NWSL Team by Team Previews w/Lori Lindsey & Jill Loyden

Hey, everybody. Welcome back to SocaWise, David Goss here for an incredible episode, one of my favorite episodes of the year for the second time ever. We are doing the complete team by team preview of the NWSL season with some of the best voices in NWSL season.

NWSL names you know very well and voices you know very well. So our own Jordan Angelie joining us, of course, alongside Lori Lindsay, one of the premiere analysts in NWSL and Jill Lloyd in as well, who covers every game for you from Friday night Saturday through Sunday. You will hear their voices all season and you will hear them here. So for each team, same format five minutes. I'll give a little bit of info off the top. And then one of our analysts will sort of give us the main story of the day.

We're going to outline to think about with the team leading into a question, which will take us into the conversation amongst everyone about those teams and then some more news to close it out for the podcast version. We are going to do a little over half of the teams in this episode and run the rest of them next week in our podcast as well, where myself and Jordan will also be doing our preseason predictions in terms of awards and standings and then talk a little bit about the week one matchups to come because we are in.

We are less than two weeks away from kicking off the season with two new clubs. It is going to be awesome to listen to. If you're listening to serious radio, we tend to struggle with our time commitments. So at some point, the episode will cut off. There is extra that has been put out there. You can go listen to it on the on demand player or go anywhere you get your podcasts and search soccer wise. So let's not waste any more time. Let's jump into it. It is the ultimate timed clocked season preview with the two

best experts in the entire game alongside Jordan. Anjali. That is Lori Lindsey. Angel and joining us for this one. Thank you once again. How do you both feel being back?

Can't wait and also nervous because I'm like, all right. We've got five minutes on the clock for each of these teams. I have a lot of questions and also excitement. So I always seem to go over.

We are going to try and stick to our time. The first team is Angel City. Each person's been assigned a team. So they'll get us started. I'll throw a couple facts and off the top. Then they'll get us started. Lori has the first team. So we will be 90 and a half minutes over by the time we start rolling through from the first team. But we do have hard outs that people have to get to.

So we are going to hit every single team four or five minutes. We'll talk about the biggest storylines. We will talk about some of the moves that have happened in the off season and get you set for the season to gum. Of course.

You can hear all three of these voices across NWSL broadcast. So make sure to tune into every game every weekend starting on Friday night with Amazon and rolling all the way through through all the different games for everyone. And then you can come back here to sacrifice right after that. Now on Tuesdays, where we will review everything for you, myself and Jordan and on serious radio.

But to let's not waste any more time. So put in the first C on the clock. We're going alphabetical order. We start with Angel City, who finished 11th last year. They made a big move in the off season, bringing in Emily Sam's for $650,000.

Some big names like Christian pass and Ali Riley retired. And they signed a few of the big players they brought in last year, like Neely Martin and Hina Sugita to contract extensions and begin their first year under Alex Strauss. So Lori, why don't you get us started?

Yeah. Okay. So if we're following kind of the format, then the biggest storyline to me is, and this is just like an actual opinion, but this is the most complete Angel City team that we've seen in their existence. I mean, this is the most excited.

I've been for this team. I think when you look across the board and you think savvy King, Emily Sam's is a huge storyline, a veteran defender in the league and a US women's national team defender.

But also you have Alex Ross for a full entire year now. And I also believe that this team is the type of players finally for Angel City that he can utilize the play that way he wants to play with. They're going to play in a three back, which might suit them the most.

Even if they don't, they can play possession. We started seeing once they brought in Neely Martin wanting to try to play through the midfield a little bit more under Alex Strauss. Then they had to get away from it a little bit, depending because they didn't have all the pieces.

But I would say from back to front, especially in the midfield, because to me, in the midfield, that was always a question. They had to start the season last year, savvy King, Sarah Gordon.

She had Giselle Thompson in the back and he was talking about the fastest backline in the world. And then savvy King goes down, unfortunately, and then everything changes, right?

In terms of the complexity of their team, Melissa Thompson goes to Chelsea. So there were a lot of question marks, a lot of moving pieces.

And then they made some major changes with Sugita, Neely Martin, as we suggested.

We're just now, though, in this off season. So I say all of that because I think this is the team that could potentially match the expectations, the motivation that we've seen off the field from the beginning.

And I would say the only, maybe question mark is who is going to be their consistent goal score? Obviously, Riley Tiernan had a wonderful rookie season and rightfully so she was tremendous, in my opinion.

But you also bring in Jan Stoddard towards the end of the year after the Euros. But with Alyssa Thompson going to the Women's Super League, maybe that left wing position is a question mark.

But I'm looking at Junindo in this situation in terms of they've never quite utilized her in the way that I feel like she can, she can be utilized or get the best out of her as they do with the Japan national team.

And I think depending on how they set up, but also with Sugita, Neely Martin, Ari Borges in the midfield, Kennedy Fuller, who hadn't mentioned yet either, the way that they can play and a lot closer together, I think will suit Junindo.

And so she can play, depending again, how they're going to set up, I think Junindo could have a light out year if she continues to stay healthy.

And again, like they utilize her the way that she can take on one view one and go after teams.

So is there a big question to come off of who will be the attacking? Who will be?

Yes, who is going to be the front three and who's going to be their main goal score?

Because one thing that we've seen with success in this league is you have to have somebody that's going to be a go to striker, a go to goal score and then to miss out when things don't go your way throughout the season.

And no doubt there's going to be ebbs and flows. So who's going to be that main person and is it going to be Riley Tehran in again? She absolutely can be.

But do they play a two front? Do they play a three front? And I think when you start to look at all these pieces, yeah, how is it going to fit together?

Because that might be the biggest question now for them is now you have a surplus of players that can start and who's going to be the greatest mix under Alex Strauss.

That I think is a really big question. How are they going to like how are they to set up and what is that going to look like?

Because as you just said, Laurie, I hadn't even thought I thought more about the back line in being a three back, but I hadn't thought about what the front line would be.

If it would be a two front or you know, you kind of switch it up with maybe it is endo and Tehran up there.

But one thing I worry about with this team is all the pressure being on Riley Tehran to be the goal score when we've all been in this league.

Your second year when everybody knows about you is oftentimes the hardest year of your career because you can't just drift past somebody on their back shoulder and find a goal like you did in that first season.

So can she finds consistency? I think part of her aura and her grit makes me feel like she'll figure out a way to score because that's just kind of who she's been.

But I'm curious about endo and how they use her and how they use fuller because I don't think either one of those are great as wingers.

So do you try to create some kind of box centrally and get them both in a more centralized area.

I would prefer that being coming in on the off the right side and letting Jacelle Thompson then work that wing from the outside back position, but I agree with you.

So this has been, you know, the best bill that we've seen from Angel City and knew it was going to happen.

I knew it was going to happen. Wait, why is it his lips?

I forgot about it. Oh my god. I kind of like have like a weird feeling inside of it.

Something's happening here. Did you pre-record those? Did you pre-record those as all our names?

I did. I figured I had to bring a little bit of splash to your team.

Yeah, no, it's fantastic.

Okay, so that's Angel City for us.

They start their season on March 15th at 7 p.m. Eastern time against the Chicago Stars.

We're going to keep up. We're going to go to Jordan here on Bay FC who finished 13th in the league last year with a negative 15 goal differential

and what an offseason it was. They signed a new coach in Emma Coates coming over from England, 34-year-old England.

You 23 international manager. They traded a million dollars for Claire Hutton.

They just brought in Christina Jarelli from Juventus, a new Denton from West Ham who was the first West Ham English international in the last 15 years.

Cura Berry from Manu and a couple other NWSL moves they made.

So let's get started with Jordan.

Yeah, with this Bay FC team, I feel like the biggest storyline is it's year three and they're already in a complete rebuild.

They bring in a new head coach with what we're presuming is a very intricate style of play.

And we're seeing that with the players that they've signed.

They bring in Claire Hutton, which I think is one of, and Lori and Jill, maybe we'll get to this in a second.

