It’s Thorns vs. Reign under the lights at Providence Park. Don’t think I need to say much more. Come chat through one of the greatest soccer rivalries in the country in the match thread!
Eerie similarity between Rocky's assist and Morgan's goal--first touch from the right, Rocky's angle was tougher but Morgan decided "Hey, why not the left foot?" Why not, indeed.
Also, the Thorns' writeup includes this statistic:
"Weaver also became just the fourth player to register at least 15 goals and 10 assists in their Portland career along with Christine Sinclair, Allie Long and Alex Morgan."
Which had me looking up Morgan's history with the club (ended prior to my learning NWSL existed). Total of 36 appearances to rack up the gaudy numbers. How much of a terror was she? (Long's total is 105, by comparison.)
Morgan was very good when she played, and helped us to a championship in the NWSL's first year of existence. I remember one sequence where she fished a pass out of the air from about shoulder height, took a touch around a defender, and rifled in a goal from outside the box. All three of those touches were good, and to do all three in quick succession was amazing to see.
She didn't play a lot though - 36 games in her 3 seasons here amounts to only 12 games a season. Injuries kept her out some, and I think she prioritized being healthy for USWNT games over Thorns games.
Also two of her three seasons here were under Paul Riley, and I've wondered if there were enough hints of what was happening behind the scenes that she felt less than enthusiastic sometimes. She's certainly stood up for the players a lot since then.
Agreed. I was thinking "we really need a Moultrie-for-Sinc sub now", and bingo it happened. Plus the other fresh-legs subs (particularly Betfort) worked out reasonably well, given that we were protecting a lead at that point.
I’d guess it’s because Hina can play as a holding six in a double pivot and that’s not really Dunn’s thing. I’m sure Norris planned the Vasconcelos for Rocky sub and wanted to be able to drop Hina back.
Yeah, I was also wondering this. I didn't think her quality dropped that much after the half...I'm not sure Moultrie yet has the firepower to be replacing Dunn so early in games like this. It was a bit of a rough adjustment changing up the midfield that much with the move of Hina further back into midfield when Vasconcelos came in. She's still juuuust a bit timid and has a hard time finding her way into these kinds of matches.
Support for Chief's Pinoe-as-Heel thesis. I've long thought the same thing. Last night was her Rowdy Roddy Piper moment, as we embraced and thanked the villain whom for so long we had loved to hate, who in turn professed her love and admiration for this city and its fans.
Megan Rapinoe held back tears in talking about her final regular season appearance at Providence Park and the curtain call she got when she was subbed off in the 84th minute.
"I've been trying to impress people in Portland since I was 18, so you know to play college here and have so many amazing memories, even the rivalry, these are always the very best games. Even when you're on the losing end like tonight, this really sucks, but it's always really special playing here.
“A packed crowd, I don't think it was like all for me, but another meaningful game in a city that I love so much, that has meant so much to me, and such an important soccer city in our sport as well. I have so much love and respect for the fans here and how they show up for their teams and I have a lot of good friends on the other team," said Rapinoe after the match.
Reality is outside of Daniels, most of the people boo’d in Providence Park are players we’d love if they were Thorns. The biggest reactions last night outside of the Pinoe standing O when she left the game were tied to Rocky playing bully ball with Fishlock. I’m excluding the gasps when Hina did Hina things
Shoot, Fishlock’s the perfect mention because man she can talk shit, incredibly frustrating to be on the receiving end but also I love a good shittalker, she’s such an amazing villain and I’d be absolutely eating it up if she were on my team
Yeah because it also means it's absolutely feel-good when Fish gets bodied by Rocky, or juked by Hina, etc... She was made to look silly multiple times in-game and it's even funner because you know she absolutely HATES underperforming in Portland.
Nice TCOB tonight Thornies, blanking them to boot.
Occupied elsewhere watching the boys faff around for ninety then dispatching San Antonio in extra time. Have a nice flight home to Texas (wait, it's USL, bus ride home).
Can't wait to watch the replay, P+ slow on posting this one tonight.
LFG, a shield and home field await! Soph probably getting antsy.
