THE TABLE IS SILLY, THE SEASON IS SILLY Turnabout is fair play in the NWSL. Seattle beats Sky Blue in a bonkers 5-4 match because of a stoppage time winner, Sky Blue beats Seattle in a bonkers 5-4 match with a goal in stoppage time too. Look, can we just agree now that all regular season matches between the two just be scoreless draws in 2018? It will save a lot of aggravation for everyone, physically and mentally.
And yes I still miss the sharp-dressed man, Christy Holly.
Looking at every team’s position over the course of the season, a couple thoughts.
That moment in the sun where the Houston Dash were in first place. Also let’s pour some out for Boston Breakers and their two-week run of being in the top four.
No surprise that Seattle and Sky Blue have been hanging around the 4 to 6 neighborhoods all season long. That final spot in the playoffs is going to come down to the final week, I think so buckle the hell up for one crazy ride.
If the Chicago Red Stars keep this fall and finish level on points with Seattle, they are going to rue that midweek loss against Seattle. They should have closed the game out and for Seattle, if they get into the playoffs, that milestone win against Chicago is going to look back as the win that saved their season.
It’s spectacular that Orlando spent a month at the bottom, have been subpar for most of the season and are right in the mix for playoff spot. I can certainly understand why Tom Sermanni has a good case for Coach of the Year considerations.
WEEK 18 PREDICTIONS Bottom line for this weekend’s predictions: nothing will get settled as far as painting a clearer picture of who is joining the North Carolina Courage in the NWSL Playoffs.
FC Kansas City OVER Orlando Pride.
The Fightin’ Vlatkos will continue their hot streak and jack up the road to the playoffs to make everyone think louder and stronger, “HMMM…. Could they?!”
Seattle Reign FC and Portland Thorns play to a DRAW.
A win gives either team their 50th in league history. Seattle needs it more than Portland does. For one weekend, both Seattle and Portland soccer teams on the NWSL and MLS will be in Seattle for big ol’ derpy rivalry weekend and yeah, the ladies will play to a draw. Seattle Reign FC fans will continue to live in anxiety as to if this team can claim a playoff spot with four games left to go.
Washington Spirit and Chicago Red Stars play to a DRAW.
Spirit get the lead and will carry the lead long enough to make us think yep Chicago is falling off the cliff but then will get some stoppage time equalizer and we’ll all go ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Boston Breakers OVER Sky Blue FC.
I hilariously called it right the first time at the start of the season and I’ll stick my neck out and say the Breakers do it again.
And honestly, with the forecast of Hurricane Harvey hitting land around Friday or Saturday, it’s probably fair to wonder if Houston Dash versus North Carolina Courage will even happen. Yes, the game is scheduled for Sunday. It’s hard to say at the time of writing this what the result of that match will be because we may not even get a match on Sunday. So for now, Houston Dash versus North Carolina Courage gets a ¯_(ツ)_/¯ prediction from me.
And here’s your tunes to send you into the weekend.
Sports media is a lot of things – inspiring, biased, challenging, thought provoking … I could go on. But every once in a while it is just plain repetitive. Case in point: Mallory Pugh. If you have watched a single match that Mallory Pugh has played in this season, whether it was for the Washington Spirit or for the U.S. Women’s National Team, I can pretty much guarantee that you heard about how the 19-year-old dropped out of UCLA to start her professional career before even playing a game for the Bruins. Sound familiar? Absolutely. And for some reason the media just cannot let go of this story line. I’ll be honest, I’m quite sick of it. And in my opinion, there is no longer a need for it.
So here it is – five reasons the media needs to find something else to talk about with regards to Mallory Pugh:
The Story’s Been Told
Sure, this story was pretty big when it came through. No one is denying that. But her decision to leave UCLA was made in April. It’s now August. How are we still having Lifetime pregame specials on this? Why does it have to be brought up by the commentators for every single match she has played in, both for club and country? The story keeps being told, but nothing is added to it. Day after day, match after match–by this point, the viewer could recite it themselves, it’s so overdone. Because after Mallory Pugh decided to begin her pro career that was it. That is the end of the story. It has nothing to build upon. But somehow, every week, the audience sits down in front of their TV or computer screen and are reminded for the fiftieth time that Pugh decided to leave college. And I know, at least for me, every time I care a little bit less.
She Made An Adult Decision
Part of the reason that the media can’t let this go is that Pugh is so young. Still in her teenage years but playing at the level of women in their athletic prime. And the media likes to slightly hint toward her potential naivety every time the narrative is told. Have you ever noticed how many times her age is commented on? I bet you will now. But the thing that everyone fails to notice is that the decision that she made, whether she was naive or not, was an adult decision. An adult decision that she couldn’t take back even if she wanted to. She chose what she wanted her career to be. She chose how she wanted to start it. Just like every other kid that goes to college and declares a major, or decides to enlist in the military, or drops out and decides that maybe trade school is a better fit for them. But no matter what, in all of those instances, including Pugh’s, an adult decision is made. And we never second-guess anyone else to the level that the media has seemed to second-guess Pugh. But thankfully, it doesn’t seem that Pugh has second-guessed herself, or her decision.
She Plays At A Professional Level
Along with her adult decision came adult consequences. If she was going to start her professional career then she was going to have to play at a professional level. And that is exactly what she did. And the fact that she knew with full confidence that she could succeed in doing so obviously helped her in deciding that this is was the right path for her. Mallory Pugh is better than what her NCAA competition would have been. Substantially better. It’s why she got to play with the USWNT at 17 years of age. It’s why backlines always keep an eye out for her when she is on the pitch. Because she is good. And if she keeps playing and progressing at the level that she has been then one day she will be great. She could even be the next gold standard for what U.S. Women’s Soccer should be. But somehow the media are still obsessed with the fact that she decided to leave a system that grooms players into professional athletes, to be the powerhouse professional athlete that she already was.
