SoccerWise - NWSL Edition: Denver's New Stadium, Week 1 Reactions + Weekend Preview

Episode Date: March 19, 2025

Soccerwise has always been FOR Denver and now we have a home! Jordan talks us through the new stadium announcement and what it means for the future of the league. Then David & Jordan dig into everything we saw Week 1 to start out NWSL season from the offensive explosions in ORL/KC & all the 1-1 ties. Finally they preview the weekend coming up with two top four clashes from last season headlining it all.1:00 NWSL Denver’s New Stadium Announcement8:05 Weekend Recap9:30 Orlando Statement Win17:10 CPKC Stadium Delivering In Year 2 & Portland’s Stronger Finish25:10 Reactions From Washington & Houston33:45 Bay FC’s New Formation43:40 North Carolina Building On Last Year45:30 New Look Seattle & Gotham50:45 Mak Whitham’s Historic Debut & How To Help Young Players1:00:00 Jonas Eidevall’s 1st Game + Kennedy Fuller Balling Out1:09:00 Weekend Preview1:10:50 Washington-KC Preview1:15:04 Gotham-Orlando Preview Soccerwise Live 2pm ET Every Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday on Youtube/Twitch/Twitter

Welcome back everybody to Soccer Wise, David Goss and Jordan Angeley with you for another massive episode to break down all things NWSL Week 1, to look ahead to two huge matchups already early in the season in Week two and a lot of big games to talk about to talk about some of the best new performers, some of the best rookies, young players, so much going on. But as usual, every week we start our show by celebrating a landmark moment for NWSL in Denver. Jordan, we do it once again.

Yes, and it feels good. You're gonna be shocked when I tell you this, Goss. Yesterday, I cried a little when I saw the announcement. I know, I know. It's just so cool to see the investment and support of the leadership here at Denver NWSL because they are setting a record when it comes to a women's specific stadium

in all of sports. Like the amount of money that they're putting in to make Santa Fe Yards a reality in 2028 is incredible and it just she looks so beautiful. I can't wait to be there. It is it was a huge moment so for anyone who missed it that was the announcement yesterday. So for anyone who missed it, that was the announcement yesterday. The NWSL team, which is coming to Denver, which we already knew about officially announcing the site, the timeline, the setup of this new stadium. And as you said, a lot of it in a historic nature. And it does look like a place you want to watch a game. I'm

already hoping, I'm not saying this to anyone, one of my big complaints about the Colorado Rapid Stadium is it doesn't face the mountains it's opening. So I hope that opening looks out on the mountain so I can be like I'm in pure Colorado but it's the exact setup you want which is like an intimate purpose built women's soccer specific stadium where I think what we've seen from Kansas City, it is this feeling that you can't get anywhere else. And to have that on the timeline along with the excitement about the team launching feels like the perfect setup to like just continue to grow going forward.

It is and you just mentioned it there will the way it's facing. You're not just going to see the mountain You are going to see the mountain Pikes Peak the you know the peak into the west this is the one of the cool things that where I live when you drive south like you can see Pikes Peak from Gosh, I don't even know how mile how many miles away I am in Denver from Pikes Peak, but it is so massive and this stadium is going to have a perfect view of it. So that is going to be beautiful.

It's I think 14,000, a little over 14,000 seats as of right now with the potential to expand if need be in the future. But I just like the intimacy of what I saw. I really like the canopy and the look of the canopy over top of the stadium. It's, I don't know, are you, are we're already planning this? You're going to be out here like opening weekend. We're already having like a big party, right? You already know. I'm going to be there next year, obviously for the team launch that I want to be at all the big events. I'm going to be a local. Come on. Yes. And now that

I know it faces the mountains. Yeah. now that I know it faces the mountains. You know Colorado too. Yeah. Now that I know it faces the mountains, I'll be there as much as possible. There was an event yesterday to announce it? There was. How was the event? It was good.

It was at this school called Girls Academy of Leadership School, I believe. Girls Athletic. Oh, I didn't get that right. I don't remember the exact, but it's called GALS. And it's the first public school in Colorado to be girls only, which is really cool. So they had over 200 young girls at this announcement. And gosh, the cool thing is these young girls

were all wearing different soccer kits or like sports memorabilia and I didn't notice it till later on in the in the presentation, but I Had to mention it and I called some of the girls I was like, okay Which one of you have some Colorado natives on your back and some of the girls raised their hand and they were just cute one of the girls from the school Gloria Jordan's

introduced everything and opened it up and just said what an honor it is to speak and how she's so excited not just to watch this but to dream big and maybe one day play there. And it's just cool to see those dreams become a reality for these young girls and to see them realize it in real time. This stadium looks awesome. I don't want to just be there like, I might wanna play there.

Right, yeah. The alumni of the girls athletic leadership school tend to act that way. There we go. It's a one-two punch, don't worry. I'm with you on that one. That's a really cool way to announce it. That's a really cool way to open it up. And obviously this was the biggest question

after the team got announced. We're not gonna know exactly like players and coaching all that stuff. It's a little bit further down the road, but it was like, question after the team got announced. We're not going to know exactly players and coach and all that stuff. It's a little bit further down the road, but it was like, where is this team going to play? I think was the first question I'm sure you were getting and a lot of people were. So to have that settled, and I said the timeline because we have seen teams launch, especially in the United States because of the nature of the sport here, where having the stadium not open with the team actually does have this new bump. It's going to be basically like two launches. You get the opportunity to launch, which is exciting for everyone. I think back to the Philadelphia Union was one where

they launched that Lincoln Financial Field. They put in these huge crowds. Maybe it wasn't fully sustainable for them, but it was this high point moment. And then the stadium opens a year or two later, and that's a second high point moment. And then the stadium opens a year or two later and that's a second high point moment. And you get to two opportunities to introduce yourself to people to tent pole events for media to come in for news to come in for people to sort of get pulled by big events and say like, Oh, I don't know. I'm not a fan of that. But like, I like doing fun things.

That sounds fun. Like, let's go try it. And then your hope is by the time the team's playing and competitive and then the stadium launches Then you get people and people are locked in and based off the early numbers We're hearing it feels like that stadium could get sold out pretty often And what you said there is something that I've just thought about like since we launched this idea with for Denver for Colorado for Denver FC Two years ago. We wanted this to be about the state and I think there is an opportunity, and this is

just Jordan talking, like there's an opportunity to play a game in Fort Collins and gain fans there before you have a permanent stadium, play a game at the Switchback Stadium in Colorado Springs and gain fans there before you have a permanent stadium because the nice thing about Santa Fe Yards is it's located on the main highway in Colorado pretty central to Denver, which is a really equidistant almost from the Springs and from Fort Collins and I think you really give the people an opportunity to see what you're working with and fall in love and then hopefully become

season ticket holders and get one of those 14,000 seats in the stadium. It's gonna be awesome. It's gonna be fun to watch it. I look forward to the celebration next week and the one in two weeks. The one in three weeks I'm really excited about. That feels like it's gonna be like a good time for us and something for us to rally around.

But no matter what, no complaints about celebrations here. Yeah, exactly. No, no complaints about that. Maybe I'll remake the theme song and to celebrate good times and that will just become our new theme song. We just would have to license it, which feels like it might be a little more expensive than we need sponsors for that. Yeah, exactly.

So if anyone likes celebrations and if you like nice things and happiness, then you can come do that and then we can move it over to that and then we can continue on. Anything else people should know before we move into the games that were played? Yeah, I just think. Be excited. Watch out for Dem Brenda Bussell. Oh, we are excited to watch them kick off a season. You never know what's gonna happen on the first game of the season. All of us were hyper locked in, hyper focused on Friday night. The Discord was going off. For us, it is I think one of the best places to hang out while watching games. It's a lot of just joking and enjoying it. It's a lot of people who are doing the same thing as you in the same place.

