Tag: Washington Spirit

The Unused Sub: More Than A Feeling With Boston

Posted on by RJ Allen

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chicago Red Stars OVER Orlando Pride

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

North Carolina Courage OVER FC Kansas City

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

Houston Dash and Boston Breakers play to a DRAW

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

Seattle Reign FC OVER Sky Blue FC

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

Portland Thorns FC OVER Washington Spirit

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

And here is your music video break.

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

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Week 13

Posted on by RJ Allen

Backline Soccer Recap:

Quick Fire Week 13 Game Previews:

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

Game 1: Portland Thorns vs. North Carolina Courage

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

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

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

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

Game 2: Sky Blue FC vs. Chicago Red Stars

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

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

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

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

Game 3: Orlando Pride vs. FC Kansas City

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

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

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

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

Game 4: Houston Dash vs. Washington Spirit

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

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

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

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

Game 5: Seattle Reign vs. Boston Breakers

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

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

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

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

The Scouting Report:

We went live on Monday night with our weekly TSR. A reminder that you can catch TSR live every Monday night at 8pm EST on our YouTube channel. Make sure to follow the podcast on Twitter @ScoutingPodcast.

In case you missed this week’s episode, catch up here:

6 Takeaways from NWSL: Week 12

Posted on by RJ Allen

Well, faithful followers, it has been quite the week in WoSo, hasn’t it? From the nail-biting 12-minute score-a-thon from Sam Kerr to Carli Lloyd’s “You think that’s a red card, I’ll show you a red card” last minute send-off on Saturday night, our heart rates are still not quite back to normal.

But, the excitement only fuels our fingers, folks! We’ve got six takeaways from this weekend to share with y’all.

The Legacy of Tony DiCicco – Luis Hernandez

As the Boston Breakers hosted the Chicago Red Stars, the club also paid homage to Tony DiCicco, the team’s former coach from 2009 to 2011 in Women’s Professional Soccer, the pro league prior to NWSL. The passing of DiCicco touched off a series of in memoriam moments in the women’s soccer community as many remembered how he led the 1999 Women’s National Team to victory in the World Cup. But Coach DiCicco’s impact to the sport and WoSo family was more than this achievement. Honoring him at the national and club levels not only honors his memory, but also introduces and educates new fans of women’s soccer.

The history of women’s soccer is rich and goes back a lot further than casual fans realize. As people retell the legacy of Tony Dicicco and are exposed to his impact at the club level, I hope it also fosters an appreciation for the role he played in the larger tradition in the sport as well. His life touched the lives of so many players, and they in turned touched and inspired so many of today’s players and fans.  His legacy will truly endure.

His legacy will truly endure.

 

Exciting Draws is More than Just Parity – Luis Hernandez

Three of the five matches this past weekend ended in a draw, but they were anything other than a dull watch. Starting last Friday, the Breakers, perhaps inspired by the previously mentioned DiCicco memorial, managed to hang on for dear life at home to preserve the nil-nil draw against Chicago with Sammy Jo Prudhomme starting in goal. The tension grew the whole match, as Matt Beard’s side fought off the Red Stars peppering the Boston defense with ten shots on goal. The Breakers defense bent at times, but it did not break, and it rode out the waves of Chicago attack. This was not a case of parity in the league, just the resilient effort of a team refusing to lose for one night.

Meanwhile, on Saturday the Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit drew 2-2 in another entertaining showdown. Both sides felt hard done by the referee, and even though that storyline risked overshadowing the final result, it seems like the points being shared by both sides was the right outcome. Watching Marta playing this season has been a joy and her impact–and leadership out of the other Orlando players–has taken the Pride to better results than last season. And it seems like the Spirit have rebounded from the negativity of the offseason, adding Mallory Pugh and bringing back Estefania Banini to the fold. Once Washington’s attack gels, the rest of the league may have to watch out. Plus, Pugh’s development is exactly the result U.S. Soccer hoped for when backing the league. Just throw each team’s record out the window, it’s going to be entertainment at its finest.

Finally, the week ended in a dramatic style with Houston versus Portland. Dramatic might actually be an understatement. Houston scored early as Janine Beckie, the Canadian International, finally got on the score sheet, the Thorns equalized with a skillful free kick from Lindsey Horan. Throw in the straight red card to Carli Lloyd and the post-game conflict between Allie Long and Meghan Klingenberg, and this match was definitely worth the price of admission. Watching both teams clawing for a result makes every match must watch television. These results are good for the league.

 

Red is the New Blues – Elizabeth Wawrzyniak

Halfway into the season, and FCKC leads the league in red cards. They’ve accumulated three of the seven reds shown by refs; no other team has received more than one. That’s three red cards in just twelve games.  Across their four preceding seasons, FCKC has only ever had two players ejected with a red: Lauren Sesselmann in 2013 for pulling Lisa De Vanna down by her jersey in the box, and Shea Groom in 2016 for picking up two yellows in a game against the Thorns.

So, why are they so red-heavy this season?

You can argue back and forth all you want about whether the cards were deserved or not, whether the refs are shit or not, but the fact is, KC has racked them up this year. Because they are frustrated. Because they are better than 8th place.

This was supposed to be a comeback season for the two-time league champions. Instead, they lost Amy Rodriguez in the opening match, they’ve struggled to win whether at home or away, and once again, playoff chances are seeming further and farther out of reach. The team’s frustration–and Groom’s in particular, after a season that’s kind of used her as a punching bag so far–is coming out in their play.

Sure, it’s not an excuse, but you can kind of understand it.

If they want to make a play for the post-season, though, it’ll have to be fast. Time is quickly running out. And, they’ll need to tighten up their play and keep their frustration a little better in check on the field.

Because let’s be honest, we all know that FCKC is better than 8th place. They have the talent, they have the experience. But what they might be lacking at the moment is the mentality.

They need to not let their circumstances get the better of them.

 

The Puzzling Portland Thorns – Elizabeth Wawrzyniak

You ever build a puzzle and you’ve got two pieces you are sure will fit together? Right color, right pattern, the shape of the tabs and the blanks look like they’ll join together just right … but when you put them together, there’s just something off? Like one of the lines doesn’t quite match, or the join isn’t snug or doesn’t actually fit.

Watching the Thorns this weekend, that’s all I could think about.

This puzzle doesn’t quite gel.

Sure, they’ve got all the pieces you’d think were necessary to be on the top of the standings–multiple world class international players, the height of professional soccer facilities for women in the US, a huge fan base both home and away. And yet right now, they’re sitting in fifth place. They won the Shield last year but lost to the 4th place team (who, true, did go on to win the final).

Honestly, what’s up with Portland?