No One Else Is Talking About It
The media may drag this out for the rest of the season but the players and coaches could seem to care less. They do care that they now have to defender her, but her decision to leave college to go pro probably isn’t keeping them up at nights. And that seems to be the status quo around the league. They don’t comment on Pugh as this rebellious college dropout that has bit off more than she can chew. They regard her, and they prepare for her, as the threat that she is in the attacking half. But sadly, Pugh has to talk about it, because it seems to be the only thing she is questioned about these days. And she has handled it like a professional athlete too. She hasn’t given the media a sound bite they could exploit yet. But she has revealed that she spoke with Jill Ellis before making her decision. Ellis’ response–she would support Pugh’s decision no matter what. Wouldn’t it be nice if the media could do that too?
There Are So Many Other Stories
Mallory Pugh could one day be the best female player in the world. She is that good. So why aren’t we talking about that? There are so many things that could be written about her. She is such a dynamic player, and that is why the repetitiveness of this narrative so infuriating. The media isn’t on a shortage of material with regards to this woman. They could write a different story about her every day of the year and not hit a repeat. But still, soccer fans have to sit there, week after week (including international breaks), and hear about how 19-year-old Mallory Pugh decided to leave UCLA and begin her professional career.
This is the last that you will hear from me on this matter. Because ironically, this article defeats its own purpose. It talks about the one thing that it wishes wasn’t talked about. So I suppose this is more of a plea. A request that this be the end of this narrative. That we can close the book and put it back on the shelf, only to be revisited years from now when Pugh has been put her mark on the sport. And hopefully, if the U.S. fans are lucky enough, she will play the beautiful game in such a way that she begins her own narrative. One that she controls. And one that is just as dynamic as the player she is.
6 Takeaways from NWSL: Week 16 – Jordan Small, Alyssa Zajac, and Elizabeth Wawryzniak break down their takeaways from this week. Included are thoughts on Tyler Lussi, the Orlando Pride’s playoff potential run, plus much more.
We are getting a battle now for the fourth place spot for the playoffs and also seeing some top teams face some surprising defeats. Let’s dive in to this weekend’s games.
Game 1: North Carolina vs. Washington Spirit
North Carolina record: 12-5-0
Position: 1st
Total Points: 36
Washington Spirit record: 4-9-4
Position: 10th
Total Points: 16
The Courage have pulled five points away from the second place team coming into this weekend. They will look to build on that and continue to solidify their spot at the top. They’ve had some bumps along the way, but just keep pulling out wins, even if they are not so pretty. And it’s been a full team effort. The two players who did so much for them last year–Lynn Williams and Jessica McDonald–have really not done a lot this year. Instead, we’ve seen players like Sam Mewis stepping up. This week, with the Spirit struggling, the Courage should not have many issues. But as we have seen from recent games, the table only tells us so much. The Spirit may be in last, but the Courage will still need to be on top of their game. Look for Mewis to continue her hot streak.
The Spirit need work and time but their young players are settling in, and may be setting up for a decent 2018 season. This season, while they could end up playing spoiler, at this point there’s no realistic hope for the playoffs. Against the Courage they just need to focus on their basics. Expect to continue to see a solid shift from Steph Labbé, Mal Pugh to try to get herself on the scoreboard, and a defense led by Estelle Johnson to try to hold off the Courage attack.
Game 2: Boston Breakers vs. Orlando Pride
Boston Breakers record: 3-8-7
Position: 9th
Total Points: 16
Orlando Pride record: 7-6-5
Position: 5th
Total Points: 26
Boston has been bitten by the injury bug for several games now.
Beard postgame: Purce was playing w hamstring strain. Elby, Westphal won't be back for weeks. Chapman game to game. Lavelle still weeks out.
With several key players out, facing off against a red-hot Pride will be a test. They might still pull off a win, but the chances don’t look good. To get anything, they’ll need to stay organized on defense and find a way to split or shut down the Alex Morgan and Marta connection. Their attack has also been lacking, especially without someone spurring it from the midfield. Orlando will leave them some space to operate; the only question is whether they can find their way through the pockets.
Orlando is hitting its stride and from now to the end of the season, their biggest test will be themselves. They must remain consistent, and keep turning in solid performances. This week, the key is to take Boston seriously. On form, this one should be easy, but underestimate Boston and they can cause problems if Orlando takes the foot off of the pedal. The Pride attacking duo of Alex Morgan and Marta seems to be firing on all cylinders right now and they are looking dangerous. Both have 3 goals each in the last 2 games. The Pride defense, led by Ali Krieger, has also looked much better over this recent run, but has been shaky in the past. With the always vocal Ashlyn Harris back in goal, the Pride have to like their chances.
Game 3: Sky Blue FC vs. Seattle Reign
Sky Blue FC record: 7-9-2
Position: 6th
Total Points: 23
Seattle Reign record: 7-5-6
Position: 4th
Total Points: 27
This is the first match for Sky Blue since coach Christy Holly stepped down from the position. It will be tough going to rise up from the problems of the past month and push themselves back into playoff contention. Sam Kerr has saved the team many times this year, but couldn’t get much going against Orlando last week, but that is because no one was getting her the ball. The absence of Kelley O’Hara is a big part of that. They’ll need to sort out their distribution if they want to have a chance here. Christie Pearce has been a workhorse all season in the backline for Sky Blue, especially with such a young line set up around her. But she had some issues shutting down the Pride last week as she had very little help to do so. Sky Blue need to make some changes this week at home to try and right the ship against the Reign.
