Nice to see the Thorns back on top. Really happy to hear that Menges is feeling like herself again, that bodes well for the Thorns defense going forward!
Had forgotten how good she can be, and how dull things are when she's in back with healthy teammates. Who needs excitement in front of their own goal? Surprised how much of her old speed remains.
Emily, Kling and GOAT are the last of the Thorns from our first watching them. (I'd add TGH but, you know.) They're all different players today but each still special, in her unique way.
Prime Menges was an absolute BLUR in terms of pace...legit one of the fastest players in probably the fastest league. Now that she's fully fit, I agree: a LOT of that pace remains at 30.
Good practice, more interesting than the one I went to last year. I can really feel the drills expressed in recent games.
To me the most interesting thing was that Weaver did a lot of individual training, running and shooting at very tiny goals, so I'm guessing they're trying to work on her shot accuracy.
Yes, apparently! My employer health insurance is Providence (unfortunately), so it's where you're sent for anything like that!
In my case, my weighted blanket assaulted me while sleeping months ago (I think) and caused rotator cuff tears in my shoulder (for real). YOU TOO, CAN BE ASSAULTED BY YOUR WEIGHTED BLANKET!
It was a huge clusterfuck for parking (graduation tonight at PP), but otherwise, it was awesome to be inside and looking out over PP during my appointment!
Lmao, sometimes I can't believe I've come through my 20's relatively unscathed after all the dumb stuff I've done as a youth, and then in my 30's B vitamins give me anxiety and I get rotator cuff tears from my weighted blanket lolol.
I think a lot of schools have their graduation there, at least that what the medical assistant made it seem like!
On arriving one continues diving among interesting bits:
--Lyon, Barcelona, Chelsea and Manchester United are all after the signature of Brazilian star forward Kerolin, per @marianaspinelIi. The 23-year-old has a contract with NC Courage until 2025, so a large transfer fee would likely need to be paid.
Bad for NCC? Make it happen! She's a big pest.
--On the Dutch podcast “Helden”, Jackie Groenen had this to say about her Manchester United exit: “I called the coach [Marc Skinner] to ask if I could stop by to say goodbye [to the team], but I was not allowed”
So, Marc Skinner continues being Marc Skinner. Good riddance, this is childish.
ETA Until ownership is settled, I can't envision Thorns making any gaudy international deals. Think KL is handcuffed during this endless transition period.
Hope Kerolin stays- League’s gotta be able to retain its best players, though I don’t know why she’s stay if those four clubs came calling.
And yeah....whether because of a lame duck owner or an inexperienced GM without a scouting network (likely a combo) I don’t think we’ll see much in the way of investment until the sale goes through.
I've heard that Brazilian players are coming to the NWSL because Marta basically told them to. She told them it was the most competitive league in the world, so, it's why we've seen such an influx the last year or two. I'm curious how that weighs against going overseas. Surely if she goes to any of those teams, she doesn't get a lot of playing time.
Also agree that I'd rather the best players stay here. If NWSL can raise their worldwide rep, we just may be able to hang onto our best players at the Thorns, also.
The next step should be a CONCACAF Women's Champions League, for the first years it will be dominated by NWSL and some Mexican teams and that will help both leagues to continue growing, lets see how the Canadian league develops, and even attracting some European or South American and why not African and Asian players, and if teams in the rest of North America start investing since they start to see benefits on trying to compete against the strong teams in the Confederation in the long run it can do wonders for women's sports in North America, perhaps will be able to challenge the "prestige" of the UEFA WCL.
I would worry about trying to grow the region too fast. Dilute the quality and depth of the squads and end up with the joke that is the European leagues but worse. at least there you get a couple of supper teams playing against training fodder. Here with the salary cap you would get a drastically reduced quality of team across the board, meaning nwsl would go from top league in the world to an average league.
Yep...same. I can't see any big name signings happen until well after a sale. Maybe we get a decent short-term loan for WC? Even then, I feel like that's too hopeful.
Does KK know that Patri and Bonmati have taken themselves out of the Spain NT consideration for WC? Could you imagine?! I wish we had a GM with the audacity....
I'm guessing this one goes to Gotham. Spanish coach? I think she follows him and Yael on IG.
Ooh, didn't know that Bonmatí was out of the Spain team too. With England and USA hit hard by injuries and Spain doing the French disaster all over again, who's the favorite? Maybe France, though they're missing Katoto and Cascarino. I haven't heard about any major injuries to Germany or Sweden, so they should be frontrunners. I'd like to think Australia has a chance, because Sam Kerr, but I just don't think the talent is there.
Germany’s probably the best bet, but I’d probably have England, the US, and France in the same tier. Not quite as sold on Sweden.
Also, it would require a lot to overcome the drama, but Spain is overflowing with talent rn- Wouldn’t count them out of having a chance. They’re my favorite pure watch in woso, so it’ll be quite a conflict between wanting the players to do well and hating Vilda/EFF with a passion.
wish I had a dollar every time heard the phrase "Spanish team overflowing with talent". on either womens or men's, yet no results. Until further notice US is still predominant and favored squad.
I mean, the men won three straight major tournaments (two Euros and a WC) from 2008-2012 during their golden generation, so there were definitely results there.
Spain also just started putting really money into the women and then almost immediately started trying their hardest to sabotage them- I wouldn’t say Spain have ever been close to favorites at a big competition, but they (rightfully) would be this year if their own federation wasn’t actively fucking them over.
Fwiw, the US are the betting favorites (+200) but justtt ahead of England (+300), followed by Spain at +600 and Germany at +700. I’d bet on Germany (or Japan who are +2800!) Certainly wouldn’t call the Americans predominant anymore, though they’re certainly up there.
being in the last three finals with two wins out of last three would seem to make the US the big dog until someone else proves otherwise. The amount of player turnover from WC to WC has not been huge, still some vermteran quality mixed in new Era players that are as good or better than their replacements (eg Sophia, Girma ....) Other than the loss of Swanson the US seemed prime to assert their dominance. Other than that Germany does seem their toughest test. France, England, Japan would have to play their best on a down day for the US to lose.
Agreed. Germany are in the best roster shape as we near the final choice deadline. The US, obviously, despite what I consider aimless coaching. Injuries notwithstanding, England will be a contender; their program has terrific depth. And yeah...Spain can't be ruled out as their depth of talent is terrific, as well.
Dark horse: Japan's young side. Despite the US winning, the Nadeshiko were pretty clearly the best team at Shiba Leaves, let down by poor finishing. Their rebuild from their Golden Generation mostly aging out is nearly complete.
Germany seems settled and relatively healthy while England and Spain are injury-wracked and France is distracted with being France. Has Netherlands rebounded from the Parsons experiment and what about Sweden, overall?
Which Brazil shows up and what about the home side Matildas?
- I don’t think think the Netherlands have quite enough- Talented, but I’m not sure if they’re any better than the 2019 team and they don’t have Wiegman this time around. The Viv/DvD/Groenen/Roord core aren’t quite what people thought they’d be coming off 2019.
