[double-fake-royalty]

Leah Williamson + Alex Greenwood - 7.31.22

[double-fake-royalty]

Genuinely hope it works out in Chicago, but so glad Huitema’s time in Seattle is over. It all had so much potential and looked promising when we had the likes of Pinoe and Rose giving her good service, but the lack of production since then has been infuriating at times. Hope Fish can settle in, stay healthy, and have a big year. Also hoping to see Dahlien build upon a pretty solid rookie season.

[double-fake-royalty]

Weirdly still kinda think they’ll show up and play decently in Lisbon despite these last two games. They seem to play better when they’re the ‘underdogs’. As a group, they don’t carry the weight of expectation well and haven’t for years now.

[double-fake-royalty]

this is what’s so frustrating about awfc. the lack of consistent mentality. yes, there’s for sure an argument to be made that there were too many changes to the starting 11 but honestly Kelly looked like the only one in the first half who was interested in winning. they turn off so easily. Chelsea always finds a way to grind through the league and we just can’t for some reason.

Don’t know why McCabe wasn’t on the list to get some rest, she had a shocker. A fresh Jenna wouldn’t have been such a liability.

If you’re gonna change half the back line, you’ve gotta play Lia in front of them and not Kyra, sorry.

Manu - love your vibe and passion for the club and I think people were too harsh at times last season, but ffs…just not up to par at all.

[double-fake-royalty]

if I was Alanna Kennedy I think I’d just start wearing the broken nose face mask all the time for protection. jesus.

[double-fake-royalty]

One of those 4-5ish good chances in the second half needed to go in. Good game from Thompson. And really glad PTJ got capped. I think she has the makings of a long-term #1. Pretty standard Brazil game overall, complete with iffy reffing.

[double-fake-royalty]

Desperately missed Jess in the midfield tonight. Had not control at all. And everyone was pretty poor in the final 3rd. Hopefully Jess isn’t out too long and we can slot Lynn in soon 🤞 it is funny though that we managed to pull off that win at ncc and then turn around and lose pretty soundly against angel city

[double-fake-royalty]

The Japanese internationals are bright, delightful spots on every single nwsl roster they’re on. Same can be said for wsl and any other league they’re in. It’s crazy. So glad the nwsl was smart enough to recruit and sign as many as they did in the early days. Feel like that paved the way for what we get to watch now.

[double-fake-royalty]

Nothing better than when they can find that level, it’s just so annoying that they can only seem to find it once every 6-8 weeks at most lol

[double-fake-royalty]

Love that win from Seattle. It felt inevitable that NCC was gonna tie it up late with all the chances they got, but Dickey was immense. Been waiting for a game like that from her for awhile - can say the same for a few others on the field too. She hasn’t scored yet, but I’m stoked on what I’m seeing from Dahlien so far (she looks like she could be a more clinical and potentially more productive Balcer) Adames looked good again too when she came on. And Jordyn Bugg…yeah. That was a game we 100% would have lost last year. It was honestly kinda nice to have a break from Huitema-ball. Interested to see what this front line can do when we have Lynn available.

[double-fake-royalty]

US vs AUS

Again I kinda liked the vibes of this crazy lineup, but the biggest difference was the midfield. We were much more controlled and fluid the other night vs Colombia. Lot of fast breaks tonight that mostly bypassed the midfield. It’s Lily over Korbin all day long in every conceivable way.

Had a great start but started to lag around the 25-30m mark. Getting beat in the midfield. Was hoping to see more from Hutton but she was really quiet for the most part- aside from that ball through to Sentnor on the Cooper goal.

Should’ve had more goals against a defense this shaky and error-prone, just getting disrupted in the midfield too often.

God the difference in possession we had when Coffey came on…I wouldn’t say she’s as indispensable as Julie was in her prime, but she’s on the fast track there.

Thought the Thompson’s played well and liked what I saw from Gisele. If for nothing else but to get Fox some help/rest.

Love watching Shaw work in tight spaces in and around the box. I’ve missed it.

Clean sheet would’ve been nice, but that cross from Raso was too good to do much about. Happens.

I know this roster is all about the new blood, but 2 players that seem like they’re still on the outside looking in who I hope aren’t forgotten about - Ashley Sanchez obvs, and Morgan Weaver. I don’t really know why, and i don’t really think she’d ever be a consistent starter for the team. I just have it in my head that she’d make an incredible super sub coming off the bench in a tie game or down a goal. Especially if Sophia is on the field.