Seattle is coming in after a last minute comeback midweek against the Red Stars. They will also continue to be without Megan Rapinoe. They gritted out the win against Chicago but really did not look that great throughout the match. If not for a stand-out game for Haley Kopmeyer, there wouldn’t have been a chance of getting back into it in those final minutes. Seattle will need to shut down Sam Kerr; she is hungry to get her team back on track. They will also need to diversify their attack to deal with Rapinoe’s continued absence. While the Sky Blue defense has its struggles, the Reign will still have their hands full getting past the likes of Christie Pearce in the middle. A little creativity will go a long way here.
And if last match was any indication, this game may very well be another one for the books.
Game 4: Portland Thorns vs. Houston Dash
Portland Thorns record: 9-5-4
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 31
Houston Dash record: 7-9-2
Position: 7th
Total Points: 23
Portland had been riding a hot streak going into the midweek, but then suffered a surprising defeat to FC Kansas City. Which is another lesson to not underestimate any team in this league. They will look to bounce back against the Dash, who will be riding high after a great midweek performance of their own. The key for Portland is to get some more players involved in the run of play. With Allie Long back in the picture this week, they’ll look to bolster their passing game. But I would like to see more from players like Amandine Henry and Christine Sinclair. Additionally, Nadia Nadim has had limited minutes since coming back from the Euros; if she can get back up to playing a full 90, it would help the attack a lot.
When Carli Lloyd went down, many expected that it would be the death knell for their playoff push. But the team has set out to prove everyone (including me) wrong. Without Lloyd, they made a great showing during their midweek game, with other players step up to the plate, with Sarah Hagen scoring twice and Rachel Daly turning in one of her best performances in a while. It was against an injury-ravaged Boston side, which means it has to come with a grain of salt. But still, it was an indication. If the Dash can consistently put out this product, even without Lloyd, they still have a shot for that fourth spot. This week though, especially on the road at Portland, they will have a tough challenge.
Game 5: Chicago Red Stars vs. FC Kansas City
Chicago Red Stars record: 8-5-5
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 29
FC Kansas City record: 5-8-5
Position: 8th
Total Points: 20
The Red Stars have lost their last two games at home and will be looking to reverse course and get the much-needed three points from FCKC. Even with the recent difficulties, I do not think there is a whole lot to be concerned about with the Red Stars. They will have to take a look at their personnel, identify what is working and what’s not, and make a few adjustments. But the players are good and should pull through. Alyssa Naeher missed the game against Seattle (another USWNT player who picked up a knock at the Tournament of Nations…which is a conversation for another day) but hopefully will be back in goal soon.
Roy Dames in post game mentions that Dalton starting was a precaution for Naeher, started feeling groin injury with National Team #NWSL
Many of the Red Stars stalwarts did not look great against the Reign, including Christen Press. But one theme of the season is that when Press turns in a subpar performance she usually comes back that next week and grinds out a great one, so I fully expect to see her right back on her train and leading the Red Stars past FCKC. If Press is on this Sunday and we see the defense shift back to the starters, I think the Red Stars will be fine. Even with their 3 minute meltdown midweek, this defense is the best in the league and has enough to stifle the FCKC attack.
FCKC is coming into this weekend after a big win against the Thorns at home. After everyone had pretty much written them off, they turned on the jets the last two games, reminding us that they’ve still got some fighting spirit. They still have a lot of work to do and still need to figure out how to provide more help to Sydney Leroux, but they’ve done well to find alternate avenues for scoring–like those wonderful free kicks from Yael Averbuch–and are starting to look a little more like a classic FCKC team. The biggest test this weekend will be penetrating that Chicago defense. They’ll need to get service into their forwards, but also need players like Leroux and Shea Groom to come back to help build the attack. Look for FCKC to try and contain Christen Press as much as they can to keep Chicago off of the board early.
The Scouting Report:
We went live on Monday night with our weekly TSR and Thursday night with our recap of the midweek NWSL games. A reminder that you can catch TSR live every Monday night at 8pm EST on our YouTube channel. Make sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @ScoutingPodcast.
In case you missed the two episodes, catch up here:
I am going to miss Christy Holly. He was a sharp-dressed man and built something good with Sky Blue FC and I think was on the cusp of something great with them.
ON THE TYLER LUSSI SUSPENSION & MORE The NWSL DisCo’s decision to suspend Tyler Lussi of the Portland Thorns three matches and an undisclosed fine for pulling Chicago Red Stars’ Dani Colaprico last Saturday is fair. Tyler Lussi doesn’t have an ill-reputation, either as a rookie nor one from her college playing days. Could it have played a factor in say maybe she should have only received 2 matches? Probably, but the DisCo is at least consistent with making it loud and clear for everyone in the league – DO NOT PULL HAIR. Simple enough of a rule, right? That said, Tyler Lussi is not a dirty thug with anger issues. Merritt Mathias of the Seattle Reign FC is also not a dirty thug with anger issues, who also got suspended for three matches and an undisclosed fine for the same thing. Yes, shit just does happen on the field during the height of competition. No one is naive enough to think professional athletes are cordial for every single second of competition. There’s probably going to be another instance of this happening in the near future and yes we’ll all get angry about it. IT DOESN’T MEAN people can get on their social media and direct messages to the culprit and bully them about it. Empathy, kindness, respect. Look up what those words mean and try to live by their definitions. You just might enjoy the escapism of sports a little bit better that way.
The FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year top 10 nominees were released this week. – Lesson to the kids out there playing soccer: With hard work and persistence comes recognition of your contributions on the field, like elbowing people in the head. Just ask Carli Lloyd.
WEEK 19 PREDICTIONS Playoff races are fun.
North Carolina Courage OVER Washington Spirit
The Courage continue to pad their lead atop the table. Next.
