Scuffed | USMNT, World Cup, Yanks Abroad, futbol in America - #354: WoSo Wednesday — Time for Vlatko to coach, the NWSL draft, full pool report

Episode Date: January 11, 2023

Belz, Tara and Vince kick off a new series, hopefully once every two weeks. On the agenda today, the camp in New Zealand, Vlatko gets another shot at addressing the team's attacking woes, the NWSL draft, and a full player pool report from Cat to Girma.0:30 intro, big picture, etc.14:45 NWSL draft22:30 player pool report--- support Scuffed on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/scuffed- join the Discord: https://discord.gg/X6tfzkM8XU Skip the ads! Subscribe to Scuffed on Patreon and get all episodes ad-free, plus any bonus episodes. Patrons at $5 a month or more also get access to Clip Notes, a video of key moments on the field we discuss on the show, plus all patrons get access to our private Discord server, live call-in shows, and the full catalog of historic recaps we've made: https://www.patreon.com/scuffedAlso, check out Boots on the Ground, our USWNT-focused spinoff podcast headed up by Tara and Vince. They are cooking over there, you can listen here: https://boots-on-the-ground.simplecast.comAnd check out our MERCH, baby. We have better stuff than you might think: https://www.scuffedhq.com/store Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome to the scuff podcast where we talk about U.S. soccer. Hey, this is going to be a show about the women's national team and women's soccer. I've got Tara from Philadelphia with me and Vince from Louisville. And I'm Adam Bells in Greater Chattanooga. Hey, guys. Hi. I'm so excited that you both have agreed to talk about women's soccer and I can't wait to get started. I'm so excited that you are going to talk about women's soccer with us.

Vince, how you doing? I'm just chilling, man. Just chilling. As always. Should we start with the big picture? Yeah. The women's national team has five games in the next roughly 40 days. And I guess to kind of cut right to the chase,

they're a big chance for Vlocco to show that he can coach. Is that unfair? No. No. So I think the jury is definitely still out on whether or not. he can coach. For sure. I'm already upset with who he called up for this January window.

And I think that that's like a really large portion of what he gets wrong. We're not doing anything different. So I mean, like, yeah, it's time for him to prove if he can coach. But we're just going to keep doing the same thing where we have the same midfield. Yeah, that's the thing. He needs to prove that he can't coach, but it doesn't look like he's going to to do any coaching. Unfortunately.

Unfortunately. The reason for this, you know, slightly negative tone about the number one ranked team in the world is that we lost consecutively to England, Spain, and Germany in the fall. Then we got, we did get a workmanlike win in the back half of that doubleheader with Germany. But, yeah, we've been kind of cross-happy and dull in the attacking third. for a while, like all of Vlako's tenure, basically. Yeah, but you bringing up the Lost England,

really just reminded me about the amazing Trinity Rodman goal that got called back, and all of the sudden I'm happy again. Well, should you be happy? Because, you know, as we all know, Trinity has been a lightning rod amongst a fan base, you know, of Lacko choosing not to pull. play her as much as possible for whatever reason that befuddles me and uh you know and and the fan base that sits here and watches the nw sll and has watched a lot of trinity robin is like vlocko what the hell are you doing yeah i i mean like i would like to think of myself as a bit of an

abolitionist but i do think he should go to prison if she doesn't play in the january games let's get the paperwork filed He just loves to play Megan Rapino, right? I mean... Yeah. It's upsetting. She's not going to be there, and yet she is still a cloud over my experience watching this team,

because I just know she's going to go to the World Cup, and I don't understand why. But that's getting way ahead of myself. We'll get to it, though. So the upcoming games are... We're having January camp in New Zealand, and games against New Zealand, January 17, and 20, so next week.

And then, well, that's kind of cool because all of our group games in the World Cup will we played in New Zealand. Yeah, so we get to feel out the environment, I guess. But the thing I just learned on Diaspora United podcast, New Zealand's national team, they're going to be missing a lot of starters because it's not a official FIFA window. So yeah, it's cool that we're going to New Zealand. We get to be where our World Cup group stages are going to be. But on top of the already frustrating roster, what really are we going to learn against New Zealand side that is lacking like 10 plus players? Not a damn thing. Not a damn thing, unfortunately.

Bummer, guys. Bummer. I mean, you know, we got the Ceebleleys Cup coming up after that. You and Greg on the recap pods always talk about what a missed opportunity it was, like in Concucalf or in any of the friendlies in 2022 not to just hammer home scoring goals. So like maybe we can do that. Maybe it can just be scoring practice. Final third patterns.

Yeah. So, like, that's a bit of hope. But it all comes back to, like, who's going to be scoring these goals? I doubt we see a run of Trinity, who is a great goal scorer. I'm excited to see Lynn Williams out there. I hope she gets minutes. I mean, again, we'll get into it later. But I'm intrigued but cautious about these games next week.

I mean, surely, Vlako on some level, has to understand that the attacking performances haven't been good enough. He's got to try to address it in some way, surely. He hasn't yet. Has he? This is his opportunity, I guess. 2023 new Vladco. Yeah. Yep, yep.

We'll take it. He's fresh off his assignment at the Qatar World Cup, you know, scouting for us. to which you know what a good job he did right exactly what a excellent job he did he's probably he's probably the person

that I give the most credit for for for our showing here at the World Cup so hopefully he takes that and parlayes it into into greatness for the women's national team in this summer world cup I wonder if he had a word with airborne ever you know

no he was in the shadows he probably never they probably never bumped shoulders Guys, all of this talk about January just reminded me, Sophia Smith isn't going to be there. God, I was just happy and now I'm upset again. There's a picture of her in a boot, some kind of foot injury, right? We should talk quickly about the roster, the rest of the roster.