But I think that this is one of the biggest trades we've seen in NWSL history.

The one with Sutton and Croyba Thune that happened and you bring Sutton in.

You are telling me that you want to play through this midfield and you want this midfield to dominate because they already have players like B bar who could do that.

Like Huff who can be really good ball retain midfielders.

Now you add a Claire Hutton and this is a young midfield who can can cover ground can carry the ball forward.

And then the biggest question I had was actually answered on Friday when they bring in Jarelli.

I was thinking, who's going to score goals for this team?

Because you know you're going to find ways to get in behind the back line with players like Kuna Nanji with that midfield that I just spoke about.

So I'm actually changing like my big question for this team to say, can this young center back pairing that we saw last year?

If it is going to be Collins and Cortinal, can they solidify this group enough to allow them to go forward and be a little bit more fluid in the way that they attack.

With more numbers forward saying, OK, we can hold it down back here because I thought they were a little naive last year.

And it was a little difficult for this Bay team.

You talked about Goss there, their goal differential and how it was not very good.

So has that partnership grown?

And will they be able to handle the attackers that this league has?

I think that Jill has been my big question for this Bay team.

Yeah, I think that that's a really big position that Bay need to solidify in terms of their style the way they want to play out.

And you have Jordan Soclewoods behind them who is also young.

Had a great season last year, but that's a lot for a young player to burden that much pressure.

So not only do her job, but have to be able to organize the center backs in front of her.

Have to be really mindful of their buildout moments because against North Carolina at the end of the season.

And it seemed like they had one plan and that was it. And if that didn't work, then they were in really precarious situations in those transition moments.

So it'll be interesting to see how much they utilize those two center backs where they kind of put the burden of buildout on the midfield.

Lori, what do you think about this attack now with Jarelli coming to the Bay team?

I feel like it gives them a very centralized center forward.

Do you think it'll be a lot of pressure on her? Do you think there's going to be more pressure on Koonanaji to actually deliver in this third year here for her in the NWSL?

I think both. I think for Koonanaji, yes. I mean, your third year as a striker, you're expected to score goals.

And, but I think when you start to look at the pieces and just drilling in Claire Hutton, you mentioned about just everybody a bit more, even though it's a rebuild, potentially understanding their roles even more and time into their belt with this team.

I think just everything around this expansion team is going to start to settle a bit more than they have seen.

So that in turn in the hope is that you'll see that product on the field come to fruition even more. So Koonanaji, yes, I think there's always going to be.

They're going to feel the pressure if you're a striker. But Jarelli, I think she'll welcome that.

And this is a veteran attacker. She was excellently euros this past summer. She's going to provide a scrappiness and a willingness to make those runs to get on the end of stuff.

I think even though she's a veteran player in Europe, she'll have something and she'll feel an excitement to prove herself and just have fun with this opportunity.

And I think that alone, her willingness to run that we saw as we saw on the women's euros will pay dividends for this team because I think he will take some pressure off of Koonanaji and then open up some more space for the midfield as well.

Yeah, and in attack, too, they still have penalty hockey and they have test booties, so good options to work in and around her and find that final pass.

I think Bodhi has proven that she can do that. One last thing on Jarelli, people say we look like. Do you think she's my job?

Oh, you do. Yeah, get that hair back curly. Let's go. Lace them up. Maybe we're long lost cousins.

No, you totally do. That's a wonderful comparison.

This is what if you get up top, Jordan, if you played for the Italy national team, this is what would have happened. Yeah.

You would have been playing for Bay FC. Well, they have their opening game against an expansion team in Denver.

So that one will be on the 14th at 630 PM Eastern time. Obviously a big season for Emma coach, 34 years old, new head coach, new league, one of a long list of new coaches and one in which we sort of are seeing.

There is no model to what people are looking for for a head coach in NW sell because we've got a couple other ones to talk about.

But we made under time there, which I'm really impressed by. So let's move on to the Boston legacy who obviously they don't have a last season.

I put down the 2017 Boston breakers information for us in case anyone wanted to guess, but it was bad and it was a long time ago.

And we're on a tight time limit. So does anyone want to guess how many points they put up that season?

Oh gosh. And like a 20 game season or something. I don't even know how many games I played. Yeah, 24 points, seven points.

Now better than that. I was going to say 23 19 points and a negative 11 goal differential on the season. And now women's professional soccer returns at the highest level to Boston for the first time in nine years.

Most of the season will be played between Gillette Stadium and centerville stadium, which is in Rhode Island while white stadium is still being built.

New head coach, of course, in Philippa Patau coming from Benfica general manager coming from the Barso women's program as well. And it's going to be tough to do transfers because there's a laundry list of players that have come in because it's a full squads worth of players.

But Casey Murphy, Alice Stevens, Michelle Prince have joined a number of players that have come from Brazil and across the world. And Jordan, you're going to get us started back in Boston.

Yeah, I think the biggest storyline for Boston is how they built this team. It is a very different way than we see Denver build their team. And we'll talk about that in a little bit. And when I was going through the players that Boston brought in.

You just mentioned some of the players from NWSL and I think they chose some really good veteran presence players with the experience Hasbo being another one of those.

But you bring in a prince and a Stevens. These players who have experience and know what it takes to win both in NWSL and internationally.

But then 13 of their 26 players have never played in NWSL before, which is a big statement to me that they are they have been evaluating international talent and wanting to bring in the best that they can under Patau and what she wants to set up.

Out of that group, the player that I think creates the biggest storyline is Amanda Gutierrez from Brazil. This is a player in the Copa America Feminino last year in the summer scored six schools, just, you know, only in I think she has nine caps for the national team, like has not played very much for Brazil.

And yet has this ruthless witness and this relentlessness when she's playing to make something out of nothing and as a team who's going to have to scrap and fight, I think when you're an expansion team, you know, it's not always going to be perfect and it's not always going to be pretty to have a player like that to hold up the ball, be brave and aerial battles.

There are nine ways inside the box, like to me, she is kind of the gem out of this Boston team and I'm excited to watch her play in NWSL.

The question I have for Boston is how will they manage an expansion season that we have seen this now over a few different rounds of expansion. It is very difficult, as I mentioned 13 of their players have never played in NWSL before.

They've gone from Boston to San Diego or maybe sometimes where it's Boston to Louisville because you can't go to Louisville directly, so that always is a difficult road trip for everybody.

And they're playing their home games in two different places. How will they mesh as a group, how will they handle the ups and downs of not just NWSL, but doing everything new for the first time with so many players that have never experienced this league before.

It could be a benefit to them, Lori, but it also could be really difficult for them to figure out a way to manage, especially those two, three games in a row where things aren't going well. How do you regroup and go?

So I think that really has been my biggest question about how Boston is going to play this year.

And I think that's going to be a big question across the board just with a lot of new coaches coming from Europe into this league too.

And having a real desire to play the way you want to play and then maybe not having all those pieces to fit that.

I mean, we've already spoken about Angel City and I felt like that was always a part of an issue for them on the field is, okay, this is how we want to play, but actually we don't have all those pieces to do that.

And then you need to make adjustments in real time, which can be very challenging for players.

It can be challenging for the coaching staff. But yeah, I think, you know, come October, end of September, even in the summer months when you are traveling, you're doing all these things, the teams not.

Even if things are going well, how do you keep teams motivated? How do you with the travel, the tired legs battling the international play with that?

I mean, these are all things I feel like are a question mark with expansion teams that are so challenging, especially in the first year.

So I don't want to spill any beans, but I do know that Jill put a big question mark on her predictions for this team coming into the season, which I think is rightfully so on your persona, right?

Do you want to speak to that, Jill?

Yeah, I put a question mark because who knows how this team is going to matriculate?

And if it's going to really materialize into a competitive team, when I look across the roster, I'm like, there's not really many proven players.

I mean, yes, Casey Murphy, Michelle Prince and Ellis Stevens, but even Ellis Stevens, I mean, she scored 15 goals in her career in the league.