- I’ll never buy Brazil as an actual contender. Scary attack, bad midfield, iffy defense.
- Maybe the Aussies get a host bump, but the talent isn’t there past Kerr.
Japan is the team I didn’t mention that I think has the best chance (over the three above)- They’re young, but they play above their age and always look good at tournaments.
Beginning to think its their drums. Occasional stops seem to coordinate w/ play. Overall their crowd noise is too much. Their audio people need to make better decisions.
OT: New Equalizer pod focused on the teams on the bottom half of the table. I think they should have given KCFUBAR more specific stick than they did, but basically they've failed in the same ways ACFCNFT has: great at branding and buzz, not at roster building, lots of injuries, not a clear identity and vision of how they want to play. For some reason, I continue to think KCFUBAR is getting a pass relative to the other bottom-feeders.
I turned it off when Kassouf said that ACFC is a harder place for visiting teams to play than Portland. Cmon Jeff, you’re better than that!
But in all seriousness, I do mostly agree with you. I’d caveat that by saying that their injuries (Gautrat, Scott, and Ball) are to players integral to structure than ACFC’s injuries (Press, Leroux) to old attackers. The roster build has been mostly fine imo- They should have brought in a veteran CB and the Williams trade looks bad in hindsight (though I think it was defensible at the time), but they’re moving in the right direction.
The biggest issue for me is their management- Seems like their GM has GW’s people skills, which is a realll red flag moving forwards.
Well, he was struggling for how to say it. It COULD be a hard place to play if the home XI were better and when their fan base has time to kind of grow into it. The stadium is certainly conducive to being a difficult place to play.
They certainly gave stick to ACFCNFT for signing Henry to a 3+1 when she's no longer at her peak and while they have Ertz at least for the year.
Well yes, but his point was that the fan atmosphere was louder/harder to deal with.
I am admittedly a very snobby Portlander when it comes to soccer stuff so take this with a grain of salt, but ACFC has the same problem as all new teams: They have to manufacture an authentic fan connection with an entirely new franchise with no history. You can have all the noise you want, but there’s something different about playing in front of 20K Portland fans who do have that history and playing in front of 20K LA fans out to see the hot new thing. The Riveters are a huge part of that- NWSL teams just don’t have supporters groups that match their size and intensity (yet).
That's exactly right. The embrace of the Thorns happened organically and authentically from grass roots. ACFCNFT is going with an influencer-based approach. The difference in enthusiasm is undeniable.
Other than letting Edmonds go and not replacing with a veteran CB, KCC actually has an okay balance in their roster. Ball was supposed to be the back-line anchor, but was injured. Then Scott, Gautrat, DiBernardo, and Loera who all do or can play DM were out. Hamilton and Debinha out at the beginning put lots of pressure on some key rookies. Cooper might be great later, but has definitely taken longer to adjust to pro level than anyone expected. I think people are more willing to give them a pass because of the injuries and that these issues are more isolated to this season.
ACFC has so clearly lacked quality midfield and any sort of depth other than the forward line from the beginning. And the coaching issues have persisted now too. And they just doubled down on the 'fast forward' strategy for another season, despite it being unsuccessful last year.
Yeah, agreed- Although I would argue that relying on Liz Ball --good player, but not anymore than a B-level CB at best-- to be an anchor for a high level team is a pretty significant misread of talent.
They’re also not done with the build. They got a lot of hype in the off-season, but you can’t redo a pretty untalented roster an one off-season. The run to the championship game covered up a pretty severe talent deficit.
I would agree, but that doesn't explain giving Potter the quick heave-ho and Franch the quick hook and continuing to perform about as before but being healthier now and having had more time to begin to gel.
This. I pin most of KCC's issues with their FO. Specifically the GM; firing Potter was a very short-sighted move. OK - you and he don't agree on something with the squad or tactics. You don't fire a good coach, who took you to the dance last year, over your ego. You don't assume you know better than the professional. You don't fire a coach without a replacement in the wings. Their GM is incompetent and probably thinks otherwise. And the team is taking the fall for it.
Contrast that with the NWSL minimum salary for a YEAR, which is $36,400 now. Not that any players going to the World Cup are likely to be on a minimum salary, but still....
Side question- someone from the Thorns community was asking on twitter if any Man City fans would be watching the UCL final on Saturday anywhere locally in Portland. Anyone know if there's a local City supporters group? Or know a good spot to go watch the game with other City supporters? I'm guessing Gol, but maybe y'all have better info...!
Gotham - Pride match rescheduled for 'Night of the Comet' like air quality. Orlando will not have any midweek planned rotation and rundown legs to deal with other than the travelling.
Our house is old and we have windows that don't close all the way. Our house was so bad we had to take our dog and stay in a hotel for like 5-7 days. It was awful. I came home and my entire garden had died!
Just got a Coway air filter for the bedroom and it has really helped with the pollen. So much so that I'll probably get another one for the kitchen/eating area too.
Hope that's the case going forward for our inevitable PNW late summer fire season. Thorns and Seattle have both played with ungodly AQI levels from wildfire smoke...
Thankful this shows growth of the league, but I still can't help but wonder if this would've been the case if it were the PNW again and not the East coast. (Welcome, East-coasters! We do this every year now, it seems....)
Despite not playing this game, Orlando has had some pretty awful traveling the past week. They've been on the road since last Thursday or Friday, with their road game in Houston on Sat (which they lost.) They stayed in Houston 2 days beyond that, then flew to NY only to have this game cancelled. I've seen some flights have been cancelled due to low visibility, so I'm not even sure if they've made it out of NY yet.
Another possibility here is DeMelo and then going with only 6 forwards. I would prefer that, honestly. But I also get it that Pinoe, Sonnett, and Dunn can all play in the midfield so maybe it's better to add the depth elsewhere.
She’s been fine, but looks very rusty on ball to me- She’s doing the Julie Ertz “flies around and hits people” thing without having much of an effect on actually disrupting the opponents’ attack. It also looks like she’s trying to compensate for deficiencies around her.
I imagine she’ll look better between Horan and Lavelle than she does in whatever the hell ACFC calls a midfield, however. I also don’t know if she’s actually played 90 minutes yet, which is a bit worrying.
I think Krueger could be a surprise pick over O'Hara. Vlatko rates her and despite Chicago's struggles, Krueger has looked good. And O'Hara is out with her same recurring injury - a bit of risk, especially combined with Lavelle's injury timeline. Huerta hasn't looked good for Reign and was a bit of mess at SBC. She's always been a bit of a defensive liability, so if the offense and crossing isn't on form, don't take her.
Kornieck isn't going if Ertz is. She doesn't add anything to the midfield and Ertz can be highly effective scoring headers. Midge has been injured and not really played this season at all.
I think Kingsbury goes over Franch if Franch still isn't playing. Kingsbury's been solid for Spirit, has been in camps, and has a cap.
