp; 16-year-old Brianna Pinto, Casey Murphy (Rutgers), Mandy Freeman (Sky Blue FC), Tierna Davidson (Stanford), and Savannah McCaskill (South Carolina).

The long-awaited return of fan-favorite forward Amy Rodriguez was a nice surprise. Out since giving birth to a baby boy in June 2016, her last appearance was November of 2015 during the World Cup Victory Tour.

SheBelieves Cup Details Announced:

The second edition of the SheBelieves Cup will be held March 1-7th in three different locations; New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Washington D.C. All four teams from last year have agreed to compete again, each ranked in the top five; United States (1), Germany (2), France (3) and England (5).  

The venues chosen are Red Bull Arena (NJ), Talen Energy Stadium (PA), and RFK (D.C.). I would’ve liked the locations to be a little more south, as it could be a bit cold in March, but we will see how it works. Two of the USA matches will be shown on FS1, while the other one will be on FOX.

The Americans won last year, defeating Germany in the final match to secure the inaugural trophy.

England Legend Kelly Smith Retires:

The 38-year-old has decided to call her career in football over. The Lioness had a career most could only dream of. It started at Seton Hall where she set collegiate records, earned countless awards and scored 76 goals in just 51 matches and three years.

Her professional career started in 1994 and she played for several clubs; Wembley Ladies, New Jersey Lady Stallions, Philadelphia Charge, New Jersey Wildcats, Boston Breakers and Arsenal Ladies (three different stints).

Smith was a two-time FA POY and won 20 trophies in her time with Arsenal, including five FA Cups, winning the Premier League four times, the FA Cup three times and the UEFA Cup once. She finished her Arsenal career with 144 appearances and 125 goals, a remarkable ratio. In her brief time here in the States, her football style was enjoyable to watch, even when the sport was seriously struggling throughout the 2000s to gain attention.

What is amazing to think about is that even with a variety of injuries in her professional career, she managed to keep coming back and remind the world she belonged. She torn her ACL in 2002, broke her leg in 2004, picked up a stress fracture in her foot in early 2005, Achilles injury in 2011, and another stress fracture in 2012. Smith each time came back with resiliency, never giving up on herself.

One of her most notable accomplishments could be her international career with England from 1995-2015. She earned 117 caps and scored a record 46 goals in that span. Along with Rachel Yankey, Fara Williams, Casey Stoney, and Faye White, Smith carried the spotlight. She took on the responsibility of getting women’s football on the map; for me, she was what Mia Hamm was to the American fans. That’s how great she was, that’s how important she was to women’s football for England.

Personally, I believe Smith is one of the best players to ever step on the pitch. She will be missed but no doubt she will continue to teach the next generation of English footballers. Up next for Smith will be a full-time coaching role within Arsenal’s organization.  

Goals Galore Down Under:

This past weekend in W-League fans of Adelaide United and Canberra United had plenty to cheer about. Adelaide destroyed the Wanderers by a score 10-2 while Canberra managed a 7-2 win against Perth Glory. Two top scorers for Adelaide were Sofia Huerta and Adriana Jones, both having hat-tricks in a wild game. As for Canberra, Ashleigh Sykes was the stand-out player who grabbed four goals on the day.

These goals explain why Adelaide and Canberra are leading the league in total goals scored with 28 and 24 respectively. But they also concede almost as many, with Adelaide giving up 23 while Canberra has given up 19. Through 10 matches Adelaide still sit at the bottom of the table and Canberra remains in second place.

Breaking News: Heather O’Reilly Reportedly to Join Arsenal Ladies

Posted on by RJ Allen

Glenn Crooks of CBS New York has reported that FCKC and former USWNT midfielder Heather O’Reilly has joined England’s Arsenal Ladies. More details as they become available.

Join the Pride: The 2017 NWSL Draft

Posted on by RJ Allen

Going into the NWSL draft this year, the Orlando Pride no longer have the luxury of having a draft pick in the first or second round. The first-round pick was used in the trade to bring in now-retired player Becky Edwards and breakout player Kristen Edmonds to the squad. Additionally, the team parted with the second-round pick as part of the deal to acquire Sarah Hagen. The newest team in the league ended its inaugural season falling flat by finishing ninth on the table; the Pride’s last win came in July during Week 12 of the season. Orlando can only improve itself using the draft with the second pick in the third and fourth rounds.

After speaking with Pride Head Coach Tom Sermanni earlier last week, he indicated the club was hoping to add depth with quality players in the late rounds like the Pride’s fourth round selection, Dani Weatherholt; taken with the 31st pick last year.

“The big issue we have this year is we don’t have a draft pick until the third round. So most of the things we are looking at are probably going to be ineffective because the players that you’re hoping to get are probably going to be gone by the time our pick comes around.” Sermanni stated, “So ultimately, it’s still going to end up being just a little bit of a lottery for us because we don’t know exactly what the situation is going to by the time our pick comes around.”

