It would make better sense if the games were spaced out evenly. But with the current schedule, some teams have already played another team twice and haven't yet faced some teams. So some head-to-heads end up grouped closely rather than spread out over the course of the season. This means that there is a reward given to the team that is in better form specifically when the two teams meet.
That Washington team is exceeding expectations. Three rookies in their starting line up -- and DiBiasi would win rookie of the year by acclimation if the vote were today.
[REI-NC] Balcer for J.Taylor; Fishlock for Catley (and McNabb => LB); Murphy for Betos. Here is your Reign FC Starting XI for today's match against @TheNCCourage.Kickoff at Cheney Stadium at 4:00 p.m. PT #RFC253 #BeBold #RFCvNC pic.twitter.com/X00XEKrhp6— Seattle Reign FC (@reignfc) May 27, 2019 Pruitt for Debinha (and Hamilton => LM); O'Sullivan RDM <=> RM Roccaro. 1133134336784568320 is not a valid tweet id Reign FC: Q none / OUT none / SEI (OK =>) Betos (=) Spencer T.Smith / INTL (USA) Rapinoe Long (ESP) Jiménez Delgado (AUS) Catley Kellond-Knight Ld.Williams (ENG) J.Taylor North Carolina: (Q <= OUT) Perea / OUT (OK =>) King (=) Harbison / INTL (USA) Dahlkemper Dunn McDonald S.Mewis (BRA) Debinha (CAN) Labbé
13' 1-0 Reign right throw-in, heaved to 11m right post. Rowland comes out but only runs into Balcer's back as Balcer back-heads over her, high to 5m 1/4 right. Erceg heads away to mid-left, Fishlock taps back to 22m wide left. McNabb touches to arc top wide left, left foot cross to 11m 2/5 right, ball drops just over Zerboni's head. Balcer stoops and heads a bullet to crossbar 1/3 left over Rowland frozen, off crossbar bottom, bounces straight down over goalline and back up into roof. Wow, that ball came off her head like it hit something hard and plastic The header heat from @bethanysoccer13!1-0 | #SEAvNC pic.twitter.com/ZrorXpNZsb— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) May 27, 2019 15' 1-0 Ln.Williams quick shot from box top left, just over crossbar.
16' 1-0 Jenkins nutmegs Zerboni at 3m wide left, Zerboni hauls her down by the hips. 17' 1-0 Fishlock fk at 4m wide left, inswings to goalline 2/5 left. Rowland blocks chest-high but drops it straight down, Yanez pokes it into Rowland, ball deflects wide left and NC eventually clear. 19' 1-0 Ln.Williams drives through box top mid-right to 5m, crosses to 6-top right post. Pruitt slightly overruns ball, does a right-instep back-flick softly to 1/3 right, Murphy falls on it. 20' 1-0 Jenkins ground cross from box left foot through traffic to 10m 6-right, misses everybody.
29' 1-0 Yanez steals from O'Sullivan, who goes sprawling. Fishlock pokes ball at 30m wide left, Mathias bumps her down. No call, Yanez and Mathias go for the 2nd ball, Yanez does a Superman-dive onto turf. Ball squirts leftward, Fishlock and Mathias go for it and bump, Fishlock gets seated again. Foul on Mathias, for one of those three 30' 1-0 Yellow card on Th.Nielsen. 31' 1-0 NC fk at 30m mid-left, to 11m 1/3 left, Murphy punches it down to box top center. Reign long switch to Jenkins 1-v-1 to box top wide left. Jenkins cuts inside to 12m mid-left, jukes Mathias down to 5m mid-left, crosses behind Balcer at 8m 6-right. Balcer spins down onto back and pokes ball out to box top center, behind Fishlock. Fishlock spins to collect, spins and chips softly to goalline center, Rowland catches easily. Jenkins can't really do hard stops or cuts -- still regaining fitness?
39' 1-0 Reign poke ball away 2-v-1 at own 5m wide right, into box mid-right. Rushed clearance goes directly to O'Sullivan at box top center , she jukes left and shoots left foot into traffic. Ball deflects down at 12m 1/3 left, bounces wide right. 43' 1-0 Reign right throw-in at midfield, Fishlock through-ball sends Groom through box top mid-right to 12m. Hard right foot shot to right post low, Rowland dives past the post but misses. Ball bounces off right post, off Rowland's back, trickles goalward to goalline 1/5 right, Mathias volleys it away and backs up into own net. +1'. Wowzas! @merrbear11 bails out @TheNCCourage.#SEAvNC pic.twitter.com/lXBbqSLjIM— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) May 27, 2019
45+1' (of +1') 1-0 Jenkins harasses Ln.Williams down wide right for a 15m duel, finally sit-kicks over endline wide right. 45+2' (of +1') 1-0 NC right ck, high to 5m 2-right. Murphy goes high to catch, lands upon Erceg, drops ball and continues down onto back. Foul on Erceg. HT 1-0. Reign lead shots(sog) 8(3)-(1)4, trail 1-3 corners, 5-7 crosses, 3-4 offsides.
