In retrospect this actually seems like a smart choice? You get Bella the time to come back, you get to have an actual competition behind Hogan, and at a point where the team needs to add players elsewhere you don’t spend time finding a goalkeeper who might be mad to be a backup, you take one who knows one of your assistants and one of the team leaders.
I wonder if the timing was pushed a bit by the reaction from the fanbase. KK hasn't built up a big enough buffer of suspension-of-disbelief yet and I can see the Bixbys getting a phone call "Hey, can you post that announcement now, please, and get these damn fans off my butt..?"
Her timing is perfect. Get pregnant toward the end of 2023 season, train during 2024 season ( although modified), deliver midway through 2024 season, and have 6 months to recover and regain before having to report back to camp in January 2025.
Last season kinda got me over Bixby. I’d be fine if she won her job back…but IMO she’d have to beat out both Hogan AND Kozal to even nick the backup job…
That's why I did it. Demand for Thornandinha (aka Little Thornando) was at an all-time high, and I risked being sacked or being made redundant otherwise.
I'm not really qualified to have an opinion on that one, given that the phrase "choose to have children" kinda leaves me in a state of dazed incomprehension.
I'd rather have someone more established in the backup role vs. just Kozal coming off an injury and a rookie. Hogan isn't really established as a starting quality keeper, either, as far as I'm concerned. I like her, but I'd take just about every other starting keeper in the league over her if you gave me a choice. Kind of a big roll of the dice. Maybe they have a competition for #3 and and go out and find a true backup with starting experience?
Definitely is and should be, but she's still played a grand total of two (2) total NWSL games. Little bit of competition wouldn't be a bad thing if Kozal or the rook have anything to them.
Asman will battle it out with Kozal for the backup position. Hogan is the starter. They could bring in a veteran like Betos as the backup I guess, but this shows me that they like Kozal a great deal.
Going to be curious to see what happens next year with Hogan and Boston. Will she want to go home? Her primary reason to choose the Thorns was Angerer and she’s going to have a year to prove herself as a viable starter
I wish Dunn would have stayed. Marcel and Bella's kiddo would have given us occasion to address them like dear old Uncle Moe: "Aw, look at all the cute little minors."
Wait- maybe this is actually the beginning of one of those sports comedy movies where the new owners want the team to fail so badly that it triggers some ridiculous clause in some contract allowing the team to relocate to someplace more profitable.
If so, then LeBlanc, Norris et al make more sense.
In this version, i would imagine Sarah Lowden's the mole, and already been promised a beautiful facility (developed on a reclaimed EPA Superfund site) and the head coaching job for the new San Bernardino Thorns...
Watched/rewatched as many 2023 Penn St. games as I could since draft day to try to get an idea of what kind of player Linnehan is and how she could fit with the Thorns roster. My scouting report:
- Direct as hell. Wants to run right at defenders whenever she gets the ball. Has a bit of tendency to keep her head down when running with the ball which can lead to getting lost in a crowd or ambushed by multiple defenders.
- Has a really low center of gravity and excellent balance. Really wiggly in tight spaces
- Very much an attacker. Not going to offer a lot defensively. Penn St. would bring her off the last few minutes of games with a one goal lead.
- Surprisingly delicate touch for a player with her profile. You can really notice it on some of her finishing touches or when she brings down balls out of there.
- Not the best passer or crosser technically, but much better when she picks her head up and cuts inside. When she doesn't put her head down and attack the touchline, she really likes inverting and finding space.
- Not the biggest, but strongly built. She might struggle a bit size-wise with stronger midfielders and defenders initially, but she's certainly aggressive enough to cause trouble and make up for some of the lack of size. Not a Natalie Beckman, that's for sure.
- Has a penchant for a spectacular goal or two. Her ability to show up in the right spaces right where the ball is heading really pops.
My best comp would be a more technically adept Haley Raso with less raw North-South speed and explosion. I'm normally less excited about a player after doing these scouting deep dives which typically expose weaknesses than after watching their highlights, but her game tape is really impressive and made me think she could be a contributor in some form off the bat. I really like the idea of her as a spark plug off the bench- She's very clearly someone who wants the ball and looks to impact the game directly, and that's more than I can say for any of our backup wingers last year. Wish we were getting more preseason games to see the youngsters.
What I'm hearing in this description almost sounds more like a Poor Man's Smith than Raso:
"Direct as hell. Wants to run right at defenders whenever she gets the ball. Has a bit of tendency to keep her head down when running with the ball which can lead to getting lost in a crowd or ambushed by multiple defenders.
- Has a really low center of gravity and excellent balance. Really wiggly in tight spaces
- Very much an attacker. Not going to offer a lot defensively. Penn St. would bring her off the last few minutes of games with a one goal lead.
- Surprisingly delicate touch for a player with her profile. You can really notice it on some of her finishing touches or when she brings down balls out of there.
- Not the best passer or crosser technically, but much better when she picks her head up and cuts inside. When she doesn't put her head down and attack the touchline, she really likes inverting and finding space.
- Not the biggest, but strongly built. She might struggle a bit size-wise with stronger midfielders and defenders initially, but she's certainly aggressive enough to cause trouble and make up for some of the lack of size. Not a Natalie Beckman, that's for sure.
- Has a penchant for a spectacular goal or two. Her ability to show up in the right spaces right where the ball is heading really pops."
Raso is a bit a of a (very) poor man's Smith in some ways, so yeah, I think that's a reasonable take. The key is obviously that Soph has the 99th percentile burst, power, and vertical dribbling ability that Raso doesn't.
Linnehan is undeniably quick and has burst, but she doesn't have Raso's raw speed and explosion, let alone Soph's. She is technically polished already --likely a function of playing 5 years in college-- which neither Raso or Smith were early in their careers. Also worth noting that she's only a half year younger than Soph, who's going into her 4th year as a pro this year.
So...I'd say a reasonable expectation is that she turns into a nice piece off the bench who can provide something more than we got from Izzy or Vasconcelos last year. High end upside is probably pretty limited cause she's not an incredible athlete physically, but she could certainly be a starter in the league long term if the best parts of her game translate well to the pros.
I have to say, whether it's reputation, development, or both, it's fascinating how much "better" Raso and Foord are now in the eyes of coaches, peers, etc. since they're no longer in the NWSL. They keep getting rated highly in the various Top This or Best That lists. I'm sure they've continued to grow and improve as players, and I've liked what I've seen from both of them, but really???
Oh it's 100% the fact that they play in Europe. Foord in particular has gotten better, but neither of them are substantially different players from when they were in Portland.
Yeah, that's a really good comparison based on what I saw also. She may never reach Raso's peak, but they have a lot of similar attributes, and should at least be better winger depth than we've had in a while. Higher ceiling than Vasconcelos, and may already be better. She's had youth international callups and was here at our preseason tournament last year with the U23s (I wonder if that was livestreamed?....*pondering out loud*) so her ceiling should be, at the very least, good sub depth.
I remember being angry that those games weren't livestreamed because they had people filming the game and posting highlights, but just didn't give an option to watch lol
I didn't hate the tattoo kit. I hated the way we played while wearing it.
IIRC the Timbers had a white "retro" shirt back in the early Teens that turned the whole squad into Lucas Melano every time they wore it. Felt the same way about that thing.
"I believe it has to do with the NWSL loosening up the kit rules, now teams don’t have to have a white (or white-ish) kit in the rotation. Based on what I know, the Thorns will have red home kits and dark away kits this year"
and, (after being asked if the "dark" was black...)
"It’s not black! I’ve heard the away will technically be green but the color looks more gray (haven’t seen it myself, though)"
Oh boy this makes me so so happy. My opinion was in the ground for both the home and away. I’ll be happy to never have to see them again.
Also, pumped for red!! Still wish we could add some green (a la Portugal or Morocco) or even a full green with some red detailing. Regardless I’m happy we’re moving away from mostly black.