Yeah, of those 15 goals, all of them were on one touch.

So people are setting her up. People are providing for her who's going to provide for her within this team.

I think something that's under undervalued in this team is the fact that there's so much diversity in languages.

And I'm speaking to a player on the team and they have like these air pods that translate and how difficult that could be for a team when you have four players on a back line who all speak a different language.

And I do think that that's even a greater hurdle that is going to, you know, be in the way of this Boston team as they try to be competitive in their first season.

Well, think about that, Jill, you're.

Oh, nice.

How perfectly timed out was that? That was the exact moment we were ready to move to.

Yeah, big season for obviously Boston, they will kick off against Gotham at 12 30 PM Eastern time on March 14th for their opening day.

They have rolled everyone in preseason. So I don't know what that means, but we are going to find out a lot in that first matchup.

Okay, Jordan, we stick with you. I guess we didn't really do this part alphabetical. We did the list and we probably could have changed that up.

But we go to Chicago who are coming off a 14th place, negative 22 gold differential season.

And it was a huge off season for them. They sent Ludmila out to San Diego for almost a million dollars across different allocation monies.

Allie Schlagel leaves Hannah Anderson traded and then bringing in Brianna Pinto, Michelle Lose, Ryan Garrus and Katie Lund, as well as of course,

Melissa Nair, the hope is that they will have Mal Swanson on the field at some point.

And they know that they will step out on the field for game one against Angel City under Martin Scorgan.

So we have a pronunciation on that that I just put you that out the gate, who is the new manager of the team who was appointed last year did not take over the games and will lead this team on the on the field in a new stadium in Northwest,

the Western medicine field and Martin Stadium in Evansville, Evanstonville, Illinois.

Say that two times. Yeah.

And in front of 12,000 people for the season. So Jordan, why don't you get us started here on this Chicago stars team?

Yeah, I wish I had to connect correct pronunciation. I can't even say that.

But I'm just going to call him coach Martin. Is that okay? Are we good with that for right now?

Yeah, Marty, Marty comes in and the biggest storyline to me has been the progress of this stars team over.

I would say six months.

It was Elemasser and then it was Anders Jakobsen who comes in and the biggest difference that we saw from the stars really since their rebrand.

I kind of see this as their like full rebrand. They're now the stars, but now can they be different on the field?

And we started to see that tighter connections within the way that they were building up.

It allowed them to create some different developed plays through the midfield use their midfield. There's a little bit more.

And there was a cohesion within this group that we hadn't seen for a couple of years and that allowed them to score goals 22 of their 32 goals.

They scored in the second half of the season. So they were scoring goals.

And a lot of that had to do with them repressing being tighter together. They could win the ball back in more advantageous positions.

And so I am curious about how that then takes the next step under Marty under coach Martin and what this team is going to look like because they have added some really good pieces in the midfield.

They have Pinto, Dale Rosa, I think is going to be really good coming from UNC.

And this front line could be really dangerous with the speed that they have getting swans and back, Joseph, Shacon, Ryan, Garis, I think is a sneaky good signing for the Chicago team.

And then you have the option with Michelle Alosia on the in the outside.

If you're going to keep the ball more, your outside back is going to be more a part of what you can do in the attack and that's a great signing to have a player that is a converted winger that can play outside back.

So the way that they've played over the last six months, if that continues and continues to evolve, I think the Chicago team will look light years different than what they look like just at the beginning of last year.

I think I struggled with a question on this and maybe it kind of goes to what Lori was just saying is like can they stick to the game plan that coach Martin has like can they almost layer in what he is asking for them so it doesn't have to be, you know, doesn't have to be perfect through the first couple months of season, but is there a progression for this team because

I don't know, Jill over the last few years, it feels like they haven't had a real good idea of where what the target is where they want to go and who they want to be has he created their identity and can they slowly get there, I think is my big question.

Yeah, I think this is a team that has shaped shift it so much over the last few years, you know, when Chris Petra Sully was there, they tried to be this possession team that can see it like 50 plus goals that season and then they bring in Lauren Donaldson who's like, okay, we're not going to concede as many goals, we're going to be good in transition and they had, you know, a successful season where they squeaked into the playoffs with that style of play, they didn't knock off any teams that were in the playoff position, they got routed by

Orlando, I think it was 4-1 and then now again, they're in another kind of rebuild of like what's our identity and to be honest, I think I'm a little nervous for this Chicago team giving away Lujmila, Ali Schlagel, I thought those two were the brightest spots on the team last season, the way that they could break out on their own, the way Schlagel dominated in the midfield with a little bit of muscle, a little bit of, you know, her playmaking ability, her movement in the midfield and now it's going to be, you know, Jimmy Joseph's going to have to step up a little bit more.

And big question marks how, you know, mouse wants and comes back from maternity leave. So, and then obviously I know the goalkeeper situation is quite interesting with, yeah, a listener being back as well as now, Katie Lund, which she got married, I don't know her last name, but now that was actually my question I wanted to ask you is the goalkeeper situation and her, her name is now Katie Atkinson.

Yes, that will be interesting because I feel those two goalkeepers are very, very similar in terms of good at goal defense.

And a listener has been trying to evolve a little bit in possession. There are some moments of bravery last season where she tried to solve some pressure.

It will be interesting to see if they give, you know, Katie Atkinson some time this season, or they also have a young goalkeeper, and how I'm back with Sue, I think it serves a lot of promise and could emerge as a youngster after a listener.

One thing I will say is, I think Jordan, you mentioned, maybe does have to be perfect the first couple months. And I think if they can continue to evolve, get points, it'll be interesting to see actually what they do with that money that they got with Lujmila.

Like, I had this for the Inhibital preview. I was talking about Joe with the question mark with Boston Legacy. I had Chicago's one of them. I gave him a B minus because I do like some of these signings, you mentioned Della Rose.

You get some of these other young players coming in from college that can make an impact and then Ryan Garrus, other players that have had international or excuse me, Inhibital experience.

But they need to use that money to get one or two players.

School goal scores to make up for Lujmila and Alex Ligel. Bye. I'm done.

And Goss is muted. So it actually worked out perfect. You can finish your point.

I forgot what I put in these. So it's a surprise for me as well, whenever they come up. And I forgot I was muted as well. Big season coming up for Chicago.

We didn't talk about it as much there, but it feels like the range of what Mal Swanson can give them might be the biggest factor for anything.

And that's kind of what it felt like happened over the last two years. But they are going to start their season at Angel City on March 15th at 7 p.m. Eastern time that leads us to another expansion team.

We did Boston. Now we go to do Denver. Obviously no results last year. No history of a professional women's soccer team in Colorado. But thank you to join Anjali for helping change that a little bit here. It is going to be an exciting month for her and everyone in Denver.

The offseason was long because they had to add an entire team. I don't want to go through everyone. The big news, Lindsey Heaps, but she will not arrive until the summer. So probably less of the conversation we're having right now.

And Eva Gaitino brought in a US women's national team. Call up Melissa Costler, who should we expect to start at center forward coming from Hoffenheim, Kaylee Kurtz, of course, who has played a ton of minutes in NW assault, a ton of minutes and Janine Sonis as well joining in Iowa.

She has been called up for the US senior team and now the youth team as well. The reports as of now are over 41,000 tickets sold for the opening game, which will set the record. But Lori, as you think about this team for the first time ever on the field, what do you make of what Denver is or could be?

Yeah, well, I was laughing that I actually had this team even though we divided up via like the games that we have early on in this season because obviously Jordan probably should have this team given how close you are with it.

But I would say just like the excitement in the big storyline, you mentioned them, Goss is Lindsey Heaps, even though she's not coming to tell the summer after her season with Leo and also 40,000 I thought it was 45,000 plus in counting for their home opener.

So I think that is huge and I think it just shows the rollout with Denver summit. I think we cannot overstate that because that has been one of the draws in expansion teams.

We've already mentioned a number of times here how difficult it is to come into this league, put a team together, be successful in your first year.

