My guess is they'll leave it for the new owners to negotiate a new contract. And Smith may want to wait and see if her value increases further. We just have to enjoy her while we can.
Hah we can hope! But never a given. For out of state owners who have no soccer background, they may have no idea...
We now know who the probable buyers are, but I won't feel more comfortable until we hear from them and/or start to see their hires for the FO. Do they have Kang ambition, or do they have Merritt Paulson ambition?
Saw the Thorns had an Insta video posted about her and clinched right up that it was going to be a "thanks and good luck" thing, thankfully it's the best possible news!
In the last few matches, she was playing a more central playmaking role, too. That's always seemed her best position for the Thorns, for all that she doesn't play there for the JWNT (not with Hasegawa available...). All good news in the Hive!
Honestly, feels huge. She's a foreign player with no ties to Portland who has willingly signed up to stay for another three years. Makes me feel good that at least one key player is committing given the uncertainty, even if that's a low bar to clear.
I know she was originally signed to a 3 yr contract (date of announcement was Jan 2022), does that mean she was signed through 2024 or 2025? Regardless, such great news to keep her around. I hope they get an actual starting winger at RW so she can play centrally now that Dunn has left. I envision a sort of box-like (or 4 in the mid) formation with Moultrie and Hina as the 10's and Rocky and Coffey as the double pivot...of course with Soph and Weaver up top.
edi: I see your comment above. That's what I thought. Great news that she stays and seems happy being in Portland!
I think our GM rates Beckie higher than we do, so it's very likely. But, imo she's not a starter and hasn't been productive enough to warrant a starting spot in her first season. Yaz Ryan plain outplayed her and took the starting RW spot because she was contributing more. I'd hope that we could get a better winger to play next to Soph, as I think Beckie is a great backup winger for either side.
Either way, we just lost 3 F's when we were already pretty thin, with Beckman getting waived, and Betfort and Vasconcelos departing for Utah. Sure, we get Beckie back next season, but I'd prefer we get a better starting-level attacker and at least one more depth attacker, in addition to Beckie.
I don’t dispute that Beckie hasn’t played up to the level of starting, on the whole of her time here, but I’ve seen stuff from her that could change my mind. Having said that, not getting a starter at RW, or at the very least some real competition for the spot would be a mistake.
In all seriousness, this at least shows that they're able to work with key players on new deals, even pre-sale.
That doesn't really mean anything for Soph because her contract will be at an entirely different scale and who knows what she's thinking, but it does mean they're not total lame ducks like I thought. I didn't think we'd get any news like this until after the sale was complete.
Hate to see Betfort go, loved her intensity and drive and personality. On top of that she was one of the few (only?) Thorns with the height and physicality to be a threat in the air.
Yeah, she has a kind of Pogarch-cannonball energy. Great forechecking tackler, too. I understand the deal, but I will miss her fun Chaos Muppet persona.
Her goal featured in the article video an absolute treat for any soccer fan, and was especially timely that day. Clearly, in the right setting she can be a breakout player and here's hoping her career blossoms.
Midfield too! It's Moultrie, Hina, Coffey, and Rocky and then.....Sinc and Porter? There's more numbers, but if any one of those first four are out, it's a disaster.
Menges requested a trade and Betfort has minimal value. The issue is that the roster hasn't been improved in two years because we have a lame duck owner with no incentive to spend money on franchise he got pushed out of.
As always when I try to defend KK from the general org disfunction, I feel like I need to clarify that *I DON'T THINK KK IS GOOD AT HER JOB EITHER* but the state of the roster is only like 25% her fault. Could she have gotten a better deal for Menges? Perhaps. But the root problem ain't her.
Maybe Menges wanted out. I suspect she wasn't assured the starting spot going into next year. As for Betfort, Utah decided to keep her rather than Bennett, so Betfort's going into camp with the opportunity to show what she can become. Meanwhile, Bennett chose to sit behind other people in San Diego.
Anyway... we need some changes. Hope that's coming.
Agree that Elyse Bennett would have been a tremendous acquisition. KK should have been offering our first round pick or newly minted allocation money for her. Can’t believe Utah sold her rights for so little.
Betfort wasn’t likely getting the shot here and I doubt she would have been protected.
I would have preferred to lose a goalie to Menges personally, but it’s kind of splitting hairs and that allocation money was a nice add if we can do something with it
I’m not happy with the depth of the roster OR the current coaching situation, but you do realize that Sam Coffey was likely heading to San Diego if they don’t make the Westphal/Ali deal?
We spent that offseason with the majority of the board saying Coffey didn’t even warrant consideration for protection much less protection.
We gave up likely the third and fourth best assets left for the expansion draft to keep the first (Coffey) and second (Ryan).
Tyler Lussi was not considered a loss at the time. Lots of lamenting about Simone, but she was falling on the unprotected list regardless and we got 100k/the 11th pick before hand.
On a side note, would people be happy if we resigned both Westphal and Charley? I would
I’ve loved her for a very long time - since she arrived in 2014; I’ve got her name and number on my Black Rose jersey! - but I think it’s worth noting that Menges’ play was not good last season by her own standards.