One of the main issues facing the Pride based on last year’s performance was the thirty goals the team gave up. The positions which will be the targeted by Orlando are down the spine of the team. It is looking to upgrade center back, defending midfielder, and attacking center midfield. However, Tom has said he will want to take the best available player even if the player falls outside one of the team’s immediate needs.

Personally, I’d like to see the Pride focus on the midfield. An upgrade in holding mid would provide some protection to the backline; additionally, the team would also try to find an attacking mid to facilitate the offense. We’ll find out who joins the Pride on Thursday, January 12.

Data Shows Impact of Departing Spirit Players

Posted on by RJ Allen

The Washington Spirit cannot seem to escape the headlines in this off-season. It has been announcement after announcement of players leaving, being traded, suffering injuries, etc. The Spirit is one of eight original teams introduced in the inaugural season of the National Women’s Soccer League. Since its poor first season, the team has improved tremendously. Some of its improvement has come from changes in coaching staff and player personnel, but much more of it is due to a framework of players whose chemistry provides consistency in passing and defensive action. This past season, especially, was a display of consistency on the field for the Spirit. So how will the loss of so many framework players affect the Spirit’s performance? The best answer that I can give you is to show you what kind of impact those players had on the data collected from this past season.

Compare some headlines for the Spirit with respect to the average shots and goals differential per year. The black line indicates a differential of zero.

As you can see, the majority of players were either part of the Spirit at the beginning or joined during the Mark Parsons era. In 2015, the average differential (goals for minus goals against) was just beginning to break even and most of these players remained on the Spirit and they finally saw a positive differential.

The 2016 line up illustrates the starters in the beginning and how it transitioned during the Olympics and afterwards.

In fact, this can be considered as a simple assist network, in which one player assists another to score a goal and this dictates the direction of these lines. However, we can also highlight the number of players who have left the Spirit to truly illustrate the dismantling of the team.

The 2016 assist network is literally a history book from the Mark Parsons Era. Highlight the players (in red) leaving the Spirit and a majority of the offense falls apart.

This can also help give an idea of how the lineup changes affected this network. For instance, during the month of July, when the Olympians were gone, the Spirit had more unassisted goals (6) than assisted goals (4). When the Olympics were over,  the team did not return to the pre-Olympics lineup, and, for many, this was surprising. I know I was baffled during the Reign vs.Spirit game at Memorial Stadium, because I had assumed that the starters from the beginning of the season would be involved to secure the Shield as the season came to a close.

The 2016 season month by month. The number of goals scored with respect to the shots on goal gives a good indication of efficiency going into the playoffs.

Because the team has endured so many changes (trades, injuries, unknown status, etc.), it is worth trying to understand the impact for the 2017 NWSL Season with greater detail ahead of the college draft. Before I begin to illustrate the following data, please note it does not represent the full season. In fact, while I illustrated the shift in the lineup towards the second half of the season, much of this data reflects the team prior to those changes. For a complete picture, WoSo Stats requires more fans to cover at least 30-40 more games. I will present soccer field heat maps for the current data. On the left is the 2016 original team and the right is the team without all the players who have made official announcements. Speculative news (Canadians) does not count, but if it turns out to be true, I will tweet out new visuals.

For the last quarter of 2016, I spent a good amount of time exploring defense in the NWSL. I defined two terms based on WoSo Stats terminology – defensive action and pressure, in which action can be defined as conservative or aggressive. Washington Spirit defenders, at lease for the preliminary data, are the absolute best in terms of conservative action. Specifically, Krieger is the best at interceptions in the NWSL and both her and Oyster recorded some phenomenal stats. The original backline in general (Dydasco/Kleiner, Oyster, Zadorsky, Krieger) maintained a fantastic balance between one another, with all four being largely conservative and the outside backs being a bit more aggressive. It should also be noted that their defenders tended to have a huge rise in defensive action in the last 15 minutes. It should also be noted that their midfielders did not contribute as much defensive action compared to the rest of the NWSL, with exception to Huster (conservative) and Lohman (aggressive). Overall team performance can been seen in the interactive linked earlier. Where does the Spirit have to make up ground defensively? Hopefully, this visual illustrates it well enough – the new players will have to preserve this original defensive line.

Total Defensive Action includes ball shields, blocks, clearances, interceptions, dispossessions, tackles, and challenges. The hotter regions indicate more action. The Spirit will need to rebuild in big portions of the field.

When it comes to the Spirit, I will never forget the one goal in which every single player touched the ball before they scored. Remember that? That kind of team chemistry shines on the field. While the team may be scattered in their pass completion under pressure, they were solid overall. Banini is probably the most astounding—in her 650 minutes recorded thus far, she had the most passes under pressure per 90 on the Spirit and a completion of 92%.