So if you want to be a part of that, subscribe to our Patreon, it gets you access to our Discord where you can come in and chat NWSL, national teams, everything else going on and soccer in general. And it has access to our depth charts, which I am continuing to race to keep up with because we all build towards week one. And then you remember like 40% of the players who are on season ending injury list from last year are still on theirs And they haven't been taken off yet

And just cuz it's week one doesn't mean a player is gonna be available or is going to get the start So we're still finding out what some things look like, but we all had the same experience which was Uh-oh for Chicago. Oh crap for Orlando and then some fun watching Houston and Washington at the same time But Jordan it was an explosion Orlando on Friday night, Kansas City early on Saturday and like two windows Into NWSL. It was like oh, right. Okay, so those good teams from last year those teams are good. I Think more Orlando showing us how good they are Honestly, I wasn't as impressed with the Spirit and I think we can get into that. But they also showed that they can find a way to win games and I think that's important

in this league. But for Orlando, I just was like, oh no. I think I said oh no to the TV 25 times. Yep because One let's let's not discredit Kiki Pickett's goal from that Bay game but how Barbara Banda's goal from 30 yards out over the top of Alyssa Nair doesn't win goal of the week is Wild to me that was an incredible strike or when she sombreroed it over the defender, it was just honestly cruel. It was cruel how good they are and they're only going to keep

getting better. I thought it was a statement because it's hard to have two of the best seasons you've ever had back to back and Orlando looks like they're ready to do that. Yes, now in the context of that they have would they've not had a lot of good seasons so like an okay season this year would still be two of the best. I mean like best seasons we've ever seen in the league. Rivalry in North Carolina when they were back-to-back when they did that back in 2018, 19, yeah, 19. Orlando looks like they're ready to say, okay, forget about those teams. It's that we're the best. Now the then the context came in as well in the game with everyone talking of well, oh

for Chicago, right? The other side of this and Chicago reminder lost for one in the postseason to finish their season last year in Orlando. Then they came back and we talked a little bit for the last few weeks about it feels like the whole league will be more condensed this year that the top probably won't have these undefeated streaks to start the year and the bottom probably won't have teams that are uncompetitive and out of the playoff race so early.

We may have jumped the gun on that a little bit. We may have jumped the gun on that in both directions, but I think definitely on the bottom end, as news came out about Sophia Wilson being unavailable for the full season, we still don't know what the situation is with Mel Swanson and if she'll be available at all. I think that changed the calculus a little bit as well. I do think there was a level of perfect storm against Chicago in this one. Matian unavailable for this one.

That was their biggest offseason pickup to bring in. Ludmila still suspended because of the red card last year. So that's your attacking outlet when you don't have Mal Swanson. And then Sam Staab played in this game came off the bench late on which you are my expert doctor and all of this you were shocked by. Eight months after she tore her Achilles she is having the best flex ever. Yeah. The first time she's ever been substituted into a game. Yeah and it's two to four months earlier than possible.

Yeah. I was really impressed. And one of the things, we actually got to talk to Sam at the beginning of last year and talk to her about the streak that she was on with over 100 starts in a row in NWSL play. And she said she just really takes care of her body really well, but also doesn't think about it. Has this ability, which as a pro athlete, I will tell you, it is so hard to turn your

brain off and to not think about what you're doing to help your body get better because it's your job to always get better. The way that she explained it is she's like, I just can stop thinking about soccer and just live my life without worrying about is every little thing I'm doing making me better. I think when you're in a recovery from an injury, it is all encompassing that if you don't have that ability, you can get lost in the grind and it can be really disappointing. I think that mindset, from my opinion, most likely helped her to not only focus

on how rehab is going, but also have a life and be happy that maybe she gets to do some things that she doesn't normally get to do when she is playing. So it's just so cool to see her back. And she will be a huge influence in the Chicago team. And it's a good reminder that you just said like Chicago is not at full strength. And we saw that when the lineup came out. But they have the ability to get into a place where they are more competitive in these games, I believe. And you add in

Orlando started the season with a Challenge Cup loss, but at home. So Orlando didn't have to travel. They've played 90 competitive minutes you haven't played and they're pissed off about it. So I think there was like a worst case scenario that ended up occurring for Chicago, but I think there's a clear side of the league that these two teams are pegged on right now.

And we both had, I think Chicago in our bottom two or three when we did the standings a week ago in our predictions. And so that's what you saw play out before Orlando is the perfect start, as you said, like to make the statement that you're going to be the as competitive as last year, cause it's different, right? Sam's playing at right back.

It gives you a different shape. They are really true, full three central midfielders across the attacking spots in the wide areas in some of the the midfield setup. Like there are differences to this team than what we saw last year. They're still waiting for Ahani who is waiting on her Vizier I believe to be available. So then that will change things as well. I don't know if it becomes a back five. I don't know if someone gets dropped from those center back positions,

which are, you're talking about two best 11 players last year, the defender of the year, and then maybe the most talented center back in the league. These are the things now that set behind is gonna be pushed on in year two, which is different than being the hunter in year one. And it's, can you maintain, which a lot of teams, as you said, struggle to do.

And I don't think they even think about it as maintaining. I think they think about it is how can we level up and with all those things that you just mentioned I think we're going to see this Orlando team in different formations. Maybe not formations maybe yeah but definitely different builds we have already saw them do that in the challenge cup I think they're gonna try to add different clubs to their bag and how they can break a team down and they have the ability now With how deep this team it was deep last year. It just is deeper than it was last year. I don't understand but Yeah, good luck Seb Hines picking your 11 every week the depth is one of the things that stood out to me this weekend between and it's only week one I'm not establishing but between the true contenders and the

teams that can hang around which is like I you like the best 11 on a lot of teams but then you start to go down those lists and there are some teams that bring pieces off the brought pieces off the bench in week one, where you're like, oh, okay, that's a little bit different. So we were talking before we got on about Utah and it's like, okay, they move some things around along the back line, you get an early injury, you're bringing in a Danish full international

at the right back position. And it's like, oh, that's interesting. Or you're bringing in one of the top goal scorers from Liga MXxifeminal at the center forward position, you're sliding Tanaka a little deeper, and it's like, oh, that's the player who just was the best player at She Believes Cup

and can play two positions for you because you have a little bit of depth. I think we saw that from a lot of teams and then from other teams, you really felt the absences for an Angel City, for Portland, for Chicago, most especially. Let's talk about Kansas City, Portland then, which got us kicked off on Saturday.

It was one of only three wins this weekend. A lot of one-one ties. It was for Kansas City, I thought similar to Orlando of like this explosion of the season has finally started. It was a good way to reestablish the fact that CPK sees unplayable and like don't come in there and especially don't come in there during the day. I think it's the only sports facility I've ever seen that's more intimidating during daytime than nighttime.

Yeah, that is so true. Like there is a vibe about that place in the daytime that you know they're going to be shot straight out of a cannon and score showing a scores four minutes into the game. And then if I'm the opponent, I'm thinking buckle up. Right? This is going to be a long 90 minutes. They kept showing Sam Coffey kind of leading these team talks after the first goal. And then I think it was during an injury break at some point in the first half and it's like, I don't really know what the team talk is because

at that point they were hanging on and holding on. Shewinga scores four minutes in. Michelle Cooper has one of the goals of the weekend. Yeah, that was a great goal. And it was from a different area in a different way than what we saw from her year one but it's what we saw from her with the national team coming from more of a center-forward position and it was like the last straw I think for Portland which is like okay we're gonna try and contain Schwinga we're gonna try and deal with

Dubinia we don't know where Vanessa DiBernardo is on the field and like this is the thing we'll give up we'll let Michelle Cooper going away from goal from a central area 30 to 35 yards out. We'll let her have a beat and we're not going to step tight. And it's like, oh yeah, sorry, that's going to end up in the back of the net. Just to the technique on this to be going away from the goal and bring it back across the face of the goal. Unstoppable. I really don't know who stops that ever.