Ooooh…might be an issue w replay. Broadcast TV carried this one; the P+ replay often disappears when CBS carries the game. This was local TV, tho, so dunno how that’ll work…
Does anyone know what assistant coach Draco Malfoy is doing constantly whispering in the coach’s ear and then looking up at the media box and mouthing words? Are we cheating? Just curious haha.
It’s good to see Moultrie sticking her mark. She doesn’t have tremendous pace, so she gets skinned. But she doesn’t stop playing; she follows her mark and as often as not wins the second ball…
True, although the Thorns were still running the show between goal #2 and halftime. Quite the change in the second half.
I don't think the change is all because of the Hubly-for-Brunn switch, or even largely that. It's just a change in mentality; we're simply not playing as a front-foot team in the second half. Why, I don't know, but it happens in soccer. Sometimes it's infuriating to watch, though this time around I'm kind of enjoying how our defense is frustrating the hell out of Reign.
Thing is, two seasons ago she was one of the very best centerbacks in the league. She has that in her still, and I want to see it again. Her lapses have been entirely mental, so I have hope she can get up to her former level.
It has always been about when Weaver was going to make the adjustments. She showed inconsistent brilliance in college and then by that last college cup was flat out dominating. She has great speed, but I’m convinced that she just wants it more when chasing down those long passes.
What a damn half. Place is electric, midfield dominating, Rocky trucked Fishlock, Weaver celebrated in front of the Reign fans. Becky’s ability to play balls into the feet of midfielders completely changes the game.
Couldn’t for the life of me tell you why the Reign aren’t playing Bennett or King to add the slightest touch of pace.
A clear 4-2-3-1 early on with a Dunn central and Sinc at the point. Gives a little more protection to the fullbacks, but no chance of anything getting in behind going forward with Sinc up top.
Natu getting in good spaces, poor final balls both times
Sinc up front alongside Weaver over Betfort. Don’t hate it. Kinda what I thought might happen last week at Louisville; Hina and Dunn get starts. Becky in as well (!!)
It’s probably a wash- Hopefully Sinc can roll back the clock one last time. I imagine she’ll sit just behind Weaver with Dunn and Hina pushed a little wider.
OT: Freya Coombe worked the Gotham v. Washington match last night. She was good. Didn't take up all the space and provided helpful tactical insight.
Eerie similarity between Rocky's assist and Morgan's goal--first touch from the right, Rocky's angle was tougher but Morgan decided "Hey, why not the left foot?" Why not, indeed.
When's her dang callup?
Also, the Thorns' writeup includes this statistic:
"Weaver also became just the fourth player to register at least 15 goals and 10 assists in their Portland career along with Christine Sinclair, Allie Long and Alex Morgan."
Which had me looking up Morgan's history with the club (ended prior to my learning NWSL existed). Total of 36 appearances to rack up the gaudy numbers. How much of a terror was she? (Long's total is 105, by comparison.)
Morgan was very good when she played, and helped us to a championship in the NWSL's first year of existence. I remember one sequence where she fished a pass out of the air from about shoulder height, took a touch around a defender, and rifled in a goal from outside the box. All three of those touches were good, and to do all three in quick succession was amazing to see.
She didn't play a lot though - 36 games in her 3 seasons here amounts to only 12 games a season. Injuries kept her out some, and I think she prioritized being healthy for USWNT games over Thorns games.
Also two of her three seasons here were under Paul Riley, and I've wondered if there were enough hints of what was happening behind the scenes that she felt less than enthusiastic sometimes. She's certainly stood up for the players a lot since then.
With exception of missing Smith, that's my preferred XI, and the substitutions made good sense as well.
Agreed. I was thinking "we really need a Moultrie-for-Sinc sub now", and bingo it happened. Plus the other fresh-legs subs (particularly Betfort) worked out reasonably well, given that we were protecting a lead at that point.
Last night I saw several things from Betfort which I liked. She's Chaos Muppet Jr.
Also, any idea why Dunn isn't going 90'? She hasn't been injured lately, has she? As expected, we played worse when she came off.