Many players of the Washington Spirit perform well under pressure. The average for NWSL is illustrated to aid comparison.

Completed passes can be illustrated on the field as well. Here, the thickness of the line indicates the pass frequency. For passes within the same region, there is a circle and the size of the circle gives a similar indication. With Krieger, Nairn, Dunn, Oyster, and Banini already gone, along with 3 ACL injuries, it is clear this network takes a hit.

The thickness of the line indicates frequency of completed passes. Dots in certain locations indicates passes within the same area. The Spirit will have to rebuild this network completely.

The Spirit will miss through balls from Nairn, take-ons from Dunn, interceptions from Krieger, the conservative defensive action of Oyster (on par with Krieger), and offensive individuality from Banini. But is not fair to list just one trait each for these players, because they were good at many of these things. It is clear, while some of these may be individual traits, the team result is one rooted in history. Will the incoming players be able to replicate this chemistry? The Canadians have not announced anything as of yet, and while I did not mention the bronze medal Olympians much, they also played key roles on the 2016 Spirit team, and you do not want to see what the field looks like if I take them out. The one thing Spirit fans can take solace in: Lohman and Huster still remain, and they provided some of the best recoveries for the team. Other than that, all we can do for now is wait—wait for the draft, wait for more data; wait for the 2017 season to begin!

Special thanks to WoSo Stats team for fantastic data collection. If you are interested in helping, please join! Special thanks to certain data hungry fans who helped me collect some of the basic data to make the assist network. Also, never trust NWSL Play-by-Play records (lesson learned). Additional graphics will be provided on Positives and Negatives. 

What does Dunn going to the FA WSL mean for the league?

Posted on by RJ Allen

While the acronyms used to describe England’s and the United States’ top divisions of women’s professional soccer suggest great similarity between the two, the FA WSL and NWSL differ more than can be ascribed to name only. More than just the national affiliation, these two leagues have crucially different structures and dynamics in place that can confuse the most devoted Crystal Dunn aficionado.

While the NWSL is run as a traditional American professional sports league, with a playoff system determining its ultimate champion, the Football Association Women’s Super League (FA WSL) is fundamentally more complicated on a structural level.

FA WSL is comprised of two divisions, the WSL 1 and WSL 2, in which teams compete to garner the best record on a point system (like the NWSL regular season). Like the men’s football system in England, the teams in the top division, the WSL 1, aim to win the league and earn the title of FA WSL 1 Champions; the teams in the second division, the WSL 2, aim to win the league and earn promotion to the FA WSL 1. To put this in terms easily understood by the NWSL audience, there is no “NWSL Final” that determines the ultimate winner of the league. If run like the FA WSL, the winner of the NWSL’s Shield (Portland Thorns in 2016) would win the league. The team on the bottom of the table in the WSL 1 with the least amount of points accrued over the season is “relegated,” or demoted, to the WSL 2 (Boston Breakers in 2016).

To make it more complicated, the league below the WSL 2, the FA Women’s Premier League (FAWPL), is comprised of two divisions that compete separately for the same ultimate prize.

Yes, funnily enough, the men’s top division in England is called the Premier League, and the women’s third division is called the Women’s Premier League—this is fun, isn’t it? The winners of the Southern and Northern Divisions are not both promoted to the WSL 2 but, instead, compete in one playoff match to determine the team promoted to the FA WSL 2. While there are ten teams currently in both the WSL 1 and WSL 2, there are 11 teams in the Northern and Southern Divisions of the FAWPL. Below these three leagues are even lower leagues that operate under a similar system of promotion and relegation. The basic theory underlying the women’s and men’s leagues in England is that anyone can start an amateur team at the lowest league, and theoretically win each league to rise to the top division. If applied to the United States, this would equate to designating the NWSL as the top division, the ENCL as the next division (maybe), and would be a difficult, basically impossible endeavor for USSF to sort out. 

While the ultimate purpose of the NWSL as an American professional sports league is to be a profitable business that grows every year with greater attendance and expansion, that is not the primary goal of the FAWSL at this point. Like the NWSL, the English FA (equivalent of USSF) supports and runs the FAWSL for the purpose of developing domestic players who can play for the national team. Obviously, players who are not English-born nor hold an English passport can play for FA WSL 1, WSL 2 and WPL teams, but there are restrictions on the number and qualifications required.

Before we get to the debate of what Crystal Dunn even means to the FA WSL, we have to discuss what it means to be professional in England.

The NWSL is run as a full-time professional league in which contracted players are paid at least a minimum salary to work as full-time professional soccer players; several can and do get part-time jobs to help subsidize their lives because the NWSL does not pay a living wage to all of their players (@ Jeff Plush, not me).

