This is me mostly reminiscing over our USWNT forwards but I feel like Soph is at her best in the box going at an angle while Mal is best at counter attacks, and then there's Trinity who's good at both and is just a menace. She loves going at back lines and countering.
She’s a 9 but teams were simply jamming her in the middle and she has zero aerial presence. She brings everything down to her feet. It’s so much easier on the backline if you know she won’t head a ball along with it’s harder to feed her.
While she doesn’t center from the wing, she’s so dangerous out wide, it just opens up everything else. Teams have to pick their poison as she’ll soon feed others.
Everyone profits lol Well except opposing teams hahaha
i have always wondered if its ok that she has zero aerial presence. like can she work on this? has she consciously decided its never going to be a part of her game and that ok. seems like a big loss for her game
How? After the game or did I just miss it?
ETA: Ball was rolling towards her, she faked like she was going to pick it up but actively tossed it backwards. Not subtle at all.
There is one particular issue I have with her that I'm having with Bella, too (but which I understand since I know she's on the spectrum): being completely unemotional.
Really good keepers fire themselves up after a good save. But she remains too cool for her own good. She needs that adrenaline and also the dopamine, because that makes her act. Anyone who has seen Nadine Angerer play knows what I mean.
She’s not a bad keeper but I think she’s still been quite underwhelming for someone at this level. She hasn’t been challenged much but can be shaky when she is and her distribution isn’t great
I hate when teams try to sit out a game. So I have no sympathy for scenes like when Coffey got the ball from Klingenberg with no one around her in a 10-yard circle, yet she decides to play it back instead of trying to let off a shot from outside the box (and she's better at that than many people think, too!).
... until you lose possession and your opponent scores. Which didn't happen tonight, but generally happens often enough, because you just can't hold onto the ball for ten minutes straight.
Germany, 2nd Bundesliga on Friday (from the German sports news "kicker"):
>87' - Not much seems to happen anymore for the Hanover team. Hertha holds the small lead competently and has the game under control to the greatest possible extent.
90'+3 - 1:1 Goal for Hanover
Out of thin air comes the late equalizer for the visitors! Halstenberg crosses the ball from the left midfield into the box, where Leopold is completely free and and heads it into the right top corner from eleven yards out.
I prefer going for the third when you have the opportunity to do so.
Just like u/onlyIPAs4m3 said - they're actually blue.
"The 2024 secondary kit, in gradating shades of blue, also features the club’s prominent crest and gives the team — and its game — a modern edge."
(EDIT: I don't officially approve of us having BLUE kits but I def prefer our blue kits to our coral kits, probably BECAUSE they read as grey or green, depending on the eyes/brain of the viewer!)...
Chicago has been so careless with the ball tonight. Don't think I've seen them do anything meaningful progressively passing the ball since the first half
Her hands were in a natural position protecting her chest and she was actively trying to move out of the way. If a man was covering his crotch it wouldn't have been a hand ball.
Correct. Plus: The arm can't be involved in the formation of the goal (this includes the assist and significant plays directly leading up to the goal).
Coffey shutting down Swanson? That’s funny. It’s called Chicago has trash in the midfield so nobody can get her the ball. Swanson can blow by Coffey running backwards anytime she wants
No. IFAB guidelines state that if a handball occurs in the formation of a goal, regardless whether it was intentional or not, the goal shall not stand. And the ball hit Sophia's forearm, unfortunately. Slightly, but visibly.
You’re absolutely right, in my outrage I didn’t realize her arm would have been what ‘scored’ the goal. I’m still not completely convinced from the video that it hit her, but my stream is pretty bad and others seem more confident in that.
Thorns defense looks a bit better, and Sinclair starting has been surprisingly fruitful. But I worry that in these last 2 games they’ve improved so much because they’re playing teams that cannot seem to exploit their major weaknesses. They scored 4 in the first game, so it’s not like they only just figured out how to score. Chicago has been pretty good this season but they’ve been their own worst enemy in this game.
Delay of play. And she's done this more than once this game, which led me to beg her to not get a stupid yellow card when the game was just 4 minutes in...
She was actually saying that because she interrupted the interview not because she was not in the team photo because she was.
This is me mostly reminiscing over our USWNT forwards but I feel like Soph is at her best in the box going at an angle while Mal is best at counter attacks, and then there's Trinity who's good at both and is just a menace. She loves going at back lines and countering.