I know we tend to think of her as 2017 WNT-candidate-Great-Wall-of-Emily Menges and that colors our perception of her. And the CB depth…isn’t, so her loss puts the club in a position that signing a starting-quality CB becomes not a want but a need.
But I pulled through the match reports I wrote last season after reading the news and was kind of shocked how often I’d called her out for problems I’d have called utterly un-Menges-like in previous seasons. My guess is that 2023 was possibly the worst season she’s had in the ten years she’s played here, and by a substantial margin. I want to look hard at her previous seasons…but her ratings last year look pretty grim.
Combine that with her request for the move, her recent string of injuries, and possibly lingering issues in the locker room from the affairs of 2022…well, I still have a lot of fondness for her. She’s been a rock in central defense for years.
But I see the reasons for the move more than I did when it was first announced.
Well…frankly, if she can’t turn things around from “23 a good collage CB is likely to be close to “replacement” grade for her now. I like EM a lot, so I hope she can, but…
That said, I want not just a replacement but an upgrade; a Wendie Reynard-level player. We’ve struggled defensively in ways a Sauerbrunn-lead backline shouldn’t have, and for me (who was a huge Great Wall of Emily fanboi) that not okay. And yeah, I’m not confident that our current GM/HC pair can make that happen, either.
I like the idea of using this as the Expansion Draft clock. However, it would have worked just as well as the wrap-up and sign-off to a poorly conceived Friday night viewing package.
I have hated the expansion draft ever since we lost Tobin Heath. I think rather than an expansion draft give Utah and Bay the first four picks in the college draft and let them go after free agents. Why can't new teams be terrible for a few years.
I had opportunity to sit in the dugout at spring training for the LA Angels first year. I was about 10. The team was mostly real old players and raw rookies. Still they included some of my heroes.
Yeah they’re constructing rosters in the first year that are better than 1/3 to maybe 1/2 the league already based on what they’re given. I think it’s too much. If you’re a mid to bottom table team, you just keep getting pushed further down every expansion draft.
ACFC: Sent BFC Scarlett Camberos for $50,000. Sent Utah a 2024 international spot and $100,000.
Chicago: n/a
Gotham: Sent BFC Ellie Jean and $130,000 (from Racing, for Gotham's 2024 2nd and 3rd round picks). Sent Utah Mandy Haught for $150,000.
Houston: Sent BFC Joelle Anderson and $25,000. Sent Utah Cameron Tucker and $50,000.
KC: Sent BFC Alex Loera for $175,000. Sent Utah Kate Del Fava and the #4 pick in the 2024 college draft for $75,000.
Louisville: Sent BFC $235,000 in alternative allocation money and 3rd round pick in 2024 college draft for BFC's 2nd round pick in 2024 college draft. Lost Paige Monaghan to Utah.
NC: Lost Tess Boade and Katelyn Rowland to BFC. Sent Utah Emily Gray and Frankie Tagliaferri for $30,000.
OL Reign: Lost Alyssa Malonson to BFC. Lost Elyse Bennett to Utah.
Orlando: Sent BFC #8 pick in 2024 college draft for $50,000.. Sent Utah Mikayla Cluff and #26 pick in 2024 college draft for $90,000.
Portland: Sent BFC Emily Menges for $75,000. Sent Utah Hannah Betfort, $10,000, and the #33 pick in 2024 college draft.
SD: Sent Utah Kaleigh Riehl for $60,000. Lost Rachel Hill and Sierra Enge to BFC. Reacquired Enge from Houston for Belle Briede, a 2024 3rd round pick, and $60,000. Acquired Elyse Bennett from Utah for $40,000.
Washington: Sent BFC Dorian Bailey. Sent Utah #20 and #21 picks in 2024 college draft.
San Diego also lost Riehl, the starting CB next to Girma most of the team’s existence. Based on their inadequate reading comprehension, I’d say they were tied with KC as the biggest dummies of the draft. SD might just edge them even, because they suffered the most consequences of any of the teams who got partial protection, losing 3 quality players. KC just made bad deals…lost 2 quality players and a very valuable draft pick.
Right now I'd say the expansion draft losers are KC, SD, Portland, and NC.
SD lost Riehl, Hill, Briede and a 3rd rounder, but recovered by landing Bennett and reacquiring Enge. KC lost Loera, Del Fava, and the #4 pick but got $250,000. Portland lost Menges, Betfort, and a 3rd rounder but got $65,000. And NC lost Boade, Rowland, Gray, and Tagliaferri but got $30,000.
I think these are good moves though not without risk. Hannah was showing promise but was third choice forward so she way want an opportunity to go to a team where she has more playing time. I am concerned that Izzy was far down the bench and hasn't broken through.
I think Emily has been good but do think she needs a fresh start. But very worried about CB. If Becky signs and Kelli is 2021 Kelli it's good but that's a big bet and Meghan hasn't impressed.