Boston Breakers and Orlando Pride play to a DRAW
You read that right. Breakers hold the Pride to a draw and every Orland Pride fan will direct their special brand of Mad Online at me for calling it.
Seattle Reign FC OVER Sky Blue FC
The Reign just got rid of one bugaboo and finally won in Chicago. I think they got their mojo back from the win and will keep it going against a Sky Blue FC that who really knows which version of them shows up.
Portland Thorns OVER Houston Dash
Mark Parsons remembers he can make up to three substitutions and really losing to FC Kansas City was inexcusable and they’ll take it out on Houston.
Chicago Red Stars OVER FC Kansas City
They shouldn’t lose to a Kansas City team that’s going nowhere. If they lose this one, it’ll be time to wonder out loud (and some here on this site might write about it) if they’re running out of gas and won’t have enough to get to the playoffs. They’re the superior team on paper and should rebound to show it on the field too.
6 Takeaways from NWSL: Week 15 – Jordan Small, Luis Hernandez, and Elizabeth Wawrzyniak break down their takeaways from week 15 including a tide change in international competition, the youth movement of the Spirit, the final NWSL playoff spot plus much more.
As the NWSL season gets closer to the playoffs, we are seeing some distance between the top 3 and bottom 3, but movement in the middle. Let’s take a look at the upcoming games for the weekend.
Game 1: Washington Spirit vs. Boston Breakers
Washington Spirit record: 4-9-3
Position: 9th
Total Points: 15
Boston Breakers record: 3-7-6
Position: 8th
Total Points: 15
The Spirit are finally back at home after playing two games on the road and are looking to salvage the rest of their season. After a tough offseason, this is about where they were expected to end up, but they certainly won’t be satisfied and will want to tighten things up to close out the year. Their defense was in shambles against Orlando earlier this week so that will be the biggest thing to figure out with this quick turnaround. I don’t see a reason why their captain, Shelina Zadorsky, has been stuck on the bench. If she really has been worse in training than Kallman and Church, then the Spirit have bigger problems than we even knew.
Boston will be looking to pull out a win on the road and start another uptick in their season. They showed some good signs last week with a draw against FCKC but will need to get production from a broader range of players–last week it was pretty much Rosie White or bust–if they want to get more out of this match. If they can improve the attack, they should be able to get behind the Spirit backline, and hopefully, find some chances to finish.
Game 2: Orlando Pride vs. Sky Blue FC
Orlando Pride record: 6-6-5
Position: 5th
Total Points: 23
Sky Blue FC record: 7-8-2
Position: 6th
Total Points: 23
The Pride are in must-win mode as they try to recover from a slow start and grab that fourth spot in the playoffs. They are coming off a dominating win against the Spirit and need to carry that momentum into this game. There weren’t major defensive problems against the Spirit midweek, but the floating right back position has caused distress, and with Sam Kerr back, they’ll need to get everything they’ve got to shut her down. Kristen Edmonds has been a liability for the Pride most of the season and if she can’t get her turnover ratio under control, Sky Blue will exploit it. The Pride attack, however, has seemed to find their groove, with Alex Morgan coming back into form and Marta staying on the top of her game. They’ll be facing a defense that has conceded the most goals in the league, and with their attack options ready, they should find the back of the net.
Last week, Sky Blue was missing Sam Kerr (and Kelley O’Hara) and we saw a lot of cracks in their game. They’ve rescued plenty of results this year, thanks to some late match magic from Sam Kerr, but what is there to this team if she’s not around? She will be back this time, but they need to figure out the rest of the team and how they play because depending on Kerr can only get you so far. The defense is in trouble, and I’d like to see some changes. They’ve got injury problems, but what they’re doing now isn’t working and needs some tweaks. The big question marks this week will be the injury statuses of Kailen Sheridan, who was clearly in pain toward the end of the last game, and Kelley O’Hara, whose status has not been updated since the Tournament of Nations. If Kerr can get loose against the Pride and the defense can hold the strong Pride attack, we should be in for one exciting game.
Game 3: Chicago Red Stars vs. Portland Thorns
Chicago Red Stars record: 8-3-5
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 29
Portland Thorns record: 8-4-4
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 28
The top three are quite compacted right now and so this is a must-win game for Chicago to hold on to that 2nd place spot. They should have all of their usual starters back after resting some of them last week against Orlando. With Sofia Huerta reminding people that she can score goals, expect to see even more link up between her and Christen Press this week against Portland. Chicago has a lot of luck at home and with probably the strongest defense in the league, they’ll like their chances of shutting Portland down. As long as Press or Huerta can get in behind, they should see success.
Portland is starting to come into their game, after quite a few struggles over the season. For a while, it seemed like they were just waiting for Tobin Heath to return. But as that looks increasingly less likely, they’ve finally started to make adjustments and pulled themselves back up toward relative playoff safety. Christine Sinclair has come into herself a bit more in the last few games, and that will need to continue if Portland wants to keep this run going. Nadia Nadim should also be back from the Euros, which will give the attack an extra boost. Overall, it will be hard to beat Chicago at home, but if they can shut down Press or Huerta, they may have a fighting chance.
Game 4: Houston Dash vs. FC Kansas City
Houston Dash record: 6-8-2
Position: 7th
Total Points: 20
FC Kansas City record: 3-8-5
Position: 10th
Total Points: 14
The Dash are back at home and ready to face FCKC after a disappointing result against Portland. The Dash struggled with their formation and had trouble making anything of the few chances they did create. Their sub choices also left a bit to be desired. FCKC is struggling, so this is a prime opportunity for the Dash. But in this league, anything can happen on a given week. Sometimes the Dash are their own biggest enemies, so if they can put some shots on frame, they will give themselves a good chance to pick up some points.
