Hey STF writers: there seems to be an ever-growing disparity between the coverage vs engagement as between the Timbers and Thorns. In the past week, a half dozen articles [edit: actually 7] about the Timbers are posted, and their engagement, at least in terms of comments [edit: 128 total], pales in comparison to the last post about the Thorns- this one- a week ago [edit: just shy of 400 comments]. While STF is waxing on about Phil Neville, fans/readers on this side of the Footy Divide are doing extensive research on their own to try to figure out who is even actually on the gameday roster playing on the Thorns team right now.
Maybe it would be playing to your audience a little more effectively to increase the percentage of Thorns coverage on the site?
I would also like to re-up my ask for the branding of this site to be more inclusive of the Thorns. You wouldn't know it were also Thorns-based if you were a casual based on the branding, colors, and icons used. Same for the STF Twitter. It would be nice if we could diversify our audience here., and that starts with acknowledging it's also a space for Thorns fans also. Personally, I'm only here for the Thorns, and I pay money to access only Thorns content. I don't want to be a complainer because I love that y'all are dedicating your time here to STF, but it would be lovely if you could redo the colorways/icons of STF to be more inclusive of the Thorns on all accounts, please and thank you!!
I very much agree generally, but it's fair to note that the Timbers just had a huge performance in their season opener whereas the Thorns are still in preseason and access is limited.
That said, a recap of the preseason game would be nice, even if just to get another thread lol
Agreed... Like what do people expect the STF folks, who have actual jobs, to write about when the team is out of state, holding closed practices, holding no pressers, and posting like two generic pics per day to socials?
I will add that "coverage" needn't have to be a feature-length post every time. Even just a "ink roundup" and/or "discussion thread" every few days so that the community can access the latest comments threads (which are honestly almost as much as a draw as the original articles) much more easily.
If that is too much work, I might suggest at least tagging the Thorns articles as such so when someone clicks on "Portland Thorns FC 🌹" in the subhead, they can get to the most recent post (and the comment thread) instead of a year-old match recap.
I'm a big fan of the writers here and I know it's harder that it seems to run a site like this, but these are low-effort ways to really improve the experience for the most-engaged members.
The week before it was more skewed towards the Thorns. I would have liked a game summary, but assume it is coming. I think this might just be a timing thing than an actual issue
Well, one team's regular season has already started and the other has not. But... yeah, there could be more frequent postings re: Thorns, NWSL, USWNT, WoSo writ large. There are a lot of angles for Thorns topics and coverage.
I’m not looking for more articles. I am looking for the (more) current discussion thread. These comments are appearing on a week old Nicole Payne article. As mentioned by others here, a new discussion thread every two three days would be an improvement.
Alright y'all, remember preseason rules: No overreactions allowed UNLESS someone looks really good in which case it's OK to proclaim them the next coming
I can say without hesitation that the “Women’s Sports Nerwork” takes away the “most grossly incompetent soccer broadcast” award in a walk, and I still remember the interminable wait for the YouTube feed from Rochester to buffer.
Given the makeshift roster the only real value of this match for a Thorns fan was getting a first look at reserves, new signings, and trialists. Putting the actual match in a tiny screen-in-screen for 80% of the time removed most of that value then cutting away at 70’ sank the rest.
I can’t believe that anyone actually greenlighted that shitshow. Seriously. Who the hell thought that was appropriate for a professional sport?
I suppose it was better than nothing, but I certainly was not prepared for the *scale* of level of incompetence considering it was technically a fully produced broadcast. An awful, awful look for that network throughout- Thinking they only needed 90 minutes of air time for a 90 minute match is so stupid it's almost funny.
For me it was worse; if there was nothing I’d have accepted not seeing it. Instead I spent 90 minutes squinting trying to see who was doing what and how and mostly failing. And cursing the idiot talking heads blabbering the usual boilerplate sport speak.
An understandable perspective lol. I still enjoyed being able to watch to the level we did just cause it's our only chance to see the team before the opener and preseason games aren't usually broadcast anyhow.