Izzy D'Aquila is one of the most hard working players I've seen. Constantly one of the last players to leave trainings and does extra drills all the time. She works too hard not to figure it out. Her playing out wide when she is a brilliant aerial threat and central target was a bit of a shock. There is room for her to play with Soph but in the middle in a 2 forward front during the season. Morgan can feed them a ton of balls and so can Janine.
I hope she gets the chance. I know the Challenge Cup tournament is gone, but there needs to be opportunities for players like Izzy to get playing time so she can improve and the team gets more depth for rotation.
I’m still team Izzy. I know the details of her style are different, but to me she has that Raso-like energy. It needs to be harnessed and cultivated though, of course, which is why I’m also on team #norrisout.
Problem being that if she’s going to be a #9 we’ve got the best nine in the league right now. Gonna be hard to get first team minutes for D’Aquila given that.
Norris screwed up putting her at the wing, but maybe now Betfort is gone she can get starts at center forward during this Olympic tournament thing and we’ll see if she’s got the goods…
Yes with Smith here any central attacker is relief material. Unfortunately she floundered at the 9 when given the minutes. Other than CB, wing opposite Weaver needs to be our priority cause Izzy is not it.
I'd have to go back and check, but she got almost no minutes as the backup 9, and she's most certainly not a winger. I'm not necessarily a believer in her long term --I've been clear that I don't think she has the traits a really good 9 needs-- but I'd like to see her get a chance to at least show that she has a little bit of Bethany Balcer in her cause that's her path to sticking in the league.
Impossible to look at her goals reel from Santa Clara and not see talent yet unlocked, including a darn good aerial game.
She did not shine in her rare on-field appearances and I'll assign a 50:50 player: coach responsibility. Here's hoping a new regime can find her a proper role; lord knows Thorns lack any kind of aerial threat as they stand.
She's very good at what she's good at, which is finding the right spots and (at least in college) finishing chances. She does, however, have to play as a nine because she hasn't shown that there's much else to her game.
I do think Izzy was playing out of position for much of last season (#norrisout), but she still didn't show much. I'm a Betfort fan, so I'm not liking this development. Speaking of development, though, maybe Izzy is a late bloomer on the big stage.
And Provenzano never got across the line it seems with negotiations…I’m guessing this puts her on the waiver wire? Anyone know if they missed the window? She’s out of contract as of now. I wouldn’t be sad about it, but it would be another player to fill (and another CB.)
This comes as a total shock to me, as someone who's been friends with Menges for several years now. I gotta think the RW situation has something to do with it, if even indirectly.
Let's just hope this means KK has some big CB plans in the works! Maybe Soph can convince her bff Girma that the weather in San Diego isn't THAT great.
Yeah, KK is going to need to pull a rabbit out of her hat because relying on Becky (who turns 39 this season) seems like a sketchy proposition and Hubly is best coming off the bench. I think Menges was probably underrated for how easy she made it look making the right play almost all the time. I'll miss her toothpick legs with black socks down at her ankles floating around the field like a gazelle.
Since this is a Menges and Betfort appreciation opportunity I want to add mine. 2017 final against the Courage it felt like the Courage had 13 players on the field and the clock was advancing at half speed. the Thorns were up 1-0 on Horan's header and Jess McDonald streaks into the box and Menges makes a fantastic play to stop Jess's shot and the Thorns win the Championship.
Betfort also against the Courage this year scored just "sick" goal beating to NC defenders with a nice assist from Liv. I love both of those players best of luck; accept against the Thorns.
You may be right. It was a Sonnett free kick and touched Dahlkempers head negating any possibility of Horan being offside then went in off Horan. Most important it was the winner. Crazy game!
I think it was a kick after a missed header by Henry. That is, Henri missed the ball, which turned out to be fortunate, because otherwise Horan was offside.
They seem to have "bought" her twice now. This time, we MEAN IT.
Ten matches played, did not appear in playoffs.
"The San Diego Wave FC will open its season this Saturday at Snapdragon Stadium with a new addition that’s a familiar face here in San Diego.
"It’s a homecoming for North County resident Sierra Enge. When she was drafted first in the second round of the 2023 National Women's Soccer League and 13th overall — it was a dream come true. With lots of professional soccer teams showing interest in her, Enge didn’t know if she would be coming back home.
"But closer and closer to the draft, it seemed to be more and more realistic," Enge said. "And it was just so fun, especially to be there with my family and so many friends and know that I was coming home.”
"The Wave FC specifically traded up in the 2023 draft to select Enge. Wave coach Casey Stoney said Enge will add much-needed depth to the team.
"She was a key target for us," Stoney said shortly after the draft in January. "So, really pleased we traded up; the importance of getting Sierra to add squad depth, quality, character."
Odd we start the season with 39-year-old Becky and Derpy Hubly at CB? I don't have a whole lot of faith in KK. Not looking forward to another year of Norris, either.