So, yeah, Smith and Rapino out, Lynn Williams making her return. Any other notable things or surprises? is basically the same roster as before, like you said. Yeah, Lynn being back and Midge being back are awesome. They're great. I'm especially excited for Lynn because she's been out for so long. So she was injured. It was hamstring and I believe a hip injury as well since the very beginning of the last season.

March 19. With Kansas City. So I'm pretty sure that happened in Louisville, I think. Well, thanks. Thanks a lot. I could be wrong. But she was back fully training with Kansas City before the NWSL final, which Kansas City was part of. But I bring it up because Vladko also spoke about her return when the roster was released.

But he said this. He said she is a regular United States women national team player, and he didn't want to punish her for getting hurt. She has been training with Kansas City at the end of last season and should be 100. 100% ready to go. And that rubbed me the wrong way, so I want to know what you two think. What rubbed you the wrong way about it? He didn't want to punish her for getting hurt, so she just gets to come back no matter what. Like, I'm excited she's back, but the ownership that players have when they make this team is

really perplexing to me. I don't understand how you just get to have your spot forever. Yeah, and I thought the big thing that came out of the CBA was going to be that we would kind of get away from this. You know, we're getting away from allocated players. We're getting away from the Fed, like, you know, playing these payers' salaries for essentially being on the national team, which in that system makes sense that it would just, you know, set your spot up. at that point, if the fed's paying your salary, then, you know, we're not just going to be wasting our money for you not to play on the national team. And so I thought with that going away and all this,

I thought we would see more like a traditional national team set. So especially with the amount of talent that we have in this country, I thought it would be more of a, you know, meritocracy. Meritocracy. I mean, you saw Alex Morgan last year say that this was, like the first time she cared about club ball because she had the ball out to to get back. Yeah. Into the picture. And she absolutely did it.

So Tara, I know you got a little, it's a little controversial for you, Tara. But the numbers were the numbers. And I just thought that we would be entering a new era and we would see this way of thinking just take hold to. to where you got to perform on the club to be a part of the national team and that the competition would be so fierce, of course, that, you know, it would just be, you know, just very dynamic, very dynamic. And it looks like the national team is not going to be as dynamic as I thought it would be. No. And like all of that was really, really great points. And like I want to, I want to make sure I'm super clear. I'm so excited to Lynn is back. She's going to make this team better. But by saying that she's a regular national team player and he didn't want to punish her for getting hurt, that just opens so many questions.

Like there are other players who've gotten hurt and don't come back. There are players who get called in who are currently injured. Like, her aunt was injured most of 2022 when she was playing for us. Andy Sullivan was injured a lot of the time. Yep. It just comes off as real funky. And, you know, I agree with everything you said, Vince. I wish there were more competition for these spots. But I'm excited to see what Lynn looks like.

And I guess that's just how I got to go at it. Well, other than Rapino, is there anybody who's regularly called into the national team who's not performing well for their club? No, she's actually been very good. She was very good last year in the NW. But very limited minutes because she was always hurt. Right. I mean, Kelly O'Hara, she's not on this list, but I would bet you both lots of money that she's making the World Cup. she had a terrible season

Sonnet She didn't have a very good season Hailey Mace didn't have the best season But you know I'm a fan and I think Kansas City She's very good with Kansas City But she's had some

Some flubs I mean Rose LaVelle didn't have A knockout The perfect season But it's You know It's her midfield to have.

There's a lot of others. I mean, Midge Purse had a terrible season. I love Midge Purse, but she had a terrible season. And I'm really intrigued if she would be here if Sophia Smith or Rupino weren't hurt. Yeah. Okay. She believes Cup is in February, the 16th, 19th, and 22nd. Of course, the 19th is versus Japan in Nashville.

Vince and I are going to be there. You're going to come down for that, Tara? Probably not, right? My niece really wants to go, and she's, like, kind of bullying me about it. So I have to talk to my brother, her dad, and see if we can make something happen. I'm bringing my kids. NWSL draft. Well, go ahead, Vince.

I was going to say it's going to be a great time. It is. It's going to be a great time. It's going to be my first women's national team cap. Oh, I'm excited to see. Same here. I'm excited to see. And I got tickets very close to the field.

I'm ready to see the action. You guys are going to love it. It's totally different than a men's game. All you see are hopeful little kids everywhere. Last women's game I went to, I was argued with a child who had Megan Rubino hair. It was phenomenal. You've, what's the word? You've described the contrast between the two vibes before.

Yeah. Like the hopeful children at women's national team games. What's, how would you characterize men's national team games? You go to the men's game and you want to scream and, you know, get very drunk or be your worst version of yourself. Facts. You go to women's games and you just are excited that so many kids.

kids love soccer and love these players and you, and this is at least how I feel. And you get to see like such talented players all over the field. The crowd is eating it up. You just feel hopeful. Let's go. Yeah, I don't know. That sounds like a great opportunity for me to ruin some kids' dreams. Look, no, so don't be outside the stadium kicking a soccer ball.

I'm going to tell you trash. But I'm going to bring like six soccer balls, honestly. All right. The NWSL draft is tomorrow. So Thursday night at the United Soccer Coaches Convention in Philadelphia, which I imagine some of you, you know, listening are attending. Anything on your guys' minds with regard to the draft? Tons.

Well, it's going to be streaming on Paramount Plus. So I know I'm going to be watching it. if you are a patron in the Discord, please watch it with me. I think it's going to be really exciting. I mean, I could go on forever about this class. I'm so excited to see if Alyssa Thompson really is the number one choice for Angel City. And I am hoping and praying that Gotham doesn't screw anything up. And Michelle Cooper gets signed. to Gotham. These are two powerhouses. These are two superstars. These are two players that we're going to be talking about for the next 10 years easily, probably more with the way that this team likes to hold on to players. And I am, I can't wait. Like after the Olympics, after this last Olympics,

I was like, great. We're going to be able to adjust. We're going to be able to play the, you. younger talent that we have. Our team's going to look different. Everything's looking up. Everything's wonderful. It didn't super happen that way. So I feel a bit like, who's the kid in Charlie Brown who keeps getting the football taken out from one of them?