This is the first time in years there hasn’t been actual live games here. We’ve never NEEDED broadcasting because we could go in person; I’ve got a paper trail going back to the Merlo years of preseason match reports. This will be the first year without one since the Slide Rule Pass years
“ AEG announced today that the Women’s Sports Network will be the exclusive live broadcast partner for the #NWSL match between San Diego Wave and Portland Thorns at the 2024 Coachella Valley Invitational 11:00AM PT on Saturday, February 24.
WSN is available on Roku, Tubi, Amazon Freevee, Sling, Vizio WatchFree+, LG Channels on LG Smart TVs, Fubo, Plex, and XumoPlay. For more information visit: womenssports.com.“
Super pumped to watch but also nervous that we’re having a game with the roster we currently have there available to be seen by the public lol.
There are 10 new players, so this will be, uh, interesting! 5 rookies, 3 NRIs, and 2 brand-new-to-the-league young players....
Wish we had 2 viewable preseason games so we could have some ability to compare what we see, alas....
My first half starting XI:
Weaver D'Aquila Beckie (Linnehan?)
McKenzie (6) Duong (8) OWK (10)
Müller Nally (Kaufusi?) Hubly Payne
Hogan
Honestly a hilarious lineup...and I have no idea for half of it who starts. I'd rather see OWK at the 10 to see what she can do, rather than Sinc. We all know what Sinc can do. If you need to, sub her at the 10 (or at the 9- which I think is what may happen)
Bennett, McCaskilll, Ali, Doniak, Jacobsson, Colaprico, Barcenas all seen in their pictures for their first game against BFC on the field at the same time. So, that's their top 7 unless they rotate quite a bit. Guessing McNabb and Westphal were the FB's and I have no idea who the two CB's and GK is.
It's gonna be a ridiculous game, but I just hope we hang in there and we can see some of the quality of the 4 field rookies, the NRI's, and the other two. I actually forgot about Sheva until now, so maybe she starts at the 10? I have no idea lol. I'm really excited to see what Linnehan can do! She may start depending on what Janine's fitness level is...
I’ll be watching mainly to see what the new players look like, otherwise low expectations. Any actual good connections between players will be a bonus.
I hope some NWSL side or other not named Gotham took note tonight -- a star-studded group of veterans can be beaten, soundly, with the right effort, attitude, and gameplan.
I've been collecting media things (mostly podcasts/interviews) to post all together for a few weeks and just haven't had the time or energy output to gather and post, so while we have a little bit of a presumed lull until the Sat preseason game, here's a collection of some podcasts and interviews of Thorns from lately that I thought were relevant and probably of interest to the sickos here, if you missed them!
Some podcast episodes discussing internationals coming to the NWSL (Jessie and other Thorns mentioned.) I like the guys who do this pod...they're both data based and seem to actually know what they're talking about:
Footy Prime- this pod is Canadian and has Rhian as a host. This ep from a few weeks ago discusses Sinc a lot and what her role will be next year for club, as well as Jessie coming to the Thorns. Rhian of course has a bit of inside insight, so I think it's a valuable listen:
Two really good watchable youtube interviews with Sam Coffey, one from someone Penn State-related over the offseason, and the other from just within the week from the Portland Gear folks (it's a brand new podcast series called "Pathfinders") Sam talks a whole lot about what she loves about Portland in both, and I do just really enjoy her as a person so so much:
A pod episode I posted here a while back but I think was buried quickly, with Wade-Katoa being interviewed by her brother on his podcast. Heavy on the jesus talk, but really gives insight into her personality and mindset. I think she seems like a hard-worker and has a good head. From right after the draft:
A good 25-ish min interview with Jessie Fleming from a few days ago. Hint: if you want to run into her here, check the coffee shops and the indie shows:
An athletic article that I'm actually realizing I forgot to read and was hiding in my many tabs lol. A bit more in-depth opinion with some data on why Jessie was a good get for Portland's midfield:
Thank you for that. I would have missed that Coffey interview and that jacket. She’s so easy to root for. The genuine nature and the maturity. I wish I would have had that at her age. Hell, I wish I had it now
It's a massive country bar in Tualatin with a big line-dancing floor (that Sam said she got thrown out of for not knowing the dance they were doing lol).