IMO it's too early to judge KK. Her hands may be tied by the fact the sale is still pending. Surely she's as aware as we are of the team's needs. We may (or may not) see a flurry of activity once the sale is complete. Certainly we're missing opportunities, but that may just be the hard fact of the situation. Hopefully there will still be time to build up the roster after the sale. And hopefully we'll get *something* out of the draft.
I'm not ready to say that. In fact I'm saying punting would be premature. I just think it's too early to say much of anything. I'm still hoping there are deals in the works that can't be discussed until the new ownership is in place. I'm hoping that KK is just chomping at the bit for authorization to spend some money. I realize there's no evidence of this, and maybe I'm just being naive and setting myself up for disappointment (wouldn't be the first time).
Of all the people on the unprotected lists, I think I feel worst for Paige Monaghan. Louisville traded for her last year and signed her to a 3-year deal. She talked about how great it was to feel wanted and appreciated and to have teammates who respected her as a really good pro. She went there because of her working relationship with Yanez, who is now Louisville's HC, when both were at Gotham. Now???
That’s what I like to hear! Are you happy with it, ie, shall we be a bit more settled in regards to CB? I’m assuming this would be a starter (hopefully) bc that’s what we need…
Hmmm maybe I misinterpreted you before...you're saying they're going out and getting an int'l CB, but one that isn't a starter? With what we need?! If we were just gonna get depth, why not just look within the league? Perplexing to think that Brunn and Hubs are gonna be sufficient to get the job done after we had one of the worst defenses in the league...esp with Becky retiring in the next couple years.
I could see a young, high-potential player who may not be ready to start every match.
(I also think that people are overrating how bad the defense was individually vs. how much was Norris creating a lot of the issues tactically. Not saying Hubly was *good*, but a lot of her flaws were exposed because of how many times she was left on an island)
Oh I def think a large part was Norris (probably the largest part tbh), but I fear we have Norris again and so they're gonna need to get high-caliber defenders so that they at least look mid lol. I think that even trickled down to Bella. If we had better coaching/tactics, defense would've looked better, and Bella would've also by default.
Right, but my point is that unless we get Naomi Girma, I don't think the defensive issues are going away (or even getting better) with new personnel until Norris makes changes.....though I do think Reyes over Kling will help if we go that route.
Lol, fair enough. I imagine they can't start announcing these moves until January yes? Or can we start announcing now-ish? I forget when the trade window opens for the NWSL (or if it's already open..)
I hope they have about 4 of those ambitious announcements lined up lol, we're gonna need it.
Hina re-signed thru 26. Finally a smart move
Definitely one of the top priorities this offseason. If there was an NWSL all star game, she'd be in it.
Phuoc do you have any insight on whether re-signing Sophia freaking Smith will be a top priority this offseason? ::)
My guess is they'll leave it for the new owners to negotiate a new contract. And Smith may want to wait and see if her value increases further. We just have to enjoy her while we can.
Totally. I just hope new owners have been briefed on what we have, and what we stand to lose lol.
Can we say "due diligence"?
Hah we can hope! But never a given. For out of state owners who have no soccer background, they may have no idea...
We now know who the probable buyers are, but I won't feel more comfortable until we hear from them and/or start to see their hires for the FO. Do they have Kang ambition, or do they have Merritt Paulson ambition?
Saw the Thorns had an Insta video posted about her and clinched right up that it was going to be a "thanks and good luck" thing, thankfully it's the best possible news!
Few players have gone from "who?" to "WHOOOO!" for me like Hina. Thank god nobody else snagged her, and that she's also staying in the States.
So much fun.
In the last few matches, she was playing a more central playmaking role, too. That's always seemed her best position for the Thorns, for all that she doesn't play there for the JWNT (not with Hasegawa available...). All good news in the Hive!
Honestly, feels huge. She's a foreign player with no ties to Portland who has willingly signed up to stay for another three years. Makes me feel good that at least one key player is committing given the uncertainty, even if that's a low bar to clear.
I know she was originally signed to a 3 yr contract (date of announcement was Jan 2022), does that mean she was signed through 2024 or 2025? Regardless, such great news to keep her around. I hope they get an actual starting winger at RW so she can play centrally now that Dunn has left. I envision a sort of box-like (or 4 in the mid) formation with Moultrie and Hina as the 10's and Rocky and Coffey as the double pivot...of course with Soph and Weaver up top.
edi: I see your comment above. That's what I thought. Great news that she stays and seems happy being in Portland!
Should be 2024- A three year deal in Jan. 2022 would be through the 2022, '23, and '24 seasons.
Barring a signing, I’m guessing Beckie is the pencilled in RW starter across from Weaver. Love it if Hina moves centrally.
I think our GM rates Beckie higher than we do, so it's very likely. But, imo she's not a starter and hasn't been productive enough to warrant a starting spot in her first season. Yaz Ryan plain outplayed her and took the starting RW spot because she was contributing more. I'd hope that we could get a better winger to play next to Soph, as I think Beckie is a great backup winger for either side.
