SoccerWise - POR, Gotham & Star's First Wins, KC Lead From The Front & Orlando-Washington Preview

Episode Date: April 16, 2025

NWSL season has resumed post international break. Jordan & David jump in to revel in the first wins of the season for Portland, Gotham & Chicago. Then they dig through some of the surprise rotation performances & the race at the top of the league between KC & Orlando. Of course they also dig into the preview of the NWSL Championship rematch coming up on Saturday. 4:25 Thorns 1st Win10:20 Utah Worries14:45 Gotham’s 1st Win In Midge Purce’s Return23:30 North Carolina’s Attacking Woes28:55 Chicago’s 1st Points Of 202536:45 Chawinga Loses Scoring Streak But KC Get Even Better & San Diego Rotation47:15 Orlando Keep Pace Atop NWSL In Seattle, But Reign Show Good Signs55:00 Angel City vs Gotham Preview59:30 Orland vs Washington Preview Of Championship Rematch Soccerwise Live 2pm ET Every Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday on Youtube/Twitch/Twitter

Welcome everybody back to SoccerWise first live show of the week and I'll be totally honest I forgot about the intro song. So that's what I was just doing for anyone watching on YouTube or anywhere else. That's what the long little pauses and me probably cursing under my breath was me realizing that that's how we were supposed to start a show. David Goss and Jordan Angeley back with you for another big episode of Talk NWSL. Jordan, happy to see you. Happy to see you too.

You kind of have this little smirk giggle and I didn't know what was happening, but yep you did forget that. Way to go, way to go. It's okay. Yeah. You recovered well and if you didn't call yourself, I don't think people would really have noticed. But I appreciate accountability. Yeah, it is. It's a big part of relationship.

For us to perform at our best, for us to be elite, there has to be accountability. Hand has to go up. It was me. That's on me. Yeah. My bad. There was a moment this weekend where I'm kind of gonna make up names. I don't totally remember but I think Jordan bug like took a kind of difficult ball down good touch turn played back and Who's in Claudia Dickey, yeah Put Dickey in a bad spot and then Dickey kind of just blasted it out of bounds like completely not under pressure and they both

Gave each other a thumbs up of kind of like, yeah we both handled that poorly like we're both okay and I was like that's actually a situation I think you want to be in. Everybody can relate to that like yeah we both were in the wrong and we're gonna do better next time. But instead I was on the verge of saying Bella Bixby and you picked me up so that is a good teammate and that is what we are going to be talking about this weekend, this week because on the weekend we had three teams that had not won a game win.

We had six of seven matches within a way team win. Wow. And we had rotation from internationals and Tenwa Schuylenga did not score a goal. So it was the weekend of firsts for sure in NWSL. Yeah, it was a wild weekend and until the Gotham win, which was later, second to last game of the weekend, I was like, are all the road teams going to win? Is that really what's going to happen here? And we had never seen that. We had never seen that even just with the number that it already was, six. Like we had never seen that in NWSL so I guess

Records by the way, it's true, which is the percentage is crazy Mm-hmm, but when you add teams to a league you can't be like this is the most ever I know on Ron Number we can talk about that with all the things. Yeah golden goal or not golden gold golden boot Like you're gonna have more gains to score in blah blah blah It's like okay. Well, it is what it is. Okay. I don't mind. Yeah, I don't mind either. I like more goals. Yeah I did not win on the road this weekend. Did you get in a way when I? Was away and I had teams that won in the games that I was calling so technically yes Yeah, you'll take the three points. I'll take it.

I'm OK with that. I'm OK with you taking, you know, we all need points in life. We all need a little bit of a boost. So I think that's totally fair. Excited to talk about all of this. And then I'm excited to look ahead, because this weekend, casual weekend,

NWSL, whatever, no. We have the championship rematch and, even more importantly, the Challenge Cup rematch coming up between Orlando and the Washington Spirit. All three of the top three teams have pretty much been perfect, except for when they've played each other and Washington right now chasing a little bit.

Casey in Orlando and this I think is gonna be a huge huge tone setter of like, are they in this convo or if they end up losing to Casey and Orlando to open up the year, I think it's going to feel like a big two with the other sort of parties trying to chase from behind. That is the exact setup I think we want for a weekend like this. It's very nice that it's standalone on its own time window and a good time on Saturday for you to kind of build the day around It is gonna be really really cool and really really special But all of those teams have already won games and we like talking about teams that have won for the first time So three teams got their first victory of the year one on Saturday one on Friday one on Saturday one on Sunday

No, two on Sunday. no two on Sunday actually. It started with the Portland Thorns, their first victory at Utah on Friday night. Bella Bixby got the shutout in her return from maternity leave, hence why that was in my head in Pacific Northwest, which we also have that rivalry game coming up this week. And Ryland Turner got the winner in this one

for Portland team Jordan that it feels like every week has taken A half step closer towards this and this was a good performance for them to show like this is where we stand in the league I felt like Rob Gale did a couple of things that just to tweak his lineup to get the best people in their best position so Raelin Turner has been playing at the nine and yes she has she has all right hold up play but the thing where she's elite is getting in behind the back line and so I think the setup of having Castellanos play as a nine, a false nine and really her and Olivia Moultrie centrally that combination with Seghita Moultrie and Castellanos you get your best creative players in spaces where they can be creative and and then it gives Moultrie and Castellanos, you get your best creative players in spaces where

they can be creative. And then it gives Moultrie that freedom to be able to fill in as a winger come centrally or go out wide when she finds that that's the right decision. But I really liked the setup from Rob Gale. And I don't know if we talk enough about how good Hina Sagita really is. Defensively she's everywhere there the the goal comes from a good the first goal comes from a good step centrally in the midfield picks off the ball starts the attack assists the assist which we don't know no she gets

the assist Castellanos assists the assist. It's there's so many little things that Hina does right that I feel like maybe if you're not looking for those details, you miss out on them. And to get her clicking and feeling probably back to a hundred percent after that face injury last year, it feels like she's starting to make this her team centrally and they're building through her a lot more. Yeah. It's her, her role is crucial in this setup because one you have to cover defensively

centrally to not be able to be played through. But the other is this goal comes. The only danger in this situation is you don't have runners in the box. If Casalano leaves central areas to pick up the ball and be dangerous, which is what she did, I thought it was a really good game for her to show why this works. But the goal comes because Moultrie and Seguita make such hard runs, centrally that Turner then who's also making a hard run has the ball come through to her where if it's a situation where Castellanos turns and Seguita is not

busting to get in the box and Moultrie is not just being everywhere all the time, you just have you end up with a left back or a center back on Turner and there's no other options. So it requires so much of her to make this work. And so when you see it work, it's like, okay, this can be the model of what you can do and whether I think it works for every matchup is a question mark because I like the false nine when you have runners that then wanna fill that space,

but you can see games in which maybe you have less of the ball and therefore you don't have that reference point to play out through and hold up and get you there But I think for Portland the issue has been breaking down Blocks, especially at home This feels like a solution to some of that and you get Turner in a position where a lot of the time She's just reading the buildup so she can say okay either I'm gonna take

the the channel between the outside back and the sideline or I'm gonna cut through the outside back and the center back and go through that seam. And I think it allows her to have everything in front of her. Another thing is defensively, her role is much more simplified. Yeah.

