SoccerWise - NWSL Soccerwise | NWSL Sideline Stories & Angel City’s Turnaround

Episode Date: October 6, 2026

Lisa Carlin, CBS Sports analyst and NWSL sideline reporter, joins David Gass to share her favorite stories, personalties and being-the-scenes moments from the 2026 season. Then, Gass welcomes World Cup champion and NWSL broadcaster Saskia Webber to break down what’s behind Angel City’s recent run of form and the changes that have made them one of the league’s hottest teams.0:00 Intro3:51 Lisa Carlin on Life in the NWSL7:40 Gameday Tradition & Favorite Stadiums11:47 Standout Moments from the 2026 Season20:18 What You Learn Pitch Side26:15 The Teams That Have Made An Impression29:42 The Art of Sideline Reporting 34:10 USWNT vs. Spain37:24 Saskia Webber on Angel City’s Turnaround41:00 LA’s Young Core & Versatility 47:27 Ally Sentnor & the Tactical Shift50:59 Angel City’s Playoff PushFor the sharpest coverage of American soccer, we’ve got you covered:https://linktr.ee/soccerwisehq

Hey, everybody. Welcome back to Soccer Wise. David Goss here, a little bit lonely. Jordan Angeli is away on vacation in Costa Rica, but we still have plenty of NWSL coverage for you coming up. We are going to talk with one of our favorites in Lisa Carlin. You know her very well from her work at CBS, especially on the attacking third, as well as the sideline reporter for Ion every single week in NWS. So we're going to talk about her favorite stories, her favorite personalities, the thing. that she gets to experience that no one else does, sitting between the benches every single week at some of the best games in NWSL.

Then we wanted to dig into the hottest team in the league in Angel City. So to do so, we're going to have a World Cup winner, join us in Saskia Weber, who is part of the ownership group and one of the lead broadcasters on all of Angel City's games, talking about under the interim manager, what they've shifted, what they've changed, what she has seen in the development of the young players,

as well as what this means for the club. and for the community. So a big show coming up there. We won't hit into everything that happened on the weekend. San Diego, of course, the second team to clinch their spot in the playoffs behind Gotham with their victory on Friday night over Orlando. There was a basically playoff game in which North Carolina knocked off Seattle. So now North Carolina goes into the international break,

sitting in eighth place with Seattle just outside the playoff spots. And one to watch for it right now is the Portland Thorn. Sophia Wilson with an early red card in the game. A 4-2 loss for Portland drops them down to 7th. Could there be more punishment for Sophia Wilson after that? Either way, Portland has oscillated between this is a home playoff team and are they going to even make the postseason? So there was a ton of action this weekend, some big games, DeBiena with a hat trick. Kansas City current have been flying at home and coming out of the break.

There are going to be some big games, the Utah Royals. hosting in Angel City, one of their rivals for the final home playoff game is going to be massive. And there are a lot of big games coming up on the other side of the break. We already recorded with Jordan, a special that we're going to put out later this week in which we went back and looked at our preseason predictions. We went back and we dug through the big trades that have happened that Cat Bush has done a really great job of analyzing for us on our social media accounts. And we sort of went through the trade grades that cat built around those moves for the Croy Buthoons and Claire Hutton's and Ludmila's of the world. And we, of course, looked forward to our dream transfers coming up and thought about the World Cup that is around the corner. We will have your preview analysis of the USA Spain game on Saturday.

We're going to do so with Casey White, one of the broadcasters in NWSL and MLS and a former U.S. youth national team coach and U.S. national team player. So we dug into everything we expect to see from Emma Hayes' group, what they're trying to build, and of course what the matchup looks like against the number one team in the world. We'll also have your review analysis coming up next week. Brianna Pinto will join us for that one. As we break down everything we see in these two games, I am drooling over these

matchups. It is the reason we love this sport. It is the reason we love sports. one verse two, an opportunity to knock each other off. Emma Hayes has talked about how much she wanted to beat Barcelona and now how much she wants to beat Spain and just so much talent on these two teams. And they're so good at what they do. To watch it in big atmospheres against each other is exactly what we live for.

But before we get there, we're going to have a lot of NWSL to talk about. So let's dig in now and let's start with Lisa Carlin. All right, well, let's dig into our first conversation here. And to do so, we have one of the best names in all of us. NWSL. Lisa Carlin, I asked you how to intro you. As we talked through it, I realize if someone listened to this show, they know who you are. But if they don't, they can listen to you on the attacking third on CBS. Of course, they will see you on sidelines on Ion games. And catch you in Jordan Angelie's Instagrams every once in a while as well. Yes. Thanks so much for

having me, guys. I'm hyped to be here. Longtime listener, first time join her. Wow. Really Have you gotten that before? I have not. And you're based in Jersey. is like kind of perfect. I know. It's true WFAN energy. I'm excited to have you on. Jordan is away in Costa Rica, I believe. So I figured we could have a conversation.

I wish I was on her Instagram stories right now in Costa Rica. I know. It's fine. I'll pick up her slack. I appreciate you doing the heavy lifting and the work. There's a lot we can talk about, but I wanted to spend some time chatting a little bit about what you've experienced this season because the great treat with soccer is being there

and getting to watch the games. And we've talked about it a couple of times on this show. But for the most part, a lot of the broadcasters don't actually travel. They call games remote. And I am just based at home. And I watch games on TV. So you get the cool experience of being there a lot. And you go to a soccer game every single week,

which is a bit of a grind. But I can imagine is also pretty fun. It's amazing. Yeah. That's like the best kept secret or worst kept secret is that the broadcasters are not at the game, except I on or excuse me, except Amazon Prime. Yeah. They are there.