I also get the feeling that this type of system-first play is what Vlatko always wanted but was just incapable of achieving it at the international level considering the limited time you get with the team. And that’s why he’s a much better club coach. The difference with Emma is that she’s system-first but also allows quite a lot of freedom and tweaks her systems to suit the players she has available. And by the sound of it, is much better at communicating what she wants and expects from you as an individual. (I could do with fewer short goal kicks though)

Tom sermanni… by all accounts is a very nice man, but has no business coaching a top 20 international team anymore. He didn’t have it tactically when he was Uswnt coach briefly, and that was 10+ years ago. The game has moved on man. I know he’s only doing this on an interim basis, but the Aussie fed needs to step up quickly if they want to keep capitalizing on the World Cup run. I’ve never seen them in shambles quite this badly before. Getting Sam back at some point will help surely, but the defense is much more alarming to me.

[double-fake-royalty]

Not hugely surprising but Emma is already better at experimenting with lineups and capping new players than Jill or Vlatko ever were. By a lot.

This was kind of a crazy lineup but I actually like the vibes out there. Very interesting mix of speed, creativity, and physicality. Backline not as solid obviously, but they recovered well and worked off each other well. Lots of forward passing and quick movement. Between Lily & Coffey, I’m stoked about the quality and frequency of the medium-long range forward balls we’re seeing into the final 3rd.

More yellows in the second half but still pretty tame for a Colombia game all in all lol

Thought McKeown had a good showing, liked what Jenna was doing in the first half, and I’m pretty high on Sentnor. Imagine when we can integrate Bethune fully too. Phew.

Really happy for Cat and pleasantly surprised to keep a solid clean sheet. Would’ve been a perfect night if we hadn’t brought on k*rbin for some reason.

[double-fake-royalty]

the stina vs offsides thing was funny for a bit, but it’s gotta stop. it’s somehow getting worse and not better with age/experience.

[double-fake-royalty]

For anyone who needs some cliff notes on Jenna Nighswonger -

- pace

- was a top prospect in college as a midfielder, but was converted to a wingback at Gotham as a rookie because of injuries they had

- so not a natural defender, but has taken to it quickly and shows huge promise

- left footed but shoots well with both

- I would say potentially even better/more productive than foxy in the attack

- again…PACE

- very physical for her size

- rookie of the year & nwsl champion in 2023

- 18 caps for the uswnt and was on the gold medal squad

[double-fake-royalty]

I think, at this point, Renée should probably stay until the end of the season at least. I think if they’d found someone quickly then it would’ve made sense to make the change. With where we’re at, especially with champions league, why take the gamble that you torpedo the momentum we’ve got going?

I do still have some tactical concerns and think this could still, ultimately, become a Becki Tweed situation. But the thing that I most like about Renée is that she’s willing and able to make halftime tweaks and the necessary second half subs. Whether or not she is actually tactically savvy enough to compete with Chelsea for league titles and to really threaten in the uwcl remains to be seen.

[double-fake-royalty]

[double-fake-royalty]

life comes at you fast and eras are gone just like that…

[double-fake-royalty]

The others have been difficult, but this one hurts the most even though it’s the least surprising.

Becky defined the era for me. She should’ve been the sole captain for so much longer than she was. Alex was the face of the team, sure, but Becky was the brains, the heart, and the ever-steady hand. Always there to be relied upon.

I still remember her getting the start in the 2011 wwc semifinal against France only because of the red card Buehler had gotten in the infamous Brazil game. I remember thinking that was a BIG ask of someone who had hardly any caps, but she really never let us down did she?

I think of that time in the 2015 wwc often when JJ made a mistake that cost us a goal and Becky just cupped her face and told her it was alright and there’s still work to do.

And on a 2019 team that was so unbelievably stacked, she was arguably one of the most important.

I hate the way that 2023 unfolded for her (and the team in general) and I’m not surprised in the slightest that she’d announce it like this and go out with as little fanfare as possible.

For her to have such a huge legacy for all the behind the scenes work - for equal pay and collective bargaining protections for both the nwsl & uswnt - speaks to her immense and irreplaceable character.

I felt similarly when Pinoe retired, that what bums me out the most about this current era for the uswnt is that we seemingly don’t have anyone currently who could take up the mantle of a Rapinoe and I don’t really see it for Becky either. I’m hopeful about Girma but seems like a lot to ask. It can be said that there’s significantly less for this era of the uswnt to do thanks to Becky, Pinoe, Alex, CP et al, but you never really want to get complacent when it comes to USSF.

I think it’s very fitting that she never got her uswnt goal. She was never hunting for glory - only for consistency, professionalism, respect, equality, and progress. That is her legacy.