Like 7% of the male population, I'm a bit red-green colorblind. Those red-green color combos do funny things to my eyes, distracting things. I really don't like watching Portugal. Little bits of red mixed with green is fine, or vice versa, but large areas of red and green? Please no!
I don't know. A significant number of people appear to be bummed that the "two teams, one club" thing has been broken up and the Thorns will play at an essentially green themed stadium for the foreseeable future. My guess is the Bathals are not going to shy away from the green and co-branding with the Timbers.
Also, if your team is rose themed, you can't run away from green forever.
Also the Timbers have done red (and roses!) The best color (and the color of actual thorns) shouldn’t be off limits because of the Timbers. We can co-exist independently without having to be checking what the Timbers are doing tyvm! :)
Noooo, I did not like that one haha. We’re just gonna have to agree to disagree lol. Green is the color of the thorns in the original badge! Thorns are green! :) Timbers also cop our red (and roses!) from time to time so I disagree that we can’t play also. Doesn’t have to be a “Timbers green.”
Green is my favorite color (def biased), and no other club in the league does it so the combo of red, green, and black/white is a lot more fun and unique to me than red, black, white or, (ugh) grey. Those green Germany WC kits were a dream. It’s easy to make a good green kit bc it’s a versatile and pretty color. (It’s also Sophia Smith’s favorite color apparently, so let’s keep her feeling good lol)
Anyways, for an away kit? Why not?! Moving away from black is nice, and women haven’t wanted to wear white/light kits since before they were 13, so I’m glad the team is moving away from that finally.
Green was an accent color on the original 2013 crest. Saying “Thorns are green” is like my beloved Norwich City saying “Canaries are purple” to justify a freakish kit cash-grab. No. Just no. Canaries are yellow, roses are red.
It’s time to get back to basics; Thorns red. I’d love a return to the 2015 Primary kit, the “thorn ring” kit. Classy, clever, let’s reclaim it from Riley Hell.
And I get the hate for white kits. They’re usually boring White T-Shirt FC. Tactically, tho, it makes sense to have a light color to make your teammates visible when your opponent is in a dark kit. So SOME kind of light color kit is a useful thing.
Yes, that's what I mean. I loved the original crest. I'm not necessarily saying go full green for the home kit (though I'd be ok with that as long as red is also involved), I'm saying add some accents....sleeve cuffs, neck line, shorts, socks, or the away kit (bc they don't have to have white/light anymore.) I said "thorns are green" in the literal sense that actual rose stems are green (just like literally, canaries are yellow!)
I get that white/light may be useful, but every girl past age 13 who now has a period has felt discomfort at some point in their playing career when they wear light colored shorts. That is my main rub (though they're usually ugly also.) More so, it's progress for women, and a topic I've been passionate about myself because every female player I've ever known and played with has had issues with them (including myself.)
Regardless, according to word on the Twit, we ARE getting a red kit...as well as a "dark" away...which was described as "technically green, but looks gray."
Houston posting a late night goodbye on a holiday for Shea Groom, who sounds like she’s leaving on her own accord.
Wonder if she’ll be our first FA signing? Sarah Lowdon knows her well… is she healthy I wonder? Certainly wouldn’t hate having her aerial threat on our team, but she can leave the hockey moves at home.
Yep, was about to say the same thing. She's been much less of a lunatic over the last few years. Concern is that she hasn't played much soccer and is coming off an ACL. Would still take her though.
Y’know, I just read that she’s coming off not one, but two ACL tears over the last 20 months with 70 minutes of game time after coming back before she tore it a second time. And I don’t think she’s even made it back from that second one yet. I think that just might be too risky for me considering our other winger is returning from an ACL and hasn’t had any game time yet…
She’d def be a good experienced pickup for the attack! I feel like she hasn’t played in forever though, I haven’t kept up with her injury stuff…with Lowden being at Houston prior, I do wonder….
Tore her ACL about 8 months ago, but the reality is most good forwards AVAILABLE IN FREE AGENCY (edit) are coming of serious injury or pregnancy. She’d be a good fit to push Beckie at the right forward
Definitely would be a culture fit for Portland. Is a vegan or vegetarian who got a degree in Environmental somethingorother. Rides bikes. Outdoorsy- likes hiking and camping in the mountains. She's an introverted quiet person who likes photography, reading, coffee. A proud Canadian and Portland is basically Canada lol.
Also, a great midfielder. I'd def take her! Bringing in quality internationals also puts pressure on the FO to keep the other lines up to snuff if you wanna keep them here.
Yeah I think it was last offseason that she was spotted at PP and hanging around town at coffee shops with Janine Beckie (they're very close friends.) She prob heard about the shitshow at the time and said "nah I'll wait a few years" lol (if she's even interested at all, obvs)
But really, a whole lot of top female int'ls don't wanna play predominately on turf, so that's another reason why I think getting a practice facility with grass is gonna be huge not only for retention of our stars, but for recruitment as well. PP is another thing, but at least practice would be on grass. 2025 is when the Thorns have to start paying MP to practice at PP, so it behooves the Bhathals to expedite that training facility...
I’d be completely OK keeping Hina on the wing if it means signing Fleming. She’d be an incredible replacement for Dunn, but I’m not going to get my hopes up. Isn’t she signed through 2025?
Idk, but it was a very different league when she left UCLA. There was significantly less money and exactly one (1) team with any ambition.
I imagine she also didn't want to be drafted, which has been a big reason why young players have passed over the NWSL. Coincidentally, Deyna Castellanos was one of the most vocal anti-draft advocates and she'll be a Bay FC player by the end of the week.
Many clubs are leveling up facilities, pay is better, and there's some level of free agency now....it'll be curious to see how many int'ls in Europe come to the NWSL in the next few years.
Turns out I have a whole gallery of Wade-Katoa, junior edition, from my BYU match photos. Observations from a soccer moron:
-Has potential as a box-to-box mid because while she seemed foremost defensive, also involved in the offense and not anchored to some zone on field.
-Played 90 on a warm day and very active throughout. Has a motor. (Impossible to gauge speed from stills, but don't see anybody dropping her either.)
-Entrusted to take at least one set piece; sequence shows her trying to murder one of the players in the wall. OTOH has a gun of a leg.
-Very willing to dual for the ball, a bit of aerial mixed in, probably not on par with some of her hoppier teammates. IOW able to leverage her height as a tall player on a tall team and also digging in at ground level.
To summarize: started 26 of 26 matches in her senior year on a team so loaded five players were taken in the draft. In the playoffs BYU plowed through Utah State, USC, Michigan State, and North Carolina before being blanked by Stanford in the Cup. Over her career she went from a defensive mid with one goal each of her first three years, to attacking mid with 9 and 12 her last two years. Helpfully, balanced with 5 and 8 assists.
Easy prediction: she'll play in '24 and perhaps start at some point. Learning the pro game from the likes of Sam and Rocky and Hina, heck, even the chronological bookends of Liv and Sinc. Seeing lots of upside here.
Our top two picks look good on the video available. Curious to see how they look next year. I am also looking forward to the STF video analysis on Linnehan. I was a tad surprised based on previous years why she wasn’t a higher rated pick.
Henderson's sole reservation on Linnehan seems to be passing % and that's something I expect can be further developed, as well as affected by who you're playing around.
The hat-trick video is pretty sick and I think gives credibility to the "relentless attacker" description. Put her out there with Sophia and Morgan? IDK if that works but could be a defense's nightmare.
The premier players stick out. It’s the next tier with a lot of redeemable skills, but some questions exist. I remember being adamant that Morgan Weaver was the best of the Watt, King, Viens group, but Henderson had her fourth. One thing that gets lost is how teams defend you and whether the secondary talent is enough to alleviate the pressure you face.
I do kind of think that maybe a similar case with Linnehan except I didn’t see her play last year.
