It’s Playoff time, Rose City. The Portland Thorns begin their quest to repeat and defend their NWSL crown as they host the feisty Gotham FC at Providence Park. Come chat through what is sure to be a wild game in the match thread!
Ok y'all, I've seen the news with Reign v. Wave lol. Please proceed to discuss as needed...thank you for the no spoilers! I saw the news before I checked here, regardless...
The secondary ticket market is going to Wang some serious Chung with SD getting knocked out. That match just went from sellout and well-above face value tickets to what, maybe 50% capacity? Maybe there's a huge Seattle caravan, but judging from how they show up at Lumen? Not likely. But at least no one can say that there was any favoritism to the outcome.
2023 Championship: Gotham v. Reign or Wave (no spoilers)
2022 Championship: Thorns v. Current
2021 Championship: Spirit v. Red Stars
It's good for the league and every franchise that it's not always dominated by Thorns or Courage. And, this year, we're guaranteed to have a first-time star-winner.
At the same time, the era of Thorns dominance is over. They should be a perennial playoff contender, but even that's not guaranteed.
With expansion to 14 teams, I'd be interested to see the following:
Now that I am rested, warm and dry it is easier to think rationally about the match. My takeaways:
1. Norris surprised the heck out of me with the starting lineup and the first set of subs (timing and personnel). He gave the team every chance to win.
2. Smith is not 100% healthy no matter what she says. Lynn WIlliams had a bad day at the office - both teams' stars didn't show up.
3. Weaver had two chances to be a clutch hero and botched them both.
4. Gotham is suddenly a damned good team, and their coach is doing a fantastic job. Freya Coombe really was a bad as I thought. I hope they win it all. OLR may have "suffered" no title for 11 years but Sky Blue suffered worse, and for much longer. Go underdogs!
5. Both semis were decided on a wonder goal, all four teams played stellar defense. In years past, it seems like one of the semifinalists didn't belong (KCC last year, for example). Not this year - these are legit the four best teams in the league and they played like it on Sunday.
6. I am betting we've seen the last of Bixby. Being benched in the biggest game of the season is not a good omen.
As for the stars having bad days, that might have had a lot to do with the playing conditions- the turf looked almost waterlogged in some places- that probably threw off timing for players like Smith that excel at ball-control at speed.
In Weaver's defense, it looks like her would-be winner went wrong when she crossed to the middle, and the ball seemed to get stuck on the waterlogged turf by the penalty spot, throwing off her timing at the last instant.
I actually do agree on point 1, though I still think ultimately the coach should go. I don't think the Thorns lost this for any tactical or personnel issue. I think they set up well. I think what it comes down to is our front 3 didn't play well on the day and our star striker played her first full game since the World Cup. I also wouldn't be surprised if Weaver was carrying something, she looked a step off.
All of this is stuff that can happen over the course of an individual game which is why you should never react to one game, but to the data points that a whole season gives you. Those points illustrate bigger issues for the Thorns, especially with the squad after the 12 outfield players who played in the 90 minutes yesterday.
Gotham defense was the strength of that team. their outside backs 1v1 against Weaver and Dunn, two speedster had no problems containing them. They did not need to slide help outside, this is usually a good match up for us. Allowed them to keep a tight double on Smith all game.
Gotham defense was the strength of that team. their outside backs 1v1 against Weaver and Dunn, two speedster had no problems containing them. They did not need to slide help outside, this is usually a good match up for us. Allowed them to keep a tight double on Smith all game.
Dunn was basically a non factor until they rotated Hina/Kuikka in and then Nighswonger went from a strength to not being able to handle her. That game changed when they stopped going through Reyes and transitioned to Kuikka. Nighswonger’s yellow was a byproduct of her not being able to maintain position.
If I look at the whole game, I kind of agree that we are 45 minutes in with little impact but then Nighswonger looked like a rookie.
On #4 - I think it's a combination that JCA is a very good coach and Yael Averbuch seems to have done quite a good job the last few years as GM. Gotham won this game partially by virtue of a deeper bench. Building and maintaining that even over a disaster year in 2022 speaks pretty well. Gotham and Reign might be the two teams with the most solid roster construction right now in terms of decent depth at every position along with a range of technical player profiles.
As to #6, I agree. It's not like Sinclair's situation.
That said.... I think there will be some good keepers who come available during expansion. For example, either Smith or Haught has to be leaving Gotham, don't they? AD or Miller has to be leaving KC, don't they?
I also agree on #1. I was not surprised to see Reyes get the nod or for Sinclair to sit, but that was a big statement about *this game* to sit Bixby in favor of Hogan. He went for it and it was the right decision.
Yeah you have Angelina Anderson and Didi Haracic also. If we leave Bixby unprotected, she won’t get picked…it’d be a smart strategic move to protect someone else. She should still be the #2 keeper next season, though I’m not sold on Hogan yet. A lot of #2s have really shown out this season, and I haven’t seen that with Hogan yet. Yes, she hasn’t played the minutes they have, and that’s what I mean…just not enough to go on for me.
They completed 130 more passes and at a higher percentage, and they did it on our field (our turf, not their grass) and playing in conditions that are far more typical of Pacific NW than the tri-state area.
Our percentages and totals were also lower because we were unable to break through them and so had to go direct or send crosses/balls back in the box, neither of which connected at high rates.
I noticed many times Gotham anticipated a pass and jumped the gap, or stuck a foot out to swipe it, or simply took the ball off of a Thorns' foot.
Defensively, they seemed to focus on where the ball was heading, not the player and not the body movement, and just got a foot on it. They were also willing to gamble and were guessing correctly at a high rate, which suggests our mids were too often playing predictable passes/passing lanes.
I watched from the comfort of my couch, so maybe understandably less grouchy than some folks who had to sit outside in that mess, but for some reason, that was maybe the most positive Thorns loss i can remember watching: They got chances, they were dynamic and open, and the more fun team to watch. It's also encouraging for the future: watching the new young talent starting to take over and gain confidence was nice- Moultrie and Coffey especially, but also Reyes and Hogan, who all played really well.
And maybe it's sour grapes, but big picture, if they had won another title this year, the new ownership might be even less likely to make changes (how do you justify replacing coach and GM of a team that just won back-to-back titles?) . So hopefully this gives the new owners the impetus to clean house and get the Thorns players the leadership they deserve.
And, not for nothin, it's a lot better for the NWSL to have some new faces in the championship game.
I'm really glad to see the Reign get one last chance at a title with their aging roster- they've been so good for so long but always came up short.
