Arena Women's Football/Soccer - Official Discussion

Props to Chicago's Sam Kerr for becoming the first NWSL player to score 50 goals. Pocketed three against Sky Blue, her former club that is currently in the midst of a historically terrible season. In the postgame, Kerr said she wished she could have stayed in NJ, but her comments (along with finances, and results) signify that that club will fold when Carli Lloyd retires or leaves - her presence is the only reason for revenue. They are terribly coached and managed, and have a boatload of young talent that is being wasted.

 

USWNT Tournament of Nations rosters announced. Matches are:

Thursday, July 26 - Kansas City, Kansas
Brazil vs. Australia | 4:15 p.m. ET
USA vs. Japan | 7 p.m. ET | FS1

Sunday, July 29 - East Hartford, Connecticut
Japan vs. Brazil | 4:15 p.m. ET
USA vs. Australia | 7 p.m. ET | FS1

Thursday, August 2 - Bridgeview, Illinois
Australia vs. Japan | 5:45 p.m. ET
USA vs. Brazil | 8:30 p.m. ET | FS1

GOALKEEPERS (3): Adrianna Franch (Portland Thorns FC; 0/0), Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride; 16/0), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars; 29/0)

DEFENDERS (7): Abby Dahlkemper (North Carolina Courage; 19/0), Tierna Davidson (Stanford; 8/0), Jaelene Hinkle (North Carolina Courage; 8/0), Merritt Mathias (North Carolina Courage; 1/0), Becky Sauerbrunn (Utah Royals FC; 139/0), Casey Short (Chicago Red Stars; 21/0), Emily Sonnett (Portland Thorns FC; 17/0)

MIDFIELDERS (8): Morgan Brian (Chicago Red Stars; 75/6), Julie Ertz (Chicago Red Stars; 61/15), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC; 51/5), Rose Lavelle (Washington Spirit; 8/2), Carli Lloyd (Sky Blue FC; 254/100), Samantha Mewis (North Carolina Courage; 36/7), Allie Long (Seattle Reign FC; 39/6), McCall Zerboni (North Carolina Courage Courage; 2/0)

FORWARDS (7): Crystal Dunn (North Carolina Courage; 64/23), Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC; 133/19), Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride; 142/86), Kealia Ohai (Houston Dash; 3/1), Christen Press (Utah Royals FC; 100/44), Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign FC; 137/37), Amy Rodriguez (Utah Royals FC; 131/30)

Hinkle being called up at the expense of Huerta just ****ing sucks.

Looks like a roster built for three at the back.

 

I share it. There is no more impactful player on this team than Megan Rapinoe, been that way for years.

Isolating her by calling up this neanderthal to sit on the bench is yet another example of Ellis and the decision-makers taking what should be a championship side and adding unnecessary chaos and confusion to the equation.

 

ToN starts tonight - US vs Japan at 7p EDT. Hinkle didn't make the final 23, nor did Kealia Ohai (Dash captain/JJ Watt's significant other).

I feel like supporting the USWNT is the last and only area in which I am fervently patriotic. Let's go US of A.

 

Rapinoe-Morgan-Press is incredible.

Back four look shaky. Dahlkemper and Davidson don't seem to communicate well.

Tobin got broken down on that goal, but this is her first big competition coming off of multiple injuries - just good to see her back. She is so dynamic on the ball.

Need to watch Australia- sounds like they were really something against Brazil.

 

Jill Ellis is a tactical contemporary of Charlie Weis.

 

Late one tonight, 11 PM EDT, US vs. Chile from the Stubhub Center in LA.

Lots of injuries for the Americans, namely Rapinoe. Pugh, O'Hara, and Lavelle all on the shelf, too - so much speed, we're without. Imagine we'll see Dunn opposite Tobin on the wing.

100th USWNT cap for Press, which will hopefully mean 90 minutes of playing time for her.

 

Thorns beat the Rapinoe-less Reign 3-1 tonight in front of a packed house in Portland (was switching between this and the WNBA game) - the win earned them the runback next weekend, at home in Portland, again against the Reign, for a spot in the finals.

Horan scored two, Tobin dropped in a corner on a dime to set up the third goal.

Rapinoe and Allie Long should both return for next week - if you watch any NWSL game this year, that's probably the one I'd pick. There's a chance Sam Kerr goes beast mode and Chicago gets past North Carolina, but it's doubtful.

Final will also be in Portland - even with home field, the Courage are going to be tough. They won in Portland earlier this year, easily, while Heath was out with injury.

 

if you're not doing anything, support a great team tonight that doesn't perennially disappoint.

crappy that it's been relegated to FS2 by playoff baseball, but understandable.

 

Full qualifying schedule for all of you good people posting in here:

 

full strength, i think this team will do well. lots of depth and speed coming off of the bench, and o'hara's leadership at the back will be invaluable - it's been noticeably missed during her long recovery. dahlkemper's talented, sauerbrunn's experienced, but neither are leaders. o'hara's been that player since johnston/ertz moved up to midfield and ali krieger's role with the national team has diminished.

 

flexing muscles in the second half. pugh on for heath, just in case mexico hasn't been worn out already.

nice start to qualifying.