I'm also thinking Krueger could get the call over O'Hara (and/or Huerta.) She's been better than Huerta overall, and O'Hara just hasn't been healthy consistently. With so few roster spots, you just can't take an injured player (unless her name is Rose Lavelle, who just needs to get healthy for the knock-out rounds.) Huerta offers little in defense, and could be risky against int'l teams. The juice ain't worth the squeeze imo for her crosses. Int'l level teams will know what she does, and she's easy to shut down offensively if you know her one trick. Personally, I go for defense over offense from fullbacks, but I'm not sure Vlatko agrees. I think Davidson isn't quite there. I think Sonnett goes because she's been playing and has a lot of versatility.
I also think Kingsbury could get the call over Franch. Normally, I would've said Franch even if she wasn't playing great, but, I think it's been a reaaaally bad stretch of form every time she's come on, or of course, she hasn't been playing at all. I'm guessing her mental state ain't right currently, and if called upon, would have the country on her shoulders. She was super shaky when she had to come in for Naeher unexpectedly during a USWNT game, and I would think Kingsbury would handle the pressure better just based on her club form currently. I love Franch, and it makes me sad to say that...but Kingsbury has had a cap and knows at least how the system works. She also has multiple club teammates on the USWNT, which can really help. I won't be surprised if Franch still goes, but I'd be equally unsurprised if Kingsbury goes instead.
I'm wishy washy with Hatch. It seems that she'd be a typical 9 backup (and also also plays club w/ multiple players), but we'd also have multiple forwards capable of playing there (Smith, Williams...) I think it's possible we don't take Hatch, and take another midfielder instead. Likely Kornieck or (I'm going long-shot here: DeMelo, because she's better.) With Horan not 100% because of her knee, and Lavelle questionable, it might be smart to take another midfielder rather than 7 forwards.
Also curious about KMew vs. Kornieck. Kornieck obviously offers the height advantage, but not much else. Gotham has been playing decently, but I still am not sure about what KMew offers. I guess she's a bit better on the ball (and not returning from injury) so I'd prob lean KMew.
Glad I could add my input and make it all clear as mud lol.
Vlatko seems to have this idea that because Morgan *can* play with her back to goal, that she’s this traditional hold-up center forward in the Hatch mold- She’s really (as we all know) much, much more than that. I’d much rather have Soph play centrally if Morgan was unable to go and play Rodman, Williams, or Thompson out wide, but there’s no way that happens. Hell, I’d rather play DeMelo as a false 9.
Yeah, I tend to lean that way. He has always seemed pretty high on her. I think it's be smarter to take another midfielder because almost every M player (or maybe all?) we have has injury or form issues. But yeah, Vlatko seems pretty rigid in his formations and positions, so likely he'll just take Hatch.
The other option re Hatch and injured midfield is take the extra fullback (Huerta imo) and use Dunn as the 'break glass' midfielder. But that's just my fantasy. Hatch is the only true back-up 9 in the pool. Smith or Williams could definitely play there, but I think Vlatko goes with Hatch.
KMew is better at passing and keeping the ball than Kornieck. She brings some physical grit to the midfield in her sub appearances. And she's good at taking corners, which feels like an area we are starting to lack depth.
I wondered whether Kingsbury has enough time with the Nats. But you're right, if she has a cap and obviously has been playing solidly (versus poorly and not at all in Franch's case), she would be a logical choice.
Yeah, Chicago's woes are not because of Naeher or Krueger, to be sure.
kornieck is just a taller version of ertz. just a physical player, though could add presence in the box. would prefer to see someone with some attacking skill to add, even Sonnett would be a better 6 than the other two
Vlatko *wishes* Kornieck was just a taller version of Ertz, but she’s really not at all.
Despite Vlatko’s best efforts to convince us all to the contrary, Kornieck is a natural attacking midfielder and has none of the defensive instinct or tackling ability Ertz has. She shouldn’t be on the team at all, and definitely not as a 6.
oh agreed meant more that Korniek doesn't offer much than a disruptor and a tall head. On the ball she really isn't that dangerous to be an attacking mid on this squad. I am biased but Coffey really should have been given more opportunity. Quality hard worker, reads the field well, excellent positioning and excellent in starting or holding attack choices. To me Ertz is more of a straight bully in the middle, which is sometimes good, but less upside than Coffeyy
I think the worry is that Ertz is now no more than a straight bully- The best version of her was a legit, dominant well rounded 6 in and out of possession. Not sure if she has that anymore.
OK, so we're all in agreement that ACFCNFT should be better than they are. There's sufficient quality there, and will be more so when Henry arrives and Press returns.
I haven't been impressed with ACFC since their inception. But they went the "Name" approach to building the team, and it feels like they have good parts without any direction. SD went with a specific plan in place and you can see the difference. That being said if they can get a good coach ACFC has the pieces to become a dangerous team. The big name signings all sound great, but the team needs to address specific areas of weakness.
SD is way over rated. they are one specific player away from being a bottom of the table team. You remove AM and SD really isn't that good. watch games when she is not there. they have no attacking organization and struggle to control games. Many wins come against the flow of play as a direct result of AM play.
That’s how Stoney sets them up- It’s an intentional decision to play in a low block and use Morgan/Shaw/Jakobson on the counter: They don’t want to control the game in possession. They’re an exceptionally well-drilled team and Girma is the best CB in the league, regardless of the aesthetics.
Having said that, I do agree that their success is a little too predicated on Morgan and that they need to develop an alternative to sitting and kicking.
But end of the day not a system that will win championships, it will keep you in the running but the best teams will know how and whom to defend making easy to neutralize.
I tend to agree with that, but once you get in the playoffs (which they will) you only need to win 2-3 games to win a title. As we’ve seen with both Portland and Seattle, all it takes is a few balls in behind and you can win a game while losing the xG battle. Structure is key, and they Wave certainly have that.
Shaw also gives them a different, much needed attacking element if Stoney ever unglues her from the bench.
Right from the limited data set and what i have seen, Shaw may develop into the best 10 the US has had in a while. Lavelle is good , but Shaw seems to have the little extra to make her great; someone who can truly elevate all those around her (but agian limited data set so we will see).
Even if that is the case, and I agree with WanderingRose regarding the SD most important player, SD has an identity in how they play. It isn't the beautiful game, but they are building towards a program that will consistently win. I suspect that they will be a franchise that is always in the top half of the table, and if they hit on the right players in the draft/FA, they could be a threat to the top teams.
but their not without an alex Morgan level of attacker they become average at best. though Shaw looks to be pretty awesome and will help in the attack, she seems maybe best suited to the 10. Their system to win relies on having someone special that can convert nothing into something. Morgan is freakish in her ability to find those moments. Yes Girma and Sheridan are also key given the amount of possession they give up and will keep in games hoping they can find one against the flow of the game. Honestly, just classic old school English soccer and we all know how successful that has been....