Either way, we just lost 3 F's when we were already pretty thin, with Beckman getting waived, and Betfort and Vasconcelos departing for Utah. Sure, we get Beckie back next season, but I'd prefer we get a better starting-level attacker and at least one more depth attacker, in addition to Beckie.
I’d trade our number 1 to Utah for the rights to Elyse Bennett if they’d take it.
Wonder if Simone Charley or Nadia Nadim have enough left to contemplate a return to Portland
I don’t dispute that Beckie hasn’t played up to the level of starting, on the whole of her time here, but I’ve seen stuff from her that could change my mind. Having said that, not getting a starter at RW, or at the very least some real competition for the spot would be a mistake.
Hina at the 10 with rocky Coffey dbl six sounds solid
So, the forward and mids look good, if not deep.
Weaver-Smith-Beckie
Hina-Moultrie
Rocky-Coffey
Unfortunately, Sinclair is currently our only depth at forward and attacking mid, and we don't currently have any depth at defensive mid.
And that backline that looks very wobbly and thin.
Was she originally signed through 2025?
2024, I believe. She signed a 3 year deal in 2022.
(unless I'm forgetting an extension)
OK but Sophia next so I can exhale lol.
In all seriousness, this at least shows that they're able to work with key players on new deals, even pre-sale.
That doesn't really mean anything for Soph because her contract will be at an entirely different scale and who knows what she's thinking, but it does mean they're not total lame ducks like I thought. I didn't think we'd get any news like this until after the sale was complete.
At least feels like someone is still driving the bus
Hate to see Betfort go, loved her intensity and drive and personality. On top of that she was one of the few (only?) Thorns with the height and physicality to be a threat in the air.
Not just that, was one of the most thoughtful players during interviews too. Always gave great responses and amazing energy to her teammates.
Glad she'll get a chance to play a lot in Utah.
Yeah, she has a kind of Pogarch-cannonball energy. Great forechecking tackler, too. I understand the deal, but I will miss her fun Chaos Muppet persona.
She is also pretty fast for being so big. I'll miss her, too. One of my favorite players.
Her goal featured in the article video an absolute treat for any soccer fan, and was especially timely that day. Clearly, in the right setting she can be a breakout player and here's hoping her career blossoms.
Man, I hope to Sweet Zombie Jesus we're re-signing Sauerbruun.
Our defensive unit, as it currently stands: Reyes, Hubly, Nally. That's it.
Unsigned: Kuikka, Klingenberg, Sauerbruun, McGrady, Provenzano.
In terms of numbers, our F line is pretty lol as well: Weaver, Smith, Beckie, D'Aquila.
Midfield too! It's Moultrie, Hina, Coffey, and Rocky and then.....Sinc and Porter? There's more numbers, but if any one of those first four are out, it's a disaster.
Just a super thin roster.
Yeah, gawd. What are we doing here lol. We need like like at least 4-5 big signings, and then, good depth. Woof.
Not to mention the holes in our technical staff still.
Looks like what we’re headed for is a rebuilding year with lowered expectations for results.
A super thin roster with a GM who trades away too much in expansion and whom agents don't respect for knowing how to do her job. We need some changes.
Menges requested a trade and Betfort has minimal value. The issue is that the roster hasn't been improved in two years because we have a lame duck owner with no incentive to spend money on franchise he got pushed out of.
As always when I try to defend KK from the general org disfunction, I feel like I need to clarify that *I DON'T THINK KK IS GOOD AT HER JOB EITHER* but the state of the roster is only like 25% her fault. Could she have gotten a better deal for Menges? Perhaps. But the root problem ain't her.
Maybe Menges wanted out. I suspect she wasn't assured the starting spot going into next year. As for Betfort, Utah decided to keep her rather than Bennett, so Betfort's going into camp with the opportunity to show what she can become. Meanwhile, Bennett chose to sit behind other people in San Diego.
Anyway... we need some changes. Hope that's coming.
Agree that Elyse Bennett would have been a tremendous acquisition. KK should have been offering our first round pick or newly minted allocation money for her. Can’t believe Utah sold her rights for so little.
Betfort wasn’t likely getting the shot here and I doubt she would have been protected.
I would have preferred to lose a goalie to Menges personally, but it’s kind of splitting hairs and that allocation money was a nice add if we can do something with it
I’m not happy with the depth of the roster OR the current coaching situation, but you do realize that Sam Coffey was likely heading to San Diego if they don’t make the Westphal/Ali deal?
We spent that offseason with the majority of the board saying Coffey didn’t even warrant consideration for protection much less protection.
We gave up likely the third and fourth best assets left for the expansion draft to keep the first (Coffey) and second (Ryan).
Tyler Lussi was not considered a loss at the time. Lots of lamenting about Simone, but she was falling on the unprotected list regardless and we got 100k/the 11th pick before hand.
On a side note, would people be happy if we resigned both Westphal and Charley? I would
I’ve loved her for a very long time - since she arrived in 2014; I’ve got her name and number on my Black Rose jersey! - but I think it’s worth noting that Menges’ play was not good last season by her own standards.