That's Charlie, Charlie Brown. Oh, that is the lead character of Charlie Brown, Charlie. Well, I feel like Charlie and I'm getting right back up to kick again. I can't wait to see what this next phase of the women's national team looks like because Alyssa Thompson and Michelle Cooper are about to show out in this league. And I really can't, I can't wait. It's going to be the best NWSL year ever. All right.

Yeah. And just, so it's just from knowing and talking to Tara. I know Tara is very excited. She's been on the Alyssa Thompson, please skip college train for a long. huh? Terror is probably the pioneer of this movement. Because I don't know if anybody knew that she actually could or would be allowed to. I don't understand the rules in WSL has, to be honest. Just to clarify for folks, she was going to go to Stanford. She committed when she was 15 years old to go to Stanford. Her sister committed to go to Stanford. They are the two

youngest athletes to ever sign with Nike, it's a huge get for this league. For sure. And like if she goes to Angel City, she's going to be in a front three with Kristen, Kristen Press, Sidney LaRue, and Alyssa Thompson. She's going to be able to learn from people who have World Cuts, who have gold medals, who have bronze medals too. But I'm sure I don't like to talk about that much. It's going to be amazing.

Like she is going to take this league by storm. And I think that that's going to do wonders for a lot of our current national team players. But I mean, like, you don't ever want to be the girl who says don't go to college. So I'm really hoping it pays off. Seems like it will. Yeah, yeah. It's going to pay off. Yeah, it's going to pay off.

LA Times has reported that Angel City will use their pick. They traded for the first pick. And so it seems pretty clear they're going to take it. Yeah, crazy, crazy. And this goes back to the original point about the national team and just the spot thing regarding Lynn and all that. I mean, when we talk about the Wingerpool coming up, maybe not necessarily for this World Cup,

but the next Olympics going on from there, I mean, it's going to be crazy. It is. Like we're going to have Alyssa Trinity. Jaden Shaw, Sof, Mao, Midge. I mean, it's going to be

it's going to be insane. Like the amount of the amount of attack and talent that we've stockpiled. And then we also, if you watch the U-17 World Cup, we got Anya Gamiro coming. And she's incredibly nice. Yeah.

So it's, it's, yeah. A U-17 World Cup was so fun to watch, I thought. It was a sharp contrast to the U-20 World Cup. Women's World Cup. And even though we didn't get the result that we wanted, that really happened because of a controversial penalty call, very controversial. We played just absolutely beautiful soccer. That's encouraging.

I know I did go on quite the tirade about Elizabeth Thompson, but I'm also really, really excited about Michelle Cooper. And I'm excited for Gotham. They finished last in the league last year. It got Midge basically off of the national team. Somehow, Christy Mewis got to stay, but a conversation for a little time. I think. But if we get Midge and Michelle Cooper up top, that is United States women's national team royalty in the making.

I'm so looking forward to seeing how this works out. And they got Efi, right? Yeah, I mean, amazing, but you know, not a national team player. So I was trying to. Yeah, yeah, right, right. She played for Nigeria, but I'm just saying that's a, that's a, that's a. I would be scared. It's a pretty daunting threesome right there.

Yeah, for sure. They are, all three of those players are extremely nice. They're going to come out. They can do things individually with the ball that are amazing. They're going to come out strong. I mean, a lot of teams are, but Gotham is one to watch. And they deserve it. I can't wait.

Do you guys really think Michelle Cooper is extremely nice? Yes. You should watch some of her Duke goals. She had an incredible year. She just won soccer player of the year. Yeah, Michelle Cooper is extremely nice. For sure. I know I like it.

Like, I know we just talked about that U-20 team. And, you know, she was a member, as was Alyssa Thompson. And, you know, we didn't play the best. And we're putting it mostly on the feet of our coach Tracy Kevin, who I never want to see on the sideline for any soccer game ever again in life. But, you know, we just can't put, we can't put too much on them. Well, okay, but despite the poor collective performance, you could see Alyssa Thompson making the difference.

You could see Michelle Cooper doing things too, for sure. And Michelle Cooper. It's a little harder when you don't got a runway, like down a sideline. You know what I'm saying, playing through the middle. Michelle Cooper is also like very different than a lot of our striker options. Like she's very muscular. She's very strong. She's going to beat up defenders.

Yeah. Yeah, I can see that for sure. You turn our Duke film on bills. Turn it all. Okay, okay. All right. We got a list of players in the national team. We're just going to kind of go through them.

All right? Let's start with Kat Makario. What's the latest on her recovery? Yeah. So per Vladko in the November window, so this was back in November, she was able to start playing by the end of February. But with this last roster release, we got more updated information. And now he's saying that she could be back on a field in four to five weeks. which is still fine for us.

It's still good. She looks strong. She's running when she posts on Instagram or when her club posts. But I am blindly hoping that schedule is padded a bit. She's likely leaving her club this summer as well. So hopefully the World Cup can get her somewhere big. Yeah, why is she leaving? Why is she leaving, Leon?

Her contract's up, and it just is rumored that they're not extending. I know I saw a bunch of different Champions League teams in the mix for her. But I mean, wherever she goes, she's going to be the best person on the field. We're so lucky that she is playing for us. We haven't gotten nearly enough of her in a United States uniform, especially with her getting hurt. But yeah, I can't wait for her to get back four to five weeks. Can't come soon enough.