And so she knows, okay, this is what I have to do in that 4-2-4, 4-4-2 that Portland likes to play defensively. She knows if the ball comes over here, this is what I need to do. It's not so much on like, okay, should I press this defender, this center back? Now do I step back into a midfield to help block the six? It's simplified. Then it allows her to run. If they do win the ball in transition, the space is all in front of her.

And I like that a lot more for her. I will still say, and we are going week to week early in a season, so I probably shouldn't say anything this grand ever. But we like doing that, so might as well. I still think Ryland Turner, and this is a good way to get a young player on the field in confident areas while she learns the other things. I think in three years she should be the starting center forward, especially if Sophia Wilson is around, and then you unlock her to not have to play that role.

I think I've seen enough that she can be elite at that position, which is a tough position to fill. But I like with young players to get them on the field in safer areas where they can normally play in one direction, where the answers are simplified of like, I'm not choosing which way to cut. I'm not building our whole pressure system. Like I'm just reacting to what a Sam Coffey and a Seguita who are experienced are deciding

and pushing me into. And that's a good way to get on the field to eventually, I think it's what we see right now with a lot of the young centerbacks. Like all of them are playing at fullbackback Which is not their natural position and there's dangers in that but there's also simplicity and less pressure To just get comfortable with the speed of play the style of the league and all of that as you become a pro So I'm still on team Ryland Turner Center forward and we'll get there at some point At the bottom of each of these first ever wins I have a

phrase that says uh-oh and then the name of the team because for all three teams that lost these games they're both bad because you lost to a winless team and for more issues for most of them they are bad including for Utah. Jordan I am here for you as a friend, as a co-host. It has not gone right so far this year. It really hasn't. I think they see some positivity with Guzman coming in at the end of the game. She really gave them a spark and maybe it's acclamation to a new league and to a new country.

She's a young outside back. But Jimmy Coonrot since he came in has said our outside backs are some of our most important players in the way that we want to build and how we want to go forward. And she can provide that for them. So it just like there are moments where I don't know. I don't know how close Alex Lerner is to being healthy, but I'm thinking Alex Lerner is a better center back than Tejada. You push Tejada centrally into the midfield and then you're stabilizing with some better defenders, but that's a lot of pressure to put on somebody going straight

into a center back position after an ACL. And that's not her natural position, but she can play there. It just feels like there's a lack of belief in this Utah team. When you watch them play, it looks like there's a lack of belief in what they're doing and it, it makes me question because last year at the end of the year, we got to the, one of the great things about being on these ION broadcasts is we get to talk to a player before every game and we had Utah quite a bit. And so I talked to a number of players and they all spoke about the preparation and, and Jimmy Kunots himself told us he watches the games back seven times.

So watch a game seven times and looking for different things. So these players really felt prepared every game they went into. And, and I don't, so now I'm confused. Is it lack of preparation this year? Because that can bring you confidence, but they don't, so now I'm confused. Is it lack of preparation this year? Because that can bring you confidence, but they don't look confident. And so where is the, what's going wrong here? And I think that's what everybody's asking about Utah because I don't think we're the only ones that thought that they were going to be taking a step in the right direction

and they actually haven't. They've gone in the opposite direction. And they did last year. Like the numbers say they finished the year at a rate in which they'd be a playoff team so if you take that team and for the most part they kept most of the pieces together they felt like they had added to it but you're even at a worse case scenario if any of the pieces you brought in didn't bring any additions yeah you should carry over and once again like you should have stepped

forward and it hasn't happened. I think the heart, yeah, injuries. I was going to say Monahan got her first game that hurts because she's kind of an unsung hero heartbeat of this team. Chloe Lacasse last year, I think it was a big injury for them because now they don't have that out and out stretch winger like Lacasse was or trying to use that with St. George. But I don't think she doesn't have the exact same tendencies of Lacasse, especially in 1v1 situations. St. George is a little bit better if she has space in front of her where I think Lacasse can go 1v1 a little bit more dominant in those areas. So then you think about that and how that then helps Tanaka and Centenor.

It is a little bit of a domino effect, no reel in the back line, all these things. She was my defender of the year and I've really swung and missed with Utah. Yeah. I didn't get three points. Yeah, or that. No, no, I don't want to say it that way. Nah, nah. It's not the early Denver rivalry

that's coming into play in any way. No, it's unfortunate because when it was good, the soccer was great. Yeah, it really was. So as you said, the confidence not being there feels odd. There are some pieces in those injuries that you mentioned of, feels like players who bring that confidence and, um, internationals, I think hurt them as well this weekend of just thick. They are so international,

but none of them are North America. So it's a lot of travel that then you're trying to either readjust the altitude for or pieces that you didn't end up playing at all. Um, and that didn't work out for them at all. McGlynn, another big mistake out of the back, another two actually. And again, it was half decision making, but a lot execution.

And that's something that it's just, you have to be confident in. Like you have to have belief in your service to then be able to continue it through. And they were not able to. So Portland got off the snide as did Gotham. 3-1 win over North Carolina. It was basically like a five minute span offensive explosion

both sides of halftime. Esther put on a show to close the first half. And then Lily Real got the opening goal in the 46th minute I think it was in the second half and Gotham was up three zero three zero in this one What stood out to me from a setup point of view Juan Carlos Amoros? Juggled the back line a little bit same Character same names, but Jess Carter played as the right center back in this game She has experienced both that fullback and centerback.