It’s an example of having all the money to buy the best players, but not really understanding how a team works. How teamwork works. A team full of elites might look good on paper, but in practice, it rarely works out. Because for every Mal Pugh, you need a Tori Huster. For every Rose Lavelle, you need a Julie King.

What I mean is, you need balance. You need melody and you need harmony–flash and drive. And what we’ve been seeing from the Thorns this year suggests that they’re not harmonizing well, at all.

You don’t have to look any further than the game against Houston to see that this team?

It’s not a team right now.

Plenty of people have said that the injuries in the team’s deep bench are where the problem is, but look, I don’t know that if Tobin Heath comes onto the field next week they’re suddenly going to turn themselves around. I don’t know that she’s the steady and calm leader that somehow balances everything else out on the field and off.

All I know is that this?

https://twitter.com/jacobcristobal/status/883903486026366976

Is a big part of why they’re in 5th place right now.

Sam Kerr Proves Why She is the MVP – Jordan Small

Once again, Sam Kerr put on a show in New Jersey. In the final 12 minutes of the game, Kerr scored a hat trick to bring Sky Blue back from the brink of death to beat FCKC 3-2. Now Kerr did have some help along the way, but without her, this team would not be where they are today.

With her hat trick, Kerr took over the Golden Boot race and now leads the pack over Megan Rapinoe and Marta. In the early portion of this season, Kerr was not herself. After a trip back to Australia for an awards ceremony, Kerr came back with a vengeance. Without Kerr, the attack for Sky Blue would be hurting. Very few have the impact on their team that Sam Kerr has.

 

The Pugh-Banini-Ordega Trio is Just Getting Started – Jordan Small

This week against Orlando, Estefania Banini, Francisca Ordega, and Mallory Pugh all started together for the first time. They connected to score the first goal for Washington on a passing sequence that went from Banini to Ordega and then to Pugh for the score. The combination of speed, foot skills, and vision will be one to keep an eye on.

So much of what was missing early on in the season for Washington was that spark to take the pressure off of young Mallory Pugh. After getting a game and a half under their belts, the attack will continue to build and will put defenses across the league on notice. With a four-game road trip coming up, the Spirit will need a strong stretch from these three to pick up some points.

 

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Week 12

Posted on by RJ Allen

Image Credits: Leanne Keator

Backline Soccer Recap:

Quick Fire Week 12 Game Previews:

Can anyone take the top spot from North Carolina? This week the Chicago Red Stars have a chance. With a win–and some help from the Seattle Reign–they could find themselves on top of the table for the first time this season. Let’s take a look at some keys for this weekend’s games. 

Game 1: Boston Breakers vs. Chicago Red Stars

Boston Breakers record: 3-6-3
Position: 9th
Total Points: 12

Chicago Red Stars record: 7-3-2
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 23

Boston is coming into this week off a much-needed morale-boosting win against the Spirit. But they will have a very tough task getting past a strong Chicago side. Rose Lavelle continues her time on the injured list, unfortunately, which will leave Boston without one of their more creative members. We’ve seen just how much she has done for Boston this year so far and it’s obvious that she is missed. But the Breakers have continued to fight. If they want to get a result here they’ll need to figure out a way to get past the strong Chicago defense, which should involve trying to find the open space in behind to challenge Alyssa Naeher. They need more production from their attacking line to accomplish this. In addition, Chicago has more attacking players than just Christen Press to carry the load and Boston should watch for pressure early.

On paper, this looks like a Chicago win, but as we’ve seen regularly in this league, no result is ever certain, and it’s anyone’s game from day-to-day. And Chicago does have weaknesses, for all that they’ve settled into a solid route. They’ve had problems creating and finishing good chances, and have also struggled to maintain enough possession to make anything happen. This week that will be their key to getting ahead of Boston: take advantage of possession and opportunities in front of goal. 

Game 2: Washington Spirit vs. Orlando Pride

Washington Spirit record: 3-6-2
Position: 10th
Total Points: 11

Orlando Pride record: 4-5-3
Position: 6th
Total Points: 15

The Spirit get the advantage of the home crowd this week, but the enthusiasm will most likely be shared between teams since this will be Ali Krieger’s first trip back to Washington in an Orlando uniform. The Spirit have started to slump into a rut that even Steph Labbé–who is having a great season–has had trouble managing.  It seems they have resigned to letting Labbé carry a heavy load as she faces a ton of shots every game. The key for them against an Orlando side that is finally finding some form is to hold some possession. They’ll be in trouble if Orlando can control the game and send waves of attacks toward the Spirit goal. 

The Pride will be coming in this week looking to pull out a big three points after a disappointing result last weekend, where they outplayed Chicago but came away with nothing. But that game was representative of their problems across the season. They tend to maintain fairly high possession percentages but have a hard time converting their chances into quality shots or goals. This is an area where the return of Alex Morgan could make a huge difference. She got a few minutes last weekend but should be ready to contribute fully here. And if Morgan and Marta start to connect and click on the field, the Spirit may be in trouble. Orlando also needs a lot more from players like Kristen Edmonds and Monica in the back and middle of the field or it may be time to try something new there. 

Game 3: Sky Blue FC vs. FC Kansas City

Sky Blue FC record: 6-6-1
Position: 4th
Total Points: 19

FC Kansas City record: 3-5-4
Position: 8th
Total Points: 13

Sky Blue FC is coming in from a whirlwind three-game week and ready to fight their way to the top. Sam Kerr has seemed to settle into a consistent routine lately, and if she continues that against FCKC, they will have a hard time stopping her. Sky Blue mixed up their defense last game, either because of players needing rest after the long week or a desire to see if something new could bring them more success in the back. And this will be an area of continued attention for the team, as the young backline has had some issues so far this year. It those recur, it could spell trouble against an FCKC attack that is just waiting to break free. 

FCKC just seem to be missing a bit of direction right now. Losing Amy Rodriguez after just one game really put a dent in their entire season and has forced players into roles that don’t really serve their skill sets, with Sydney Leroux being the most notable example. She doesn’t work well as a lone striker, but KC doesn’t really have any other options to lead the line. To stand a fighting change against Sky Blue this week, their attack will need to take advantage of the holes in the younger backline early and hope to put themselves up a goal or two before halftime. 

Game 4: North Carolina Courage vs. Seattle Reign

North Carolina Courage record: 8-4-0
Position: 1st
Total Points: 24

Seattle Reign record: 5-2-5
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 20

North Carolina is looking to stay atop of the standings this week but they may need to get past Seattle to manage it. And given Seattle’s current form, that may by tough. Still, for NC the gameplan is clear and it’s really just a question of whether they can execute. The return of Jess McDonald last week as a late substitute was a good sign; she looked primed and ready to score a few goals. Lynn Williams has not seen any minutes recently but be on the lookout for her status this weekend as well. And even without their twin towers, the depth of the NC attack has been impressive. The main issue for the team, then, is whether they can manage to stave off a very strong Reign attack and a very in-form Megan Rapinoe. No team has seemed to be able to stifle her yet this season. 

