I have a feeling Hina is going to go into this match all kinds of pissed off about being snubbed for the Nadeshiko Olympic squad...and that thought makes me very happy (although still gutted for her). She'll want to send a message to Coach Ikeda (「一体何を考えていたんですか？」), and that's a Very Bad Thing for the Reign.
Well their GM was a former coach of the best college program/team in the country (by far imo)- Florida State. Having someone like that in the GM position can really do wonders! Although, before anyone even declared, Bethune was my #1 in the draft if she did declare. She was just so so good. It’s just her injury history that’s really questionable….
Good lord what a bummer. I was more so thinking we still get Fleming/Hina in defensive mid with either Shiva or OWK at the 10. Could def see Sinc there, though, with D'Aquila or Dias in the 10. Either way, not great depth y'all!!
Seems v good for our game against KC next weekend also lol. We are gonna get COOKED.
Yeah wouldn't be surprised to see Sheva somewhere. They have the most numbers at the nine, so I figure we'll see two of Sinc/Dias/Izzy start.
And tbf, while the depth is undeniably not great, theres no real solution to missing both of your best attackers and half your midfield through injury/suspension....even against a team like Seattle.
Its true, but Gotham's injury list is a mile long and they still field a top starting XI and just about every sub is starting quality. Lynn Williams and Esther were out but they still had Stengel, Yaz Ryan, Dunn, and Ella Stevens up front today lol. With Midge Purce injured. Similar can be said about KC, though maybe slightly less. Gotham have two top quality starting XI's lol. We're just not set up beyond our starters...and actually some of our starters could be upgraded. I will be happy if we can come away with a draw honestly.
Anybody think Seattle has forgotten that handball call against Huerta? I don't believe that call determined the result, but I'm sure Harvey, Fishlock, et al would disagree. They're going to be pissed, which will make this even more intense than the usual Cascadia derby.
The center ref will be Alyssa Nichols. Can she tell a dive from a foul? I think we'll find out.
Our lack of quality depth will be on full display. Predicting a Thorns team unable to get much of anything on offense going. Reign will press as no danger of a competent/speedy counter attack from Thorns exists beyond an absent Smith.
Balcer and Huitema certainly a threat on set pieces that you MUST mark. Has the club been mute on Coffey all week? Not liking the odds of her playing tomorrow. Wait, I'll check the very useful league availability report. [shuffling sounds]
PORTLAND THORNS FC
OUT: None
QUESTIONABLE: None
INTERNATIONAL: None
Hey, no worries, they don't even mention Soph or Morgan!
Guess it's good that Harvey can't make tactical lineup selections, given she has zero idea what Thorns squad she will face.
LFG!
ETA road win for Father's Day 1-2. Grab the points and slide back ahead of Gotham.
The availability reports have really been useless this season, which is consistent with the rest of the league website which is an affront to God and humanity. Obaze has never been listed despite the club having stated she’s nursing a knock. Weaver? Nope.
Just when you think the league has gotten over its cheap, rinky-dink origins…
I didn't see her in any of the Thorns training pics or videos from yesterday or the day before, so I don't think she'll be playing :(
And, LH has said in a pre-match presser that everyone is now available for the Reign this weekend....so Dickey (a better GK than Ivory) and Quinn are both available. Add to that Huitema is just back too (and just scored a brace last week), and we will be playing a slightly different team than we did a few weeks ago (and we will have quite a diff team ourselves with Soph and likely Coffey out.) Weaver was already out that game.
My guess is Sinc starts, because it's her last Cascadia derby ever. And with Soph out, it sets her up to do so perfectly. I'm not sure what's been up with Obaze, but she was in training pics. I think Hubly had a good game last game, though, and would be fine giving her the start given her form and that she knows the derby also. If Soph and Coffey were in, I'd be more inclined to be fine with a rusty Obaze. My preferred XI for this one would be given our potentially missing players:
"Honestly a big thing for us playing Portland is don't let Christine Sinclair score. If you look back over the years, I think Sinc loves this game more than she loves most." - Laura Harvey
I have a feeling Hina is going to go into this match all kinds of pissed off about being snubbed for the Nadeshiko Olympic squad...and that thought makes me very happy (although still gutted for her). She'll want to send a message to Coach Ikeda (「一体何を考えていたんですか？」), and that's a Very Bad Thing for the Reign.
For Father's Day I'd like to see Hina pickpocket the human tick. I mean Fishlock. Make dads grin, Hina!
Emulating Crystal Dunn after her World Cup snub would be awesome!
Oof, SD surrender 2 pts deep in stoppage time.
Absolutely ruins Girma's performance too- Legit one of the best matches I have ever seen from a single defender. Insane player.
She's the equivalent of Sophia Smith on the other end...just incredible to watch.
Two of the best in the world!
Croix Bethune is absolutely running away with ROTY and possibly MVP. The Spirit are really good at identifying young talent.
Well their GM was a former coach of the best college program/team in the country (by far imo)- Florida State. Having someone like that in the GM position can really do wonders! Although, before anyone even declared, Bethune was my #1 in the draft if she did declare. She was just so so good. It’s just her injury history that’s really questionable….