But I would say the biggest thing for me in this is just looking at them defensively.

And there are success in that with Casey Stoney and San Diego and building the team that way.

I think I still have question marks until Lindsey Heaps comes and maybe can help solidify in the midfield and bring some veteran leadership in there.

And then also up top, what is that going to look like in terms of their front three depending on how they do play.

But defensively, you're bringing in veterans, you're bringing in players that have been iron women in this league with curts, sonus.

Who else do we have?

Picket.

Wrong tab. Picket.

Yeah.

I mean, Leo, okay.

I am ecstatic on. I'm very excited. I think she's going to give versatility. She could play in a three back. She could play wide as an outside back.

So all of a sudden, this team, I feel like looks very solid defensively.

And I think that's the exact way you need to go about building an expansion team and then fill in the pieces as you see how your team's coming.

And then hopes that, okay, as time goes on, the fluidity, the understanding in the attack will come.

I do like Jasmine Ike. She's from Stanford.

One of my favorite players over the last several years in college. A skill set that we don't see a lot in one of the college game, but also in the professional game.

She can play as a 10, she can play up top across the line. Super skillful in one V1 situations can hit a ball from anywhere.

It's not afraid to shoot from distance. Easy with the tapens to very skillful inside the box.

So I think as a young player, she could be exciting one to watch, especially as those pieces start to come together in more of an attacking area.

Gost you have something? No, no, I was, no, sorry, I was going to go win the ready.

And then the only other thing I would say is Nick Cushing's. I had a lot of time with him when he was at New York City and Major League Soccer.

Possession oriented. I imagine they're going to try to build out of the back.

Obviously has experience over in the women's super league as well. So a variance of styles that he has been in different organizations that he's been in.

Obviously the city group, but I think you know what I mean. And so I'm high on this team.

I'm really high on this organization early on. And I think they've proven that a lot of people in within the league already want to come and play for Denver just from what they've built.

And I think that shows with the amount of fans that they have already buying tickets in the in the home opener.

So we've obviously talked about this team a lot on this show. So my question for both of you is, what does that mean?

High on an expansion team? Like what are fair expectations? Is it top five? Is it top 10? Is it playoffs? Is it be competitive?

Like Joe, how do you define at the end of the year? What a good year for Denver and Boston? Looks like.

Yeah, I think it's being competitive, making a run for playoffs because I think, you know, the salary cap kind of makes it available to everyone to have some.

You know, parity within the league, but I think even more important than that is something that you can sustainably build success upon.

And it might not be in the first year, but it's something you feel confident like we're building towards something.

We're looking at players are excited to be here. Our players are happy to come to work. Our players are improving.

We're looking at developing players and getting the best every bit of juice out of the squeeze of every player.

And I think that's something that you can look back on and be like, yeah, that was a successful season.

Even though they didn't make the playoffs or even if they were, you know, just scraped in, I think it is about building something sustainable for the future.

And I would just say to add, sorry, Jordan, that's a great point just in the sense that we've already talked about a number of teams have come in his expansion and having to rebuild again.

Yeah, because you're kind of just hopeful in a lot of ways. And it does feel like there's a bit more of a plan.

And already some of that in progress in terms of, yeah, I want to be here. I want to be playing for this organization.

The last thing I'll add is Lori, you hit the nail on the head. Like we've all covered Nick Cushing and MLS and what he did with New York City.

And it was a very ball oriented. We want the ball. We want to build through the lines. A lot of good build up play.

But that's going to go wrong sometimes. And how you continue to stick to it. And the leaders on this team because it's a very young team.

It is a team with a lot of players coming out of college. So how the leaders grasp on to the reins in those moments and say, hey, we're continuing to believe in what we're doing.

I think we'll be really key for this Denver squad this year.

We've got some of the throwbacks to bringing back when we nailed that one. And now we're on to the champs. So for Denver, by the way, they start on the road at Bay, which I don't know.

There's like already some rivalry brewing. I saw in line. I don't understand how maybe from preseason. There was an argument. There was one with Utah as well. So I don't know. Maybe Denver's just ready for the fight.

The moment this season starts, but they will start at Bay on that opening weekend. And then two weeks later, they will play that first home game where 45,000 plus tickets are going to be sold at least.

We are on to Gotham. So the championship last year, but they did finish eighth on a plus 10 goal differential, which was an outlier second best in the league.

So the eighth place or the goal differential. You could choose which one you want to look at in the offseason. Savannah, McCaskill was brought in. They signed a number of rookies, but those were most of the main moves.

Ellis Stevens has left. We talked about Hasbo as well with Boston. And then as we are recording this, it sounds like Gabi Porcillo has left to go to San Diego. So another big name out.

And the two other pieces of news, not as specifically related, Mitch Purse resigned was a free agent in the offseason, but a one year deal. So another one year move.

And Tearna Davidson has been activated off the season, entering injury list as of like 24 hours ago, which is massive news.

And she got that short haircut too, guys. So new hairdo. Everything new year new season. Now exactly rock and roll. You're going to get started on this one. Jordan for the reigning champions.

The first arrow down was the defending champs got better. And I think they really did. And I know you got you and I have talked about this a lot, but I think signing Savannah, McCaskill at this point in her career with what she showed us she could do last year at San Diego is going to transform this Gotham team because they I think ideally one Carlos Amoros wants this to be a team who really has

plays through the lines who dominates the ball. Yes, they're good in pressing moments and high press and they can make the game a little chaotic in moments.

But when you add in a player like McCaskill next next to Jalen Howell and, you know, I don't know what it looks like in front of her. And that's one of my questions for them.

But those two in the way that they can cover ground the way that they can carry the ball, progress the ball for Gotham. I think we'll add another element to what they can do. And I'm really excited for McCaskill to go back.

I know she played at Sky Blue at the beginning of her career, almost one week of the year that year, but she is a completely different player and she will I think up level this Gotham squad a lot along with all these other players who have become healthy. And that's that's my big question. And maybe it's it's not a bad question to ask, but like where where are they going to play all these players.

You just mentioned Davidson, you have you have Jess Carter, Tierna Davidson, Emily Sauna in the backline, Mandy Freeman, all can play really in the same positions.

But only really two or three spots for all of them. Then up front, you have Levelle and Shaw who can play in the 10 cook has been doing really well in preseason. I think due to that injury last year didn't play a lot.

Shepansky, I just I think actually with that transfer of porcillo, I see it fitting a lot better. And maybe their depth is a little less, but there might be more cohesion with the consistency they can get with groups.

But man, this this team, I just don't know how you keep everybody happy and get everybody playing time is I think that's one of the big questions for me.

I'll just add in Kitahada.

Yeah, she I had her written down. I forgot about her. Yeah, Kitahada because you covered her a lot.

Yeah, I key that I mentioned for Denver and Kitahada to the best attackers in my opinion in the college game and Kitahada specifically too.

So good in the wide areas, taking on one to one and it felt like, yep, this makes so much sense that she's going to Gotham because she can play inside you come inside and combine.

Really just a high level soccer IQ in the attack and fits the way that I feel like Gotham wants to play and then also not afraid to press, repress, do the dirty work.

A true winner really led that Stanford team stayed the her extra year to try to win a championship and adjust.

I like that signing a lot, Jordan Dudley is going to give them a little bit of a different look up top with her ability to stretch games, but she's also very good at coming back to and playing back to goal or at least drifting into the midfield and then allowing others to stretch the game a bit more.

So I think one Carlos and his team, his staff will help Jordan Dudley in terms of her movement up top and how she can be most effective.

In that depth to I don't even mention mention a stair so you know they've got options.

She's pretty good too.

One of the biggest things I think as the season progresses, Jill that I'm looking at this Gotham team is.

What a weird off season right because they almost had to ramp up to play these games in the women's can't champions cup championship whatever that name of that was it was a lot of champions in it.

And how will that affect them in the long run of a season that goes from March to November.