Seattle is coming in strong and will be looking to pick up more points on the back of Megan Rapinoe. However, at least for now, the status of Jess Fishlock is up in the air. We still don’t have word about the seriousness of her injury from last Saturday, and she is a crucial part of this team.  Seattle will have equal parts in trying to keep up their pressure and attack but also rely on their backline to hold off the wave of attack from the Courage side. If Fishlock can’t play, that could be a decisive factor. But with the quality backline and Megan Rapinoe, this should be an even and well-fought match. 

Game 5: Houston Dash vs. Portland Thorns

Houston Dash record: 4-7-1
Position: 7th
Total Points: 13

Portland Thorns record: 5-4-3
Position: 5th
Total Points: 18

The Dash have earned some crucial points in the last few games in the attempt to turn around their season. This week they will have their work cut out for them with a Portland team that will be hungry for a good result. The biggest issue for the Dash all season has been the lack of a consistent plan. But with the coaching change, it seems they are beginning to settle into a stable starting XI, with some small tweaks here and there. Carli Lloyd has seemed to be a positive factor as a morale and organization boost since her arrival. They will rely on her heavily this week against the Thorns. With Rachel Daly also settling back into her preferred role as a striker, the attack is beginning to look more solid. This week, though, they’ll need to focus on getting their backline to communicate more and try to contain the fluid and flexible Portland attack. 

The Thorns have had quite the topsy-turvy season this year, with injuries to some key players and puzzling results being mixed with some dominant performances.  But they are starting to find some success in their attack. Christine Sinclair is enormously important, of course, and she looks to be rounding into form; Portland should expect more out of her this week. The biggest question mark they’ve got is how to fill their Tobin Heath-sized-hole in the front line. They have a lot of depth and can handle missing players in most other roles, but without Heath, they’re really suffering for a lack of general creativity on the ball. But if the Thorns can get their attack moving and play through the midfield, they should find success against the Dash.

The Scouting Report:

We went live on Thursday 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:

6 Takeaways from NWSL: Week 11

Posted on by RJ Allen

Week 11 brought us a double scoop of NWSL action with most teams playing a midweek match on top of all the action from the weekend. There were highlight reel goals, penalty kicks awarded, and referee controversy. That was just the beginning, so let’s buckle in as we offer up our top takeaways of the week.

Alex Morgan Returns But Too Late? – Luis Hernandez

It was the moment most Orlando Pride fans had been waiting for, the return of Alex Morgan from her stint in France. Entering the match against Chicago in the 65th minute, the home crowd roared to life hoping to see the returning hero score in her debut. However, two minutes after she entered the match Christen Press put away what would be the game winner from the spot.

The disjointed Orlando side couldn’t come away with anything on Saturday, once again dropping three points at home. In the presser after the match, Morgan stated, “But, maybe when Chi came in, I didn’t know what we were playing, who was playing what position. Because Camila was the 10 and then I wasn’t sure where she was and I wasn’t sure where Chi was so there was a little bit of confusion. I wish the communication was better. I think we can work on that a lot more.” You can’t fault Tom Sermanni for playing Morgan as soon as she was able, without better incorporating her into the rhythm her teammates have started to create, especially in a week with multiple matches. Needed fresh legs and wanting to see what her fitness level, Sermanni put her in, hoping she could boost the offense.

Certainly, the Pride will be able to work it out and improve. However, it’s the defensive errors which have caused them to drop 13 points so far this year, and each of the top four teams have more than a one-match cushion on Orlando. A trip to the playoffs may soon be out of reach.

Mid-Season Discipline (Is that Another Yellow Card?) – Luis Hernandez

As we reach the halfway point of the season, we tend to start taking a count of how it’s going, who’s leading the pack, how many cards have been issued, that sort of thing. This week actually brought out a high number of yellow cards; there were two matches that saw four yellows thrown on the weekend and one astonishing six yellow card match in the midweek between Portland and Kansas City. Looking at the numbers, the NWSL stats site tells us that 132 yellow cards have been shown so far this season, and on top of that, five red cards. This is out of the 60 matches so far this year. That’s an average of 2.2 yellow cards per match. To put it in perspective, the 2016 season had 174 yellow cards (1.74 yellows/match) with five red cards in the 100 matches. Heck, this was the first season, I even heard of the NWSL disciplinary committee.

It’s hard to find a reason for the steep increase. Has there been a shift in the style of play? Has the league or PRO changed the points of emphasis without putting out a public statement? Has the Lifetime partnership caused this somehow? I don’t believe we’ll figure out the why, but it’s worth keeping in mind as the second half of the season, and the league has no “good behavior” incentive like Major League Soccer.

MVPinoe – Elizabeth Wawrzyniak

Halfway through the season, it’s time to start talking seriously about this year’s MVP.

With nine goals (four scored in the past week alone), including three successful PKs, and one assist, I don’t think anyone has to look further than the Seattle Reign’s five-season veteran Megan Rapinoe. She’s on-track to take home the Golden Boot this year, and with it, MVP, because the two always seem to go hand-in-hand. (That, I think, is a discussion for another day, however.) But whether Rapinoe ultimately wins the Golden Boot or not (at three goals ahead of the pack, surpassing her would be a challenge but not impossible) if anyone else takes home MVP this year it would be an injustice.

The reason? You really don’t need to look further than her numbers so far this season. Numbers which include far more than just her nine goals.

Rapinoe has been carrying Seattle on her back this year, determined to get back into the playoffs after missing them by a hair last season. Leading the league in goals, but with just one assist, when Seattle hasn’t been able to find the net on their own, Rapinoe has been chasing down every possible chance, creating opportunities when seemingly none exist, and basically, to mix my sports metaphors for a moment, crashing into the boards time and time again. Of her 40 shots so far this year (2nd in the standings), 22 (3rd) have been on goal, giving her a SOG percentage of 55%. If this were baseball, her batting average wouldn’t just be considered good, it’d be considered one of the best in the sport. Christen Press currently has the same SOG percentage, but four fewer goals to her name this season.