But it is so fun to go to games every week. Yes, the travel is exhausting because I'm flying all over the country, but it's once a week. Like, it's doable. It's very, very manageable. But to be at games is something that, like, I lost appreciation for because I was calling so many games just out of a studio. We're working in the studio for so yes. And you're covering games and you're talking about them. But the energy is so different.

And I hate when people say the energy. because that's so vague, but to go to a game at Providence Park and have 20,000 fans streaming the entire time with chants and flares going off to the point where I can't even hear the broadcast anymore in my double earphones,

like that's what you know, like, okay, this is a really cool experience. And covering the NWSL for as long as I have, there are definitely things I've taken for granted and like how amazing these players are. And then when you see Temwa Shuenga, run in front of you and well you don't even see her gosh because she's just a little bit of a blur then you're like whoa she's really fast like now I understand why the entirety of CP Casey

stadium starts screaming as soon as tem what takes off like they're just little nuanced things that you're able to pick up on um and I mean being in person like you get different conversations you get different views like there are so often times I'm telling the play-by-play and the color analyst, like what I'm seeing, not as a report, but just like, this player is warming up now. We're like, oh, they're not warming up anymore. Just little things that help out Jordan Angeloid, Jill Lloyden, she loves that. She's always texting me like, what's happening on the sidelines, what are the coaches doing,

and things like that. You get more insight. You get more information. You can read people's body languages. Even the interviews I do are better because I'm there with them in person. They see players then get to know me. It's aside from just seeing my face in a box on a screen, they see me and they're like, oh, hey, I've gotten, wow, you're a lot taller than I think.

Just funny things like that, you know? So let me ask you this for starters. Do you have a Game J tradition as a broadcaster now? And do you have a favorite game day atmosphere across NWSL? Because I assume you've been to every stadium this season? No, we did not go to every single stadium this season. And I was actually just talking to my crew about that. We never made it to Seattle because they were playing in Spokane.

Oh, you went to the one, the three games. Well, we did it. I didn't go. They were like, this is a small stadium. We're not sending you there. We're going to send you to the other game because that's the beauty of two eye on broadcasts every Saturday night. We get to pick the best game.

Game day traditions, sort of yes and no. It's almost like a game week tradition. I try to go to match day minus one training the day before and observe. trainings and talk to the coaches, talk to the PR people in person, talk to the players in person. I do two to three player interviews every week leading up to it. And then on game day is like the best day. Sometimes I'm just like waiting around for the game to come. And I'm like, what do I do? I like to go get a run in. I call it Match Day Miles. I put it on my social lot and I go explore whatever city I'm in. I go around on the beach in San Diego. Like, oh, you can't beat that.

So try to get a couple miles in just to like clear my mind. And then I go over all my notes. I try to go to a coffee shop just to get out of my hotel room because usually that's where I'm just doing my prep and watching games from Friday night. And then I get to the stadium very early because, well, to be prepped and to be there. But the way that my work is with the Ion show, I'm not just on the game. I'm on the entire pre-DIC as well, which starts depending on the game time. it's six o'clock Eastern, but if I'm at the second game, I'm getting to the stadium for five hours before game time, which is a lot, it's a lot of time.

That's a lot of time to be at a stadium. So we get there early, you know, we walk around. I try to go on the field. I try to walk on the field. Some stadiums don't let me do that. Yeah, I was going to say, that can get a few on grass. But I know, weirdly, I know a couple of the grounds crew, just from going to. the games this year and talking to them, right? If there's like bad weather or something's

happened, I talk to the grounds crew and get reports, get info. So I tried to do one walk across the field. I'm always in sneakers. I'm not putting hold from the ground. And then it's game time and I prep. But that's it. Nothing too crazy. Like go to a coffee shop and go on a run in the morning. There is something, you know, I've covered a lot of competitions and tournaments where you go to press conferences before trainings. Even when it's empty, there is something special about a stadium. Yeah. I think it's more, it's like reverent.

Yeah. Especially before it gets really loud and crazy. Like Providence Park. That's like a venue I love. I love. I was in San Diego a lot this year and I love that city and I love being at the beach. So that's a good one for me. There's a lot of good atmospheres this year and a lot of good places I've been.

Utah was pretty cool. Yeah. I think Sandy's a great place for a game. The mountain in the background. Yeah. If people haven't been, to me, it's like, because, listen, it's not huge. It's, it's not Camp New. It's not MSG. It's not whatever. But, like, for what it should be, it's kind of perfect. It's a beautiful stadium. It's absolutely beautiful. But, like, the downside is, guys, you know this. If you're watching a Utah game at home, even when they're as good as they are this year, it doesn't look like anyone's at the stadium. Yeah.

Because of the way that the stadium is set up with the sun. No one wants to sit on the far side of the stadium where you're sitting in the sun, but that's what the broadcast sees. There's like 8,000 fans on the other side, be loud and heck. It's so weird. I mean, Seattle's been the same for years. Yes. Yes.

Even Gotham struggles with that sometimes. Like they put everyone on the one side because that's where fans want to sit, not in the sun. So being at Utah was pretty cool. I was like, whoa, there's a lot of people here. What's been your favorite, like, moment that you've been around so far this season? Oh, wow. I've been around a lot of cool moments, a lot of cool moments. One that jumps out to me immediately is at Portland Thorns and the return of Kyah Hanks

after her devastating ACL tear. And we knew she was going to play. The coach had told us that, like, because there was a whole conversation around her salary and the salary cap. And if he was going to take her, Robert Ilahan was going to take her off the SEI list, he needed her to play. Otherwise, that salary cap that's going towards her when it could be going towards someone else. So he knew that she was going to play.