(It's somewhere I've only been personally twice, both times dragged out of Portland against my will by friends while ~somewhat~ intoxicated)
I think it’s hard to understate how much of this game was on the centerbacks. Becky and Dahlkemper are both very slow, and you need centerbacks who can cover serious ground if you’re gonna play Coffey and Horan in the midfield. Most of Mexico’s chances were their fault defensively, but their negative impact in possession was as striking. The USWNT clearly had decided to play out of the back, and doing so against a press is going to require technically solid center backs that can play quick passes under pressure and operate in tighter spaces. Becky and Dahlkemper couldn’t do either of those things, and so Mexico’s press was totally unbeatable.
The good news is I don’t think this issue is so long term for the USWNT. Girma obviously can do these things and so can Cook, even if she makes the occasional mistake. Maybe Davidson can but I haven’t seen it. Gaetino at PSG excels in the technical area, though athleticism is still a bit of a question, and I think it’s a matter of time before she joins the CB pool.
There are also structural issues in the midfield and attack, but I think their jobs are made a lot easier by two competent centerbacks.
Does make me worried about the Thorns, though. It is very possible that Becky plays every available minute this year, and it’s also possible that the floor falls out and it’s Obaze and Hubly that lead the team in minutes from centerback. I don’t think either scenario is particularly good, and I think that as things stand this is a major oversight from the FO.
Do you rate Madril highly? I didn’t watch much of Orlando last year and I think I saw her play mostly fullback, do you think she can be a contributor at the next level?
Guys I can't get over how the U.S were down 1-0 at halftime and Kilgore was like "welp I guess I better bring on Alex Morgan and Emily Sonnett then, they'll save us!"
I doubt Hayes is really doing anything beyond player selection at this point, though the Fox inversion and the formations in the first two matches felt a little Hayesian. I'd imagine the in-game stuff is all Kilgore regardless.
I’m not even sure Fox inverting is a Hayes thing, she doesn’t usually do that with her full backs (she pushed one on and the other tucks into be a third CB)
Yeah I meant more in the sense of "try some weird shit" than anything else lol
Also kind of weird that it was Fox instead of Dunn who inverted.....seems like it should have been the FB who plays midfield for club, but maybe that's just me.
A few quick takeaways (obviously caveated for the opposition):
1. Liv looks *ready to freakin go*. Not just the goals, but the fact that she wanted the ball all the time, got it from her teammates, and was aggressive and decisive in what she did with it. I've asked for a little more assertiveness from her this season (and tbf, this is certainly the perfect type of game for her to flourish), so I'm hoping this is a true breakout year for her. Is there any way we can bring Albert back stateside? I love her game.
2. Soph's really gotta get better technically from both a touch-in-tight-spaces and passing standpoint. She's still mostly ineffective against a low block of any sort and struggles to adapt when she doesn't have space. She's still a fantastic, world-class player....but if she wants to take that next step, she's gotta make her game a little more variable.
3. I find it kinda funny that we all (generally correctly) complain about how broken youth development is in this country and have Horan whining about the lack of pretty soccer in the U.S, yet outside of Lavelle and Horan; Albert, Shaw, and Moultrie are EASILY the three most intelligent, technically adept, nuanced players on this roster imo. The way Moultrie and Albert played off each other in that double 10 was, dare I say, vaguely ~European~
4. From a tactical standpoint, that was almost impressively anti-Vlatko: A 4-2-2-2 on paper and out of possession that functionally played kinda as a 3-box-3 with Nighswonger inverting, Purce (who is a locked in starter at the Olympics for me atm) playing as a winger, and Williams pulling out wide. Welcome to the Emma Hayes era!