With 58 corner kicks, she’s second in the league so far this season, with only Abby Dahlkemper ahead of her, which means that those nine goals don’t come from set-piece opportunities, but the run-of-play. From Rapinoe moving the ball down-field or maneuvering into the right place at the right time to receive a cross and send it home. But maybe the most important stat to consider in her case for 2017 MVP are her PKs. Three of her nine goals this year have come from PKs. Why are PKs to important? Because they’re the “extra-point” or “free throw” of soccer. They’re guaranteed scoring opportunities, and missing them is unacceptable. It happens, yes. And, yes, there’s the added element of the GK, who might jump in the right direction and make a save, but for an experienced, professional soccer player to miss a PK–send it far left or right of the goal, over the crossbar, etc.–is unacceptable. A PK is a just about the easiest chance to score a player can get, and a team needs to be able to rely on their player’s ability to earn that point. Because at the end of the 90’, the game might literally come down to whether they were able to capitalize in that moment or not.

Megan Rapinoe this year has had three opportunities to score a PK for her team.

She has completed each and every one.

When you’re that clutch, you deserve to take home that “Most Valuable Player” trophy at the end of the year.

Houston Dash Undefeated in Kansas City – Elizabeth Wawrzyniak

No, really. I’m not joking.

The team that has been on or near the bottom for its three seasons in the NWSL has never lost to the two-time (back to back) NWSL Championship winners, FCKC on the road in Kansas City.

Of the four times the Houston Dash have taken on FCKC at Swope Soccer Stadium (or the Durwood Stadium FCKC played at in 2014), they have never failed to come away with at least a draw, and as of last night, have won (2-1) twice.  Surreal, no?

In 2014, Houston left Kansas City with a 2-2 draw–only their seventh game ever. Lauren Holiday (we miss you) opened the scoring in the 2’ but the young Dash team responded with a goal from Jordan Jackson in the 20’. The first-half ended 2-1 after Erika Tymrak scored in the 36’, but after a halftime break, Tiffany McCarty evened the score in the 78’. And the Houston team took home their first draw in team history. They would end the season in 9th (last) place, but at that moment, 1-5-1 into the season and coming off a four-game losing streak, a draw against the eventual NWSL champions had to feel like the promise of good things to come.

2015 saw another draw between the two teams, 1-1, but the scoreline hides the fact that FCKC didn’t manage to score at all that game. In fact, if not for an own goal from Toni Pressley in the 55’, Carli Lloyd’s goal in the 45’ would have given the Houston Dash the win. The Dash finished 5th that season, and by the time of the away game in Kansas City, they had been doing fairly well, with a 3-4-4 record in the season when they took the field that night. But that night they could have had a win against the 2014 Champions, the same team that would go on to beat Seattle for the second year in a row in the final.

The Dash took home their first road win against FCKC in 2016, just their fourth game of the season. Playing without Amy Rodriguez (pregnancy), Lauren Holiday (retirement), and newcomer Sydney Leroux (pregnancy), FCKC’s season got off to a rough start, and they came into the match against the Dash with two losses and a draw under their belt already. When Houston opened the scoring in the 56’ with a goal from Irish international Denise O’Sullivan, and Chioma Ubogagu gave them a second just 15 minutes later, Kansas City had already lost the game. Despite their valiant efforts, and a late goal from Yael Averbuch in the 87’, they couldn’t pull out a draw against the Dash, who would end up finishing just one position ahead of them at 7th in the final 2016 standings.

And then last night, the Dash pulled out what, at least according to history, isn’t such an improbable win after all, despite the belief of many (including myself). Granted, they were assisted by a second-half yellow card accumulation that sent one of FCKC’s most creative players, Lo’eau LaBonta to the locker room, but the Houston Dash came out determined to turn their season around. Though Kansas City seemed to have the advantage at first, especially after a stoppage time goal from Shea Groom in the first half, a 55’ goal from Rachel Daly and then a 64’ goal from Nichelle Prince as FCKC were struggling to recover themselves after LaBonta’s ejection gave the Dash the win and kept this odd streak alive.

Go Dash, I guess?

Mid-Week Off Comes Back to Hurt Spirit and Courage – Jordan Small

While eight teams spent their Wednesday night playing their second game in four days or less, the North Carolina Courage and Washington Spirit were sitting at home. Both teams had the night off and were able to prepare for the weekend matchups that awaited them. However, come Saturday, those two teams found them on the wrong side of the scoresheet.

North Carolina hosted Sky Blue on Saturday afternoon and were featured as July’s first Lifetime Game of the Week. By the 80th minute, neither team had scored, but one team looked to be gassed and ready for the match to be over. The other was racing down the field looking for a goal and the three points. Believe it or not, Sky Blue was the one with more life towards the end of the game. The team that had played three games in six days, two of which were on the road, won on a goal from Sam Kerr in the 84th minute.

Then you have the Washington Spirit. After beating the Portland Thorns at home last Saturday, the Spirit made the short trip up to Boston to take on the Breakers. The Spirit dominated the first half but were unable to finish their chances. Boston pounced on the opportunity in the 72nd minute when Midge Purce put away a goal off of lazy defending from Washington.

Both teams that had off during the week lost on the weekend. Is this just a coincidence? It might be, but to think that having too much time to think about your next opponent isn’t all that crazy to believe. It also could just be that those two teams were outplayed.

The Power of the Backup Goalkeeper – Jordan Small

Three goalkeepers who didn’t come into the season expecting to see much game time have ended up with significant minutes in recent weeks due to injuries to their teams’ starters. For Katelyn Rowland of the North Carolina Courage and Aubrey Bledsoe of the Orlando Pride, these have become long term assignments over the past several weeks. In Boston, Sammy Jo Prudhomme is just three games into her starting career.

Rowland and Bledsoe have won over half of their games since taking over. All three have picked up at least one shutout in their time as the number one. This is the first time for all three as the starter for a significant period of time and they have not disappointed. Each is making the case to be the starter for the foreseeable future which will make it fun down the stretch. Who doesn’t love a little competition?

Those are the takeaways that stood out to us. Did you take something else away from this extra long week of matches? Let us know your thoughts, and come back next week for more takeaways.

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Week 11

Posted on by RJ Allen

Image Credits: Elizabeth Wawrzyniak

Backline Soccer Recap:

Quick Fire Week 11 Game Previews:

After four mid-week games, we are in for another full weekend of NWSL games as we go into Week 11. Let’s see what we have on tap for the five games.

Game 1: North Carolina Courage vs. Sky Blue FC

North Carolina Courage record: 8-3-0
Position: 1st
Total Points: 24

Sky Blue FC record: 5-6-1
Position: 5th
Total Points: 16

The Courage will be coming in fresh this week as they lucked out by not having to play a mid-week game on Wednesday and not having to travel for this match. They’ll be facing a Sky Blue team, however, that will be on a mission to pull out a win. North Carolina is pulling themselves further and further away from the rest of the pack up top. With the defense settling in, this week, especially with fresher legs, they will be looking to continue to do many of the same things that have gotten them this far. With the hopeful return of Lynn Williams and Jess McDonald, they will be even stronger. 

