Tag: Rose Lavelle

Christen Press and Rose Lavelle Pull Up a Barstool and That’s Not Great

Posted on by Backline Soccer

Women’s soccer is funny sometimes. There are funny things that happen in and around women’s soccer (or women’s sport in general) that are odd when you compare them to men’s sports.

Women are often scrutinized for the things they chose to do on a level that is comical at best and deeply unfair at worst. Megan Rapinoe swears and we must think of the children, but if LeBron James then he’s just being passionate. Alex Morgan sips tea after scoring it is arrogant, but look at any NFL game and you will see nut grabbing and planned celebrations nearly every touchdown or sack. 

Things like Rapinoe and Morgan celebrating publicly and proudly are harmless. Even if we must think of the children, and we so often are told we must in women’s sports, at the end of the day these players have no more a duty to think of the children as Charles Barkley did in 1993. If little Timmy or Susie hears Rapinoe drop an F-Bomb or see’s Morgan sipping some tea, they will be fine. I promise you a life of crime does not lay ahead for anyone seeing what Rapinoe and Morgan have done.

It is a problem though when a women’s soccer player does a gross thing. Because we’re so often called on to defend the silly or the meaningless or to think of the children when they do step over the line we don’t always want to point out the gross thing they have done.  The same people who would, rightly, defend Morgan’s celebration or Rapinoe swearing may not know how to react. The problem is in the case of the gross things, they shouldn’t defend the players even if it feels like the Rapinoe and the Morgan thing all over again. 

And that brings us to Christen Press and Rose Lavelle.

Christen Press promoted Barstools brand during the parade in New York City during her Instagram takeover just days after they won it all sends people to the Barstool social media. People who had either never heard of the company or who wouldn’t have followed them before did. It grew their brand.

Rose Lavelle went on their Pardon My Take podcast to “talk about the World Cup, how soccer works, Cincinnati and scoring mad goals” according to Barstool. People who were searching for Lavelle or the USWNT or anything to do with the World Cup may have found and tuned in. They may go back for more episodes. 

The debate about the differences in impact of taking over an Instagram for an hour and being on an episode of a podcast is not one I am interested in having. If you want to say taking over an Instagram is worse, sure, go for it. If you want to say being on a podcast and interacting directly with people who work for the site is worse, fine by me. In the end both are bad. Because Barstool Sports is terrible. And don’t take my word for how bad Barstool Sports is, check out Stop Enabling Barstool’s Shit and Inside Barstool Sports’ Culture of Online Hate: ‘They Treat Sexual Harassment and Cyberbullying as a Game’ if you want a taste of why they are terrible. 

We put more pressure on the USWNT to get things right more than most other female athletes and most female athletes have pressure on them to get things right more than most male athletes. We expect more from them in terms of being role models and giving the perfect quote, the perfect sound bite, the perfect performance in their public lives. It’s not fair to them. It is 100% not fair at all.But they also shouldn’t get passes when they do gross stuff because some men do it too. 

Press and Lavelle working with Barstool Sports is very bad, horrible, no good. There is no way to spin it in a way that it becomes somehow neutral, let alone positive. I want to be clear that we don’t fully know if it was Christen Press or her team or Rose Lavelle or hers that reached out to Barstool or if Barstool reached out to them. USWNT Press Officer On Christen Press’s Barstool Sports Partnership: “Something Seems Amiss!” shows how unclear it all is. But at the end of the day even if the players knew nothing about the site they were connection themselves with, their names are now linked when someone Googles their name. At the end of the day, team or player, the player’s name is the one that is out there.

Women and women of color have a lot of pressure put on them that isn’t fair. But I do not think it is unreasonable to expect them to not work with and promote sites that actively harm and harass others while wrapping what they do is a goof and just for fun. I get the urge from their fans to defend them the way they often have to defend female athletes just being themselves. But working with companies that don’t gleefully harass women isn’t unfair pressure, it is basic respect. 

I’m disappointed in Press and Lavelle as someone who supports the USWNT and who believes in the calls for equal pay and equality the team has been pushing for years at this point. I don’t expect everyone on the team to be Rapinoe or Ali Krieger when it comes to politics but I do expect more than endorsement of sites like Barstool Sports. 

I really do hope they figure out what they did sucks, honestly tell us they are sorry and they do things that suck less in the future. 

The US beat England because Jill Ellis got her tactics right

Posted on by Backline Soccer

The US defeated England last night, in one of the most thrilling games of the tournament. It had everything: Great goals, great passes, a goal taken away by VAR, a saved penalty, a red card. In the end, the US booked their place in a third consecutive World Cup final, a monumental achievement.

There are plenty of reasons why the US came out on top. But the critical difference-maker, somewhat shockingly, was the tactical decisions from coach Jill Ellis.

I know. I’m as surprised as anyone.

Christen Press made a big difference on the left wing

The starting XI announcement brought several interesting changes, but by far the most notable was the replacement of Megan Rapinoe with Christen Press. As details emerged, it became clear that this was a switch from necessity more than choice. A hamstring strain meant Rapinoe would never have been able to start.

Just like four years ago, outside circumstances prevented Ellis from sticking with her same XI. And just like four years ago, the resulting change worked out extremely well.