Despite working as a starting fullback for the Chicago Red Stars, Arin Gilliland has a part-time job outside of Chicago to help pay for basic living expenses, amenities and basic life as a twenty-something. In the FAWSL, most teams in the WSL 1 pay their players as full-time employees with a salary agreed upon by both parties in a contract. While Chelsea can pay Eniola Aluko say £35,000 per season, Liverpool has no such requirements and can pay their captain however much they think is appropriate. There is a salary cap, like and actually inspired by the NWSL, but it is not a strict number, but rather is a percentage based on the earnings of the club. There is no limit or ceiling for individual salaries; this system is based on the idea that all clubs will be grown sustainably so as to ensure that they’re won’t be large disparities between the clubs. The better individual clubs perform, the more they can pay their players.

There is also a Club Development Fund in which clubs can apply for funds from the English FA, provided they can demonstrate that they can match any funds awarded to them through sponsorship, ticket sales or advertising.

Additionally, unlike the NWSL, where USSF pays the salaries of USWNT players who are playing for NWSL clubs, 30 players in the English women’s national team player pool are awarded “central contracts” for a minimum of £25,000 per year that are separate from their club contracts and salaries. Consequentially, there is significant disparity in the quality (let’s call it that to be kind) of players on each team; while Manchester City Women employs nearly half of the English national team pool, some teams have had no players called up by Mark Sampson this month and/or Kosovaren Aslani on their roster. Beyond money, teams like Chelsea, Manchester City, and Arsenal (just last week, they got a selfie with Mo Pharah), attract players with world-class facilities that are funded by their men’s teams. Look at Melbourne City Women in the Australian W-League, which just unveiled a world-class training center just for Head Coach Jess Fishlock’s team—this wasn’t funded by their successes, but the support of the larger Manchester City corporation.

While Manchester City has the full backing of their men’s team that allows it to have the best of the best in terms of player roster, amenities, training, etc., this varies on a case-by-case basis for clubs.

Most teams in the FA WSL 2 employ their players as part-time professional athletes with trainings on different days of the week rather than every day and varying accommodations and perks. There are a few exceptions to the general rule of fully professional FA WSL 1 and semi-professional FA WSL 2 teams. Everton, with the full enthusiastic backing of their men’s team, employs their team as full-time players, and Sunderland AFC recently announced that they will only employ their players as part-time from now on to cut down on costs. While the ultimate goal is obviously to pay everyone as full-time professional athletes, there’s no requirement or impetus to do that. If you’re a business looking to stay in the FA WSL 2 and are comfortable in the league, there’s no need to pay players more or hire players of a higher calibre. Teams in the FA WPL can and do spend more money (hello Charlton Athletic) on their teams than WSL 2 clubs, as is their right—they’re trying to get promoted.

Like the wavering stability of different teams in the NWSL, conditions of teams in the league are not permanent or guaranteed at any time. While Liverpool won the league a few years back under Matt Beard and went to Champions League (the two top teams in the FA WSL 1 advance to the UEFA Champions League competition), now their men’s team no longer supports them as much as they did, and they’ve fallen out of favor. Chelsea is a rising power in the FA WSL, and with their acquisitions of Dunn, Mjelde, Bachmann, and Cuthbert, they’re looking to challenge the reigning monarch of FA WSL, Manchester City, who were undefeated in the 2016 season.

Additionally, while there is a divide between MLS-backed and independently-owned NWSL teams in the States, all teams in FA WSL are affiliated with men’s leagues, from Liverpool Ladies (Liverpool FC are a Premier League team) to the Doncaster Rovers Belles (Doncaster Rovers FC are a League Two team). This helps contribute to that pesky issue of an increasingly lopsided league in which powerhouses, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Arsenal, fight for the top two spots to go to Champions Leagues, and others try to avoid relegation. One growing worry of the FA WSL, a league that needs domestic competition to grow it’s domestic players that can play for its national team, is becoming like the Damalsvenskan in Sweden or Ligue 1 in France, where Lyon and PSG battle it out and everyone else just survives.

Crystal Dunn’s acquisition raises the profile of this very issue as a new debate emerges over the level of competition and professionalism rages in England.

The United States has won three World Cups and five Olympic gold medals. One of those World Cup wins was with our favorite professional league in place, and the others were not. The English Women’s National Team’s best performance was in 2015 with their bronze medal win at the 2015 Women’s World Cup against Germany (this was epic). A great portion of this success was due to the strength of its domestic league that cultivated incredible English players like Lucy Bronze (Manchester City), Alex Scott (Arsenal), and Karen Carney (Chelsea). Some of these players have plied their trade in other countries, but almost all players on the English WNT have played in their domestic league at sometime in their careers.

