I just want to report a problem/solution I ran into tonight on NWSL+. (Fri Apr 3) What happened was I entered the app wanting to watch Chicago vs Utah. (Want may be the wrong reason) I did not see that match anywhere in the app and yes I did search for it. I then exited the app and rechecked the schedule and made sure it was supposed to be on NWSL+. I then reentered the app and suddenly there it was right on the first page I saw. I guess that there was/is some little bug in the app where the cache does not get correctly cleared or some of the info from the last use gets stuck or the app misreads the schedule info. I do not really care what was/is the problem now that I know a way to fix the problem. I was wondering if Chicago was going to make a change or three to get them playing better. They did but I am not at all sure that the change will cure the problem. They started a different GK (Nahyer gets to sit this match. I have no idea if this was a tactical change or an attempt to force Nahyer to play better if she wants to hold her job or something else entirely. However the change is not really working as the GK at the other end will need to reintroduce herself to her defenders as the ball has spent all, or nearly all, of its time in Chicago's end. But Chicago has kept a clean sheet so far. Chicago's defense is playing hard, or it would be something like 3-0 in favor of Utah. Part of that could be the new/different GK or changes in defensive structure or something else entirely but they have kept a clean sheet so far. Now if they could just attack, some how.
Another match were Denver showed the lack of close quarter touches. Dominated the second half, but couldn't do anything dynamic. And Kossler cannot play 90 minutes every match. She looked gassed after about the 70th minute.
Well, you stickied the thread it has had no further action since even though there has been a bunch of matches since. in fact the last meaningful post was way back on Apr 5. I intend to watch all three matches on ION today but, if no one is going to post i will not either. I like posting during matches but i do not like talking to myself much. So I guess we will see what, if anything, happens today here.
Today is starting poorly for me as the very first match, and the one i am most interested in, is starting with a weather delay. And, once again, there is no indication on the screen as to when the match is now expected to start.
Shocking. The F1 race in Miami has a weather/lightning potential or tomorrow. Missed the sprint today, and it looked fine. But Florida in the spring...thunder-rain in the early afternoon.
It is the middle of the night in Italy but I guess it is possible that @blissett will remain awake, at least for this first match. Since the delay was so long (90 minutes) i wonder how ION will handle the overlap. Rodman has her sprint boots on today. Twice she has come from more than two yards behind and ended up with the ball. Plus she has an assist on the first goal. She is one of my favorite players to watch but I do miss her "fancy" hair but it is possible that the styling and braid materials added to much weight and contributed to her back problems. A very soft PK has been awarded to Orlando. It would not surprise me if it get saved.
The PK was saved but, on the subsequent corner Washington misplays the defense and Banda scores. Still 2-1 Washington.
Now both teams have a player looking for a hat trick. I wonder if either will be successful but Banda seems more likely as she is so good close to goal.
The Orlando vs Washington match ends with Washington winning 4-2. Rodman had a goal and two assists and was, in my opinion, player of the match. The LONG rain delay did not really seem to impact the match much but it was WET and Washington is a very good "mud" team.
Once the early season kinks been worked out, I can see Spirit winning the championships—-of course providing no major injuries, but they hit he squad & future resources to do it. I like the way the team keeps finding the open space when moving upfield & attacking. Surprise too thstvitsxgor an Spanish coach as they prefer more the short passing tiki tacky style
One little nitpick with team naming. There is a west coast team named "Angle City" but on the TV ticker they are labeled LA. Even though I am no longer having problems with recognition for the longest time I found the discrepancy VERY irritating. There are many places in the world where such naming stupidity happens, Italy is one of the worst, but I believe teams and leagues would serve themselves MUCH better if the displayed logos actually had a relationship with what the announcers call teams. BTW: The LA vs UTA match is very boring. It is almost like neither team practiced this weak. It is 0-0 and that is very reflective of the play in the match.
My friend, you need your regular fix of women's football (from Italy, I can't call it "soccer"), but I definitely need my regular fix of sleep. Very hapy for Sofia Cantore, but I will be content with watching her in highlights.
Geez, with Rodman back and scoring, they look so dangerous. And having 5 forwards that are pacy and can score is so dangerous...and exciting to watch. Yeah, that shows up every now and then for me. Most places, though, show AC. And in the Boston v. Denver match, Ryan with a banger of a goal! And Smith making up for last week with a couple of excellent early saves.
This match is quite obviously between two expansion teams, It is not like there are a lot of serious mistakes but rather most attacks are killed by the attacking team without the defending team having to do much. I do not know, or really much care, which team wins I do care about quality soccer and there is not a lot of that in this match. Carson Pickett has always been one of my favorite people making a living from soccer and now Denver has her so, I guess, that means I am a Denver fan, of sorts. At least in playing for Denver Carson will, probably, extend her career a bit so i will get to watch her for a few more years. I wonder if she has ambitions in coaching? She is defiantly smart enough and knows soccer very well. The announcers keep saying that Boston is dominating play but Denver is leading 2-1. I think they are trying to make Boston do the work while waiting for an inevitable mistake. There is a perfectly viable style of play where you concede possession while making all shots predictable. Denver has a good 'keeper and i think all she needs to become great is training and playing time. Denver is not going to challenge for the Shield this year but it would not surprise me to see them in the playoffs.
Well Denver had its chances but a HUGE defensive breakdown has allowed Boston to score two late goals and Denver has managed to snatch defeat from the hand of victory.
Rounding out this Sunday Bay defeats San Diego 1-0. Silkowitz makes 6 saves and saves a PK. It was almost identical to the PK save from last season but the shot was MUCH better taken. Silkowitz is really making her case for becoming the third or second GK for the USWNT. I do not think it will be long before she challenges for #1. What a wonderful problem for Hayes to have.
If the NWSL insists on playing two games a week, then the bench is going to become mighty important. The Spirit not quite yet double stacked, but getting there, especially bringing the likes of Kouassi, Monday Sullivan Carle later on into game, will give them an sorta super subs advantage that other clubs just don’t got. Quite a few of Europe’s big clubs are surprisingly trimming down their woso sides for next season, so expect many big names to be signed by NWSL. Dunno if Michelle Kang has the inside track here( or just sign them for her Euro clubs instead) but I would think so many of the NWSL clubs now owned by private equity, will still have an major stake in it