On a side note, I am surprised that Viens isn’t back in the NWSL though I suspect she might have a bad taste in her mouth because of the Alyssa LaHue drama.
So, now we have re-signed none of our defensive FAs -- that's Bruun, Kuikka, Kling, and McGrad. Our starting keeper (who, admittedly, had a rough year last year) is on leave. We traded away one starter, too. And camp starts in 8 days. Fun times!
Did we not, last year, get the draftees in and under contract PDQ? Hazy recollection. Let's see what unfolds this week. Tomorrow's holiday isn't REALLY a holiday in the bidnez world (hint-hint).
Yeah, I said this in a comment buried in the thread:
Yeah if we get Obaze, a CB potentially not yet trusted over Hubly and 5 rookies, that's not the off-season we needed imo...we already have Provenzano, Nally, Porter, D’Aquila, and Kozal. Do we really need 10 players who are deep benchers or rookies? Almost half the roster!? We haven't announced any of our FA's yet, and lost starters Dunn and Menges and haven’t replaced them with at least equal players (as of now.) Esp with the state of our defense last season and our former starting GK now out pregnant- no matter what we thought of her performances lately (Hogan is def not an experienced starter at all and I wish we had someone more pro-ready.) We haven’t been able to sign any FA’s from other teams either the past two years either huh?
I imagine we hear a lot of news this week. We still don't have a GK coach! GK might be a precarious position this season.
No, but we don't have a backup 6 and I'd doubt she has many offers so I'm guessing both parties will agree to stay here. She's a restricted FA, so Portland has the upper hand in negotiations if they want to keep her (which again, we don't have a backup, so....) Maybe that gives her the upper hand? If they pay her anything more than minimum, that's a bad deal imo.
Same for Provenzano (who was in the Thorns training gym at PP with Weaver and Reyes in full Thorns gear.) I'd say Provenzano or Nally (or Kaufusi) have a better chance of losing their spot (over Porter) because of position congestion, but I'm guessing preseason will be an open tryout for the backend CB's. Provenzano has been put in the 6 a few times, though, so maybe she's being considered there also. Point is, we don't need all of them plus a ton of rookies to make up half our roster.....that would be a severe lack of B/C sub quality players. I think a few of the '24 draft pics could become utility B/C players, but I'm trying not to expect that their rookie seasons.
I think we still need a few FA/experienced players who are fine for sub minutes, and that's if all of our FA's sign. Would love Desiree Scott so they could cut Porter loose. Still think we lose McGrady....anyone know if BFC drafted any LB's? I know the position group was pretty barren.
Curious to see what the delay is, but they didn’t have the normal bells and whistles at the draft. No video interviews of the coaches or GM or players. Shows how shallow the pool of workers are.
Guess? 1) the Peregrine staff is still in place (meaning “silence is golden”) while 2) the RAJ incomers have more concrete issues to deal with.
Having been involved in buyouts from the inside, I’m not surprised the PR got delayed or just straight up dropped. Remember there wasn’t a postseason presser, either.
I’ll bet it’s gonna take a while for the RAJ people to get their operation running…
Yeah. I was even suggesting a request to loan a PR person to go to Anaheim for draft content. Outside of games, there are few material events where one is used. The draft was one of them.
And, again...they may be signed! Perhaps the single piece of information the Peregrine PR staff was the worst about disseminating was signings.
Every year there'd be a flurry of press releases right after the season about who'd re-signed. But as the offseason continued it was like they stopped bothering to report the holdouts. The holdouts usually showed up in camp, and sometimes after camp opened the PR people would drop something...or not. It was all very slipshod.
So I'm not sure it was not having someone from the Public Affairs Office, either in Anaheim or here but the pervasive "yeah, whatever..." DGAF approach to PR that's been a Peregrine standard as long as I've followed this club.
THANK YOU! I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed. It drove me crazy, too. I would be yelling at the TV, "Ok, right there!" "Ok, now!" "Just throw it already, jeez!" I think her teammates stopped making runs knowing she would never go for option 1, 2, or 3. Probably why it kept going to the other team as it's a lot easier to defend static throw-ins.
Nope! And she’s been in San Jose since before the final lol…she’s a FA and I imagine wants to head home to BFC if they’ll take her. We literally have 1 FB signed (Reyes.)
1) Kuikka is a RFA. The club could have matched any offer she got.
2) This draft class was RB-heavy. If the FO knew (how could they not?!) that Kuikka was determined to leave why not pick up cheap RB depth last week?
How does the club let her walk? The only explanations are that there’s a RB signing deal in the works, or this is really the shitshow it looks like. I wish I was confident that it’s Door #1.
I know personally that she has been at least considering it for 2 seasons now...and has had major issues with KK in contract discussions in the past. I was surprised when she re-signed for a year last time.
Which team/league? Hasn't West Ham been teasing more signings? It seems many WSL teams are starting to invest more...wouldn't be surprised to see a move there.
5 picks and not even a RB depth player lol (even IF we have a signing incoming)...
But honestly, this kinda means that HAVE to be signing a starting RB. I don't feel confident in this FO at all, but I think the opportunity to do better than Kuikka is there, at least.
But I'm sure they'll announce their big RFA signing tomorrow in Taylor Porter!
NWSL clubs are also in a weird place with player treatment at the moment. I don't think there's a club in the league (well, maybe KC given how they've handled the Kizer, Loera, and Williams situations) who would stop a player from leaving who wanted to leave, restricted FA or not. For that reason, I don't see why RFA is a thing if it's not going to be utilized by clubs. Kuikka could also be going to Europe which would render the RFA designation null anyhow, but who knows.
Her Instagram makes it sound like the decision was more on the club's side. Hard to tell for sure, but she doesn't sound like a Dunn or a Long who's pissed and ready to bolt.
We only have one LB signed at this point, and only one FB (Reyes!) McGrady and Kling haven't and we don't have anyone else. And neither are starting quality OR a RB.
WTF is the plan? That is now 4 starters out and not one replaced with same or better quality.
True, I guess I shouldn't assume Kling will be back anymore lol
I'd guess they go out an find someone cheap cause there's still plenty of time before the season even if training camp starts relatively soon, but it's certainly not ideal!
Longer line than I thought, but I wouldn't say "long."
BTW, here IS something long: a lengthy quote from Horan, made sometime before August 2023, comparing playing in the NWSL and in France:
"It's very fast-paced, it's very physically demanding, and I don't think a lot of Europeans can survive in our league, just because it smacks them in the face. I remember when Amandine Henry first came to Portland, I think it smacked her in the face because she was like, 'We are running non-stop!' You have to be fit as hell to be playing in this league. It's like a whole different ball game over here.
"I do think some of the football aspects, some of the value in the ball, the possession, the combination, the tiki-taka, all of the stuff that I love, gets taken away because it's so fast-paced. There's so much pressing, there's so much demand in these games that you can't chill for a second and just knock it around.
“I'm not saying there's not any of that in the NWSL, I think it's gotten better, but I think about my team, Lyon, and the players that I play with and the kind of football that I get to play, I'm obsessed! Every single training session, it's so entertaining. It's so much fun! I'm enjoying my football so much."
Slightly more charitable towards the NWSL than she's been in the past, but again.....absolutely no self-awareness! Hey Lindsey! Why do you think you get to play that kind of soccer with Lyon? Couldn't be because there's approximately two other half-competent teams in your league, could it!
What it really sounds like to me is that the Euros still want to be able to stay more stationary on the pitch rather than it being a physically bruising track meet. If anything, we're heading toward a hybridization over time, where the game will require more pace, endurance, and physicality as well as technical and tactical mastery. I mean, it's what we've seen in basketball over time - we now have numerous 7-footers who are adept at passing, putting the ball on the ground, spotting up, playing with their backs to the basket, etc., plus evolutions among the smaller players too.