Last comment for the night, and we’ll leave it on a positive: Sam was *outrageously* good today. Made 3-4 crucial tackles in her own area including one where she tracked all the way back and took the ball straight off Williams, rarely gave the ball away, and covered a ridiculous amount of ground over 120 minutes.
Reyes also did a really nice job on Purce considering she’s a rookie. Happy to have her around for the future....Glad that pick didn’t go to waste.
I thought Reyes did great defensively, but watching her go against Ryan was kind of painful offensively. Ryan controlled that side of the field making our standard attack up the left not as effective.
That was Sam’s best defensive game I’ve ever seen. She was an absolute menace.
Reyna has some work to do from a technical standpoint, but she’s such a smart defender given how aggressive her play style is. She’s pretty good on the ball already, but she’s not fast enough to always be in position to make the types of attacking runs Natu does.
Watching Coffey I thought she's growing into a Horan-like presence on the field. She could easily be our attacking mid if we didn't already have so many other talented players who can play there (Moultrie, Sugita, Dunn...).
Horan has such an incredible tool kit, both in quality and variety.
She is very hard to dispossess and too big to beef around. She is able to strike and finish creatively. She can get where she wants without being particularly fast. She is a terrific defender without that being her primary job. And she has a legit aerial game.
It's not a knock on anybody in our current midfield, but there were several times yesterday when I could see how it would have helped to have Horan out there to break down or break through the clog that Gotham threw at us, or put away one of those chances that we couldn't finish.
Just sucks that we wasted a year of Sophia Smith, who IMO is the best player in the history of this club, with an undercooked coach, staff, and squad. Portland ultimately paid the price for thinking bringing it back was adequate while teams like Gotham improved over the course of the season.
I don't know how much was Thorns FC being complacent and how much was being in ownership limbo with nobody investing in the club. On the other hand, I have no confidence in Mike Norris. I also don't have the best early impression of Karina LeBlanc as GM. I feel like Paulson's MO is loyalty. I hope the dynamic for Thorns FC changes with new owners. However, I also assume that the new owners will be as bad or worse than Paulson because I don't think he'd sell to anyone who'd make him look bad by comparison. I hate to be cynical but...
I tend to agree. The sense of the club being in limbo seemed palpable to me, and I can only think that feeling _had_ to be at least as evident to the team. Depending on when the changeover eventually happens, I kind of expect a complete housecleaning from GM on down (in terms of FO/coaching staff...we'll see what happens with the roster). I hope something happens fast because Smith's reasons to stay here seem a bit thin on the ground right now.
I also have very low expectations of any new owners (in terms of their ethics anyway)...not because of anything deliberate on the part of MP, but because the billionaire class seems to be largely composed of sociopathic shitheads. A Michelle Kang just doesn't come along often.
I might be alone in this, but I’ve liked how LeBlanc has managed the roster and expansion draft except I would have protected Coffey :)
Yeah. One overrated signing and I know there were rumors of her being overmatched, but I felt that was coming from Gavin Wilkinson who was a self important blowhard.
The hiring of the coaching staff concerned the hell out of me, but what good coach is going to want to come in during that time with the ownership group in limbo.
I’d never hire Parsons as a coach, but I’d hire him as a GM. He’s a tactical moron as a coach, but he is a team builder. You are capped with him as a coach
I get not protecting Coffey under the circumstances. I wouldn't have protected Sinc at the time though, so Coffey might have gotten her spot. Sinc might have had a do not trade clause in her contract though.
Good point about the coaching situation. It was an opportunity to take a relatively stacked roster and build a reputation / resume on it though. I'm inclined to think it was more lack of ambition than anything else. However, it was also a sudden and surprising necessity, and there's something to be said for familiarity and consistency. Norris was the safe bet.
I would also prefer to see Parsons in a different role, but maybe something in player development rather than day-to-day operations. I don't know how savvy he'd be as a GM. But he might run the academy or scout. Maybe he's a good assistant coach. You're right about his tactical inadequacies for sure.
This is exactly what I’m most upset about also. Seems like such a waste of a year. I stg if we don’t get a new GM and a new coach…give KK a different job and tell Mike “so long and thanks for all the L’s…”
It probably also killed her or Sam’s chances of the MVP this season. And what a shitty end to a v up and down season…poor Soph got the golden boot and got an AC beatdown and this mess to end her campaign.
Yeeeep- that’s the part that gets me too. Gotta win something with Soph pretty much every season she’s here.
Gotham had the luxury of bringing on an experienced backup striker who ended scoring the winner, plus three current/former U.S internationals to see out the game in extra time. Portland had to leave a cooked Weaver out there cause Norris (probably rightly) didn’t trust the trio of Vasconcelos, Sinc, or Betfort to make a difference.
Thought the same thing when Stengel came in. Stengel, Mewis, Long, O’Hara…we used to have that as well but our GM has pissed away the last 2-3 seasons except for bringing us Beckie…a F who still has scored 0 goals. Our depth is virtually gone after our first 2 subs.
Counting on Betfort, Sinc, and Vasconcelos was just kinda…sad. Can we also talk about how Soph just randomly played 120 minutes? Like? So shitty that we had to rely on her so much….when Weaver is off she is OFF. We need other options besides her and Soph.
Didn't help to have Natu and Hina not at full availability. The fact that we were so close to taking it to PKs and can actually realistically speculate on what might have been ('speshly with a competent ref) is more than I expected with the teams form of late and that starting 11.
Hmmm...another deadly forward option? Well...Aoba Fujino turns 20 soon (and that's significant: it's the age of majority in Japan, and she'd be much more likely to consider going abroad). I suspect that if she considers leaving Beleza, it will be for Europe, but we should absolutely try to get her. Moreover, she plays on the right mostly...no need to displace Weaver. WE League's about to start, and I'll be anxious to see how Aoba-chan does, particularly with her attack partner Riko Ueki departed to West Ham. Potential golden boot for that league. Future huge star...trust me on that one!
I don’t believe our talent was the issue. I believe having a good coach admit feelings for a player and basically having to replace her with an assistant who probably wasnt qualified to be a lead assistant in the first place was a problem. I would like an adult who tactically isn’t overmatched.
Underrated part of today- Soph and Weaver both looked a step slow compared to their baselines, Morgan in particular. Thought Gotham got away with playing a consistently high line (and easily could’ve been burned by the Moultrie pen that ended up offside).
I was so bummed Norris wasn’t trying to exploit that high line. As a F, I would salivate at a line that high, but no one was trying to play through the lines. Moultrie was a total nonfactor the first half. He just doesn’t have the experience to be flexible with his tactics or adjust mid-game.