Sky Blue is looking for vengeance after two disappointing losses in a row. They will have their hands full with North Carolina this week, especially given that they had to play a mid-week game. They will need more from Kelley O’Hara, first and foremost, to get back into their rhythm, after she had a not-so-great game against Orlando on Wednesday. The young defensive group, led by Christie Pearce, will also have their work cut out for them with the strength of the Courage attack. Hopefully, Sky Blue will see some more fabulous goals from Sam Kerr. Their key this game will be to rely on their depth and attempt to hold off the wave of attack from the Courage. 

Game 2: Boston Breakers vs. Washington Spirit

Boston Breakers record: 2-6-3
Position: 10th
Total Points: 9

Washington Spirit record: 3-5-2
Position: 8th
Total Points: 11

Boston is also coming in this week from a mid-week game and without some big names. Rose Lavelle is still out. And, as of this writing, no word on Abby Smith for Saturday’s match. The Boston of the beginning of the season has seemed to all but disappear. There seem to be just too many things that need to be fixed at this point in the season and they are not sure where to start. Having key players out has not helped but Boston has not been lucky in general. This week, after the Spirit come in off of more rest and a win over the Thorns, Boston will need to find a way to stifle the Spirit attack and contain Franny Ordega. 

The Spirit are coming into this match with the advantage of facing a struggling Boston team and also having not played a mid-week match. The Spirit will continue to rely on Ordega to lead their attack. But the Washington team may also see the addition of Mal Pugh back in the lineup, which will bolster the attack as well. The thing the Spirit will need to monitor this week will be their defense. The likes of Estelle Johnson have had a great season, for the most part, but Boston is looking to turn their season around and anything can happen. Additionally, with Tori Huster finally back for Washington, their midfield will also be a stalwart in facing the Boston side. 

Game 3: Orlando Pride vs. Chicago Red Stars

Orlando Pride record: 4-4-3
Position: 6th
Total Points: 15

Chicago Red Stars record: 6-3-2
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 20

The Pride are coming off of a huge mid-week win over Sky Blue but will also be on limited rest facing a very tough Red Stars team. Orlando has had problems all season maintaining consistency from game to game but one thing they hate to do is drop points at home. Expect them to try to not let that happen for the second home game in a row. The task will be large to contain Christen Press and Sofia Huerta in the attack while also trying to break the staunch defense of the Red Stars. Orlando will need to focus on leaving less space in the midfield for Chicago to take advantage of while also connecting and finishing more chances. The Pride are lacking a clinical finisher, but with Alex Morgan set to potentially return, she may be the missing piece they are looking for. She may not be active immediately so the Pride need to make sure their forward line can start finishing and finding better luck in the final third. Additionally, the Pride defense has settled into the starting four but need to see more work from Edmonds, who has not had a good season. Hopefully, Ali Krieger and the rest of the backline can focus more on their job this weekend and not have to clean up so much of Edmonds’ defensive miscues. 

Chicago is also coming off of a loss in their mid-week game, which snapped their win streak, and this could spell trouble for the Pride. While the Pride are more successful at home, the Red Stars will look to keep their place in the playoff spot and take home the win. This week the Red Stars need to focus on taking advantage of their opportunities but also look to string more passes together and make the job of their forwards a bit easier. The Red Stars have a very strong backline, but with Marta and the potential first minutes for Alex Morgan, expect them to be challenged by the forward line of Orlando. The biggest area the Red Stars will most likely have the best luck this weekend is in Orlando’s midfield. If Chicago can get some of their connecting weaknesses together, this may spell major trouble for the Pride at home. 

Game 4: Seattle Reign vs. Portland Thorns

Seattle Reign record: 4-2-5
Position: 4th
Total Points: 17

Portland Thorns record: 5-3-3
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 18

Seattle, like Portland, will be coming in on limited rest after a mid-week home game. Luckily, they will not have to travel and will be at a slight advantage for recovery and rest. Seattle has seemed to be hot and cold most of the season with plenty of draws to show for it. But expect them to want to capitalize on a big win over Chicago and pull out one over Portland. Their defense looked slightly shaky in the win against Chicago so the return of Lauren Barnes, after a one-game suspension, will be welcomed. The Reign can expect to be tested by a revitalized Portland attack, even on limited rest. If they can focus on their game and fighting until the final whistle, they should see some positive results. 

Portland, also coming in from a mid-week win at home, will want to capitalize on one of their best performances of the season. Christine Sinclair finally made herself known this season and had a brace to show for it. If she can get involved more in the attack against Seattle, they will be tough to beat. With no return of Tobin Heath in sight, Portland will have to figure out how to move on without her and made a good showcase of it Wednesday night. Their biggest thing will be if Adrianna Franch is on her game or will spell trouble for them in-goal this week against a strong Reign attack. 

Game 5: FC Kansas City vs. Houston Dash

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

Houston Dash record: 3-7-1
Position: 9th
Total Points: 10

FCKC, another team on limited rest, will be facing a Dash side who is in the same position. FCKC has yet to really figure out how to score goals, and after their mid-week loss to Portland, they will be looking to bounce back very quickly. FCKC needs more production from their forward line. Their defense has been putting in their time but cannot solely win the games for the team. After a not-so-great showing against Portland, they will need these three points as the playoff battle heats up. Their main goal this week, especially against a Dash side that is still figuring things out mid-season, is to score early and get their attack involved consistently throughout the game. 

The Dash are coming in, after snapping a 6-game losing streak, on a win and draw in their last two matches. They want to turn their season around but just do not seem to have the game plan to do it. After a questionable call gave them the win against Boston, look for them to want to continue their small upward trend against FCKC. But in order to do that, the consistency of their backline and moving forward without Kealia Ohai, who is out for the season with a torn ACL, will be a tall task. The Dash seemed to struggle at the end of their draw with Boston, in just what to do next. In order to have success against FCKC this week, the team will need to come in at the very beginning with a solid way to win and also play with consistency.

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:

We also went live for a special TSR last night to cover the four mid-week NWSL games. 

Catch up here if you missed it:

Unsung Hero of the Week: Solaun Shines Again

Posted on by RJ Allen

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

This week I’ve chosen Washington Spirit midfielder Havana Solaun.

The 24-year-old is in her third year in the league and with her second team after being drafted 15th overall in 2015 to the Seattle Reign out of the University of Florida. She sat out with an injury all of 2015, and in 2016 she appeared in six games for the Reign. Solaun’s player rights were traded to Washington in November of 2016 and in return, Seattle received midfielder Christine Nairn and goalkeeper Madalyn Schiffel. Fast forward to 10 games into the 2017 season; she is finding her place in Washington, appearing in every game thus far, adding three goals and one assist to her name.