It is the impetus of the English FA to cultivate a strong league to improve the quality of their national team. Therefore, by all accounts, Crystal Dunn arguably took a spot on Chelsea away from an English player. Does she benefit the league by increasing the level of competition or hurt it by taking the spot of a young player on Chelsea who could become the next English great? Is the FA WSL strong enough to have quality players start on a FA WSL 2 side and then rise through the ranks to the FA WSL 1 and full English national team? This balancing act is the true question of the English women’s league system.

Another point of comparison that I would be remiss not to discuss would be the popularity of these leagues in attendance and broadcast. While every single team in the NWSL averages a minimum attendance of 2,000, FA WSL 1 teams would celebrate a league game with 2000 people in attendance with champagne, cigars and a trip to one of the nightclubs that Prince Harry frequents. Every single NWSL game is available to watch on YouTube or Fox Sports; in the future, we expect greater TV deals and better streaming from all teams. The English FA negotiated an exclusive broadcast deal with BT Sport for the rights to the FA WSL, the England Women’s Senior Team and The FA Women’s Cup.  Rather than every match broadcast somewhere, only a few matches are broadcast live on television, and there is a limit to the number individual clubs can broadcast on their own.

Despite the resources and desires of Manchester City, they were only allowed to broadcast a few of their FA WSL matches on Facebook (Alex Morgan isn’t the only one). Their UWCL (UEFA Women’s Champions League) matches are all broadcast on Facebook. While attendance for the FA WSL 1 has averaged over a thousand people for the past couple of years, the attendance for the FA WSL 2 has yet to reach an average of 500 people in attendance. Unlike the thousands that Crystal Dunn is used to seeing in the stands at the Plex or online in Youtube streams, the FA WSL is a less popular league that is trying to gain fans in a crowded and prejudiced marketplace.

While the United States has a long way to go in convincing everyday Americans that female athletes are worth watching, the United Kingdom has decades to go in convincing people that women can and should play football. While women’s football was MASSIVE during World War One, drawing crowds of 53,000 even after the war had ended, the English FA banned women from playing football in 1921.

From 1921 to 1971, the English FA banned professional women’s football in the United Kingdom on grounds that females were “unsuitable” to football and called for clubs to refuse women from using their grounds to play. Cultural norms persist in this country among some populations where women are not expected to play or watch football. Huge strides have been made, but the fact remains that many think little or nothing of women’s football.

The success of players like Lucy Bronze at the 2015 Women’s World Cup, with England’s best finish in a World Cup since the England MNT’s fourth-place finish in 1990, has helped change a lot of minds, but it’s just the beginning. If you think the United States is a crowded sports market, every city, village and township has a football club belonging to some league that draws crowds. Sometimes during the summer, the NWSL is the only professional sports league operating on any given day in a market; the Orlando Pride sometimes are the only team playing in Florida that can be watched and attended by Central Floridians. It’s not just the Premier League that is drawing attendance away from the FA WSL, but all the other teams in 11 tiers of English football to compete with.

While it would be fun to also discuss the wonders of the FA Women’s Cup and Champions League, that’s another 2,000 words. The real worry for NWSL supporters in the face of Crystal Dunn’s move to England is what it means for them. The saving grace for NWSL fans who want Americans to stay in the American league is the strict rules for soccer/football players who do not live in the European Union or European Economic Area.

All FA WSL clubs are entitled to register a maximum of two non EU/EEA players on their rosters, and Chelsea is all full up with Crystal Dunn and Ji So-yun. Maybe Christine Nairn or Vanessa DiBernardo will leave the NWSL for the FA WSL one day if they’re never called up for the national team and can earn more abroad in the UK, but there are so few spots for non-EU players to play in the FA WSL. Chelsea used one of their ever-so-valuable spots on Crystal Dunn because she is of the calibre to merit her international spot.*

Players like Crystal Dunn are not just attracted to the FA WSL for money but also for the opportunity to play in the UEFA Women’s Champions League and work in facilities that far surpass the Rutgers Soccer Stadium in New Jersey. But the NWSL can offer different things, and, depending on who you talk to, is likely to grow more competitive, popular, and profitable than the FA WSL—and grow faster. But the NWSL is limited by the short season and long off-season, the maximum salary ceiling that hurts Tom Sermanni’s quest for Caitlin Foord, and standards of the league that Alex Morgan has rightfully complained about.

Can the NWSL and FA WSL exist symbiotically? Yes. Could it become an antagonistic relationship in the future with no advantage given to either side? Absolutely.

*With Brexit looming, the English FA will have to adapt to new realities away from the EU, so who knows how these rules will change.

Dunn is Done in Washington, USWNT star heads to Chelsea

Posted on by RJ Allen

Crystal Dunn has decided to leave Washington DC and the NWSL behind. The USWNT star is heading to England’s Chelsea Ladies FC in the FA WSL.