Yeah the flat 4-4-2 with Moultrie as the second forward was a ridiculous decision. He did actually make a small adjustment by bringing Moultrie back into the midfield as a wide-ish 10 at halftime....and she was muchhh better there in the second half than she was in the first. Helped get the Thorns on the ball a little more too.
That said, as you say, there was no real plan beyond “hoof it into Soph’s general area and hope.” Hina and Natu really changed the game and added some real fluidity, even if the chances still didn’t come very often.
Agree. I actually wanted to see Betfort a bit earlier, but I couldn't figure out where (for whom) because I wanted her speed and size to stretch Gotham's defense.
She or Vasconcelos probably should’ve come in for Weaver a little earlier, but I don’t think either of them were making a difference ultimately. I get why he kept his best players on the field when they needed a goal.
Just bad options off the bench. Not the players (or even Norris’) fault.
Interesting that Becky said she’ll “test free agency,” though I’d bet she’ll be back given her other comments about being updated on the ownership situations etc.
Yeah I dunno, I read that more so like “I can’t answer this question as if I know I’m already gonna stay here because of the whole protection/expansion draft.” I think she kinda couldn’t say anything else. It was safer than being like “I’m staying here but we’re not signing a contract until Dec 16th to exploit that loophole.” I imagine sure, she’ll “test” it because she’ll be out there. I think with having a house and partner here, and also trying to make an Olympics roster, she’s not just gonna go to a first-year expansion club for like, a season. Being close to the end of her career I just don’t see her leaving. Of course she’s gonna hype the players union and the wins there, but based on all her other answers I’d say that she was intentionally coy and she’ll sign right after the draft.
It's true lol. Maybe she just wasn't expecting the question and didn't know what to say. That's the safest bet if you're not trying to give it away...even though, as you say, the loophole was written in! The FA's could all say "yeah we're just not signing until after the draft" and everyone would be like, "sure that makes sense" lol
Important to note that in the rules for the expansion draft, free agents cannot be selected by expansion teams and therefore do not need to be on protected lists. Even if she were under contract, it would be silly to protect a 38-year-old who orchestrated a trade to play where she lives no matter how good she still is. But not signing a contract now is almost certainly a strategic FO maneuver.
And Becky's always going to hype the union wins whenever given the opportunity even if it's just a smoke screen for 'we have a deal and the contract will be signed on Dec 16.'
Yeah I agree and I’d be very surprised if she ended up somewhere else for a variety of reasons, but still interesting that she didn’t just say that she intends on coming back given she’s really more likely to retire than move cities again.
Becky was just superb down the stretch after coming back from injury. If she left we would be in deep do-do with an aging Menges who seems to like to be more support and Hubly whom struggled. Neither can dominate the middle like Becky
I do think Bixby is done here. Hogan didn't do anything spectacular, but she was steady.
Hats off to Mandy Haught, who started the season as Gotham's #3 keeper. Now I have to think maybe Gotham makes Abby Smith available in expansion. Haught has been very good this year.
I remember her at Virginia Tech as Mandy McGlynn. I wanted us to draft her. She is still as good a prospect as I’ve seen. Hogan is an elite level athlete as a goalkeeper, but will she develop into that level player
Can’t be too mad about the second half. Responded really well after a poor first. Weaver missed her chance, Stengel took hers after an uncharacteristic Hina giveaway. Reyes, Becky, and Coffey were excellent.
On balance, probably the right ending for the season. Very disappointing nonetheless.
The subs of Hina and Kuikka made a positive difference. Weaver was off, Moultrie tried hard but isn't really a threat leaving only Sophia as a real scorer. She got swallowed up for the most part.
Hina had a 48-hr long flight from Uzbekistan just like 2 days ago. She probably had no idea what day it was or time it was honestly. And same with Kuikka, except coming from Croatia where she played two full 90s within the week. It was super unfortunate to not have them from the beginning, but I think it was the right call to make. Maybe I would’ve tried to get them on at 45 instead of 60…
Yeah you know it’s been a season when you’re kinda relieved it’s over? Lol. Ok now we got a week head start to hear about new ownership, some new signings, some folks cut loose, and a new coach. Easy peasy lol, but let’s get started…
While I always root for the win, I do think this result cements the case that we need some serious overhauling. If we made it to the final it would have been grit or luck and might have papered over and provided an excuse not to make some much needed changes. At least it's resoundingly clear now.
Yeah Weaver had a poor showing and should’ve been pulled. Unfortunately, we don’t have the depth behind her and Soph so I get the hesitation. But yeah, just a single swap with Betfort could’ve been helpful…
Not what I saw at the game. The idiot coach with a box midfield and it wasn’t until we started going on the right side vs the left that we started to have success. Dunn played well. Coffey was the player of the match.
Same. I don't have any specific complaints about any Thorns player, tho I thought some were more effective than others. Gotham played very well defensively. They did a good job of bottling up Soph, who doesn't look she's back to Super Soph just yet, and nobody else could really shake free.
They need so many pieces particularly in the back that it probably can't be done but I'd love a proper striker with Sophia on the wing. She gets so beat up by everybody's centerbacks these days, usually without much help from the referee. Kreiger should have been sent off.
It’s Chesky, FFS! Knowing that Norris knew or should have known going in that Gotham was going to beef Smith around with abandon and had a plan to deal with that.
I’m so l tired of watching this clueless fucking Geordie git fuck up Soccer 101. Just fire his ass and start the rebuild.
Hire Moscato and offer him an assistant position. He played good soldier, but the fact that we had to go with a coaching staff that frankly wasn’t NWSL caliber was a joke.
Yeah, players like Soph aren’t gonna stick around while a coach gets his wheels under him. He should be doing that on a college team, or something lower division. If NWSL wants their star players to stay in the country and not regress (or at least, not grow) under a coach, they should get serious about their standards for coaches in the league. And for this club especially , it should be no exception (and ours comes with trophies.) I hope new ownership shoots higher than a first time head coach bumbling through his learning process with too many world class players. Also, his assistants were also no names from bad teams in lower division leagues elsewhere. Would like a coach with better connections…
At the beginning of the season, we were playing a really impressive defensive game. Around the 1/3 of the season, we stopped. I’m sure he’s a nice guy and has some ideas, but even not coaching to press on inbound plays gives a lot of free openings.
Was that a legit DOGSO? That's what I struggled with.
Hats off to Gotham. They really played excellent defense and they always knew how to play just dirty enough to get away with it. It's the ref's job to make them pay for what they're doing, and Chesky did not.