That’s definitely a part of it and I think it’s reasonable for her to prefer playing in Europe more, but the subtext is the same: A played out comparison of “Europe: technical and beautiful soccer” vs. “US: Brute force and athletes!”
Totally agree about the hybrid thing- The best players of the new generation (Parauellelo, Smith, Lauren James, Kerolin, Caicedo) have both. It’s certainly not *entirely* a diversity thing, but it’s also partly a function of woso becoming more accessible in Africa and Latin America in addition to the slow de-suburbanizing of woso in the U.S. All good things!
And I don't have a problem with teaching a beautiful version of a game... at all. One of my favorite basketball teams ever was the "Beautiful Game" Spurs.
I do think we have an over-prioritization of "grit" and physicality in women's team sports here in the States, especially at youth and HS levels.
Too often what you wind up with is not the sport you're playing, but rather something closer to rough-housing.
I cannot stand all the grabbing and pushing and use of the arms I see in girls' soccer rather than playing with the feet and lower body. Especially not when you see girls train with boys and see how both can play beautifully together.
Basketball, unfortunately, is the same way -- there are so many jump balls in girls basketball, and it's all because they're being taught (by men) to fight for the ball and rip it away from the opponent rather than take care of it, pass it, move it, work on ballhandling and playmaking. It is a problem of coaching and socialization.
Anyway... we need hybridization. Marinade in the game, as Dorrance says.
I mean, I think that hybridization is already there when you see the Champions League from the knockouts onwards tbh. It's not spread out totally in domestic leagues though I think the WSL is going to get there sooner rather than later seeing as your Liverpools, Spurs, and Brightons have started investing a lot more.
Exactly! Most of them have spent some time there, either because of COVID shutdowns, contract problems, or (for whatever reason) not wanting to play for the NWSL club who held their rights. Few have actually sought it out for its own sake, though there are a few (e.g., Horan, Macario, Albert, and now Fox). Even Horan's motivations are personal as well as professional, and she definitely formed reasons why she didn't want to return to Portland (the turf on her knees, for one, and the grievances against l'ancien regime).
Her husband to be lives over there. If he lived here, she’d likely want to be back in the US. I’m thankful that Sophia’s long term BF is on the Cardinals. May be a reason to want to stay in the US.
Yeah, like Mal Swanson, who would make any club in Europe better with her skillset and probably could go anytime she wanted. But, her partner is in CHicago for the next 7 years, and she just signed a 4+1 to stay there as well. She's never seemed particularly interested in going overseas....
I'd say, as long as he stays on a west coast team, the better the chance Soph stays in the US. A plane flight from the west coast to Europe is a lot more brutal than if he were on an east coast team. A smart GM/owner would get creative with her contract and would include airfare to/from AZ or a set amount of times to be paid for (can they do that?)
The RB draft class was decent, I imagine if Kuikka wasn’t coming back they would’ve targeted that position at pick 1 or 2 (though we prob wouldn’t get a starter outta this draft immediately.) We didn’t get any fullbacks at all though, so seems she has to be coming back. Otherwise we’re without any RB’s. Even if she’s coming back, I’m confused why we wouldn’t grab a backup in the draft…but instead we grab 2 midfielders? (lol)
FWIW, though, RB is where we first saw Hubly, years ago, at the Utah Challenge Cup-
she was subbing for an injured Kathryn Reynolds and doing a really good job containing Lynn Williams, as I recall. That Challenge Cup was like a Thorns new-talent coming-out party- Hubly, Bixby, Weaver and Eckerstrom...
Bella Bixby is pregnant! Well this explains everything. Well, some things. Well, one thing.
Congratulations to Bella!! How exciting for her!
That explains a lot! Happy for Bixby, and gratified that the FO hadn’t gone completely doolally.
In retrospect this actually seems like a smart choice? You get Bella the time to come back, you get to have an actual competition behind Hogan, and at a point where the team needs to add players elsewhere you don’t spend time finding a goalkeeper who might be mad to be a backup, you take one who knows one of your assistants and one of the team leaders.
Also nice of her to hold off on the announcement until after the draft - if she'd announced beforehand other teams could use that for leverage
I wonder if the timing was pushed a bit by the reaction from the fanbase. KK hasn't built up a big enough buffer of suspension-of-disbelief yet and I can see the Bixbys getting a phone call "Hey, can you post that announcement now, please, and get these damn fans off my butt..?"
Her timing is perfect. Get pregnant toward the end of 2023 season, train during 2024 season ( although modified), deliver midway through 2024 season, and have 6 months to recover and regain before having to report back to camp in January 2025.
Last season kinda got me over Bixby. I’d be fine if she won her job back…but IMO she’d have to beat out both Hogan AND Kozal to even nick the backup job…
Oh cmon now, people don't choose to have children at a certain time because they sense their job might be threatened lmao
That's why I did it. Demand for Thornandinha (aka Little Thornando) was at an all-time high, and I risked being sacked or being made redundant otherwise.
JK, Congrats to Bella.
I'm not really qualified to have an opinion on that one, given that the phrase "choose to have children" kinda leaves me in a state of dazed incomprehension.
For real... If anything it goes the other way.
I'd rather have someone more established in the backup role vs. just Kozal coming off an injury and a rookie. Hogan isn't really established as a starting quality keeper, either, as far as I'm concerned. I like her, but I'd take just about every other starting keeper in the league over her if you gave me a choice. Kind of a big roll of the dice. Maybe they have a competition for #3 and and go out and find a true backup with starting experience?
Well then! Congrats to Bella!
(Aaaand now we got a real keeper competition!)
I would imagine the job is Shelby Hogan’s to lose right now.
Definitely is and should be, but she's still played a grand total of two (2) total NWSL games. Little bit of competition wouldn't be a bad thing if Kozal or the rook have anything to them.
Agreed. Kozal coming off injury plus the rook? Yep.
Asman will battle it out with Kozal for the backup position. Hogan is the starter. They could bring in a veteran like Betos as the backup I guess, but this shows me that they like Kozal a great deal.
Going to be curious to see what happens next year with Hogan and Boston. Will she want to go home? Her primary reason to choose the Thorns was Angerer and she’s going to have a year to prove herself as a viable starter
Either way, congrats to Bixby.
Kozal and Asman sounds like a Marvel Universe duo.
I wish Dunn would have stayed. Marcel and Bella's kiddo would have given us occasion to address them like dear old Uncle Moe: "Aw, look at all the cute little minors."
Awww, Moose is getting a little brother/sister. Yay!
Wait- maybe this is actually the beginning of one of those sports comedy movies where the new owners want the team to fail so badly that it triggers some ridiculous clause in some contract allowing the team to relocate to someplace more profitable.
If so, then LeBlanc, Norris et al make more sense.
In this version, i would imagine Sarah Lowden's the mole, and already been promised a beautiful facility (developed on a reclaimed EPA Superfund site) and the head coaching job for the new San Bernardino Thorns...
Watched/rewatched as many 2023 Penn St. games as I could since draft day to try to get an idea of what kind of player Linnehan is and how she could fit with the Thorns roster. My scouting report:
- Direct as hell. Wants to run right at defenders whenever she gets the ball. Has a bit of tendency to keep her head down when running with the ball which can lead to getting lost in a crowd or ambushed by multiple defenders.
- Has a really low center of gravity and excellent balance. Really wiggly in tight spaces
- Very much an attacker. Not going to offer a lot defensively. Penn St. would bring her off the last few minutes of games with a one goal lead.
- Surprisingly delicate touch for a player with her profile. You can really notice it on some of her finishing touches or when she brings down balls out of there.
- Not the best passer or crosser technically, but much better when she picks her head up and cuts inside. When she doesn't put her head down and attack the touchline, she really likes inverting and finding space.