The thing is SD just needs to make good choices in filling out the team over the next 2-3 years. Assuming they get players to fill out the attack and they become a very dangerous team. We know there are good players available after the first 2-3 picks, there is no reason to think SD won't find them as well.
I just think SD has set themselves up for future success, while ACFC has thrown players together hoping they will come together. I just think SD has done a great job in putting together a TEAM.
Disagree. The most important player for SD is either Sheridan or Girma. They don't have great depth at GK or at CB right now with Dahlkemper out. And they play a low block and invite a lot of pressure. If Morgan went out, probably be a lot of low scoring draws with Shaw and Jacobsson picking up the offense. If Girma or Sheridan go out, SD starts losing.
I fully expect SD to implode during the wwc. all their shortcomings and lack of ability to control the pace of a game will be exposed. no Sheridan and German to keep the sheet clean and no ability how to attack without Morgan in the lineup. SD showed who they were tonight drawing to a meh Louisville team with no Morgan. Stoneys U14 level of tactical awareness doesn't work without Morgan.
yes draws which keeps them average and German and Sheridan are world class. But to be top have to score. Their system is not designed to create opportunities through controlling but to find opportunities and convert on those. Watch the ACFC game with SD. SD gor dominated in nearly all phases. Couple of ACFC breakdowns, SD capitalized on those.
I've been saying since both teams started to be built, San Diego Wave was being built by people who know quite a lot about how to build a competitive team and get results from the start, they finished 3rd in the first year, even were at the top of the table for quite long, and this year again they are showing they are getting great results, perhaps they are lacking a bit of depth to be able to rotate better when needed.
On the other side ACFC was built by a marketing team that the only thing they know about soccer is a list of names and how popular they are.
The HBO docuseries was pretty hilarious when the exec talked about how "we'll build a fanbase first and the wins on the field will follow". Like, what?
That is pretty bad. There is nothing wrong with marketing the hell out of a club, but getting someone in there who can build a team should have been priority one. You can still market the team, but nothing beats winning to create interest!
Maybe it's just my prejudice against celebrity-oriented culture, but it's hard to imagine an LA fanbase remaining committed for very long if the team is losing. Sure you can do it if you're the Lakers and have many decades of success, but if you've NEVER had success? I don't think so.
I'm with you there. I hope ACFC does well because the attendance helps the whole league, but right now the team just isn't good. The Lakers are a different animal, and ACFC needs to be wary of becoming the LA Clippers.
Nice to see the Thorns back on top. Really happy to hear that Menges is feeling like herself again, that bodes well for the Thorns defense going forward!
Yeah after battling injuries for 1.5 years, can only imagine how much she went through to get back to where she is now.
Had forgotten how good she can be, and how dull things are when she's in back with healthy teammates. Who needs excitement in front of their own goal? Surprised how much of her old speed remains.
Emily, Kling and GOAT are the last of the Thorns from our first watching them. (I'd add TGH but, you know.) They're all different players today but each still special, in her unique way.
Prime Menges was an absolute BLUR in terms of pace...legit one of the fastest players in probably the fastest league. Now that she's fully fit, I agree: a LOT of that pace remains at 30.
And I am happy that it's no longer Anomaly Menges and that she wasn't traded away. Hate to think of her as Enemy Menges.
In case it hasn't been mentioned.
"32 - @ThornsFC's Sophia Smith has recorded 32 carries ending with a shot this season, twice as many as any other @NWSL player in 2023. Creating."
https://twitter.com/OptaJack/status/1666121772477952006?cxt=HHwWjMC9kZa7oJ8uAAAA
Let's see, total shots 158, shots on target 80, goals scored 25. Checks out.
After careful consideration you do, in fact, want Sophia Smith on your team.
Help me out with how the team data on shots checks out with Sophia’s data on shot creation. I’m having trouble linking the two.
I’m in 116 at the open training, looking like this, if you want to say hi!
https://ibb.co/HBrT9k1
Good practice, more interesting than the one I went to last year. I can really feel the drills expressed in recent games.
To me the most interesting thing was that Weaver did a lot of individual training, running and shooting at very tiny goals, so I'm guessing they're trying to work on her shot accuracy.
1. Portland Thorns - thanks for finally showing up for real!
2. San Diego Wave - this feels too high, but they're playing as Stoney wants right now
3. NJ/NY Gotham FC - this feels about right
4. OL Reign - at the moment, but probably #1 or #2 at full strength
5. Washington Spirit - this feels too low, but someone's gotta be here
6. Houston Dash - the anti-Louisville; not as good as Racing but accumulating points
7. North Carolina Courage - didn't get it done in KC
8. Racing Louisville - the anti-Houston; they're better than this, but they keep finding ways to draw
9. Orlando Pride - but could sink back to bottom
10. Chicago Red Stars - Naeher is greater than whatever improvement KC showed
11. Kansas City Current - obviously the greatest disappointment of all
12. Angel City FC - next-biggest disappointment
Anyone going to the open training tomorrow?
You all should go!
As media, I typically go once a week, but this week is insanely packed for me.
I wasn't at PP for open training, but I was there today for my own appointment with a Sports Med Dr!
No Thorns sightings unfortunately (or, probably fortunately?)....
Wait regular civilians can go to providence sports medicine?!! Where's my sports injury?!
Yes, apparently! My employer health insurance is Providence (unfortunately), so it's where you're sent for anything like that!
In my case, my weighted blanket assaulted me while sleeping months ago (I think) and caused rotator cuff tears in my shoulder (for real). YOU TOO, CAN BE ASSAULTED BY YOUR WEIGHTED BLANKET!
It was a huge clusterfuck for parking (graduation tonight at PP), but otherwise, it was awesome to be inside and looking out over PP during my appointment!
Wait, kids these days graduate at PP? Spoiled!
I've heard rotator cuff tears are becoming more and more common in weighted blanket leagues.
Experts recommend beginning with a weighted washcloth and seeing how that goes. =-0
Lmao
Lmao, sometimes I can't believe I've come through my 20's relatively unscathed after all the dumb stuff I've done as a youth, and then in my 30's B vitamins give me anxiety and I get rotator cuff tears from my weighted blanket lolol.
I think a lot of schools have their graduation there, at least that what the medical assistant made it seem like!
I’m sorry to hear that! So you weren’t injured during your soccer career?
ummmmmm.......work?
Don’t you have a doctors appointment?
I can’t because I’m at work! Enjoyed it last year, everyone who can go should.
https://twitter.com/womenstransfer/status/1666063901170061313?s=20
I do not like that I don’t even think of the Thorns when I read these rumors anymore :(
On arriving one continues diving among interesting bits:
--Lyon, Barcelona, Chelsea and Manchester United are all after the signature of Brazilian star forward Kerolin, per @marianaspinelIi. The 23-year-old has a contract with NC Courage until 2025, so a large transfer fee would likely need to be paid.
Bad for NCC? Make it happen! She's a big pest.