Was that not the definition of a DOGSO, though? She was the last defender and had committed a foul to prevent a breakaway…the foul and a card was awarded, so the ref agreed. But, she was still the last defender preventing a breakaway?? I just don’t get it. I saw a replay of the video and she’s still clearly the last defender…
Yeah I haven’t seen a video clip yet so maybe it’s worse than it looked. Was it for sure Soph was going to get to the ball? I wasn’t certain she would in real time.
Looking closely at the play, I can _kinda_ see the argument that the ball wasn't headed right toward teh goal. But that's still a DOGSO because I think it was clear that Soph was absolutely most likely to get to it first and get in on the keeper. The VAR blew the call.
VAR must have cleared it, so there was something else at play- maybe the chance that the GK was going to get to the through ball first anyway? Just guessing- NWSL has that "this week in VAR" youtube series- hopefully they'll do one for this week's games.
So the two sides ended up scoreless in regulation. And Gotham won in overtime.
Not sure how that makes Portland “better” in any way.
I’ll have to see when I revue tape, but live I never felt that Portland ever had the better of the match. At times neither side looked particularly good, but when one did, it was Gotham.
I didn’t say they were better overall? Just said they had a better second half, though I agree they should have created more chances. Evened out overall after Gotham was the better side in the first half and then scored a great goal.
I don't think Gotham were the "better" team. It was a tight contest and they won on a speculative shot. It finished something like .5 to .5 on xG. That happens in knockout soccer.
Yeah, just kinda laughable…how many goals from those 3 F’s combined? We really need some attacking oomph next season. Beckie will be nice to have back, if we will still have her after expansion, but she’s good depth and that’s kinda it. We got WORK to do over this offseason.
Yeah but I just meant she was beastmode Kuikka as opposed to the only other option there ever is, which is shat-the-bed-Kuikka, lol. She either one or the other.
Crystal Dunn and Sam Coffey have willed us into this game. We really need to go after Nighswonger. We’ve been more effective going down the right side of the pitch
This is, simply put, what a well coached team against a poorly coached team looks like. Thorns could easily snag one against Gotham’s high line, but there’s no style, no ideas, and no shape.
A 4-4-2 against a possession team makes no sense. Esther is dropping into midfield and overloading constantly. Moultrie as a right striker(?!) is just dumb as hell
Yeah they’ve wasted the 2-3 times they’ve gotten into space. But, when you are without the ball for long periods of time it’s much harder to keep ready when you do have it.
I think I’m fine with a sit and kick strategy against a possession team as a game plan.....but yeah there’s no prep for how they get out or where the ball’s going. All wild boots into the general vicinity of Soph.
Esther and Ryan are flat out controlling the midfield play. Why on earth are we having Hogan do long passes when our biggest weakness is getting to headers. I’ve had enough of Norris. Bring on Carmelina Moscato please. He can be an assistant if he’d like
They can’t play out of the back because they have a two in midfield against a pressing 3-4. Only recourse is the long ball. But yeah, they instantly lose possession regardless.
Ok y'all, I've seen the news with Reign v. Wave lol. Please proceed to discuss as needed...thank you for the no spoilers! I saw the news before I checked here, regardless...
Thanks, Mom! Glad we can play with our friends now! =)
I should say, proceed with your "Go Thorns East" and your "Fuck Seattle"'s
;D
The secondary ticket market is going to Wang some serious Chung with SD getting knocked out. That match just went from sellout and well-above face value tickets to what, maybe 50% capacity? Maybe there's a huge Seattle caravan, but judging from how they show up at Lumen? Not likely. But at least no one can say that there was any favoritism to the outcome.
2023 Championship: Gotham v. Reign or Wave (no spoilers)
2022 Championship: Thorns v. Current
2021 Championship: Spirit v. Red Stars
It's good for the league and every franchise that it's not always dominated by Thorns or Courage. And, this year, we're guaranteed to have a first-time star-winner.
At the same time, the era of Thorns dominance is over. They should be a perennial playoff contender, but even that's not guaranteed.
With expansion to 14 teams, I'd be interested to see the following:
7 team playoffs
First round bye for Shield winner only
First round is 2 v 7, 3 v 6, 4 v 5
Reseeding after first round
Now that I am rested, warm and dry it is easier to think rationally about the match. My takeaways:
1. Norris surprised the heck out of me with the starting lineup and the first set of subs (timing and personnel). He gave the team every chance to win.
2. Smith is not 100% healthy no matter what she says. Lynn WIlliams had a bad day at the office - both teams' stars didn't show up.
3. Weaver had two chances to be a clutch hero and botched them both.
4. Gotham is suddenly a damned good team, and their coach is doing a fantastic job. Freya Coombe really was a bad as I thought. I hope they win it all. OLR may have "suffered" no title for 11 years but Sky Blue suffered worse, and for much longer. Go underdogs!
5. Both semis were decided on a wonder goal, all four teams played stellar defense. In years past, it seems like one of the semifinalists didn't belong (KCC last year, for example). Not this year - these are legit the four best teams in the league and they played like it on Sunday.
6. I am betting we've seen the last of Bixby. Being benched in the biggest game of the season is not a good omen.
7. The Final will not be a sellout.
As for the stars having bad days, that might have had a lot to do with the playing conditions- the turf looked almost waterlogged in some places- that probably threw off timing for players like Smith that excel at ball-control at speed.
In Weaver's defense, it looks like her would-be winner went wrong when she crossed to the middle, and the ball seemed to get stuck on the waterlogged turf by the penalty spot, throwing off her timing at the last instant.
I actually do agree on point 1, though I still think ultimately the coach should go. I don't think the Thorns lost this for any tactical or personnel issue. I think they set up well. I think what it comes down to is our front 3 didn't play well on the day and our star striker played her first full game since the World Cup. I also wouldn't be surprised if Weaver was carrying something, she looked a step off.
All of this is stuff that can happen over the course of an individual game which is why you should never react to one game, but to the data points that a whole season gives you. Those points illustrate bigger issues for the Thorns, especially with the squad after the 12 outfield players who played in the 90 minutes yesterday.
Gotham defense was the strength of that team. their outside backs 1v1 against Weaver and Dunn, two speedster had no problems containing them. They did not need to slide help outside, this is usually a good match up for us. Allowed them to keep a tight double on Smith all game.
Gotham defense was the strength of that team. their outside backs 1v1 against Weaver and Dunn, two speedster had no problems containing them. They did not need to slide help outside, this is usually a good match up for us. Allowed them to keep a tight double on Smith all game.