The contract, unlike Alex Morgan, has no option for Dunn to play in the NWSL in 2017.

 

Below is the Washington Spirit statement.

BOYDS, MD. (January 3, 2017) – Washington Spirit and U.S. Women’s National Team forward Crystal Dunn has signed a deal to play for Chelsea Ladies FC in the FA WSL in England.

 

“On behalf of the entire Spirit organization and our fans, I want to thank Crystal for her years of commitment and outstanding performance,” said general manager and head coach Jim Gabarra. “Of course it hurts to lose such a talented player, but this is professional sports, and every time there’s a roster spot open it creates opportunities for others.”

 

The Spirit drafted Dunn with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NWSL College Draft. The Rockville Centre, New York native had a banner 2015 season scoring 15 goals for the Spirit and was awarded NWSL Golden Boot, NWSL MVP, Washington Spirit Golden Boot, and Washington Spirit MVP. She was also NWSL Player of the Week a record six times and NWSL Player of the Month for August. Dunn was named to 2015 NWSL Best XI and averaged 0.75 goals per team game, a new NWSL record (2015 Highlights). In 2016, Dunn scored four goals, including both Spirit goals in the NWSL Championship, and had a career high five assists.

 

The forward was a key member of the Under-20 team that won the Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Japan in 2012, where she had three assists. Dunn made her debut for the senior U.S. National Team in 2013 and scored her first career international goal on September 17, 2015. Dunn was a member of the 2016 United States Olympic team, scoring a goal against Colombia in a group stage match. The 24 year old was also nominated for U.S. Soccer’s Female Player of the Year for 2016. 

 

WoSo Data Explorations: An Introduction

Posted on by RJ Allen

There are three things I love: data, photography, and women’s soccer. The intersection of all three resulted in the birth of my blog, Positives and Negatives.

My love for photography grew with every game I attended at Memorial Stadium. My love for data has always existed, but after talking to Alfredo Martinez, Jr., founder of WoSo Stats, the desire to tell data stories about the women’s game grew exponentially. It is my belief that photography allows me to make observations and tendencies of the game.

However, statements based on observation or opinion are subjective. They do provide a platform to ask unique questions. For instance, how does defense change with space (field location) and time (during a game)? How are teams built on partnerships, how have they evolved between seasons, and can we identify the linchpin of every team (if she exists)? Instead of relying on the traditional formations (3-5-2, 4-3-3, etc) to describe team organization, what if I visualized the transformation of the lineup based on their location on the field?

This is where data comes in—whether it be the advanced stats from WoSo Stats or the basic NWSL stats, I want to study this game in a new manner and draw upon all of the classes that I have ever taken or taught in math, physics, engineering, and economics. I want to draw inspiration from other sports analytics. If I do not know how to tell the story I want to tell or how to analyze the data, I will just learn something new. If I do not have the data, I might ask for help, as I have done previously.

I am not an expert. I never actually played competitive soccer (I was more a basketball, tennis, tae kwan do, and swimming person). I cannot promise a distinct conclusion for any piece I write, because WoSo data is still sparse (but slowly improving). I cannot even promise if my approach to understanding this data is correct.

The only thing I can tell you is that I am a self-motivated data explorer and a passionate storyteller. There will not be a single mention of expected goals. You can go elsewhere for those stats. I have other priorities. I want to use data to examine things never examined. I want to use data to debunk theories from commentary. I want to push the boundaries of women’s soccer analytics beyond the men’s game—outside of historical data and purely based on new methodology. I want to provide visual interactive data tools to inspire young fans to fall in love with numbers rather than fear them. I am, after all, a woman in STEM [science, technology, engineering, and math] and an aspiring educator.

These are big goals. There is no denying this fact. However, I was never one to think one step ahead. I always dream big and do what I must to achieve those dreams. My monthly contribution to Backline Soccer and the start of Positives and Negatives are only small steps toward a big picture, but they are necessary steps. I like to think of this space as the ground floor of something big, and you, the reader, will get an inside look and an opportunity to influence my explorations from the beginning. I look forward to going into uncharted territories, and I hope you will as well!

My Heart is with Houston: Exclusive Interview with Janine van Wyk

Posted on by RJ Allen

South Africa national team captain Janine van Wyk, the most capped player in the country’s football history, male or female, has signed for the Houston Dash ahead of the 2017 season.

Backline Soccer snagged the first exclusive interview with the two-time Olympian following the much-anticipated announcement on Tuesday.

Backline Soccer: Congrats! How has the reaction been to the news?

JvW: I’m so overwhelmed. Since it was announced people have been going crazy, I really didn’t expect this. I thought it would be announced with a few retweets, but I’ve been on my phone since last night and looking at the response, it’s been phenomenal. It makes me want to go there tomorrow.

