PBP: Week 3 discussion

Great news about Arod. They probably will phase her in slowly, coming off the bench at first.

Ohai not on Houston's injured report either...

Laddish is actually listed as "SEI". If so that is devastating. She missed all of 2017 with that hip problem. She was shown training in preseason photos and videos, and I highly doubt a "contusion" is a season-ending problem. Hopefully this is a typo. Utah could use some size in midfield; they have a ton of short players.

 

Pumped for Arod and Ohai! And also, per Laddish's Instagram...she has decided to undergo a 2nd hip surgery because of residual, chronic pain. Bummed for her.

 

Thanks Myrtle. Here's the full text of her Instagram post:

"For the past year and a half I have been battling a stubborn hip injury and residual chronic pain that has left me unable to play. After exhausting all my options, my mind and my body, I have decided to undergo a second surgery.

As athletes, injury is one of the things we fear the most. The loss of control of our bodies, and the desperation to not lose pace with the game that goes on without us, plagues our minds with anxiety and self doubt. I’ve had people tell me - “you’ll never be the same player again”. But I disagree.

While we all may be prepared for the physical struggle that comes with injury, nothing can prepare us for the internal mental battle. So much of our identity as athletes is wrapped up in our sport. Our self worth, our confidence. During a time where we are injured we find ourselves searching for meaning. We feel so lost in a world where we can’t do what we love most.

Crushed by self doubt, insecurities and lack of identity, I’ve spent the last year and a half attempting to untangle my self worth from soccer. I’ve had to face some demons I’ve been avoiding for years and I’ve been forced to turn inward to find out who I truly am.

What I’ve learned is, I am so much more than my sport. I am so much more than this injury. This injury is simply a journey filled with obstacles I have been set to conquer and it is my response to it that defines me.

I have a new found confidence in my self and an increased desire to be more loving, understanding and empathetic toward myself, my body and those around me. I will come back with a vengeance, but also with patience. Mostly I will return with a resiliency I would have never obtained without having to face my fears, head on. Because of this I am confident I will come back stronger than I was before.

Pain is inevitable. But suffering is optional. This is my story."

Despite this setback, she wants to attempt another comeback. Props. She is almost 26, so still some good playing years left if she can do it.

 

On a more positive note here's one of several stories fronting the Utah Royals home opener. https://www.sltrib.com/sports/royal...nt-make-a-ton-of-money-playing-womens-soccer/

 

I believe the Utah match is also officially a sell out at 18,500. Props to the Royals.

 

Kudos on the crowd. The kits look good. Hopefully Utah can play well enough to build a good following and be a long term franchise.

 

Posted to wrong thread

[UTA-CHI]
22' 0-0 Nagasato pivots at box top mid-right, pokes a shot past A.Smith's dive -- off left post low, bounces back across mouth, cleared.

Nagasato with the look for @chiredstarsPR 👀#UTAvCHI | #NWSLonLifetime | @lifetimetv pic.twitter.com/19AzhV6NFw

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) April 14, 2018

27' 0-1 Mautz dribbles up centerline, bends a pass toward Huerta at arc top right -- it bends away from Huerta, she veers outward to collect. Huerta turns and serves from arc top wide right toward 14m center, cleared poorly to 22m arc top. Colaprico chests ball upward, steps into a right foot half-volley golaaaaazo over Smith's fingertips, into 1/5 right back high.

.@dannycolaprico with the textbook volley, and @chiredstarsPR take the 1-0 lead.#UTAvCHI | #NWSLonLifetime | @lifetimetv pic.twitter.com/2H29MAPHOK

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) April 14, 2018

 

Hah, a Utah Royals lion mascot!

 

Meh. What was that defending?

 

Daisy cutter FK by Zerbs. I had no idea she was so good at them.

 

What I really like is that 6 of the NC 8 first half shots were On Goal.

 

Is this the regular goalie for Washington? I don't watch enough to know for sure, but if it is that's sad.

 

Lynn finally puts one on frame..........and it goes in.

 

Hinkle has been way off her game tonight.

 

Have to agree. She was much better against SkyBlue.

 

Was real disappointed Utah didn't get a goal so the crowd could erupt.

 

I went to NWSL website and for some reason, when I wanted to look at Utah-Chicago highlights, the "full-screen" option was disabled. Seriously?

 

Just watched the highlights. It doesn't seem to me it was goalkeeping in particular, but some awful defending from Washington's back-line in general!

Ok, placing the wall for Zerboni's FK was GK's duty and Bledsoe for sure missed that big time, but consider some of the other goals: Zerboni completely free to kick from CK with no Washington's defender around? Really? And Williams getting no pressure at all from defense, with the closer player at a distance of at least 2-3 meters before she shoots?

Scoring 2 is no use if you take 4, and if Freedom doesn't change the way they defend, they're going to take more of this kind of very avoidable goals in this season.

 

Actually, I am quite happy Utah did not score . That great crowd may "roar" at their next home match! Typical CRS "grind it out to a victory" match. While a CRS win is the best possible scenario, my dream match would've been CRS scoring two then Norwegian Elise Thorsnes scoring the first home goal in Utah history and then the crowd roar would've been just dandy

 

Did you try again, blissett? I will try. Yuki almost scored - how agonizingly close that was glad to see she is back - we really need her - to create chaos for the opponent and create chances for CRS!

 

Yes, I tried again: it looks like both the full match and the highlights are not available anymore in full-screen version for me. And it doesn't seem a "glitch", since the low-bar with the pause-button, the HD-one and the full-screen-one is not only inaccessible but also somehow "shadowed" as if it's intended that you can't click on it.

I suppose this is a new "feature" for not-paying people from overseas like me: giving the full service for free to us probably had to feel unbearable to the guys in charge.

I anyway already watched the highlights: on a PC screen they look ok even if I can't magnify them. And I did see the post hit by Nagasato, who looked very well involved in CRS' offensive actions! Yuki was injured when Takakura called up players for Asian Cup but I wonder if, after Naho's return in NT, we couldn't get another veteran back in Nadeshiko Japan soon. After all, scoring is an historical problem for our team, we just qualified for WWC 2019 that's just one year away, and Yuki Nagasato is second only to "some" Homare Sawa for the all-time-record of goals scored with Nadeshiko Japan. Just saying.

 

I watched the match live on the NWSL website and full screen wasn't available for that either.

 

[SkB-SEA]
05' 0-0 RB Nielsen bends a cross from arc top wide right toward spot. Skroski pushes off Taylor, awkward twisting-cw right foot volley try -- but her left hand, swinging against her body's rotation, hits the ball before it traverses her body Not as blatant as Colaprico's wraparound-punch -- maybe inadvertent? That'll be my analogy for the conservation of angular momentum of black holes: like a centerback pulling her arms in

06' 0-1 Rapinoe pk, blasted straight up centerline rising as Sheridan dove rightward and vacated space -- ball pushes the netting back and deflects off the rear center support pole. That's not "woodwork", that's pipeworks

And just like that, @mPinoe buries it to put @ReignFC ahead.#NJvSEA | #NWSL | @go90sports pic.twitter.com/sDwhgQWxqL

— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) April 15, 2018

 

Crappy weather in NJ and OR. No fun to play in and not much fun to watch