RLFC v Thorns -1
Photo by Elizabeth Shaw
Racing hit the road to face the Thorns on Sunday. Portland is always a tough place to play (unless it isn't, plenty of teams win there including Utah last season). Portland are mid table. That seems about right, especially without Sophia (Smith) Wilson.
It may be a bit of trolling on my part to feature a picture of Bloomer. I don't think there is anyway she replaces Lund. Keepers are a bit like quarterbacks in football. You can’t really be doing a whole lot of rotation there and expect good things to happen. If Lund is replaced for a league match in which she is available (fat chance in my opinion and she doesn't need to be) it would have to be permanent. Let’s close the book on any goalkeeper rotation ideas for now.
Racing do need to pick themselves out of this funk that they find themselves in. In my opinion, the best way to do so is with a clean sheet. I know that Racing is having trouble scoring, but if you can’t manufacture a goal, maybe the next best thing is to manufacture a clean sheet. Frustrating an opponent and keeping them from scoring might be the best way to find something on the counter. Racing might not be in an actual relegation battle, although maybe one day they will be, but they will be in a philosophical one if they don't put on a performance soon because they will be relegated from relevance (you could make an argument that they already are). For a team at the bottom of the table a relegation mentality isn’t always a bad thing. It makes you see every point as valuable but also recognizes the uphill battle in front of you. Racing needs to stop pretending that they are on equal footing with the league’s best or even the league's pretty good. I have always thought the way forward for Racing is this: be miserable to play against. That attitude shift can start in Portland by frustrating the Thorns on Sunday. I think any style or formation can be adapted into a frustrating one for you opponent if you are appropriately committed to it. Racing needs Milliet-like and Fischer-like efforts from everyone. I also think they need to pick up some yellow cards for physicality too. This isn't a non-contact sport. If they play like they did against San Diego when they face Portland, they will get thumped and will have fully earned it.