All the pre-game hype had focused on Rapinoe—partly due to the surrounding political controversies and partly because she had scored all four of the US goals so far in the knockout phase. But that goal-scoring record did not actually tell the full tale. Rapinoe had one of her worst games in memory against Sweden to end the group stage—losing the ball repeatedly and offering virtually no successful attacking moves. She was better, though only marginally against Spain, despite facing one of the weaker right backs in the tournament. The two goals she scored both came from penalties. They count the same, of course, but it was hardly a vintage Rapinoe performance.

She was better against France, though still hardly looked like the Megan Rapinoe who has been one of the best players in the NWSL over the past two seasons.  But that made her third game in eight days, and Rapinoe is no longer young. For a player in her mid-30s, who had already looked sluggish over the course of the tournament, it felt like a bridge too far to expect anything close from her top level in the semifinal.

On another team, with limited options, the case for starting her would still be powerful. Look at the Netherlands, who keep running out a clearly less-than-fit Lieke Martens. But the US has the deepest roster in the world. Specifically, they have Christen Press, who has arguably been the US forward in the best form over the course of 2019. And unlike in previous years, when Press was an ill fit out wide, she’s increasingly grown into that role—developing both in her ability to serve as creator of chances for others, and as a striker herself.

Then consider what else Press brings. She has speed to burn. And crucially, unlike Rapinoe, she’s capable of putting in a solid defensive shift. That would be critically important against England, who have the world’s best attacking right back, and some of the best right wingers, and had every intention of targeting Crystal Dunn as the weak link in the US backline. With Press on the pitch, England had far less room to run at Dunn in space. Spain actively shifted the defense away from Rapinoe’s position, urging the US to attack that space. But with Press’s superior ball retention, England could not afford to do the same. That kept Bronze back further and limited her influence further up the pitch. And Press is obviously no slouch on the attacking end, either. Despite a history of checkered performances in big games, she turned up huge last night, delivering the first goal, and playing a key role in setting up the second.

Called into the spotlight, Christen Press delivered at the highest level, and was potentially the difference-maker in the match. It wasn’t surprising that she was great. But it was surprising that she got the chance at all.

Sticking with Rose Lavelle

The other big talking point of the USA XI was the midfield. Over the tournament, the US have repeatedly faced the happy problem of having four players that all deserved to start, but only three spots for them to fill. With Julie Ertz apparently nailed in as the unchangeable number 6, that really left three players—Lindsey Horan, Sam Mewis, and Rose Lavelle—for two spots. In the octofinals and quarterfinals, Ellis had chosen to sit Horan. It was a move met with bewilderment and frustration. That’s not a knock against Mewis and Lavelle, who have been among the best players in the tournament. But Horan is on the very short list of players who might conceivably be called the best in the world. It felt like madness to leave her on the bench.

After a rotten performance from Lavelle in the quarterfinals, the obvious move seemed to be to rest her for a game and call on Mewis and Horan. The extra athleticism and mobility in the midfield would provide some needed steel, and lessen the risk of getting torn to bits whenever Ertz went on walkabout.

But Ellis didn’t take the obvious move. Instead, she stuck with Lavelle and sat Mewis. Which turned out to be extraordinarily prescient.

England set up in a hybrid 4-4-2/4-2-3-1, with Nikita Parris in the free role, drifting between the midfield and front line. England coach Phil Neville may have been looking to find a way to get four dangerous strikers on the pitch, but in practice it left the England attack disjointed. But that left England’s holding pair of Jill Scott and Keira Walsh busy trying to cope with Horan and Ertz, and Parris somewhat adrift, Lavelle repeatedly found herself with the ball and acres of space to utilize. And she certainly took advantage of the opportunity, putting herself into dangerous positions over and over.

It wasn’t entirely a one-way affair. With Lavelle on the job, the US also occasionally found itself understaffed in the midfield, which allowed Walsh and Scott to occasionally get free. But overall the trade-off was a huge victory for the US. Lavelle was the most dangerous player on the pitch for the first half, while Parris accomplished far less in a similar position.

Neville outsmarted himself, and Ellis made him pay

England’s 4-4-2 didn’t make a huge amount of sense on paper, and it made even less sense once the US lineup was released. And the players themselves hardly seemed committed. As noted, Parris never really played like a second striker, dropping back far more often into a withdrawn striker role. The result wasn’t really any different from England’s more standard 4-3-3, except that the personnel were less well-suited to their positions.

As a huge fan of Rachel Daly’s work, I was thrilled to see her starting. Her speed, physicality, and directness made her a smart choice to double up with Bronze in an effort to overwhelm Crystal Dunn. But partly because of the Press-Rapinoe swap, and partly due to a lack of effective linkages with the midfield, this never worked as well as intended.

England’s greatest strength in this tournament has been the stratospheric rise of Ellen White—whose ability to split central defenders and work magic with a little space has absolutely taken the world by storm. But this setup provided her vanishingly few chances to work that magic. The ball went out right, and while Bronze and Daly were certainly able to beat Dunn on a few occasions, it was a slow process, which allowed the rest of the US defense to set up and block out White.

It’s precisely the same thing that happened to France a few days earlier, which makes it all the more confusing that Neville fell into the same trap. What France was missing, desperately, was a creative midfielder who could pick out angles and punish a defense with little room to maneuver. France doesn’t currently have that player. But England has two of them—Fran Kirby and Georgia Stanway—neither of whom saw the pitch until the final half hour.

Imagine having the key to a door, but insisting on trying to pick the lock anyway for an hour, while everyone stands around watching in frustration.