We miss her dearly. It's tempting to think that she's just, she's a silver bullet for attacking woes. For sure. I mean, if you're unfamiliar. She might be. If you're unfamiliar, Katarina McCarillo, for the national team, she's mostly been used as like a false nine. Yeah. Comes in, makes plays just like absolute baller.

just absolute baller person you can give the ball to anywhere on the field zone 14 half space whatever and she'll make something happen she won't lose it

she's also a roofless finisher and also if you're unfamiliar with Leon as a women's football outfit probably the most prestigious club in the world as far as you know just the standard

that they have set for women's football one champion's league last season. Wanted last season, have won it many seasons. Thanks to Kat, though, last year. Right. Links to who? Thanks to Kat.

Like, she was incredible last year when they won Champions League. Yeah. She's also a dual nat. She could have chose Brazil, but she didn't. Fina, I'm of a talent. She broke my heart by spurning the NWSL because race in Louisville had the first pick that year. It could have been right down the street.

Definitely made the right decision. You know what I'm saying? We've been in the news here recently, but in a lot of people's mind, cat may be the women's national team's best player right now. Yeah. And if you want to feel proud of America, which I do, I do want to feel that. Watch that video for explaining her decision, why she chose to play for the U.S. Trinity Robin.

No real news from our old pal Trinity. So last year she re-signed with the Washington Spirit. And I believe that goes through 2024. And resigning made her the highest paid person in the NWSL. So we have a lot of changes with the draft and with free agencies. So I don't know if that's still the case. But she took a lot of heat online last year for being the highest paid player. Like she's so young.

She's so brand new. She took a lot of heat. And I'm just here to remind everyone that that is not how progress works. A lot of these women currently on the team, on past teams who fought so long for equal pay, they did not just mean for them. It's for all women who come after them as well. And Trinity is getting money, getting paid, doing incredible. And I'm hoping Washington Spirit have a good year. They have not had any big exciting news like some of these other clubs so far.

but Trinity Rodman is that big exciting player so maybe they don't need it. So I imagine there's a lot of people listening this who've been tuned out of the women's soccer world, right? So I feel the need to give this background information. When we talk about these contracts and say, so basically like we have the NWSL here and then WSL is largely thought of as the best women's league in the world. But Europe is coming on and coming on strong. and in order to be able to keep these magnificent talents that we develop here in the U.S., we've got to be able to pay them. Got to be able to pay them. And on top of that, the money is not coming from the Fed anymore.

It has to come from the individual clubs, an investment from the owners, all these types of things. So anyone getting paid and staying here and helping to keep the strength of the league where it is is a big deal. And on top of that, Trinity Robin came in the NW. and absolutely just clowned it. You know what I'm saying? Led the Washington Spirit to a championship in a rookie season and in the championship game was the best player on the field. Like she put her foot down and refused to let the Washington Spirit lose that game. Which, that game happened in Louisville, by the way.

She's another phenom that like to me before I really saw the greatness of Sophia Smith. You know, I thought Trinity was winger one. wing or one for sure for me in my head but you know she she's also what two or three years younger than so yeah yeah it's it's coming and this is just another a one diamond five star whatever you want to call a talent that we have just sitting in the wings here waiting to explode on the on the international stage hopefully in this next world cup how much was she getting paid how much is she getting paid do we know it's When I looked at $285,000 a year.

She's catching heat for making $285? Because your ripinos or your morgans are closer to $255. And again, this was last year's reporting. So I got three words for the people giving her heat for that. Mind your business. I mean, it's truly that simple. She took heat for a lot of reasons last year. but for everything then said, her rookie season was phenomenal.

She's one of a kind. I'm really looking forward to seeing how she breaks in. All right. Alex Morgan and Ashley Hatch Roundout the strikers. I think you, Tara, do you want to explain why Alex Morton actually had a bad year in 2022? Yeah. And already, I'm sure everybody's rolling their eyes because that sounds outrageous. And I know it does.

But I won't apologize because when so many people within women's sports talk about how she single-handedly brought this brand-new expansion team into the playoffs, they broke so many records. She was the golden boot winner with 15 goals last season. I didn't like it. I, I, oh. She plays for the San Diego Wave. San Diego Wave. What really brought San Diego Wave into the playoffs was Naomi Germa. She was a brick wall in the back.

San Diego's first signing was Abby Dalkemper, who is a previous women's national team centerback. Abby Dalkempur was hurt. A majority of the wave. season. She really didn't play. So Naomi Germa, rookie season, comes into San Diego Wave and does wonders. She is now the senior person in the back, centerback. She captained the team many times. She was phenomenal. She kept Wave in it. Morgan scored 15 goals. Yes. I don't. care for how they play. I don't think she's had the best season with the national team. You know, a lot of people get upset about that, but she's not my striker going into the World

Cup. And that makes me really nervous. I want Cat to be back. I want Cat to be healthy. But even if she's back and even if she's healthy, Vladko has made it clear that she doesn't just get her spot back. He's even said she has to earn her way back. I don't see a scenario where we don't get to have Alex Morgan not start for us. And it upsets me. I get, I get, wait, wait. You're saying you fear that she will start. Yeah, with no matter how many healthy players we have,

especially, like I'm specifically talking about Kat who has been wonderful for our team. I think Alex will still get the start above her, which I don't believe is correct. And I think that this opens up another conversation about me official, which I know we're going to get to later. But she's scoring 30 plus goals in Mexico. And she doesn't even get a tryout. Like it feels, it feels funky to me. Well, if we're going to talk about the San Diego wave success, last season, we also got to mention Taylor Cornyette, but we'll get there. Oh, God.

I thought you were going to say, Jaden Shaw. Well, Jane came on very late, but we'll get there. We'll get there. And Jaden Chaw should be in the conversation. And also, she should probably be a Washington spirit player, but Jill Ellis stole her. It's absolutely crazy that Jaden Shaw hasn't been called up yet. Let's keep moving. I want her called up.