It was such a nice goal. The big thing you and I talked about last week, Goss, when we started talking about our 11s and our players that we were really excited to see is we had a conversation about Kansas City and who was going to be the best player on this Kansas City team. And the goals all had DiBernardo, Dabinha and Schwinga all right there. The first two, truly those three were in the mix. DiBernardo doesn't like, I'm sorry, the first one and the third one. DiBernardo on the third one is like trying to get at the front post and that's where

it pops out and Dabina puts it in. But the interesting thing about Kansas City is the way that those four play together and how fluid they can be and difficult they can be to defend. And I thought Vanessa DiRinardo was everywhere. I think that's the best version of Dabina we've seen in a while as well, which, where I think that's the best version of Dabinha we've seen in a while as well, which bring it back. We need Dabinha from a few years ago. This is what we've we all expect out of her is to be that playmaker and to be the shifty Brazilian that makes things happen. The third goal that she scores, she picks up the ball in her own defensive half, like right around midfield. She beats a player, it's quick layoff, it's quick one-two, it's another player beat, it's, you know,

it's a thing only Dabinha does of like quick feet at high speed in tight areas, somehow stays on her feet after contact, the give and go, and then it ends up a little scrappy of a goal. But if you roll that back, it's gonna be one of the best goals of the season as a full move from what she does. And it just felt like there was pop to her game

and like an energy to get around the field and be involved in more parts of the field that we didn't see last year. And I don't know if that's injuries. I don't know if that's the fact that she started last year hurt. When she came back in the team, Bea had gotten hurt. They still wanted to keep showing a hurt. When she came back in the team, Beah had gotten

hurt. They still wanted to keep showing a wide, so she kind of played center forward, which led to a little bit of like battling with center backs that probably isn't her favorite thing to do. And so maybe just the freedom of life of this like, oh, I get to be faced up all the time. And like, and then the fluidity of those four, because that was the conversation we had right before we got on which is Michelle Cooper is a natural center forward who they taught to play out wide so she's fine to come inside. Shewinga is clearly a center forward if she wants to be but she's at her best out wide but she can make runs anywhere and float and find the game and Dee Bonardo is a center midfielder who's filling in at the center

forward, has played out wide as well both in this team and in her life in Dubinia all the same. And you even add in like Lola Bonta popping up and finding the game where she wants to and none of this includes Bia who is still injured and then is a true center forward who has maybe the best vision and feet on the team and can drop in and create. And that's gonna be the nightmare with this Kansas City team. Cause over the course of last season, you could start to, as injuries happen,

you could find ways to start to like damage control around Shewinga and say, these are the areas you're gonna affect us, but we're only gonna let that affect us. And we're going to be able to shut down some other pieces. As this team has this fluidity, you're going to lose her more. And you see a Michelle Cooper being dangerous and all these other options. It was like the perfect start I thought to the season for this Kansas city team.

And I think for a coach in Vlaco, who I think I had as my coach of the year, um, last week and like the, if you're picking this team to win a shield or to push for it or whatever they're going to do they needed that confidence early and they got it in game one. I will just say it was I think a disappointing second half for Kansas City where they should have scored more goals. Yeah.

Felt like they took their foot off the pedal slightly. To Portland's, to credit to Portland, I thought they fixed some things in the midfield that allowed them to get Hina Seguita on the ball a lot more, Olivia Moultrie on the ball a lot more, which if you're Portland and you have the team that you have right now due to all the injuries, if those two players aren't getting on the ball, you're not going to win games. You just aren't. And I like that the goal comes from those two. It's Sagita playing Moultrie. It's a nice combination. They figured out how to find the space in beyond that first line of pressure from Kansas City in the second half. And that really benefited

Portland. So it got better. And I think that they'll take that away from this game, but it was It was a lot of good things from Kansas City a lot more good things on their side Yeah, I think if you're Portland you can look at even the first half and say Structurally in our block. We didn't give anything up like all of the goals come either from freak moments of skill like Cooper's goal or from transition moments and coming from last year where the big question marks with this team were center back and their ability to defend and some goalkeeping questions and all the other things that they struggled with.

I think that's a positive but then the final third is going to be the big question mark this year because of all the injuries and retirements and all of that. And that I did not see, you know, a clear idea of like how they can get over that. But it feels like low block defending and midfield third, they will be competitive this season and then it's how can they start to find some advantages? I thought Spancher showed what she's capable of, right? Which is the speed ability to run at defenders. I think she uses her spacing really well.

She cuts across defenders when she's on the dribble and is able to draw fouls from behind and all those types of things. But there's not enough connection there and not enough support. And I think for Portland and Chicago, which we had pegged, I think, as the bottom two teams in the league,

like, yeah, going to arguably the two best teams to start the season, it's not ideal. And it's one of those things you just have to swallow and move on. The only other team that won a game this weekend in the opening weekend was the Washington Spirit who were of course finalists. Last year they were able to go to Houston after the Challenge Cup win and they were able to take advantage of two, I thought, early mistakes from Houston, a lot of it playing out of the back and take a two-zero lead against the run of play, but Washington professional enough to make it work for them,

to manage the game, and then be able to get out of it with three points, because this is what I talk about with depth. This is a team that you could argue has a starting 11 that is unavailable for this game. Even if you don't want to say that, you're talking about multiple gold medal winners that are unavailable for this game.

There is a ton of talent that they have not had. They won a challenge cup without that. And then to go into this game and have a McKenna Morris from year one to year two Continue to perform at a high level for you to be able to sort of have your spine That's strong and allow other players to fit in and fit around it. I think shows the strength of this Washington squad Their strength is they're really hard to break down, right? They have this identity in Their defensive posture which they gave up possession in a lot of this match and just said, okay, Houston, go ahead and break us down. Which

as I was watching the game back, I actually thought Houston looked, I was impressed by Houston. I'm optimistic on how they can play. I thought their press put the spirit under duress multiple times or the spirit coughed up the ball. The difference between the Washington spirit and Houston Dash right now is the spirit finished those chances when they high press and the Dash didn't. And that's really, that's the fine margins in this league that make you a great team or not.

Because I think when you look at the spirit team, Goss, and maybe this is why I'm like, ugh, I just want more, is you think they have the best coach in the world. This guy is a tactical genius, but I don't think Hal Hirschfeld's getting on the ball enough. I don't think Narumi's getting on the ball enough. I don't think Lacey Santos is getting on the ball enough. They rely so much on their transition from good defense, whether it's deep in trying to transition through a longer transition or a little bit

higher and going quick to goal, that I don't think it shows off those players. They didn't woo me in this game and I feel like I want to be wooed by the spirit. I think that's fair and I think it's fair to say a team that finished in a final last year and has this a coach Who has this legacy or you know has this resume can do that? But what opens up the game for you the threats in other areas and if it's ule's are over the top now there's an extra three yards for Nerumi and Santos to play in or When you play into their feet that I wrote that exact same thing down. Oh, did you?

Yeah. It's like, it's one v one more often. If Trini Rodman and Cory Bethune are on the field, now all of a sudden one of the defensive midfielders staying home when Lacey Santos drops into the build. I think it's fair to ask a team at this level to still play that way and still be able to find ways to connect.

But that is the difference right now, I think for them is they don't have this plan B that can just crush you that you have to, or actually plan A, whatever you wanna call it, that you have to account for. And it's a little tough because it's now been a while with this conversation, which is they don't need all of them.

They probably just need one of the players I just named on the field. And it's this other element that they don't have right now that creates space for those players. And it's early days, right? So we've we've also gotten to see Washington Spirit play two games and I felt like they played very similarly in both games. Where Orlando looked to be the like if you're watching that game, you're saying Orlando was the better team in the Challenge Cup game. If I'm watching this game against Houston, I'm thinking Houston looks to be the better team. They had more control of the ball. They, but when it comes to the details, right, in your 18s, the spirit are locked in and I think that that maybe because it's been one dimensional,

it's because they've lacked some of their players that then allow them to play in multiple different ways within the frame of 90 minutes. So yeah, I guess I'm just... Can they be healthy already? Yeah, I know. It just would be fun to watch all of this together and watch it all go down. You mentioned Houston and the way they played. I sort of said in the Discord after, and we have some big Houston fans in the Discord, of like, it was mission accomplished, which was they stuck to their fundamentals. They were able to start to do them in a real game.