We knew she was going to play. It was just a matter of time. And the clock's ticking down. She subs in like the 85th minute. And she scores an insane goal. And immediately is just sobbing. And we had talked to her all week because we knew she was going to get minutes. We knew her family was there.

So immediately, like, I'm watching her score this goal. I'm turning and looking at her mom in the stands to be like, what is she doing? Because that's all part of the report that I then get to tell before the cameras catch her. That was a really chilling moment. I have chills. And then to interview her after and her to just be so appreciative of everything and the journey that she had been on. And that was really cool. That was a really cool one.

Natalie Jacobs also. I was going to say, I remember that interview. The North Carolina defender. Her grandfather was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. They were playing Washington. So they were in D.C. And they took a trip to the cemetery. They got to go to the Tomb of the Unknown, do the changing of the guard ceremony.

Macklin, the head coach of the Courage. And Jacobs got to lay a wreath that said North Carolina Courage on the Tomb of the Unknown soldier. And it was a really emotional day. and I knew that, so I got to talk to her about it Friday night before the game. And when does a centerback ever score the game winning goal in a four, three game in stoppage time? And Natalie Jacobs has only played like five games this year, unfortunately, because of injury. And she's only scored like a handful of goals in her entire career and not office at peace.

Like you, those are the moments and the stories that you can't make up. You can't do that. And to interview Natalie, after I had spent the day with her before, talking all about her grandfather, like so many things that I would never use in a broadcast, but I wanted to get to know her and her grandfather and spent a lot of time chatting with her. And so then when she saw me after the game and she was like, I like, I can't believe you're done to interview me. And I was like, I have to, Nat. Like, come on. Like the player conversations right before the interviewals are great. Like Mel Barcena's earlier this year,

she scored a banger in like April maybe. And she was like me, you want to interview me? And I was like, no, when you score like that, you're going to get interviewed every time. She looks at me and she goes, I always want you to interview me then. I was like, that's a baller. That's a baller right there. But yeah, the little comment. She's probably the interview now since then because she. I've interviewed her like three more times and I'm like, here I am.

Yeah. Yeah, there's a lot. I also get a lot of cause that I can't use. Yeah. I was going to say the refrain you always get in broadcasting school is you won't use 90% of what you work on because the hope is the games will be good and you can't. Yeah. Well, absolutely. I mean, in terms of all the prep I do, I use about 5% of it. My producers are really good. I'll write my storylines the night before and send them to them and the play-by-play and the analyst. And they'll give comments and let me know. Sometimes the producers will make a graphic and say, this is a really cool story that you've got. I want to make sure we work it in. But so much of it is live, what's happening. But also I get a lot of info that I'm like, okay, that's off the record. Tell me that. And I want to try to like keep separation. of, you know, church and state in my brain because I am a broadcaster and talk about all these

things. But, like, I've interviewed players before or, like, chatted with them, right? I think, oh, this is for the broadcast. And they're very brutally honest. And I'm like, okay, but can I say that? And then they're like, oh, God, no, I was just telling you because, like, you wanted to know. And I was like, okay, but now I need a quote.

Like, something that I can say. So I got a lot of, like, background information and then they PC it up a little bit. But still that info I can like use subtly, right? And like and give background and then use that information to ask different questions later. We're like whatever. Right. Yeah. There's a lot.

Is there any like pre-built story or storylines though that you that didn't get on air that you still think about or you wish you had been able to get out there? Yeah. I mean a lot. I have like folders and folders and folders of them. Even just like fun little personality things like Taylor Malam. Like she's the bake. the baker at Chicago. It's always baking them stuff and bringing them food. But like it doesn't really fit into a soccer broadcast, but I wanted it to. Like hydration breaks. Like there are times to get

these things in. I wanted her to bake me something and then I would eat it. Yeah. Things like that. At North Carolina in April, this was a really cool story. Peyton Linehan had got, was going to get married during the international window. And she was going to fly to Arizona with her fiance, Reggie Crawford, who was the Giants, San Francisco Giants pitcher where they had gotten engaged in that same spot. So they were going to go back. And on Monday during the international break, she had a couple days off, get married with her parents and her family, and then come back and continue being a professional soccer player. So her team had thrown Peyton Linehan, a bachelorette. They had like the cut out faces of Reggie. They had ring pops. They like decorated

her locker. It was adorable. Like a little mined. any Bachelorette before the international break where she was going to go get married. It's like, that's so cool. That's so fun. And like insight into these players that we don't often get to see how cool they are. Because we so often, right, interviews are just the big stars of the game, which are amazing. I love our big stars in this league. But there are so many players, role players, frankly, that are really cool people, really cool people. Yeah, I think one of the most fun parts,

have noticed about NWSL is you have real personalities. I think a lot of that comes from the nature of what women's sports have been in women's soccer, which is one, a lot go to college, which is not just pure like education. It's just to get out of the home, you have this experience that other people are having. You get socialized in a different way.

And the other is there's not as many guarantees in the career, right? You have for an NFL player, the whole life is just make it to the NFL, where for a lot of these players, it's still the same, but they kind of have to have other like interests and options. And so you end up, I mean, one of the things I always laugh about is there's been so many interviews, whether it's with you or, you know, on the headset with with the booth,

with young players who have had big moments. And they like thank the interviewer and they're like, it's like job interview energy kind of where you're like, that's just so polite. It's so nice. Yes. They're great interviews. All of these players really are. because they're just like happy and honored to do it.

Like, Arsena's, that story I said earlier. Like, she was just like, wow, me, like I get to do this.

It's adorable. And sometimes, I mean, there are always players that don't want to do it or they're like, and then I'm like, it's me. Come on. And they're like,

okay. Like sometimes the PR people will tell me that, which is such an honor. They'll be like, I asked them to do this interview. It wasn't, they didn't really want to do it. And then I told them it was going to be with you.