Sophia Smith, we already talked about her not being in January camp. You know, she's got a new coach as of this week at the Portland Thorns, a guy nobody's heard of who is inheriting the reigning champs and the reigning league MVP. He was their assistant coach, I believe. And I've already seen it online quite a bit, you know, another white dude, another white British dude to get even more specific. And yeah, that sucks. But what I like is that he has the player's approval already. Countless Thorns players have come out to celebrate, not just have a stamp of approval, talk about how wonderful he is, I've talked about how excited they are to get going.

I know Kelly Hubley has mentioned it. I know Sophia has mentioned it. I know Bella Vicksby has mentioned it. And if we've learned anything, it should be to listen to these players. So it should start and stop there. For sure. Okay, after Sophia Smith, Mallory, formerly Pugh, married to a man named Dansby, and now her last name is Swanson.

Yep. Yep, it's a big development for me personally as an Atlanta Braves fan and who was very excited when we made the trade to get Dansby, when he was still a prospect, still a baby. I remember until this day, we got on first. for pretty much nothing, traded him for Shelby Miller. I don't know if y'all were. No.

So the real baseball has no, okay? Real baseball has no. But anyway, you know, Danzby, I think born and raised in Marietta, Georgia. I was born in Marietta, right outside Atlanta. And yeah, basically been a staple for the Braves over these last few years. World champion.

World champion, Danesby Swanson. You know what I'm saying? But anyway, you know, so congrats. Yes, congratulations. to the couple. To the nuptials and all that. She looked gorgeous. She did.

She looked gorgeous. I don't love the last name. I keep reading it as Swan Song and it is making me nervous that this is like her last go of it, which is ridiculous because she's really young. But like I get I get real eerie about it. But is Swanson not a name that you've seen a lot in your life? No. Is that is that odd? It just seems like a fairly common name.

I don't love it. Don't love it. But I like Chicago. When I was a child, I loved the movie Rookie of the Year, which is about the Chicago Cubs. That's the only thing I know about the Chicago Cubs. I love that movie, too. And she's one of the very few players left at Chicago. It's her.

It's Alyssa Nair. and I'm curious to see how they pull this off because they sold like all of their midfield. They traded all of their midfield. It's intriguing. Hopefully, hopefully it works out because I do love Mallory. So I will say she came to, so I actually so fan Mallory both came to Louisville

and just scored absolutely ridiculous goals. And that was very entertained for me personally being in the stadium. Mallory is one of my favorite players on this expected World Cup roster because she's so mean. I really think we need to get more mean. I love the attitude she has on the field. Like during the NWS, she basically ran over a photographer and she got a lot of heat for that too. But her head's in the game at all points. And I appreciate that.

Yeah. If we don't get our attacking third sorted out under Vlako, which doesn't sound like either of you is terribly optimistic about, we're going to score, the way we're going to score goals is Mallory and Sophia in the press and then just cutting the opponent's throat, you know? Yeah. And I feel like if you don't watch a lot of the women's national team,

you turn on one of these games, you see Swanson and Smith, they look like they're on another level, you know, just so, so dynamic. Yeah, it's crazy. To me, both of them look that way. I feel like Midge Purse, Alyssa Thompson, Trinity Rodman, and Megan Rapino, we've talked about enough. Anything else to say about them?

Midge Purse is a woman of many talents, soccer being only one of them. Politician MidgePers. Yeah, she's probably going to be like Senator soon. She went to Harvard. I only bring it up because she's, I'm thinking she's probably not making the world. Cup roster, but she created this digital show, which is coming out early 2023, so like any day now, called the off season. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

And I'm really excited about it. It looks really silly in the clips that have been released so far. It's just a bunch of soccer players, if he's there from Gotham, who have this big house, and it's the off season. They're training, they're living together. It's like vintage reality shows. They got a camera crew in there? Yeah, it's a full on TV show they're going to put out episode.

It's hilarious. Let's go. Yeah, I love that. I'm fairly certain, like, people get voted out, too. Ooh. It's good. The rumors that are coming out are all very entertaining. So I'm looking forward to watching.

That's all I bring it up for. Okay. And then Lynn Williams is back after getting injured last March. And let's see. Midfielders. No, hold on, hold on. So I will take this time to just speak on Jaden Shaw real quick. I kind of deferred earlier because I wanted to keep the show moving, but just real quick.

Jaden Shaw came into the NWSL last season as a 17-year-old and also took the league by storm. In her very first NWSL start, she was probably the best player on the field, scored a goal. hasn't been called up yet while Alyssa Thompson has been called up and not to pit you know I'm not trying to put them against each other but but if I'm if I'm if I'm taking one or the other I'm probably picking Jaden Shaw at this at this very moment that's ridiculous it may be ridiculous but I don't know Jaden Shaw can play inside she can play outside I don't know. Is it ridiculous when one has played in the NWSL and the other one hasn't?

But Jaden, absolute baller, plays for the San Diego Wave. There will be more coming. There will be more coming. She was also voted U.S. women's young player of the year here recently in the past week. So. Yep. So by the way, Sophia Smith voted player of the year. I agree with everything he just said.

We're going to get into it when it comes. to Taylor Corneack. I love Jaden Charles. She should have been caught up. I don't think in lieu of Alyssa Thompson, though. That's all I'm saying. All right. Midfielders.

Crystal Dunn. You know, working back to full fitness, I assume. And we're putting her here solely for manifestation reasons, I think. We just hope that she's a midfielder. We need help in the midfield. and she is the solution. She is one of the solutions. She's incredible.

She can play any position. But, you know, she's probably going to be a defender, and that's upsetting. It's upsetting. If you've watched Crystal over the years playing the NWS Hill, really, even if you just watch her play left back, you can tell that she has a level of class on the ball and just like a, just a supercomputer brain that would work perfectly in the midfield. even if you've just seen the national team. And if you watch the NWSL, you know what time it is.

When it comes to Crystal Dunn playing in the midfield. She's just an incredible footballer, an incredible footballer. And I hope, you know, we have some left backs now that can deputize out there. Let's go ahead and move Crystal inside because, you know, there's been a lot of, there's been a lot of discussion about it, about our midfield, the U.S. women's national team midfield. and I think personally it's bad. A lot of people will say there's other more pressing reasons with the,

more pressing issues with the team, but I think the biggest one for me is the midfield. And Crystal Dunn is a huge candidate for me. If I was coaching, if I was doing some coaching, I would put Crystal Dunn in the midfield. And she spoke to Grant Wall a couple months ago before. RIP. Yeah, which I just got so sad about again because he was one of the only people to even care about this national team.

But when she did speak to Grae, she mentioned how she would like to play in the midfield for the national team. I mean, like, when you look at this team, she was only a left back out of necessity, not because she ever was that position. They just needed someone for that position and they stuck Crystal there. And it turned out, of course, she was incredible because she's one of the most talented players we've ever had. But the necessity's gone. She can go back, like Vince said. The midfield does need to be solved. I guess we could sort of address that right now.

Other than Crystal Dunn at the 6th, which doesn't seem likely to happen. Or I guess it doesn't have to be the 6th, right? It could be the 8. If we're making wishes, it's for the six, but we'd take anything. Okay. Is the reason to think Andy Sullivan will add some elegance and ball progression to the way she played for the national team last year? Yeah, yeah. I mean, I feel like a total joke saying it, but I do have some hope.

She was injured a lot of last year. And like we mentioned earlier, Vladko continues to call people up who are injured. She never really got a break. She didn't play every spirit game because of that, but she was called up all of the time for the national team. And I'm hoping that over this off season, she healed up and she's training well

because I do really like Andy Sullivan. It's just you couldn't look at these past few games or 2020 as a whole and say that she should be the starter. Yeah. Yeah. With how I look at the midfield, I just feel like, especially if you're going to run with Lindsey Horan and Rose Lovell is your two eights, then that six has to be like an absolute dynamo.

Like we need her everywhere. You know what I'm saying? and putting out every single fire winning more second balls than not. I mean, 80% of like, I don't think people understand the job that Julie Urch is really doing out there. Julie Ertz was going to absolute work

every single match, just being an absolute warrior for the squad. And it remains to be seen if she comes back or not. Probably is not coming back, it seems. But, yeah, I think we, and that's something I think we might be lacking in this pool. I mean, well, we do got, you know, racing levels on Jalen Howe, but, you know, we're not going to get into that right now. Has been caught up here recently.

But out of the pool of available sixes that we have, none of them kind of fit the mold that I'm talking about. And that brings up a larger point that is reoccurring throughout this team is that we keep trying to do the same thing over and over. again, we don't need a six to be Juilliards. She was phenomenal. She won us many, many awards and trophies and championships, but just because she's gone doesn't mean we need to find Julia arts 2.0. We can try something else. We just don't do that. Right, right. And that's why for me it's like, put somebody else in the eight. Like, we knew we needed additional ball winning, additional steel just a little bit not too much you know what I'm saying but and and maybe if Lindsay's healthy now she can give that to us but I don't I don't think that's ever really going

to be a feature of Lindsay Iran's game but right yeah I feels like Sullivan Sullivan is probably the closest corollary to the to what you described with Ertz Vince right so that maybe that's It just continues to be what we do. I know you don't, you guys maybe aren't as high on Sam Coffey as I am, but I thought she looked pretty good in her limited time. I do, I do agree that she's not, you know, she doesn't bring the steel you need if your, if your eights are going to be Heron and Lavelle, probably. I really like Sam Coffee.

She was up for rookie of the year. She just lost to Naomi Germa, so what a way to lose out. she had a great year with Portland you know they won the championship so I like Sam Coffee she's not where she needs to be if we're just going to keep playing this same exact way

though yeah yeah I've so I've had a agenda running against Sam Coffee for a long time now well probably about six seven months and

and basically because it was me pitting her against against Jalen Howell, you know what I'm saying, to two Ricky defensive midfielders. And then when Sam Coffey started getting called up over Jalen, I was like, all right, it's time to go to the war room, get all my, you know, all my ducks in a row, my documents ready so we could get this agenda up and running.

And then Portland came, Portland came to Louisville. Sam Coffey did not start that match, came on at halftime, and then got promptly left in the dust by Savannah Domello. and that play has just been burned in my mind ever since. And I can't get it out of my head. And while I can't really take anything away from her club performance or national team performance. You saw her got smoked that one time and that's it. That's it, man.

That's it for me. So you already know which way I was leaning. So that was all the confirmation I needed. It all comes back to the, it all comes back to the year. Europe of America. Yep. Yep. You're damn right.

But yeah, she's, she has played well for the national team, though. So I'm not going to, I'm not going to sit here in front like she hasn't. When she had the opportunity, she showed up, did a thing. But we'll see because, because, I mean, it's not just that I'm solely trying to run the agenda. I mean, that that is a little worrying, you know what I'm saying? Yeah, for sure, for sure. In the indie she believes matches if somebody faces her ass up and just. completely annihilates her in that way that would be disappointing to see.

And in these high-stakes matches and the World Cup, all these type of things, that's just something we can't have. Yeah, yeah. That's the question. Can she be the six for, well, I guess not. The answer is not right, not yet. The six for a team that wins a World Cup and relies heavily on the six for defending. Lindsay Horan, should she be the nine?

No. I don't think so. The thing with Lindsay Horan, she's having a pretty good season right now. She has two goals already. But for Leon. Yeah, for Leon. But I have a trouble, I have trouble going to, like feeling too safe with her hand on the field because I just, I just don't think she's that innovative. I don't think she's that clever.

I think Ashley Sanchez is much more fun. I think Ashley Sanchez will try a lot more interesting things. But, you know, when you have fun and when you're trying new things, that fails sometimes. And I think that has hurt her a lot. But I'm just not really a huge Horan fan. And it's hard to say that because I think this is basically her. team. I think we're never not going to see Lindsay Heron. And the thing about her playing in the midfield, she actually is kind of playing a second striker most of the time. Like that's kind of how

she interprets it. You know, she's up there a lot in the box and whatnot. I was going to say if we're worried about coffee getting left in the dust, I mean, what happens when Lindsay Horan faces somebody up? Yeah, yeah. I know she'd been hurt, but. Yeah, yeah. So that's my thing. it's yeah Lindsay is is the battleship of this team you know if you watch a team

you watch it closely a lot of times you will see Lindsay running behind somebody who's either passed her up or she's lost a duel or something and Tara you made a good point as far as like

she kind of gets this license to be like this free player like she is like some type of creative dynamo and I really don't know if that's the case I don't think it is and I think it goes back to, which it feels like I should put a tin foil hat on right now, but it really goes back to Carly Lloyd giving the number 10 to Lindsay Horan, like, okay?

This is yours now forever. Oh, you know, and there might be some political, some political alignment there, I think. If I remember correctly. It's like with the handoff of the number 10 jersey, it was like a starry. it was like a storm cloud has followed ever. And it's been troubling for me personally. The thing with Sanchez, I agree she's more fun. I think she's also more of a ball winner than Iran,

which is kind of a odd thing to say, but it feels true to me. But I don't know, Sanchez has to really, really become dominant to overcome her. I guess that's kind of what you guys are saying because it's Iran's team. It just doesn't feel like Sanchez has been enough of a difference maker when she came on. Yeah. Where you'd say like, yeah, she's got to start ahead of Iran or Lavelle, for that matter. Yeah, but it's just one of those things where it's like, you know, if you don't give them the keys, then you're going to be sitting there like, oh, well, look what she did. Right.

When she came on for 20 minutes, you know what I'm saying? Yeah. So do we, so you. So you guys want to talk about Taylor Corkniac? Always. Every day I'm alive. Taylor Corniak should not be on this roster. I see no appeal in soccer players who are there because they are tall.

I, like, if we were in a World Cup final and we had 10 minutes left, I'd be like, okay, that makes sense. We got someone really tall. go try it. We've got to get a goal. But I don't watch this sport just to see, hey, let's try to get it to our head. That's not fun for me. It's not even that fun to watch. I don't think it works nearly enough to even warrant a call-up. And like bringing it back to Jaden Chaw for one second. And Chal had this incredible goal, okay, in the NWSL. Brand new player. Cornyak and Chal are our teammates in San Diego. Yeah. So Jaden Shaw had this incredible goal.

Brand new player. It was one of her first games because she only played the latter half of the season. But anyway, Jaden Chaw scores. She runs to the corner flag and she starts surfing. That's her celebration. They're the San Diego way. She's surfing. She's got team.

mates behind her surfing. And I was adorable. That's so cute. Go Jane and Chalk for life. I love it. But San Diego Wave puts out Taylor Corniac and Alex Morgan surfing as like the new PR package. These two are the girls who are doing this fun little cute surf. And ever since I've been like, I don't like it.

It gives me a bad feeling. I also don't care for how she plays. soccer and what they just did they just cut jaden out of the out of the out of the out of the clip yeah interesting oh brother and and I mean like there there are you'll find clips of jaden doing it but what they really pushed out was not that one and you know that that aside because it's not a not a soccer reason that aside is being tall a soccer scale Cornyac has not impressed me when I've seen her. What were you going to say, Vince?

So I've been on the Taylor Corniac train since once again, when the wave came to Louisville, when the wave came to Louisville. And she did her thing. She did her thing. She's, I mean, when we talk about tall, she's a solid like 6-1. Yes.

Solid 6-1. She was with Orlando before she came to San Diego. So the season before. and Louisville's first ever game, which was a Challenge Cup match against Orlando. I don't know if Taylor started or not, but I remember causing us major problems, and she was a forward at that time.

I think she came up through Colorado and her first seasons in the NWSL as a forward. This past season with the wave, it was the first time she got moved back to midfield. And just to me, in that match, she was pretty impressive. And one thing, so you cancel, sleep on her feet. You can't sleep on her feet. She does have the ability to be very smooth with the ball. She's not necessarily like a giraffe out there or a baby giraffe. She's a little bit like a baby giraffe. You need to watch the NW cell bells. That's your problem. That's your problem. But it also was hilarious just watching that match. Because when they were, you know, there's two wins to a stadium, of course. And when the wave went.

When the wave were attacking towards the goal where you can basically walk down and get up on it, I like walk down there. And because, you know, Alex Morgan was in the game. I just wanted to see everybody and Naomi was down there. Abbey doll campers playing in that match. And we were kind of putting the wave under pressure, corner after corner after corner. And these corners were just futile attempts at scoring goals because Taylor Corneack.

it was no shot it was no shot it ever you know is this all about the little game though that so that was the first match where i was where i was intrigued yes and and i've been watching since i'm a big appreciator of her game and and when you thought you're going to say you're a big appreciator of set piece defending no no and so when you when you also add in the fact this was the first year playing midfield professionally you know what I'm saying? There's some growth there. There's some growth there.

I'm with it if nobody else is. I think you need to come with a disclaimer because I think you just like being controversial. I don't believe that you like Taylor Cornyack this much. No, no, I've been on this for a minute. I've been on this for a minute. I mean, I'm essentially a troll. I mean, I'm essentially a troll.

Relax. No, no, I've been on this for a minute. There's other, you know, there's other things that I take up. causes I take up in the name of trolle them. This is not one of them. I was a cornyac fan before you were anti-corniac, Tara. I am newly on this train. That is a good point.

I haven't been anti-coonyac that long. Guys, let's go through the fullbacks and centerbacks quickly, if we may. Yeah, I got to get to work. Yeah, I got to work too. Kelly O'Hara? She's not on the roster, but she had. an interesting off season. She went on Men and Blazers live,

and she announced that she was joining Gotham before she was allowed to announce that she was joining Gotham. Nice. So they got fine for that. She also got engaged, so congrats, Kelly. I hope she's good for Gotham because I'm excited for Michelle and Midge,

but she had a terrible season last year, so I'm not too hopeful. We already discussed Crystal Dunn and how she likely under Vlako will end up playing fullback. Emily Fox, what's the report from Louisville? Just in general, I mean, a tremendous player. Yeah. I saw someone on the Discord say that she's hesitant to resign

because she's thinking about Europe. Well, I mean, it will make sense. We've re-signed Savannah Demello, re-signed Jalen Howell. That just came out yesterday. Yeah. and yeah, Emily has been the one where I've been kind of anxious, you know, waiting, awaiting some news. But it hasn't come. It hasn't come.

And this was the first overall pick, the first ever pick in the clubs, in the club's history. That was going to be Kat if Kat didn't go to Leon. And we ended up picking up Emily Fox, left back, just an extremely exciting player to watch. just because she'll do all types of stuff. She'll go on like marauding runs with the ball through midfield. She can play as a midfielder. She can deputize as a midfielder too. She's just an absolute baller.

And when it comes to, I mean, and just her dribbling too. When you see her like, you know, take a run through the midfield or dribble somebody on the left touchline or anything like that, it just brings, it just makes you happy. It just makes you happy. Yeah, she's really dynamic. Progresses the ball. She's really dynamic. And just absolute elite athlete, too. I'm really curious about how she does in this window, what she does in this window,

and where she ends up in this upcoming season. Because I have a big hope that she does not take becoming Crystal Dunn's backup lightly. I think she has every right to fight for a starting spot. And I hope that in doing so, it reevaluates where we play Crystal because obviously we need Crystal done on the field. But I think she's in a really interesting spot right now. Okay. And skipping ahead to centerbacks, I just want to say, well, do you want to talk about Carson Pickett real quick, Tara? No, it was just on there as Carson Pickett has done an amazing job this past season.

And she is consistently our first call to add to a roster. not really on the roster. And I think that she deserves to be here. But like we said, how you play in your club doesn't always matter for this team. Very good player. Also, Haley-Mains has re-signed with the current. I can't remember if that was mentioned already. Centerbacks.

Real quick about Emily Fox. Just one thing to watch out for. I think she's had like three concussions in this past calendar year. She's had at least two for sure. So definitely want to be on the on a lookout for that and hopefully because you know She just goes a hundred miles an hour at all times and hopefully she either learns how to you know How to pull out of some challenges maybe or just we we we we we we we we we we we we don't need any more of that don't need any more of that please Yeah, that's kind of scary

Centerbacks you know Naomi Germa as you probably know one rookie of the year and defender of the year for the wave. And then, you know, Sauerbren and Cook are probably going to get their fair number of minutes too in this camp. And then Tina Davidson not back yet from injury. Yep. No big news. Naomi Germa should be, I believe is. But you never want to be too safe.

She should be our number one centerback going into the World Cup. Yes. Yeah, that seems. It seems to me that she's almost locked that up through her play over the last three. Well, are those windows? I don't know. England, Spain, Germany matches, you know, over that period of time, I think Naomi kind of staked her claim and let everybody know what time it was.

Yeah, she's very much of the almost never puts her foot wrong category. She keeps me watching San Diego Wave Games. And listen, I hate watching San Diego Wave Games, but you got two for Naomi. And just an overall brilliant person. I think she's like in grad school right now. Yeah. Went to Stanford graduated and is currently in grad school while also being a U.S. Women's National Team player, just an incredible person.

Frankly, sickening to see someone have that much personal success. Yeah. More power to her. Alyssa Neyer, Casey Murphy, and Adriana Franch are in the camp as well. Do you want to have a closing word on me official? Did what you said earlier suffice? Yeah, I want to talk on A.D. Franch for one second. She's my top goalie going into the World Cup year.

She had an incredible year with Kansas City last year, which forced her way back into the national team conversation. I hope she remains in the national team and gets her time to shine in this upcoming window. But it goes back to what we've been saying this entire conversation. How does somebody knock down a former giant? I hope she gets her chance, but I'm not too sure she will. And then I just had a little thing not officially tracking like these other members on the roster, but we are. Me official, she's playing in Mexico.

She's the golden boot winner. If you have heard me talk about Alex Morgan's 15 goals and think that I'm being outrageous, Mia Fischer has 30, and she just scored two in their first game a couple days ago. Mia Fisual should be getting a look. She's a goal scorer. She can score any type of goals. She scored one with her head and one with outside of the box just days ago. It was amazing.

21 years old A group in San Diego Place for Tigris Yeah and No caps She is somebody who You have to look at And say

If she had this many goals in another league Would she be getting a call up? And it's yeah, yeah, she would have Okay I think that does it for us Our inaugural Woso Wednesday Is that a dumb name? I don't know

I can't tell if it's stupid or not Great name. Alliterations are cool. I like them. Okay. You know, check out the Patreon if you're interested. This is an ad-free podcast. You get a bunch of exclusive episodes if you join the Patreon,

including the Monday reviews with me, Vince, and Waki. Thank you, Tara. Thank you, Vince. Thank you, everybody for listening. We'll see you.