They got punched in the mouth because of it. They stuck to it anyway, and they found their feet over the 90 minutes where they ended on a high. And so you'd love to get a result in a game like this, but to go up against the Washington Spirit who are a finalist now, right, and looking at them that way, even with the players in and out, and to have played your soccer and to have done it bravely over the course of 90 minutes and like push the game and probably should have gotten more out of it

at the end, it was at least like the job done for week one. Yeah, no I think so and you, the only way you're going to build trust is if you don't deviate from the things that you've been working on in preseason when one thing goes wrong. Sheehan isn't going to give that ball up very many times in the build out, right? You are going to trust that she's going to have the ball. Two main points I saw from Houston, I talked about their press. I thought their press was great, but I think their press is good because this is the fittest I have seen Houston dash in a long time. They could go press. They looked together and it was difficult for the Washington spirit to play out of it. So I really liked that for them.

And then another thing is I think Graham needs to start. I liked this young player coming in off the bench. She scores the goal. It's just kind of like a wild touch. But the amount of ground she can cover, her speed centrally I think adds something different than the other players that play in the midfield there. And they played the Stars this weekend, I think it would be a perfect time to get Graham a star early in her in her career player in that central midfield area. I think

she came in for Schmidt. But she looks like an eight to me. I liked her. I thought she covered ground well, there was one point she was tracking Ashley hatchback and outrun ran Ashley hatch. I was like alright yeah so so it's funny because you talked about the fitness and and the way I think they imposed themselves on this game I thought Michelle Lozey looked like one of the best players in the game coming off the bench as well I think part of that was Washington being a little heavy-legged and like Houston pushing the game but I was gonna say I think she should start and so it's right? For Houston to have some options.

I think Graham was one of many college players who looked really good in week one. And part of that is like, okay, the pros know week one's not the only game that matters. And so it's just in saying that they're not rushing to get back just for this game. And so you saw some players maybe get opportunities. I think a lot of players, they'll earn more minutes for them and like showed that they could do what they could do in college here. And we've talked about without the draft what it means. And the big thing for me has always been, I think players can choose spaces that they will

fit in, whether it's because there's a clear role for them in terms of minutes or because of style. And I thought we saw a lot of that. I thought we saw a lot of that for players who are going to play really central roles like center back, like central midfield, not just are you the 11th starter and can we isolate you enough and keep you from hurting us at a right back position while you develop? Like it feels like there's a bunch of players who are going to be central to the, their teams and central to good teams. Uh,

and that might be the case for Houston as well. So those are the three teams that got wins, which is not shocking, right? Yeah. Orlando, Kansas city, Washington, three of the four best teams last year. Then everyone else played to a one, one draw. So if you like one-1 draws, we have heavy inventory I can sell you one or two we can do a BOGO buy one get one free as well because we've got plenty of them We're just gonna I think we wanted to go through a couple thoughts on all the games that we saw and then we will get Into a little week to preview action. Let's start. We'll go in chronological order

Utah Bay and I think we wanted to start it with Bay FC unveiling a new formation, which you have talked about in preseason, going with three at the back with Abbey Dahlkemper in the middle of it. It was interesting and I think one of the things that we talked a lot, I had a lot of Bay games last year and had a lot of conversations with Albertine Montoya. And I know him too, he was one of my college coaches. I had a lot of Bay games last year and had a lot of conversations with Albertine Montoya. And I know him too. He was one of my college coaches.

So I know his desire to be a ball playing team, a team that keeps possession and plays through the lines. And that's not how they were good last year, right? They were direct. Where is Rachel Cunananji and how can we get her in behind the back line? That was the mode of operation from Bay. With this 3-5-2, I think you gain things, but you also lose things. And I don't know if you lose Kununanji

in behind because people know Kununanji now. Utah was not giving up the space in behind, right? They were like, you can have all the space in front of us, but you're not getting in behind us. So are other teams going to play them like that? But the one thing I think they gain is they have two really good outside backs. On the left side with Milan Sun, and she's a left-footed player, and Caprice Didasko on the right side, who has been defender of the year in this league,

is really good at finding the final pass. You get them not only in higher places as you build, but also you get them to win the ball back higher on the field in the defensive structure. I thought their press was aggressive and they asked a lot of the back for and Mandy McGlynn, which they also got bit in the butt by that one time, but you get them winning the ball high on the field. I think the next evolution in this 352 has to be decision- making with those numbers in the attack because it felt rushed.

They had all these numbers forward, but we're trying to slip this ball through to Rachel Kunanandji or slip this ball through to Huff. It was like, just play. You have players around you in good supporting angles to just play a little bit. Let the play develop And then that passes on It was a little rushed But I think for this squad it could be really beneficial and they didn't deviate from it Even when they brought in hill and hawking they were still wingbacks

And I liked that that's an element that I find really interesting, which is you can really change your That's an element that I find really interesting which is you can really change your Tactics by keeping the same shape if you lay out the year and you say oh, we're home to Chicago this weekend Like Rachel Hill is gonna start at wing back Because that's gonna dictate that we're gonna play on the front foot that the attributes we want in that position are attacking, you know, front foot forward, as you said, if you went a little bit higher, or I think we saw a lot of, especially Didasko being,

at Mountain has that experience as well, but being on the far side, pinching in as another central midfielder, allowing a Huff or a Bodhi to push higher in their rest defense or in active defense, so that when you win it back, you've now got another player to play off your front two. I think that gives you a couple different options as well I don't know how I feel about this the spacing for Rachel Kudonanji

I I had a similar thought about Gotham and Ella Stevens as well They're both players where I love getting them isolated. And I'm someone who loves the inside-out run for a lot of players, because I think you lose defenders when you come from a central channel wide to go pick up the ball. But you are going to get the ball in wide areas less often if your starting position is more narrow. And what we saw from Koonanandji at the end of the year last year was she was arguably the hardest player to play

and most of their attack in good moments especially against Washington in the playoffs was her getting the ball on the left line isolated and being able to decide she can go both ways there's enough space to run. I need to see enough of that out of this formation to think that it's the right move because in the end getting the best out of her and Oshawa that has to be like the key for this team to reach their ceiling. But this I think raises the floor for them in being able to control games and isolate games as well as protect their backline. And one of the things that Jill had talked about coming into it was questions that goalkeeper you make it a lot easier if there's less activity for a goalkeeper to have. I don't think anyone had a better Saturday than Jill

Lloyden on a call for a goalkeeper assist. And then they showed the booth of her reaction to Kiki Pickett's unbelievable volley off the inside of the post and in but on Manny McGlynn's long ball for St. George's goal. So good. Jules up just Fist-pumping in the booth and you're like goalkeeper assist Yeah, well Let's give silkowitz credit because I think it was a pretty good first start in what like a few years I don't think she started since she played in Australia. So She made some she made some, she had some good moments, but also that goal against from St. George is so perfectly done

because she hits it with her left toe. You think it's another stride. You're not even expecting it to be a shot. Like I thought that was a brilliant finish from St. George. So it is. And going, going to what you were saying about in the booth, they asked us this year if we would be willing to do that, of keeping the camera on so we can cut to that. And we were like, yeah, that would be awesome. And then we get into our booth and our camera, just the way that the booth is set up, our camera is like from the side over here. And so we have to turn. So it was just like the back heel hit is ridiculous. Like maybe they're not gonna show our reactions.

So I'm glad that the booths worked out the way it did. So we got Jill's reaction because her goals in her game. It was so good. They needed that, right? Our goals were good. Like the Portillo goal was good, but they weren't like that. No, it was really fun. Like the Portillo goal was good, but they weren't like that. No.