--On the Dutch podcast “Helden”, Jackie Groenen had this to say about her Manchester United exit: “I called the coach [Marc Skinner] to ask if I could stop by to say goodbye [to the team], but I was not allowed”
So, Marc Skinner continues being Marc Skinner. Good riddance, this is childish.
ETA Until ownership is settled, I can't envision Thorns making any gaudy international deals. Think KL is handcuffed during this endless transition period.
Hope Kerolin stays- League’s gotta be able to retain its best players, though I don’t know why she’s stay if those four clubs came calling.
And yeah....whether because of a lame duck owner or an inexperienced GM without a scouting network (likely a combo) I don’t think we’ll see much in the way of investment until the sale goes through.
I've heard that Brazilian players are coming to the NWSL because Marta basically told them to. She told them it was the most competitive league in the world, so, it's why we've seen such an influx the last year or two. I'm curious how that weighs against going overseas. Surely if she goes to any of those teams, she doesn't get a lot of playing time.
Also agree that I'd rather the best players stay here. If NWSL can raise their worldwide rep, we just may be able to hang onto our best players at the Thorns, also.
The next step should be a CONCACAF Women's Champions League, for the first years it will be dominated by NWSL and some Mexican teams and that will help both leagues to continue growing, lets see how the Canadian league develops, and even attracting some European or South American and why not African and Asian players, and if teams in the rest of North America start investing since they start to see benefits on trying to compete against the strong teams in the Confederation in the long run it can do wonders for women's sports in North America, perhaps will be able to challenge the "prestige" of the UEFA WCL.
I would worry about trying to grow the region too fast. Dilute the quality and depth of the squads and end up with the joke that is the European leagues but worse. at least there you get a couple of supper teams playing against training fodder. Here with the salary cap you would get a drastically reduced quality of team across the board, meaning nwsl would go from top league in the world to an average league.
Ohhhhh, that's interesting re: Kerolin. Gosh, I can't imagine how often SS9 is being courted by Euro clubs....
to be fair, a twice capped 28 year old defensive midfielder isn't exactly a priority for the Thorns.
No, I don’t have a lot of interest in her specifically.....I just don’t think the Thorns are even scouting in Europe rn.
Yep...same. I can't see any big name signings happen until well after a sale. Maybe we get a decent short-term loan for WC? Even then, I feel like that's too hopeful.
Does KK know that Patri and Bonmati have taken themselves out of the Spain NT consideration for WC? Could you imagine?! I wish we had a GM with the audacity....
I'm guessing this one goes to Gotham. Spanish coach? I think she follows him and Yael on IG.
Ooh, didn't know that Bonmatí was out of the Spain team too. With England and USA hit hard by injuries and Spain doing the French disaster all over again, who's the favorite? Maybe France, though they're missing Katoto and Cascarino. I haven't heard about any major injuries to Germany or Sweden, so they should be frontrunners. I'd like to think Australia has a chance, because Sam Kerr, but I just don't think the talent is there.
If I had to pick, I guess I'd go with Germany.
Germany’s probably the best bet, but I’d probably have England, the US, and France in the same tier. Not quite as sold on Sweden.
Also, it would require a lot to overcome the drama, but Spain is overflowing with talent rn- Wouldn’t count them out of having a chance. They’re my favorite pure watch in woso, so it’ll be quite a conflict between wanting the players to do well and hating Vilda/EFF with a passion.
wish I had a dollar every time heard the phrase "Spanish team overflowing with talent". on either womens or men's, yet no results. Until further notice US is still predominant and favored squad.
I mean, the men won three straight major tournaments (two Euros and a WC) from 2008-2012 during their golden generation, so there were definitely results there.
Spain also just started putting really money into the women and then almost immediately started trying their hardest to sabotage them- I wouldn’t say Spain have ever been close to favorites at a big competition, but they (rightfully) would be this year if their own federation wasn’t actively fucking them over.
Fwiw, the US are the betting favorites (+200) but justtt ahead of England (+300), followed by Spain at +600 and Germany at +700. I’d bet on Germany (or Japan who are +2800!) Certainly wouldn’t call the Americans predominant anymore, though they’re certainly up there.
being in the last three finals with two wins out of last three would seem to make the US the big dog until someone else proves otherwise. The amount of player turnover from WC to WC has not been huge, still some vermteran quality mixed in new Era players that are as good or better than their replacements (eg Sophia, Girma ....) Other than the loss of Swanson the US seemed prime to assert their dominance. Other than that Germany does seem their toughest test. France, England, Japan would have to play their best on a down day for the US to lose.
Agreed. Germany are in the best roster shape as we near the final choice deadline. The US, obviously, despite what I consider aimless coaching. Injuries notwithstanding, England will be a contender; their program has terrific depth. And yeah...Spain can't be ruled out as their depth of talent is terrific, as well.
Dark horse: Japan's young side. Despite the US winning, the Nadeshiko were pretty clearly the best team at Shiba Leaves, let down by poor finishing. Their rebuild from their Golden Generation mostly aging out is nearly complete.
I've got Japan written in for 2027. All those fabulous players are just a bit green this time around, but in '27 they'll be in their primes.
Germany seems settled and relatively healthy while England and Spain are injury-wracked and France is distracted with being France. Has Netherlands rebounded from the Parsons experiment and what about Sweden, overall?
Which Brazil shows up and what about the home side Matildas?
- I don’t think think the Netherlands have quite enough- Talented, but I’m not sure if they’re any better than the 2019 team and they don’t have Wiegman this time around. The Viv/DvD/Groenen/Roord core aren’t quite what people thought they’d be coming off 2019.
- I’ll never buy Brazil as an actual contender. Scary attack, bad midfield, iffy defense.
- Maybe the Aussies get a host bump, but the talent isn’t there past Kerr.
Japan is the team I didn’t mention that I think has the best chance (over the three above)- They’re young, but they play above their age and always look good at tournaments.
I believe Miedema is out injured (another ACL victim), which is a huge hit for the Dutch.
Yeah she tore her ACL in the fall. Feels like she’s been injured forever, unfortunately. She had some other issues last season too.
You know what? I think I got that wrong actually. I think it was Leon and Patri who I've seen out so far.
I'd also take a Mia Fishel loan to plump our offense!
I'd take her, too...or maybe Bunny Shaw, not that we'd be able to pry her away from ManCity!
is the sale even going on anymore....nothing in the news?
No, when I think of somebody leaving Europe to play for Thorns, I figure it's Zadorsky.
I get a horrible hurricane wind noise in the audio of the AC-Ch on P+. Anybody else?
Tested audio on other streams and it's fine.
Apologies, bean tostada lunch today.
--Management
Beginning to think its their drums. Occasional stops seem to coordinate w/ play. Overall their crowd noise is too much. Their audio people need to make better decisions.
Go Chicago!