Whether it was stubbornness, or an inability to diagnose the problem, Neville wrote himself into a corner and couldn’t seem to find his way out.

Winning ugly is still winning

I wrote after the quarterfinal that ‘winning ugly is still winning,’ and that proved true once again last night. For the second straight game, the US settled into a back five during the second half, looking to close down attacking chances rather than to create much themselves.

Once again, it almost came back to haunt them. After all, it was during this period of deep-defending that England scored a goal—invalidated by VAR by the narrowest of margins—and earned a penalty. An inch or two difference in a run, and a better-taken penalty, and England could have taken the lead in the course of a few minutes.

But they didn’t.

That’s two games in a row where the US decided to sit on a lead, effectively daring the other team to prove they could rise to the moment. And that’s two games in a row where the other team faltered.

One could certainly criticize Ellis for exposing the team to risk. Why not keep attacking? The US is better, and were controlling the game. Why not continue to exploit the advantage? But when you have the lead, time is your friend. Scoring goals is hard. Even with some golden opportunities, England (and France before them) couldn’t get it done.

If they had, the US could certainly have opened back up. But they didn’t, and so after weathering the storm, the US spent the final quarter hour of the match drawing fouls and suffocating the game dead, content in the knowledge that their opponents had no more tricks up their sleeve.

Ellis is still a frustrating coach. But so is everyone else

Over the course of the tournament, Phil Neville has been a good coach. Not a great one, but that’s the thing. There aren’t any great coaches in the ranks of women’s soccer right now. The jobs aren’t lucrative or prestigious enough.

So Jill Ellis is a source of endless frustration to US fans and media. But she successfully out-managed Neville last night and Corinne Diacre a few days earlier. Kenneth Heiner-Møller’s anti-football only got Canada to the octofinals. Sarina Wiegman has effectively no ideas for the Dutch. Australia were a disaster. And on and on down the ranks.

So no, Ellis isn’t great. Especially when it comes to big picture tactics and style. But she’s managed to incorporate a few minor tactical tweaks. As I wrote two years ago, she’s a terrible strategic thinker, but a pretty solid tinkerer. And when you’re blessed with the best roster, that is often enough.

There are plenty of reasons to be frustrated with Ellis as a coach. This tournament doesn’t change that. But let’s not miss the forest for the trees. Because for all her limitations, she’s now 90 minutes away from winning her second consecutive World Cup.

6 Takeaways from NWSL: Week 9

Posted on by RJ Allen

The NWSL returned from the short FIFA break this past weekend and the action was non-stop. There were a combined 20 goals scored across the league this weekend, some unexpected losses and some big upsets. Honestly, we’re just so thrilled to be watching club WoSo again, all the excitement was the cherry on the top of our sundae. But, golazos aside, not all teams were equally energized by the break, and several players returned with injuries that kept them off the field on Saturday. So, let’s take a look at some of the takeaways we thought were worthy of pointing out as we head into Week 10 of the regular season.

Marta: Not Overrated – Luis Hernandez

When the Brazilian superstar Marta signed with the Orlando Pride there was a lot of hype from the team, and some people questioned how much of an impact the tthirty-one-year-old could have on the Pride’s performance this season. But ask no more, because Saturday’s match in Houston was a statement, to be sure. In the Pride’s 4-2 rout over Houston, Marta had a hand in all four of Orlando’s goals while leaping to the top of the league’s golden boot race in spite of the fact Marta missed the first match of the season and only played 31 minutes in her debut against the Washington Spirit. In seven starts, Marta has five goals and three assists.

Her influence on the team has already been apparent in the improved play from players around her. Like Jasmyne Spencer, for one. Last season, Spencer scored four goals in 20 matches. In the nine matches this season she already has three goals and two assists. Marta has also been a presence on the defensive end, as she has no qualms dropping into the midfield to track back for a ball, demonstrating a keen desire to lead by example. And, as far as the history books go, Marta scored the first penalty kick goal and goal from a corner kick in Orlando Pride history. With Alex Morgan’s return on the horizon, Marta seems to have the Pride trending in an upward direction.

 

Things Go from Bad to Worse for Boston – Luis Hernandez

It was a tall order for the Breakers to go to Cary and battle a weakened North Carolina Courage. It was an even harder task as they too have suddenly lost Rose Lavelle four to six weeks due to a hamstring injury suffered during the international break. The road woes for Boston continue, as they fell away from home once more. To add insult to injury, Rosie White picked up her fifth yellow of the season, and will miss the next game suspended to yellow card accumulation.

Boston will return to the friendly confines of Jordan Field to face the Courage once more in Week 10 before facing slightly more favorable matchups against Houston and Washington. Matt Beard will have his work cutout for his side as they will attempt to rebuild some of the first month’s momentum. The Breakers rebuilding project still has a ways to go, but at least the team is better than the last few seasons.

