Louisville v Kansas City Pre Match Thoughts
Courtesy David Mucker
Louisville goes for 3 wins in 3 attempts on Friday versus Kansas City. You never want to discount points already taken and I maintain that a long cup run is Louisville's best chance at success this season, but this match seems like the biggest of the 3 so far. The table is tightening up and no match is mathematically a must win yet, but it's hard to see a path to a playoff spot for Louisville without a win on Friday. I expect the starting XI to remain unchanged (note: I was not at practice so this is speculation).
If Louisville are to get 3 points on Friday, they will have to put in a more connected performance than the team did on Saturday in Seattle. I chalk both of Louisville's goals up to good fortune, and I don't think you can count on another penalty or dreadful goalkeeping like Saturday. Personally, I would like to see what Goins can do from the start. I think that I will probably have to wait for the next 3 Challenge Cup matches to see that though.
Kansas City has strung together some good results and in the NWSL it seems like at least one team makes a pretty good late run for the playoffs, usually after underperforming when compared to expectations (see the Courage last season). The Current fit the bill this season as their expectations seemed to be sky high. They have also been feast or famine in the league somehow managing zero draws. Louisville is the queen of drawing so this will be the case of an erratic force vs. an object that is just as likely to move vs. not move. I like the original saying much better.
Something tells me that this battle might come down to the goalkeepers which is something I never say and frankly never want. Franch was bad enough this season to lose her job to Miller, but Louisville put 2 past her in Kansas. Both of those were one-on-one losses for Miller, so she will be looking to atone. I have been openly critical of Lund's performances recently. You can point to statistics and make a really good case that she has been excellent. However, I am suspicious of quite a few statistics when it comes to soccer, and I would triple down on goalkeeping statistics. Because the defense has played so much better and Louisville does a better job of keeping their own goal out of constant danger, Katie isn't called on as much as usual. In my opinion (and as always possibly only mine) the best attribute a keeper can have is the ability to go from 0 to 60. In essence, when you have had nothing to do, can you be ready when you are immediately called upon? Lund's shot-stopping ability is top notch. To me her biggest areas of improvement remain ball handling and concentration. Too many times she punches when she should catch and recently she has turned some routine touches into an unnecessary adventure. When you're constantly called upon, I have to believe that you get a better feel for the ball. Sometimes she genuinely seems to be taken off guard when the defensive in front of her let’s a shot through. It's a testament to how much more calm and disciplined the back 4 have beee recently, but there have many keepers that look fantastic on bad teams simply because they have to be (Betos, year one in Louisville). I think it's time for Lund to step up and show that she is a keeper prepared to make the next step. She has all of the tangible attributes, but to move to greatness and to get shot at a call up to the USWNT she will have to work on this next phase of her game.