OT: New Equalizer pod focused on the teams on the bottom half of the table. I think they should have given KCFUBAR more specific stick than they did, but basically they've failed in the same ways ACFCNFT has: great at branding and buzz, not at roster building, lots of injuries, not a clear identity and vision of how they want to play. For some reason, I continue to think KCFUBAR is getting a pass relative to the other bottom-feeders.
I turned it off when Kassouf said that ACFC is a harder place for visiting teams to play than Portland. Cmon Jeff, you’re better than that!
But in all seriousness, I do mostly agree with you. I’d caveat that by saying that their injuries (Gautrat, Scott, and Ball) are to players integral to structure than ACFC’s injuries (Press, Leroux) to old attackers. The roster build has been mostly fine imo- They should have brought in a veteran CB and the Williams trade looks bad in hindsight (though I think it was defensible at the time), but they’re moving in the right direction.
The biggest issue for me is their management- Seems like their GM has GW’s people skills, which is a realll red flag moving forwards.
Well, he was struggling for how to say it. It COULD be a hard place to play if the home XI were better and when their fan base has time to kind of grow into it. The stadium is certainly conducive to being a difficult place to play.
They certainly gave stick to ACFCNFT for signing Henry to a 3+1 when she's no longer at her peak and while they have Ertz at least for the year.
Well yes, but his point was that the fan atmosphere was louder/harder to deal with.
I am admittedly a very snobby Portlander when it comes to soccer stuff so take this with a grain of salt, but ACFC has the same problem as all new teams: They have to manufacture an authentic fan connection with an entirely new franchise with no history. You can have all the noise you want, but there’s something different about playing in front of 20K Portland fans who do have that history and playing in front of 20K LA fans out to see the hot new thing. The Riveters are a huge part of that- NWSL teams just don’t have supporters groups that match their size and intensity (yet).
That's exactly right. The embrace of the Thorns happened organically and authentically from grass roots. ACFCNFT is going with an influencer-based approach. The difference in enthusiasm is undeniable.
Other than letting Edmonds go and not replacing with a veteran CB, KCC actually has an okay balance in their roster. Ball was supposed to be the back-line anchor, but was injured. Then Scott, Gautrat, DiBernardo, and Loera who all do or can play DM were out. Hamilton and Debinha out at the beginning put lots of pressure on some key rookies. Cooper might be great later, but has definitely taken longer to adjust to pro level than anyone expected. I think people are more willing to give them a pass because of the injuries and that these issues are more isolated to this season.
ACFC has so clearly lacked quality midfield and any sort of depth other than the forward line from the beginning. And the coaching issues have persisted now too. And they just doubled down on the 'fast forward' strategy for another season, despite it being unsuccessful last year.
Yeah, agreed- Although I would argue that relying on Liz Ball --good player, but not anymore than a B-level CB at best-- to be an anchor for a high level team is a pretty significant misread of talent.
They’re also not done with the build. They got a lot of hype in the off-season, but you can’t redo a pretty untalented roster an one off-season. The run to the championship game covered up a pretty severe talent deficit.
I would agree, but that doesn't explain giving Potter the quick heave-ho and Franch the quick hook and continuing to perform about as before but being healthier now and having had more time to begin to gel.
This. I pin most of KCC's issues with their FO. Specifically the GM; firing Potter was a very short-sighted move. OK - you and he don't agree on something with the squad or tactics. You don't fire a good coach, who took you to the dance last year, over your ego. You don't assume you know better than the professional. You don't fire a coach without a replacement in the wings. Their GM is incompetent and probably thinks otherwise. And the team is taking the fall for it.
Okay, what's the US's starting lineup in critical games? My guess:
Naeher
Fox - Girma - Sauerbrunn - Dunn
Horan - Ertz - Lavelle
Rodman - Morgan- Smith
If Lavelle stays injured, God forbid, then Sanchez takes her place. Cook might replace Brunn if height is needed.
- Dunn and Fox probably switch sides (I’d have it the way you do, but I don’t think Vlatko will).
- Williams probably starts over Rodman both because of her experience and form.
Other than that, yeah, I think it’s pretty clear cut at this point.
Agreed about Dunn/Fox - their placement was a typo on my part. Fixed.
My guess is Williams over Rodman to start. Rodman a consistent sub though.
Yeah I thought about this last night after writing that and I think you're right, Williams will probably start.
In case any player was pondering "Do I REALLY want to spend summer (i.e. winter) in Australia?" here's your answer:
Individual player earnings.
Group stage: $30,000
Round of 16: $60,000
Quarter-final: $90,000
4th place: $165,000
🥉: $180,000
🥈: $195,000
🥇: $270,000
Contrast that with the NWSL minimum salary for a YEAR, which is $36,400 now. Not that any players going to the World Cup are likely to be on a minimum salary, but still....
Side question- someone from the Thorns community was asking on twitter if any Man City fans would be watching the UCL final on Saturday anywhere locally in Portland. Anyone know if there's a local City supporters group? Or know a good spot to go watch the game with other City supporters? I'm guessing Gol, but maybe y'all have better info...!
Gol will definitely have it, though I am happily ignorant as to where the other 10 Man City fans(?) gather.
(Srry couldn’t resist)
Grrrr... ;)
spot on
Lol :)
Les Bleues drop their roster:
ttps://img.asmedia.epimg.net/resizer/lU5vv87ROMrVujQZNGp2e7jqG2Q=/1288x0/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/diarioas/U2INLWI6FFCSLFZQQ2SF6N7PWI.jpg
And who is missing from it:
https://twitter.com/womenstransfer/status/1666119289747779588
Same account, Red Stars shopping overseas. One wonders if Grace Fisk ponders record when deciding on an employer?
https://twitter.com/womenstransfer/status/1666766059708268545?cxt=HHwWgoC2idC5xaEuAAAA
Welcome to the Big Time, kid....
https://twitter.com/tayvincent6/status/1666195558548242433
Gotham - Pride match rescheduled for 'Night of the Comet' like air quality. Orlando will not have any midweek planned rotation and rundown legs to deal with other than the travelling.
Remember when Seattle and Portland were having AQI "Sudden death" readings and the league relented by adding...ta-da, hydration breaks!
These must be enlightened times.
Hoping to hell we get this fall off from continual fire and smoke. It was wet enough, finally, so fingers crossed.
Lineman posted something implying that poor air quality postponement requirements are in the CBA, which is a win
...And oxygen masks!
Yeah, as someone with seasonal asthma (and greatly affected by wildfire smoke), I sure hope so!
And it really was that bad around here. It was impossible to be outside, even with an N95, for more than a few minutes.
Our house is old and we have windows that don't close all the way. Our house was so bad we had to take our dog and stay in a hotel for like 5-7 days. It was awful. I came home and my entire garden had died!
I would "like" your comment, but there's nothing to like about that situation.
