Happy to report I ran into Ashley Sanchez (and Briana Pinto and Haley Hopkins) at the Adidas Employee store yesterday morning and wished her bad luck for Saturday.* Just doing my part for the team.
*Asked her how she was enjoying Portland, then said "good luck," and then "wait no, bad luck" after she responded. Definitely got her rattled imo.
Sinclair starts? I thought Orlando was the surrender-ball match.
ETA there's age and there's age. Last night I saw Marta close on an open-field ball more than once. Somehow, some way she still has wheels, just not 90-minute wheels.
I think with our unfortunate situation of having one winger on the IR (Weaver), one still on managed minutes for return from injury as well as coming off of 2 Canada games + travel (Beckie), and one who is a rookie that for some strange reason isn't getting more minutes (Linnehan)....as well as having FOUR 9's (Soph, Sinc, Dias, D'Aquila), it seems to once again line up Sinc perfectly to continue to start once again because of those 9's, only one can play on the wing (Soph.)
I think it's also possible we get more of that Liv on the wing (which...no), because of similar reasons, and because Gale seems intent on trying to get all of his "best" players on the field at once, which could mean putting Fleming back in the midfield at the 10 and then Liv on the wing.
I have to apologize to Marta for putting her on the Sinc tier of washed last year. She's had a big time revival so far this year, pretty cool to watch.
Looks like Gotham have finally got going, and they've now displaced us in 4th with 21 pts (we're on 19.) We're now level on games played. Thorns are gonna need to keep winning to move up and keep competing with those top 4 (Orlando, KC, Spirit, and Gotham)...and we're gonna need to beat those teams when they come (we've lost 3/4 of those games so far.) Chicago, Racing, and Courage could be level or a point behind with a win this weekend also.
Gotta get 3 pts! Hope Gale doesn't mess around with his lineups and gameplan tonight.
This game seems more important than most because of the end of the win streak. Sometimes teams can get into a downward spiral after the end of an upward one, and preventing that from happening is crucial here.
The hatred many hold close for the Reign, I instead direct at the Courage. ETA, a carve-out for Lussi, who's had a wonderful career reboot post-Thorns. Just not for {patooy} them. Beat on them for ninety; reward them with a sad, oft-delayed flight home to remember you by.
I feel the same way going all the way back to when they were Western NY and thugged us in the ‘16 semi. I’ve never felt as guilty as I probably should about the ‘17 Final because payback is a MFer…
I was trying to write a potential XI for us and was just realizing how comically unbalanced our roster is...
5 GK's (Bixby, Hogan, Asman, Kozal, Alvarado)
4 9's (Soph, Sinc, Dias, D'Aquila)
3 wingers (Weaver, Beckie, Linnehan)
3 natural LB's (Muller, Kling, Reyes)
1 natural RB (Payne)
1 6 (Coffey)
4 10's (Moultrie, Hina, OWK, Sheva)
Obviously some players can (and do) play in other spots...like Hina (playing as an 8, but I'd still also consider her equally a 10) and Reyes (mostly plays RB now, but looks more comfortable on the L still, imo.) There's just a lot of waste on our roster, as well as clear holes, like needing a backup 6 and another starting winger (as well as other obvious needs, like a starting CB.) Really hope that this offseason they can re-balance, fill some holes, and shed some of the unnecessary.
With that, I think we could get:
Hogan
Payne Hubly Brunn Müller
Coffey Hina Moultrie
Soph Sinc Linnehan
OR, put Beckie at RW, move Soph to the 9, and put Sinc on the bench.
The five GKs is just incredibly stupid and is really the biggest issue. No reason at all to roster more than three, even with one on maternity leave. You have two third choice keepers that a) haven't played a minute of NWSL soccer, and b) you don't trust to be the backup!
I'd say Hina is very much a natural 8, but other than that I think your breakdown is right. I don't have a ton of concern about the FBs because with the exception of Payne they're all versatile enough to play both sides reasonably well, but not having a proven backup six is borderline insane and the lack of wing depth with Weaver out has been a killer. I didn't get the Dias signing at the time --especially since Sinc is still playing so much-- and Morgan's injury certainly makes it look worse. My guess is the lack of a backup winger is why we're not seeing Linnehan and Beckie start at the same time, which is a problem of their own making.
It sure seems like it! It reads like "We don't trust our #1 but our two backups are too green so let's bring in a #1.5 to provide competition." When they brought Alvarardo in, I assumed Hogan was done....but then they started winning so they just kept it going.
Honestly the GK stuff --which usually I don't really care about-- has been the most frustrating part of KK's GMing to me. And that's not even considering the fact that Bixby was realllly rough for most of 2023.
It seems like part of how KK deals....she has made many panicked-looking decisions that are mostly all genuinely head-scratching. It's frustrating when you see AKB coming into Gotham to displace a GK that was already doing really well....when we have FIVE GK's who aren't even as good as either lol. AKB standing on her head and have kept Gotham in this game currently vs. Angel City. She's made like 3-4 "that is a goal anywhere else" type saves. Must be nice!
Happy to report I ran into Ashley Sanchez (and Briana Pinto and Haley Hopkins) at the Adidas Employee store yesterday morning and wished her bad luck for Saturday.* Just doing my part for the team.
*Asked her how she was enjoying Portland, then said "good luck," and then "wait no, bad luck" after she responded. Definitely got her rattled imo.
Sinclair starts? I thought Orlando was the surrender-ball match.
