Livia and Sam and what? I just think it’s tactics…Distribution to start the attack is slow. Most of the time the ball goes outside to the fullbacks masquerading as stellar offensive players. Sorry, Kling and Kiuikka not effective wingbacks spraying darts around the 18 resulting in assists or goals. Correct me if I’m wrong, I don’t think either has had an assist this year. One mistake in the midfield, and it’s jailbreak. Dash had two or three breakaways, only to botch them.
Other teams are doing a decent job of shutting Thorns down, made all the easier by running the same tactics game after game after game. Frustrating as all hell, especially when people on this board who know this game inside and out can’t quite put their finger on what’s wrong.
If I was Norris I'd be brushing up my resume'. His roster choices have been peculiar at best (I kind of half give him a pass on Sinclair because I'm guessing he's getting a ton of pressure from above...), his tactics pedestrian, his substitutions often ineffective. With a squad of this quality he's...underwhelmed.
I'm now curious - not particularly hopeful, mind - to see how he runs this team out against Chicago. If he sees the past four games as "shit happens"? We're in for SSDD.
If we see a very different XI?
Hmm....
Still...at this point is it worth doing an emergency search to find a new coach? I'm half ready to suggest it is.
Sophia has also looked rough the last few games imo. Just not up to her standards…I wonder if she’s got eyes to the WC and is trying to do just enough and that’s it. She loses SO many balls in midfield. It happens every game and is really something she needs to work on, but especially when she isn’t scoring or doing much of anything else…it’s a total liability. So many turnovers centrally to start Houston on their attack. And if the ball is more than 2 yards away, she doesn’t even try to win it back. It frustrates me to no end.
DEFENSE, does this team know what this means? Even Weaver doesn’t do it as much as she used to. Is this a coaching thing?
I wonder if Menges is less fit than we've been led to believe.
In the Louisville post-game, Norris said that Becky had been playing through a foot injury and they'd hope she'd make it 90. She didn't and now has been out. Nothing about how long that had been going on. But if Menges had to be rushed into more minutes ahead of schedule? Could explain some of her performances in the last few games as well as Nally getting 90 tonight.
My biggest issue with tonight is the complete lack of protection for the defence. If you’re starting Meghan Nally you can’t expose her in the way she got exposed in the second half. Like this is fucking basic stuff. He was too slow to bring on fresh legs, Sinclair for Rocky broke the midfield structure. The space was absolutely laughable.
I’d honestly consider starting Hogan against Chicago. Angerer knows them better so whatever call she makes will be the decider, but her confidence has to be wrecked…
Can't blame Sinc for this one. The match wasn't ever great, but it shifted after Rocky got hurt. But the defensive problems and the finishing problems were there before Sinc came on.
Gotta wonder how this gets fixed. I took stick for suggesting there are systemic issues back in the ACFC game, but it sure looks that way now, eh? Organization, tactics, roster, matchday management…where do you start?
When a team starts a season so well (albeit against bad teams), the nosedives regardless of the quality of the opposition, you know several things are going wrong at once. Team has no confidence, no energy. Positional/roster decisions are stupid. Defense is making rec league errors. The list goes on.
People who know me as a Thorns supporter from the beginning know how rarely I'm this negative. But something (or somethingS) is not right with the team right now.
Livia and Sam and what? I just think it’s tactics…Distribution to start the attack is slow. Most of the time the ball goes outside to the fullbacks masquerading as stellar offensive players. Sorry, Kling and Kiuikka not effective wingbacks spraying darts around the 18 resulting in assists or goals. Correct me if I’m wrong, I don’t think either has had an assist this year. One mistake in the midfield, and it’s jailbreak. Dash had two or three breakaways, only to botch them.
Other teams are doing a decent job of shutting Thorns down, made all the easier by running the same tactics game after game after game. Frustrating as all hell, especially when people on this board who know this game inside and out can’t quite put their finger on what’s wrong.
If I was Norris I'd be brushing up my resume'. His roster choices have been peculiar at best (I kind of half give him a pass on Sinclair because I'm guessing he's getting a ton of pressure from above...), his tactics pedestrian, his substitutions often ineffective. With a squad of this quality he's...underwhelmed.
I'm now curious - not particularly hopeful, mind - to see how he runs this team out against Chicago. If he sees the past four games as "shit happens"? We're in for SSDD.