Just got a Coway air filter for the bedroom and it has really helped with the pollen. So much so that I'll probably get another one for the kitchen/eating area too.
https://cowaymega.com/products/airmega-ap-1512hhs-ap-1519p
(cheaper on Amazon)
Hope that's the case going forward for our inevitable PNW late summer fire season. Thorns and Seattle have both played with ungodly AQI levels from wildfire smoke...
Thankful this shows growth of the league, but I still can't help but wonder if this would've been the case if it were the PNW again and not the East coast. (Welcome, East-coasters! We do this every year now, it seems....)
Despite not playing this game, Orlando has had some pretty awful traveling the past week. They've been on the road since last Thursday or Friday, with their road game in Houston on Sat (which they lost.) They stayed in Houston 2 days beyond that, then flew to NY only to have this game cancelled. I've seen some flights have been cancelled due to low visibility, so I'm not even sure if they've made it out of NY yet.
Caitlyn Murray predicts USWNT roster:
GK: Naeher, Murphy, Franch
D; Sauerbruun, Girma, Cook, Sonnett, Fox, Dunn, O'Hara
M: Lavelle, Ertz, Horan, Sullivan, Sanchez, KMewis
F: Smith, Williams, Rodman, Rapinoe, Thompson, Morgan, Hatch
Hard to argue with.. Dunn and Sonnett offer some positional flexibility.
I don't think Franch is in form, but if you don't go with her, then who do you bring in? Campbell? Kingsbury?
The odd person out would seem to Huerta. Anybody else I'm missing?
Another possibility here is DeMelo and then going with only 6 forwards. I would prefer that, honestly. But I also get it that Pinoe, Sonnett, and Dunn can all play in the midfield so maybe it's better to add the depth elsewhere.
Can someone who better understands the role of the 6 tell me if Ertz is looking, um, good, despite Angel City looking, uh, not good?
She’s been fine, but looks very rusty on ball to me- She’s doing the Julie Ertz “flies around and hits people” thing without having much of an effect on actually disrupting the opponents’ attack. It also looks like she’s trying to compensate for deficiencies around her.
I imagine she’ll look better between Horan and Lavelle than she does in whatever the hell ACFC calls a midfield, however. I also don’t know if she’s actually played 90 minutes yet, which is a bit worrying.
And WWC refs won't be overawed. If she plays like she did here, she will be on red card suspension most of the tourney.
Good point, and did she kinda get injured again?
Besides looking like a wrecking ball against us back in April, she either hasn't played or has looked fine not spectacular.
Isn't Lavelle still injured?
Yes, but expected back for WWC.
Sam Coffey!
Well, yes, but I mean somebody who has been in Vlatko's consistent rotation.
But no, I don't think Vlatko will invite her, nor anyone else who hasn't gotten reps with the team.
I think that list is it. Some alternatives:
- Davidson did once seem like a lock, but hasn't been good this year.
- Vlatko also seems to like Kornieck but I sure wouldn't take her.
- I think you're right about Hatch and Thompson being the last forwards picked rather than Purce.
- He could bring Kingsbury rather than Franch as the third keeper, but hopefully it won't matter one bit.
I think Krueger could be a surprise pick over O'Hara. Vlatko rates her and despite Chicago's struggles, Krueger has looked good. And O'Hara is out with her same recurring injury - a bit of risk, especially combined with Lavelle's injury timeline. Huerta hasn't looked good for Reign and was a bit of mess at SBC. She's always been a bit of a defensive liability, so if the offense and crossing isn't on form, don't take her.
Kornieck isn't going if Ertz is. She doesn't add anything to the midfield and Ertz can be highly effective scoring headers. Midge has been injured and not really played this season at all.
I think Kingsbury goes over Franch if Franch still isn't playing. Kingsbury's been solid for Spirit, has been in camps, and has a cap.
I'm also thinking Krueger could get the call over O'Hara (and/or Huerta.) She's been better than Huerta overall, and O'Hara just hasn't been healthy consistently. With so few roster spots, you just can't take an injured player (unless her name is Rose Lavelle, who just needs to get healthy for the knock-out rounds.) Huerta offers little in defense, and could be risky against int'l teams. The juice ain't worth the squeeze imo for her crosses. Int'l level teams will know what she does, and she's easy to shut down offensively if you know her one trick. Personally, I go for defense over offense from fullbacks, but I'm not sure Vlatko agrees. I think Davidson isn't quite there. I think Sonnett goes because she's been playing and has a lot of versatility.
I also think Kingsbury could get the call over Franch. Normally, I would've said Franch even if she wasn't playing great, but, I think it's been a reaaaally bad stretch of form every time she's come on, or of course, she hasn't been playing at all. I'm guessing her mental state ain't right currently, and if called upon, would have the country on her shoulders. She was super shaky when she had to come in for Naeher unexpectedly during a USWNT game, and I would think Kingsbury would handle the pressure better just based on her club form currently. I love Franch, and it makes me sad to say that...but Kingsbury has had a cap and knows at least how the system works. She also has multiple club teammates on the USWNT, which can really help. I won't be surprised if Franch still goes, but I'd be equally unsurprised if Kingsbury goes instead.
I'm wishy washy with Hatch. It seems that she'd be a typical 9 backup (and also also plays club w/ multiple players), but we'd also have multiple forwards capable of playing there (Smith, Williams...) I think it's possible we don't take Hatch, and take another midfielder instead. Likely Kornieck or (I'm going long-shot here: DeMelo, because she's better.) With Horan not 100% because of her knee, and Lavelle questionable, it might be smart to take another midfielder rather than 7 forwards.
Also curious about KMew vs. Kornieck. Kornieck obviously offers the height advantage, but not much else. Gotham has been playing decently, but I still am not sure about what KMew offers. I guess she's a bit better on the ball (and not returning from injury) so I'd prob lean KMew.
Glad I could add my input and make it all clear as mud lol.
He WILL take Hatch, he SHOULD take DeMelo
Vlatko seems to have this idea that because Morgan *can* play with her back to goal, that she’s this traditional hold-up center forward in the Hatch mold- She’s really (as we all know) much, much more than that. I’d much rather have Soph play centrally if Morgan was unable to go and play Rodman, Williams, or Thompson out wide, but there’s no way that happens. Hell, I’d rather play DeMelo as a false 9.
Yeah, I tend to lean that way. He has always seemed pretty high on her. I think it's be smarter to take another midfielder because almost every M player (or maybe all?) we have has injury or form issues. But yeah, Vlatko seems pretty rigid in his formations and positions, so likely he'll just take Hatch.
The other option re Hatch and injured midfield is take the extra fullback (Huerta imo) and use Dunn as the 'break glass' midfielder. But that's just my fantasy. Hatch is the only true back-up 9 in the pool. Smith or Williams could definitely play there, but I think Vlatko goes with Hatch.
KMew is better at passing and keeping the ball than Kornieck. She brings some physical grit to the midfield in her sub appearances. And she's good at taking corners, which feels like an area we are starting to lack depth.
I would 100% take Krueger- She’s the best actual RB in the pool imo, and she wouldn’t be asked to start.