And they're like, okay, fine, I'll do it. Which is like, such an honor for me that these players have gotten to know me. They know I'm not going to ask them something inappropriate, but that like it's going to catch them off guard. But I'm, I'm also going to be like good at my job and prepared. So it's going to be a question that makes sense and is relevant

to them. So I'm always honored when they're like, oh, okay, like I saw it was you. Yeah, I'll do it. Type energy thing. But then sometimes they still don't want to do it. Post game's the best. when a player's like, oh, like Devinia this past weekend in KAC. She like, the PR person came over to her and she was like, oh. And then I walked over and I was like, Deb, it'll be so quick, two questions. Like, we're already ready. Let's just do it. It's almost done.

Like, you know, if you're talking to a kid, like it's, I was going to say it's like you're a doctor. Yeah, yeah. The shot's already done. Yeah. For the off the record conversations or the background conversations or the combos you get to have, like maybe I assume not all of them are people who then. end up on the broadcast as often because they're not the stars who are the personalities that you've really enjoyed talking to in the league yeah that's a good one um alie schlegel is awesome

she is a cool person like i want to be friends with her and hang out with her um do you have to wear a headband yeah you have to wear a pink headband um you have to go fly fishing with her like oh that i'm willing to do with her um yeah she's she's a cool one she'll just like tell you how it is and and be honest with it. And like, she has a really good personality, which makes having those conversations a little bit easier. Right. Like, that's always my goal when I start talking to these players is, like, they're humans. They're not soccer players. They're humans. Like, how do I humanize them and, like, relate to them? And like, a lot of the young players, I tell them a little bit about myself. Like, hey, like, I've been covering this league for a while. I played in college. So,

like, I get the nuances of it. You can say something technical to me. And I'm going to understand. understand what you're talking about. And like, I watch you and I play or like, I try to reference something that they've done in their career from like months ago or weeks ago. So they know like, oh, you do know what you're talking about. I didn't just show up. Yeah. I didn't just show up here.

Whereas like the other players know me. Like Kaylee Kurtz is always just going to be like, oh, hey, Lease. Like, what's up? What can I help you with today? What do you need? You need anything? You want to quote? Like, which is really nice of her.

But like, she's a star. I don't know. I'm trying to think of like some other players that like, I'm, I don't know, I'm trying to think of like some other players that like, I, have chatted to and it's hard. There's a lot of them. I've talked to most of them. The other than the next I was going to ask is the coaches because some of the, you obviously are on coaches calls all week, but then you get to sort of see them in person as they interact. What do you, what have you learned maybe that doesn't, that other people don't

notice from sitting at that one spot, which is to me the coolest place to sit for a game in the world? I've learned a lot sitting between the benches this year, um, on the sidelines. One of them is that it's a terrible vantage point to see the game. Like, yeah. To be honest, you can't see half the things. Because you don't see any of the stuff from above. Yeah. I have, I usually have a monitor, which helps me out a lot. But like, I want to watch the game because the players are right in front of me. That's why the coaching staff always has all those iPads and they're all 22s. And that's the first thing they go look at to actually see like movement and what has happens. Like, it's been hard to be an analyst after I've been a sideline reporter for, for like that, a

specific game. Sometimes I'm like, I don't know what happened in this game because I couldn't see it. So vantage point, very interesting from that perspective. Best seat in the house, but you don't always get a full scope of what has happened. Seeing coaches in person is so helpful. It is so helpful that on Zoom's, I mean, they get to know us on the Zoom calls. And by the end of this, the year, they'll go, hey, Lisa, what's up? How are you? But then to see them in person and you just get like a little bit more of like candid conversations about other things too. I'm not always asking them soccer specific questions like Mack Lind. I almost always ask him about his daughters. His four daughters that he is very passionate about and he is so excited to talk about them. So I every time,

hey Mac, how are the girls? How are they doing? And he fills me in and it creates that human connection because then he's also more willing to give me information later because he knows that I'm just a human and I want to be there. He, I am pregnant and I recently announced that and put that out there in public. And I was in North Carolina talking with their PR team and they were like, oh, congratulations. They were very kind and gave me a little gift. And Mack was standing just a few yards away, tying his shoes. And he turns and he looks at me and he goes, what's happening over here? Why are we congratulating you? He comes over and I tell him and he could not have been more excited for me, Goss, than like my family members. He was so excited asking me so many questions,

when I do. Meanwhile, training has started. He's not late to training because the assistant coaches started training. And he's chatting to me about how cool it is to be a dad and how much it changes your life and how much I'm going to love it. And just a human conversation because I was standing there talking to the PR person about something personal in my life. And then he kind of, and jumped in, like little moments like that. I mean, the coaches are, they get fiery. I was going to say, who's the scariest? Oh, that's a good one.

Not to you, but like to the game. Yeah. Jonas Adival. He gets pretty fired up. He gets pretty fired up. I mean, Becky Tweed got sent off this weekend. Becky Tweed, yes. So I know a lot of the assistants really well, too,

because that's who I talk to in game, to not bother the head coaches. So Freyakum, Becky, tweet. And of course, these have been head coaches in the league, so they know me as well from there. But Emma Thompson at North Carolina, I mean, yeah, the list goes on, and Salem at Denver.

Nick Cushing, I still talk to him a lot. Like, there's just a lot of good people, Sam Lady, the Angel City, like, that I can go to and get info on. Yeah, I would say Jonas gets pretty fired up. Adrian Gonzalez is pretty good one to watch on the sidelines. He's pretty animated.

He talks a lot to his players. He talks a lot in Spanish to his players. And I have a minor in Spanish, so I try to. Okay. And then I get nervous. Like, I don't know if this is accurate. Well, I live in Miami, so I can understand the pressure in those moments. Yeah, yeah.