 

Seattle Needs a Closer – Elizabeth Wawrzyniak

Five years into their NWSL journey, Seattle’s record of getting into the post-season is 50/50. After their first disastrous season, with fourteen losses putting them in seventh out of an eight-team race, their 2014 and 2015 seasons saw them winning back-to-back NWSL shields and appearing in the NWSL Championship game both years, where they put up a great performance but lost two years running to FC Kansas City.  Last year, with Rapinoe still in recovery from her ACL tear and Hope Solo departing from the team after the Rio games, they finished in fifth, just two points behind the #4 Western New York Flash

At the moment in 2017, they’re sitting in fifth once again, two points behind the #4 Portland Thorns. And though we’re only a little less than half-way through the season, Seattle is going to need to perform the way they did in their second and third seasons if they want to make a return to the post-season and make a play for the NWSL Championship title that has eluded them so far. This season, that means they need a closer. With the departure of Kim Little back to the UK (and another unfortunate member of the ACL club this season) the Reign have been unable to close out games. Their blowout against the Houston Dash in Week 2 has proven to be a fluke instead of an indication of the team’s prowess on the pitch. They can score, no doubt; in fact, they currently lead the league in scoring with 19 goals. But they seem to always be struggling to catch up, to equalize, to get the draw.

They need to play for the win

And some of this falls into the defense and Hayley Kopmeyer, who, though they are doing what they can, have allowed 13 goals, a fact that has eaten away at their early impressive goal differential and their place in the standings. Whether it’s a offensive closer–someone who can take an early shot on goal and sink the ball into the net to get Seattle on the front foot of the game–or a defensive closer–a backline that can problem-solve in the moment and prevent Kopmeyer from having to make the number of saves we’re seeing her complete each week–what Seattle needs is someone who can shut a game down early, and keep it that way.

 

Proud about Pride – Elizabeth Wawrzyniak

This weekend several teams across the NWSL celebrated LGBTQIA+ Pride at their games. Teams spent the international break promoting equality and awareness in a coordinated effort to make it known that fans of all identities are welcome in their stands. More Pride nights will take place in Week 10, for teams on away trips this weekend, but I want to take a moment to say how much it means to me that the NWSL and its teams (not to mention the USWNT and USSF) recognize the importance of creating a welcoming environment for their fans.

Even in some stadiums which will not be hosting official Pride matches, fans and supporter groups are planning to band together to create an experience that supports all players and all fans. Looking across the crowds this weekend, it was affirming and inspiring to see rainbow flags being waved, to see men and women and children in Pride-inspired gear, to know that LGBTQIA+ fans, like myself, are not only invited, but welcomed with open arms.

For more on Pride in the NWSL, see our own Becca Kimble’s article on Pride at the NC Courage game. 

 

Christen Press Shines in Prime Time – Jordan Small

The Chicago Red Stars were down 1-0 to the visiting Washington Spirit with 10 minutes left to go on the Lifetime Game of the Week this past Saturday. So naturally Christen Press scored to steal a point for the Red Stars. In the 81st minute, Press drove into the box where she was met by Spirit defender Shelina Zadorsky. A poorly timed tackle in the box from Zadorsky gave Chicago a penalty kick. Press stepped up to take the penalty kick that she earned to draw the Red Stars even. Very few players in the league have the ability to score consistently late in games for their teams like Press can. Once again, she proved that she should have the ball on her feet at the end of the game.

 

Francisca Ordega is quietly having herself a year – Jordan Small

In her first two seasons in Washington, Francisca Ordega battled injury and lack of playing time due to international duty. Now healthy and with the team full time, Ordega is starting to be the goal scorer that Washington needs. Through nine games this season, Ordega has three goals and two assists. Saturday’s match against Chicago was just another showing of the impact Ordega can have on the Spirit’s attack.

At just 23 years old, Ordega is one of the younger players on the Spirit’s roster. But that does not stop her from playing well beyond her years. Her speed and agile foot work makes her very difficult to defend against. In a match against Sky Blue on May 6, Ordega scored a brace, forced an own goal, and had a well timed pass to Havana Solaun for another goal. Then against Chicago this weekend, Ordega scored the opening goal for the Spirit. She out-ran the Red Stars defense to score her third goal of the year. If they stay healthy, Washington’s main attacking group of Ordega, Mallory Pugh, and Cheyna Williams could be very dangerous in the second half of the year.

 

6 Takeaways From NWSL Week 3

Posted on by RJ Allen

Week 3 in the young NWSL season is at a close, and the standings are a bit unexpected. Do we believe the top five are the best of the best this season? Or will one of the current bottom-dwellers be able to right the ship and turn their season around? Verizon’s go90 streams aside, it’s been a sweet season so far, with plenty of action and upsets. (Sorry, Pride fans, but hey, at least you had #MartaWatch.)

Here’s what we took away from the matches going into Week 4.

The Dash Bounce Back in Washington — Jordan Small

Last week, the Houston Dash fell to the Seattle Reign 5-1 and for a ninety painful minutes, it seemed as if we were seeing the Dash of old again. With multiple starters out and a rookie goalkeeper making her professional debut, it was not the best performance from Houston.

One week later, they put in a stronger performance against a struggling Washington side. The backline of Cari Roccaro, Bruna, Janine Van Wyk, and Camille Levin was solid and eliminated most of the danger before it got to goalkeeper Lydia Williams. A goal from captain Kealia Ohai in the 28’ gave the Dash the lead and ultimately the 1-0 win. If the Dash can continue to have a consistent defense and constant production from Ohai and Rachel Daly, Houston will continue to pick up points. This is a very talented Dash team that can win on the road and at home.

 

Lack of Goalscoring is Crushing the Spirit in Washington — Jordan Small

Through three games this season, the Washington Spirit have only given up three goals. That seems like it would be few enough to pick up a couple of points for the Spirit. But if you thought that, you would be wrong. The Spirit have only earned themselves one point through three matches thanks to a lack of scoring.