Dunn was basically a non factor until they rotated Hina/Kuikka in and then Nighswonger went from a strength to not being able to handle her. That game changed when they stopped going through Reyes and transitioned to Kuikka. Nighswonger’s yellow was a byproduct of her not being able to maintain position.
If I look at the whole game, I kind of agree that we are 45 minutes in with little impact but then Nighswonger looked like a rookie.
On #4 - I think it's a combination that JCA is a very good coach and Yael Averbuch seems to have done quite a good job the last few years as GM. Gotham won this game partially by virtue of a deeper bench. Building and maintaining that even over a disaster year in 2022 speaks pretty well. Gotham and Reign might be the two teams with the most solid roster construction right now in terms of decent depth at every position along with a range of technical player profiles.
As to #6, I agree. It's not like Sinclair's situation.
That said.... I think there will be some good keepers who come available during expansion. For example, either Smith or Haught has to be leaving Gotham, don't they? AD or Miller has to be leaving KC, don't they?
I also agree on #1. I was not surprised to see Reyes get the nod or for Sinclair to sit, but that was a big statement about *this game* to sit Bixby in favor of Hogan. He went for it and it was the right decision.
Yeah you have Angelina Anderson and Didi Haracic also. If we leave Bixby unprotected, she won’t get picked…it’d be a smart strategic move to protect someone else. She should still be the #2 keeper next season, though I’m not sold on Hogan yet. A lot of #2s have really shown out this season, and I haven’t seen that with Hogan yet. Yes, she hasn’t played the minutes they have, and that’s what I mean…just not enough to go on for me.
No spoilers here:
32,262 at Snapdragon yesterday. Both teams had 81% passing accuracy.
25,218 at Prov Park yesterday. Gotham had 75% passing accuracy, Thorns had 68%.
The rain falling in sheets likely helped to drag those numbers down here, for sure.
Give Gotham their props.
They completed 130 more passes and at a higher percentage, and they did it on our field (our turf, not their grass) and playing in conditions that are far more typical of Pacific NW than the tri-state area.
Our percentages and totals were also lower because we were unable to break through them and so had to go direct or send crosses/balls back in the box, neither of which connected at high rates.
I noticed many times Gotham anticipated a pass and jumped the gap, or stuck a foot out to swipe it, or simply took the ball off of a Thorns' foot.
Defensively, they seemed to focus on where the ball was heading, not the player and not the body movement, and just got a foot on it. They were also willing to gamble and were guessing correctly at a high rate, which suggests our mids were too often playing predictable passes/passing lanes.
Nothing fancy, just solid technical defending.
I watched from the comfort of my couch, so maybe understandably less grouchy than some folks who had to sit outside in that mess, but for some reason, that was maybe the most positive Thorns loss i can remember watching: They got chances, they were dynamic and open, and the more fun team to watch. It's also encouraging for the future: watching the new young talent starting to take over and gain confidence was nice- Moultrie and Coffey especially, but also Reyes and Hogan, who all played really well.
And maybe it's sour grapes, but big picture, if they had won another title this year, the new ownership might be even less likely to make changes (how do you justify replacing coach and GM of a team that just won back-to-back titles?) . So hopefully this gives the new owners the impetus to clean house and get the Thorns players the leadership they deserve.
And, not for nothin, it's a lot better for the NWSL to have some new faces in the championship game.
I'm really glad to see the Reign get one last chance at a title with their aging roster- they've been so good for so long but always came up short.
Last comment for the night, and we’ll leave it on a positive: Sam was *outrageously* good today. Made 3-4 crucial tackles in her own area including one where she tracked all the way back and took the ball straight off Williams, rarely gave the ball away, and covered a ridiculous amount of ground over 120 minutes.
Reyes also did a really nice job on Purce considering she’s a rookie. Happy to have her around for the future....Glad that pick didn’t go to waste.
I thought Reyes did great defensively, but watching her go against Ryan was kind of painful offensively. Ryan controlled that side of the field making our standard attack up the left not as effective.
That was Sam’s best defensive game I’ve ever seen. She was an absolute menace.
Reyna has some work to do from a technical standpoint, but she’s such a smart defender given how aggressive her play style is. She’s pretty good on the ball already, but she’s not fast enough to always be in position to make the types of attacking runs Natu does.
She saved her defense’s butts many times tonight
Know who the Thorns could have used today? Lindsey Horan.
Think back on every facet of the game where Thorns couldn't break through today, and think about how Lindsey would have helped change that dynamic.
Watching Coffey I thought she's growing into a Horan-like presence on the field. She could easily be our attacking mid if we didn't already have so many other talented players who can play there (Moultrie, Sugita, Dunn...).
Agree, however...
Horan has such an incredible tool kit, both in quality and variety.
She is very hard to dispossess and too big to beef around. She is able to strike and finish creatively. She can get where she wants without being particularly fast. She is a terrific defender without that being her primary job. And she has a legit aerial game.
It's not a knock on anybody in our current midfield, but there were several times yesterday when I could see how it would have helped to have Horan out there to break down or break through the clog that Gotham threw at us, or put away one of those chances that we couldn't finish.
So never mind the darkness, we still can find a way
'Cause nothin' lasts forever, even cold November rain.
--------Onward--------
Dying when they started playing that over the PA lol
Just sucks that we wasted a year of Sophia Smith, who IMO is the best player in the history of this club, with an undercooked coach, staff, and squad. Portland ultimately paid the price for thinking bringing it back was adequate while teams like Gotham improved over the course of the season.
I don't know how much was Thorns FC being complacent and how much was being in ownership limbo with nobody investing in the club. On the other hand, I have no confidence in Mike Norris. I also don't have the best early impression of Karina LeBlanc as GM. I feel like Paulson's MO is loyalty. I hope the dynamic for Thorns FC changes with new owners. However, I also assume that the new owners will be as bad or worse than Paulson because I don't think he'd sell to anyone who'd make him look bad by comparison. I hate to be cynical but...
I tend to agree. The sense of the club being in limbo seemed palpable to me, and I can only think that feeling _had_ to be at least as evident to the team. Depending on when the changeover eventually happens, I kind of expect a complete housecleaning from GM on down (in terms of FO/coaching staff...we'll see what happens with the roster). I hope something happens fast because Smith's reasons to stay here seem a bit thin on the ground right now.
I also have very low expectations of any new owners (in terms of their ethics anyway)...not because of anything deliberate on the part of MP, but because the billionaire class seems to be largely composed of sociopathic shitheads. A Michelle Kang just doesn't come along often.