And I'm like, wait, he's yelling that in Spanish and I understood it. Is that true? Can you say it again, coach? From seeing the game the way you see it, as you said, different view. Is there any team? that you're higher on maybe than everyone else because you can feel the physicality or you see the way they play or the way they interact where you think maybe people are sleeping on them. But from your vantage point, they've looked better than maybe the results have been or what people expect.

I love that question. The vibes are very high in Louisville. That is a culture and a place that I think a lot of credit goes to Bevianez about the culture that she has created and the mindset. She's a coach I love to talk to post game in Louisville. They played Angel City this year and I was there. And Bev probably spent 15, 20 minutes with me after the game talking about it. And her not disappointment, but like her frustration with how the year has gone because

everyone is so good and so talented. And she's like, we are doing so many things right. And then just one thing falls apart. And the other team is better at us in that moment. She's like, but last week, we were better at. at that moment. So little things like that, I would say. I think Louisville is one. I think Savannah DeMello re-signing with them says that. When I came out, I was like, there you go. Like, proof is in the pudding. Players are going to stay there when they could go somewhere else.

I think talking with Jimmy Coonrott's and seeing Utah Royals interact at training, post-training, who they sit with. Like a lot of times, that's when I see the players. I watch training and then I stick around after and whether they go to an individual meeting or team meal and then they meet with me, it's up to them if they meet with me before or right after. And a lot of times I just sit in the cafeteria and like at a different table and tell them like, come over when you're ready. It's like, no big deal. You can eat if you want with me. It'll be five minutes. It'll be quick. And to watch the players interacting there is very interesting. Yeah. It sits with who. Like, I don't know. You got the burn book. You're in the clicks.

Yeah, I got the burn book. But like all of that is off record. Yeah. No, for sure. but that's what makes a team. That's what makes the team great is the relationships, the feeling. I mean, it always helps when you win. But every championship team says, like, the way we act together, the way we are. And I think you see that when teams do well. I think back to like Tara Rudd and her sister getting married and the way the whole team treated her. And like, but that playoff run felt special.

And it felt like that interpersonal side was big. And who at training, you know, is jumping around with everyone. And like, Kenza Dali is a mad woman at training in terms of like she's talking to everyone. She's making bets with players. Hey, I bet you I can hit the crossbar before you can. And then she just starts kicking balls. And she's like, oh, if I beat you, I win. Like she is one of those players.

And I'm like, oh my gosh, you, everyone. It's not like a group, right? It's she's going to everyone. And she's the life of the party. And she's having so much fun at training, making bets with players. Like that was the craziest thing. I asked her. I was like, did you just make a bet about that?

She was like, yes, I wanted to win. I wanted to get more money. I was like, this is amazing. It is why it feels like she's the right fit for the, I start with two 20-year-olds in Central Midfield. Yes, because she can be and tells them what to do while also demanding so much respect and then learning from them as well. Like that's a key piece, I think, of Ken Zadali's game,

is that she gives so much, but she also is willing to learn and take so much. Wait, I want to ask you, what's something about sideline reporting that, like, you think but like maybe isn't true or like I don't know I'm so in it you know that I forget what other people think um hmm that's a good question I don't I mean I think I've done very little of it so I've done a little bit and yeah I was in one situation where there was a fight off the field and I didn't know how to talk about it so I think that's one of the things which you kind of mentioned is like how do you piece you things up while still being truthful and honest and I think people get stuck in between with all of that where it's like fans want they think they

want the true pure unfiltered, but like you have to clean things up for the broadcast. You have to clean it up. Yeah. Especially things that you see. Like that's something that I really focus on. I see a lot of conversations or I see a lot of movements or frustrations or coaches that make hand motions at players that are on the pitch. And I'm like, oh, I think they're saying.

saying this, but I can't say that because that might not be what they're saying. So I have to like verbalize everything that I see, which I don't know if any of you have ever tried to do that. It is very difficult. Adrian Gonzalez whistles at Trinity Rodman, gets her attention. He then makes it fist pumping motion. Like I don't know. Like how am I supposed to describe this? And then he does like a dance move motion. Yeah. It gives the thumbs up. She gives a thumbs up back. I don't know what they're talking about. Like, I could assume, but I don't know. It's like funny things like that. And it's interesting that you said about the view because I do know that any game I've watched from the sideline, I have come away with an overinflated

view of what I realized, the players were directly in front of me. So like it works when you have the broadcasters. Like we oftentimes at MLS Cup, I would be like, at the sideline because I'm doing other things around it. And then after the game, when you do the breakdown post game, I realize I'm like hyper focused on the left back for 45 minutes and then the right back for 45 minutes. I'm like, I don't know. I think he had a really good game.

And you're like, oh, that was just directly in front of me. Yes, yes, which is like a cool perspective you get. Yeah. Because I notice things about players that I've never noticed before in their movements and the things they do, which isn't always relevant that game. But then when I see that. them again, I look back at those notes that I took during the game and I asked them about it. And that's like where I can create a story from what I see because I ask very specific questions.

Hey, in this game against defending against this player, your movements looked like this. Yeah. Why? And then they tell me, oh, I was specifically working on it for that player because they cut in behind. And I'm like, okay, cool. I've just gotten more information. Right.

Yeah. Yeah. The vantage point is the coolest, the most bizarre. Yeah. It is just a complete, but the one thing you get that no one gets is speed and physicality of just like. Yes. Sometimes there are moments where I'm watching a game on TV and it becomes the like FIFA pieces where everyone's kind of moving around. And then in the space you're in, it's like, oh no, that tackle, which is like they should win this tackle, that was really like that.