We talked about this a bit last week of like maybe it's matchup specific. Maybe if you're playing KC you want Jess Carter's right back so that you match up against Shinga. But it felt like it worked in this one in helping Gotham build out but making them more stout in transition defensively which allowed them to commit a little bit more numbers forward and be more dangerous. I thought the first 25-30 minutes North Carolina is gonna be really disappointed in themselves because they had the better of the chances, they had the better of the possession and then there was a moment like 35 minutes into the game, right before the goals happened,

and it felt like Esther's movement was a little different. She was playing as a nine at the beginning, but then towards the middle to the end of the half, she was dropping in a lot more and almost interchanging in that 10 spot and the nine spot. And if North Carolina doesn't finish those chances, like if that continues, it's not as if they didn't have chances. Jane Cha hit one off the crossbar.

Shinomi, I believe, challenged Berger and those are the ones that they have to score. The same goes for Gotham, right? If they don't score one of those goals, then they don't see the confidence grow and within four minutes or within just five minutes, Esther gets another goal. These are the ways that the game can swing and OptiJack is a great, do you follow OptiJack? I'm sure you do. Esther has now scored four times or had four different games where she scored within ten minutes of each other.

And she's only, no other player has ever done that more than twice. No, wait. No other player has done so more than twice since she has joined the league. So she is in this mix of- So she's done it four times and no one else has done it more than twice since then. So she... And this is what I talked about before the game, I was on the call, is you got to get Esther going.

Like she is the key to this team. She's the confidence in this team. And I thought that there was a real weakness on the right side defensively because of Ryan Williams stepping high that Gotham was like, all right, we're going to serve early and get the balls in behind the back line of North Carolina. It leads to a corner kick. It leads to kind of a scramble in the box.

But then it's Ella Stevens 1 v 1 in a situation on that side, on the left side for Gotham, on the right side for North Carolina. And I've just felt like they got worn down. And those are the moments where you need us there to do well. And her movement is so subtle on that goal, but it was so good, Goth. The header. The header, yes. Where she checks in and then she just like feels the defender going with her and she

stops and drops back to be in the space that she had just created. Like those are the things that separate you as an elite center forward and she timed it right to really be the catalyst in Gotham getting their first win. And it's not an easy header too of like that ball's coming at pace. You're very close to goal so you can't really loop it. If you head it down from jumping that high, it's probably not going to have a ton of force. Like she had to do exactly what she did. Um, and it was an impressive finish for a team that's like been dying for it. Esther is the, might be one of the best headers in NWSL when it comes to finishing. She scored

in the NWSL final on a header. She scored playoffs last year playoffs last year via header she just has elite timing and She can separate herself from a defender Due to the movement that she has in the box. Yeah, you can't underestimate her even though she's what five three That's like one of the things with s there is She's elite in the air and she's short. She is not like world class speed, but she plays as a center forward and can make you, you know, make the game hard for you and stretch the field.

But when she drops in, I do think that's when she's at her best. And I think one of the issues for Gotham so far this year is they don't have the pieces around her to take advantage of that skill set. The talent is there. Rose Lavelle is one of those players who can stretch the field and make those runs out of midfield. That's not Schiavanski right now. Ella Stevens was last year and I think that's been one of the frustrating things so far

is she hasn't really taken up the same role. She's still great 1 v 1 down the left, but last year it felt like because she had played some center forward, you saw her making more of those runs. And Portillo, it's not her game. I thought Portillo read Esther's movement well of came inside and played as a center forward for large stretches when Esther dropped in so that they were filling that spot. And then Mitch Burris returned. He came off the bench in the second half, um, over a year, uh, plus out with an injury and um, did not waste any time. Like looked like Mitch purse basically immediately. She's like, all right, how quickly can I get a Megan?

And went through like threaded the needle between two defenders. One of them getting megged in that. And I thought she looked really good. She looked really confident. I'm interested to see Midge-Purce post an injury and I know we get a taste of it here. But one of the things that I feel like she has always been great at is she knows where the goal is and she knows that she wants to go to goal. And the times where she has been greatest are the times when she has been the provider. Think about the NWSL final.

She gets MVP because she has two assists. So can she thread that into her game a little bit more? I think that's the biggest thing I'm looking for for Midgepurse because she now has really good, and not to say she hasn't before but she has really good options and targets around her that she she can find that final pass and Gotham is going to have numbers in the in the in the box so um yeah it'll be interesting to see how they continue to get her minutes and get her back acclimated to, you know, being more of an impactful player for Gotham. And then Jessi made her debut in this one as well. Center forward position coming in for Esther

later on, but like you saw the the quality, you saw the flair, you see the physical profile of like, okay, this is the full package and it's been tough for her. I think we talked about it when she came off the field and Manu wasn't the right spot and like so much going on, but it's not like you have to find an unknown player. It's just, can you be an environment that she can tap back into what she's done at her best? And if that's the case, like this is a whole new option

that you're bringing into this team. And I wouldn't be shocked if she can find that of like, does Esther start up top quote unquote alongside her, but really playing the 10 if Roosevelt is unavailable. Like there are so many options we've seen Ella Stevens play in all these positions. Like it unlocks a lot of different options. If Gotham can get a little bit deeper. Um, and that's, I think what these players coming in or coming back healthy does for them.

And then just really quick on that then it kind of becomes a 4-4-2 like we see from North Carolina and Esther playing that Marta role where it's like go wherever wherever you want to and be do whatever oh yeah what did I say? North Carolina which is what we're about to talk about. Yeah no. We'd love to have Marta. Yeah yeah no. Orlando. Who would not be the offensive setup you would name me. Yes, so I met Orlando playing that 4-4-2. Marta can go anywhere and then they still have speed and pace and creativity in the channels. I would like that because I think GS is going to be really good for them.

It just, how do all these pieces fit? I guess it's a good thing to have if you're Juan Carlos. A hundred percent. On the flip side, let's talk about North Carolina right now. We have our uh-oh North Carolina in here. There's many things we could discuss, but I think in talking about the lack of confidence in Utah is a pretty good start with North Carolina of There are large stretches of the season where they look beaten when before they are

and then once they concede it like completely unravels and They're it's almost like they're going through the motions But there's not that much intent and there's not They're going through the motions, but there's not that much intent and there's not Enough individuality of reading those moments and saying oh everyone knows I'm gonna slide this ball out to the right now Let me cut it against the grain and find this opening. They still create chances but no one really able to take advantage so far and it's Worrying and the Jayden Shaw conversation. It's all worrying because it was like, this will go in this direction.