- Not the biggest, but strongly built. She might struggle a bit size-wise with stronger midfielders and defenders initially, but she's certainly aggressive enough to cause trouble and make up for some of the lack of size. Not a Natalie Beckman, that's for sure.
- Has a penchant for a spectacular goal or two. Her ability to show up in the right spaces right where the ball is heading really pops.
My best comp would be a more technically adept Haley Raso with less raw North-South speed and explosion. I'm normally less excited about a player after doing these scouting deep dives which typically expose weaknesses than after watching their highlights, but her game tape is really impressive and made me think she could be a contributor in some form off the bat. I really like the idea of her as a spark plug off the bench- She's very clearly someone who wants the ball and looks to impact the game directly, and that's more than I can say for any of our backup wingers last year. Wish we were getting more preseason games to see the youngsters.
Ribbons is a great upside comp for Linnehan. Her ability to find space is pretty impressive
What I'm hearing in this description almost sounds more like a Poor Man's Smith than Raso:
"Direct as hell. Wants to run right at defenders whenever she gets the ball. Has a bit of tendency to keep her head down when running with the ball which can lead to getting lost in a crowd or ambushed by multiple defenders.
- Has a really low center of gravity and excellent balance. Really wiggly in tight spaces
- Very much an attacker. Not going to offer a lot defensively. Penn St. would bring her off the last few minutes of games with a one goal lead.
- Surprisingly delicate touch for a player with her profile. You can really notice it on some of her finishing touches or when she brings down balls out of there.
- Not the best passer or crosser technically, but much better when she picks her head up and cuts inside. When she doesn't put her head down and attack the touchline, she really likes inverting and finding space.
- Not the biggest, but strongly built. She might struggle a bit size-wise with stronger midfielders and defenders initially, but she's certainly aggressive enough to cause trouble and make up for some of the lack of size. Not a Natalie Beckman, that's for sure.
- Has a penchant for a spectacular goal or two. Her ability to show up in the right spaces right where the ball is heading really pops."
A poor man's Smith is still a really good player!
I agree. And it makes me wonder if we selected her to help take some minutes off Smith and/or as a contingency in case we lose Smith.
Smith and Linnehan play different positions entirely (despite what Vlatko may have thought about Soph!)
It seems to me they selected her because they absolutely needed a wide player and she was the best option.
Raso is a bit a of a (very) poor man's Smith in some ways, so yeah, I think that's a reasonable take. The key is obviously that Soph has the 99th percentile burst, power, and vertical dribbling ability that Raso doesn't.
Linnehan is undeniably quick and has burst, but she doesn't have Raso's raw speed and explosion, let alone Soph's. She is technically polished already --likely a function of playing 5 years in college-- which neither Raso or Smith were early in their careers. Also worth noting that she's only a half year younger than Soph, who's going into her 4th year as a pro this year.
So...I'd say a reasonable expectation is that she turns into a nice piece off the bench who can provide something more than we got from Izzy or Vasconcelos last year. High end upside is probably pretty limited cause she's not an incredible athlete physically, but she could certainly be a starter in the league long term if the best parts of her game translate well to the pros.
I have to say, whether it's reputation, development, or both, it's fascinating how much "better" Raso and Foord are now in the eyes of coaches, peers, etc. since they're no longer in the NWSL. They keep getting rated highly in the various Top This or Best That lists. I'm sure they've continued to grow and improve as players, and I've liked what I've seen from both of them, but really???
Oh it's 100% the fact that they play in Europe. Foord in particular has gotten better, but neither of them are substantially different players from when they were in Portland.
And that by playing in Europe their stats are padded as all hell since they play rag dolls like 70% of the time.
Yeah, that's a really good comparison based on what I saw also. She may never reach Raso's peak, but they have a lot of similar attributes, and should at least be better winger depth than we've had in a while. Higher ceiling than Vasconcelos, and may already be better. She's had youth international callups and was here at our preseason tournament last year with the U23s (I wonder if that was livestreamed?....*pondering out loud*) so her ceiling should be, at the very least, good sub depth.
I remember being angry that those games weren't livestreamed because they had people filming the game and posting highlights, but just didn't give an option to watch lol
More shoes dropping than at a caterpillar clogging festival.
Shea Groom to Chicago.
Cece Kizer to Dash,
Nichelle Price to Current.
Me to taproom.
Would have liked to have Groom here. Feh.
Just realized our Olivia quota is up to two, to go along with our three Isabellas.
Go Olivabella!
I was happy to see our new owner there. I wish they’d do something other than draft pick 2024 on the jersey for atleast the first pick :)
https://x.com/AttackingThird/status/1747634150054539702?s=20
Fuck yes Laura lmaooo she knew exactly what she was doing
I love that Emma Hayes!
Wait, that's Laura?
Lol, also, sounds like she won't be headed to Chelsea anymore...
Love it.
https://x.com/JonahNHenderson/status/1747125987765354613?s=20
OOohh hell yes!
Rumor down at the Touchline Taqueria is that the Bhathals were only willing to buy the Thorns if Hubly never again played any role in kit design.
Lol
Do y'all remember last year when the new kits first leaked, and most of us thought it was a photoshopped prank?
Still not sure why emulating this was a good idea: https://images.albertsons-media.com/is/image/ABS/109050458-C1N1
I know I am alone in this, but I didn’t hate the tattoo jerseys. Probably didn’t work, but I liked the insanity of it.
I do want a red one though.
I see a surprising number around town. Like, on people:
Pico and Guac on the side, or just the complimentary pre-meal basket?
I have one with Coffey on the back! I like it!
I liked the shorts and socks!
Runner Girl was crazy into it. Generational thing.
BTW I, too, am lightly salted.
I've always said you're all that and a bag of chips. Until now, I just didn't know which kind!
I like the tattoo kit. I'd own one except I refuse to pay upwards of $100 for basically a T-shirt.
I didn't hate the tattoo kit. I hated the way we played while wearing it.
IIRC the Timbers had a white "retro" shirt back in the early Teens that turned the whole squad into Lucas Melano every time they wore it. Felt the same way about that thing.
A little more from Jonah here:
"I believe it has to do with the NWSL loosening up the kit rules, now teams don’t have to have a white (or white-ish) kit in the rotation. Based on what I know, the Thorns will have red home kits and dark away kits this year"
and, (after being asked if the "dark" was black...)
"It’s not black! I’ve heard the away will technically be green but the color looks more gray (haven’t seen it myself, though)"
Through Paramount+ cameras it will appear alternately white and black, as players zip in and out of the goal-end shadow.
Oh boy this makes me so so happy. My opinion was in the ground for both the home and away. I’ll be happy to never have to see them again.
Also, pumped for red!! Still wish we could add some green (a la Portugal or Morocco) or even a full green with some red detailing. Regardless I’m happy we’re moving away from mostly black.
Like 7% of the male population, I'm a bit red-green colorblind. Those red-green color combos do funny things to my eyes, distracting things. I really don't like watching Portugal. Little bits of red mixed with green is fine, or vice versa, but large areas of red and green? Please no!
No. Just no. Green is the Timbers. We're finally shut of that mob.
I liked the red-black-white "Tire Factory" hoops kit from the Teens. I'd like to see that one again.
I don't know. A significant number of people appear to be bummed that the "two teams, one club" thing has been broken up and the Thorns will play at an essentially green themed stadium for the foreseeable future. My guess is the Bathals are not going to shy away from the green and co-branding with the Timbers.
Also, if your team is rose themed, you can't run away from green forever.
Also the Timbers have done red (and roses!) The best color (and the color of actual thorns) shouldn’t be off limits because of the Timbers. We can co-exist independently without having to be checking what the Timbers are doing tyvm! :)
Noooo, I did not like that one haha. We’re just gonna have to agree to disagree lol. Green is the color of the thorns in the original badge! Thorns are green! :) Timbers also cop our red (and roses!) from time to time so I disagree that we can’t play also. Doesn’t have to be a “Timbers green.”