Will they peak too early or will this be a team that yet again we see them come on strong weight in the season. Do you have thoughts on that Jill.

Well, I think that's the big question mark, but to your both your points, the depth at the brain, even like a Savannah McCaskill bringing in now they have some more depth in that midfield and.

The sixth position is one of the most important to Juan Carlos's teams and I think having a little bit of depth, but also I think what people don't value enough about Gotham is their defensive capabilities and how that puts them in every single game.

And I think it's the mechanisms that are in place when they lose the ball in the attacking third, the counter press, the repress the aggressively high center backs who forced the game to become smaller and allow the opponents no space the preventative goalkeeper that they have behind the center back.

So even if the opposition played that long ball over the top, it is like teams have to break through five six different types of barriers to even get into goal scoring positions.

Which is I think something that has carried this team for years and years while they're attacked develops and starts the blossom at the end of the season.

So it'll be really interesting to your point Jordan if they do have guests in the tank at the end of the season because that is when they typically start to bloom.

That's what it looked like last year for them, obviously kind of sneaking into the playoffs and they go on the run and are able to win their second championship in three years.

Where they snuck in the playoffs, they won the one year where they came in high in mighty. That's where they fell against Washington.

It's been a bizarre time, but a really successful one for this Gotham team and perfectly timed because they're ready to move on to our next team.

And now we have the Houston dash. So Jill, you're going to get us started on this one 10th in the West last year, a negative 12 goal differential.

A few pieces moving out of the team, bringing in a couple pieces here in there, McKenzie, Robbie, Hillary, Beale, and then a bunch of rookies that have come in from UNC Notre Dame Duke.

We have rookies across all these teams. I'm not the expert laureates. So I don't know which ones we have to bring up and then off the field.

Two things to mention, the ownership group was in talks to sell the team in in October.

It has not gone through. We have not heard it again. And then Twyla Kilgore has been hired as technical director of this club staying in Houston, returning back to the club.

So Jill, why don't you get us started with Houston?

Yeah, to your point, I think there were reports that the team was going to be sold. They're looking for supplemental support and ownership, and it's hard to kind of hold them to the same standards as some of the other teams in the league, especially when that ownership group is in limbo.

And the club might not be willing to go out and spend a ton of money to bring players in.

And I do think that there is a clear distinction in the league of teams that are in it to win it.

And there are teams that are just buying to maybe make that last playoff position. And you can kind of see how serious teams are by the players that they're bringing in.

I saw a big question, Martha, who's going to score goals for this club? I mean, last season, they were second to last and shots. They were last and shot in frame.

And then they bring in some of this young collegiate talent. I guess it makes sense because for Bree, Skitral wants to have this high press, which they were fifth overall last season and balls they picked up inside the attacking third.

But when they do pick up the ball closer to go, what are they going to do with it? What can they make of those moments?

And I think they brought in a lot of young college players, but they didn't bring in the top, top tier college players.

So I'm interested to see what the development focus from for Bree Skitral, how he can bring that talent to life.

We saw it last season with some of their young players.

What do you make of Jordan, where they sort of stand in the league and that ambition that she'll talk about?

Yeah, I think there's still, unfortunately, so many question marks for this Houston dash organization.

I think actually bringing in Twilight Kilgore is a really good step in the right direction.

And Hucleys at the head is the GM brain and a person who knows the game well wants to set, set Fabrice up for success is really important to build that.

But I think that that's the big thing. You're going to it's going to you're going to struggle signing the best of the best if players don't know if they're going to be there next year, right?

If the club is going to be there or who's going to own it or all that.

So I think there's just some uncertainty with this Houston team. It did feel like throughout the season they created a more intricate style of playing.

You could really understand what they were trying to do as the season developed. Now can they build off that? I think that has to be the next step.

Like they have to say, OK, we're going to play this style of football. We're going to look good. Go forward with numbers.

But it has to start resulting in wins too, because for Houston, unfortunately, it's been a few years where it just has it.

Honestly, an end of your soul hasn't been good enough. I mean, every batter since the dream situation in all of this, right?

Jill, you mentioned the college players. They sign like they sign them and then they develop them because if you're not going to spend the money, that's where you go get the difference makers.

I think the question, Lori is if there's enough of them on this roster for it to be a high competitive team.

Yeah, I mean, listen, we have seen across the board. It is tough as rookies to come in and be a top in this league.

Just with the physicality, adjusting to the speed of play, the length of the season.

But I'm looking at Kate Foss issue on the Herman trophy her junior season and all of these Linda Olmark as well played at UNC.

These make sense to me because for brisketraw used to be the assistant coach at North Carolina under Sean Nejas, Damon Nejas' brother is the North Carolina coach.

So there's a lot of understanding cat raider. He would have had an ample opportunity to see a lot of these players.

But Leah Clanky, a good defender for Notre Dame called a ton of her games. Kate Fossy, Linda Olmark and cat raider.

She went down with an injury two seasons ago. Duke wasn't the same team. So she has the ability.

I think Linda Olmark out of these rookies though is the one that I would be putting my eye on to come in and be able to make an impact.

She can play as an attacking midfielder, really good athleticism and ability to run with the ball, play a final pass as well.

But I think, listen, I don't really have much more to add to what you all are saying. I think there's still a lot of questions.

And it's going to be tough to always in this league to when Joe mentions about spending or not, right?

If you are going to develop these players, it's always going to be about taking time then.

And there's going to be teams that are going to be often run in because they're picking up the best players in the world.

And they're like, I'm here to win now. And so you're always going to feel like it's a grind.

It's a full team commitment. Everybody has to play a part each game because you don't have somebody that you can rely on.

That's going to be like, yep, this is our world beater.

But I do have, there's something about this team that I feel like is another year under Fabrizca Tra that continue to plug forward.

But I think in this case, Jordan and Jill, you probably called a lot more games that Houston last season than I did.

So you would have a better idea of kind of the evolution of what they're going to look like going into the season, even with some of those rookies coming out.

Maggie Graham, who was a bright rookie for the last year who got injured.

She's just been taken off the season ending injury list. So she should be available.

She won NWSL Player of the Month. I think her second month in the league or rookie of the month. Sorry. So that would be a big ad for them.

A lot of experience up the spine, but they will start on the road against San Diego on March 14th at 8.45 pm Eastern time.

That takes us to the shield winners. We are on to, I don't know, one of the best TV shows in all of sports.

You could argue whether it's on or off the field in the Casey current. They won the shield.

Everything was a record plus 36 gold differential 65 points, fastest to do it.

All the things in the middle, a shutout streak of 870 minutes. And then the off season.

Flacco and Anofsky is steps away from coaching and moves up into the front office.

And then they bring in Chris Armas for the first time to coach in NWSL. They then trade Claire Hutton for $1.1 million and bring in Corey Bethune for a million dollars.

Be a leaves, Haley Mace leaves, Michelle Prince leaves, Alex Fifer leaves, and then they go and sign a number of rookies on top of all of that.

They've opened a training facility. The Netherlands is going to do their World Cup camp at their main training facility because they've got two and a 2000 seat stadium at one of them.

Jill, like where do you even wrap your brain around where this team sits right now?

Yeah, I think last year the Kansas City current were moving around the pitch and in like an AI computer sense, like it was just so automated.

But I think we should expect a regression this season. I mean, last year they were absurdly dominant.

And the fact that they lost a Gotham doesn't for me at least deter their absolute dominance and being one of the best NWSLs or American footballing clubs on the women's side ever.

You already talked about the goal differential. They can see the 13 goals, which the next best was 25 from Gotham.

But coming into the season, I think the big questions are, is the identity going to remain the same under Chris Armis?

And how impactful is the loss of Claire Hutton? Because the genesis of so many of their threatening attacks were from Claire Hutton and Lovanta into defensive play in the midfield.

And maybe the current are okay with letting Claire Hutton go because they might be getting a lot of cook back into the mix or Vanessa DiBanardo back from maternity leave.