I’d guess it’s because Hina can play as a holding six in a double pivot and that’s not really Dunn’s thing. I’m sure Norris planned the Vasconcelos for Rocky sub and wanted to be able to drop Hina back.
Yeah, I was also wondering this. I didn't think her quality dropped that much after the half...I'm not sure Moultrie yet has the firepower to be replacing Dunn so early in games like this. It was a bit of a rough adjustment changing up the midfield that much with the move of Hina further back into midfield when Vasconcelos came in. She's still juuuust a bit timid and has a hard time finding her way into these kinds of matches.
Support for Chief's Pinoe-as-Heel thesis. I've long thought the same thing. Last night was her Rowdy Roddy Piper moment, as we embraced and thanked the villain whom for so long we had loved to hate, who in turn professed her love and admiration for this city and its fans.
Megan Rapinoe held back tears in talking about her final regular season appearance at Providence Park and the curtain call she got when she was subbed off in the 84th minute.
"I've been trying to impress people in Portland since I was 18, so you know to play college here and have so many amazing memories, even the rivalry, these are always the very best games. Even when you're on the losing end like tonight, this really sucks, but it's always really special playing here.
“A packed crowd, I don't think it was like all for me, but another meaningful game in a city that I love so much, that has meant so much to me, and such an important soccer city in our sport as well. I have so much love and respect for the fans here and how they show up for their teams and I have a lot of good friends on the other team," said Rapinoe after the match.
https://www.sounderatheart.com/2023/09/ol-reign-lose-2-0-to-portland-thorns-again/
Reality is outside of Daniels, most of the people boo’d in Providence Park are players we’d love if they were Thorns. The biggest reactions last night outside of the Pinoe standing O when she left the game were tied to Rocky playing bully ball with Fishlock. I’m excluding the gasps when Hina did Hina things
Shoot, Fishlock’s the perfect mention because man she can talk shit, incredibly frustrating to be on the receiving end but also I love a good shittalker, she’s such an amazing villain and I’d be absolutely eating it up if she were on my team
Yeah because it also means it's absolutely feel-good when Fish gets bodied by Rocky, or juked by Hina, etc... She was made to look silly multiple times in-game and it's even funner because you know she absolutely HATES underperforming in Portland.
Nice TCOB tonight Thornies, blanking them to boot.
Occupied elsewhere watching the boys faff around for ninety then dispatching San Antonio in extra time. Have a nice flight home to Texas (wait, it's USL, bus ride home).
Can't wait to watch the replay, P+ slow on posting this one tonight.
LFG, a shield and home field await! Soph probably getting antsy.
Ooooh…might be an issue w replay. Broadcast TV carried this one; the P+ replay often disappears when CBS carries the game. This was local TV, tho, so dunno how that’ll work…
It's available on P+ this morning.
Nice for Republic to get a little bit of a cushion heading down the stretch.
Does anyone know what assistant coach Draco Malfoy is doing constantly whispering in the coach’s ear and then looking up at the media box and mouthing words? Are we cheating? Just curious haha.
OMG my partner calls him that also, I'm dead. He always points out that he's always in the coaches ear too lol.
Yeah I mean no way the hat sorts him anywhere but slitherin
Hahahaha dying
That first half was Thorns domination.
Always enjoy the sweet taste of Seattle tears!
Thorns are back and Sophia is on the mend. It's all in their own hands now which is great.
Good match. Back top.
KC did them a huge favor, on the road no less.
Bixby down after a high take. Inside five mint.
It’s good to see Moultrie sticking her mark. She doesn’t have tremendous pace, so she gets skinned. But she doesn’t stop playing; she follows her mark and as often as not wins the second ball…
Hina drops into Rocky’s position, vasconcelos out wide right
Astounding difference when Becky isn't in there. The had control in the first half. Now they are surviving.
Not surprisingly up two goals to see less control. Not disagreeing exactly or stanning for Hubs. But not exactly a shock.
True, although the Thorns were still running the show between goal #2 and halftime. Quite the change in the second half.
