Reign 2017

Discussion in 'Seattle Reign FC' started by Blaze20, Oct 13, 2016.

  1. cpthomas

    cpthomas BigSoccer Supporter

    Portland Thorns
    United States
    Jan 10, 2008
    Portland, Oregon
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It would be fun to have a list of players who came to tryouts, made their teams, and still are playing:

    Taylor Lytle
    Mana Shim
    ??????
     
  2. Blaze20

    Blaze20 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Seattle Reign FC
    Sep 22, 2009
    Club:
    Philadelphia Independence
    Like how liberal do we want to make that definition? Because take someone like Elston who was signed as a trialist from Houston, waived, and then picked up by Seattle and is in her third year with the team.
     
  3. Smallchief

    Smallchief Member+

    Oct 27, 2012
    Club:
    --other--
    Meg Morris
    ?????
     
  4. blissett

    blissett Member+

    Aug 20, 2011
    Italy
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    After watching highlights I have to ask: do we have a defense? o_Oo_Oo_O

    As it often happens, first goal was made by a Mathias' blunder, but actually it's not like the rest of defense (even Barnes!) looked better: Leon was actually free to roam everywhere... :unsure:
     
  5. holden

    holden Member+

    Dundee FC, Yeovil Town LFC, Girondins de Bordeaux
    Oct 20, 2009
    Los Angeles
    Club:
    Dundee FC
    I looked away for a second and Boston had scored 2 goals! :eek:
     
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  6. blissett

    blissett Member+

    Aug 20, 2011
    Italy
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    By the way, although this is obviously not the only problem, is there any chance that Reed can play as a Right Back instead of Mathias? We give away too many goals beacuse of her. In season 2014, Reed had been ok: if only she could get back to that state of form, she could be more reliable than Mathias.
     
  7. Blaze20

    Blaze20 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Seattle Reign FC
    Sep 22, 2009
    Club:
    Philadelphia Independence
    I know you guys are all breathlessly awaiting my post game analysis. Rest assure it is coming soon.

    Sneak peak - the defense sucked.
     
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  8. blissett

    blissett Member+

    Aug 20, 2011
    Italy
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    Well, this abridged version of your analysis somehow already answers my doubt...:coffee:
     
  9. Blaze20

    Blaze20 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Seattle Reign FC
    Sep 22, 2009
    Club:
    Philadelphia Independence
    Well this to allay your fears, I think this was a tactical failure on the part of Harvey and not a systemic failure of the defense as a whole.
     
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  10. Gilmoy

    Gilmoy Member+

    Jun 14, 2005
    Pullman, Washington
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    My distracted impression was that Seattle's back 4 were too high, with both wingbacks too higher. So it was frequently a back 2 getting sliced and diced by youthful speed.

    Consistently losing at midfield gave Boston many running starts going the other way.
     
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  11. Blaze20

    Blaze20 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Seattle Reign FC
    Sep 22, 2009
    Club:
    Philadelphia Independence
    Pretty much this.

    Defense was in shambles the entire game. I warned against this team playing too high defensively as we have no runners on the backline to make that up. And in this game it seems they had no idea what they were doing. Yes Boston have a lot of good players but one will assume they watched film of this squad in preparation.

    Another point I'll like to make is the fact that this team is getting terrible and terrible at handling adversity. After the second and third goal, I noticed multiple players hanging their head. As a fan I don't mind my team losing as long as they give their all.

    For the upcoming game with Portland I'll most likely not be able to watch due to a prior engagement but will try to follow live scores.
     
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  12. Blaze20

    Blaze20 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Seattle Reign FC
    Sep 22, 2009
    Club:
    Philadelphia Independence
    So I was able to leave late and caught the first half and beginning of the second half. The intensity of the team in the first 20 minutes of this match was what was missing in that Boston game. Obviously we saw that they were unable to maintain that level of pressing through out the match but that is something that will improve as we go further in the season.

    Fishlock's battle with Henry throughout the game was something beautiful to behold, two tough players going at it and getting up each time and smiling at each other :thumbsup:. She must feel terrible though about that own goal, but on the bright side, she's a part of a select group of players that contributed to an own goal in all NWSL matches on the day.

    Mathias as the lone striker when the team is trying to press works as she has the intensity and pace for that. Good work on getting that goal as well.

    Pickett looks to be getting better and better each game. She and Rapinoe are doing good work on that left side.

    Speaking of wingers, color me impressed with Stott. She's really impressive going forward and hopefully she gets the start again over Mathias as RB.
     
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  13. blissett

    blissett Member+

    Aug 20, 2011
    Italy
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    Amen to all that (especially Stott over Mathias in RB position).

    Harvey is clearly experimenting with different tactical solutions, in these first games of the season. Could have been better if she had done that in pre-season, but better late than never... :coffee:

    Now, if only we didn't give away "free goals" so often, maybe this team could be something... :cautious:
     
  14. hotjam2

    hotjam2 Member+

    Nov 23, 2012
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    is the one girl with half her arm cut off, Utsui?
     
  15. blissett

    blissett Member+

    Aug 20, 2011
    Italy
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    No, you are talking about Carson Pickett. Probably you confused her with Rumi Utsugi because they both sport a ponytail, when on the pitch, and because they both mostly used to cover the Left Back or Left Wing position in their career; but Rumi Utsugi is actually playing as a Central Midfielder, in current Seattle Reign's line-up.
     