That said, I have no faith that Vlatko will leave KoH behind.
I wondered whether Kingsbury has enough time with the Nats. But you're right, if she has a cap and obviously has been playing solidly (versus poorly and not at all in Franch's case), she would be a logical choice.
Yeah, Chicago's woes are not because of Naeher or Krueger, to be sure.
kornieck is just a taller version of ertz. just a physical player, though could add presence in the box. would prefer to see someone with some attacking skill to add, even Sonnett would be a better 6 than the other two
Vlatko *wishes* Kornieck was just a taller version of Ertz, but she’s really not at all.
Despite Vlatko’s best efforts to convince us all to the contrary, Kornieck is a natural attacking midfielder and has none of the defensive instinct or tackling ability Ertz has. She shouldn’t be on the team at all, and definitely not as a 6.
oh agreed meant more that Korniek doesn't offer much than a disruptor and a tall head. On the ball she really isn't that dangerous to be an attacking mid on this squad. I am biased but Coffey really should have been given more opportunity. Quality hard worker, reads the field well, excellent positioning and excellent in starting or holding attack choices. To me Ertz is more of a straight bully in the middle, which is sometimes good, but less upside than Coffeyy
I think the worry is that Ertz is now no more than a straight bully- The best version of her was a legit, dominant well rounded 6 in and out of possession. Not sure if she has that anymore.
OK, so we're all in agreement that ACFCNFT should be better than they are. There's sufficient quality there, and will be more so when Henry arrives and Press returns.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angel_City_FC#Current_squad
Even with the injuries, which have been many, this team is *not* good.
The gap between 6-7 and 8-12 is widening too.
I don't think they're like Portland or OL Reign level but they should be better than in 11th place on goal difference
ACFC is becoming the new "Orlando" or perhaps this year the NWSL is suffering a curse on teams that have "City" in their names.
Whatever be the reason I'm enjoying that ACFC is doing so bad, I'm hating them as much as Shittle, even more than the current NC Garbage.
Naw, they’re a completely different story than Orlando. They’ll be fine.
But agreed. They’re fun to hate.
I haven't been impressed with ACFC since their inception. But they went the "Name" approach to building the team, and it feels like they have good parts without any direction. SD went with a specific plan in place and you can see the difference. That being said if they can get a good coach ACFC has the pieces to become a dangerous team. The big name signings all sound great, but the team needs to address specific areas of weakness.
SD is way over rated. they are one specific player away from being a bottom of the table team. You remove AM and SD really isn't that good. watch games when she is not there. they have no attacking organization and struggle to control games. Many wins come against the flow of play as a direct result of AM play.
That’s how Stoney sets them up- It’s an intentional decision to play in a low block and use Morgan/Shaw/Jakobson on the counter: They don’t want to control the game in possession. They’re an exceptionally well-drilled team and Girma is the best CB in the league, regardless of the aesthetics.
Having said that, I do agree that their success is a little too predicated on Morgan and that they need to develop an alternative to sitting and kicking.
But end of the day not a system that will win championships, it will keep you in the running but the best teams will know how and whom to defend making easy to neutralize.
I tend to agree with that, but once you get in the playoffs (which they will) you only need to win 2-3 games to win a title. As we’ve seen with both Portland and Seattle, all it takes is a few balls in behind and you can win a game while losing the xG battle. Structure is key, and they Wave certainly have that.
Shaw also gives them a different, much needed attacking element if Stoney ever unglues her from the bench.
Right from the limited data set and what i have seen, Shaw may develop into the best 10 the US has had in a while. Lavelle is good , but Shaw seems to have the little extra to make her great; someone who can truly elevate all those around her (but agian limited data set so we will see).
Even if that is the case, and I agree with WanderingRose regarding the SD most important player, SD has an identity in how they play. It isn't the beautiful game, but they are building towards a program that will consistently win. I suspect that they will be a franchise that is always in the top half of the table, and if they hit on the right players in the draft/FA, they could be a threat to the top teams.
but their not without an alex Morgan level of attacker they become average at best. though Shaw looks to be pretty awesome and will help in the attack, she seems maybe best suited to the 10. Their system to win relies on having someone special that can convert nothing into something. Morgan is freakish in her ability to find those moments. Yes Girma and Sheridan are also key given the amount of possession they give up and will keep in games hoping they can find one against the flow of the game. Honestly, just classic old school English soccer and we all know how successful that has been....
The thing is SD just needs to make good choices in filling out the team over the next 2-3 years. Assuming they get players to fill out the attack and they become a very dangerous team. We know there are good players available after the first 2-3 picks, there is no reason to think SD won't find them as well.
I just think SD has set themselves up for future success, while ACFC has thrown players together hoping they will come together. I just think SD has done a great job in putting together a TEAM.
Disagree. The most important player for SD is either Sheridan or Girma. They don't have great depth at GK or at CB right now with Dahlkemper out. And they play a low block and invite a lot of pressure. If Morgan went out, probably be a lot of low scoring draws with Shaw and Jacobsson picking up the offense. If Girma or Sheridan go out, SD starts losing.
Guess we'll see how they do without Girma and Sheridan (and Morgan) in a few weeks when those two depart for the World Cup.
I fully expect SD to implode during the wwc. all their shortcomings and lack of ability to control the pace of a game will be exposed. no Sheridan and German to keep the sheet clean and no ability how to attack without Morgan in the lineup. SD showed who they were tonight drawing to a meh Louisville team with no Morgan. Stoneys U14 level of tactical awareness doesn't work without Morgan.
yes draws which keeps them average and German and Sheridan are world class. But to be top have to score. Their system is not designed to create opportunities through controlling but to find opportunities and convert on those. Watch the ACFC game with SD. SD gor dominated in nearly all phases. Couple of ACFC breakdowns, SD capitalized on those.
I've been saying since both teams started to be built, San Diego Wave was being built by people who know quite a lot about how to build a competitive team and get results from the start, they finished 3rd in the first year, even were at the top of the table for quite long, and this year again they are showing they are getting great results, perhaps they are lacking a bit of depth to be able to rotate better when needed.
On the other side ACFC was built by a marketing team that the only thing they know about soccer is a list of names and how popular they are.
The HBO docuseries was pretty hilarious when the exec talked about how "we'll build a fanbase first and the wins on the field will follow". Like, what?
That is pretty bad. There is nothing wrong with marketing the hell out of a club, but getting someone in there who can build a team should have been priority one. You can still market the team, but nothing beats winning to create interest!
Maybe it's just my prejudice against celebrity-oriented culture, but it's hard to imagine an LA fanbase remaining committed for very long if the team is losing. Sure you can do it if you're the Lakers and have many decades of success, but if you've NEVER had success? I don't think so.
I'm with you there. I hope ACFC does well because the attendance helps the whole league, but right now the team just isn't good. The Lakers are a different animal, and ACFC needs to be wary of becoming the LA Clippers.