Washington 1-0 Portland

Due to veteran Tori Huster making her way back into the starting 11, Solaun was asked to be more of a threat offensively, with Gabarra putting her up top to give her the right opportunities to go toward goal. I was going to discuss all-things-Huster this week but my fellow Backline writer Charles Olney beat me to it and published a fantastic piece for you all to enjoy. Instead, I’ll focus on what Solaun was allowed to do with Huster back in the line-up.

Solaun has been a steady contributor so far this season as I mentioned above, and this game was no different. Washington’s first quality chance came in the ninth minute when Solaun snuck behind her defender for a looping ball that was sent to the left side of the box. She shook the Thorn’s player enough to get a foot of space and lifted a shot on goal but right at Portland’s keeper Adrianna Franch. Franch gave up a rebound right in front of the goal, bouncing to Williams who was lurking around the six-yard box but Emily Menges cleared it just in time.

It was a clever run on the back post by Solaun, getting in over the defense in the blink of an eye and managing a shot even at the tough angle. She created something that was promising and likely, should’ve resulted in a goal. Nonetheless, moving her up top for this game was already paying off for the Spirit.

A few months after Seattle drafted Solaun in 2015, Laura Harvey–head coach of the Reign–said that a player like Solaun is comfortable with possession, a young talent who can play numerous positions and is technically very good. Solaun has shown that now playing for Washington and head coach Jim Gabarra had this to say when he acquired her last year: “Havana will give us a creative element in attack and we believe she has the ability to impact games.”

Both coaches knew what they were getting when Solaun suited up for them, but she has really taken her game to a new level for the Spirit.

Solaun showcased just what they were talking about in the 22nd minute against Portland. She received a pass from Meggie Dougherty Howard about 20 yards out, giving the crowd of 4,319 some twinkle toe action to get rid of Portland’s Celeste Boureille, then rifled a low shot past Franch. I thought it was going in, but the keeper’s best friend came to the rescue as Solaun’s shot hit off the post and was cleared away by the recovering Boureille. It was a stunning effort on goal. It’s a shame it didn’t go in.

That’s the type of play Solaun is capable of, and she was firing on all cylinders to attempt that play. She easily won her one-on-one battle, tested the keeper and almost gave Washington a two-goal lead without any significant buildup. Solaun had a great look and just narrowly missed what would’ve been her fourth goal of the season.

On the other side of halftime in the 50th minute, Solaun was oozing confidence on the ball, with a little shake ‘n bake in Portland’s end to give herself some space. The final pass into Kristie Mewis deflected off a Thorn but Solaun once again created something out of nothing for the Spirit. Instead of kicking it off her defenders’ shins and opting for a simple throw-in, she decided to take on her defender and take a chance on herself.

Later on, in the 75th minute, Solaun and Dougherty Howard, both former Florida Gators, linked up again on a smooth takeover just past midfield. Thanks to the quick thinking of Solaun, that allowed some space for Dougherty Howard to operate going forward while at the same time not slowing the play down. In turn, Doughtery Howard found Williams streaking into the 18, but a tough defensive play by Emily Sonnett shut down that opportunity.

With the 1-0 win over a slumping Portland, Washington are now unbeaten in three. They are currently sitting in eighth place with an improving record of 3-5-2, good for 11 points. Solaun is on track to have a breakout year and if she continues to put in this kind of effort, it might not be too bleak for Washington by the end of the year.

Route Two Soccer – Let’s Talk About Tori Huster

Posted on by RJ Allen

In this game, we focus a great deal on the players who do things. And for good reason. Most of the time, the action is…well, where the action is. But there is always a lot more going on than just what’s happening near the ball. And there is no player in the league who better illustrates this point than Tori Huster.

Watching her reminds me of Vicente del Bosque’s praise of Sergio Busquets: “If you watch the whole game, you won’t see Busquets—but watch Busquets, and you will see the whole game.” Huster is a similar player. Watch her and you’ll see the whole game.

Washington 1 – 0 Portland

After spending six weeks out with a quad strain, Huster made her return this week. It was a big ask—coming straight back in for a full 90 without a chance to build back up her match fitness and form. And against Portland, no less. But Huster looked as comfortable as if she’d never left, helping to lock down many of the improvements that the team had made in her absence.

Generally, teams have found success against the Thorns this year primarily through a high pressing game: harass them high up the pitch, break up their rhythm, force them into dumb mistakes, and generally just keep them from playing their game. North Carolina provided the template early in the season, but others have found some good results using the same techniques, including Sky Blue last week.

The problem with that approach is that it needs a lot of pace. In order to keep the channels clogged as you press high, you need to play a high line and do a lot of running. Even more, to play this way you desperately need a midfield who can hold possession under pressure, to capitalize on turnovers and spring attacks in transition.

And while Washington has certainly looked better recently, those improvements haven’t solved those fundamental weaknesses in the team. Unlike their 2016 iteration, which really did have the personnel and speed to play that way, the 2017 squad can’t afford to fully commit to a full field press.

Now, that may change over the coming weeks. After all, the Spirit should soon be getting Mallory Pugh back from injury, Estefania Banini back from Europe, not to mention an increasingly fit Caprice Dydasco (who made a big difference pushing higher up the pitch in her half-hour this week). Combine those additions with some increasingly confident and active players like Francisca Ordega and Meggie Dougherty Howard, and you’ve got the core of a truly solid unit. By the end of the year, the Spirit may well be playing a lot like they were at the end of 2016. But for now, lack of team speed and midfield control will doom them if they try to play too expansively.

High pressing with a low backline: Wait, what?

Their solution is as simple as it is effective: focus your play on the attacking thirds, and don’t worry too much about what’s in between. In effect: keep your defense as deep as possible—to avoid the backline getting turned and their limited pace exposed—while still pushing as high possible in the attacking end.

Your front players should press aggressively and look to quickly close down on the ball high up the pitch. Your defenders, however, should drop off the ball as much as possible. Don’t step up to challenge, and risk getting beat. Just drop, and drop quickly. Keep the other team in front of you and build a wall in front of your goal.

At times, this could be mistaken for ‘bunkering,’ since it involves setting a deep backline and soaking up pressure rather than trying to play through the midfield. But it’s different in the important respect that you’re really only playing with six players behind the ball. The attacking four will drop when necessary, but their focus is upfield, not down. That’s what makes it possible for them to exert effective high pressure, and what keeps them available for good looks on goal.