I know we tend to think of her as 2017 WNT-candidate-Great-Wall-of-Emily Menges and that colors our perception of her. And the CB depth…isn’t, so her loss puts the club in a position that signing a starting-quality CB becomes not a want but a need.
But I pulled through the match reports I wrote last season after reading the news and was kind of shocked how often I’d called her out for problems I’d have called utterly un-Menges-like in previous seasons. My guess is that 2023 was possibly the worst season she’s had in the ten years she’s played here, and by a substantial margin. I want to look hard at her previous seasons…but her ratings last year look pretty grim.
Combine that with her request for the move, her recent string of injuries, and possibly lingering issues in the locker room from the affairs of 2022…well, I still have a lot of fondness for her. She’s been a rock in central defense for years.
But I see the reasons for the move more than I did when it was first announced.
Yeah, I have kind of talked myself of the ledge since the announcement. I just don't have any faith in this FO signing an adequate replacement.
Well…frankly, if she can’t turn things around from “23 a good collage CB is likely to be close to “replacement” grade for her now. I like EM a lot, so I hope she can, but…
That said, I want not just a replacement but an upgrade; a Wendie Reynard-level player. We’ve struggled defensively in ways a Sauerbrunn-lead backline shouldn’t have, and for me (who was a huge Great Wall of Emily fanboi) that not okay. And yeah, I’m not confident that our current GM/HC pair can make that happen, either.
I like the idea of using this as the Expansion Draft clock. However, it would have worked just as well as the wrap-up and sign-off to a poorly conceived Friday night viewing package.
https://twitter.com/jennatonelli/status/1735820664412463557
I have hated the expansion draft ever since we lost Tobin Heath. I think rather than an expansion draft give Utah and Bay the first four picks in the college draft and let them go after free agents. Why can't new teams be terrible for a few years.
I had opportunity to sit in the dugout at spring training for the LA Angels first year. I was about 10. The team was mostly real old players and raw rookies. Still they included some of my heroes.
Yeah they’re constructing rosters in the first year that are better than 1/3 to maybe 1/2 the league already based on what they’re given. I think it’s too much. If you’re a mid to bottom table team, you just keep getting pushed further down every expansion draft.
Expansion Winners and Losers - who are yours?
Here's what each club gained/lost...
ACFC: Sent BFC Scarlett Camberos for $50,000. Sent Utah a 2024 international spot and $100,000.
Chicago: n/a
Gotham: Sent BFC Ellie Jean and $130,000 (from Racing, for Gotham's 2024 2nd and 3rd round picks). Sent Utah Mandy Haught for $150,000.
Houston: Sent BFC Joelle Anderson and $25,000. Sent Utah Cameron Tucker and $50,000.
KC: Sent BFC Alex Loera for $175,000. Sent Utah Kate Del Fava and the #4 pick in the 2024 college draft for $75,000.
Louisville: Sent BFC $235,000 in alternative allocation money and 3rd round pick in 2024 college draft for BFC's 2nd round pick in 2024 college draft. Lost Paige Monaghan to Utah.
NC: Lost Tess Boade and Katelyn Rowland to BFC. Sent Utah Emily Gray and Frankie Tagliaferri for $30,000.
OL Reign: Lost Alyssa Malonson to BFC. Lost Elyse Bennett to Utah.
Orlando: Sent BFC #8 pick in 2024 college draft for $50,000.. Sent Utah Mikayla Cluff and #26 pick in 2024 college draft for $90,000.
Portland: Sent BFC Emily Menges for $75,000. Sent Utah Hannah Betfort, $10,000, and the #33 pick in 2024 college draft.
SD: Sent Utah Kaleigh Riehl for $60,000. Lost Rachel Hill and Sierra Enge to BFC. Reacquired Enge from Houston for Belle Briede, a 2024 3rd round pick, and $60,000. Acquired Elyse Bennett from Utah for $40,000.
Washington: Sent BFC Dorian Bailey. Sent Utah #20 and #21 picks in 2024 college draft.
Chicago won. And lost.
San Diego also lost Riehl, the starting CB next to Girma most of the team’s existence. Based on their inadequate reading comprehension, I’d say they were tied with KC as the biggest dummies of the draft. SD might just edge them even, because they suffered the most consequences of any of the teams who got partial protection, losing 3 quality players. KC just made bad deals…lost 2 quality players and a very valuable draft pick.
Thanks for catching that! I'll add her to the list.
Pretty much a wash except for KC, who lost.
Right now I'd say the expansion draft losers are KC, SD, Portland, and NC.
SD lost Riehl, Hill, Briede and a 3rd rounder, but recovered by landing Bennett and reacquiring Enge. KC lost Loera, Del Fava, and the #4 pick but got $250,000. Portland lost Menges, Betfort, and a 3rd rounder but got $65,000. And NC lost Boade, Rowland, Gray, and Tagliaferri but got $30,000.