That was a really hard tackle. Or even like you see sometimes like a player will miss a pass. And if I'm at home watching that, I'm very critical. I'm like, what are you doing? You should have made that. And in reality, the ball came into their feet like 90 miles an hour. And they got closed down so quick. Like you just don't like the perspective.

Right. Exactly right. The speed and the physicality is unmatched when you're watching it live. And what you were saying about the coach of that by like, I thought about this the other day because I was watching it where it's like, we see the run come from the left side. And we're like, hit that. Just play that pass. But when you're on the field.

level with the players in front of you, you can't see it. And that is, I think, a piece that maybe we don't give a lot of license to. But that's why we have you there to help us. Yeah, to help us get halfway closer. Yeah, to be one of the few that are there every single week on site, representing the league to some extent about, you know, broadcasters. But you're off this weekend because it's international break. Do you have a, do you want to give me two seconds, USA, Spain, what you're excited for?

Yes. This is going to be a test for the U.S. and Emma Hayes, right? This is the best team in the world. This is the world champions. What has Hayes been working on with this group? That's what I want to see. Do you think we're going to get a lot of changes?

Do you think we're going to get a lot of like rotation and like new players? Because I don't. Yeah. I think it's going to be the same people that we see. And she's just calling in some of the. these other players to give them experience in camp. Like a Kate Alfava. Love that.

She's gotten called up. I don't think she's going to see minutes in this. Yeah. Yeah. We have a preview that's coming out tomorrow with Casey White. So I can't give full. But I think we kind of landed on like it's probably 14 to 16 players. So there's a rotation.

There's shift. But it is not going 28. It is the reality, which is two games in four days. You can't play every one 90 minutes. But yeah, I think there's a three-person center-back rotation. I think there's a four-person central midfield rotation. I think there's probably four across the front three, depending on how healthy.

Now, Swanson is where it's going to be all of them. I was a little surprised Swanson got called in because of her injuries. Yeah. And how she's on minute restrictions right now. I'll be honest. I was a little surprised that she got called in. But she also has the reputation to be able to change a game, even on limited minutes.

And Mallory Swanson on 45 minutes is better than some other forwards on 90 minutes. And I think Emma knows this better than anyone just because of who she is. But on July 18th of 2027, are you going to have wish you tested something with Mal Swanson a year ago? Are you going to wish you had beaten Spain in October? And I think almost every person in the world would try and beat Spain in October because the pressure that comes if you don't. and Emma, while Emma wants to, she's not scared of the issues that could come up if it, if it doesn't work out.

Absolutely. And all these injuries, I mean, think of all the changes that have been made to this roster, big names that months ago, anyone, not just us who are so involved in this game, but casuals would have said, oh, yeah, those players are locked. Right. Locked for the World Cup, locked for everything. What if they're injured?

Yep. And that's where Emma Hayes gets paid the big bucks. That's where I'm really glad I don't have that job. You got this, Emma. I have all faith in you. Triple espresso at Healthy plus Alyssa Thompson, plus Michelle Cooper. Who starts? It's not our problem.

That's Emma's problem to figure out. Not our problem. We just get to enjoy it. It's going to be so fun. Follow Lisa on all socials and, of course, follow her for coverage at CBS coming out of the USA games and then, of course, back on IOT. So Lisa, thanks once again for hanging out with us. Thank you.

Well, we really appreciate Lisa taking the time to chat with us. a great ranging conversation. They're talking about a lot of the great stories around NWSL. But now let's focus in and let's do so talking Angel City with a World Cup winner, a part-time owner of Angel City and a broadcaster in Saskia Weber. Oh, excited to dig a little bit deeper on one of the best stories in NWSL in 2026, but especially over the last few months,

the hottest team in the league since the World Cup layoff. And it is Angel City. and to do so, we have someone who knows this club very well. A World Cup champion, a broadcaster and analyst at NWSL who covers a lot of Angel City, as well as an owner of Angel City and Saskia Weber. Saskia, thanks for being here. Ah, happy to be here. Especially with Angel City doing so well.

I was going to say, Angel City, it's one of the biggest names in the history of the league. It is one of the most popular names in the global sport overall. But it hasn't been on field the most success. how do you sort of quantify how exciting it is that it is all sort of hit this year? Well, five years in. So it's a baby team, you know, in the grand scheme of sports and expansion teams. And I know with the success of, let's say, other expansion teams when they hit the ground running, even if you look at Denver right now, how well they're doing in their first season,

you know, there's a lot of expectations. I think there have always been a lot of expectations on Angel City, you know, representing Los Angeles. a key market and the brand behind it. You know, you expect it's like a Yankees or a Dodgers. You know, it's got that weight behind it. It's been a lot of personnel has changed over time, but there's still like the OGs when you look at like a Sarah Gordon

and stuff like that helping to guide the team. There have been changes like whether it's in the front office or it's on the coaching side of things. but I think the vision has always been there, and you're starting to see it come to fruition right now. Sort of the group that we've seen started the year hot, a little bit of a lull, and then, as I said,

coming out of this World Cup break, it is really turned on. What do you sort of look at as the keys to what has been this turnaround and this success? Well, I think with a, like with a lot of teams, you go through that wall of injuries. And, you know, changes. So Kennedy Fuller goes up to pay, but you get Ali Sentinoran.