Now, there are two clear problems with this approach:

First and most obvious: it requires conceding dominance over a (pretty important) part of the field. Games are won and lost in the midfield, and this setup is a recipe for losing a lot of midfield battles. However, there is an important element of expedience here. Because the fact is: given the available personnel, Washington is probably going to get beat in the midfield a lot anyways. So the question is how to structure those defeats. More on that in a moment.

Second, this approach is bad for possession. Creating such a wide gap between the front and back lines makes it difficult to link them together when you do get the ball. It’s a recipe for a lot of long balls over the top and speculative crossing runs, most of which will go astray. This is a real problem since it’s hard to win the game without the ball. But again, this is a matter of facing realities. Even if they wanted to, Washington simply isn’t going to get a ton of joy from keeping the ball on the ground and playing tiki-taka through the middle. So it’s quite reasonable to think about this not in terms of how much possession you get, but rather how useful you’re able to make your limited chances.

Tactical judo: turning your weaknesses into strengths

In both of these cases, the underlying logic owes as much to the martial arts as anything else. Because the key is to use your opponent’s strength against them by carefully managing how that strength can be expressed.

By accepting a disadvantage in the midfield, you draw your opposition out. If they manage to unlock the high pressure, they’ll move quickly through that vacant midfield space, hoping to pounce on the retreating backline. But if you can hold the line, they’ll often find themselves spinning their wheels—far more stretched than they expect. Like the dog who catches the car, you may end up with an attacker who sprang forward anticipating a devastating counter only to find herself 30 yards ahead of any help.

Alternatively, if they do manage to get forward in numbers, that creates the space that you want for your counterattacks. Stay resolute, break up play, and then quickly turn and look for the long crossing ball that will give your forwards room to run.

Everything depends on the holding midfielders

Making this setup work is no simple thing. It requires a lot of organization and needs defenders who are solid with their back to goal. It needs a keeper who is comfortable dealing with shots from distance, and who can handle crosses well. And it needs attackers who can thrive without much support from the midfield—players who can make their own chances, by beating a couple defenders, or by racing down low-percentages balls and making something out of nothing. But more than anything else: you need dependable holding midfielders. And that’s where Tori Huster comes in.

Because while there are plenty of great holding midfielders these days, some with more creative attacking flair, some who are better goal scorers, and some who are better tacklers. But I’m not sure there’s anyone in the league who is more dependable. And this weekend’s game was as clear an example as you could ever hope for.

Washington managed only 38% possession and were consistently overrun in the midfield. But for all that, Portland looked fairly toothless all game—only managing three shots on goals. Certainly, some of the blame can be placed on the Thorns themselves, but a lot of credit needs to go to Dougherty Howard and (especially) Huster—the holding midfielders who held the rock on which Portland crashed for most of the evening.

While the high press gave the Thorns some trouble, it was by no means able to coop them up entirely. But every time they broke through and tried to come in numbers, Huster was there—tracking along and slowing their attack, giving the defense time to drop and set before they were overrun, tracking the front runners and closing down passing angles. And once the defense set, Huster and Dougherty Howard were a constantly-moving shield at the top of the 18-yard box, forcing play to go wide, interfering and disrupting.

One of the hardest things about defending well is the discipline it takes to judge when to step and when to drop. And it’s often even harder to assess that quality from afar. We focus on the perfectly executed tackles, the last-ditch efforts that save a goal, the narrow inches between winning the ball and conceding a penalty. But often the most successful defenders are the ones who keep the dangerous play from developing in the first place. By holding their position, they delay the attack long enough for support to arrive. By dropping, they fill the space where the through-ball might have gone. By being patient, they maintain control.

This is an important quality for anyone, but it’s especially important for the holding player in Washington’s setup. Defense is a team problem, and a defense is only as good as its weakest link. But ‘weakest’ isn’t a static concept. Good players don’t just do good things individually; they also help build an infrastructure that helps everyone do better.

When the Spirit have played well this year, it’s been driven by good performances in those central midfield roles–protecting the defense in transition, preserving the ball long enough to launch attacks, marshaling the troops to keep everyone in line. Dougherty Howard has grown into the role and looks a very useful player. Havana Solaun was deputized there with some success but is far better utilized in a more attacking role where her creativity can shine. And Line Sigvardsen Jensen has filled in where necessary. But Huster’s return is a game-changer.

Watch Huster, and you’ll see the whole game

Think about the quote I mentioned at the start: watch the game and you won’t see her; watch her and you’ll see the whole game. That’s because so much of what she’s doing never shows up in plays that go into the box score. She’ll win her share of tackles and make her share of passes, sure, but more than anything she’s a shepherd. Her job is to make sure everything stays on course, not necessarily to do it herself.

And it takes incredible discipline to successfully play this way. You need someone who will run endlessly just to make sure that the passing channels stay clogged. Who can see play in motion and anticipate where someone will need to be. Who can cover for her teammates when they’re dragged out of position. Who can understand the team’s shape as it ebbs and flows and keep everyone working together.

It’s a cliché when talking about a ‘weak’ team who is tough to score against to say “they’re just really well organized,” but we don’t spend nearly enough time thinking about where that organization comes from. Obviously, coaching is immensely important here, but it also takes a lot of work from the players on the pitch to actually execute the plan. And it depends in particular on the field general who can keep everyone marching to the same tune.

That’s Huster.

Watch Washington play with her on the pitch and notice how often she’s pointing—drop into this space, protect that flank, watch your blind side, pass into that channel, and so on. Watch to see how often she’s moving ahead of the play—protecting space that’s not threatened yet, but which is about to be attacked. Watch to see how assiduously she manages breakaway attacks—not looking to make a spectacular (but risky) tackle; trusting that her defense will be able to stifle the attack if she can just give them the time to reset.

But more than anything, watch to see how often the opponent seems strangely quiet on the night—unable to find those penetrating runs, unable to successfully isolate and turn defenders, unable to do much of anything with all the possession that they seem to have.

There are plenty of flashy players in the league, and we rightly give them a lot of credit for the incredible things they can do. But I’m not sure there was any player more crucial to their team’s success this week than Tori Huster. That her contributions were so quiet only makes them that much more impressive.

Off the Bench with Backline Soccer: 2017, Week 10

Posted on by RJ Allen

Backline Soccer Recap:

Quick Fire Week 10 Game Previews:

We have arrived at Week Ten of the NWSL, not necessarily unscathed, but seeing plenty of parity between several teams in the league. Let’s dive into this week’s previews. 