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  16. Blaze20

    Blaze20 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Seattle Reign FC
    Sep 22, 2009
    Club:
    Philadelphia Independence
    I'm gonna take this as good news ...

     
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  17. blissett

    blissett Member+

    Aug 20, 2011
    Italy
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    Well, it looks like having Mathias out does indeed pay! :D

    But, seriously, Washington's tactic was a suicide: playing a three-back defense vs the kind of players we have was asking for trouble. Naho, probably wasn't believing her eyes: I guess she hadn't so much space since she was playing 2nd Division teams in Japan at the beginning of her career.
    WAS should have respected us more!

    Anyway, Naho & Bev's chemistry reminded me of INAC Kobe Leonessa's times. :D

    Does anyone remember how many Player of the Week awards Naho had in season 2014? She also won Player of the Month once, didn't she? I guess it's quite safe to say that she's very well poised to be MVP of this week in NWSL.
     
  18. hotjam2

    hotjam2 Member+

    Nov 23, 2012
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    here are highlights of that game


    looks like Naho got something like 4 assists & 1 goal, but hmm, for player of the week, I'll take her arch nemesis......Sam Kerr! Besides, Naho had too much talent to work with the twins(Fishlock & Pinoe) to give her full credit.

    As for the Spirit, can't stand that team after they got rid of my fav CB, the JoJo Elsig of American soccer, Megan(the world is her)Oyster!
     
  19. blissett

    blissett Member+

    Aug 20, 2011
    Italy
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    Well, she anyway got at the top of the assists-rankings with just this single performance. :D

    And I read that 4 assists in a single game was an all-time NWSL record. :cool:
     
  20. Smallchief

    Smallchief Member+

    Oct 27, 2012
    Club:
    --other--
    Lesson learned for teams playing Seattle: a 3-back defense against the likes of Kawasumi and Rapinoe is suicidal. (so is the USWNT playing a three-back against France)

    Katie Johnson looked pretty good in her 20 minute stint. Beautiful backheel, an assist, and a good cross. The experts say Harvey was crazy to draft her. Maybe not.
     
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  21. blissett

    blissett Member+

    Aug 20, 2011
    Italy
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    Yes. Kawasumi + Rapinoe = Thomis + Le Sommer. Result: 3-back defense is a big no-no. :coffee:

    Yes, she looked very good and that back-heel for Rapinoe was really classy.

    I hadn't had the chance to see her play before (NWSL matches use to be in the night for me in Italy and often I don't care to watch the replay of a full match when I already know the final result and I've seen good highlights): did she get much playing time, so far?
     
  22. Smallchief

    Smallchief Member+

    Oct 27, 2012
    Club:
    --other--
    She poached a goal in an earlier game -- and she's appeared briefly in several matches. This against Washington was her best showing so far.
     
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  23. Blaze20

    Blaze20 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Seattle Reign FC
    Sep 22, 2009
    Club:
    Philadelphia Independence
    Johnson came on in the 70th minute so as far are subs are concerned that's quite a bit of time. I'm impressed with her hold up play and with her pace she does give our defenders an outlet. With Stott solidifying her RB role and Johnson showing that she's a worthy sub for Yanez, I'm hopeful that the roles Mathias play on this team will be further marginalize.

    I'm sad though that with this new 3-back formation McNabb has been relegated to the bench. Sometimes I wish there was a cup competition that teams could participate in during the season to get these players game time. Given how closely all teams are playing this year every game will be important so I don't see teams experimenting at all.
     
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  24. blissett

    blissett Member+

    Aug 20, 2011
    Italy
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    Yes, I guess NWSL should have something of the kind: every European League has at least one national cup (sometimes more than one, as in UK).

    In Japan also, there are two different competitions, along with Nadeshiko League: Nadeshiko League Cup, in summer, with all the teams from Division 1, and Empress' Cup, in December, a direct-elimination big tournament including teams from minor divisions and some university team.
    Those additional competitions have proved being precious to give playing time to young or fringe players and to keep them fit and motivated, should the opportunity arise to start in the league. For instance, often clubs start their 2nd GK in Nadeshiko League Cup. And most of the excellent players Japan deployed last year at U-17 and U-20 WWC were given the chance of some quality playing time in the same tournament.

    I am aware that USA have a very well developed college/university sector for soccer, but I guess professional clubs should get some more to play for (it's not a case that, in the longue break of NWSL, most players look for an home in Australia or such). It's obvious that United States very long distances make any national tournament more difficult to organize and more expensive than in other countries, but I guess it would be worth trying (maybe starting it with less fanfare than the league itself, as a little side-product).
     
  25. cpthomas

    cpthomas BigSoccer Supporter

    Portland Thorns
    United States
    Jan 10, 2008
    Portland, Oregon
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Does anyone know exactly what Matthias did? I saw that Sonnett was pretty unhappy after the incident at the end line, but I couldn't see exactly what happened.

    Seattle definitely lucked out that neither the ref nor the sideline officials saw it, as a red card apparently was what she should have gotten and Seattle would have played down a player for the last 20 minutes.
     
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