Even Michelle Kang donated money to Ron DeSantis like last year….
I might be alone in this, but I’ve liked how LeBlanc has managed the roster and expansion draft except I would have protected Coffey :)
Yeah. One overrated signing and I know there were rumors of her being overmatched, but I felt that was coming from Gavin Wilkinson who was a self important blowhard.
The hiring of the coaching staff concerned the hell out of me, but what good coach is going to want to come in during that time with the ownership group in limbo.
I’d never hire Parsons as a coach, but I’d hire him as a GM. He’s a tactical moron as a coach, but he is a team builder. You are capped with him as a coach
I get not protecting Coffey under the circumstances. I wouldn't have protected Sinc at the time though, so Coffey might have gotten her spot. Sinc might have had a do not trade clause in her contract though.
Good point about the coaching situation. It was an opportunity to take a relatively stacked roster and build a reputation / resume on it though. I'm inclined to think it was more lack of ambition than anything else. However, it was also a sudden and surprising necessity, and there's something to be said for familiarity and consistency. Norris was the safe bet.
I would also prefer to see Parsons in a different role, but maybe something in player development rather than day-to-day operations. I don't know how savvy he'd be as a GM. But he might run the academy or scout. Maybe he's a good assistant coach. You're right about his tactical inadequacies for sure.
This is exactly what I’m most upset about also. Seems like such a waste of a year. I stg if we don’t get a new GM and a new coach…give KK a different job and tell Mike “so long and thanks for all the L’s…”
Most disappointing season in franchise history IMO.
It probably also killed her or Sam’s chances of the MVP this season. And what a shitty end to a v up and down season…poor Soph got the golden boot and got an AC beatdown and this mess to end her campaign.
Yeeeep- that’s the part that gets me too. Gotta win something with Soph pretty much every season she’s here.
Gotham had the luxury of bringing on an experienced backup striker who ended scoring the winner, plus three current/former U.S internationals to see out the game in extra time. Portland had to leave a cooked Weaver out there cause Norris (probably rightly) didn’t trust the trio of Vasconcelos, Sinc, or Betfort to make a difference.
Upgrades are needed!
Thought the same thing when Stengel came in. Stengel, Mewis, Long, O’Hara…we used to have that as well but our GM has pissed away the last 2-3 seasons except for bringing us Beckie…a F who still has scored 0 goals. Our depth is virtually gone after our first 2 subs.
Counting on Betfort, Sinc, and Vasconcelos was just kinda…sad. Can we also talk about how Soph just randomly played 120 minutes? Like? So shitty that we had to rely on her so much….when Weaver is off she is OFF. We need other options besides her and Soph.
Didn't help to have Natu and Hina not at full availability. The fact that we were so close to taking it to PKs and can actually realistically speculate on what might have been ('speshly with a competent ref) is more than I expected with the teams form of late and that starting 11.
Hmmm...another deadly forward option? Well...Aoba Fujino turns 20 soon (and that's significant: it's the age of majority in Japan, and she'd be much more likely to consider going abroad). I suspect that if she considers leaving Beleza, it will be for Europe, but we should absolutely try to get her. Moreover, she plays on the right mostly...no need to displace Weaver. WE League's about to start, and I'll be anxious to see how Aoba-chan does, particularly with her attack partner Riko Ueki departed to West Ham. Potential golden boot for that league. Future huge star...trust me on that one!
I don’t believe our talent was the issue. I believe having a good coach admit feelings for a player and basically having to replace her with an assistant who probably wasnt qualified to be a lead assistant in the first place was a problem. I would like an adult who tactically isn’t overmatched.
Wonder what Lorne Donaldson is doing these days.
Underrated part of today- Soph and Weaver both looked a step slow compared to their baselines, Morgan in particular. Thought Gotham got away with playing a consistently high line (and easily could’ve been burned by the Moultrie pen that ended up offside).
I was so bummed Norris wasn’t trying to exploit that high line. As a F, I would salivate at a line that high, but no one was trying to play through the lines. Moultrie was a total nonfactor the first half. He just doesn’t have the experience to be flexible with his tactics or adjust mid-game.
Yeah the flat 4-4-2 with Moultrie as the second forward was a ridiculous decision. He did actually make a small adjustment by bringing Moultrie back into the midfield as a wide-ish 10 at halftime....and she was muchhh better there in the second half than she was in the first. Helped get the Thorns on the ball a little more too.
That said, as you say, there was no real plan beyond “hoof it into Soph’s general area and hope.” Hina and Natu really changed the game and added some real fluidity, even if the chances still didn’t come very often.
Yes I don't think either was at 100%
Agree. I actually wanted to see Betfort a bit earlier, but I couldn't figure out where (for whom) because I wanted her speed and size to stretch Gotham's defense.
She or Vasconcelos probably should’ve come in for Weaver a little earlier, but I don’t think either of them were making a difference ultimately. I get why he kept his best players on the field when they needed a goal.
Just bad options off the bench. Not the players (or even Norris’) fault.
Yep, we're just thin.
Where was Bixby?
She was available, so that must have been a coaching decision.
https://x.com/ThornsFC/status/1721376166710575317?s=20
She'll be back ::)
The whole presser with those two gave some reason for optimism.
Interesting that Becky said she’ll “test free agency,” though I’d bet she’ll be back given her other comments about being updated on the ownership situations etc.
Yeah I dunno, I read that more so like “I can’t answer this question as if I know I’m already gonna stay here because of the whole protection/expansion draft.” I think she kinda couldn’t say anything else. It was safer than being like “I’m staying here but we’re not signing a contract until Dec 16th to exploit that loophole.” I imagine sure, she’ll “test” it because she’ll be out there. I think with having a house and partner here, and also trying to make an Olympics roster, she’s not just gonna go to a first-year expansion club for like, a season. Being close to the end of her career I just don’t see her leaving. Of course she’s gonna hype the players union and the wins there, but based on all her other answers I’d say that she was intentionally coy and she’ll sign right after the draft.
Yeah I think that’s right....but also if the loophole is there than she really doesn’t have to be coy about it lol
It's true lol. Maybe she just wasn't expecting the question and didn't know what to say. That's the safest bet if you're not trying to give it away...even though, as you say, the loophole was written in! The FA's could all say "yeah we're just not signing until after the draft" and everyone would be like, "sure that makes sense" lol
Important to note that in the rules for the expansion draft, free agents cannot be selected by expansion teams and therefore do not need to be on protected lists. Even if she were under contract, it would be silly to protect a 38-year-old who orchestrated a trade to play where she lives no matter how good she still is. But not signing a contract now is almost certainly a strategic FO maneuver.
