Racing Trade Kizer and Merrick to KC Current
Courtesy Connor Cunningham
Racing announced today that the team completed a trade with the KC Current sending CeCe Kizer and Addy Merrick in exchange for $150,000 in allocation money and an international roster slot for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Both players apparently requested a trade “to be back closer to their families.” As with any trade/player movement some fans will feel angry because they are losing some of their favorite players.
Kizer served an important role and scored important goals in Racing’s history. She will leave the club as its all-time leading goal-scorer (8) and assist provider (5). She memorably scored Racing’s first ever goal in its first ever match vs. the Orlando Pride. Beyond that, she was a regular in my section after the matches signing autographs for fans. I am also fairly confident that she was several fans’ absolute favorite player and a popular back of the jersey choice for many fans. However, part of me wonders if her time in the Starting XI was about to end regardless of this trade. She was mostly used by Racing in the 9/10 roles, which is where Nadia Nadim is likely to find herself very soon. Last year when Racing needed her presence, she was a good player in whatever attacking role she was in. This year she had managed to keep her place in the Starting XI, but it wasn’t always a given. Racing has other options in central attack now, and definitely many more options than last year. From a statistical contribution standpoint (using FotMob’s Player rating), CeCe ranks 8th on the team. In addition, American Soccer Analysis has CeCe rated 226 out of 256 NWSL players in Goals Added (which measures a player’s total on-ball contribution in attack and defense). I’m not a huge fan of this metric, but it is a measure by which to judge a player. To sum up, she will be missed (by some more than others) but is not irreplaceable.
Addisyn Merrick will probably be one of Racing’s great “what if” players. She was selected number one overall by Racing in the NWSL 2020 expansion draft, so you can infer that the team had big plans for her. As a versatile defender she seemed to be the ideal pick, but injuries killed her first season at Racing. When she returned healthy for 2022, many fans including me thought she would force her way into the starting back four. Somehow things just didn’t work out that way. I think Merrick will benefit from a change in scenery. The simple fact is that Coach Björkegren preferred other defenders. I deliberately say it that way because I believe it is true. Coaches look at their squads and decide which players can best help them win matches. It does not mean that the players that don’t get minutes are not good players, it just means that the coach believes there are better options. Addy’s best performance for Racing would turn out to be the second match of two enforced starts due to sickness on the back line. She played excellently in that match vs. San Diego and hasn’t seen the field since. A consistent run in the side is what she needs, and it just seemed like she wasn’t going to get that opportunity here in Louisville. I wish her the best of luck in Kansas City because luck has sure been against her in her time at Racing.
Now read into this what you will…Coach Björkegren said today that Wednesday’s practice (neither Kizer nor Merrick were involved) was the best practice that he has seen from his team this year. Good practices don’t always translate to good performances, but practice is a good indicator of mentality and effort. Let’s hope that translates to the field on Saturday.