47' 1-0 Reign left ck, to 5m 1/5 left, Rowland catches high and heaves it past midfield 47' 1-0 Balcer backpedals under a high ball, runs self into Roccaro's legs, goes down briefly. 48' 1-0 Ball bounces to Groom at circle back right, she lifts head and inexplicably lifts an early longball to nobody at 30m mid-left, Kurtz collects. 49' 1-0 Andrews(?) receives at circle back, promptly scythes a longball up centerline, not close to Balcer's run. Maybe that's Vlatko's idea for the first few minutes.
50' 1-0 NC serve from box top right, not cleared, Zerboni heads it leftward to 10m mid-left. Pruitt spins cw and shoots left roundhouse, Murphy catches. 51' 1-0 Balcer shoots from 33m(!) mid-left, Rowland catches face-high. 55' 1-0 To and fro. Zerboni touches past Andrews, trips over a foot. Foul on Andrews.
56' 1-0 NC left ck, short tap back to Hinkle, left-foot cross to crossbar 1/3 left, Murphy claws ball rightward but can't catch, over endline right. 57' 1-0 NC right ck, headed away. 58' 1-0 NC switch up wide left, too far for Hinkle overlapping, into near touch at 5m. 59' 1-0 Hinkle overhits a longball from midfield left touch, it sails high to Murphy.
61' 1-0 Fishlock steals at circle top, passes to Groom at 27m box right. Groom backs down Erceg to box top mid-right, crosses to Jenkins unmarked at 8m mid-left. Backpass to Fishlock at arc top left, she shoots into a defender. Ball skitters to 6-right foot, Erceg chases it down and clears into near touch. 61' 1-0 North Carolina subs in (1 of 3) #4 Elizabeth Eddy for #21 Cari Roccaro. 62' 1-0 Jenkins steals from Mathias, turns through box left to 10m mid-left. Backpass toward Fishlock, intercepted by Erceg.
70' 1-0 North Carolina subs in (2 of 3) #17 Heather O'Reilly for #23 Kristen Hamilton. 72' 1-0 Reign engage in 3' of keep-away and backpassing. O'Reilly forces a bad touch at box top wide right, chases it down and NC take over. 73' 1-0 Jenkins pokes ball past box top left touch, creeps into 12m box left, taps to Balcer at 12m mid-left. Balcer backpasses to Andrews way out at 24m center, Andrews chips to crossbar 1/4 right, Rowland catches just under bar. Jenkins should find her turbo-mode and do an explosive-step-and-cross at least once. 75' 1-0 O'Reilly passes wide right for Mathias unmarked through box top right to 12m, Mathias shoots right foot to 4m 1/4 right low, Murphy dives and catches. .@CaseMurph looking comfortable between pipes on this hot-to-handle shot.1-0 | #SEAvNC pic.twitter.com/3mMfrzuoPo— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) May 28, 2019
77' 1-0 Stoppage, trainer confers with Jenkins, upright and walking gingerly. 78' 1-0 Reign FC subs in (1 of 3) #25 Ifeoma Onumonu for #11 Darian Jenkins. Onumonu is on an NT Replacement Player contract, so I guess that lasts only a couple of months. 78' 1-0 Pruitt back-heads from 17m center to Murphy at 6m.
81' 1-0 NC fk at circle center, high to 6m, Murphy catches high. She is tall 81' 1-0 Groom chips from circle top to box top center, too far for Balcer, Rowland collects. Those quick/instant transitions are surely part of the game plan. 82' 1-0 R1 picks up O'Reilly's fitness tracker off the grass and hands it back to her, O'Reilly promptly chucks it into far touch 83' 1-0 North Carolina subs in (3 of 3) #16 Julia Spetsmark for #12 Leah Pruitt.
86' 2-0 Groom chases a long ball dropping at 22m center, Rowland comes out on a collision course with Erceg. Erceg shies away from that contact, ball rolls down her right shin, rattles off Rowland's feet, spins to a stop at arc top left. Groom steps square left to ball, shoots one-touch left roundhouse and pulls it perfectly into empty net. Attendance 3,032. .@sheabayy2: Endgame.2-0 | #SEAvNC pic.twitter.com/SxOUwatIea— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) May 28, 2019 89' 2-1 NC left ck, short tap back to Hinkle. Left instep cross to 6-top 1/5 left, Erceg outjumps Yanez falling down, heads softly into back left high. +4'. .@abbyerceg has something to say about this game being over. @TheNCCourage get one back. 2-1 | #SEAvNC pic.twitter.com/HfrNE2u7CF— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) May 28, 2019
90+1' (of +4') 2-1 Stoppage, Yanez is down in a tuck at midfield far touch. 90+2' (of +4') 2-1 Reign FC subs in (2 of 3) #44 Maegan Kelly for #17 Beverly Yanez. Trainers help Yanez limp into far touch.