And Becky's always going to hype the union wins whenever given the opportunity even if it's just a smoke screen for 'we have a deal and the contract will be signed on Dec 16.'
Yeah I agree and I’d be very surprised if she ended up somewhere else for a variety of reasons, but still interesting that she didn’t just say that she intends on coming back given she’s really more likely to retire than move cities again.
Becky was just superb down the stretch after coming back from injury. If she left we would be in deep do-do with an aging Menges who seems to like to be more support and Hubly whom struggled. Neither can dominate the middle like Becky
A growth year for Soph
And so begins our long offseason of change and uncertainty...
Can we all not comment on the second game of the night until tomorrow maybe? I really don’t want spoilers bc I wanna watch!
oh geez sorry ABell- don't read my other post...
I do think Bixby is done here. Hogan didn't do anything spectacular, but she was steady.
Hats off to Mandy Haught, who started the season as Gotham's #3 keeper. Now I have to think maybe Gotham makes Abby Smith available in expansion. Haught has been very good this year.
I remember her at Virginia Tech as Mandy McGlynn. I wanted us to draft her. She is still as good a prospect as I’ve seen. Hogan is an elite level athlete as a goalkeeper, but will she develop into that level player
I don’t know how to explain it, but Hogan just *feels* so much more confident to me lol. Didn’t have much to do, but was assertive when she had to be.
Totally agree.
same- definitely less terrifying everytime a cross comes into the box
All I care about now is SD getting knocked out.
Nah I wanna keep Seattle without a championship! I want SD in this semi, Gotham to win the title.
Don’t care who wins it, though I prefer it not be Seattle
Can’t be too mad about the second half. Responded really well after a poor first. Weaver missed her chance, Stengel took hers after an uncharacteristic Hina giveaway. Reyes, Becky, and Coffey were excellent.
On balance, probably the right ending for the season. Very disappointing nonetheless.
The subs of Hina and Kuikka made a positive difference. Weaver was off, Moultrie tried hard but isn't really a threat leaving only Sophia as a real scorer. She got swallowed up for the most part.
Got to ask. Why didn’t they start? It’s the playoffs and we spent the first half unable to crack their defensive pressure.
Hina had a 48-hr long flight from Uzbekistan just like 2 days ago. She probably had no idea what day it was or time it was honestly. And same with Kuikka, except coming from Croatia where she played two full 90s within the week. It was super unfortunate to not have them from the beginning, but I think it was the right call to make. Maybe I would’ve tried to get them on at 45 instead of 60…
That first half was not the worst half of soccer I’ve seen from the team, but it was bad especially considering how they played in LA.
I just hate having two of our obvious best 11 not on the field
Yeah you know it’s been a season when you’re kinda relieved it’s over? Lol. Ok now we got a week head start to hear about new ownership, some new signings, some folks cut loose, and a new coach. Easy peasy lol, but let’s get started…
While I always root for the win, I do think this result cements the case that we need some serious overhauling. If we made it to the final it would have been grit or luck and might have papered over and provided an excuse not to make some much needed changes. At least it's resoundingly clear now.
Gotham deserved to win. I thought Norris did his best with his roster until the Saurbrunn sub but that may have been necessary for some reason.
My hot take is we should’ve swapped Weaver for Betfort at least 20 minutes earlier, Weaver had the spirit but lacked her usual burst and energy
Yeah Weaver had a poor showing and should’ve been pulled. Unfortunately, we don’t have the depth behind her and Soph so I get the hesitation. But yeah, just a single swap with Betfort could’ve been helpful…
I'd go Betfort for Dunn. Crystal had little field sense tonight and seldom in the right place.
That said, team loss I can't hang on anyobdy's head.
Onward.
Not what I saw at the game. The idiot coach with a box midfield and it wasn’t until we started going on the right side vs the left that we started to have success. Dunn played well. Coffey was the player of the match.
Same. I don't have any specific complaints about any Thorns player, tho I thought some were more effective than others. Gotham played very well defensively. They did a good job of bottling up Soph, who doesn't look she's back to Super Soph just yet, and nobody else could really shake free.
I thought Ryan basically shut down Reyes effectively cutting off the left side of the field.
Moultrie turned the ball over a ton and was hurting possession.
Outside of those two, I’d probably be nitpicking though Weaver missed the biggest opportunity (actually she got outrun by Midge on another one)
I think Brunn is still on limited minutes recovering from injury.
Didn’t really matter. I’ll bet our xG was about 0.4. We didn’t do fuck all in front of goal.
They need so many pieces particularly in the back that it probably can't be done but I'd love a proper striker with Sophia on the wing. She gets so beat up by everybody's centerbacks these days, usually without much help from the referee. Kreiger should have been sent off.
It’s Chesky, FFS! Knowing that Norris knew or should have known going in that Gotham was going to beef Smith around with abandon and had a plan to deal with that.
I’m so l tired of watching this clueless fucking Geordie git fuck up Soccer 101. Just fire his ass and start the rebuild.
Hire Moscato and offer him an assistant position. He played good soldier, but the fact that we had to go with a coaching staff that frankly wasn’t NWSL caliber was a joke.
If the Canadians can give us a parting gift…
Yeah, players like Soph aren’t gonna stick around while a coach gets his wheels under him. He should be doing that on a college team, or something lower division. If NWSL wants their star players to stay in the country and not regress (or at least, not grow) under a coach, they should get serious about their standards for coaches in the league. And for this club especially , it should be no exception (and ours comes with trophies.) I hope new ownership shoots higher than a first time head coach bumbling through his learning process with too many world class players. Also, his assistants were also no names from bad teams in lower division leagues elsewhere. Would like a coach with better connections…
At the beginning of the season, we were playing a really impressive defensive game. Around the 1/3 of the season, we stopped. I’m sure he’s a nice guy and has some ideas, but even not coaching to press on inbound plays gives a lot of free openings.
Had everything there for the taking. Walk away with nothing.
Silver lining, do we get a new coach? Hope fucking so!
Disappointing. Looked like a bunch of strangers playing together the last 45 minutes.
Season’s over.
Turn out the lights.
How was Kriegers tackle of Smith in first overtime not a red card?
Shoulda been
Was that a legit DOGSO? That's what I struggled with.
Hats off to Gotham. They really played excellent defense and they always knew how to play just dirty enough to get away with it. It's the ref's job to make them pay for what they're doing, and Chesky did not.