And now that it hasn't, it's like, will it ever turn back around? Mm hmm. Oh, that was pretty. Yeah, pretty. I didn't want to say that. I probably shouldn't have. No, I mean, like for North Carolina, like, what will it turn around? And I think they have big questions that they need to figure out

This was the first game in 59 straight games that they were out possessed Yeah, and if you're gonna make your strength your strength Well, you got to win that battle every single time and they have done that that's not always gonna lead to wins. We know that but for North Carolina know that. But for North Carolina, they have no plan B. If they do get out possessed or say, okay, Gotham wants to keep the ball. Fine, cool. We're good with that. Well, they can't hit you in transition to exploit the space in behind because Gotham, there's a lot of space in behind, right? And they found that a couple of times but um like I thought they were way more direct than we had seen them in a while in that first half. But there I just I'm I'm worried about the final

third like I really I really am worried about the final third for them because there are not a lot of opportunities that get created and so you you what wait till unless you, you, you could trade in, in the league, right? Make a trade for a center forward or a winger with that type of pace or is Tyler Lucy the answer to actually provide a little bit of stretch. And I don't know, then you're waiting for the middle of the season to bring in a player who's like a game changer.

I, I just get worried about them. Yeah. And then it feels like a compound on it. It's a little bit of a head scratcher, isn't it? Well it's tough because you come into the season off the She Believes company and you're like, Jadon Shaw is Jadon Shaw. At such a young age, she has already proven herself. She wasn't healthy.

San Diego was a mess. So it's like, oh, you've walked away from that. Now you're kind of back into that conversation of like, well, okay, what was real? What was it? And in all of that, somehow Astley Sanchez has disappeared from like the impact that she has on the game because you've slid her out, right? Which I don't think is the whole reason. Like she goes out there anyway.

And so then it's like, well, now the things we thought were for sure about this team have also gone away. And you also have the question mark of like, have you added enough? And so I think it's a really tough spot for a lot of pieces. We've talked about that for how many times of like, gets in great areas, attempts to finishing great ways and like just can't get it to roll. Yeah, but she's not a winger. She was played as a winger and like, she's not going to beat players in one to be one she, she needs to be in front of the goal, but then how do you get

Menaka Shaw and Sanchez on the field at the same time? I think Shinomi has been their best player through two games that she started. And now you're adding another midfielder into that mix of like, now I'm a creative ball playing midfielder. Oh my goodness. Great. Awesome. Cool.

Let that be a challenge centrally, but then can you put in Tyler Lucy is like, I just, they, they don't have enough diversity in the play, like the personality types on the field to threaten teams Mm-hmm This is a standard thing. I read last week, but they had more passes into the final third than Gotham They were basically even on passes inside the final third passes into the box Gotham out played them 11 to 5 so like it is not the middle third and it's not even the final third. It's the last 18 yards of the game. And if you don't have

confidence and you don't have good spacing, all those stuff, if you play in that area, every mistake for the opponent becomes a chance and you just don't play in the most dangerous part of the field and therefore you can't luck out and like you could look At some of these games and say they came from quote-unquote fortunate situations where you had turnovers or you forced turnovers in dangerous areas If you don't allow yourself into those areas, then that's not gonna happen And I think that's what's been frustrating about North Carolina and like you go on the road at Gotham You're not really expecting to win But in a weekend where most of the winless teams got off

this night and got their first win, like it stands very stark that North Carolina does not have one. Let's move to the final team, Chicago. Their first points of the season at all, and it comes in a victory at Bay. A change in the shape for Chicago, more of a 3-5-2 in this one. Joseph on the right wing

ends up being the huge option offensively for them and Ludmila gets two goals starting up top alongside Schlegel. I thought it looked really good for Chicago. I thought that first half looked real. It wasn't just ball popped out and we got a dangerous chance. We were talking about it before we got on but on that opening goal as Bay's pressure came higher up the field and Chicago played from the left to the right side along their back line Joseph pushed higher and that was a third option up top. They're able to play the ball over Bay's shape. Joseph picks it up that forces the center backs to make a decision because for a moment it's a 3v2 everyone slides over one mangas slides over doll camper slides over and lumila opens up just the positioning

of joseph in that moment maybe the bravest thing offensively chicago has done this year like they have just been so safe in their positioning and safe in their shape that they haven't been dangerous and they obviously lack some Individual quality and flair and so I think that by itself would have been promising but to get Lou Mila the goal And then the second goal there's structural stuff But like that's a Brazilian starting international who's a silver medalist feeling good. That's what she's capable of but if back to the North Carolina conversation, if she's playing in a defensive shape deep all the time and picking up the ball with four defenders

in front of her and no options, you're not going to feel yourself when you're in the box to be like, I can turn Abby Dahlkemper and then beat the goalkeeper with them unsighted. And so those were those moments where I think it looked really good for Chicago and I thought it looked really good for slagle as well in that Similar to Esther. I think her best skill sets are pulling center backs around and Dropping into the pocket and creating for runners past her and when she's a lone forward in a four or five one Those attributes don't affect the game because no one can take advantage No one's close enough to play off her or close enough to fill the gaps that she's able to create and you saw in the like little outside of the football to Joseph early on and you saw

in this way she was able to affect the defenders for Ludmila to get openings of like her at her best. Can you win NWSL championship with Ali Shegel as the center of your attack? I don't know but it felt better in this game than it has so far all season. Just in general, this shape might be good for Chicago because all of the relationships, like you have more players around you, you tend to have more players around you. Even if you shift from, like you switch the point of attack, right? It just feels like there are, there's a player to your left, there's a player to your right and there's an option centrally forward. And not just one option, there's two now with Schlegel and Ludmila playing a little bit

more centrally. And for them, they've just needed to simplify. It really helps that they have Sam Staub back and she is going to add a different level to what they can do defensively because she's just a solid, she's a solid defender, she can communicate well, she can lead the defensive lines with her voice vocally, and she has the ability to help them stretch and go quickly if they want to. Her distribution is really good. So I think the simplification for Chicago, yeah, there's like nuances that you talk about, right? About the, the, how you go from a three, five, two to a three, four, three quickly, right?