I feel at this point I am spinning a broken record with FCKC but they just do not seem to be able to figure it out. Sydney Leroux is not the pure scorer/striker they need, and they don’t seem to have any other solutions available. My colleague Jacob Cristobal has a piece on the coaching situation this week. It’s been a tough year, but KC just need to try to finish out the season on a positive note. Despite their struggles, they do have most of the pieces. If they can just figure out how to fill some of the void of Amy Rodriguez, there’s room to build.
Game 5: Seattle Reign vs. NC Courage
Seattle Reign record: 6-4-6
Position: 4th
Total Points: 24
NC Courage record: 11-5-0
Position: 1st
Total Points: 33
This is a back-to-back matchup. Last time, the Reign fell 1-0 away. This time, they’ll like their chances better–at home and with both Megan Rapinoe and Jess Fishlock (seriously, can I get her healing regimen? Because my goodness …) for the first time in a couple months. Their difficulties on the road may well cost them a playoff spot, so they’ll need to be even better than usual at home to compensate. This week, with Rapinoe working back into the fold, they will need to find a way to get past the Courage defense. If Rapinoe is shut down, they will need to find another option to get into the attack. Seattle are pushing for that playoff spot but will need consistency across the weeks to make that happen.
The Courage will be looking to continue their reign at the top of the table. That may be tough since they’ll be coming off of short rest after the makeup game Thursday night, but if any team has the fitness to handle that run, it’s NC. Plus, unlike last weekend, this time they’ll have an in-form Rapinoe to deal with. The Courage attack has gotten the job done this year but needs a bit of a kickstart. Lynn Williams has been relatively quiet this season (at least compared to her performance in 2016) but was the difference maker last match. If they can ramp their attack and keep Rapinoe at bay, we should see another hard-fought game.
The Scouting Report:
We went live on Monday night with our weekly TSR and Sunday night with our USA vs. Japan recap. A reminder that you can catch TSR live every Monday night at 8pm EST on our YouTube channel. Make sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @ScoutingPodcast.
In case you missed the two episodes, catch up here:
UNPOPULAR… BUT SURELY A PROVOCATIVE OPINION Most of the time I look past whenever people are playing the occasional hashtag game on Twitter. However taking part in #ConfessYourUnpopularOpinion, our very own fearless leader RJ Allen tweeted something that sure was provocative.
Full disclosure, what I am about to say here is based on limited knowledge about the team as in I don’t have day-to-day access/insights to them, what their fans are saying, etc. And while their biggest victories came at the expense of the team I am a fan of, I am very much a fan of Vlatko Andonovski. That said …
I disagree with the idea Andonovski should be dismissed after this season, but I sure see why RJ thinks he should be. And likely others are thinking the same thing but don’t want to admit to it. It has been a problem for them to find a solid goal scorer not named Amy Rodriguez. Unfortunately, the cruel bastards that are the Soccer Gods deprived us (and them) of her, and now FCKC can’t score for the life of them. You might be saying: well, it’s on the coach to adjust his plan to handle the situation dealt, but it’s really easier said than done.
Look at the Seattle Reign FC last year. Simply put, teams figured out how to play against Seattle. And it took Laura Harvey and the squad pretty much the entire season to come up with something new. In fact, they’re still in the midst of that process. The 2017 NWSL has no room for error and will not hesitate to punish a team that’s still looking to make adjustment. For Kansas City, the strike force going into the year looked good. But once Rodriguez went down, it’s been rough going. Sydney Leroux’s successful comeback from 2016 was reliant on Amy Rodriguez doing her thing. Can’t count on Shea Groom, when she is being chief instigator more than the chief creator. And Brittany Ratcliffe and Maegan Kelly are fine players, but they’re still wet behind the ears as far as getting comfortable with the pace of the NWSL. Kelly played two seasons overseas after being drafted by KC in 2014 and Ratcliffe is only in her second season as a pro.
I remember when FCKC were up here in Seattle a couple months ago. It was the game where Reign defender Lauren Barnes was issued the straight red four minutes in. Kansas City should have won that match, being up a player the whole game. But they couldn’t get it done. After the game, Andonovski said that it was just too risky to go all in on Seattle, even with the player advantage, knowing how tough they are at Memorial Stadium. No one is going to dispute that, given Andonovski’s prestige in the league.
But even without a full assault, they had plenty of chances. They just couldn’t do anything with them. Largely because, of all things, they kept sending crosses into the box hoping, apparently, that Leroux had suddenly become a target forward who could get a head on the ball. But if Leroux was ever that player, she sure isn’t now. And there was no way Shea Groom was going to bail her out when she basically had her right arm in a 90-degree angle all match. A friend post-match was wondering the same thing: “Why are they sending crosses into the box like Syd can get to them? They blew this game.”
We know Kansas City has a solid defense, with Becky Sauerbrunn there and Nicole Barnhart in goal. They just can’t score, and it’s upsetting the whole balance of the team. Still, I don’t think it warrants Andonovski getting his walking papers at the end of the season. Maybe it’s a silly thing, but I think winning your league’s championship puts some credit in the bank, and it takes more than one lost season to squander it. Yes, a playoff format means that the NWSL functions a bit like a Random Champion Generator, but still … winning two in a row is some feat.
In 2017 FCKC won’t be making the playoffs. Once the season is put to rest, we’ll all look back and wonder “what could have been?” If Rodriguez didn’t tear her ACL and if the team could have built around her. Would Leroux have looked better in her more natural role? Would Groom have been able to play off the other two more easily?