It was really fun. This was one of the games, as we said, with Utah, where you're like, this team is deep. Like this team, you came in last year and it was like, I don't know if there's enough spots and not everyone's perfect for their position. Like I don't know that I'd naturally say they have true wingers that play in wide position, but they've got 16 or 17 players that have the same soccer DNA that want the ball that want the ball in tight spaces that want to connect and It just makes the game so pleasant to watch but also it means that when they're forced into early Substitutions the level doesn't drop because

you still have the same DNA on the field. There goes my defender of the year, Kaylee Reel didn't even start in the first game. But I imagine this team with her in the back line and Tejada back in the midfield because that Spanish midfield of Tejada and Zornosa last year, they just understand each other and it's comfortable. And so I'm looking forward to Utah with that. And also hope that Paige Monahan isn't out for a long time because she's key to this team and her work rate on the front line and also being able to play pocket but wide. And hopefully we get to see that soon. But yeah, I think they they've built really well the

The interesting last year that well, it's a better start than last year but the interesting part of this game for me is I thought Aisha coming off the bench was really dangerous at center forward and I Don't know that I need to not going to be the center forward because I need to knock it to affect the game as Much as humanly possible and when she dropped in it was like, uh-oh, you don't know where she's starting You don't know where she is. She can go out left and find the game She can come inside be a second runner lead the line so good and yeah It was just it was so crowded in

Yeah, Utah was having a hard time finding center in Tanaka I looked this up. Only each one of them only had 41 touches on the ball. Yeah, interesting. That's not good enough. Those are the two key players. So if you have to switch them for a little bit, put Ali Centenor at the nine for a while in Tanaka, essentially, if you're not getting Centenor the ball.

I mean, that might be a way to resolve that, but I just felt like there were times where they were actually brave and played through the center of Bay and they found those little pockets that were open and could progress through the lines, but that was not often enough. Yeah. Yeah, sent nor, I think we talked about it with the national team like I think if you end up playing her out wide a lot of the time

It's okay. It doesn't negatively affect her game. I don't think she's gonna get lost We're gonna talk about san diego in a little bit like one of the issues I think over the last 12 months is maria sanchez gets lost and she's not getting touches She's not getting into the flow of the game. She can't affect it. I don't think that really happened, Sally Centenor. But the question then is, is it worth, like, are you using the best of her? Are you getting the most out of her? These are all questions that Jimmy Coon Ratz is going to have to figure out as he also figures out, you know, I just, they said how young he was again and you're like, don't

do that. Like, there's no way I could coach a professional soccer team now let alone at that age and it absolutely blows my mind. Wait what is he 27? I think 29. 29 yeah that game then we had Louisville against North Carolina a 1-1 game in that one as well Louisville is a team that coming into the season I've been talking to some people and I'm kind of high on I said this to that one as well. Louisville is a team that coming into the season, I've been talking to some people and I'm kind of high on. I said this to you last week. I like the idea of the continuity. Not all of it was there. Week one,

Bethany Balser not available. That changes a lot of just like their funk, the fulcrum of what they do and what they're trying to build off of. But this is a good North Carolina team. And so to get a 1-1 draw for Louisville I think an okay start to the year. A point just from each team I can watch North Carolina play out of press all day long they just like have such good supporting angles every direction somebody stretching in behind it's just like options galore I love it I love it I love Ryan Williams she I think is she's the best right back in this league like she is so good okay

she's so good yeah so for for Louisville they are they have this outlet with Emma Sears and actually the way that they score their goal it's off of a corner kick but it comes from nine ten passes in a really good like we're gonna go there but then we're gonna bring it back and I thought that that patience from Louisville is going to be important for them because teams are gonna have them found out right they know who Emma Sears is now they're gonna protect the right side the way that they like to overload But they they proved in that longer build that it doesn't have to be so direct that they can Bring and regroup and then actually just go back the same direction and punish you and so I like that from Louisville and I thought their defensive

Togetherness really made it hard for North Carolina to play centrally, which is where they want to overload. So a lot of good things on both sides of the ball for Louisville. The next one, one you were on the call for, it was Gotham going to Seattle. We sort of labeled this as the Lindby and Dola bowl, which Lindby and Dola was then injured, so unavailable for this one. Still a slightly new look, Seattle. What did you make of what you saw from Laura Harvey's side?

Laura Harvey, really adamant to get back to being what the DNA of this team is, which is high pressing, turning teams over higher up on the field. So it was kind of like the same thing from both teams in that regard. I thought they looked good in the high press. Dallin helped that. This is a young player who is like the energizer

both in the money. I don't think she stops running. I thought they actually, and I could see Laura Harvey's issue of who she wanted to start on the right side. Was it gonna be Serna Gorsovich? Was it gonna be Mondasir? Serna Gorsovich gives you that defensive presence,

I think a little bit more, but Mondasir changed the game when she came in the game. Absolutely changed the game because she could play in the pocket. That's where she draws the red card. She helped switch the point of attack, allowed Maddie Curry to get in. A debatable red card, which we'll get to.

Yeah, agree. But once she came in the game, then we saw Maddie Curry get into the attack, which is exactly why she wanted to come to this team, exactly what Laura Harvey wants her right back to do. It was too little too late in that regard. I just don't think she was as involved in the attack as possible. But I like this.

I like Jess Fischlach being a little bit higher in the press because she also at 38 is the Energizer Bunny. I don't know. Um, and it was, it, there was some really good things from Seattle and I think I'm, I'm more hopeful for them than I thought I was going into the year. Yeah. I think all of that makes sense. I think all of that we saw play out in this game.

I find they have clearly not gotten the best out of Jordan Heidema yet and I see a lot when Serna Gouwitch is on the field that helps and I don't know that she has to start on the right wing. Like I don't know it feels like to me there's a world in which she and Monteserrat can start for this team. Whether someone's playing as the center forward, whether someone's playing as the 10, whether it says the two wingers, like, it just feels like that is a setup that can really work for this team. But I think we need to see it play out a little bit more this season. And so I think there's still stuff that like, I'm waiting to see from this

team. One of the things that stood out to me and has stood out to me for a year and I'm stoked about is like Jordan bugs unreal. This is crazy. And I think it like almost goes under the radar because they struggled last year and so she got a lot of minutes because there were minutes to be had even though they tried to make the late run and now you're talking about if they're in a playoff race like you're talking about center back at that age starting at that position in high level minutes takes a ton of pressure in the game like is not quick to get off the ball, allowed Gotham to press her and then was able to recover

and stay with Esther and stay with Ella Stevens, which is maybe as hard as it is in this league. So I thought she was really impressive for this Gotham team. Some changes for them as well. Obviously no, Rose Lavelle makes some big changes. I know because I watched the game and heard you, but I think you were pretty impressed with her replacement. I, in my notes, I said I really love Sarah Schepanski. You could tell.

She's good, goss. Yes. Didn't you think she was good? I mean, she's not Rose Lavelle. Yes. But she found spaces and could open up on either foot. She had a really nice texture to her final passes. I think that she's going to make it tough for Juan Carlos.

And he has been a coach that has proven to mix up his lineup week in and week out. But he told us, and I'm bummed I didn't get this into the broadcast, but he said she is the best two footed player I've ever seen in my life. Wow. Yeah. It showed. That's huge. Yeah. And it showed in the game there's, there's what in the first half, she basically placed two blind balls to the far post, one with her right foot, one with her left foot. And both of them are moments where Rose Lavelle probably turned up field, continues running, like continues pushing. And so when she cut back,

I think all of the players against her just didn't really recalculate of like, okay, this is, she's gonna wanna come back inside, but to be able to do it with both feet means you can't really calculate for it. She also had a moment where she got pressed. She brought it down with the right foot and slid it over with the left foot to break pressure

and get them out in transition. And it showed the like comfort with that. I think, and it doesn't really matter because Rose is hurting, whatever. I think if we call her a replacement for Delaney Sheehan in this group, like that becomes a fair comparison for her and the game she can play I think she You know is probably already going to be a top level player from your defensive end line through to up until the final third

The final third stuff I don't know what's totally there and I got to see her in preseason because they were here and she played that 10 position As well, and it's like you saw all the possession comfort under pressure can turn away from a defender I don't know that the goal scoring and the final third stuff is 100 there But also it was her first professional soccer game. So it'll look pretty good Uh is pretty impressive that takes us to one of the big conversations coming out of this game, which is a 14 year old Getting on the field. Is that correct? Yes is a 14 year old getting on the field. Is that correct? Yes.