They had 30 seconds, dammit! Lol.
https://x.com/tayvincent6/status/1802148775450026388
Great news! Obviously sucks to lose her for tomorrow and I'd love to have a real injury update, but "no major injury" is fantastic.
https://x.com/tayvincent6/status/1802148987484746087
In less great news.... "Olivia Moultrie, knee"?? Is Obaze alive?? Interesting that Coffey's injury is listed as an ankle injury.
Odds we see OWK/Kling at the six and/or Sinc at the 10 tomorrow seem high.
I am thinking fletcher at the six maybe dbl pivot with krakatoa, and sinc as 10 and d'acquila running the 9. with beckie and Hina out wide?
Good lord what a bummer. I was more so thinking we still get Fleming/Hina in defensive mid with either Shiva or OWK at the 10. Could def see Sinc there, though, with D'Aquila or Dias in the 10. Either way, not great depth y'all!!
Seems v good for our game against KC next weekend also lol. We are gonna get COOKED.
Yeah wouldn't be surprised to see Sheva somewhere. They have the most numbers at the nine, so I figure we'll see two of Sinc/Dias/Izzy start.
And tbf, while the depth is undeniably not great, theres no real solution to missing both of your best attackers and half your midfield through injury/suspension....even against a team like Seattle.
Its true, but Gotham's injury list is a mile long and they still field a top starting XI and just about every sub is starting quality. Lynn Williams and Esther were out but they still had Stengel, Yaz Ryan, Dunn, and Ella Stevens up front today lol. With Midge Purce injured. Similar can be said about KC, though maybe slightly less. Gotham have two top quality starting XI's lol. We're just not set up beyond our starters...and actually some of our starters could be upgraded. I will be happy if we can come away with a draw honestly.
Well yes, but Gotham is --to their credit-- a total anomaly in the NWSL lol. Still not quite sure how it works financially tbh
There is *zero* way that Gotham is actually following the roster rules. This isn't even MLS where there are enough mechanisms to make things work.
But still showing it can be done!
Anybody think Seattle has forgotten that handball call against Huerta? I don't believe that call determined the result, but I'm sure Harvey, Fishlock, et al would disagree. They're going to be pissed, which will make this even more intense than the usual Cascadia derby.
The center ref will be Alyssa Nichols. Can she tell a dive from a foul? I think we'll find out.
ok f off cbs, golf really??? wtf!!!!
Our lack of quality depth will be on full display. Predicting a Thorns team unable to get much of anything on offense going. Reign will press as no danger of a competent/speedy counter attack from Thorns exists beyond an absent Smith.
Boggled, League site finally posted an availability report before kickoff.
PORTLAND THORNS FC
OUT: Belly Bixby (maternity leave), Gabby Provenzano (SEI - ankle), Morgan Weaver (D45 - knee), Isabella Obaze (lower leg), Sam Coffey (ankle), Olivia Moultrie (knee), Sophia Smith (suspension)
QUESTIONABLE: None
INTERNATIONAL: None
Brutal.
Crazy weekend so far—five matches, four draws, one win, eight total goals among ten teams.
Wow. AC miragoal. But not.
I think we'll trot out an older squad for this one (emphasis on trot):
Hogan
Kling-Suaerbrunn-Hubly-Müller
Sugita-Fleming-Beckie
Linnehan-Sinclair-Moultire
Balcer and Huitema certainly a threat on set pieces that you MUST mark. Has the club been mute on Coffey all week? Not liking the odds of her playing tomorrow. Wait, I'll check the very useful league availability report. [shuffling sounds]
PORTLAND THORNS FC
OUT: None
QUESTIONABLE: None
INTERNATIONAL: None
Hey, no worries, they don't even mention Soph or Morgan!
Guess it's good that Harvey can't make tactical lineup selections, given she has zero idea what Thorns squad she will face.
LFG!
ETA road win for Father's Day 1-2. Grab the points and slide back ahead of Gotham.
The availability reports have really been useless this season, which is consistent with the rest of the league website which is an affront to God and humanity. Obaze has never been listed despite the club having stated she’s nursing a knock. Weaver? Nope.
Just when you think the league has gotten over its cheap, rinky-dink origins…
Right? Redesign has somehow made every part worse than the old one. Takes a special kind of skill to do that.
I didn't see her in any of the Thorns training pics or videos from yesterday or the day before, so I don't think she'll be playing :(
And, LH has said in a pre-match presser that everyone is now available for the Reign this weekend....so Dickey (a better GK than Ivory) and Quinn are both available. Add to that Huitema is just back too (and just scored a brace last week), and we will be playing a slightly different team than we did a few weeks ago (and we will have quite a diff team ourselves with Soph and likely Coffey out.) Weaver was already out that game.
My guess is Sinc starts, because it's her last Cascadia derby ever. And with Soph out, it sets her up to do so perfectly. I'm not sure what's been up with Obaze, but she was in training pics. I think Hubly had a good game last game, though, and would be fine giving her the start given her form and that she knows the derby also. If Soph and Coffey were in, I'd be more inclined to be fine with a rusty Obaze. My preferred XI for this one would be given our potentially missing players:
(4231)
Hogan
Payne Hubly Brunn Müller
Fleming Hina
Beckie Moultrie Linnehan
D'Aquila (or Dias)
Oh, I think there's a decent chance that Sinc comes back for next season, since Gale has "revitalized" her game.
"Honestly a big thing for us playing Portland is don't let Christine Sinclair score. If you look back over the years, I think Sinc loves this game more than she loves most." - Laura Harvey