With, with Joseph getting high on the back line. But really it's about, can we provide angles of support for our, the player on the ball so we can keep possession a little bit better? And they needed to do something different so I was really happy that that that happened because oh that wasn't working what was going on before. And Joseph she's been brought into the Rising Stars camps like there's a lot of promise there but again a player who like hasn't really been put in a position to succeed and in opening up the game Opposite of what you just talked about. Okay, if you have mal swanson and ludmila great

Make the game open Isolate everyone as much as humanly possible because you've probably got the two best 1v1 open field options You take mal swanson away from that though, and it doesn't work. So now you do have to readjust It's taken a while to figure that out. And hopefully this is a step forward for them and like gives them some confidence to build off of. Having Maitane back into the team, I think also is a player who's comfortable in those tight situations, can link off players.

Obviously that Spanish style of like playing quick one-twos and all of that, and then stop being able to build out through those options as well we Saw I think it was the Louisville game Maybe the game before where it was like multiple times or at some point stop was like I have no options and no runners So I'm gonna dump this into the channel and see if someone runs on to it and you could see the frustration on her face Like that's not what I want to do, but we really don't have other options. So now you're creating more options inside of all of that. And huge moment for Chicago.

I didn't watch this live and I was shocked when I saw the score and it's like, yeah, it's a regular season game. But the way Chicago had played so far and at a Bay team that had looked fairly good and it started there, what I think many of us think is their best three attacking options up top and so to get the victory in this one to hold on after giving up the goal that made it to one like a lot to like for Bay some tough individual defensive moments and I think a question mark right now like how the attack fits together It was Kununanji's first start with both Lima and Oshawa, and it was Oshawa and Kununanji's first start together since the first game of the season.

And our team Montoya has talked about like other players have earned their way in. And you can, I understand that, but also like you're going to win a championship if Rachel Kununanji is the best player in the league, probably, like that's the pathway to that. And so you have to find a way to get there. And unfortunately, Oshawa has not been that player as a nine. I know she scored a number of goals last year,

but about half of them were from the penalty spot. She is not providing consistent enough holdup play. She is not a good enough target in the box right now. I don't see why after we talk about maybe Esther and even Marta on other teams how they're playing a little bit more of a false nine, why you wouldn't play Tess Bodie in there and and try that with those two fast players on the channel and And see if that overloading on the midfield can then release kundinandji in Isolations a little bit more Lima in isolation a little bit more but As much as I want Oshawa to work it doesn't feel like it's working

This is the I probably should have this in my head, this is the fourth game of the season. How long do we have to wait before we do our first rookie rankings? Because Huff is fun, a lot of these players are fun. Yeah. Rookie rankings? Yeah, how long do we have to wait? How much of a sample size do we need? Eight games?

I like eight. I think that's good. Yeah, Huff is good. I like her. In one I think that's good. Yeah, Huff is good. I like her. In one month, that's something for you. Huff is awesome. Both sides of the ball. And a lot of the rookies that have come in and played centrally have been similar where

you're like the quality of player and not just the athleticism is off the charts. I like her a lot. Which takes us into probably the best young player Claire Hutton and Kansas City 10 with Shewinga came into this weekend tied with as we know 10 with Shewinga For the longest goal scoring streak in NWSL history I think it broke a record that had originally been set last year by 10 with Shewinga So there was like a real competition of different options in all of this So there was like a real competition of different options in all of this showing it did not score Kansas City did win they won 2-0

You were on the call for this one Jordan. What did you make of their performance? They just scare teams Really like that. That's my biggest Thought watching this Kansas City because San Diego did not look like themselves. They looked timid in the way that they were playing scared to play through those central channels, which they have broken teams down with before because They didn't want the ball to be picked off and go in transition any other way They just make teams have to adapt the way that they play because of their high pressure Their their good defense in the pace that they have going forward.

I thought Kansas City did a good job of finding Dabinia as much as they could. I said it on the call, I will say it a lot, I think Dabinia is playing at MVP level. She's getting the ball often, she doesn't look like she's forcing anything. She's got to step back from what she had. Last year she was up and down with injuries. She's healthy. She is confident. And how she's playing is allowing Kansas City to get the best out of all the players around her. And yeah, they just made San Diego look like a shell of themselves. It was not the game we had talked about going into it. No, I know. It's such a bummer.

Yeah. San Diego would play bold. They would open up the game. They would push Kansas City. I think a large part of that is that fear factor, which is odd in just having gone to Orlando and held your own to not come back But that's a question. I think they're two different teams like way different teams, right you stop Banda Yes, Marta can create but if you stop Banda It feels less threatening from other lines from Orlando if you stop other lines from Orlando. If you stop Schwinga, okay, well you got Michelle Cooper, who has been on fire. You've got Dubinia, you've got Lola Bonta coming out of midfield. I know D'Bernardo didn't play, she had a knock in training, so it was Prince up top. I don't

know, there's something different to me right now between Kansas City and Orlando of that fear factor of like, oh crap, if we lose it centrally, we're going to get scored on. So I don't disagree with you, but I, in watching this weekend and thinking about those two teams specifically, actually had a flip thought process of like, I think Kansas City's defensive shape right now as a team is harder to break down than Orlando's. I think Orlando's individual defending is the best in the league but when I watched Seattle and the space Seattle found over the top and like Morehouse was fantastic so it

didn't matter all the time or Sam's can recover or Nadana can recover and I say right in a dinner like a banana or a Daner? There you go. Like all of these things for Orlando There's I don't know that they've taken a step back from last year defensively at all, but I think Casey's leap Put San Diego in a place where they were like we can't play through them Yeah, and so I think that loss of confidence came from, we're playing against the ball more often than we'd like to, and there's not the belief of like, we're gonna create the chances we will create.

Where I thought San Diego had belief against Orlando, because the game flow was the way they were expecting, the way they were planning for, the way they were used to, and the way they've become comfortable. I think part of that was internationals. Gia Corley was a huge loss in this one. And then you take Kenzadali and push her a little bit higher. Now you're losing this like, wow, we have a 10 at the eight and we can build through

that. I thought Trinity Armstrong, who I think we wanted to talk about as one of the big name players that came in, looked fantastic defensively, but was a different option offensively. And I just think of a few moments where she misplaced the pass to the wrong side and didn't want to open up and go up the line. So it became a bit more predictable. I think a lot of that affected San Diego as well.