Green is my favorite color (def biased), and no other club in the league does it so the combo of red, green, and black/white is a lot more fun and unique to me than red, black, white or, (ugh) grey. Those green Germany WC kits were a dream. It’s easy to make a good green kit bc it’s a versatile and pretty color. (It’s also Sophia Smith’s favorite color apparently, so let’s keep her feeling good lol)
Anyways, for an away kit? Why not?! Moving away from black is nice, and women haven’t wanted to wear white/light kits since before they were 13, so I’m glad the team is moving away from that finally.
Green was an accent color on the original 2013 crest. Saying “Thorns are green” is like my beloved Norwich City saying “Canaries are purple” to justify a freakish kit cash-grab. No. Just no. Canaries are yellow, roses are red.
It’s time to get back to basics; Thorns red. I’d love a return to the 2015 Primary kit, the “thorn ring” kit. Classy, clever, let’s reclaim it from Riley Hell.
And I get the hate for white kits. They’re usually boring White T-Shirt FC. Tactically, tho, it makes sense to have a light color to make your teammates visible when your opponent is in a dark kit. So SOME kind of light color kit is a useful thing.
Yes, that's what I mean. I loved the original crest. I'm not necessarily saying go full green for the home kit (though I'd be ok with that as long as red is also involved), I'm saying add some accents....sleeve cuffs, neck line, shorts, socks, or the away kit (bc they don't have to have white/light anymore.) I said "thorns are green" in the literal sense that actual rose stems are green (just like literally, canaries are yellow!)
I get that white/light may be useful, but every girl past age 13 who now has a period has felt discomfort at some point in their playing career when they wear light colored shorts. That is my main rub (though they're usually ugly also.) More so, it's progress for women, and a topic I've been passionate about myself because every female player I've ever known and played with has had issues with them (including myself.)
Regardless, according to word on the Twit, we ARE getting a red kit...as well as a "dark" away...which was described as "technically green, but looks gray."
I want to see it first. They followed up the black rose jerseys with a remedial class version and I never liked the whites from last year.
Houston posting a late night goodbye on a holiday for Shea Groom, who sounds like she’s leaving on her own accord.
Wonder if she’ll be our first FA signing? Sarah Lowdon knows her well… is she healthy I wonder? Certainly wouldn’t hate having her aerial threat on our team, but she can leave the hockey moves at home.
Thank you for being the front office in our time of need
I'd absolutely take Shea Groom here. A vet with a chip on her shoulder who can play multiple positions well amidst the youth movement? Sure!
She's matured a lot since her reckless youth.
Yep, was about to say the same thing. She's been much less of a lunatic over the last few years. Concern is that she hasn't played much soccer and is coming off an ACL. Would still take her though.
Y’know, I just read that she’s coming off not one, but two ACL tears over the last 20 months with 70 minutes of game time after coming back before she tore it a second time. And I don’t think she’s even made it back from that second one yet. I think that just might be too risky for me considering our other winger is returning from an ACL and hasn’t had any game time yet…
Certainly not ideal, you certainly wouldn’t want to pay anything significant at the very least.
She’d def be a good experienced pickup for the attack! I feel like she hasn’t played in forever though, I haven’t kept up with her injury stuff…with Lowden being at Houston prior, I do wonder….
Tore her ACL about 8 months ago, but the reality is most good forwards AVAILABLE IN FREE AGENCY (edit) are coming of serious injury or pregnancy. She’d be a good fit to push Beckie at the right forward
She's gotten a lot better about not thugging things up. Besides, the NWSL has Korneick for that now.
So....Jessie Fleming has just not been playing for Chelsea lately? Can someone bring her over to the states?
(Definitely not our greatest need, but I certainly wouldn’t say no!)
Definitely would be a culture fit for Portland. Is a vegan or vegetarian who got a degree in Environmental somethingorother. Rides bikes. Outdoorsy- likes hiking and camping in the mountains. She's an introverted quiet person who likes photography, reading, coffee. A proud Canadian and Portland is basically Canada lol.
Also, a great midfielder. I'd def take her! Bringing in quality internationals also puts pressure on the FO to keep the other lines up to snuff if you wanna keep them here.
She has visited a number of times. I’m sure we are trying to sign her.
Yeah I think it was last offseason that she was spotted at PP and hanging around town at coffee shops with Janine Beckie (they're very close friends.) She prob heard about the shitshow at the time and said "nah I'll wait a few years" lol (if she's even interested at all, obvs)
But really, a whole lot of top female int'ls don't wanna play predominately on turf, so that's another reason why I think getting a practice facility with grass is gonna be huge not only for retention of our stars, but for recruitment as well. PP is another thing, but at least practice would be on grass. 2025 is when the Thorns have to start paying MP to practice at PP, so it behooves the Bhathals to expedite that training facility...
I’d be completely OK keeping Hina on the wing if it means signing Fleming. She’d be an incredible replacement for Dunn, but I’m not going to get my hopes up. Isn’t she signed through 2025?
Fookin' gold. Fleming would be a gold-standard get.
If Karina is to believed, she's "always" chasing after Fleming.
I'm ok with stockpiling quality depth. See, e. g., Gotham and San Diego.
Has Fleming ever expressed an interest in playing in the NWSL? I know she didn’t consider it when she was leaving UCLA.
Idk, but it was a very different league when she left UCLA. There was significantly less money and exactly one (1) team with any ambition.
I imagine she also didn't want to be drafted, which has been a big reason why young players have passed over the NWSL. Coincidentally, Deyna Castellanos was one of the most vocal anti-draft advocates and she'll be a Bay FC player by the end of the week.
Many clubs are leveling up facilities, pay is better, and there's some level of free agency now....it'll be curious to see how many int'ls in Europe come to the NWSL in the next few years.
On further review.
Turns out I have a whole gallery of Wade-Katoa, junior edition, from my BYU match photos. Observations from a soccer moron:
-Has potential as a box-to-box mid because while she seemed foremost defensive, also involved in the offense and not anchored to some zone on field.
-Played 90 on a warm day and very active throughout. Has a motor. (Impossible to gauge speed from stills, but don't see anybody dropping her either.)
-Entrusted to take at least one set piece; sequence shows her trying to murder one of the players in the wall. OTOH has a gun of a leg.
-Very willing to dual for the ball, a bit of aerial mixed in, probably not on par with some of her hoppier teammates. IOW able to leverage her height as a tall player on a tall team and also digging in at ground level.
To summarize: started 26 of 26 matches in her senior year on a team so loaded five players were taken in the draft. In the playoffs BYU plowed through Utah State, USC, Michigan State, and North Carolina before being blanked by Stanford in the Cup. Over her career she went from a defensive mid with one goal each of her first three years, to attacking mid with 9 and 12 her last two years. Helpfully, balanced with 5 and 8 assists.
Easy prediction: she'll play in '24 and perhaps start at some point. Learning the pro game from the likes of Sam and Rocky and Hina, heck, even the chronological bookends of Liv and Sinc. Seeing lots of upside here.
Quite impressive she could score 12 goals and have 5 assists while mainly being defensive. Quite the motor indeed!
Her career stats make for interesting reading. Available here:
https://byucougars.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/season/2023/player/olivia-wade-katoa
Massive 1,939 minutes as a senior. That's a lot of sprinting.
I appreciate all of this insight, thank you!
Our top two picks look good on the video available. Curious to see how they look next year. I am also looking forward to the STF video analysis on Linnehan. I was a tad surprised based on previous years why she wasn’t a higher rated pick.
Henderson's sole reservation on Linnehan seems to be passing % and that's something I expect can be further developed, as well as affected by who you're playing around.
The hat-trick video is pretty sick and I think gives credibility to the "relentless attacker" description. Put her out there with Sophia and Morgan? IDK if that works but could be a defense's nightmare.