Last year, the Spirit relied heavily on Crystal Dunn and Estefania Banini to carry the scoring load. With both of them heading overseas to play, Washington was left without a pure goalscorer. This has come back to bite them in the butt, especially with all of the injuries that are piling up. Goalkeeper Stephanie Labbé and the backline of Estelle Johnson, Whitney Church, and Shelina Zadorsky have remained positive through the whole process, despite the heavy workload they have had to take on. While they are one of the stingiest defenses in the league, the lack of finishing in the final third is a real problem for the Spirit.

North Carolina Courage Aren’t Just a Flash in the Pan –Luis Hernandez

Okay, I’ll admit it. I didn’t think the Courage would replicate the success from the end of the 2016 season going into 2017. I was sure they would be good, just not the best team in the league. Yes, two of the three wins are against the current ninth and tenth place teams, but it’s how North Carolina beat Washington and Orlando both times yielding possession and making the most of their opportunities.

The Courage have an identity and stick to their game plan. Orlando’s mental miscues allowed the cool, calm and collected Carolina side to put away easy finishes. The Pride attacked the Courage with individual effort all match long, so the NC defense was a bit relaxed, and allowed Orlando to score the first goal against them in team history. Had Orlando been able to attack with greater numbers, we might have seen a different result. North Carolina were never really under any pressure, and looked comfortable allowing Orlando to be ineffective against D’Angelo in net. Hopefully, the match against the Breakers will test the Courage better. The defending champs have not looked uncomfortable for any stretch of time this season, and Boston would be wise to do what they did to Seattle at home against the Courage. Otherwise it’s four-in-a-row for North Carolina.

 

FC Kansas City Still Figuring Things Out After Injuries –Luis Hernandez

The injury bug hasn’t been kind to the Blues. The Amy Rodriguez injury is still a sad point in the NWSL season, and I’m not even a fan of FCKC. In Week 3 Shea Groom joined her on the injury report with a broken rib, so Coach Vlatko Andonovski turned to the 4-2-3-1 for the first time this season with Sydney Leroux as the lone striker, away from the 4-3-3 of the two previous matches. Unfortunately, FC Kansas City couldn’t manage any goals while Raquel Rodriguez managed to get one past Nicole Barnhart, and FCKC now sits at 8th on the table going into Week 4.

The upcoming match for the Blues could be just what the doctor ordered, as FCKC hosts Orlando at Children’s Mercy Victory Field. The Pride have yet to figure things out this season, and the possible return of Groom and more time to practice in the 4-2-3-1 could provide FCKC some momentum in the first of a two-game homestand. Kansas City can’t afford to get mired near the bottom of the table after such optimism entering the season. Was A-Rod’s injury just a premonition of how the season was going to turn out? We’ll just have to see.

Boston is a Little Scary —Leigh Nieves

After defeating Sky Blue FC last week in a less than convincing win, Boston came away this week with an impressive 3-0 victory against Seattle. Yes, you read that correctly. Boston is now on a two-game winning streak, and both of the games were shutouts. Rose Lavelle scored her first professional goal against Seattle while Dowie and Leon put away two more to secure the win. While Seattle wasn’t playing their best game and made plenty of mistakes defensively, Boston is becoming more and more convincing as a potential middle-to-top of the table team.

I’m not saying that I told Rose Lavelle after I interviewed her in February that Boston was going to prove people wrong this season, but I told Rose Lavelle after I interviewed her in February that Boston was going to prove people wrong this season.

 

Do We Actually Miss the YouTube Streams? –Leigh Nieves

It’s Week 3 and we have yet to have a weekend where something hasn’t gone wrong with go90 or Lifetime. Whether it’s continuous commercials about quarterbacks, a black screen, or a random movie with Viola Davis interrupting our starting lineup, the whole viewing experience of Season 5 has been less than pleasant. We understand that there are kinks that need to be worked out from time to time, but is it time we, in a Carrie Bradshaw-esque way, ask ourselves: Do we actually miss the dependability of YouTube streams?

Of course Youtube had its flaws: the poor video quality, sound issues, etc. But, every week we at least knew that we would be able to see the games we wanted. While the production quality of the new Go90 and Lifetime streams are much better, their ability to deliver a consistent product each week leaves us a little less than confident.

There you have it, folks. Our big takeaways from Week 3 are starting to heat up like the weather heading into the summer on a four p.m. kick-off. We want to hear from you on these and any thoughts. Consider leaving us a comment, and we’ll see you for Week 4.

Around the World of WoSo: Marta Arrives, Rapinoe Still Has It, Boston Impress

Posted on by RJ Allen

A New Pasture for the G.O.A.T.:

Marta, regarded as one of the greatest women’s players of all time, has arrived in America … for the fourth time. This time she can be found in the National Women’s Soccer League, playing with the Orlando Pride. Marta Vieira da Silva comes to Orlando from Brazil via Sweden, where she has played with FC Rosengard since 2014. Simply known as Marta to many supporters and fans around the globe, she has well-earned her nickname of G.O.A.T. Marta has won the FIFA Player of the Year 5 times (2006-2010), won Silver at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics while representing Brazil, and holds the record for most goals scored in Women’s World Cup play with 15.