ETA there's age and there's age. Last night I saw Marta close on an open-field ball more than once. Somehow, some way she still has wheels, just not 90-minute wheels.
I think with our unfortunate situation of having one winger on the IR (Weaver), one still on managed minutes for return from injury as well as coming off of 2 Canada games + travel (Beckie), and one who is a rookie that for some strange reason isn't getting more minutes (Linnehan)....as well as having FOUR 9's (Soph, Sinc, Dias, D'Aquila), it seems to once again line up Sinc perfectly to continue to start once again because of those 9's, only one can play on the wing (Soph.)
I think it's also possible we get more of that Liv on the wing (which...no), because of similar reasons, and because Gale seems intent on trying to get all of his "best" players on the field at once, which could mean putting Fleming back in the midfield at the 10 and then Liv on the wing.
Marta has had one of the best seasons I've seen from her in a very long time. Sinc isn't in the same universe unfortunately...
I have to apologize to Marta for putting her on the Sinc tier of washed last year. She's had a big time revival so far this year, pretty cool to watch.
TBH she LOOKED done last season. Her turnaround this season has been nothing short of remarkable.
Looks like Gotham have finally got going, and they've now displaced us in 4th with 21 pts (we're on 19.) We're now level on games played. Thorns are gonna need to keep winning to move up and keep competing with those top 4 (Orlando, KC, Spirit, and Gotham)...and we're gonna need to beat those teams when they come (we've lost 3/4 of those games so far.) Chicago, Racing, and Courage could be level or a point behind with a win this weekend also.
Gotta get 3 pts! Hope Gale doesn't mess around with his lineups and gameplan tonight.
This game seems more important than most because of the end of the win streak. Sometimes teams can get into a downward spiral after the end of an upward one, and preventing that from happening is crucial here.
Plus, Carolina. Go Thorns!
The hatred many hold close for the Reign, I instead direct at the Courage. ETA, a carve-out for Lussi, who's had a wonderful career reboot post-Thorns. Just not for {patooy} them. Beat on them for ninety; reward them with a sad, oft-delayed flight home to remember you by.
I feel the same way going all the way back to when they were Western NY and thugged us in the ‘16 semi. I’ve never felt as guilty as I probably should about the ‘17 Final because payback is a MFer…
An abbreviated --and v late!-- recap of Week 11 for y'all as the Gotham-ACFC game is happening. Featuring:
- Some ugly soccer in the Barbie Derby
- Gotham's suffocating defense + CB Emily Sonnett is BACK!
https://www.theeaststandnwsl.com/post/nwsl-week-11-recap-war-on-the-west-coast
I was trying to write a potential XI for us and was just realizing how comically unbalanced our roster is...
5 GK's (Bixby, Hogan, Asman, Kozal, Alvarado)
4 9's (Soph, Sinc, Dias, D'Aquila)
3 wingers (Weaver, Beckie, Linnehan)
3 natural LB's (Muller, Kling, Reyes)
1 natural RB (Payne)
1 6 (Coffey)
4 10's (Moultrie, Hina, OWK, Sheva)
Obviously some players can (and do) play in other spots...like Hina (playing as an 8, but I'd still also consider her equally a 10) and Reyes (mostly plays RB now, but looks more comfortable on the L still, imo.) There's just a lot of waste on our roster, as well as clear holes, like needing a backup 6 and another starting winger (as well as other obvious needs, like a starting CB.) Really hope that this offseason they can re-balance, fill some holes, and shed some of the unnecessary.
With that, I think we could get:
Hogan
Payne Hubly Brunn Müller
Coffey Hina Moultrie
Soph Sinc Linnehan
OR, put Beckie at RW, move Soph to the 9, and put Sinc on the bench.
The five GKs is just incredibly stupid and is really the biggest issue. No reason at all to roster more than three, even with one on maternity leave. You have two third choice keepers that a) haven't played a minute of NWSL soccer, and b) you don't trust to be the backup!
I'd say Hina is very much a natural 8, but other than that I think your breakdown is right. I don't have a ton of concern about the FBs because with the exception of Payne they're all versatile enough to play both sides reasonably well, but not having a proven backup six is borderline insane and the lack of wing depth with Weaver out has been a killer. I didn't get the Dias signing at the time --especially since Sinc is still playing so much-- and Morgan's injury certainly makes it look worse. My guess is the lack of a backup winger is why we're not seeing Linnehan and Beckie start at the same time, which is a problem of their own making.
Did we acquire Alvarado out of panic? Remain puzzled by the move and of course, she's really logged those seconds. Are the two draft picks both busts?
It sure seems like it! It reads like "We don't trust our #1 but our two backups are too green so let's bring in a #1.5 to provide competition." When they brought Alvarardo in, I assumed Hogan was done....but then they started winning so they just kept it going.
Honestly the GK stuff --which usually I don't really care about-- has been the most frustrating part of KK's GMing to me. And that's not even considering the fact that Bixby was realllly rough for most of 2023.
It seems like part of how KK deals....she has made many panicked-looking decisions that are mostly all genuinely head-scratching. It's frustrating when you see AKB coming into Gotham to displace a GK that was already doing really well....when we have FIVE GK's who aren't even as good as either lol. AKB standing on her head and have kept Gotham in this game currently vs. Angel City. She's made like 3-4 "that is a goal anywhere else" type saves. Must be nice!
Edit: and now they're up bc Rose Lavelle...