Know Your Foe with Thad Bell from The Blue Testament

Thad Bell is the Manager and a writer of The Blue Testament, a blog covering Sporting KC and KC NWSL along with all other pro soccer in Kansas City. As of the publication of this post, he is planning on making the trip to Louisville to see both Sporting KC II and KC NWSL play their matches in Louisville this weekend. If you run into Thad show his some Louisville hospitality.

KC like Racing, struggled to accumulate many points in July, but both showed signs of improvement. What's been the most encouraging thing?

Thad: I will say two things. First they seem to stay upbeat and focused. I've been watching them in practice and it is not a group that is going through the motions or looking down. Determined and working hard yes, but not like a group that isn’t going to pull out of it. Secondly, after the recent trade, well before it also but more after it, the offence is becoming more fluid. Closer to what the coach wants.

What is you overall assessment of the Amy Rodriguez trade?

Sad but needed. ARod was a pivotal part of FC Kansas City’s success winning two NWSL championships and an amazing competitor. Few players will compete harder to win and that can rub off on teammates. KC NWSL needed more players that are healthy, have a winning attitude and can compete. The downside for her is she needs players to help her be successful and she is getting up there in age. Also with two California teams coming in soon, she could have asked for a move west and Kansas City may not have received as much for her. KC NWSL inherited a roster of good players, but many of them are more depth than regular starters. For A-Rod they received two field players that can start and a keeper that will compete to start and all three can play a number of more years.

It seems like KC and maybe Racing are out of the playoff hunt. What do you think KC's goals are for the remainder of the season?

Never say never… Okay, it is looking more slim, especially for Kansas City but a 4 game winning streak (happening at any moment now) and either team is scaring the middle of the pack. So…. back to reality… Yes, KC is unlikely to make the playoffs but they could start to establish that winning culture (in baby steps) the rest of the way. But if they keep improving, stay healthy and learn to score some goals, they could get a few wins and end on a high note. There are still a lot of questions that need answered and some of those may not be answered until the off season.

There has been a little bitterness from Racing fans about KC's exemption from next season's expansion draft. Do you have any insight or thoughts on how KC was able to achieve that?

Nothing super secret. It was a bonus to make the move happen and I am sure it was requested by KC management. Looking at this roster as it was inherited, there was not a lot of depth and they came from a bad culture, some of them moving twice now. If I was offered an expansion side with a fresh group and no existing contracts or the existing team that came from Utah, I would have taken an expansion with no history. Between the roster they received and the short time to even prepare for the college draft, KC started behind expansion Louisville. Being exempt from the next expansion draft will allow them to catch up a bit.

What would you say is different about Kansas City's second chance at an NWSL franchise?

Ownership and where the league is at the moment. The NWSL is far from a mature, smooth-running league but it is leaps and bounds past what it was when the league started. Sponsorship, TV deals, and generally a better awareness of women’s sports are all helping the league step up to exist in fans minds. FC Kansas City’s owners had the money, but few teams were really going all out back then and FCKC really was not. Then when the first owners were forced to sell, the last FC Kansas City owner came in like a savior but in reality delt the final death blows to a formerly very successful team. KC NWSL’s owners are a different breed altogether from the previous franchise. Financially they have the money to do the right things, they have a passion to make it succeed.

I think both sets of fans are looking at Sunday's match as a real chance for a needed 3 points. What will KC need to do to get a win?

Not make mistakes and find the back of the net. Sounds simple of course but with so much turnover, injuries and call-ups, Kansas City has been forced into some fluidity in lineups and where players slot in on any given day which makes it easy to make mistakes. They need to score so the defense is NOT forced to be perfect.

Is there any particular player that Racing fans should watch during the match?

I will give you two players with one answer. Pickett. Victoria and Kiki (no relation) are two rookies that can make a big impact. Victoria has the ability to break lines by running or passing but has not consistently broken out yet. Coaches want her to attack and shoot more but she still thinks defensively too much. Kiki came in after the NCAA tournament and needed to heal an injury before diving in but has hit the ground running. She is quick and loves to get forward from her outside back position and could make an impact.

Thanks again to Thad. You can follow him on Twitter @TheBackpost and be sure to check out his website.