And so I think one of my biggest keys, I think, was the return of Savvy King. And the reason I say that is by bringing Savvy King back, even with injuries, that moved Giselle Thompson up to that winger position. Now, you know, that outside, or Giselle would run that flank anyway, but I think when talking to Coach Marood about it, it was like now she has a little less defensive responsibilities. But it kind of changed the dynamic about how teams had to play against Angel City. So now you have, you know, three very strong attackers up top. You have Spendis, your own daughter, you have Chalufia. Now you have Thompson up there. Now you have to spread

the responsibilities of the teams defending. And you can't just mark Chalufia or mark Fendis out of the game. You have to watch Jazeel on that far side. What did that do? That opened up the midfield allowed Ali Centaur to move around more freely, create. And then the biggest, the biggest one was the relationship between Sentinel and Evelyn Shores, you know, the UNC connection on that other side, on the left side. So now you've spread teams out. Now teams have to pay attention to your entire system and your entire team instead of just identifying one area that they can defend and shut you down.

one of the fascinating things as you talked about that is you mentioned four specific players and Thompson, Savvy King, Shores, well, three, who are all very versatile. All of them have played multiple positions. We see Shores get called into the national team as a midfielder playing as a left back. Savvy King, maybe we thought was going to be a centerback this year, has played mainly as a right back where she was drafted originally to play at times at left back. What do you make of the soccer IQ of these young players and their ability to adapt. But I think that's a new generation, right? And I think that that's the evolution of soccer,

even if you take goalkeepers, for instance, you know, being that playmaking goalkeeper out of the back, where you start the attack, you have to be able to bypass lines. You have to be, you know, efficient with your distribution. So if you go from the back forward, yes, I mean, you know, if you run into troubles, if a Sam's has to come out of the game, you could slide Savvy King into center into centerback next to Gordon. But I think you see that across all of soccer. And a lot of coaches have talked on the fact that part of that came from recruiting-wise and came from the salary cap.

And with the salary cap, you have to have players that can play multi-positions that understand soccer across the board, whether you're a forward, you get moved back to back. I mean, look at Thompson now is up top where she, you know, was starting. thriving and outside back, and you have to have players that can do that, whether you're in a double pivot or a single pivot. If you want a Laguer to play more of an eight instead of, you know, a dual 10 or the double pivot, or you have to be able to adapt to that. And an understanding of the game comes with that as well. And we see that in these young players. They just, they get soccer

as a whole now, the education of soccer, whether it's coming from college or skipping college and going straight pro, the ones that are, the ones that are achieving and succeeding are the ones that really are adaptable. Well, I'm going to start with Jaisel Thompson because I beat this drum on this show a lot. Like, Alyssa Thompson was the celebrity. She came in. Giselle Thompson, for some people, was her sister. And now I think she's a locking national team player. But again, at a couple different positions, what have you made of watching her? sort of seeing her develop as a player and as a pro. Well, I think she's found her rhythm and her stride.

And again, she understands her strengths and she plays into them. And even though other teams understand, look, Giselle's going to create combinations on the far side. She's going to do overlap. She can pop out wide. She can look to serve. But you know if she gets inverted, she's going to goal.

And she's a threat in and around the top of the box to either take a shot or slot that ball in. But you still can't stop her. And I think she's so good on the ball in tight areas and in the pocket and able to take on and create out of small spaces that she's found what's strong for her. And she's improving on it. And yeah, I think a mainstay on the U.S. national team, you know, with her speed, obviously, she's such a strong defender, one v one. You know that she can recover, get back. And you know she's a 90-minute gamer.

Jizel Thompson, a huge piece of this team. And then as we mentioned, Savvy King, it was an emotional part of last season when she went down. And of course, it has been this incredible story that we've all followed from afar. And there's so much of that that's human. But then the piece that you get this year is she's a great soccer player. And that was the other part that Angel City was missing. And it's just been really nice, I think, to see her back on the field. Right.

You know, before everything that happened last season, Savvy King was playing great. great and had gotten her first call up. And so, you know, we can't forget that. And so I'm not surprised, you know, it always takes a little while to get back up to the pace of the game. You know, games are totally different than practice. But, you know, she's doing that and watching what she contributes. And again, picking up that defensive role. She doesn't go forward as much as a Giselle did when she played that outside back position.

But that's okay because you have Giselle, like in front of you. So you don't need to constantly run 120-yard, you know, sprints and get back, because now you have that give and take between the two of them. And her just her positioning, her timing on tackles. She's, you know, she's the best of both worlds where you have her knowledge of the game and the way she plays. And she's like a hybrid of a Sam's Anna Gordon put together, you know, and that's how you have to look at it.

So it rounds out that back. I mean, that back line with the Evelyn Shores, who's playing phenomenally, and Savvy, Sam's, and Gordon, I mean, it's just a solid back line. And the fastest, arguably, in the league. Like, you got, you know, you have Sarah Gordon back there. You know that she can shut down the fastest forwards in the league. So you have that security. Talk a little bit about what Sarah Gordon has meant to this club overall. As you said, one of the originals.

and maybe it wasn't the most highly-towed-college player and wasn't the cleanest career route and then has come out and become this lockdown professional who borderline national team, I think, and has been a mainstay. Yeah, and I was surprised. I was calling for it. You know, I think I wanted her to get a call up,

to get a look, you know, whatever's changed that, change that. But I think her consistency. I mean, when you're talking about a center back and a back line, you need consistency. You need to know what you're getting game in and game out. And you get that from Sarah Gordon. She's a leader on and off the field. But if I was behind her in goal, I just know what I have. You know, and even if Sarah, you know, if she makes a mistake, if she passes the ball away, she's going to make up for it.