Game 1: Orlando Pride vs. Houston Dash

Orlando Pride record: 3-3-3
Position: 6th
Total Points: 12

Houston Dash record: 2-7-0
Position: 10th
Total Points: 6

After last week’s dominant performance, (minus the last 10-15 minutes,) the Pride are coming into this week confident, really needing to start honing in and perfecting the little things. Big picture this week sees the Pride most likely coming away with the three points, if last week was any indication, but they will need to work hard on closing out games and remaining consistent. This week that will be their focus. They have seemed to have settled on a starting XI, at least until Alex Morgan is inserted back into the line-up in a few weeks. But their biggest enemy this week will be themselves. With Marta assisting in or scoring all four goals last week, the Pride will look to her for another solid performance. But they will also need to see others step up, especially defensively, to close-out the game. The last minute goals last week came at the cost of a goalkeeper and a defensive mistake. 

The Dash struggles continue and look to continue for the foreseeable future. I have mentioned this a few times in my previews, but even seeing the return of Carli Lloyd, who, while not scoring, had some strong moments in last week’s match, they just do not seem to have much idea of what to do, or what game plan they want to have at any given moment. This was apparent last week, especially as the players seem to fatigue well before the second half began. Their key, even if they do not win games, is to find consistency amongst each other this week. Their defensive game plan should be their first step. The team needs to find a way to get everyone working together, especially as the Pride have started to find their groove. They may have lucked out not having to face a combination of Marta and Alex Morgan quite yet.

Game 2: Boston Breakers vs. North Carolina Courage

Boston Breakers record: 2-5-2
Position: 9th
Total Points: 8

North Carolina Courage record: 7-3-0
Position: 10th
Total Points: 21

Boston has a lot to figure out this week but I do not know if we will see much more of an improvement against a Courage side that has been playing pretty consistently this season. The Breakers have also been plagued with injuries and it was just announced that starting goalkeeper Abby Smith is out this week. We will most likely see the first start for rookie and 2017 NWSL draftee, Sammy Jo Prudhomme. While she was a great goalkeeper in college, going up against an attack like the Courage’s, she will be tested early and often. Boston’s main focuses this week are to not give up the early goals and find a way to curb the Courage attack. The Breakers also re-signed Libby Stout during the week, a former GK who made 9 starts and 42 saves for the Breakers in 2016.

The Courage were without a few key players last week with Lynn Williams and Jess McDonald injured, but the team was still able to churn out a quality product. If both players return to the line-up this week, the Courage won’t need to make many adjustments in what they have been doing. Their key is to stay patient and shore up their defense because the Breakers’ attacking side only needs a little bit of space to make the Courage pay. Look for the hopeful return of the injured players to the line-up and the continued solid performance against a struggling Breakers side. 

Game 3: Washington Spirit vs. Portland Thorns

Washington Spirit record: 2-5-2
Position: 8th
Total Points: 8

Portland Thorns record: 4-2-3
Position: 4th
Total Points: 15

The Spirit are coming in this week with a new weapon in their arsenal. Estefania Banini, who was their leading goal-scorer last season, as returned to the Washington roster. There has been no word if she will be available for this match but the signing alone is good news for a team that’s been struggling. After holding the Red Stars to a draw last week, the Spirit will once again have their hands full against the Thorns. The Spirit are starting to put a few more pieces together but are still missing what Tori Huster brings and also may be potentially be without Mal Pugh again as she continues to recover from an injury suffered during the FIFA break. Washington will be looking for another consistent game from Steph Labbé, who has saved their butts on numerous occasions this season. But in order to get past the Thorns this weekend, the Spirit will need to keep the pressure and attack at a high level.

The Thorns are coming in this week after a loss to Sky Blue last week at home, a subpar performance that left them disappointed and maybe a little embarrassed. Look for them to want to bounce back very quickly this week. The Thorns are starting to show where the injuries are hurting them, mainly with a gaping hole left by Tobin Heath, who has experienced a setback with her back injury and looks to be even longer now. The weaknesses of Franch were exposed last week as well, so she will need to make sure her decision making is on this week as anything can happen against the Spirit. While also suffering more injuries than just Heath, if the Thorns can bounce back quickly this week, they should see a different result.

Game 4: Seattle Reign vs. FC Kansas City

Seattle Reign record: 3-2-4
Position: 5th
Total Points: 13

FC Kansas City record: 3-3-3
Position: 7th
Total Points: 12

The Reign have been quite the puzzling team this season. They started off the strong but have seemed to level out and been a bit inconsistent with their play. They really need work on closing out games and finding a bit more consistency defensively. While the backline is set and we have seen some great play from Haley Kopmeyer, it has been inconsistent. While FCKC won’t be a huge threat for them, with their inconsistencies, the attack from their post-season nemesis could cause some problems. Seattle needs to get back to their previous form and find a way to make their team gel better. If this means a shake-up in the line-up, then so be it. Granted, even though a few players such as Diana Matheson and Larissa Crummer, who they had planned on for the season, are still injured, they have several key pieces that coach Laura Harvey could move around. Jess Fishlock will need to become a little more dominant in the middle if Seattle is going to have a better chance at moving up the table.

FCKC has also been a bit puzzling this season. With Amy Rodriguez no longer a part of the picture, the FCKC attack has seemed to start to find the light of their rhythm. Sydney Leroux seems to be coming into her own a bit more, which is really the key for them, especially going up against the Reign, who have been a bit unpredictable. With FCKC fairly solid in the back with the Nicole Barnhart holding it down, if FCKC can spur their attack, they should see success this week.

Game 5: Chicago Red Stars vs. Sky Blue FC

Chicago Red Stars record: 5-2-2
Position: 2nd
Total Points: 17

Sky Blue FC record: 5-4-1
Position: 3rd
Total Points: 16

Chicago will have its hands full this week with Sky Blue. With a somewhat disappointing performance against the Spirit last week, there will be some things they look to improve on come Sunday. They’ve faced difficulties connecting their passes or in their ability to string them together, and the Red Stars will need to work on that against Sky Blue this week. The backline will also be fully tested with Sam Kerr, as most teams have been this season. She had herself a game last week against Portland, so Chicago will need to contain her throughout the game. If Chicago can connect more passes and be more consistent this week, this should be a great match-up to watch.

Sky Blue will want to continue their climb towards the top with another dominating performance this week. Look for them to rely again on Sam Kerr to spur the attack and get them on the board in Chicago. The biggest thing for Kerr, however, is consistency. She can have dominating games like she did last week and then be unable to buy herself a goal in the next. So working on her consistency, especially this week, will be key. Christie Pearce has also had to work all season with a young backline and, for the most part, they have been able to handle the tests of the NWSL play. But this week, with the Chicago attack led by Christen Press, Pearce and the rest of the backline will be tested frequently. Where Kelley O’Hara plays this week will be anyone’s guess, but if she causes as many fits on the field as she did last week, Chicago will have their hands full.

The Scouting Report:

We went live on Tuesday 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: