Racing 3 Red Stars 1 Post Match Thoughts
Courtesy Elizabeth Shaw
Racing put it its most complete performance of the season and ultimately cruised to a 3-1 win. I wish a Mallory Swanson-less Red Stars was Racing’s opponent every week, but tougher challenges are eventually ahead.
I don’t think there would be much debate that this was the best and most eye-pleasing performance of the season for Racing. Lavender Legion Board Member Peter Brown already tagged me in a Twitter (never X) post from Opta Jack lauding Racing’s 19-pass build up in the goal for Kanu. It was the type of play that I have been yearning for since the club started. However, let’s not forget that we have seem glimpses of it in the past, especially when teams sit back as the Red Stars do. I think the performance had something to do with the level of the opposition, but on balance probably more to do with Racing and its new additions. If there is one thing that I hope is clear to some of the people that follow this team, it is that there is a difference between adding players and adding NWSL-proven players. Balcer and Beckie immediately slotted in and showed their quality. Beckie didn’t have a ton of minutes and Balcer had less than 60, but you saw the impact they had by simply being on the pitch.
Some of the graphics I saw had Racing in a 4-4-2, but I think that was a rather lazy effort at stating the formation because Racing started only 2 nominal forwards. Racing played in its typical 3 forward system with DeMelo as the wide right forward. The straight swap for Beckie in the second half was pretty good evidence for that. However, they did give some 4-4-2 looks when both Kanu and Balcer were in the match, which I found refreshing. Lo Milliet looked reenergized (not that she really needed it but was off the chart good in the first 25 minutes) with DeMelo close to her on the right. The Beckie combo on the right will also be something I look forward to. I thought Wright and Kanu (and then Sears) did well too. I don’t think Wright is the answer defensively on the left, but she was good in attack. Racing still needs a more natural left back, and one might be coming. I think we are going to have to live with Sears on the left for now, and that looks to be in a substitute role. I think she hesitates more when going down the left side, but I am willing to give her some more time to adjust.
Let’s talk about the sacrifice that the team has made defensively. I am 100% on board with it, but shifting from a Flint, Howell, DiGrande midfield to a Flint, Borges, DiGrande midfield is going to make Racing weaker defensively in the short term at least. Last night it didn’t matter. Against teams that are more attack oriented we will likely have to wait and see how much they are sacrificing. The ball moved quickly through the midfield, which I liked, and Borges and Flint ended up playing fairly close to each other. That likely bodes well for the future, but let’s bookmark September 21st as maybe the first true test of the midfield when Racing faces North Carolina. I am not automatically penciling in wins against Seattle, Bay, and Angel City, but I can envision things going Racing’s way in those matches without too much imagination. We all know that North Carolina is a completely different proposition.
Racing’s roster now seems full of players that can come on as substitutes and make a difference which is something that I for one would have never said before. Sears, Fischer, and Kanu are all starter-level, but they may be the odd ones out when Racing takes the pitch next time. All three of them are perfectly capable of changing a match. I never felt that Bahr or Motlhalo offered much as a sub so their chances going foward will probably be limited. Goins has some history of scoring from the bench, but that was usually in secondary competitions or against lesser opponents. Clegg will likely get a look next year, but we haven’t seen her yet. Long story short, this is a roster that seems capable of winning matches AND capable of implementing a plan B (which I think is really important).
I was maybe a bit harsh on Lund when I said in my player ratings that she could have positioned herself better on the Chicago goal. After rewatching the goal several times, I have to say that Joseph’s finish was so good that no keeper would have stopped it. Perhaps she could have been closer to the post, but that would have opened her up to the cross more. It was probably the right positioning, and you just have to tip your cap to Joseph. I still wouldn’t have changed my rating for Katie to anything other than a 6, which is average. There was one time later in the match where she punched when I thought she easily could have caught. There was a point in the first half when she could have picked up the ball but cleared it with her feet. We all saw a couple of pretty good performances from Bloomer recently, but she is once again injured. I think Racing might be better served in the long term (starting next season) bringing in another keeper to challenge Katie and Jordyn. Sekany and White are probably just insurance. I think they need another keeper at their level to really challenge them. Maybe the club feels like they have that in Sekany, but I think I have seen enough to assert that there should be more competition in goal.