But they need somebody in that position who is going to be defensively disciplined, specifically when they get numbers back behind the ball.

And they kind of try to clog up the spaces inside the final third.

But the addition of Corbithune is a really interesting one for me. She could be a useful piece providing some death with the loss of Bia.

They have Centnor, Dubinia, could play more of that false nine role with the tune in a natural 10.

She's great in tight spaces. She can draw that pressure onto her, create space for others.

And she can play some of those long passes to spark a counter, those delicate through passes, which could be really useful, specifically because so many teams contorted their shape to it.

To a low block against Kansas City last year. So she could be that player that is so good in tight spaces, drawing pressure, creating space and then playing those delicate little through passes.

When you say regression, is it regression from the greatest team of all time to really good, or is it regression even further to.

There's worries about this team and a playoff spot or whatever further down the standings.

Oh, no, no, I still think they're going to be one of the top three clubs in the lead, but I don't expect them to go on some crazy wrong like they did last year where they were just invincible.

Yeah.

I think it's going to be really interesting to starting the season without showing up without Cooper because Jill, you're talking about threading passes through a back line.

I think that they're going to have to build much more meticulously than they have previously because they've had an outlet right they've had that one passing to the midfield to either find Hunter LaBonta and then let showing ago or let Cooper go on the far side and then join her in these late runs centrally.

But without those two space becomes a lot more difficult to find and behind because you don't have that pace.

So you're probably going to be playing in between the scenes a little bit more which makes this Croyba Thune pick up a lot more important for them because she can play in front of a back line.

She can make a run through the back line to try to stretch the space with pace.

But more than anything, I think the Croyba Thune pick up.

She's one of the best midfielders that defend so right like that her ability in a mid block or a high press to pick off a ball and start an attack.

We saw that a number of times from her in Washington.

I think that just from what we know from Chris Armas in MLS that he's going to want them to pound teams defensively and if Croyba Thune can find a spot centrally to pick off balls and start attacks quickly that they're going to be in better positions.

Not needing the space in behind and she will be able to have those those kinds of passes.

Laura, you've covered Chris in MLS. You've covered into the cell. Obviously in this KC team. Do you have worries about his conversion to this league or what he brings to this team?

Not worries. I'm just I'm very interested. I'm actually curious just to see how the attack develops and if it can be and I say this a bit more refined because I love this KC team and to everything that everybody said it was so fun and they played to their strengths that all made sense.

I also felt like at times they rushed a lot because given their personnel and it was a lot of forced attacks and I think there's an opportunity now where they're going to have to say okay that can't be our only way.

If we're not starting this season with shawinga then what does this attack look like that we can set up that's going to give a little bit of a different look each time.

Can we move the ball around keep a bit more possession can we go quickly and I was always a little bit waiting for that in terms of their evolution throughout the last couple seasons and I'll be curious to see if that's kind of the next next phase for this team.

I do think to Jill's point Claire Hutton is a massive loss. I think you'll see that play out unfortunately for as good as those those players that they still have and a lot of continuity and understanding of what it takes to play at Kansas City and the expectations within that organization.

I just think Claire Hutton at a young age provides something a real maturity in there and a willingness to do some of the work that makes everyone else better.

Laurie just willing to fight through it ignores moves on takes the hit turns up field and still starts charging.

Oh slutty go slutty every time I hear it. It is it is going to be a fascinating like I don't know sports experiment of like how do you spend a million dollars like one person did it on Claire Hutton one on

Koi with two completely different players in the same sort of position and obviously they're coming into very different situations but it's a fascinating like work experiment of how to disinfect these teams and what does it lead to the season.

They will get a kicked off against Utah at CP KCC in one of the places if you've never been you should make sure you make plans to go this season for a game.

Let's move on to one of the more interesting teams in the league in North Carolina.

They finished the last spot outside the playoffs in ninth place on 35 points last year in the off season.

They went in higher to new coach in Mac Lindt. They extended Riley Jackson, which is a really big sign for them.

They brought in Kaelin Sheridan, Carly Wickenhauser, Ali Schlagel, Peyton Linnahan, and a number of players from overseas and Cameron Brooks and Evelyn Isia.

But the losses are massive for this team. Denise O Sullivan goes to Liverpool, Kaeli Kurtz to Denver. We mentioned Casey Murphy to Boston, Brianna Pinto to Chicago and Aline Gomez to Pachuca.

So a lot out a lot in for a team in flux under a new head coach. Jordan, why don't you get us started.

It feels like this is the first time we've done this where there are still so many unknowns because I feel there's so many new coaches in this league that I think we can go and watch Mac Lindt and what he did at Hacken because they had a good champions run a couple seasons ago.

So we learn a little bit about him there, but what we know about him is he wants to be a ball dominant team who have line break.

They want to possess with the purpose, essentially. And we hear that from a lot of different coaches when they come into new jobs, right? Like we want the ball, but we want to go forward with purpose.

So this it'll be interesting. This North Carolina team over the last few years has been ball dominant. They have outpossessed I think all but like a handful of times in the games that they're playing, but they have not had that bite that grit that willingness to find a will and a way to score goal.

So can Mac Lindt like he's the big storyline can he find a way for this team to figure out what they look like in the attacking third who they're going to be in front of the net and they bring in a lot of new players.

And I think a couple of those I'm excited to see what they're going to be with who they're going to be in NWSL Evelyn.

And I don't know how to say your last name, EJ. Sounds good to me. Yeah. And then Chioma Oka for both forwards goal scores and you bring in a player like Ali Schlagel, who I think when you just see Ali Schlagel, she's kind of unassuming.

And she's a man. Does she create an energy within the group and she or her aerial duel. She can win that she's second in the league and aerial duels. She has a presence in holding the ball up finding that final pass.

So how they utilize her. Yeah, the headband. I mean, how they utilize is going to be important, but we don't really know what this team is going to look like. I think bringing in Kaelin Sheridan is going to allow them to draw teams out.

A lot of teams out a little bit more deeper on the field. So then there maybe is some more space in behind a back line. If that's what they they want to do by drawing teams into a high press.

But my biggest question for North Carolina this year is who is going to lead this team without Denise Oceleven, who has been there, you know, was there for a number of years, who is going to be the heartbeat of this team, who is going to set the culture, who's going to perform on the field when things don't go right, who's going to be the player.

That grabs this team by the collar and says, we're going to go win this game. I think that is going to be a big loss for them. And because things aren't going to go perfectly this whole season, right? And they need a player like that who is willing to just lead by example in those really difficult moments.

Yeah, I mean, I think I could see and Jill can speak to this too, but Kaelin Sheridan in that moment. I think that's a huge pick up and everything that you're saying, she will fit that style of play being able to build out, being able to step in behind and being utilized as a goalkeeper or a player in possession as well.

But I mean, listen, all these identities are changing. And it is like, I feel like we're just like throwing up our papers and pens and being like, okay, let's start this, let's start the season because here we go.

But at the same time, yeah, I think this is, that's a tough part when in this league, if you don't have somebody that seems to be a natural true leader, then other players are going to have to arise to that occasion.

Especially when you have a new coach, right? And who's just getting familiar with the league as well?

And you could argue, I don't know what you guys would say, but you could argue the three best players on this team are 21 and younger, right? From like a pure talent point of view.

So the gap between expectations and sort of experience feels very, very wide.

Jill Laurie mentioned it, Kaelin Sheridan, one of the biggest names in goalkeeping, one of the biggest names in the league.

How does she now fit into this team and sort of try and lead things from the back?

Yeah, I mean, without knowing exactly how they're going to set up, but looking back to the previous years and the identity of the players that they do have, that could be one of the best midfields in the league.

Between Chinomium and Naka coming back, Schlagel, Sanchez.

Yeah, you've got really, you know, great players in the middle of the park that Kaelin Sheridan can utilize.

And I think back to even last year with Savannah McCaskill, Ken Cedali, that was a huge passing network for San Diego from Kaelin Sheridan into the midfield.