The 31-year-old striker and native of Dois Riachos, Alagoas, Brazil certainly has a recognizable name and a superb set of skills to match that. Marta is known for her flair, her blazing speed and her ability to score magnificent goals in the blink of an eye. But she also brings a variety of championship experience, having won at the club level just about every year: Umea IK (Sweden, 2005-2008), Santos (Brazil, 2009), FC Gold Pride (USA, 2010), Western New York Flash (USA, 2011), Tyreso FF (Sweden, 2012), and FC Rosengard (Sweden, 2014-2015). Her remarkable accomplishments may be enough for some but it’s clear Marta wants more trophies.

Marta came on as a substitute for Orlando in their season opener this past weekend against Washington. She may not have gotten on the score sheet but her presence alone had a slight effect on the game; the crowd roared to life when she stepped on the field and eventually Orlando did manage to grab a point out of the 1-1 draw.  It will take a bit of time to adjust to her new city and new teammates, but I am not worried one bit that Marta will find her footing soon enough with Orlando.

 

Rapinoe Scorcher Helps Seattle Win:

Megan Rapinoe has returned to form! Also known as 2012 when she had a standout year for the National team during their run to gold …. Ok, maybe not completely 100% returned, but we certainly saw a flash or two of it on Saturday when Seattle beat Houston at Memorial Stadium. In the Reign’s 5-1 thrashing of the Dash, Rapinoe’s goal was perhaps the most electric. It was the second goal of the night for the Bois of Seattle and it was assisted by another blonde playmaker in Jess Fishlock. The Tiny Dragon placed a neat ball over the top of the Houston defense for Rapinoe to run onto and from 18 yards out she hit a stunning volley into the back of the net.

Rapinoe now has scored in consecutive games for the first time since 2014 when she also netted goals in the first two weeks of the season. Rapinoe has the ability to turn a game around with either a goal or an assist, and in this game we saw a little glimpse of what kind of season she is set to have. She obviously got her name on the score sheet but Rapinoe was active all game up and down the flanks, providing service and creating opportunities for her teammates. It really did seem like I was watching a game from 2012 and that is a good feeling to have as a Reign Supporter.

In front of an underwhelming crowd of 2,727, the Reign certainly put on a satisfying performance, came away with everyone somewhat healthy (Merritt Mathias left the game with a good size bump on her forehead after colliding with Bruna Benites in the 37th minute), and three big points to their name.

 

Lyon Run This City:

In the first leg of the semi-final blockbuster Champions League match between Lyon and Manchester City, it was the French powerhouse that earned a 3-1 victory. Leading up to it, many media outlets tagged it as the Carli Lloyd vs Alex Morgan showdown, but it was bigger than just the Americans playing overseas. The match included a penalty given in the second minute off a Lloyd handball, and continued with Lyon dominating large portions of the game. But maybe, most of all, the game was about Dzsenifer Marozsan and Eugenie Le Sommer dazzling the fans while each scoring a goal in front of a crowd of 3,614.

While the penalty was caused by Lloyd to give Lyon the lead early on, it won’t define her Champions League experience if City can turn it around in the second leg on April 29th. This was Manchester’s first loss since October of 2015. Morgan, on the other hand, had a quiet outing, but it’s her Lyon team who now have the advantage for the next game. To be fair, while both teams are clearly rich with talent, I do think Lyon have the better overall team and should finish off them in the second leg with no problem.

 

Boston Breaks Through:

The Boston Breakers have already won a game and it’s only week two. Not only did they grab the convincing victory, they saw Natasha Dowie earn her fist goal on the season and rookie Rose Lavelle got her first assist as a pro. With the home opener and a 1-0 win over Sky Blue in the books, they showed potential all across the board for the future.

Midfielder Lavelle has brought a dose of trickery and silky-smooth passing, goalkeeper Abby Smith was up for the challenge, making four crucial saves, and Margaret Purce brought insane energy in the 26 minutes she grabbed in the second half. The backline of Megan Oyster, Julie King, Christen Westphal and Allysha Chapman had a bounce-back game after a rough week one in KC. This team showed serious potential and I think they could surprise many people this season if they can put in that kind of effort consistently.

 

PFA Awards Handed Out:

The Professional Footballers Association gave out its annual hardware on Sunday and plenty of big names were recognized in the women’s game. Commonly referred to as PFA, it is an England-based event and this year was no different. Three winners that stood out were Kelly Smith, Lucy Bronze, and Jess Carter.

Smith, who recently retired, was honored with the Special Achievement Award for her lifetime commitment to the game. She brought attention to England that no other had done before and she was an exceptional player throughout her long career. Another player honored was Bronze, who received the Player of the Year award, the first player to do so for consecutive years in the PFA’s 44 years of existence. Quite a remarkable notion and Bronze is deserving of it as her play for club and country have been so enjoyable to watch. The last woman to be honored was Jess Carter, who plays her club ball for Birmingham City LFC and was awarded the Young Player of the Year.

 

NWSL Championship Location Announced:

Get your plans in motion, your friends on notice, and your bank account ready. The 2017 NWSL Championship game will be played in Orlando, Florida at Orlando City Stadium. The date is set for Saturday, October 14th with the time to be determined. The brand-new stadium recently debuted and it can hold over 25k, which will surely be enough seats for the final.