It is history in NWSL Mack Whitham getting on the field for this game came on after the red card. So it was brought on by Juan Carlos Omero. I'm not going to get into 87 names. I'm already tripping on myself. In a moment in which it wasn't like, Oh, it's low pressure. Like it was the highest of stakes It showed the level of confidence From him and you mentioned it on the broadcast. You can hear him say right at the end like go enjoy it yeah, I thought that was a really special moment that he said that because

She's 14. She doesn't need the pressure of going to win this game. She really doesn't Yeah, you know doesn't need the pressure of going to win this game. She really doesn't. You know, and I think that that's where I struggle with this is like, are we taking the youth and innocence away from these young kids who are coming into a professional environment where you must perform to keep your job? That's how it is, right? People's jobs are reliant on you doing your job well.

And I think that's a little unfair for 14 year olds. If you want to go listen, Attacking Third actually talked about this. I think they had a really good conversation about the youth movement in NWSL. So I would recommend going to listen to that. But I'm teetering on this. I feel like sad for her.

She should be prepping for her high school homecoming what you're no, it's the spring Right high school pro. She's 14. So she's three years away from that too. Okay, okay And not not thinking about those things, but at the same time like these players are driven and You never want to take away something from someone who has the ability to dream big. And at 14 years old, she said, hey, this is what I want to commit to. And she got the opportunity to be a professional at a young age. And so I'm really happy for her. I think it's an awesome step for her personally in her career. Now I'm really curious about how you help that 14-year-old become a 35-year-old who

still loves the game and is still playing in the game. So it's a long conversation, but what a moment for her. And she looked like she enjoyed it. I think she looked like at times that she was like, oh crap these girls are twice my age, but You're gonna have that the the whole experience around this is something that I've talked a lot of people about because I cover the youth ranks and like how it's grown out in The US and there is no correct answer because there's not one person in this whole thing one of the things I've fallen on and

I think I feel pretty strongly about is the nature of our society is that high-level performers are going to be pushed anyway and so if we can build a structure that makes it easier for them even though you're losing some level of innocence and childhood because you're a professional athlete, if she scores 11 goals every weekend for her club team, you're going to have college coaches at her games. You're going to have agents banging on her door.

It's all going to happen anyway, and you have a chance to actually make it easier and better for them, even though she now has a full-time job at this age. And I think that's the place where you're hoping to get, which is you are actually able to save more people in this setup because you have a structure built that allows her to maintain some of that innocence and be led by veterans who have been through her position and understand what they're going through and have professional coaches who don't need to push her

like a club coach would. Like one of the whole debate in the US is the AAUization of basketball versus the European setup of pro academies and ranks and all of that. You have to find the balance inside of all of that. I think there's a way to do that for most people. And I think the pro structure is part of the necessity

of it because while you still need to get results in all of that, I mean, we're talking about an outlier here. Most won't make it to the pro ranks at 14. You still get 14 through 18 in a pro structure that is looking out for your future more than trying to look out for your present. And I think there's ways to protect players in all of that. It is a fascinating conversation.

It's why soccer wise exists and we'll continue to have conversations like this. I did skip over two big things, which one is the red card and the other is the goal. Both goals but let's start with the Gotham goal and Gabby Porcio who is the big debutant for them in terms of acquisitions and has a huge role to play whether it's replacing Yasmin Ryan or Crystal Dawn or whatever other player you want to name in that attack. Yeah I thought she was really good in this game.

Not surprising, right? She was on the short list for the Ballon d'Or. So she's pretty good player, right? But I loved the goal because it was just so technically like perfect. The way that she struck the ball. Yes, it takes a big deflection, but it was a good it was a good intro for her into the league. I thought she was involved in a lot of the game and it gives me, you know, I don't know what that looks like when Midge-Purce comes back

because they both like to play on the right. So how do you get both of those players on the field at the same time? But I think P Percio really fits in well and you could tell right away just the combination between her and Esther is there and they understand how each other are ballers. And yeah, I think they're going to create some really interesting movements up front. And then on the red card, so it's 1-0 Gotham and then Mandy Freeman picks up the red card so it's 1-0 Gotham and then Mandy Freeman picks up the red card and it was no card initially but a free kick called and then upon review it was a red card. It is Mandy Freeman sort of I'm gonna give away my thoughts in describing it. Mandy Freeman stabs out and gets the ball and then the follow

leg of both players Mondesesir and Manny Freeman. Freeman steps on Mondesir's sort of back foot as they come through the tackle and is given a red card for violent conduct at the end of it because the cleats come down on Mondesir. It is not purposeful. I don't even know if it was avoidable because of the momentum of the two players. If Freeman had made contact with the first foot, it would have been the correct call because her foot comes stamps down hard, but she gets the ball on the first foot and then there's no intent on the second foot.

And so I find it hard to call it violent conduct when it very clearly is not on purpose. It wasn't a red card for me. I really just, I just didn't think it was a red card. I think you could have called a yellow there, absolutely. But when you slow anything down, like even earlier in the game, when Jaylen Howell had her foot up, she didn't see the person sprinting behind her,

so she's trying to take the ball down, and yes, there was contact, but force, never gonna forget that word again in my life, there was no force behind it, right? It was like, there was a foot to the head, I think it's a yellow card, and if you're a referee, correct me on either one of these. But I thought that they both, there was no intention in either one of them. I don't think there was force in there. I don't think the second one, the one that actually got called a red card from Andy Friedman

was violent conduct. I don't. But when you slow it down and you see someone step on somebody's calf, you're going to think that that is a really bad look. I probably wouldn't have intervened. I would have gotten getting yellow right away and said play on. And then Seattle eventually gets the goal. Not right in that set piece, but eventually

as the game goes along, Adameus gets the goal. No, I think they got the goal before, right? No, I thought it was after. Oh. But I could be wrong. I don't have, I probably could have had that in front of me. You talk, you talk. But again, it was Mondesir creating chaos, gets it across the face of goal.

It is just like a melee from that moment on. And eventually, Adamus is able to have it go off of her and into the goal. I think you could argue there's probably about three times Gotham could have cleared the ball, and Seattle ends up getting the goal. And you saw in the energy of her going to the corner and the fans celebrating, it felt like a good moment for Seattle.

They did not create a ton of chances through the flow of play and it kind of is a messy goal and in the rain late on. But that's I think what you need the first step or two just to make sure this team's going in the right direction to start this year. Yeah the goal is about 71st minute and the red card was in the 87th. Wow. So 16 minutes before. Which I remember when the red card happened, I was thinking if Seattle after the way,

I don't think either team honestly deserved to win that game. It was a good one. Would you argue 1-1's a fair result? Because that might be the feeling around the league is 1-1's are the only fair results Yeah, it just felt like a week one game. Mm-hmm, and there was good ideas Not great execution and I when that red card happened all I could think of is Seattle wins the game

With a player up because of that it's gonna feel like they're gonna feel tough done. So Yeah, I think I think kudos to Gotham for locking it down and even making that sub of McQuinnum after that fact when they were down a player So yeah, I felt like a right a good result one-to-one for a point for each team the final one one Sunday got us finished with Angel City's He's not that many this week. Against San Diego. We will dig into the weekend coming up in just a moment. San Diego comes out flying in this one. They get an early goal created by Delphine Cascareno who we have lauded on this show coming into the year. We thought we'd see the best of her and it would be elite and the

first 25 minutes of this game were Arguably the best individual performance we saw on the weekend for a time span Terrorizing the game helping lead the press creating chances immediately off the press almost had like a Half bike kick volley from the top of the box off a second ball from a set piece bike kick volley from the top of the box off a second ball from a set piece was just everywhere. And the opening goal is an elite first step, good composure at high speed, ability to go both ways means defenders kind of have to guess on you a little. And it was what you want to see for a San Diego team where like at this point you're starting with like what's the direction who knew who can we rely on and then how do we build from that? She is so good and one of the things that impresses me the most

Excuse me is When she's at a dribble she almost stop and then go again And and that's what's so difficult to defend because her first five yards out of that the explosion explosion she has to either side, she likes to go to the right, but she can go to the left too, is difficult to defend. MA Vignola is not slow. She made MA Vignola look slow in moments. Thought her energy was good. I thought defensively this wave team looked really good and Corley was good.