Because defensively, her timing is second to none. And her timing on tackles and she, you know, yes, that's part of spirit. bead, but there's a sense of how she reads the game, when to dive in, when to take somebody down, you know, and we see that game in and game out. And she's so consistent that I would have loved to have her play in front of me. You know, you look at this team and there has been some key tactical shifts, but the one big personnel shift has been the addition of Ali Centaur, which was a surprise to many, just that she was available and made a move. And then sort of became a question mark, which is two trades and two years from a player who was the face of a team

to what is her career now and where does she sit? What have you made of her ability to fit in in Angel City and the way she has played? I think it's a great fit for Allie. And I think, you know, given the freedom that she's been allowed to be creative, you know, if Ali wants to pop out wide, you know, create those combinations, she's working so well with Evelyn Shores. I've actually talked to her about that and she has said like it's like they don't even need it to have verbal communication the two of them they they understand each other the timing everything and you see it on the field and you see what it's created on that left side where it's just those giving goes those short in you know in the pocket play between the two of them getting alley activated getting getting

getting Evelyn activated for overlaps and the cut inside. And I think that freedom underneath Jan's daughter, Chalufia and Thompson, she's got so much space to play in there. And we've seen what she can do with that. I think it took her a couple games to understand the timing of other players. But, of course, you moved in the middle of the season. And then with the addition of Savvy back, like I said before, it's opened up that freedom and that space for her to create.

I think it's the perfect place for Allie right now to be a leader to grow. She doesn't want to call herself a veteran yet because she's so young. It's hard for me to call her that. But she's moving into that status where you can build an attacking midfield around her. And she has been given this freedom and putting this position by what is an interim head coach in Leaf Gunner, Smirond. What has he brought to this club? What has sort of worked underneath him? Well, I think with Smirud, I think he has put the puzzle pieces together really well.

And, you know, getting everybody back after the break, healthy, and being able to manipulate the – I mean, you have a Claire Emsley that's not starting right now. When you think about who you have on the bench, you know, you have a Riley Turing who was, you know, only on one goal this season, but, you know, was eight goals last year and like a phenomenal, you know, rookie season. So he's got the depth, you know, and doing all of this without an endo and stuff, you know, so you have a couple major players that are out for the season. I think he's moved the pieces around properly and everybody's clicking at the right time. I think the big question and the question everybody asks is what you make a deep run in the playoffs and, you know,

hopefully win it because, listen, it's the NW.SEL. And they just tied Gotham. So Gotham's number one. So it's not out of the realm of possibility that Angel City wins, you know, the title whatsoever. But he's an interim coach. And I know everybody's question is, you know, you have another coach that's already slated to come in this year. Don't ask me, I don't know what you do with that situation. Like, I don't.

Like, it's above my pay grade. Do you think right now they're sitting in fifth place? Do you think there's a chance that they could get a home playoff game in the close of this season and then expectations into the playoffs? Well, I think mathematically, yes. You know, mathematically you can run the table. You can win out. I mean, and depending on what other teams do in and around you, it's a reality. It is a reality.

And look, four months ago, were we talking about that? No. You know? And I always said, listen, the beginning of the season, the run that Angel City that we have forgotten about. a lot of people. The run that Angel City had in the beginning of the season is why they are where they are now. And when they were at number one at one point, they had won three games in a row, you know, tied here and there. But those points that they gained in the beginning of the season and I had said it right before World Cup break, I go, when they go into a lull, because most

teams do, except Gotham, most teams too, that's going to carry them through to the playoffs because you've acquired those points. And that's where they are right now. And so you're, you know, you're firing on all cylinders. You have those points that you had from before the break in your pocket. And yes, I think that it's a reality to get a home bid. I think right now, let's take it one game at a time. And for them, I know that's their mentality. And get in.

Get it. Yeah. Just get it. And how much would it mean to the fan base to the club, to the community, if they make the playoffs, but if they were to host playoff game and finally on the field sort of have that success that they've had off the fields. You know, look, Angel City set a precedence for what the new look of a club and an organization

looks like and how you build a fan base and how you reach out to the community and the grassroots and how you develop a woman's club and who you target. It's not, you know, this is how the men do it. This is how the women are going to do the same way. It doesn't work. We know that, right? Different demographics, everything. So I think that for L.A., for, you know, the owners, for the fans, for the kids around here, they could be huge.

I think you're selling out BMO. I think, you know, they've been just loyal fans regardless over the past five years. So, you know, you don't do anything without your fans. So I think it would be huge here in L.A. It'd be huge. It already is. So it would just be even bigger. It's been fun to watch.

There's so much to dig into on what's gone right with this team. So much talent. Yeah. And we can't put it. We cannot talk about Anderson. So I mean, I'm a goalkeeper. So you,

well, you have to talk about she set all the records right now as a goalkeeper. You know, and I think there was a lot of questions when D.D. left. You know, we're going to give the reins to Angelina Anderson. But sometimes you say,

listen, we're going to, we're going to develop the goalkeeper that we want to be a franchise goalkeeper. keeper and she's been here and we're going to put our trust in her. And, you know, instead of just going out and try to cherry pick goalkeepers and try to fit them into your system, you're going to develop a goalkeeper within your system. And we're seeing the benefits of that right now. So hats off to Angelina as well. This is why we love having goalkeepers on the show because I was going to say, Yon's, most people are like, let's do Yon's daughter now. Let's talk to Lucia.

And you went goalkeeper immediately. Someone has to stand up. Somebody has to. Yeah, exactly. But I appreciate you taking the time to join us. It's been a blast to watch this team play. And hopefully when we go into the playoffs, we'll have you on to help us break down in an Angel City playoff game or maybe even a semifinal or a final. Sounds good to me. Well, we appreciate Saskia taking the time to join us.

And a huge thanks once again to Lisa Carlin. And thank you to all of you for listening and joining along with us. As I mentioned, on the top of the show, we will have your Spain-U.S. Women's National Team preview action. that will be coming out on Wednesday with Casey White, and we will have all of your recap action coming up after the games as well. So good luck to both the teams.

Enjoy the games and we'll talk to you again very, very soon.