She can play those through passes with meticulous amounts of detail, the power, the placement on the passes to set those players up for success.

That could be, you know, the missing puzzle piece for this North Carolina team because last year, you know, Casey Murphy is good at solving, you know, little bits of pressure and playing those small passes.

But now you add in Kaelin's ability to play those long range passes that diagonal passes where wingers can get isolated.

I think it's just going to add another level of this North Carolina team, but that's always been something they're good at.

It's when they get into the final third. They just kind of horseshoe around the 18 darbock.

So it'll be interesting to see McLean because he says, cool, I'm obsessed with scoring goals.

I want to see this North Carolina team score when they're supposed to.

We have Carly Wickenhouse who we're going to talk to because she played for McLean in Sweden and now it's coming over with him in North Carolina.

That takes us to the Orlando pride. They finished fourth last year, but then made a nice little playoff run plus seven goal differential.

A hectic off season for them, Hailey Mace coming in, Nicole Payne, Hannah Anderson in a trade Emily Sam's though.

Obviously the big name leaving going the other way, Alli Watt, who we always knew, who finished the year back on loan and Carson Pickett both had to Denver and then the off field news.

The what we are being told by Barbara band is that she is ready to start the season.

A little bit from subhines of what we have to be careful. We don't want to risk anything.

So we'll see how that goes to start and then the big news off the field is Hayley Carter leaving the club for Washington replaced by Caitlin Carducci coming over from the case he current as the general manager on the sporting side.

But jail to the two most successful years in Orlando history back to back.

What do you make of where this team stands now?

I'm so excited for their Linda pride this season. I mean, they had a very distinct way of playing in that memorable 2024 season with Barbara band up top last year.

They really tried to reinvent their style of play where they were very flank centric and they were often to go around teams and put band in goal scoring positions.

And they would often dominate games, but they would just camp out in the attacking third and they really couldn't convert those chances and sustainable goal threat.

They bring in a vi that was brilliant to bring in a player who can deliver those balls in the band up, but then band it goes down injured.

So I'm looking forward to seeing that partnership blossom. Obviously, Emily Sam's moving on to Angel City.

That feels like a calculated move from Hines because he feels comfortable. That was his primary playing position. He's got Shavoshi half of bringing Anderson in, but also the Orlando pride has been a team of versatile players over the course of their history.

The fellow could slide in there. The Dan are coming back from maternity leave, but I think the most underrated pickups in this off season has been hailey mace.

I think she suits band a style really well and last season mace her deep defending prowess has been fantastic, but she doesn't get enough service credit for her service her longer balls to break a counter press.

And we often often saw the last season her playing those longer, more direct counter attacking opportunities forward to Shavinga.

And with band a skill set, that could be something that we see come back to this Orlando pride team.

Jordan.

I love that. I love the detail of that, Jill, because especially with this team getting band a back, I think we saw it with Orlando, but we also saw it with Kansas City.

When you lose a player who is such a game changing player, like showing a like band a both of these teams, like stuttered a little right that they lost their mojo in moments.

But I think what they learned of how to play without those players is going to allow them to be better teams with those players back on the field.

It'll take a little bit longer for Kansas City, but now Orlando will have Barbara band a back.

And with the ability on, you know, multiple people's feet, it's, it's mace, it's Marta, it's, um, oh my gosh, you just said her name.

Oh, I was thinking Santos, I was like wrong team Jordan, oh, I, the all three of those players can get into the attack and really wreak havoc.

So, um, I like the optimism for this Orlando team.

I think it's kind of what we talked about earlier is like you have to know where you want to go.

And years ago, and Seb Heinz took over, it's just been this steady progression.

And I think they actually almost peaked a little bit earlier than we thought they were going to peak when they did the double in 2024.

And there is still so much depth to this squad that, um, they're going to do a really good job pushing this season, pushing to get back in the top spot.

Do you have them straight back into the championship shield combo?

Yeah, I think a team that has the understanding of what it takes to get through a whole season when last year credit to them because there was a stretch that did not go well.

And they were able to still collect enough points at the beginning that kept them afloat and then course cracked.

And so you have the championship season, then you have a season where they were tested emotionally, physically last year.

And now what we're hoping is a Barbara Banda.

I mean, I think anytime in the league you have somebody of that exceptional quality in front of goal.

And Ovae, you just constantly are going to give yourself a chance to win games and always be in a game regardless of kind of the general play if it's not going your way.

We talked about our most improved players on the show last week.

We had Chavushi in there because of her potential step in.

And we did under the radar moves.

We did not have Hayley Mace.

So we failed, but Jill came to correct us.

So luckily we have all the experts on the show.

I would say that's really great.

I think the center back situation is going to be really important for this team because it's been pretty.

You know, they've had depth there, but the consistency that.

I don't know, Danard didn't play a lot of the year last year, but.

Those two centerbacks do so much for this Orlando team.

So what is that pair going to be?

And, um, you know, is it how, Bailey?

Can she stay fit for the whole season?

I think that's going to be a big question for them is like, what does that pair look like?

That's going to help them in the way they want to attack the way we want to press.

How they build out of the back.

I'm interested to see what that looks like.

Well, she's got a full squad with her answer.

She's able to remember all the points she asked to.

Yes.

Remember Levi Levi is into women's football.

So he knows all these players as well.

Wait, bring Levi on.

Hayley was commentating yesterday so.

He said he would be in bear.

I know he will be on TV.

Is he going to be a play by play so you guys can work in tandem or is it?

Oh, my gosh.

I could you imagine.

He would just have information on North Carolina because now he's obsessed with the

courage.

Oh great.

Great place though.

One of the many great jerseys in the league, but we have to get you out of here Jill for

school drop off or school pickup too.

So let's keep going.

And then when you have to go, we'll let you go.

Lori, you are next for the Portland Thorns who, as of now, have not officially announced

but it has been fairly confirmed across the whole world that they've hired a replacement

for Rob Gale who was just for the information out there fired on November 25th.

So after the season, but slightly after the season for them, and then has not been

replaced.

And as of March 2nd, no official replacement was named, but the name out there is Robert

Villa Ham, who was Tottenham's women's manager, BK Hacking before Mac Lind, interestingly

enough, and is originally from Sweden himself.

So he would be coming into a team that sold Sam coffee, sent Diana out on loan, traded

of course, Hina Sugita at the end of last year, and Peyton Linnahan and has really not brought

many pieces in outside of Sophia Wilson, who will return at some point this year signed

one of the most expensive contracts in league history, but we don't have an exact timetable

on that.

And the unfortunate news that just came out, which was that Bella Bixby will be out for

the season as well, due to injury.

So this team starts on the road at Washington, a rematch of that playoff game, Lori, with

we don't know who will be that coach.

We don't know a lot.

What do you make of this Portland group?

I mean, the theme of this show is who knows?

No, I do feel like Sophia Wilson, because my understanding is her and Emma Hayes had a conversation.

She is definitely in training with Portland Thorns.

There was maybe some conversation about her, obviously not being ready for the she believes

cut, but I do, I imagine that she's going to be back fairly early on in this season.

Now, I think it's also important that we just give these players who are coming back from

attorney leave, you know, great.

Obviously, you just had a kid and it's going to take time or not for some players.

It's very different and very individual.

So, but I think just saying her name and that she potentially is going to be back early

on in this season, immediately changes the outlook and just the general complexity of

the way that this team plays.

And the other name that I threw out there in terms of something that would be the big

storyline is No Sam Coffee.

I think one of the, not only did we see Sam Coffee emerge and continue to evolve as like

a footballer and a center midfielder, but also as a leader and we're seeing that with

the U.S. women's national team, a vocal leader, someone that's very in tune with the team,

what do the individuals need, how can we keep teams going and I would give her a ton of

credit last season for all of the injuries that they had on every single line and so much

as being asked of that midfield, if that midfield didn't perform, then the results weren't

going the way of that Portland Thorns team and she was a huge part of that throughout

the season because the expectations when so many players went down and then Sophia Wilson

and Maternity leave, Morgan Weaver as well, but there wasn't high expectations for this

team and then it made into the playoffs, they kept battling, they won some important

games.