It did. It did. I was really impressed with Armstrong. Not a lot of players get fed to the wolves like that in their first NWSL start and say, okay. We're going to play you out of position, but it's just against MVP who's on her third goalscoring record streak in a year and a half. It'll be fine.

But I thought her timing is of when to pressure, show when to beat her or follow her into space and behind those types of decisions. She she she did a really good job. Yeah, you're playing from college to pro on the ball, especially playing against that defensive, that team in Kansas City and how quick they can get pressure to you. You're going to make mistakes. You're not you're not going to complete a lot of your passes. But I thought that what her responsibility was is let's not let showing a score and she did a really good job of that. Um, that was another thing. Those two changes that you said, if you don't have Corley up high, you

can't, you can't be as brave playing through the lines to a pocket, you know, her in the pocket, Sanchez in the pocket on the left side. I side I thought I think Dolly the game got better for San Diego when Dolly and McCaskill were next to each other and Escanza has been great. I think a sky has been great. Barsenas has been great coming off the bench it's hard to break into the starting lineup for those two, but they had such a Nice jump and it did feel better for San Diego late in the game. But this is the thing that Kansas city has done to people throughout this start of the year as they score early, they score often, and then they're like,

all right, we're going to just defend you and you're not going to get elite chances. And if you do, we already have a two goal lead or we have a three goal lead. And what's given up one goal. And, and their block is really clean. When they are in their mid block, wherever it is on the field, their lines are clean. They have really good positioning to cut off passing angles through them. And then they have ball winners in Labonta and Hutton.

I'm like, if you play into their shape, they're going to win it and then you know they're going to launch the counterattack and all of that Oku-chuku got the start at the center forward after getting the goal in like three minutes off the bench in the last game and promise Also got her first start. I think it was tough. I mean, this is a tough assignment for promise Yeah, what'd you see from Oku-chuku of whether or not she could be the option overlay owner as part of that attack? I think it's good to get a young player a start. She looked young in moments. And the times where I really saw it for San Diego, and I actually mentioned it in the second half, is when San Diego would clear a ball just looking for the forward or play the ball

into the forward's feet, Oftentimes, Leon would already be there and either get in front of the defender and draw a foul later in the game. And those were the moments where Okuchuku was like a little bit late, fouls, sharp balls, and then Kansas City has a free kick 30 yards out, you know, and you're like, oh gosh, great. So it was, there was a little naivety to Okuchukwu, but I think she's in a really good spot where she can learn and doesn't have to have the burden of being the starting center forward. Adriana Leone was with Canada, played in both the games, was player in the match in one of the games, like had a heavy load for her, so they didn't think they could start her. And it's

nice that you can get minutes to a player like that early on in Okachukwu but I feel like it's a good spot for her to continue to learn and then come on in games and maybe be a 15-20 minute impact sub. Great news Michelle Cooper the latest from Vlatko is she's day to day that the injury is a lot better than they had assumed right when it happened. That was a very scary to see. Yeah well in the slip of the field is like uh-oh you have no idea what happens. Off of that you said it she has been arguably as good as anyone else in the

league. It's why she started for the US women's national team and didn't come off the bench because she's played that well. So to have that come into your team, like they're deep, be a back there are deep, deep and Ardo out and they still get a way. I can't wait till she starts. Yeah. Do you have any change of idea before we move on of like everyone healthy, your best 11 for Casey?

Oh my gosh. Or at least that attacking. I don't I mean you have to play Bea. You have to play Bea as the nine. You probably keep your your wing. I mean I guess if everyone's healthy right that's the big question. It's unfortunate because I I think I've told you how much I love DiBernardo, but you can't put DiBernardo in at that 10 spot over Dubinia right now. You just can't. And I think maybe there is then options to how you play, if Haley Mace is back, maybe you can play Dee Bernardo and be a little bit more central. Like Dee Bernardo as a winger, she plays a little more centrally and you can use Mase

on the right side. There will be options, but like I wouldn't want to be a Loco having to decide out of these best 11, like six of what who could be the best 11 in this league, picking in five spots. So good luck. I mean, when we did our season preview, we were talking about awards and like we were talking about awards for players where we don't know on KC where it's like, I don't know who's going to be the starter.

Right. But we also think they could be midfielder of the year if they do start enough time. That was me. And that's the ring. But I think I went sort of with the same. And it was like, I think I ended showing on MVP or whatever it was. And Dabinha, you said it was playing at an MVP level.

There's so many options for this team. They have been so fun to watch and so good. Mm-hmm. Orlando kept pace with them though. They got the 1-0 win in Seattle. It was a Barbara Banda goal late in the first half set up by summer Yates Who actually went off injured on the play after getting to the end line? It was the most changes we've seen in this Orlando team for a game so far this year

They just were very fortunate and they were able to basically start the same 11 outside of one move for the first three weeks So Sam's ended up shifting Getting the start centrally. Yates, as I said, got the start over Angelina who had captained Brazil as she came back, then went off injured and Lemos got the start at center mid as well. And they went up against the Seattle team

with an average age of 23.7. It's the fourth youngest side in Seattle history. The three before that were all in 2013, the first year the team existed. So it is basically the youngest team they have put out there in the modern era. Well, that was Laura Harvey's one of her keys in the off season. Get younger, get faster was another one and they were able to do both of those things. I was actually surprised in this game. One, surprised that Seattle played in a 3-4-2-1. I don't think anybody really thought of that. Like Laura Harvey

loves her wingers and is very adamant about wing play and channel play and they did have that so with the wing backs. But I was surprised because I didn't think Orlando controlled the tempo of this game. I thought Seattle did. And I don't feel like we've seen Orlando be, I don't know if uncomfortable, but they looked uncomfortable at moments. It wasn't the whole span of the game, but they really struggled on figuring out. I liked this look from Seattle and I think it

enabled them to really flood the midfield centrally push the ball wide to the outside backs which Orlando do play through but then they could they could go and press that player and win the ball back in maybe a 3 v 2 in favor of Seattle in the in the channel or in that half space. Seattle just did a really good job of their commitment to this formation. And they had a lot of pace out there. It wasn't just Dahlene starting at the left back. It was, or left winger wing back.