90+5' (of +4') 2-1 NC longball from deep right touch to Spetsmark at 28m box right, backheel into Eddy's stride. Eddy turns Oyster to 13m left post, shoots left instep across mouth, just wide right low as Murphy dove. 90+6' (of +4') 2-1 Rowland gk past circle top, Erceg outjumps Andrews and heads upfield to 25m arc right. Spetsmark backheads to arc top mid-right, Mathias juggles to self and half-volleys left roundhouse over Murphy stranded at 4m, off crossbar 1/4 right, bounces down to 6m center, Oyster chests it and clears into near touch. (Heart rate increasing)#SEAvNC pic.twitter.com/FOa7UozXDL— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) May 28, 2019 90+6' (of +4') 2-1 NC left ck, short tap back, Hinkle shanks the cross into left side netting. And before the gk ... FT 2-1. Reign FC's 1st-ever win vs. North Carolina. And 6.Reign (9-1) sneak ahead of 7.North Carolina (9+5) because H2H supercedes GD.
It's easy to place the blame on Rowland, but it's not like the rest of the team has been playing that stellar either. The Reign really outplayed them the whole game. It was only after that 2nd goal that the Courage finally came alive. And based on how they were playing before, they still would've lost 1-0.
I turned off the Reign-Courage game when Groom scored the second goal. I wasn’t paying very close attention most of the second half. NC has been out of whack* for a few weeks now. More than can be attributed to the loss of the NT players. At one point I was thinking, this poor play can be explained in two words: “Crystal Dunn.” But it is beyond that. Zerboni had her first reasonably good game last week but she wasn’t the weak link on Monday. Hinkle has yet to have a good game. O’Sullivan seems lost. Williams’s inability to put shots on frame has been Ever-So-Much-More-So (see Homer Price Centerburg Tales). Rowland appears to be mentally broken – she may be in a lot of pain from her shoulder, which might explain why she waved at ARod’s shot as it went by last week and why she spilled Fishlock’s set piece shot last night. Pain messes up your ability to think and focus. Rowland totally screwed up on the Groom goal. I wonder if Sensei Riley’s spell has worn off. However, it seems they did play until the last second, as they have learned to do. So I’m going to watch the game again from the point he put Eddy in and maybe become less discouraged. IMO, even though Roccaro is one of the Albertson Fury and New York Fury players Riley is loyal to, Eddy brings more to the midfield and to the overall energy of the game. Julie King is absolutely needed, especially since Erceg is gone. *http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-out2.htm In the nineteenth century. there seems to have been a phrase in fine whack meaning that something was in good condition or excellent fettle. (It appears in a letter by John Hay, President Lincoln’s private secretary, dated August 1863, which says the President... "is in fine whack. I have rarely seen him more serene and busy. He is managing this war, the draft, foreign relations, and planning a reconstruction of the Union, all at once”.) To be out of whack would then have meant the opposite — that something wasn’t on top form or working well. It was first applied to people with ailments (“My back is out of whack”). In the early years of the twentieth century it started to refer to mechanisms.
Also, your performance on the predictions thread probably suffers from NC bad spell. (Thanks for the explanation of "out of whack": that was priceless! )
I feel like Williams had this problem start last year and it's continued into this year. Perhaps she needs to go see a sports psychologist or something? She's definitely not playing like she did last year. If it's not the injury, then I don't know what else could've caused such a big loss in form. Well one positive, I don't think Roccaro made any really glaringly bad errors. On the other hand, she was fairly invisible all game. So was Hamilton, though. Based on how they've been playing, Eddy deserves to start over everyone other than Zerboni and Mathais (and you know things are bad when I'm saying Mathais is one of the best players on the team). Doesn't matter where, midfield, forward, defense, goalkeeper... she'll be an improvement anywhere at this point. (Of course she's not at the same level as Dunn, but I'd say she's the closest player they have to what Dunn brings to the game).
Lynn Williams leads the league in shots (24) and has put 50% of them on frame (12). She has 3 goals, behind only 2 players plus some other-hemisphere alien named Sam Kerr, and she has two assists (league leaders have 3). I think many people tend to find fault in her. I'm unsure why but I guess we've built up a lot of expectations for her, which is a good thing.
After you win the Golden Boot, expectations are a bit different. And when you look at the shots to SOG percentage of all the players who have scored multiple* goals (of which there are 17) only Hatch, Lloyd, A-Rod, and Vasconcelos have lower percentages (Vasconselos is by far the lowest at 27.3% compared to A-Rod at 43.8%). And when you look at the shots to goals percentage, she's dead last. So, yeah, I do think it's a fair criticism when you look at it that way. (An interesting side note: Dunn is the highest in both of these.) Though, I guess to be totally fair, we should look at her historical record. YearS2SOG%S2G% 201950.0%12.5% 201843.0%14.0% 201745.8%10.8% 201652.4%17.1% So, I guess when you look at it in this light, she isn't doing too bad. Though it is disappointing that she hasn't improved since her rookie season. * I'm excluding players with 1 goal, as it includes a lot of midfielders/defenders whose shots to goals ratios aren't really indicative of what we should expect for a forward. Though if you include Debinha, she's doing worse than Williams in both categories, so at least Williams has that going for her.