I think you go into these first games of the weekend and these are the types of reactions you want to see. You don't know a lot about some of these players and you want to feel like, oh, I want to know more. I thought she did well at times coming inside and helping overload, good knowledge of the game. Her IQ, you could tell in certain instances, was great. To get a goal in your first start and end of USL has got to feel pretty good. I liked her getting the start off the left side.

I thought her best moments were central too as well. I wouldn't be shocked if you throw her in the depth chart at the center forward position. Just like whether you want to push Maria Sanchez back wide or you have some other ideas. I like Sanchez inside. As I said, I think when she's more active, you lose one of her best moments, which is one V one in crossing. But like you've spent a lot to bring her into this team, have her be involved, have her be engaged. And she was, and the whole team was to start.

And Jonas Eidevall going into halftime said, like, our pressing triggers, we read them really well, we pressed high, we created turnovers. Angel City really looked like a team that was new pieces together under an interim head coach for that first half. And I think that's a credit to San Diego. Eidevall's quote going into halftime,

I wrote some of it down, but he was extremely specific about the way he felt. About the way they played. And he said, I was happy when we played through the lines and we found our attacking players facing forward, rattled off the names of the four attacking players. I thought we were very good the way we read,

pressing triggers and shift from our mid to high block, which was what we saw that whole first half. But then there were structural things, especially coming out to wider areas where it can be much more compact as a team to help our fullbacks defend in wide areas. And it was like scribble, scribble, scribble. Okay, so this is what San Diego was good and bad at.

Thank you, Jonas Eidevall. Thanks for doing our job for us. Yeah, it was nice. One other thing I really liked about San Diego, and I think it's going to help in the long run, maybe just with that organization piece and in helping players be in the right spot is Dali playing deeper. You know, I think we both thought she was going to come into this team and play the 10 and play higher up on the field. But having her play deeper, one, we saw San Diego build and play through because you can

play her the ball anywhere with anybody on her and she's like, cool, I will get out of this. And to have a press resistant playmaker essentially playing deep in your team gave San Diego, made them look comfortable playing through the lines. And so I really liked that and something that was a little bit, I think for me, unexpected. On the flip side for Angel City, they get the 1-1 draw. They had new pieces in this group.

Some of the new pieces that I think they'll be centered around, like, do for, not available to start. So you only got those players for the last 15 minutes. Savvy King forced to play center back or maybe will be a center back that I'm not sure of. But either way, she hasn't done it at this level before. Right. She did play a three center back at UNC. So that's not neither here nor there, but has the knowledge of like playing in the

center back role. And it is a crowded left back area of which what team can say that. Yeah. It is like one of the weirdest things but also great. And Gisele Thompson started for the U.S. national team at right back. So it's probably okay for her to swap wings. It forced Alana Kennedy in to central midfield, which I don't know is the ideal setup, but once Angel City found their feet, you know when you come into games that Claire Emsley and Alyssa Thompson are threats. And no matter how structured you are as a team, like at some moment they'll get out into transition,

they'll be able to create danger. And I think for this team, it's about how do they build those moments, how do they build more of those moments, and then how do they create danger when outside of that? And that's been an issue for Angel City pretty much since they've existed. The pass and tempo from Kennedy Fuller for Alyssa Thompson's goal is probably the pass of the weekend.

I talked about Kennedy Fuller a lot last year because I thought she was a real like shining light in what was chaos, whether it was at the center forward position on The wing or centrally she did not look like a 17 year old at any moment that she was on the field So now to come one year later and to have that type of composure in a young attack that didn't really have direction outside of Claire Emsley and they have that breakout moment. It was an unbelievable field recognition and then technique to finish it off. And I'm just excited to watch her play on this team. I think when you talk about her, I actually think it's about to the players around her to be able

to feed her the ball. And I just look at this Angel City team and how they started and I'm thinking Kennedy should be in the back line next to Gordon You have the pace to recover for what Kennedy might lack in pace even though she is a very intelligent player and Will be able to read the game quicker you start her there then you bring Katie Zellem into this midfield Hodge is your destroyer and Hodge looked good Another rookie by the way, we skipped over Huff. Huff looked really good for Bay as well.

Yeah. So you have Hodge, you have Zellum, a little bit more savvy. And then that allows Fuller to have a fuller role in this team. I just think you got to support her a little bit more. And for Angel City, it did feel a little disjointed in the middle of the field. You got to get that right. And that was like constantly the conversation with Becky Tweed last year is like who are our best midfielders? And this, it didn't feel like the best three in the midfield for Angel City in this particular game.

No, but I would say the attributes you got from Hodge were things that they have basically always lacked. And so that's a good starting point and that is even harder for them to find than the ball playing center mids that they've been looking for. So doesn't that feel like a better balance? Like Hodge, Zellum, Fuller? It feels better balanced to me.

Like you have a little bit of each thing that you need and all of them have good work rate. And I assume you think Do- for will play as the center forward Yeah, I was I was not I mean I wasn't like blown away by tearin in but I thought she did all right I thought she did especially holding the ball up in difficult situations where angel City was pressed back for so long and then she was Like somebody come help me. I've got the ball. Yeah, I need help So I thought she did an alright job but yeah I think that's I think do for could land there and for anyone who didn't see Sydney LaRue put out a message stepping away from soccer for the moment did put in she's not pregnant added at the bottom of that message as we have Sophia Wilson and the

baby boom coming so a loss of an option at center forward for this team at least for now Tiernan got the start. I agree with you. I thought she held the position well And then do for gives you another option there. That is the end of our weekend recap I think we were both excited to watch real games and talk about real games So a lot to talk about there. So we'll do this week the weekend coming up a little bit quicker We have one Friday night game this week. So that's Portland against Angel City. That's the prime game. Then on Saturday, North Carolina against Seattle, Washington against Kansas City and Washington's home debut, Bay against Louisville, San Diego against Utah. And then

Sunday we have Chicago against Houston. And the weekend ends with Gotham against Orlando. So you have all four semi-finalists from last year in matchups against another semi-finalist, but not the one they played in the semi-final, which I think is really funny and really exciting. Let's start with those two games and then we'll dig into some other ones. Let's start with Washington against the KC Curran. And this game is a great memory for me of last year, which was coming out of the summer break. The first game was Kansas City at Washington. And the whole question was the first half of the year

was Kansas City momentum or was it real? And Washington slaughtered Kansas City in that game, except for Temwa Shinga. It didn't feel like anyone for Casey could stay on the field against this Washington team. And that pushed Washington in one direction and Casey kind of floundered for a little while. Now you get them matching up in a different moment

where Washington has started the year hot, but has these injuries, probably hopeful. Cory Bethune has come off the inactive list. So she is eligible to play. Your hope is you get something from Trini Rodman, some minutes for her as well. But like this is a big game from what we saw last year, which is these teams are going to be close at the end of the year and the head-to-head results are going to matter. One quick thing before we get into the actual game itself, I just want to say Washington

Spirit are doing something right. There was a sports business journal said that their ticket base has increased by 71%. They had a 93% ticket renewal for home season tickets. Like, Audi is the place to be. And the Spirit team, it is rowdy at Audi. And they think it's a testament to what you just said. In the middle of the summer at a really key piece, they said, hey, we're going to go, come with us and be a part of this journey. And I got to be there in the playoffs at a game and it is a fun atmosphere. It is really energetic and that doesn't shock me.

So just kudos to them for doing a really good job on the business side of things and the team for playing well. This is going to be interesting, right? Because what did I just say about Washington? They are hard to break down. And I think that is their number one principle right now. Can we be hard to break down? Maybe not flashy in the way we go forward, but we're going to be hard to break down. Can they contain Kansas City? Because we just talked about how many different players from Kansas City can pop up in the right half space, left half space, who's pressing the line, who's getting in behind the line. They are a handful.