I’m really proud of how far I’ve come, and the hard work I’ve put in, and being recognized for all the work I do on the field. I’m super stoked, and I can’t wait to go.

BS: What’s the deal with your visa, when do you come over?

JvW: I know I go over in March for the pre-season, so we need to get my Visa sorted before then.

BS: How did you decide on the Dash?

JvW: They were the first team to react after the US match [in July this year]. It was going to happen after that match, but because the transfer window closed, they couldn’t get the signing done. So then Randy [Waldrum, Dash head coach] worked on it for this coming season. They were the very first club to approach me, and now my heart is with Houston.

BS: There were rumblings for weeks about the mystery defender he’d agreed a deal with, and everyone was convinced it would be you…

JvW: We had to keep quiet because we were waiting for them to release the news, and for the contract to be approved and all that. I was ready to tell everyone, it was hard not to!

BS: What attracted you to the NWSL in general?

JvW: Growing up, I always wanted to play at that level in America, because that’s where women’s football started being recognised. I always wanted to play in a US league, but I never, ever thought I would reach that level. But it was always one of my dreams, and seeing the US women’s national team doing so well and being the best in the world, it had to say something about the league.

I told myself I saw myself playing in this league, and I knew that when we played the USA that if I played well it would be an opportunity for me. Clubs would look at me and want to sign me, and that’s exactly what happened. I still can’t believe it.

BS: Of all the games to do really well in, that was it.

JvW: Yeah, especially after I saw the response after the match from people in the US, I knew that I did something right, and I waited for the clubs to react, and they did.

BS: With Roxanne Barker [SA goalkeeper] and Steph Malherbe [SA and Texas A&M midfielder] living in the US, did you discuss this with them to get advice?

JvW: Yes, I did. Roxanne was really thrilled for me. Even when we were playing against the Netherlands [earlier this year] and she got scouted for a club there, she wanted me to join her. This was before the US match, but I thought, “Let me hold on for a bit, maybe there will be something out there for me,” so I didn’t sign with the Netherlands team. Steph is just so excited, because she stays in Texas. We have a really good relationship, so we’re really excited to see each other over there.

BS: How do you think your game will suit the Dash?

JvW: I think Randy is looking for a central defender that has good leadership qualities and experience in that role, and I can bring that to the team.

I am not one of the tallest centrebacks in the world, and most clubs are looking for tall players. I think after Randy signed Bruna [Benites, of Brazil], I think it will be a good balance because she is a very tall player, whereas I’m more a build-up player, and communication-wise I’m very experienced and confident about helping the players around me.

I will fit in well, and I won’t have to do everything on the field. I’ll have 10 other players who can do their jobs, and I’ll be there to help guide them in the right direction.

BS: Yes, you’re going from being the most experienced player on the field to a side with Carli Lloyd as captain, and the likes of Rachel Daly, Morgan Brian, Kealia Ohai on the team … it takes the pressure off you a bit.

JvW: Definitely. I’m going to learn from them as well. I know I’m experienced and I have good knowledge of the game, but a football player can never stop learning. I’m going to go there and learn as much as I can from these players as well. But I’m pretty sure they can learn something from me too, so I think it will work hand in hand. I hope I can contribute as much as people think I will, and get us to a certain position Houston want.

BS: African players tend to be a bit more direct and physical, which I don’t think the opposition strikers are going to appreciate …

JvW: [laughs] Yes, I found that in the US game, where the strikers didn’t really like having someone on their ankles, and that’s something I do a lot. I put pressure on the striking force, and that’s maybe one of the reasons why Randy wanted me there, not to give the strikers any space or time to make vital decisions. It’s a different game completely, but I’m a player that can be direct but also patient if needed.

BS: Is there anyone you’re looking forward to playing with or against?

JvW: Obviously Carli Lloyd. She’s a world icon in women’s football, and I will be playing right next to her. It’s going to be amazing to play with her and see what qualities she can bring to my game. But everyone, really. I’m an open-minded person and I need to learn as much as I can from these players.

BS: And obviously you’ll be looking to take all that back to Banyana and your own club.

JvW: As a South African going there, I’m not just going for myself. I need to go there and perform well, to show other clubs what women’s football is about in South Africa. There’s so much talent out here that’s not being exposed, because we don’t play enough good international friendlies. I would be opening up doors for my fellow Africans as a whole for scouts to look at.

BS: How will this stint affect your club [JvW FC, also founded and coached by JvW]? How do the seasons overlap?

JvW: Our season starts before I even leave, but I have so many people assisting me with the club and the league, so it’s not a problem that I step away. Things won’t fall apart without me, and I’m really grateful for that.

People are really happy for me, and it’s motivating for the players in my club, for them to see that the founder is going out there to pursue her dreams and they could do the same thing. It’s really encouraging and inspiring for them, to see me go to Houston.