Andonovski certainly won’t try to shift the blame. He’ll tell you that the bad results are his responsibility. But I think his resume is solid enough that he deserves some benefit of the doubt. Maybe there were some mistakes, and maybe they shouldn’t have relied so heavily on Rodriguez. Maybe they missed out on an international signing or a trade that could have turned the ship around earlier. But that’s all speculation. What we know from the record is the Vlatko put in an earnest effort, and sometimes things go wrong. A big injury to a key player can ruin a season. But he deserves a chance to show what he can do in the offseason.
So, while I don’t think Vlatko Andonovski should lose his job at the end of this season, the seat will definitely be hot come 2018. Not like the dead man walking situation of former Houston Dash head coach Randy Waldrum this season, but plenty of eyes will be on Andonovski to show that those championships were for real. For me, I think the key is to get a forward with a proven resume of goals at the club and international level to compliment Rodriguez. Get that done, and FC Kansas City is back in the mix come 2018. Imagine if Kansas City pulled a coup and got someone like Jodie Taylor fresh off her Golden Boot-winning campaign from the Euros.
Is it guaranteed that Andonovski will turn it around? Nope. And will he definitely get the chance? Maybe not. Perhaps the KC ownership will make a change. That would be a little unfair, but it wouldn’t be the end of the world. He certainly wouldn’t be unemployed for long. And if it did happen, at least there would be some chaos in the game, which is only more fun for us media folks–from the fully established folks all the way to yokel bloggers like me.
What RJ tweeted probably is incredibly unpopular, and I disagreed with it, but I also understand why she thinks it. And disagreeing about contentious things is ultimately what this thing is all about, right?
WEEK 16 PREDICTIONS
The race for the playoffs is on.
Washington Spirit and Boston Breakers play to a DRAW.
Washington clowned Sky Blue last weekend. Orlando clowned Washington on Tuesday. Boston is rested but they’re still Boston. I still think Boston can jack up one of the teams hoping to get into the playoffs, but this weekend it’s going to be a meh match between these two.
Sky Blue FC and Orlando Pride play to a DRAW.
I think should there be a winner and a loser in this, yet I struggle to think which team could get the full 3 points. Orlando has momentum after taking care of Washington. At the same time, Sky Blue got humiliated by Washington last weekend and wants get that out of their system. If anyone does lose, their campaign is close to over, so there might be a lot of fear about getting that L and falling out of contention. So I’m going to be lame and say it will be a draw, with both teams taking the point and struggling on to the next battle.
Chicago Red Stars OVER Portland Thorns.
One Chicago player who wore the number 23 made mincemeat pie out of a Portland team so many years ago. I think the current Chicago player wearing the number 23 will do much the same this time.
Houston Dash and FC Kansas City play to a DRAW.
This is a game that the Dash should win because KC is bad and can’t score to save themselves, yet they’ll somehow hang with Houston and the Dash will rue not getting the full points.
Seattle Reign FC OVER North Carolina Courage.
It won’t be a fireworks spectacle like the last Reign FC home match, but they’ll get the points to keep their playoff hopes alive. Memorial is still a fortress. It’s the road games that will make or break Seattle’s season.
As I write this, the Pacific Northwest is in the middle of a crazy heat wave. It’s hot in the room I am typing this and my brain has melted.
NWSL ALL-STAR GAME? SURE WHY NOT I just finished watching the 2017 MLS All-Star Game in which the league’s best players took on Real Madrid – maybe you’ve heard of that upstart team from Spain. Yes, the game had the significance of navel lint and I’m sure I could have spent the time better continuing watching GLOW or something. However, it did give thought to maybe someday the NWSL could have an All-Star Game.
I recall asking Megan Rapinoe about the idea for the league to have one after the Reign picked up the win in a bonkers, nine-goal game against Sky Blue FC before the league went on international break. She said she’d like the league to have it and yeah, who wouldn’t? Of course, entertaining the idea of an All-Star Game is a really, REALLY long ways away. There are so many other things the league needs to do in terms of ensuring sustainability, we know this. But let’s say in the distant future, if/when the conditions are met, how could a NWSL All-Star Game look like?
There have been some suggestions that it could be the best of the NWSL taking on a women’s club team from Europe, much like the format the MLS has. It’s not a bad idea. Another suggestion is NWSL East versus NWSL West. Again, not a bad idea. I’m sure what I’m about to say is not an original idea as I’m sure it’s been proposed on Twitter or (shudders) the black hole of WoSo fandom, Tumblr, but what about one team made up of NWSL players from the United States, Canada, and Mexico versus NWSL players from the rest of the world. Being that the league started off with the federations of Canada, Mexico, and the United States – there’s enough talent there to field a starting eleven with adequate subs. Then with the NWSL Internationals, I think we can safely assume that by the time anything All-Star Game related is actually materialized, the league will have grown and be sustainable enough that there are just as many international players in the league as there are from North America. Schedule it around a mid-season FIFA break and in addition to the game, you can have NWSL Skills competition like a free kick competition, have fans vote for say team captains or the final roster spots for each team, and make it a day or weekend of festivities. It could work, right?
So, NWSL North America versus NWSL International. Thoughts?
WEEK 15 PREDICTIONS I’m glad the break is over and the league resumes. Here are this weekend’s predictions.
Boston Breakers OVER FC Kansas City. I don’t know if the break has given Vlatko Andonovski the time to come up with something new so the ball gets to Sydney Leroux or Shea Groom and they’re actually putting shots on target. That’s Kansas City’s problem and I have my doubts they can find the trick. I said before that Boston is going to be a problem for some teams as the push for the playoffs heats up and I think a win here starts that momentum that enables them to look at the playoff contenders with bad intentions.
Sky Blue FC OVER Washington Spirit. Sky Blue will look to avenge that bonkers game against Seattle before the break, and they will take it out on Washington.