And I'm interested to see maybe who he starts at, who Geraldo starts at center back with the threat of Schwinga centrally. I'm thinking it's going to be Bernal because she has a little bit more like, niceness to her that Morgan just, I think Morgan is a little bit more of a ball playing center back. The question he's going to have to answer there is does he want Morgan because he wants to draw Kansas City in and try and play through their pressure which is as fine a line as there is in this league of like, you know, no one kills you worse if you turn it over in your defense of third than Kansas City. because I can't risk the chance or do you say actually we're not gonna stick to that we're not gonna play and we're gonna be a little more direct off goal kicks and whatnot and then we need Bernal in there to win those tackles.

Do you think that's dependent on if Trinity Rodman starts or not? If Rodman starts maybe you have more outlet to go long? Yeah yeah maybe I don't know. Yeah I think it's one of those things. We did this with the playoffs last year a couple times. We were like, we both tried to guess what Geraldo was thinking. I think we were both wrong 50% of the time. Of course, that's why we sit here and he sits on the sidelines. It's just one of those where he has this legacy with Barcelona but this league is so different. And I think in Barcelona, you'd be like, he's going to play, right? He always is going to play. There's no question. And I think in Barcelona, you'd be like, he's gonna play, right? He always is gonna play. There's no question.

But the gaps in teams and the differences in teams were different there. And last year, we saw him come away from it a little bit more. So I'm not really sure what he ends up doing. I think some of the other questions are just in midfield. If Cory Bethune is available, what does it all look like? And how do you set it up? And obviously, those are problems you want want to have I think this is a big game for Hal Hirschfeld, which is I Think last year one of the things she did Fantastic was cover a ton of ground and just like be super active and that's not her job this year

And I think that's gonna be a bigger test than people expect which is to be discipline positionally and this Kansas City team maybe as much as any team is gonna threaten that of is it Dubinia and DiBernardo swapping into your space are you gonna chase are you gonna stay zonally spaced if Lloy Lobonta breaks through the lines are you going to step there are you gonna go and chase when Claire Hutton turns and plays negative and starts to reset the attack I think a lot of these questions that are going to be asked of Hirschfeld this season, we're going to see them in this game. Yeah, no, those are really good points. And Kansas City on the lookout.

Yeah. And Kansas City can fly and they're going to be a must watch attack as well. So this is an awesome game to help get the weekend started. And then Sunday ending with Gotham against Orlando, Gotham, the home team in this one. Orlando coming off that six goal victory. We haven't seen these two teams face off in a while. You saw Gotham up close this weekend. You saw what Orlando did. What do you make of this matchup?

I just don't know how you stop Orlando right now. Because if Barbara Banda doesn't get the space in behind, she proves that she can score a goal from distance, she can create over the top of defender. It feels like she has a few different things that she nuances to her game that she worked on in the offseason. I think the role of Emily Sonnet and Tierna Davidson is gonna be the most important role here. Like how compact this Gotham team can stay without giving up too much space in that second seam in between the defensive and the midfield line, but also not

behind them. Like you know that Anne-Katrine Berger is good at coming off her line and scooping those things up but she's not like, I'm going to sprint against Barbara Banda good. So you can't give away too much of the space like Gotham tends to do in behind. They're going to have to have a really disciplined back line and make sure that they're aware of where the threat is at all time, especially when they have the ball. Like their rest defense has to be on point. Yeah. Yeah, this is, I think,

I think it's in Juan Carlos Amoros's wheelhouse of like, how can I find little half advantages when I don't need, we don't need to dictate the game because it's acceptable against the double winner and against a team that scored six. And then like, where can I find the gaps? And I think a lot of it's going to fall on Ella Stevens. And like if Sam's is playing right back, trying to push into the attack, a little bit of a less familiar position for her of just like when to go,

when to stay, can Stevens get out or can Esther roll into that space? Cause one of the things I like about this team now is There's more responsibility on us there and like now you are seeing the player You saw two years ago when she came into this league where it's like I'm not just gonna hang up top and wait I'm gonna drop in and create and turn and take defenders on play quick one twos I'm gonna play other players into the the depth beyond like there are all these Options for the way she can play and I think we lost some of that last year and there was a lot more cooks in the kitchen deeper and so she stayed a little bit higher. I think all that will

be really interesting. Mandy Freeman will be suspended because of the red card. Bruninha was suspended last game will be available now for this game so you do have an option. Swap it out. Yeah you do have an option. Just swap it out. Yeah, you do have an option. Well, they felt so thin when Freeman got the red card during that game and Lily Rial came on more naturally a center back. And so I think that's one of the question marks in the lineup for Gotham. And they probably have an answer there, ready to go.

And then this Orlando team's question marks in the lineup are like, which of the 17 good players do you want to start In this game, are you surprised at all that Morgan Goutreau has found this role maybe once again? I don't know what term you'd use so far this season It's hard right because you can't you need a different center midfielder than you have with from the Others, right? Like I think that's why it works with Angelina. I think it why it works with McCutcheon at times because McCutcheon is like a little bit more

aggressive in her positioning and can get forward more. So Gautra doesn't have to be fancy. Like everybody else can be fancy. and if you have a healthy Morgan Gattrach I think she's just a solid central midfielder that makes everybody around her look better. So like a part of me yes but also a part of me is like it adds stability centrally in transition moments so then when you do have the ball and you are in attack those players feel more comfortable Being risky. Yeah, because they know Morgan can just slow things down and help them in those transition moments coming back on defense Yeah it's one of those where it's like You have names of players like that where they're sitting on benches and not fully healthy and you're like I know that like we know

What she's capable of you don't know if you'll ever see it again. I think it's one of the cooler stories that she has gotten back into this group and like is a difference maker and has the ability to affect the game for them because I think at her peak, one of the best players in the world for a little bit and a huge reason why the US won a World Cup. We've got a bunch of other games in here.

Those are the two huge ones. Let's do one for each of us that we're excited to see otherwise. I'll start with North Carolina against Seattle. North Carolina last year it was night and day home and away. We'll see if that continues from one-on-one draw in the first game to if they can come home and create chances. But I think I would like to see this attack continue to roll again. Jayden Shaw, how she gets involved, how she is engaged in this team and how you get the best out of her. And then a Seattle team now with a different test

of like, you're gonna play against the ball even more in this one. Can you stay in your shape? Then can you get out and transition? Does Monda see her get a start because she can stretch the field a little more and find some gaps? Or do you want that defensive structure with this group can bug hold up with all of the

pressure of moving players on and the communication needed in this game I think this is a really good test obviously for this Seattle team so this is kind of the must-watch game for me outside of the big ones what do you have for you this weekend I after watching San, I'm just intrigued by them. I want to know more about how they're gonna play How they can break teams down. I want more cascarino in my in my life and they're playing Utah so this San Diego Utah game, I think will be interesting because It looks to me like both these teams want to play. Utah really struggled to break down the Bay in their 3-5-2. A lot of numbers centrally, they weren't comfortable playing through and they weren't comfortable

playing around. How will Jimmy Kunrat set this team up to be better against the Utah team? Sorry, against San Diego? Different ask. San Diego was not defending like Utah more of a oh my gosh San Diego is not defending like Bay I just got so many teams mixed up there but Utah wants to have the ball and I think that this will have a nice flow to it where each team will have a little bit more possession and we'll get to see the best out of

them I just I picked this game because I want to know more about San Diego. They were a real wild card, I feel like, going into this season. And I want to start to piece together what they're going to look like throughout this 25 season. And when you talk about those wide players, like especially Casca, you know, the spaces you're going to be in, are you pulling a wide center back? To step to her initially or is the wing back if they go with this setup The one who's gonna be assigned to like always be there and if it's the wide center back is you know, it's Utah Utah is defending. Oh, sorry. I said Bay. I know I confused you

No, I don't know how I got confused because I felt like I was the whole thing San Diego, Utah is going to be great and watch that game. Bay's playing against Louisville, which will also be a fun game. We will talk about all of them next week. We are so excited that games are back. Clearly, this is just going to be a quick show

and we're going to get through it. No, we're having so much fun. The soccer was fantastic. The soccer was great. It continues on. We'll be back this week and next week to talk about all things NWSL. So thank you all of you for listening.