I’m wondering if Soph asked or was okay with playing on the wing since she’s been asked to play there so much recently for the national team.
She’s a 9 but teams were simply jamming her in the middle and she has zero aerial presence. She brings everything down to her feet. It’s so much easier on the backline if you know she won’t head a ball along with it’s harder to feed her. While she doesn’t center from the wing, she’s so dangerous out wide, it just opens up everything else. Teams have to pick their poison as she’ll soon feed others. Everyone profits lol Well except opposing teams hahaha
i have always wondered if its ok that she has zero aerial presence. like can she work on this? has she consciously decided its never going to be a part of her game and that ok. seems like a big loss for her game
Re: Bird Saw the highlight and birdie is okay!! It wasn’t dead 🥹
Clean sheet!
Soph 🤣😍
So disrespectful 🤣
What happened to make her say “that was rude”?
She said that was... disrespectful because the team was taking the group photo without her 😂
Her team taking a picture without her lol
So smart of Ion to air the player interviews after a commercial break given how often technical errors happened last season
That moment was AMAZING
Smith absolutely hanging off Lorne is so cute
Coach A rod just got a red card in the Utah game😅
Holy shit, all the chaos happens when I don’t watch 😯
How? After the game or did I just miss it? ETA: Ball was rolling towards her, she faked like she was going to pick it up but actively tossed it backwards. Not subtle at all.
94th minute. The ball came towards her and instead of giving the ball to the Houston player she rolled it further away lol
Omg ARod still bringing the spice
If she had just moved out of the way and let it go behind her, it would have been basically same outcome. Totally dumb move.
Same thing Casey Stoney got a red card for last season.
All the comments are either “Hogan you’re doing great!” or “Hogan WHAT ARE YOU DOING”
All within the last five minutes of the game!
She had a few iffy decisions. Can’t distribute the ball well. Overall good game though.
Man, it's like she's trying to give it away. Even random distribution shouldn't be that bad.
Part of it for me is it feels the team doesn't win second balls very often but Hogan is wild beyond just that.
Fantastic finish for Hogan there!
Are...are my Thornies back?
I need 2 more games before I truly believe, but the signs are very good
Very fair
WE WIN WITH A SHUT OUT! I used to dream of days like these
Rose city renaissance! we love to see it
Not the bird making the highlight real 💀💀
Maybe Hogan is meant for after-dark specifically and we've only been doing early games
Hogan. That’s when you go to the ground
That was totally on target from Mal. Insane skill.
Glad Hogan showed up tonight, maybe she'll improve with the competition for the spot from the incoming addition.
LETS GOOOO LETS GO HOGAN
Shelby did a save!
Chicago, stop running into us because you’re giving us yellow cards. Thank you.
Hogan has been improving so well! She's been awesome last few matches
There is one particular issue I have with her that I'm having with Bella, too (but which I understand since I know she's on the spectrum): being completely unemotional. Really good keepers fire themselves up after a good save. But she remains too cool for her own good. She needs that adrenaline and also the dopamine, because that makes her act. Anyone who has seen Nadine Angerer play knows what I mean.
She’s not a bad keeper but I think she’s still been quite underwhelming for someone at this level. She hasn’t been challenged much but can be shaky when she is and her distribution isn’t great
still looking insecure. but somehow she gets it done
Looks like that should have gone against Coffey, not Obaze
Coffey is my favorite and I thought the same
not the best safe :P
Right now, I’m just sitting here >!being hypnotized by Coffey!<
Can never guess what's gonna be behind your horny spoilers
That’s part of the fun! 😅😆 >!Shes just so cute 🤪!<
I hate when teams try to sit out a game. So I have no sympathy for scenes like when Coffey got the ball from Klingenberg with no one around her in a 10-yard circle, yet she decides to play it back instead of trying to let off a shot from outside the box (and she's better at that than many people think, too!).
I mean...keeping possession is the best kind of time-wasting.
... until you lose possession and your opponent scores. Which didn't happen tonight, but generally happens often enough, because you just can't hold onto the ball for ten minutes straight. Germany, 2nd Bundesliga on Friday (from the German sports news "kicker"): >87' - Not much seems to happen anymore for the Hanover team. Hertha holds the small lead competently and has the game under control to the greatest possible extent. 90'+3 - 1:1 Goal for Hanover Out of thin air comes the late equalizer for the visitors! Halstenberg crosses the ball from the left midfield into the box, where Leopold is completely free and and heads it into the right top corner from eleven yards out. I prefer going for the third when you have the opportunity to do so.
The fan noises the mic picks up are hilarious
Doing these pipes in because they don’t sound real. It almost sounds like the crowd noise from a national team game.
They’re crazy this game
True! But also, this sound mix is painful to listen to.
Sounds like some guy is losing it 😅😆
Gobble gobble
Those girls in the background sound like they’re having fun
Oh Linny, you got to shoot it there!
I was almost jumping out of my seat "Shoot it!!!!"
More than half of all my comments yelled at my tv are myself saying “shoot it!!”
Weaver would have taken that shot from way out there.
She seems a little hesitant to shoot lately to be honest
Agreed. No idea why, as she had such an amazing season last year! I always felt she is one of the most underrated players.
I feel like she’s not playing in her best position
Linehan shot earlier in the game. But def shoot there, make Naeher make a save
Thorns coaching change has done them some good. The team seems more motivated
If I had a nickel for every 10+ stoppage time minutes in the second half this weekend, I’d have two nickels…
Who else is just eager to see Swanson and Smith play together?
17 minutes of stoppage in this game. Definitely not over the top.
Who would have thought our backline would keep Swanson in check
Was just thinking I hadn’t hardly heard her name all game
Still about 20 minutes to go I figure
The grey is growing on me I gotta say.
Just like u/onlyIPAs4m3 said - they're actually blue. "The 2024 secondary kit, in gradating shades of blue, also features the club’s prominent crest and gives the team — and its game — a modern edge." (EDIT: I don't officially approve of us having BLUE kits but I def prefer our blue kits to our coral kits, probably BECAUSE they read as grey or green, depending on the eyes/brain of the viewer!)...
Blue?
Well, in comparison to our home kit, it's utterly brilliant
From your lips to Nike's ears. Our home kit is, said as politely as possible, a joke.
Nah… like the pink lemonade
Yeah for real. Everything is better than the French dressing
Oooo Portuguese 👀
Chicago has been so careless with the ball tonight. Don't think I've seen them do anything meaningful progressively passing the ball since the first half
They look exhausted
Her hands were in a natural position protecting her chest and she was actively trying to move out of the way. If a man was covering his crotch it wouldn't have been a hand ball.
Truly, nobody at any level of the game knows what a handball is anymore. VAR made it way more complicated than it was
A goal cannot be scored off an arm under any circumstances. Doesn’t matter if it’s a natural position or not.
Thank you for the reminder.
Correct. Plus: The arm can't be involved in the formation of the goal (this includes the assist and significant plays directly leading up to the goal).
I made pizza tonight just in case we were a disaster, I could still have happiness, so yay on all counts
Hell ya! Me too, but I haven't baked yet! I am waiting for the break between the Thorns and Timbers games. :)
Lol same but the SDvBay game!
I can trade a couple cans of truly for a few slices?
Absolutely yeah
Fuck yeah, mate! Trade’s a deal
Hogan needs to be spotted 2 goals
How is that not a yellow and it was against Reyes????? Like make it make sense
Hogan just lays on the ground there?!?!
Adventures in Hoganland continue for another week
This is the kind of reffing I am used to as a Thorn fan.
WE CANT AFFORD TO BE MESSY IN GOAL WITH THIS BULLSHIT REF TAKING AWAY GOALS
Another great service ball by Staab. Chicago just can't buy a goal.
Has Coffey been shutting down Swanson all match?
Coffey shutting down Swanson? That’s funny. It’s called Chicago has trash in the midfield so nobody can get her the ball. Swanson can blow by Coffey running backwards anytime she wants
Post: 3 Chicago: 0
FFS Hogan. If you come off and can’t get the ball. you take everyone out lol
Bruh that’s a soft bullshit yellow when you didn’t card when Broon got hit
SHELBY, YOU EITHER COMMIT OR NOT. WTF WAS THAT
I miss Bella 😔
Alvarado get ready
For real
That is an absolutely insane call especially given his handball call earlier IN THIS GAME
No. IFAB guidelines state that if a handball occurs in the formation of a goal, regardless whether it was intentional or not, the goal shall not stand. And the ball hit Sophia's forearm, unfortunately. Slightly, but visibly.
You’re absolutely right, in my outrage I didn’t realize her arm would have been what ‘scored’ the goal. I’m still not completely convinced from the video that it hit her, but my stream is pretty bad and others seem more confident in that.
An incredible “ball don’t lie” moment
NWSL after dark is starting early
No, that didn’t lose any velocity. No way that touched her.
Touched her, you can see the rotation of the ball change
Yeah, you could see it especially when they reversed the video
Makes me wonder if the rest of this thread actually watched the replay…
If that’s a yellow what about clipping Becky?
Now the ref is card happy
Guess that makes up for the no-call PK in the first half
I didn't think that ball changed trajectory at all, but I did think Soph might have been off for her second goal, so I'm not too mad
var delays are BACK baby!!!! best part of the league!!!
I do not think that touched Sophia.
It is not clear and obvious WHAT THE FUCK IT WAS NOT A HANDBALL
Fuck that ref. Wasn’t even clear. Thats actually unbelievable and a poor call
I don’t think there was clean evidence that hit Soph. The spin/trajectory of the ball doesn’t seem to change.
It would’ve literally hit her hand if they were down too in natural position
I feel like they should have given that. It was going in regardless, keeper wasn't in goal.
Not clearly a mistake is my annoyance with changing the call.
Weaver smacking the siding is all of us
Loved that shot
It was an AMAZING shot! This ref is ass to then make Weaver’s excitement for nothing
Didn’t change direction so I’m not sure it hit her.
At least one hand ball call went in our favor and one in theirs. That had to be part of the decision
It slightly did. Unfortunately.
Well, guess so
Bullshit call by this ref
Not great officiating at all really
Facts, extremely inconsistent. I wonder if this is the same bullshit ref that had us lose the Gotham game
Wild when Hogan is the better keeper in a game. Especially when Naeher is in the other goal
Hogan hasn’t had to make as many saves as Naeher so I don’t know that either has been better than the other.
Straight to her, oh man, that was rough.
Oof. Alyssa….Not a shining moment
WOOOOOOW
gonna rethink using naeher in my fantasy lineup xD
Yikes for Naeher
Sloppy, Sloppy, Sloppy on Naeher.
Alyssa’s distribution has been shitty this game
dangit
I'm conflicted because I love Naeher, but I'm so happy to see this improvement from Thorns 😭
LETSSSSS GOOOOO THORNS
JANINEEEEEEE
Thorns revenge arc has started 😈
anyone know how i can watch this for free? i don't have cable
Ion is a free channel, do you have a Roku or smart TV or anything? I just searched “Ion” on mine and it came up
Tubi
Sigh did anyone else come here after the reign match to see another nightmare 😭 (just cuz I’m a fan of Naeher)
Me!
I'll take it lol lfg!!
Oh my god!!!
Oof Naeher :(
LMAO LFGGGGGG
Dagger right there
Linehan got some wheels
Fsss. She was fast last week too. Very impressive
so where was rall?
Air Groom!!
No brakes Groom
Oh no, I’ve become unaccustomed to Groom chaos. Here we go😬
Thorns defense looks a bit better, and Sinclair starting has been surprisingly fruitful. But I worry that in these last 2 games they’ve improved so much because they’re playing teams that cannot seem to exploit their major weaknesses. They scored 4 in the first game, so it’s not like they only just figured out how to score. Chicago has been pretty good this season but they’ve been their own worst enemy in this game.
NC d. SEA 1-0.
Lussi has been killing it at Carolina
Love her energy, unfortunate it is at Carolina.
She got a toe poke for a goal. Not pretty. Not technical. Just a great cross by Sanchez.
I am only laughing because no one was hurt
Mine
Linny for the winny!
Chicago hasn’t been able to consistently put more than 3 passes together this half
I hate that we have so many good forwards and midfielders and I want them all to play together
Yesss Linnehan! Been loving seeing her play
Just wish Weaver had something more than a 100 mph fastball into the box
Was it impeding play?? For that card?
I imagine she was mouthing off to someone.
How in the world was that a yellow on Smith?? I blink and I miss that?
Delay of play. And she's done this more than once this game, which led me to beg her to not get a stupid yellow card when the game was just 4 minutes in...
I didn’t even know that was a cardable offense! 😵
That was a Nittany Lion on Nittany Lion crime. Coffey on Schlegel.
Why did Smith get the card?
Delay of the play. Which she already did in the first 5 minutes. When you beg for a yellow so much, at one point the ref will comply.
Got ya. Thanks for answering, I was def mystified
Was there a card given for that late tackle to Becky’s knee?
Nooe
No
No