I don't think the change is all because of the Hubly-for-Brunn switch, or even largely that. It's just a change in mentality; we're simply not playing as a front-foot team in the second half. Why, I don't know, but it happens in soccer. Sometimes it's infuriating to watch, though this time around I'm kind of enjoying how our defense is frustrating the hell out of Reign.
You’re not wrong, but also it’s also just different game states. Thorns sitting back while Seattle has to chase the game.
And Seattle created next to nothing in the whole second half.
Rocky is having a GAME
Reyes for Sinc? Go to five at the back?
No, just a double switch. Reyes for Kling (as expected once Kling got a yellow), and Betfort for Sinc.
Need to see a solid half from you, Hubs. No derps. No excuses.
Gave up 2 corners so far.
Yeah 2 corners in like 5 minutes. The derps continue...
Yep. Hubs has really taken a step back this season.
Make that 3 corners, when she could, with effort, have kicked it out the sideline each time.
Please turn it around, K-Hubs!
Oh cmon yall, she was totally fine. She’s not Becky sauerbrunn, but she did a good job last night.
Thing is, two seasons ago she was one of the very best centerbacks in the league. She has that in her still, and I want to see it again. Her lapses have been entirely mental, so I have hope she can get up to her former level.
Oh lord, Hubly for Becky at half time
That was a nice looking half. Finally our first choice centerback pair and it's been huge. Helluva goal by Weaver. She's a star.
It has always been about when Weaver was going to make the adjustments. She showed inconsistent brilliance in college and then by that last college cup was flat out dominating. She has great speed, but I’m convinced that she just wants it more when chasing down those long passes.
What a damn half. Place is electric, midfield dominating, Rocky trucked Fishlock, Weaver celebrated in front of the Reign fans. Becky’s ability to play balls into the feet of midfielders completely changes the game.
Couldn’t for the life of me tell you why the Reign aren’t playing Bennett or King to add the slightest touch of pace.
Pls don’t collapse :))
I need a gif of Rocky bodying Fish off the ball. Computer people, do work please.
Watching Rocky boss Fishlock around is worth the price of admission even if we hadn't scored
Rocky took Fish behind the woodshed tonight. She was cooking all night! Best game she’s played all season.
The sound I made when Rocky hit-sticked Fishlock then megged Huitema(?) a minute later lol
This literally brought me out of my seat. I cackled all game thinking about how Rocky shrugged Fishlock to the ground.
Hell of a game from Rocky. Also amazed at how many loose balls Dunn gets to when circling the defender.
Morgan finding the visitors section and grabbing the badge is extremely MY SHIT
She had me out of my seat giving a two-finger salute to the visitor section as well lmao.
That play went perfectly. Nice team goal.
Hina!!!
Too loose with the ball lately.
Coffey and Rocky Rodriguez as the double six is just a wall. Here is hoping that Harvey is dumb enough to stick in a 433 all game!!!
Lots of shots. Having so many of the starters back is really telling a tale. I don't even mind Sinclair there at striker. Better than midfield.
A clear 4-2-3-1 early on with a Dunn central and Sinc at the point. Gives a little more protection to the fullbacks, but no chance of anything getting in behind going forward with Sinc up top.
Natu getting in good spaces, poor final balls both times
KC giving us a HUGE boost right now. Let’s take advantage!?
Becky Starting! Legooooooooooo
A lot more Reign (re: Megan Rapinoe) “fans” than usual here tonight, just anecdotally speaking.
https://x.com/ThornsFC/status/1703221636449923221?s=20
Sinc up front alongside Weaver over Betfort. Don’t hate it. Kinda what I thought might happen last week at Louisville; Hina and Dunn get starts. Becky in as well (!!)
Cmon Thorns, cure my Esther Gonzalez fomo!
Sinc is at least well rested.
Meh. Don’t see Betfort as a withdrawn striker and don’t think Sinc still has the #9 mojo. Gonna hope for lightning to strike…
It’s probably a wash- Hopefully Sinc can roll back the clock one last time. I imagine she’ll sit just behind Weaver with Dunn and Hina pushed a little wider.