Yeah, here's a graph of minutes played for the players each team lost.
https://twitter.com/theolloydhughes/status/1736487985577672946
I think these are good moves though not without risk. Hannah was showing promise but was third choice forward so she way want an opportunity to go to a team where she has more playing time. I am concerned that Izzy was far down the bench and hasn't broken through.
I think Emily has been good but do think she needs a fresh start. But very worried about CB. If Becky signs and Kelli is 2021 Kelli it's good but that's a big bet and Meghan hasn't impressed.
Izzy D'Aquila is one of the most hard working players I've seen. Constantly one of the last players to leave trainings and does extra drills all the time. She works too hard not to figure it out. Her playing out wide when she is a brilliant aerial threat and central target was a bit of a shock. There is room for her to play with Soph but in the middle in a 2 forward front during the season. Morgan can feed them a ton of balls and so can Janine.
I hope she gets the chance. I know the Challenge Cup tournament is gone, but there needs to be opportunities for players like Izzy to get playing time so she can improve and the team gets more depth for rotation.
I’m still team Izzy. I know the details of her style are different, but to me she has that Raso-like energy. It needs to be harnessed and cultivated though, of course, which is why I’m also on team #norrisout.
Problem being that if she’s going to be a #9 we’ve got the best nine in the league right now. Gonna be hard to get first team minutes for D’Aquila given that.
Norris screwed up putting her at the wing, but maybe now Betfort is gone she can get starts at center forward during this Olympic tournament thing and we’ll see if she’s got the goods…
Yes with Smith here any central attacker is relief material. Unfortunately she floundered at the 9 when given the minutes. Other than CB, wing opposite Weaver needs to be our priority cause Izzy is not it.
I'd have to go back and check, but she got almost no minutes as the backup 9, and she's most certainly not a winger. I'm not necessarily a believer in her long term --I've been clear that I don't think she has the traits a really good 9 needs-- but I'd like to see her get a chance to at least show that she has a little bit of Bethany Balcer in her cause that's her path to sticking in the league.
Impossible to look at her goals reel from Santa Clara and not see talent yet unlocked, including a darn good aerial game.
She did not shine in her rare on-field appearances and I'll assign a 50:50 player: coach responsibility. Here's hoping a new regime can find her a proper role; lord knows Thorns lack any kind of aerial threat as they stand.
D'Aquila will be rounding into shape and a nice pickup for Boston in 2025
She's very good at what she's good at, which is finding the right spots and (at least in college) finishing chances. She does, however, have to play as a nine because she hasn't shown that there's much else to her game.
Hey, there's always right back.
Seriously, I look at Nighswonger and Izzie and it's like looking at the same picture.
Can't tell if this is sarcastic or not lol. Izzy doesn't really have any of Nighswonger's skills and vice versa.
I do think Izzy was playing out of position for much of last season (#norrisout), but she still didn't show much. I'm a Betfort fan, so I'm not liking this development. Speaking of development, though, maybe Izzy is a late bloomer on the big stage.
Yeah I def agree with you on every point here.
And Provenzano never got across the line it seems with negotiations…I’m guessing this puts her on the waiver wire? Anyone know if they missed the window? She’s out of contract as of now. I wouldn’t be sad about it, but it would be another player to fill (and another CB.)
This comes as a total shock to me, as someone who's been friends with Menges for several years now. I gotta think the RW situation has something to do with it, if even indirectly.
Let's just hope this means KK has some big CB plans in the works! Maybe Soph can convince her bff Girma that the weather in San Diego isn't THAT great.
Yeah, KK is going to need to pull a rabbit out of her hat because relying on Becky (who turns 39 this season) seems like a sketchy proposition and Hubly is best coming off the bench. I think Menges was probably underrated for how easy she made it look making the right play almost all the time. I'll miss her toothpick legs with black socks down at her ankles floating around the field like a gazelle.
News! Just not from our FO!
(1) Ellie Jean (is not my lover) to Louisville to complete the 3-team expansion draft deal involving Racing, BFC, and Gotham.
(2) Addisyn Merrick signs with Utah.
(3) NC extends Sean Nahas.
That is all.
Take my GM, please!
https://twitter.com/thrace/status/1735777387973914663
I wanted to comment that LOL. They can take her for free!
Since this is a Menges and Betfort appreciation opportunity I want to add mine. 2017 final against the Courage it felt like the Courage had 13 players on the field and the clock was advancing at half speed. the Thorns were up 1-0 on Horan's header and Jess McDonald streaks into the box and Menges makes a fantastic play to stop Jess's shot and the Thorns win the Championship.
Betfort also against the Courage this year scored just "sick" goal beating to NC defenders with a nice assist from Liv. I love both of those players best of luck; accept against the Thorns.
Was Horan's goal in the 2017 final a header? I thought it was a kick, but maybe I'm remembering some other game.
You may be right. It was a Sonnett free kick and touched Dahlkempers head negating any possibility of Horan being offside then went in off Horan. Most important it was the winner. Crazy game!