It was Meza centrally, McCammon centrally, um. Mercado as one of the two dual 10s. I liked Mondesir, but I like her in that position a little bit more centrally because she can get in behind the back line and we saw that a lot. I kind of feel like I'm going to like this Seattle formation. Yeah, I liked it too. It was different at halftime when Lynn Biendolo came on the field. And they said before at the beginning of the game, Hidema and Biendolo both coming back from injury were both 45 minutes fit, so they pre-planned that sub.

But Biendolo dropped in and gave the space for Mondasir to run into, helped to start a lot of the wing backs were able to play into the Indolos feet and then back out. I thought a lot of that made it more dangerous for Seattle where in the first half I thought they found the space over the top and then everyone was isolated once they got there. Mondasir got into space and was like one on three. One on eight one time. Like there were so many Orlando players back. And there was no second option and there wasn't one on eight one time like yeah so many Orlando players back and there was no second option and there wasn't a lot of threat in a lot of it and so I thought it got better as the game went along but I liked a lot of it as well. I really like when Serena Gorbachevich is on

the field I just think she's scrappy but I want to see her central as well and so I wouldn't hate to see her get a start at that center forward spot or one of the center forward spots if that's what you end up doing because that's a player where you could play into her feet and she will lead the counter press and like all of those things. Either way, it feels like Seattle's figuring it out

but there are bright spots throughout these games that we didn't see last year where like wherever it's going is a better direction. And at some point Laura Harvey is gonna have to decide like our identity and who we are. But getting your big offseason acquisition on the field for the first time on top of all of that is a pretty big positive. It's huge.

And I know earlier we talked about some of the players playing more significant minutes because international players were gone. Fish lock and James Turner away with Wales and Laura Harvey has been pretty adamant that she is going to provide the platform that they need to go compete in their first ever big tournament, which is the Euros this summer. And she has, I love that about Laura Harvey is that she understands what's at stake and especially for a lot of these players. But I was really impressed with Sam Meza.

I thought she did a good job covering space. I was just trying to see how many, she had 11 recoveries, won 60% of her ground duels. It felt like she was able at times against one of the most important things I think against Orlando is if the ball does get into the forwards, are the central defensive midfielders double teaming. And man, she was there every time. In Laura Harvey credits, a lot of her going to play in the Super League and getting some minutes under her belt to where she's performing now.

And man, that looked really good. I was really happy that Meza had that performance and was able to help Seattle centrally. I know they don't get a win, but she's going to they're all going to look at that performance and be a little bit more confident about utilizing Meza in in different roles as the season continues. And when they don't have James Turner or Fishlock available they'll feel confident that Meza can do a good job. Yeah. I, last one for me is I thought McLaren looked really good following whether it was Banda

or Martin to midfield and then when, if they'd win the ball back she'd actually stay high and like be a part of midfield, which I thought was a really cool aspect for this team to just add another ball player in there. And I thought it changed things for Orlando and it's something they had to react to. In saying all of this, Orlando won. I know. And like that's the reality. That's what I mean.

Yeah. But that's the reality for this team is like, if they are playing in third gear, they get victories, they get shutouts. That's how good Orlando is. Right now at the top, it feels different. Washington kept pace with a 2-0 win over Louisville that takes us into this weekend. Coming up, we've got a triple header to start things out on Friday night. Utah against Chicago, Seattle, Portland, and Angel City, Gotham.

Some interesting games, they all kind of overlap between 9.30 and 10.30 PM Eastern Time starts. So we can all hang out. If you are not already, subscribe to our Patreon and get you access to our Discord. We have a live chat. We've got an NWSL chat. So like people will be in there talking and enjoying all of these games. Seattle-Portland is obviously a fun one with the regional rivalry with the history that they have. What that game could mean and two teams

as we said that are still finding themselves but come in in decent form into this game that's gonna be really fun. And then Angel City Gotham also an interesting one late on Friday night for Gotham to have to go cross-country play a 1030 p.m. Eastern time kickoff but also looking good as we said this week against an Angel City team that I hadn't mentioned 1 2 1 this weekend on the road at Houston and again showed the young players in this team that can be difference makers. Yeah and they're undefeated.

That is wild. Gosh we didn't have that. No we didn't have that. We got a lot of question marks about Angel City before the season started. I feel I'm really I'm actually on the call for this game and I can't wait to talk to Sam Lady and because it does feel like the last two games in contrast to the first two games for Angel City that they have found a different level. They look like they again I'm going to go back to controlling the tempo.

They look like they set the tempo of the game and don't look super uncomfortable in a lot of moments through their last two wins. I'm really curious to see if that has been an emphasis, the pace at which they're playing, the utilization of their young players and saying, okay, we can actually press a little bit more because we are younger and we have a little bit more stamina to us. I don't know what it is. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I think the high press for both Angel City and Gotham and the intensity at which they want to go forward. Well, I'm hoping we do a good game. You know, I said that last weekend and I didn't get the best game. So maybe I shouldn't say that.

Sandy and KC will be the best soccer game you will ever watch. Yeah, that didn't work. Yeah, this Angel City team has been impressive. The young options have been impressive. I think Hodge, one of the rookies that we will be talking about in that convo of like plays both ways Physically can already hang in the league Could under pressure. I mean What we saw and it's different because she's played pro before but what we saw last year from Claire Hutton of like outside your age Sort of feels like with Kennedy Fuller

Like the IQ of just like the way the shape of the field is and where opponents are and the way you can affect the game. Emsley's been awesome especially in this game and a lot of that is because for like the first time in her career in Angel City she is not the only offensive option. Yeah. And now she plays she gets to go 1v1 sometimes and you're like oh right this was this was why Angel City pushed so much of the attack towards yours cause she's this good and she hit the ground running with them. And obviously no one else did at the time and whatnot, but you see all that

come together and it's like really exciting for the team. Also I robbed Alyssa Thompson of a goal. They won three to one. Oh yeah. That was three to one really quick on Fuller. I do think that we can't underestimate the addition, like she turned 18. And one of the things that is different when you're an under 18 player is you're not involved.

