Definitely worried about the degree of “wants it” here. ACFC is playing for their whole season, PTFC is playing for a nice/to/have bennie.
Plus finishing issues. Thinking of the Houston game; the Dash should have put that match away before halftime but kept missing their putts. Thompson comes on, and it’s over.
I’m worried, but not because of a difference in motivation. I think they REALLY want the shield after what happened last year. Wouldn’t be surprised if they blow it for a variety of reasons...but let’s hope they don’t!
It’s not so much I think the squad doesn’t want the Shield. It’s just that as the saying goes a hanging concentrates the mind wonderfully. LA loses, they’re dead. Portland…sucks, but there’ll be a game after this.
It’s not totally for naught either, the shield comes with a big $$$ payday this year, for the first time. I think it’s the same pot as the championship trophy. That’s pretty good motivation…
Also very much think the shield should be the ultimate trophy. As a former player, it is SO much harder to maintain a consistent high level of play all season. Winning two or three games in a row is “who’s hot now” with a bit of luck. It’s way more representative of a team’s actual quality as well…when teams have their best player out/not fully fit for playoffs, those games are not a great snapshot of a whole season.
Reyes in for Kling, bold prediction! Having watched Meghan struggle against certain Very Fast wingers I understand the sentiment, even while lauding her stint last week. Reyes brings in a dynamic that's hard to ignore.
Minute prediction for when Soph subs in? I'll go with 60, while acknowledging the Norris mode on preplanned subs seems to not switch on until 70 or more. When he remembers.
Must add it will to hard watching us face Mandy, especially given we evidently never bothered to enter the Let's Get Mandy derby.
No way to know what the Peregrine FO did in pursuit of Henry; hell, we don’t even know the status of more than half of our existing players’ contracts.
I think Mandy took a page out of the book of Bill Russell and Kobe Bryant -- study your opponents very closely, and look at your own team from a different vantage point. Sometimes, the best way to do that is to play with your opponent rather than against them, and even face your own team. Mandy came here in the years leading up to WWC 2019, and how better to learn the American style than play in the league where the Nats played? She also did the same thing in 2017 by accepting a short-term loan to PSG before returning to Thorns so that she could face OL.
I have a question: Does Kamran Nia own a Karmann Ghia?
Definitely worried about the degree of “wants it” here. ACFC is playing for their whole season, PTFC is playing for a nice/to/have bennie.
Plus finishing issues. Thinking of the Houston game; the Dash should have put that match away before halftime but kept missing their putts. Thompson comes on, and it’s over.
Definitely worried.
I’m worried, but not because of a difference in motivation. I think they REALLY want the shield after what happened last year. Wouldn’t be surprised if they blow it for a variety of reasons...but let’s hope they don’t!
(And go Louisville!)
It’s not so much I think the squad doesn’t want the Shield. It’s just that as the saying goes a hanging concentrates the mind wonderfully. LA loses, they’re dead. Portland…sucks, but there’ll be a game after this.
It’s not totally for naught either, the shield comes with a big $$$ payday this year, for the first time. I think it’s the same pot as the championship trophy. That’s pretty good motivation…
True...and there’s a very real argument to made that the shield should be a more meaningful trophy than the title, even if it’s very clearly not.
(It’s me. I think this.)
Also very much think the shield should be the ultimate trophy. As a former player, it is SO much harder to maintain a consistent high level of play all season. Winning two or three games in a row is “who’s hot now” with a bit of luck. It’s way more representative of a team’s actual quality as well…when teams have their best player out/not fully fit for playoffs, those games are not a great snapshot of a whole season.
Thorns winless in the past 5 road games. Eager to turn that stat around!
This!
One of the reasons Parsons wanted Rocky so bad is that no other midfielder in the NWSL gave Mandy more trouble than Rodriguez.
Anyone have some ideas why? Both are very physical but Henry is a better passer. I can’t remember their matchups.
TBH Mandy was gone before I knew Rocky existed.
Will only note that a McCaskill-Mandy-Weatherholt midfield is a VERY physical one and our gals have their work cut out for them.
Reyes in for Kling, bold prediction! Having watched Meghan struggle against certain Very Fast wingers I understand the sentiment, even while lauding her stint last week. Reyes brings in a dynamic that's hard to ignore.
Minute prediction for when Soph subs in? I'll go with 60, while acknowledging the Norris mode on preplanned subs seems to not switch on until 70 or more. When he remembers.
Must add it will to hard watching us face Mandy, especially given we evidently never bothered to enter the Let's Get Mandy derby.
No way to know what the Peregrine FO did in pursuit of Henry; hell, we don’t even know the status of more than half of our existing players’ contracts.
But agree; it sucks to see Henry playing for ACFC
I think Mandy took a page out of the book of Bill Russell and Kobe Bryant -- study your opponents very closely, and look at your own team from a different vantage point. Sometimes, the best way to do that is to play with your opponent rather than against them, and even face your own team. Mandy came here in the years leading up to WWC 2019, and how better to learn the American style than play in the league where the Nats played? She also did the same thing in 2017 by accepting a short-term loan to PSG before returning to Thorns so that she could face OL.
Have shared this before, taken at 1. our first Thorns match and 2. Mandy's first home appearance where she got her first NWSL assist.
https://live.staticflickr.com/7258/27948022952_ad974539ca_k.jpg
A LOT of talent on the field that night.