The age-old question soon crept into my mind after it was announced, will this put more pressure on the Pride to do well and make it to the final in just their second season? To answer my own question, I don’t think it puts any added pressure that they don’t have on themselves for this season. They’ve got a talented roster with some key veterans (Ali Krieger, Laura Alleway, Ashlyn Harris) and young kids who can contribute (Danica Evans, Steph Catley, Chioma Ubogagu) and just added the world best player in Marta. They don’t need to worry about the NWSL championship just yet.

Around the World of WoSo: USSF Adds Policy, Plush Steps Down

Posted on by RJ Allen

Plush Steps Down:

Jeff Plush has announced he is formally steppeing down as the National Women’s Soccer League Commissioner. Plush has been in the role since January of 2015. In his tenure, he saw the league grown to 10 teams when the Orlando Pride entered in 2016. Plush also oversaw the sale of Western New York Flash and their re-brand to become the North Carolina Courage at the start of 2017.

Plush wasn’t as recognizable to many fans because he wasn’t in attendance as often as someone like myself might like. A few other commissioners around sports such as Adam Silver (NBA), and Lisa Borders (WNBA) are well-known for making a serious effort to not only attend playoffs and championship games, but regular season games as well.

Plush was in attendance at the 2016 NWSL Championship and helped complete the recent TV deal with Lifetime and A+E. This latest deal could be what many will remember him for, a historic TV partnership that will bring the NWSL into American homes every Saturday.

The search for a new commissioner has begun and I hope we find out soon who will lead the way for the NWSL’s fifth season – which begins April 15th.

 

USSF New Anthem Policy:

The United States Soccer Federation has introduced a new policy to that will apply to the National teams. This new policy states that:

“All persons representing a Federation national team shall stand respectfully during the playing of national anthems at any event in which the Federation is represented.”

In my personal opinion, this policy is completely unnecessary and undermines the player’s constitutional right to protest. This new policy seems to be a very dramatic and ridiculous reaction to USWNT midfielder Megan Rapinoe kneeling during the National anthem in a friendly September 15th of 2016. Rapinoe has said she did it to support Black Lives Matter, the movement that rose over the past few years to fight against racial inequality in America.

While U.S. Soccer made it clear that they didn’t agree with Rapinoe’s action when it happened, this addition to the bylaws seems to be sending a very strong statement to players thinking about wanting to protest in any slight way during the anthem. I do feel confused by this, because without protests how will the players, as citizens, express their desire for positive change and for the government to do the right thing by ALL citizens of this beautiful country?

ESPN The Magazine Senior writer Mina Kimes perhaps summed up my feelings perfectly when she tweeted out her opinions of the new policy:

Kimes, along with myself and many others, don’t agree with this new policy. Also, could this decision signal the end of Rapinoe’s national team career? Rapinoe has not been selected for National team duty since September 18th of last year. Time and future actions will certainly tell if the fate of Rapinoe with the USWNT is over for simply standing by what she believes in.

 

Rampone Honored:

One of the best players to ever grace the game of soccer in the history of the sport has officially retired from international play. 41-year-old USWNT legend Christie Rampone was honored Saturday before the game versus England in front of the crowd of 26,500 in Harrison, New Jersey at Red Bull Arena. In attendance to honor the trailblazer were familiar and former stars of the USWNT, Abby Wambach, Heather O’Reilly, and Nicole Barnhart.

To many women’s soccer fans–or soccer fans in general–Rampone is simply known as Captain America. The defender made her USWNT debut in 1997 and played her last minutes in 2015. And Rampone expressed the desire to make a bid for the 2016 Olympics had injury not hampered her fitness. The two-time World Cup Champion (1999, 2015) and three-time Olympic gold-medalist (2004, 2008, 2012) has certainly left her mark on the game. Rampone played in five FIFA World Cups, four Olympics, appeared 311 times for her country to become the second-most-capped player in US history, and managed to score four goals during her time.

I don’t think enough can be said about the last 99er. Rampone was composed, positive, regarded as a complete team leader and someone who embodied the national team spirit. She was one of the most incredible athletes I’ve ever seen compete at the highest level for that length of time. I’m absolutely honored to say I had the privilege of watching her play in person years ago and I will forever be proud to call her our Captain.

 

Lavelle Earns 1st Cap:

21-year-old Rose Lavelle has finally earned her first cap for the USWNT this past weekend in the #SheBelieves Cup. Starting against England, a team ranked fifth, Lavelle held her own. Even though the United States lost to England, she played well enough to also earn her first Player of the Match award.

The Cincinnati, Ohio native played all four years of college ball at the University of Wisconsin. She was selected number one overall in the 2017 NWSL College Draft by the Boston Breakers. Lavelle has shown plenty of promise and to see a small sample of what she is capable of on the National team is rewarding as a supporter.

 

Chastain and MacMillan HOF Confirmed:

Two more USWNT legends are being inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame on March 24th. The two women earning this honor are Brandi Chastain and Shannon MacMillan, who each spent 12 years on the National team.

Chastain made her debut in 1988 and concluded her career in 2004. She won two World Cups (1991, 1999) and two Olympic medals (1996, 2004), appearing in 192 games for the U.S. She is known for her left foot penalty shot that secured the USWNT’s second Women’s World Cup in 1999 and then taking off her shirt to celebrate. I witnessed that moment when I was eight and for me, it’s easily one of the most iconic moments in sports. Chastain now coaches at the University of Santa Clara.