I think it was a kick after a missed header by Henry. That is, Henri missed the ball, which turned out to be fortunate, because otherwise Horan was offside.
https://youtu.be/simcJ3oWmZA?si=o46c-k0Jdb2h5ySL&t=225
Maybe Dahlkemper touched it, but Henry didn't; not offside either way.
https://x.com/tayvincent6/status/1736431728926015791?s=20
lmao lmao lmao this is hysterical. Sounds like *someone* didn't want to leave SD and SD really paid up to keep her. Houston really taking advantage!
Houston came in like the Kool-Aid man and fleeced them both lmao. So stupid.
They seem to have "bought" her twice now. This time, we MEAN IT.
Ten matches played, did not appear in playoffs.
"The San Diego Wave FC will open its season this Saturday at Snapdragon Stadium with a new addition that’s a familiar face here in San Diego.
"It’s a homecoming for North County resident Sierra Enge. When she was drafted first in the second round of the 2023 National Women's Soccer League and 13th overall — it was a dream come true. With lots of professional soccer teams showing interest in her, Enge didn’t know if she would be coming back home.
"But closer and closer to the draft, it seemed to be more and more realistic," Enge said. "And it was just so fun, especially to be there with my family and so many friends and know that I was coming home.”
"The Wave FC specifically traded up in the 2023 draft to select Enge. Wave coach Casey Stoney said Enge will add much-needed depth to the team.
"She was a key target for us," Stoney said shortly after the draft in January. "So, really pleased we traded up; the importance of getting Sierra to add squad depth, quality, character."
Odd we start the season with 39-year-old Becky and Derpy Hubly at CB? I don't have a whole lot of faith in KK. Not looking forward to another year of Norris, either.
IMO it's too early to judge KK. Her hands may be tied by the fact the sale is still pending. Surely she's as aware as we are of the team's needs. We may (or may not) see a flurry of activity once the sale is complete. Certainly we're missing opportunities, but that may just be the hard fact of the situation. Hopefully there will still be time to build up the roster after the sale. And hopefully we'll get *something* out of the draft.
Feels like another way of saying we are punting on this season.
"Punting" implies choice. There's no choice if the checkbook is cut off.
I'm not ready to say that. In fact I'm saying punting would be premature. I just think it's too early to say much of anything. I'm still hoping there are deals in the works that can't be discussed until the new ownership is in place. I'm hoping that KK is just chomping at the bit for authorization to spend some money. I realize there's no evidence of this, and maybe I'm just being naive and setting myself up for disappointment (wouldn't be the first time).
Arrested Development Narrator: "He was."
"I just blue myself"
Sorry, meant to say "odds"
Yeah, it's a wrap. Utah passes 4 times in a row, and BFC passes once.
Bad idea to televise this.
Narrator: "Televise implies it occurred on a real platform, not an imaginary one."
I blame the NFL for making drafts A Thing. One stink-eye awarded.
Imaginary platforms - just like when I did pretend play-by-play shooting hoops out in the driveway when I was a kid.
"And the crowd goes wild, rushes the court and hoists Thornado onto their shoulders for a victory lap around the arena."
Of all the people on the unprotected lists, I think I feel worst for Paige Monaghan. Louisville traded for her last year and signed her to a 3-year deal. She talked about how great it was to feel wanted and appreciated and to have teammates who respected her as a really good pro. She went there because of her working relationship with Yanez, who is now Louisville's HC, when both were at Gotham. Now???
ABell4 -- it's moving forward. That's all I can say.
That’s what I like to hear! Are you happy with it, ie, shall we be a bit more settled in regards to CB? I’m assuming this would be a starter (hopefully) bc that’s what we need…
I'm not advocating, merely relating.
I assume we know who our starting CBs will be - Hubs and Becky (if she's returning).
Hmmm maybe I misinterpreted you before...you're saying they're going out and getting an int'l CB, but one that isn't a starter? With what we need?! If we were just gonna get depth, why not just look within the league? Perplexing to think that Brunn and Hubs are gonna be sufficient to get the job done after we had one of the worst defenses in the league...esp with Becky retiring in the next couple years.
I could see a young, high-potential player who may not be ready to start every match.
(I also think that people are overrating how bad the defense was individually vs. how much was Norris creating a lot of the issues tactically. Not saying Hubly was *good*, but a lot of her flaws were exposed because of how many times she was left on an island)
Oh I def think a large part was Norris (probably the largest part tbh), but I fear we have Norris again and so they're gonna need to get high-caliber defenders so that they at least look mid lol. I think that even trickled down to Bella. If we had better coaching/tactics, defense would've looked better, and Bella would've also by default.
Right, but my point is that unless we get Naomi Girma, I don't think the defensive issues are going away (or even getting better) with new personnel until Norris makes changes.....though I do think Reyes over Kling will help if we go that route.
I'm saying nothing. You'll know when it's done.
Lol, fair enough. I imagine they can't start announcing these moves until January yes? Or can we start announcing now-ish? I forget when the trade window opens for the NWSL (or if it's already open..)
I hope they have about 4 of those ambitious announcements lined up lol, we're gonna need it.
Yikes!!