If we see a very different XI?
Hmm....
Still...at this point is it worth doing an emergency search to find a new coach? I'm half ready to suggest it is.
Sophia has also looked rough the last few games imo. Just not up to her standards…I wonder if she’s got eyes to the WC and is trying to do just enough and that’s it. She loses SO many balls in midfield. It happens every game and is really something she needs to work on, but especially when she isn’t scoring or doing much of anything else…it’s a total liability. So many turnovers centrally to start Houston on their attack. And if the ball is more than 2 yards away, she doesn’t even try to win it back. It frustrates me to no end.
DEFENSE, does this team know what this means? Even Weaver doesn’t do it as much as she used to. Is this a coaching thing?
I wonder if Menges is less fit than we've been led to believe.
In the Louisville post-game, Norris said that Becky had been playing through a foot injury and they'd hope she'd make it 90. She didn't and now has been out. Nothing about how long that had been going on. But if Menges had to be rushed into more minutes ahead of schedule? Could explain some of her performances in the last few games as well as Nally getting 90 tonight.
https://twitter.com/chrisrifer/status/1657215630695862272?s=46&t=DZg_M3BPh0AnZbHifuBa0A
Rifer is right: the space between the lines is a huge issue. There’s too much.
My biggest issue with tonight is the complete lack of protection for the defence. If you’re starting Meghan Nally you can’t expose her in the way she got exposed in the second half. Like this is fucking basic stuff. He was too slow to bring on fresh legs, Sinclair for Rocky broke the midfield structure. The space was absolutely laughable.
I’d honestly consider starting Hogan against Chicago. Angerer knows them better so whatever call she makes will be the decider, but her confidence has to be wrecked…
Can only hope they start taking these issues more seriously now.
That was 99 minutes I’ll never get back. Ugh.
Haven't look good since KC, really. That's a LONG time ago.
Winless in those kits so far
The last touch by Soph was symptomatic of the whole game.
Ref you can't stop play for a cramp JFC
Can't blame Sinc for this one. The match wasn't ever great, but it shifted after Rocky got hurt. But the defensive problems and the finishing problems were there before Sinc came on.
To borrow a phrase from the immortal Micheal Ray Richardson.... "The Ship Be Sincin'"
This team is in trouble.
Washington can jump us if they whip ACFC and Gotham if they beat Orlando. Down to fourth? Ouch.
Gotta wonder how this gets fixed. I took stick for suggesting there are systemic issues back in the ACFC game, but it sure looks that way now, eh? Organization, tactics, roster, matchday management…where do you start?
Christne Sinclair, the Diane Feinstein of soccer
C'mon ref, Thorns dont need your help to lose
Well, fuckadoo!
Crap.
Yikes, we can't even score when two of their defenders give us a favor and take themselves out
Sinc gassed after a single run. That’s just sad.
Sinc retire now, for crissakes.
Fuuuuuuge.
Who had "Rhian Wilkinson is a genius" on their Thorns BINGO card?
Fuck, Sinc.
Kling's face - she knows she's had a bad game
When a team starts a season so well (albeit against bad teams), the nosedives regardless of the quality of the opposition, you know several things are going wrong at once. Team has no confidence, no energy. Positional/roster decisions are stupid. Defense is making rec league errors. The list goes on.
People who know me as a Thorns supporter from the beginning know how rarely I'm this negative. But something (or somethingS) is not right with the team right now.
At least we have tattoo kits!
Anybody still want to second-guess my demotion of Portland to Tier II/#4?
I guess the Nally experiment is over.
"...leaving Meaghan Nally for dead." Ouch.
Wow. Just..wow. Brutal errors in back. Just brutal.
Salvage a draw I hope.
Bixby not exactly shining.
SWEET! Now going to drop all 3 in Houston. Our defense is spectacular!
#NorrisOut
There you go.
....and there's the Meghan Nally we love
IDK why Weaver comes off and not the exhausted Dunn.
Christ
Leon and Porter on...because that makes sense.
Sam has been awesome, WHY is she the sub?
Huge gaps in midfield again
Sinc laboring like a draft horse.
Meola nailed it: "I can't help but think there are higher expectations for the football being played by this Portland side."
Laces, Morgan, LACES
C’mon, Hubs!