Hey STF writers: there seems to be an ever-growing disparity between the coverage vs engagement as between the Timbers and Thorns. In the past week, a half dozen articles [edit: actually 7] about the Timbers are posted, and their engagement, at least in terms of comments [edit: 128 total], pales in comparison to the last post about the Thorns- this one- a week ago [edit: just shy of 400 comments]. While STF is waxing on about Phil Neville, fans/readers on this side of the Footy Divide are doing extensive research on their own to try to figure out who is even actually on the gameday roster playing on the Thorns team right now.
Maybe it would be playing to your audience a little more effectively to increase the percentage of Thorns coverage on the site?
I would also like to re-up my ask for the branding of this site to be more inclusive of the Thorns. You wouldn't know it were also Thorns-based if you were a casual based on the branding, colors, and icons used. Same for the STF Twitter. It would be nice if we could diversify our audience here., and that starts with acknowledging it's also a space for Thorns fans also. Personally, I'm only here for the Thorns, and I pay money to access only Thorns content. I don't want to be a complainer because I love that y'all are dedicating your time here to STF, but it would be lovely if you could redo the colorways/icons of STF to be more inclusive of the Thorns on all accounts, please and thank you!!
If the admins would like a new logo, I'd be happy to pitch in!
Will there be matching rainbow sneakers?
I very much agree generally, but it's fair to note that the Timbers just had a huge performance in their season opener whereas the Thorns are still in preseason and access is limited.
That said, a recap of the preseason game would be nice, even if just to get another thread lol
Agreed... Like what do people expect the STF folks, who have actual jobs, to write about when the team is out of state, holding closed practices, holding no pressers, and posting like two generic pics per day to socials?
I will add that "coverage" needn't have to be a feature-length post every time. Even just a "ink roundup" and/or "discussion thread" every few days so that the community can access the latest comments threads (which are honestly almost as much as a draw as the original articles) much more easily.
If that is too much work, I might suggest at least tagging the Thorns articles as such so when someone clicks on "Portland Thorns FC 🌹" in the subhead, they can get to the most recent post (and the comment thread) instead of a year-old match recap.
I'm a big fan of the writers here and I know it's harder that it seems to run a site like this, but these are low-effort ways to really improve the experience for the most-engaged members.
Thanks for all that you do.
Thank you. I’ve had the same thought over the last couple of days.
The week before it was more skewed towards the Thorns. I would have liked a game summary, but assume it is coming. I think this might just be a timing thing than an actual issue
Well, one team's regular season has already started and the other has not. But... yeah, there could be more frequent postings re: Thorns, NWSL, USWNT, WoSo writ large. There are a lot of angles for Thorns topics and coverage.
I’m not looking for more articles. I am looking for the (more) current discussion thread. These comments are appearing on a week old Nicole Payne article. As mentioned by others here, a new discussion thread every two three days would be an improvement.
No one cares about looking at Montoya, show us the damn game lol
WHY is the inset the game and the interview the main screen?
Let’s make them regret interviewing coaches and bring out Norris 😂
They said he's sick and not even here haha
Bring him in on FaceTime and it would definitely end it
Officially the most liked comment of the thread
Buncha amateurs, dude.
Bunch of fucking amateurs...
And now Chastain?! Are they kidding?
Alright y'all, remember preseason rules: No overreactions allowed UNLESS someone looks really good in which case it's OK to proclaim them the next coming
I can say without hesitation that the “Women’s Sports Nerwork” takes away the “most grossly incompetent soccer broadcast” award in a walk, and I still remember the interminable wait for the YouTube feed from Rochester to buffer.
Given the makeshift roster the only real value of this match for a Thorns fan was getting a first look at reserves, new signings, and trialists. Putting the actual match in a tiny screen-in-screen for 80% of the time removed most of that value then cutting away at 70’ sank the rest.
I can’t believe that anyone actually greenlighted that shitshow. Seriously. Who the hell thought that was appropriate for a professional sport?
I suppose it was better than nothing, but I certainly was not prepared for the *scale* of level of incompetence considering it was technically a fully produced broadcast. An awful, awful look for that network throughout- Thinking they only needed 90 minutes of air time for a 90 minute match is so stupid it's almost funny.
For me it was worse; if there was nothing I’d have accepted not seeing it. Instead I spent 90 minutes squinting trying to see who was doing what and how and mostly failing. And cursing the idiot talking heads blabbering the usual boilerplate sport speak.
An understandable perspective lol. I still enjoyed being able to watch to the level we did just cause it's our only chance to see the team before the opener and preseason games aren't usually broadcast anyhow.
This is the first time in years there hasn’t been actual live games here. We’ve never NEEDED broadcasting because we could go in person; I’ve got a paper trail going back to the Merlo years of preseason match reports. This will be the first year without one since the Slide Rule Pass years
That's more or less what I conveyed to WSN via the contact link on their site. That made suburban cable access look like a World Cup feed.
OHHELLYEAH
“ AEG announced today that the Women’s Sports Network will be the exclusive live broadcast partner for the #NWSL match between San Diego Wave and Portland Thorns at the 2024 Coachella Valley Invitational 11:00AM PT on Saturday, February 24.
WSN is available on Roku, Tubi, Amazon Freevee, Sling, Vizio WatchFree+, LG Channels on LG Smart TVs, Fubo, Plex, and XumoPlay. For more information visit: womenssports.com.“
Super pumped to watch but also nervous that we’re having a game with the roster we currently have there available to be seen by the public lol.
I'm NOT counting but think it's possible PTCF could field eight players I've never seen before.
Correction: We might have ONLY eight players, all of whom we've never seen before.
To paraphrase "Major League": "Who the F%$@ are these guys???"
There are 10 new players, so this will be, uh, interesting! 5 rookies, 3 NRIs, and 2 brand-new-to-the-league young players....
Wish we had 2 viewable preseason games so we could have some ability to compare what we see, alas....
My first half starting XI:
Weaver D'Aquila Beckie (Linnehan?)
McKenzie (6) Duong (8) OWK (10)
Müller Nally (Kaufusi?) Hubly Payne
Hogan
Honestly a hilarious lineup...and I have no idea for half of it who starts. I'd rather see OWK at the 10 to see what she can do, rather than Sinc. We all know what Sinc can do. If you need to, sub her at the 10 (or at the 9- which I think is what may happen)
Bennett, McCaskilll, Ali, Doniak, Jacobsson, Colaprico, Barcenas all seen in their pictures for their first game against BFC on the field at the same time. So, that's their top 7 unless they rotate quite a bit. Guessing McNabb and Westphal were the FB's and I have no idea who the two CB's and GK is.
The midfield is objectively hilarious (though I bet Sinc does start). Rest of the 11 isn't totally awful given the absences. Excited to watch Muller!
(Gimme a good Izzy performance pls!)
It's gonna be a ridiculous game, but I just hope we hang in there and we can see some of the quality of the 4 field rookies, the NRI's, and the other two. I actually forgot about Sheva until now, so maybe she starts at the 10? I have no idea lol. I'm really excited to see what Linnehan can do! She may start depending on what Janine's fitness level is...
Coach: "Calvinball it is!"
I’ll be watching mainly to see what the new players look like, otherwise low expectations. Any actual good connections between players will be a bonus.
I hope some NWSL side or other not named Gotham took note tonight -- a star-studded group of veterans can be beaten, soundly, with the right effort, attitude, and gameplan.
I've been collecting media things (mostly podcasts/interviews) to post all together for a few weeks and just haven't had the time or energy output to gather and post, so while we have a little bit of a presumed lull until the Sat preseason game, here's a collection of some podcasts and interviews of Thorns from lately that I thought were relevant and probably of interest to the sickos here, if you missed them!
Some podcast episodes discussing internationals coming to the NWSL (Jessie and other Thorns mentioned.) I like the guys who do this pod...they're both data based and seem to actually know what they're talking about:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1uJlnxM3iifz5R7WFpM9VG (Jan 30th)
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0juRxCjGWxlxgDoWCw0nFI?si=4748151754704d00&nd=1&dlsi=e9c35f90a8b9413b (Feb 6th)
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2r83awiC9Hp3pkHO6pkSX5 (most recent ep that I haven't listened to yet)
Footy Prime- this pod is Canadian and has Rhian as a host. This ep from a few weeks ago discusses Sinc a lot and what her role will be next year for club, as well as Jessie coming to the Thorns. Rhian of course has a bit of inside insight, so I think it's a valuable listen:
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/footy-prime-the-podcast/id1482039221?i=1000643550117
Two really good watchable youtube interviews with Sam Coffey, one from someone Penn State-related over the offseason, and the other from just within the week from the Portland Gear folks (it's a brand new podcast series called "Pathfinders") Sam talks a whole lot about what she loves about Portland in both, and I do just really enjoy her as a person so so much:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3rnQEwiUmg (People of Penn State)
https://portlandgear.com/pages/pathfinders-podcast (Pathfinders, ep. 1)
A pod episode I posted here a while back but I think was buried quickly, with Wade-Katoa being interviewed by her brother on his podcast. Heavy on the jesus talk, but really gives insight into her personality and mindset. I think she seems like a hard-worker and has a good head. From right after the draft:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDIvNBqkwrc&t=2s
A good 25-ish min interview with Jessie Fleming from a few days ago. Hint: if you want to run into her here, check the coffee shops and the indie shows:
https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2309680707724
An athletic article that I'm actually realizing I forgot to read and was hiding in my many tabs lol. A bit more in-depth opinion with some data on why Jessie was a good get for Portland's midfield:
https://theathletic.com/5245066/2024/02/02/nwsl-moves-jessie-fleming-thorns-angel-city/?source=dailyemail&campaign=601983
Enjoy if you have some downtime!
Thank you for that. I would have missed that Coffey interview and that jacket. She’s so easy to root for. The genuine nature and the maturity. I wish I would have had that at her age. Hell, I wish I had it now
Holy shit that varsity jacket Coffey is wearing is gorgeous. Angry they only made 100 cause I would buy instantly.
(Also she apparently loves going to Bushwhackers??! Da fuck?)
https://portlandgear.com/products/slogan-varsity-jacket?variant=44852117864635
I'm happy to say I don't know what Bushwackers is but sounds like somewhere I'd stay away from on name alone lol.
It's a massive country bar in Tualatin with a big line-dancing floor (that Sam said she got thrown out of for not knowing the dance they were doing lol).
(It's somewhere I've only been personally twice, both times dragged out of Portland against my will by friends while ~somewhat~ intoxicated)
I don't know... that whole business about "May the Roses Remind Us Why the Rain is so Important" is a little too close to bothteamsism.
I think it’s hard to understate how much of this game was on the centerbacks. Becky and Dahlkemper are both very slow, and you need centerbacks who can cover serious ground if you’re gonna play Coffey and Horan in the midfield. Most of Mexico’s chances were their fault defensively, but their negative impact in possession was as striking. The USWNT clearly had decided to play out of the back, and doing so against a press is going to require technically solid center backs that can play quick passes under pressure and operate in tighter spaces. Becky and Dahlkemper couldn’t do either of those things, and so Mexico’s press was totally unbeatable.
The good news is I don’t think this issue is so long term for the USWNT. Girma obviously can do these things and so can Cook, even if she makes the occasional mistake. Maybe Davidson can but I haven’t seen it. Gaetino at PSG excels in the technical area, though athleticism is still a bit of a question, and I think it’s a matter of time before she joins the CB pool.
There are also structural issues in the midfield and attack, but I think their jobs are made a lot easier by two competent centerbacks.
Does make me worried about the Thorns, though. It is very possible that Becky plays every available minute this year, and it’s also possible that the floor falls out and it’s Obaze and Hubly that lead the team in minutes from centerback. I don’t think either scenario is particularly good, and I think that as things stand this is a major oversight from the FO.
Gimme an Olympic 11 of:
Campbell
Krueger-Madril-Girma-Fox
Coffey-Albert
Moultrie-Shaw
Purce-Smith
Time to blow it up!
No Nighswonger for you?
Nah, I want Krueger in this team. She's deserved a spot for years and is (I think) the best FB in the NWSL.
Do you rate Madril highly? I didn’t watch much of Orlando last year and I think I saw her play mostly fullback, do you think she can be a contributor at the next level?
Guys I can't get over how the U.S were down 1-0 at halftime and Kilgore was like "welp I guess I better bring on Alex Morgan and Emily Sonnett then, they'll save us!"
It’s so lazy…like waving a white flag and declaring “we’re outta options, we give up!”
Good lord, I hope this wasn’t an EH gameplan lol. Felt more like Vlatko…
I doubt Hayes is really doing anything beyond player selection at this point, though the Fox inversion and the formations in the first two matches felt a little Hayesian. I'd imagine the in-game stuff is all Kilgore regardless.
I’m not even sure Fox inverting is a Hayes thing, she doesn’t usually do that with her full backs (she pushed one on and the other tucks into be a third CB)
Yeah I meant more in the sense of "try some weird shit" than anything else lol
Also kind of weird that it was Fox instead of Dunn who inverted.....seems like it should have been the FB who plays midfield for club, but maybe that's just me.
Maybe you can’t expect Horan to have a meaningful impact in a game against Mexico until she plays in a real league like Liga MX
Is it time for the Razzies yet? I have a nominee for sports broadcasting.
What’s worse? The slightly better (but still terrible) production of the Gold Cup, or a jaw droppingly bad preseason broadcast?
I’m still happy I got to see part of it. It was better than nothing.
Well, if it's a choice between Julie Uhrman and a black screen?
Maybe we should take a poll.
Blank screen 10 times out of 10.
Blank screen doesn't stare through me while baring its teeth in its interpretation of "smiling."
Blank screen every time
It's been great enjoying the end of this nail-biter with you all.
Oh f*ck Julie Uhrman
Hogan's on-screen dot looks excellent so far.
A few quick takeaways (obviously caveated for the opposition):
1. Liv looks *ready to freakin go*. Not just the goals, but the fact that she wanted the ball all the time, got it from her teammates, and was aggressive and decisive in what she did with it. I've asked for a little more assertiveness from her this season (and tbf, this is certainly the perfect type of game for her to flourish), so I'm hoping this is a true breakout year for her. Is there any way we can bring Albert back stateside? I love her game.
2. Soph's really gotta get better technically from both a touch-in-tight-spaces and passing standpoint. She's still mostly ineffective against a low block of any sort and struggles to adapt when she doesn't have space. She's still a fantastic, world-class player....but if she wants to take that next step, she's gotta make her game a little more variable.
3. I find it kinda funny that we all (generally correctly) complain about how broken youth development is in this country and have Horan whining about the lack of pretty soccer in the U.S, yet outside of Lavelle and Horan; Albert, Shaw, and Moultrie are EASILY the three most intelligent, technically adept, nuanced players on this roster imo. The way Moultrie and Albert played off each other in that double 10 was, dare I say, vaguely ~European~
4. From a tactical standpoint, that was almost impressively anti-Vlatko: A 4-2-2-2 on paper and out of possession that functionally played kinda as a 3-box-3 with Nighswonger inverting, Purce (who is a locked in starter at the Olympics for me atm) playing as a winger, and Williams pulling out wide. Welcome to the Emma Hayes era!
I think Nighswonger needs more love. And yes, Soph needs to be better.
Liv is young Horan.