Portland Thorns FC and Houston Dash play to a DRAW. I have no idea if moving the kick-off time will play an advantage to either side. The extreme heat that’s blanketing the Pacific Northwest is going to result in a game where everyone moves like wet sponges.
North Carolina Courage OVER Seattle Reign FC. I’d like to be proven wrong in that Seattle will pick up a major win on the road with this one given North Carolina will have the make-up game against FC Kansas City after this before they travel to Seattle for the return leg of this series the following weekend. That said, the side that’s hosting does not lose in this league. Also, who knows if this one will kick-off on time.
Chicago Red Stars OVER Orlando Pride. Last time I said Chicago Red Stars would do good and win, Christen Press claimed a brace. So clearly she saw my predictions and went, “I like the cut of this guy’s jib.” Red Stars keep their hold at the top of the table.
It’s hard to be the Washington Spirit currently. They haven’t won a match on the road all season, they can’t seem to find their rhythm, and they are currently sitting at the bottom of the table. So their matches aren’t much of a competition, right?
Wrong. The Washington Spirit are a lot better than the statistics and their record give them credit for. They have the talent and the skillset to shake up the top of the table, and they absolutely have the power to bring down the giants of the league. Here are the five reasons they can:
Mallory Pugh
Obviously, 19-year-old Mallory Pugh is at the top of this list. The U.S. Women’s National Team player is an amazing playmaker on and off ball, and she is someone that every team has to prepare to play against. Her ball handling has the ability to slice through backlines, and her stutter step is quite possibly the best in the league – she’s stagnant one moment, and ten feet behind you the next. But the other reason that Mallory Pugh creates what can seem like insurmountable problems for other teams is that she draws attention to herself. And with that attention comes defenders. When she is inside the box she regularly pulls multiple opponents to combat her threat, which creates open spaces for other players, such as Estefania Banini, to slip in and make a game-changing play. So what is a back line left to do? Make a hard choice.
Attacking Style
The Spirit has an offensive style that has the potential to do a lot of damage if they can begin to capitalize on their scoring chances. It is the quick movement through short, one-touch passes that doesn’t seem to be too hard to handle at first, but throughout the game can become very tiring for backlines. This team doesn’t necessarily always look to make large cross-field passes, but instead builds their offense up, working in triangles to create shifts within the defense. As the game wears on these movements don’t seem too threatening, but as legs begin to get tired and sluggish, more space gets created and more chances begin to present themselves for the Spirit. It is the kind of offensive style that forces a lot of focus from the defense in order to continue to close out attackers around the box. It’s also the type of offense that can bring down an opposing team rather quickly when it is working effectively.
Stephanie Labbé
The Washington Spirit have an amazing goalkeeper in Stephanie Labbé. In fact, she might be the best technical goalkeeper in the game right now. Sure, she doesn’t have the flash of an Adrianna Franch or a Kailen Sheridan, but she is a steady keeper. And she makes amazing saves. She is pretty much a staple for NWSL Save of the Week nominees. But a lot of time the Canadian National Team player isn’t given the credit she deserves for the work she puts in. And part of that is because she is so good at her job – she makes it look easy. And she isn’t loud or overbearing. She doesn’t scream at her backline or let her emotions get the better of her. She keeps Washington in the game, even when they are losing. Her abilities in goal have helped to keep the Spirit competitive, and for that reason alone, the opposing team can never count on a win when facing them.
They’re Camping Out at the Bottom of the Table
Soccer can be just as much a mental game as it is a physical one. And that is why having the Washington Spirit sitting at the bottom of the table could be the cause of broken hearts at the top of it. Because when you are the worst team in the league there will always be a team that underestimates you. But, with the exception of their 6-2 loss to the Seattle Reign in May, the Spirit’s losses haven’t been blowouts. In fact, every other loss has only been by a single goal. That’s only one conversion of a shot on target. Those aren’t huge losses. But to look at their record, a team wouldn’t think that. Some teams may even think they had it in the bag. So they relax….and then they lose. Because the Spirit aren’t a bad team. Not by a long shot. They have just had some unlucky breaks and need some polishing on their finishes. So this is my warning to the top of the table – don’t sit back on the Spirit.
They’ve Already Done It
Let’s look at some of the giants they have already slain this season. How about the Portland Thorns? That team is made of superstars and the Washington Spirit scored early and held them off the rest of the match. Their game against Sky Blue FC was a hard-fought 4-3 victory where the Spirit never gave up their lead. Or how about the fact that they tied the Red Stars? I would argue that Chicago is the strongest team in the league currently, and they couldn’t even find a way to beat the Spirit. Couple that with two more draws against the Orlando Pride, which are definitely on the climb with Alex Morgan back from Lyon, and you have a pretty solid showing from the Washington Spirit against some pretty big rosters.
So, yes, the Washington Spirit may be hanging out near the bottom of the table, but that does not mean that they are meant to be there. They are by no means a team to pity or a team to undervalue. They have a lot of advantages going their way and they are a team that will find their pace and rhythm. So don’t count them out before they even take the field. They are not a team to joke about or write off.
The Curse of California – RJ Allen interviewed Raquel Rodriguez. She talked about her time with Sky Blue, the Costa Rica National Team, plus much more.
We have arrived at week 14 of the NWSL and the last week of matches before a break for the USWNT Tournament of Nations with Japan, Australia, and Brazil all participating. Let’s dive into some previews.
Game 1: Chicago Red Stars vs. Orlando Pride
Chicago Red Stars record: 7-3-4
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 25
Orlando Pride record: 5-5-4
Position: 6th
Total Points: 19
The Red Stars are finally playing a game at home after coming off a last-minute draw against Sky Blue last week. They will be looking to shut down the Pride attack that came alive last week against FCKC. Chicago, for all of its efforts, is still struggling to finish their chances as well even with the play of Christen Press and Sofia Huerta this season. If Chicago can keep stringing passes together and start to make something of their chances, Orlando may be in trouble.