The premier players stick out. It’s the next tier with a lot of redeemable skills, but some questions exist. I remember being adamant that Morgan Weaver was the best of the Watt, King, Viens group, but Henderson had her fourth. One thing that gets lost is how teams defend you and whether the secondary talent is enough to alleviate the pressure you face.
I do kind of think that maybe a similar case with Linnehan except I didn’t see her play last year.
On a side note, I am surprised that Viens isn’t back in the NWSL though I suspect she might have a bad taste in her mouth because of the Alyssa LaHue drama.
So, now we have re-signed none of our defensive FAs -- that's Bruun, Kuikka, Kling, and McGrad. Our starting keeper (who, admittedly, had a rough year last year) is on leave. We traded away one starter, too. And camp starts in 8 days. Fun times!
Did we not, last year, get the draftees in and under contract PDQ? Hazy recollection. Let's see what unfolds this week. Tomorrow's holiday isn't REALLY a holiday in the bidnez world (hint-hint).
Weather might be likely to keep things quiet until midweek, tho.
I expect you're right. This is one of those times I thank the folks for getting us the heck out of Iowa. TBH a thought that comes up frequently.
Yeah, my kid sister’s outfit has a facility in Omaha that she’s desperately thinking of reasons not to go inspect until April…
We’re rushing to get errands done today to avoid traveling in the ice predicted for Tuesday.
I always find it borderline comical when things snow in Portland then I remember how inept the city is in managing it.
Reyes took a while, but the others came in quickly.
Yeah, I said this in a comment buried in the thread:
Yeah if we get Obaze, a CB potentially not yet trusted over Hubly and 5 rookies, that's not the off-season we needed imo...we already have Provenzano, Nally, Porter, D’Aquila, and Kozal. Do we really need 10 players who are deep benchers or rookies? Almost half the roster!? We haven't announced any of our FA's yet, and lost starters Dunn and Menges and haven’t replaced them with at least equal players (as of now.) Esp with the state of our defense last season and our former starting GK now out pregnant- no matter what we thought of her performances lately (Hogan is def not an experienced starter at all and I wish we had someone more pro-ready.) We haven’t been able to sign any FA’s from other teams either the past two years either huh?
I imagine we hear a lot of news this week. We still don't have a GK coach! GK might be a precarious position this season.
We don't have Porter yet, do we? I thought she was not under contract.
No, but we don't have a backup 6 and I'd doubt she has many offers so I'm guessing both parties will agree to stay here. She's a restricted FA, so Portland has the upper hand in negotiations if they want to keep her (which again, we don't have a backup, so....) Maybe that gives her the upper hand? If they pay her anything more than minimum, that's a bad deal imo.
Same for Provenzano (who was in the Thorns training gym at PP with Weaver and Reyes in full Thorns gear.) I'd say Provenzano or Nally (or Kaufusi) have a better chance of losing their spot (over Porter) because of position congestion, but I'm guessing preseason will be an open tryout for the backend CB's. Provenzano has been put in the 6 a few times, though, so maybe she's being considered there also. Point is, we don't need all of them plus a ton of rookies to make up half our roster.....that would be a severe lack of B/C sub quality players. I think a few of the '24 draft pics could become utility B/C players, but I'm trying not to expect that their rookie seasons.
I think we still need a few FA/experienced players who are fine for sub minutes, and that's if all of our FA's sign. Would love Desiree Scott so they could cut Porter loose. Still think we lose McGrady....anyone know if BFC drafted any LB's? I know the position group was pretty barren.
Yes, we have "the hand" in the relationship.
We really could use a solid backup 6. I would think she re-signs.
Again…we don’t know if the FAs are signed or not. My guess is that the Peregrine PAO is still in place, and they’re as cryptic as the Sphinx.
If they’re not in camp? Yes; then worry. But until then…
Curious to see what the delay is, but they didn’t have the normal bells and whistles at the draft. No video interviews of the coaches or GM or players. Shows how shallow the pool of workers are.
Guess? 1) the Peregrine staff is still in place (meaning “silence is golden”) while 2) the RAJ incomers have more concrete issues to deal with.
Having been involved in buyouts from the inside, I’m not surprised the PR got delayed or just straight up dropped. Remember there wasn’t a postseason presser, either.
I’ll bet it’s gonna take a while for the RAJ people to get their operation running…
Yeah. I was even suggesting a request to loan a PR person to go to Anaheim for draft content. Outside of games, there are few material events where one is used. The draft was one of them.
I’m hopeful we get our vets signed soon.
And, again...they may be signed! Perhaps the single piece of information the Peregrine PR staff was the worst about disseminating was signings.
Every year there'd be a flurry of press releases right after the season about who'd re-signed. But as the offseason continued it was like they stopped bothering to report the holdouts. The holdouts usually showed up in camp, and sometimes after camp opened the PR people would drop something...or not. It was all very slipshod.
So I'm not sure it was not having someone from the Public Affairs Office, either in Anaheim or here but the pervasive "yeah, whatever..." DGAF approach to PR that's been a Peregrine standard as long as I've followed this club.
Well, the average time of throw-ins should decrease dramatically...
KK be like, we good:
RB - Reyes
CB - Hubly, Obaze
LB - Kling
What, me worry?
OMG, her throw ins drove me crazy because they took so long...and usually resulted in the Thorns losing the ball.
THANK YOU! I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed. It drove me crazy, too. I would be yelling at the TV, "Ok, right there!" "Ok, now!" "Just throw it already, jeez!" I think her teammates stopped making runs knowing she would never go for option 1, 2, or 3. Probably why it kept going to the other team as it's a lot easier to defend static throw-ins.
And Kling hasn't re-signed yet lol
Oh, right, whoops! Ok, McGrady then. Wait, is she signed?
Nope! And she’s been in San Jose since before the final lol…she’s a FA and I imagine wants to head home to BFC if they’ll take her. We literally have 1 FB signed (Reyes.)
Ok, revised lineup:
RB - Hubly
CB - Nally, Obaze
LB - Reyes
We got this.
FCKU were losing Kuikka!!!!!!
OK, this is nuts.
1) Kuikka is a RFA. The club could have matched any offer she got.
2) This draft class was RB-heavy. If the FO knew (how could they not?!) that Kuikka was determined to leave why not pick up cheap RB depth last week?
How does the club let her walk? The only explanations are that there’s a RB signing deal in the works, or this is really the shitshow it looks like. I wish I was confident that it’s Door #1.
Unless Kuikka got an offer in Europe...
I know personally that she has been at least considering it for 2 seasons now...and has had major issues with KK in contract discussions in the past. I was surprised when she re-signed for a year last time.
I have a hunch about where she's landing, we'll see in about a day or so if it comes to fruition or not.
Also guessing Wolfsburg is a legit shout, seeing as they just lost a FB as well....
Which team/league? Hasn't West Ham been teasing more signings? It seems many WSL teams are starting to invest more...wouldn't be surprised to see a move there.
5 picks and not even a RB depth player lol (even IF we have a signing incoming)...
But honestly, this kinda means that HAVE to be signing a starting RB. I don't feel confident in this FO at all, but I think the opportunity to do better than Kuikka is there, at least.
But I'm sure they'll announce their big RFA signing tomorrow in Taylor Porter!
NWSL clubs are also in a weird place with player treatment at the moment. I don't think there's a club in the league (well, maybe KC given how they've handled the Kizer, Loera, and Williams situations) who would stop a player from leaving who wanted to leave, restricted FA or not. For that reason, I don't see why RFA is a thing if it's not going to be utilized by clubs. Kuikka could also be going to Europe which would render the RFA designation null anyhow, but who knows.
Her Instagram makes it sound like the decision was more on the club's side. Hard to tell for sure, but she doesn't sound like a Dunn or a Long who's pissed and ready to bolt.
Wait, WUT? Fine Finn fired? Fvck!!!
Gabby extended, so there's that.
Oh we're definitely winning a trophy now!
Wait whhhhhat?! You just lyin' now!
I wish.
Wow we're fucked. We have no RB's lmao. She's going to KC?! Or is that supposed to say FUCK lol. I can't believe we didn't draft any RB's.
Alright I'm now alright with commencing with some earned panic if we're really going to go into the season with one of two left backs starting at RB.
Time to roll out Beckie at right back!
Omg I will die.
At least we might get rid of Norris sooner than later when we're mid-table or worse by the summer lol.
We only have one LB signed at this point, and only one FB (Reyes!) McGrady and Kling haven't and we don't have anyone else. And neither are starting quality OR a RB.
WTF is the plan? That is now 4 starters out and not one replaced with same or better quality.
True, I guess I shouldn't assume Kling will be back anymore lol
I'd guess they go out an find someone cheap cause there's still plenty of time before the season even if training camp starts relatively soon, but it's certainly not ideal!
That is my inability to type I’m so frustrated
Seen the Equalizer's story on Fox to Arsenal?
They say: "She becomes the latest in a long line of American players to venture out into other leagues globally."
Long line?
Let's see: Horan, Dunn, Heath, Press, Dahlkemper, Sam Mewis, Kristie Mewis, Lavelle, Sonnett, Fox, Marcario, Fishel, Klingenberg, Solo, Engen, Morgan, Krieger, Rapinoe, Lloyd, O'Reilly.
Longer line than I thought, but I wouldn't say "long."
BTW, here IS something long: a lengthy quote from Horan, made sometime before August 2023, comparing playing in the NWSL and in France:
"It's very fast-paced, it's very physically demanding, and I don't think a lot of Europeans can survive in our league, just because it smacks them in the face. I remember when Amandine Henry first came to Portland, I think it smacked her in the face because she was like, 'We are running non-stop!' You have to be fit as hell to be playing in this league. It's like a whole different ball game over here.
"I do think some of the football aspects, some of the value in the ball, the possession, the combination, the tiki-taka, all of the stuff that I love, gets taken away because it's so fast-paced. There's so much pressing, there's so much demand in these games that you can't chill for a second and just knock it around.
“I'm not saying there's not any of that in the NWSL, I think it's gotten better, but I think about my team, Lyon, and the players that I play with and the kind of football that I get to play, I'm obsessed! Every single training session, it's so entertaining. It's so much fun! I'm enjoying my football so much."
Slightly more charitable towards the NWSL than she's been in the past, but again.....absolutely no self-awareness! Hey Lindsey! Why do you think you get to play that kind of soccer with Lyon? Couldn't be because there's approximately two other half-competent teams in your league, could it!
What it really sounds like to me is that the Euros still want to be able to stay more stationary on the pitch rather than it being a physically bruising track meet. If anything, we're heading toward a hybridization over time, where the game will require more pace, endurance, and physicality as well as technical and tactical mastery. I mean, it's what we've seen in basketball over time - we now have numerous 7-footers who are adept at passing, putting the ball on the ground, spotting up, playing with their backs to the basket, etc., plus evolutions among the smaller players too.
That’s definitely a part of it and I think it’s reasonable for her to prefer playing in Europe more, but the subtext is the same: A played out comparison of “Europe: technical and beautiful soccer” vs. “US: Brute force and athletes!”
Totally agree about the hybrid thing- The best players of the new generation (Parauellelo, Smith, Lauren James, Kerolin, Caicedo) have both. It’s certainly not *entirely* a diversity thing, but it’s also partly a function of woso becoming more accessible in Africa and Latin America in addition to the slow de-suburbanizing of woso in the U.S. All good things!
And I don't have a problem with teaching a beautiful version of a game... at all. One of my favorite basketball teams ever was the "Beautiful Game" Spurs.
I do think we have an over-prioritization of "grit" and physicality in women's team sports here in the States, especially at youth and HS levels.
Too often what you wind up with is not the sport you're playing, but rather something closer to rough-housing.
I cannot stand all the grabbing and pushing and use of the arms I see in girls' soccer rather than playing with the feet and lower body. Especially not when you see girls train with boys and see how both can play beautifully together.
Basketball, unfortunately, is the same way -- there are so many jump balls in girls basketball, and it's all because they're being taught (by men) to fight for the ball and rip it away from the opponent rather than take care of it, pass it, move it, work on ballhandling and playmaking. It is a problem of coaching and socialization.
Anyway... we need hybridization. Marinade in the game, as Dorrance says.
I mean, I think that hybridization is already there when you see the Champions League from the knockouts onwards tbh. It's not spread out totally in domestic leagues though I think the WSL is going to get there sooner rather than later seeing as your Liverpools, Spurs, and Brightons have started investing a lot more.
And like 7 on the continent
Most of them came back surprisingly enough
Exactly! Most of them have spent some time there, either because of COVID shutdowns, contract problems, or (for whatever reason) not wanting to play for the NWSL club who held their rights. Few have actually sought it out for its own sake, though there are a few (e.g., Horan, Macario, Albert, and now Fox). Even Horan's motivations are personal as well as professional, and she definitely formed reasons why she didn't want to return to Portland (the turf on her knees, for one, and the grievances against l'ancien regime).
Her husband to be lives over there. If he lived here, she’d likely want to be back in the US. I’m thankful that Sophia’s long term BF is on the Cardinals. May be a reason to want to stay in the US.
Yeah, like Mal Swanson, who would make any club in Europe better with her skillset and probably could go anytime she wanted. But, her partner is in CHicago for the next 7 years, and she just signed a 4+1 to stay there as well. She's never seemed particularly interested in going overseas....
I'd say, as long as he stays on a west coast team, the better the chance Soph stays in the US. A plane flight from the west coast to Europe is a lot more brutal than if he were on an east coast team. A smart GM/owner would get creative with her contract and would include airfare to/from AZ or a set amount of times to be paid for (can they do that?)
I'm betting the cost of plane tickets would count against the salary cap.
Potential lineup (if nobody else were to sign)?;
GK- Hogan
LB- Reyes
CB- Obaze
CB- Kaufusi
RB- Hubly
DM- Coffey
MF- Rodriguez
MF- Moultrie
FW- Smith
FW-Weaver
FW- Hina
--
Bench: Beckie, D'Aquila, Linnehan, Nally, Porter,
This is definitely concerning from Hubly back, but I feel 75% confident Kling and
Sauerbrunn will return, and 65% confident about Kuikka.
The RB draft class was decent, I imagine if Kuikka wasn’t coming back they would’ve targeted that position at pick 1 or 2 (though we prob wouldn’t get a starter outta this draft immediately.) We didn’t get any fullbacks at all though, so seems she has to be coming back. Otherwise we’re without any RB’s. Even if she’s coming back, I’m confused why we wouldn’t grab a backup in the draft…but instead we grab 2 midfielders? (lol)
I hope the numbers are about 25% low on each.
My guess is they are going to sign most of their vet free agents. They certainly drafted like they were
Whither Kling? Have my thoughts but Sinc is sucking up all the will she/won't she discussion.
There is not a single world where Kelli Hubly plays a minute at RB lol
FWIW, though, RB is where we first saw Hubly, years ago, at the Utah Challenge Cup-
she was subbing for an injured Kathryn Reynolds and doing a really good job containing Lynn Williams, as I recall. That Challenge Cup was like a Thorns new-talent coming-out party- Hubly, Bixby, Weaver and Eckerstrom...
And that yeah lol. For better or worse they’d put Janine Beckie there before Hubly lol
If it came to that, Obaze could move to RB. She's a fairly recent convert to CB.
Let's hope it doesn't come to that.
Woof, that is rough on D lol and we have literally no depth lmao. They have to be signing more players though, you gotta have at least 22.