You can't be in the locker room with the team. You have to have a separate locker room. And just think about all the things that like you don't feel connected with when you're not sitting next and just hearing things that are going on and being able to have those chats with your teammate, whether it's about on the field or off the field you grow you grow so much with your relationships in the locker room and I do feel like We got to talk to her before a game a couple weeks ago And she just feels so happy about that and I think that's transferring on to how she's playing on the field

She looks more engaged and able to find the right spaces that are not just comfortable for her but she knows she can help and bring to life the players around her. And you need to have a relationship with the veterans so the veterans feel comfortable to be like this is not how you act this is not what we're doing like yeah that is a massive part about being these young players as the US changes from a college-based production of high-level athlete system to like 16-year-old pros is the environment the club creates and a lot of that hinges on the veterans and how they handle these

young players. And just to have a relationship, like a deeper one, is massive to being able to perform at a high level and be a part of the team. I think that's a huge thing and she has been incredible so far this year to the point where like the year started with Kenny Fuller filling in here. They still don't have a head coach. We don't know when Doofor will be fully fit. Zellem coming back in so they'll move pieces around and now it's like nope that's her spot and other players are gonna fit into the team in other positions. Those three games are on Friday there's no games on Sunday the rest of the games are on

Saturday and there is a big one it is that NWSL championship rematch technically Challenge Cup region match it's 5 p.m. Eastern time on Saturday as I said before Orlando hosting Washington technically for the second time this year because of the Challenge Cup which I wrote down because I kept calling it Commissioner's Cup in my head which is the WNBA because I watched the WNBA draft on Monday and like that was in my head and that's been messing with me and it is a huge deal as I said like Washington we know are close Washington are healthier now than they were in the Challenge Cup Oh, yeah, so they already can I think show more of what they're capable of Lacey Santos is playing unbelievable

At this point hatches goal this weekend because she she set the 50 mark for her career in NWSL it was her 50th for Washington Which is third most for one team in NWSL history behind Christine Sinclair and Megan Rivino. So you're on lists with those names. You're doing something right. And Rodman was able to play the second half on Saturday and so got a good 45 minutes in. And so I think for Washington, this is like, yes, we want to finally show what we think

we fully are and we want to do it in front of everyone. We want everyone to see it. And this is like a, yes, we want to finally show what we think we fully are and we want to do it in front of everyone. We want everyone to see it and this is your chance. Yeah, I agree and I am interested in this game because we just talked about Orlando playing Seattle in a three back. Well what has Washington been playing the last couple of games? It granted it is it's it's-4-3, which I love. It's aggressive. It gets their players in the best position. I really have loved, over the last two

games, watching Trinity Rodman decide is an isolation moment or is it a fill the midfield or fill the center space moment. And her decision decision making in those and what Jonah wants of her, I'm not quite sure, but it feels like she's reading the game really well. But it was a challenge for Orlando to create much against the 3-4-2-1 in Seattle. How are they going to look? Which against Washington, who does some of the similar things, they do look like they're in a four back at times. It really depends, but I think one of the things that I have liked about this for The Spirit is Narumi and Santos. I think it's a lot of defensive work for Santos, but it actually then allows

her to have space in front of her to move into. They lose her being in that high pocket goss, which we talked about a lot in the outlet. How do they get that maybe a little bit more with Morris or a little bit more? You don't want to always ask Rodman to do that, to come inside, but I think that that's the next evolution for them but it's it's good I don't mind one of the things I don't mind about it for Lacey Santos is I don't love that she was always picking up the ball with her back to goal not that she's gonna like eat up space like a Kroy Bethune but I just feels like it felt like for from a size point of view to have defenders constantly coming into your back and like she was quick to bounce the ball right she's quick to get out of possession, but it just feels like she's more involved in different ways now and like she can play quick one twos to eventually get facing forward, or then instead slip the pass and it just feels like the player she is, which to me is like that true 10, covering ground to connect the game rather than long passing.

This is a role that kind of fits those spaces. And she is the best player right now in that in the half channel or the half channel inside right at the corner of the box. That's where a lot of her assists have come. Her set piece goal comes from there, but that's different. But also playing a little deeper, she can let the wing back get in and then whoever's playing on that side, if it's Rodman, then there's already a 2v2 and she could come late. And that late run to help make it a 3v2 in moments is where she can often find herself

wide open in her favorite area of the field with her favorite target centrally and Ashley Hatch and I think it's going to pose a lot of problems for Orlando. I'm interested to see how the three back maybe it defends Marta Watt Banda but right now I take Rebecca Bernal maybe over any center back in this league because she is playing so well and is maybe maybe the Swiss army knife that Yona Heralda is needed because she can play there's moments where she steps into the midfield there's moments where she's in a three back um she could play anywhere along that those two center back three center back spots she's been elite really elite. What we said when they signed her was it was the right it was the perfect signing because it was a replacement for Andy Sullivan somewhat but wasn't one that was gonna fill the

spot when Sullivan comes back because she is a center back and I thought it would be that she would just start in central midfield instead it's been this change in formation which I think works all the same. And as you mentioned, she still gets into those areas. You also just see a group that's really comfortable playing out of the back. And that will be another fascinating part of this game, which is Orlando sat off in the championship.

They didn't sit off as deep in the challenge cup. What is the line of confrontation for Orlando? What is the progression for them as a team of like we did what we had to do to win our first championship last year, but like you wanna dominate the game, right? It's the biggest game of the week. You wanna dominate, you wanna do it for your fans.

Is that their best role? And if so, how does Washington then try and play through it? I think those are things that I'm not totally sure about that I'm gonna be intrigued by early in this game. Yeah. And we'll just see. Like it was a one to nothing game in the championship. The challenge cup was nil nil.

Like Washington is finding like, granted I think Orlando was way better than Washington in the Challenge Cup. But again, Washington from five games, that was five games ago, to now feels like a completely different team. Yeah. Yeah. But yet, they stumbled against Kansas City.

That was the chance for them to show off and show things were different. So here's another opportunity. It is going to be the... Oh, I was going to say, I'm on this game. So hopefully it's not the Jordan Jinx again. Whoa, you got a great week And then no work on Sunday on top of all Home for Easter. Look at me. Yeah Wow, it is gonna be fun As I said subscribe to our patreon and get you access to our discord

It's a really fun place to hang out during games just talk soccer all weekend all week and everything else on top of that we will not be back live tomorrow I don't believe but we've got some really good interviews lined up on the MLS side we'll talk to a couple general managers and CSOs we've got some cool ideas brewing about changing up the weekend recap a little to bring some more voices into the NWSL conversation so a lot of fun stuff going on here at Soccerwise a lot of fun stuff going on here at Soccerwise. A lot of fun stuff going on inside the league. Thank you to all of you for watching. Thank you to all of you for listening.

We'll talk to you again very, very soon.