Orlando is coming into this game hoping for a much-needed, big win on the road against Chicago. The attack came alive last week, with four different players scoring the four goals. However, Orlando’s biggest problem all season has been staying consistent. If they can stay consistent, bring numbers forward, and make sure their chances are being finished, we should see a very good game. Their biggest threat from Chicago will be two-fold. One, figuring out a way to slip past the Chicago defense, who don’t leave much room for breakaways. Two, making sure, again, the attack is not stifled and making scoring opportunities happen.
Game 2: FC Kansas City vs. North Carolina Courage
FC Kansas City record: 3-7-4
Position: 9th
Total Points: 13
North Carolina Courage record: 9-5-0
Position: 1st
Total Points: 27
FCKC is struggling this season. There is unfortunately just no other way to say that. They have a lot of talent but are missing a few very key players whose voids have not been filled. For all of the struggles, the team has remained positive but the mental game has been quite strong. Sydney Leroux is still not being used in ways that best suit her game, which is a big part of why they may be floundering on that front. They will have their hands full this week against a very tough Courage attack. The biggest test at home will be if their defense is up to the task.
North Carolina is coming into the week still at number one. Will anyone knock them off of the pedestal? Even though they are playing FCKC this week, the parity of this league has reared its head on more than one occasion this season, so anything can happen. They will be best suited to continue their strong wave of attack, making sure to keep up the pressure against FCKC’s backline, and challenge Nicole Barnhart as much as possible.
Game 3: Houston Dash vs. Boston Breakers
Houston Dash record: 5-7-2
Position: 7th
Total Points: 17
Boston Breakers record: 3-6-5
Position: 8th
Total Points: 14
The Dash are coming in on a streak and I think it’s sufficient to say that the presence of Carli Lloyd and their renewed faith in their play have both contributed to that. I am of the belief that interim Head Coach Omar Morales does not have a whole lot to do with that, but rather playing a consistent starting line-up has helped a lot. This week against a Breakers side–who are also stringing a few more things together–the Dash will need to remain consistent. This will include preventing silly giveaways but also making sure the defense is on point.
The Breakers are looking to tally a few more positive results together to get themselves on a run too. With Houston, their thing will be to find a way to score. Sounds easy enough, but Boston is having trouble making that happen, especially since Rose Lavelle went out. The Breakers will have their hands full with Carli Lloyd back in the mix but will also have Allysha Chapman back from suspension as well, who has been an asset for them this season.
Game 4: Seattle Reign vs. Sky Blue FC
Seattle Reign record: 5-3-6
Position: 5th
Total Points: 21
Sky Blue FC record: 7-6-2
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 23
Seattle has been one of the bigger head scratchers of this season for me, points and playing wise. One week, they seem to be on a tear, and then the next, they weaknesses predicted at the beginning of the season rear their ugly head. My co-worker, Charles Olney wrote a great piece about this struggle this week. Facing a Sky Blue team with Sam Kerr in the form she is in, is no easy feat. Their job is to find a way to contain Kerr and not let her produce some late match magic. Megan Rapinoe also had a quiet game last week and with Jess Fishlock out for the foreseeable future, there is even more pressure for her to be on her game.
Sky Blue is the team of late-match magic this season. They have been inconsistent in stretches and then seem to come back at the very last-minute and put games away. Their defense without Mandy Freeman and some other key players has been struggling a lot this season and if Seattle can capitalize on that, they will be in trouble. While Sky Blue has many different pieces, without Sam Kerr, I believe we would be looking at a much different team right now as she has been the one to usually save the game in the end.
Game 5: Portland Thorns vs. Washington Spirit
Portland Thorns record: 6-4-4
Position: 4th
Total Points: 22
Washington Spirit record: 3-7-3
Position: 10th
Total Points: 12
Portland, while pulling out a big win against the table leaders last week at home, still seem to be having trouble just figuring out what it is they want to do as a team. Chemistry on a team that has not seen a lot of turnover plus lack of play from some big names is a bit concerning. Christine Sinclair, for all of her international prowess, has been almost non-existent for the team and Adrianna Franch’s distribution issues and weaknesses are starting to be brought more into the light. But somehow, for the most part, they keep etching out wins. They may not have too much trouble this week against a struggling Spirit side, but ultimately, it may be their own lack of chemistry and togetherness that sees the Spirit potentially pull one out on the road.
The Spirit are at the bottom of the table, seemingly struggling from injuries but also from the predicted outcomes from the beginning of the season. They have some of the pieces capable of turning it around but with Franny Ordega out, their attack has taken another big hit. The Spirit are in desperate need of a turnaround and I am not sure on the road against Portland will do them any favors in that regard. However, if they can just keep their head down and high pressure up against a Portland side that is also struggling with consistency, they might have a chance. Ultimately, the Spirit will need a big game from Mal Pugh and will rely on consistency from core players, Estelle Johnson in the back, Steph Labbé in-goal, and Tori Huster in the midfield.
The Scouting Report:
We went live on Monday night with our weekly TSR. A reminder that you can catch TSR live every Monday night at 8pm EST on our YouTube channel. Make sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @ScoutingPodcast.
In case you missed this week’s episode, catch up here:
THE TABLE IS SILLY, THE SEASON IS SILLY
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I am going to miss Christy Holly. He was a sharp-dressed man and built something good with Sky Blue FC and I think was on the cusp of something great with them.
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Leanne Keator made the trip down to Orlando to take in the Washington Spirit vs Orlando Pride game. Here are her photos.
Backline Soccer Archive 