So who steps in, who is going to be an important role for Sam Coffee, but I do feel like that

does change slightly in the way that they could play if they do have Sophia Wilson in

the lineup.

The thing I'll say, doing a little bit of research on how we're saying his last name, Robert

Bill him.

Yeah.

Okay.

Sounds like high pressing, wants to turn teams over, is also going to value possession

and build out.

That seems to fit the general understanding that we've always had of this Portland team.

If they can lock teams in higher up and then create overloads, get more numbers forward,

we know that that's where this team thrives.

That building out, who's going to be healthy, all of these things I think are going to

be questions in terms of until he's with the team, does everything, did the pieces suit

the way he want to play and also him just going to be accustomed to the league, which is

just over 75% of what we've talked about in this episode or these episodes because we

don't know.

And I think even Alex Strauss, great example of that in Angel City.

So accustomed winning 99.9% of the games that he's coached in.

And then you come here and it is a completely different ballgame with the travel, just

the nuances in every game, the parity, yeah, it just, it takes some time and I don't imagine

it being much different in Portland, but I would imagine they're going to, there's

enough pieces here that stays the same, that they'll be cohesion with this team and I

can see Olivia Maltry being one of those players that rises to even more of a vocal leader

given her more recent consistency with the national team as well.

We had to rank teams off seasons and I gave Portland a pretty harsh raking because of

the off season.

I don't think you had them.

Yeah, I don't think this team is going to be bad, but their off season was so mysterious

that like how are we supposed to know?

We don't hire a head coach until now, well, the, the possibility of him being successful

right from the jump is pretty difficult, right?

I just feel like that's setting him up for, yes, it could, it's a long game and we've

talked about that.

But these next couple of months are going to be difficult because they've been told

something from Sarah Loudon for two months and now, you know, maybe that's the information

that she's getting from him or maybe it's not, we don't really know.

I think that's the question that the thing that is difficult because this is one of the

most prestigious clubs in NWSL players should want to play there, coaches should want to

coach there.

And I think the question mark is like why hasn't this happened earlier and why haven't

you brought more players in like why are more players not wanting like if you know that

this is the coach, why are more players not wanting to go play there because Portland

has always been a place that players want to play.

And it's a small coaching staff.

I know Rob Gale spoke about that.

They don't have a ton of staff as well, but I would just say to, well, I just lost my

turn.

That's perfect because the timing was up.

I was going to update you with a buzzer.

Perfect.

Maybe you fell.

Stay by the buzzer.

You buzzered yourself.

It is.

I think it's going to be a really big conversation this year of like, oh, Portland,

the ground running, Washington at Washington in the Cascade Revival, they're second game.

So that's what I was going to say.

They don't have a lot of time to sort it out either.

And then being the big club in end of your cell is, are we in a 1.0, 2.0 situation now

of like they were, but are they in I think maybe Seattle's part of that combo as well.

But let's go to 2.0 giants racing Louisville.

Last year we did this.

We all came on.

We talked about 9th.

9th no more.

We don't have to worry about it.

If you haven't yet, by the way, we interviewed their general manager, Caitlin Flores

Millby.

That came out last week.

Awesome interview where she talked about them understanding their identity and the league

and how they can be great at it and what they've done in their recruiting and what they've

built.

7th last year.

That was the whole thing.

They were the only playoff team that had a negative goal differential, but they were

a playoff team for the first time in their history.

And then in the off season, Jaila was Macy Hodg who came in, Rachel Hill, Maddie Prosaka,

and then the rookies again, they went five with five rookies to go on top of the rookies.

They brought in last year who were super successful for this team.

Unknown what Savannah DeMillo's availability will be this year, but Jaila, this is a playoff

returning Louisville team who seems to have sort of found at least their spot in the

league.

Yeah.

I mean, there obviously there's a salary cap in this league.

There's teams that spend on being talent.

There's teams that don't racing really isn't one of those teams that's going to go out

and make big splashy signings, but they get players that fit into a very specific roles.

And Jaila sets them up tactically to suit those profiles.

They haven't used financial brawn, but that also opens the door for this team to be smarter,

embrace analytics and innovate.

And I think one of the things that they dominated in last year was using set pieces to their

advantage.

They were the outlier in terms of using set pieces to their advantage and they use

them in all phases of play, like even their attacking goal kicks they use as a set piece

opportunity.

They were long and direct into specific targets, but they knew they were going to play

into those specific targets and they would get second ball structures around.

So they didn't have to mess about playing through teams in the back and set themselves

up to get nicked of possession and then be open in transition.

They were long.

They were directed better chance of progressing possession in that manner.

I do expect that they're going to be more nuanced to this team so that there's more adaptability

and flexibility, but they have a clear identity that's working for them, given the constraints

of the club you bring in Macy Hodge, destructive feisty midfielder.

She could also be a stable option to allow Taylor Flint to get higher up in the pitch.

We've seen her score from distance, and that allows them to still maintain a strangleholding

games and not can see too much defensive control.

I think the sale of Jeanne Sonos was good, bringing Quincy McMahon in to fill that.

And then obviously Katie Lund's leaving.

We've already talked about that.

Jordan Bloomer was a revelation for them last season.

Be interesting to see how she does in her second year as a starter.

She did a lot of work in the off season to continue to be a more well-rounded goalkeeper

and then Bri and Maddie Prohaska.

I think she's actually one of the most well-rounded number twos in the league and that will give

some depth to their goalkeeper environment.

Bloomer got a new three-year deal.

So it felt like last year earned the starting spot and now she'll sort of has fully established

like you are a starter in this league and you're sort of one of the big pieces of this team

it feels like.

And she's that team is the perfect fit for her because she is the least shot-stopper.

Like the amount of athleticism that that woman has is mind-blowing.

I mean, she comes to training with us and the off-seat is in and I'm just like how did

you do that?

How did you make that save?

Because I think for her like she has really taken her game seriously in terms of giving

herself more tools to be preventive because there are times last year the team got exposed

and she was putting some 1v1 situations and I expect to see her be able to handle those

situations with a lot more tactical clarity and different tools in her skill set now.

Jordan, you're right.

I was going to say she's right personality for that team too, right?

She kind of takes a lot of like her outgoingness can take a lot of the heat where then the

team can just be the team like they doesn't have to have a superstar.

They can come and be cohesive and she can make the big saves and I feel like it fits really

well with this group who their identity is in the unit.

It's not in the specific players out on the field.

So I just like the way that Blumer fits in with this group too.

If there is a star, Laurie, it's probably Emma Sears, right?

Getting starts for the national team and she believes I thought you were going to say

Taylor Flint because you I do know that you love Taylor.

She's the best player who doesn't get called into the national team, but it's synchronized

as working on it.

We have we have we have lands in place.

We're going to be talking about it every single week.

Have you had her on the show?

We have not yet.

So Taylor, if you're listening, I don't know why you'd be listening.

You're welcome to come on the show anytime you want.

For Emma, this is going to be the example, right?

Have found a college player help develop them, push into the national team, want how long

they can keep her into how much they can help them grow, which is can they break that wall

of into those top five right in the in the standings is sort of that's going to be the

question that helps them get there.

The the biggest thing I'm curious about is can you do this year after year and be successful?

What?

What?

With this team and they bought in like, is that sustainable in the long run or will they'll

have to be an evolution of this group?

Well, obviously we're not done yet with every single team in the league.

We still have more to come next week, along with our predictions that will be coming out.

We also have a number of social videos that we were putting out to help preview the season

and we are working on interviews with a number of teams that are interview with Caitlin

Flores-Milby, the GM of Louisville already done, but we've got some more that are on the

way covering all of the team seasons as we get ready.

So a lot to talk about, so thankful to Jill and Laurie for taking the time, of course

to Jordan as well, and to all of you for listening and we'll talk to you again very, very soon.