MacMillan got her start in 1993 and ended her career in 2005 after appearing in 176 games and scoring 60 goals, good enough for ninth place in program history. MacMillan won the ’99 World Cup and Gold at the 1996 Olympic games. She was named U.S. Soccer’s Female Player of the Year in 2002. MacMillan is now in San Diego, where she is the director of club operations for the Del Mar Carmel Valley Sharks soccer club.

 

Sweden Women Aim To Inspire:

The Sweden Women’s National team is sporting a different look these days. The Swedish Football Association have initiated for the team to replace the names of players to instead have messages of empowerment. These messages are meant to be positive and to inspire all generation of women.

The Swedish players picked quotes from Swedish women, to show the power they hold, and to bring to light the National team at the same time. Some of the messages include: “To try is to be successful” (journalist Frida Soderlund); “Women want different things”(comedian Karin Adelskold); “I’m not bossy, I’m the boss” (author Nina Akestam); and “Never look down on someone unless it is to help her up” (politician Gudrun Schyman).

The latter message was chosen by Sweden’s captain Lotta Schelin, who expressed this in a statement recently: “It is great we can join forces with other strong women and together we can show that everything is possible.” She went on to say that “There is always a need to show young women it is possible to succeed, and that no one should feel limited in what they can achieve and particularly not because of their sex.”

I absolutely love this from the Swedish Federation and the team itself. I fully support this idea. I think everything Schelin mentioned is very important in a world where the glass ceiling does still exist. These kits have been worn during the Algarve Cup that takes place March 1st through March 8th.

She Believes: USWNT v France

Posted on by RJ Allen

The US will make their final 2017 She Believes appearance this evening, playing in a match against France. Coming out of the second round of games, France leads the table, with a 2-1 win over England and a 0-0 draw with Germany to earn them 4 points and a +1 goal differential. The US, on the other hand, earned 3 points with their 1-0 win over Germany but lost 1-0 to England on Sunday, leaving them vying for second place in the standings. At three points each and +0 goal differential, the US women and their English opponents are neck and neck, with Germany falling securely in last place with a single point.

Honestly?

I don’t know if anyone knows what to expect tonight. One could say that France has the momentum coming in, but they were unable to break down Germany and score to secure the win on Sunday. On the other hand, it could be said that the US has the upper hand, but they lost to England that same day, unable to defend against a last-second set piece from a desperate-to-score English squad. If there is a team on an upswing right now, it has to be England, who have a definite chance at the title if they win or draw against Germany this afternoon.

One thing is certain though, the US must win this match if they want the title. Regardless of what happens in the earlier match, if they simply draw the French, it will not be enough to see the Cup stay with the home team.

But a win against France will not be easy. Foremost, perhaps, France’s experienced players must be taken into consideration. With players like Le Sommer, Thiney, Bussaglia, Abily, and Georges—all likely see time on the pitch tonight—France has over 700 caps-worth of experience to call upon when they take the field. More than experience, however, the US needs to worry about 6’1″ centerback Wendie Renard, whose height and head could prove deadly in set-pieces in the box for the shorter American team.  On defense, too, Renard is a formidable opponent for the US’s attacking game, and as much as I hate to admit it, if the outcome of the game comes down to defense, France’s backline is stronger, better organized, and simply performing at a higher level than Jill Ellis’s experimental 3-back right now.

What can the US do to win? They’re going to need to be organized. The midfield needs to be locked down, taken in hand by someone with a Lauren Holiday or Shannon Boxx style of leadership—calm and steady. They need some stability, and time to build partnerships and chemistry. But right now, with players being swapped left and right and Ellis seemingly undecided on the shape she wants in that section of the pitch, the midfield looks antsy and uncertain of their strategic value. And maybe no one more than Carli Lloyd, who continues to play back even when her coach urges her to move forward.

The forwards will need to be faster, and the passes from the line or the midfield need to be made with surgical precision tonight, letting a fewer balls roll out of play than we’ve seen over the past two games. Whoever starts in an attacking position tonight needs to make cutting runs into the box, supported by powerful and accurate crosses from the wings. The kind of crosses Ali Krieger and Kelley O’Hara can send into the box in their sleep. I know Krieger has said recently that she likes the 3-back specifically because she can focus on defending, but honestly? The US needs her support in the attack, making those long sideline runs on the right to set up scoring opportunities for Press, for Pugh, for Williams, for whomever can cut into a scoring opportunity.

The ultimate question, of course, is whether the US can win against France tonight. And they can. It can be done. But they’re going to have to come out looking a hell of a lot different than we’ve seen over the past two matches. And that includes personnel as well. Ellis is shaking things up in her Starting XIs, that is undeniable, but is she shaking the right things?  Maybe it’s time for some players to sit down. Lloyd, Morgan, even Long, if you asked me. Because with the first two, the team plays to them specifically. The US plays a different type of soccer when Lloyd is on the field, or Morgan. They play soccer built around those players’ styles. And it’s not working anymore.

The best player of Saturday’s match was Rose Lavelle, earning her first cap and Player of the Match on the same night. Lavelle was a driving force against England, honestly, I’d take her over Allie Long anywhere on the pitch, any day of the week. (Yes, even at CB. Please don’t put Lavelle at CB.) The best player of the match before that? Lynn Williams, and no, not just because she scored the winning goal, but because she brings a kind of innovation to the field that is sorely needed.