Yeah I don’t blame Chesky for the no call, but Soph was probably through on goal. Not egregious by any means. Cynical by Krieger tho
Was that not the definition of a DOGSO, though? She was the last defender and had committed a foul to prevent a breakaway…the foul and a card was awarded, so the ref agreed. But, she was still the last defender preventing a breakaway?? I just don’t get it. I saw a replay of the video and she’s still clearly the last defender…
Yeah I haven’t seen a video clip yet so maybe it’s worse than it looked. Was it for sure Soph was going to get to the ball? I wasn’t certain she would in real time.
Looking closely at the play, I can _kinda_ see the argument that the ball wasn't headed right toward teh goal. But that's still a DOGSO because I think it was clear that Soph was absolutely most likely to get to it first and get in on the keeper. The VAR blew the call.
VAR must have cleared it, so there was something else at play- maybe the chance that the GK was going to get to the through ball first anyway? Just guessing- NWSL has that "this week in VAR" youtube series- hopefully they'll do one for this week's games.
Because Chesky?
This wasn't the way I was hoping we would break our streak of win one, lose one
Credit where it’s due; Gotham was the better team. Good luck in San Diego; if anyone takes the star I’d really rather see them than the damn Wave.
I figured if we had to lose, I'd rather it be to Gotham than either Seattle or San Diego.
Better team first half, we were certainly better second.
They had more moments but just didn't seem to be likely to score at all. Weaver had the golden chance and scuffed it.
If you’re as good as your record says you are? No, we weren’t.
Not sure what you mean. Thorns were unquestionably the better second half team, they just didn’t take the chances they got.
So the two sides ended up scoreless in regulation. And Gotham won in overtime.
Not sure how that makes Portland “better” in any way.
I’ll have to see when I revue tape, but live I never felt that Portland ever had the better of the match. At times neither side looked particularly good, but when one did, it was Gotham.
I didn’t say they were better overall? Just said they had a better second half, though I agree they should have created more chances. Evened out overall after Gotham was the better side in the first half and then scored a great goal.
I don't think Gotham were the "better" team. It was a tight contest and they won on a speculative shot. It finished something like .5 to .5 on xG. That happens in knockout soccer.
Down a goal, those subs really don't inspire any confidence.
Yeah, just kinda laughable…how many goals from those 3 F’s combined? We really need some attacking oomph next season. Beckie will be nice to have back, if we will still have her after expansion, but she’s good depth and that’s kinda it. We got WORK to do over this offseason.
The bench is very thin. Probably why he only made two subs until the situation was dire. Then it's all hands on deck.
Sinc on at 115’? Seriously?
At least we won’t have Mike Norris to kick around anymore.
🙏
Hubly for Saurbrunn, goal. She totally ducked out of that challenge.
I know it’s en vogue to blame hubly for everything, but that was not her fault. Great goal, bad giveaway by Hina.
Hubs created a nice opportunity on a terrific ball in almost as soon as she subbed on.
Saurbrunn was having a great game. Hooked.
Yeah, and that didn’t have a single thing to do with going behind.
That was a brilliant strike. Give credit where it’s due. We’ve been rubbish in front of goal all night; we just finally couldn’t dodge that bullet.
I knew we were in trouble because Gotham is just deeper. I mean, being able to sub on Mewis, Stengel, Long, and O'Hara that late in the match?
Whelp. Not great.
And there it is. Golazo by Stengel.
Hubs for Brunn? Ugh.
Hubly and Vasconcelos have been warming up.
Kuikka is in beast mode thank god
Neither side has generated any attack worth mentioning.
Yeah but I just meant she was beastmode Kuikka as opposed to the only other option there ever is, which is shat-the-bed-Kuikka, lol. She either one or the other.
First OT; no score. Fifteen minutes to PKs.
Frankly we’ve been lucky so far.
Is it bad that I don’t want to see Sinclair in this game with this pace. Dunn is creating most of our high danger chances
I'll bet she comes in at the very end to take a penalty. Gulp.
As I remember, her penalty kicks have been weak, so not sure about that.
Crystal Dunn and Sam Coffey have willed us into this game. We really need to go after Nighswonger. We’ve been more effective going down the right side of the pitch
Sam has been brilliant!
Coffey snagging the ball off Lynn in a 1v1 at the end....goodness
Overtime…
Christ Weaver. Just hit the damn ball
She looks TIRED
Not explosive either, that ACFC injury is probably nagging
Yeah she hasn’t really been on all game…
I won’t kid you; if I was a neutral I’d have been channel-surfing to find an episode of “Naked and Afraid”‘I hadn’t seen yet.
At this point, either;
1) Gotham nicks a late goal, or
2) We go to PKs
Gosh fully fit Soph beats the keeper to that ball
:(
Hogan hasn't made an adventure out of any of her catches. No batting into the air or fumbling to the ground. She's been solid.
Frankly if we move on (and next season ) she’s my starting keeper. Sorry, Bella.
Early move to a 4-3-3 and Liv immediately loses a runner lol
Disjointed generally, but I think they can pull together and make this happen.
Nighswonger the steal of the 2023 draft. Gotham was SO lucky she fell to them.
Gotta bring in Hina or at least shift liv into midfield.
Moultrie was supposed to be a midfielder.
If the Thorns don't go direct they don't go at all. The midfield is struggling to grab the game so far.
Gotham has simply been that much better.
Moultrie has been a complete nonfactor.
She was all over the place.
This is, simply put, what a well coached team against a poorly coached team looks like. Thorns could easily snag one against Gotham’s high line, but there’s no style, no ideas, and no shape.
A 4-4-2 against a possession team makes no sense. Esther is dropping into midfield and overloading constantly. Moultrie as a right striker(?!) is just dumb as hell
Plus fundamentals. Thorns passing has been rubbish even when people are moving into space - which isn’t often.
Yeah they’ve wasted the 2-3 times they’ve gotten into space. But, when you are without the ball for long periods of time it’s much harder to keep ready when you do have it.
Agreed, but that in turn brings into question the preparation for this match.
I think I’m fine with a sit and kick strategy against a possession team as a game plan.....but yeah there’s no prep for how they get out or where the ball’s going. All wild boots into the general vicinity of Soph.
Esther and Ryan are flat out controlling the midfield play. Why on earth are we having Hogan do long passes when our biggest weakness is getting to headers. I’ve had enough of Norris. Bring on Carmelina Moscato please. He can be an assistant if he’d like
They can’t play out of the back because they have a two in midfield against a pressing 3-4. Only recourse is the long ball. But yeah, they instantly lose possession regardless.
(Left striker)