Breaking: Alex Morgan heads to France for Champions League

Posted on by RJ Allen

Alex Morgan, of the Orlando Pride, is heading to France for the end of the Olympic Lyons 2016-2017 season.

Morgan has played in the NWSL for each of the first four seasons. First with the Portland Thorns, and then in the 2016 season for the Orlando Pride.

Morgan explains her reasons for leaving in this piece in The Players’ Tribune.

Below is a portion of the press release from the Orlando Pride.

ORLANDO, Fla. (December 20, 2016) – U.S. Women’s National Team (U. S. WNT) forward Alex Morgan has communicated her desire to play the first half of 2017 in Europe, and will join French side Olympique Lyonnais. Morgan will return to the Pride following the conclusion of Lyon’s 2016-17 season in May.

“We are obviously disappointed that Alex will miss the beginning of the Pride season but understand her wishes to play in Europe and we look forward to her rejoining her teammates after Lyon’s season,” Orlando City SC Founder and President Phil Rawlins said. “This in no way affects our plans or commitment to growing Orlando Pride and we will continue providing the team the best available players, training resources and staff to become a championship contender in the NWSL and a leader in women’s professional soccer.”

“My decision to play for Lyon was not an easy one, but it is an important step in my evolution as a player,” Morgan said. “I want to thank the Pride and our incredible fans and community for their continued support. I look forward to returning home this summer as a better player and leader to join my teammates at our new stadium as we compete for a NWSL Championship.”

Morgan and fellow U.S. WNT players are annually allocated to NWSL by the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF). Currently, the USSF and the U.S. WNT Players Association are negotiating a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, with the current agreement set to expire on Dec. 31, 2016.

Why, Lingerie Soccer League, Why?

Posted on by RJ Allen

In November, The Lingerie Soccer League announced on Twitter and Facebook that they will be launching a North American league in the Fall of 2017. My initial thought was, “Okay, how will this league work?” I wanted to honestly give a fair shot to the LSL and explore the impact (positive or negative) of bringing another league of this sort into the North American market. I wanted to be as open-minded as possible.

However, a more important question kept popping into my mind first: Why?

A little over a year ago Oxygen debuted “Pretty Strong,” a reality show that followed women who play for the Chicago Bliss of the Legends Football League (formerly known as the Lingerie Football League). Although this league has been criticized for issues with their less than preferable branding (Sarah Spain wrote a wonderful article about it), they still aren’t the absolute worst.

Many of these women have very few alternatives to play professional football in an atmosphere like they have at a Legends League game. Not to mention the fact that every game features former Division I athletes competing in full-contact tackle football. Even though the league isn’t an ideal league for female athletes, it still offers them a place to play a sport they love while making small strides in the right direction.

Their founder and chairman, Mitch Mortaza, is attempting to rebrand their league as one with legitimate athletes playing a real sport. Of course their biggest flaw is still their uniforms (at least they still aren’t wearing the uniforms with bows and lace and a choker and a garter belt, right?).  But one success is that the football league is no longer using the words “Lingerie” in their title, deciding that the word wasn’t needed to further their league or their brand.

Which brings me to my primary question…

Why, Lingerie Soccer League?

Honestly. Why? Why do you want to exist? Why do you feel there is a need for you in the U.S.? Why is this the business venture you’ve decided in delve into?

If you break down why a successful business should be started, there are essentially two core reasons:

  1. There is a demand and need for a solution to an existing problem
  2. The opportunity and timing to start your business are impeccable.  

Let’s review both.

A demand and need for a solution to an existing problem:

Is this an actual demand of the people? Are people actually upset when they see women playing soccer with clothes other than underwear? Is this a problem facing our country? Do we not have enough women playing sports in revealing clothes? Although someone actually voiced these sentiments once, they also weren’t aware that the Women’s World Cup was going to be the most watched soccer event in American history. And guess what? They wore regular kits. Currently, I see no issues that the LFL would fix.

The perfect timing:

There couldn’t be a worse time for this league to start. The US Women’s National Team are making a very public (and publicly supported) case for equal pay. The support for gender equality in sports is at an all time high. The fight against sexism in our country has been in a massive upswing because of our recent political climate. These are all red flags from a strictly business perspective. 

The only reason I would welcome the development of this league at this particular time is the possible positive effect it might have on its players. It could be a place for the women of the league to feel both the support of having a team, while also feeling the empowerment of flaunting a body they’ve most likely worked extremely hard for. But of course, that’s assuming the atmosphere of the league isn’t a harmful or sexist one, which currently seems like a pipe dream. 

Ultimately, Lingerie Soccer League, I will never, ever shame the women who choose to play for you, but don’t be surprised when not a single self-respecting soccer fan wants to show up to your games. You have a definite uphill battle ahead of you.