"She'll carry on through it all"

Courtesy of the NWSL

Match Haiku

Springtime in Cary

Yields a familiar result.

A Sanchez brace stings.

“She’ll carry on through it all”

“Waterfall” - The Stone Roses, 1989

Let’s be frank about who Racing Louisville is as a team. I bellyached for years about this team’s lack of a true identity. Last year they found one, and it is likely to be the one as long as Bev Yanez is the coach. They are a hard-working blue-collar team. This is appealing for many reasons, but it also implies the things that they will never be. One thing that the team is for the first time in its existence is a squad that doesn’t have a single international player. That statement is meant to be a neutral statement of fact, but it’s hard to avoid the implications. From a footballing perspective that means that their youth careers and playing experiences are likely to be somewhat consistent. Sure, there will be differences, but when you add in players from different international backgrounds it can spice things up and makes sure things don’t get too stale. The club has made a big deal of getting players that fit into Bev’s system and the overall team culture. For the circumstances that define and conform and constrict the environment in which Racing Louisville must exist, it is probably the best way to do things even if the football is a little bland at times.

However, one must live with the consequences. Bigger clubs in bigger cities will have the ability to showcase their cosmopolitan freedom and individuality as a way to win matches and achieve results. Every team plays a system. Every player plays in a system. The key is to live in balance with the system and its principles and not become a robot in it.

Matches like last night’s one in Cary are the ones that I worry about for Racing. Racing will almost always grind the other team down. Sometimes it will be enough, but last night it wasn’t. Sometimes you will have an excellent individual effort nullify all of your best laid plans and dogged determination. The key is to not lose hope and get back on the horse.

Post Match Moment of the Match

Bev as an interview subject is never going to say too much to criticize a performance. I actually don’t recall that many times after a loss where she hasn’t spoken mostly of the positives. I didn’t necessarily expect her to take the bait when I asked about the central attacking performance compared to the positives that I saw in the wings, and she didn’t really comment specifically. What I saw was a performance that relied too heavily on the outer thirds of the pitch. Depending on which side of the pitch the attack was building, the other two thirds didn’t really have to be defended at all. Sav Demelo and Ary Borges are players that can utilize the center of the pitch for creativity. I guess we will have to be patient to see what develops.

Sarah Weber and Jordyn Bloomer also spoke after the match. Bloomer was voted Player of the Match. You people need to listen to Butchertown Rundown and heed the advice that Tom Benson has given about awarding the Player of the Match to a keeper until the match is over. Also, do people not know how to count or not know the definition of a save? I think Zerboni referred to Bloomer’s save in the 63rd minute as a triple save. I think even the Racing official media made the same mistake (if not I apologize because I think it has since been corrected).

The double save was good enough, but what wasn’t good enough according to Bloomer herself, was the late goal from Sanchez that Bloomer said, “needs to be kept out of the net by myself”. I must have rewatched her positioning on the 2nd goal a dozen times and frankly I think she is being a little too hard on herself. She was in the right spot from a positioning perspective, but I think the thing that she will be critical of is her reaction time and being so rooted to the right spot that she couldn’t reach the deflection.

Were the Announcers Good?

No.

I might retire this section unless by some miracle I hear some intelligent commentary. The quality of the NWSL broadcasts in general is lacking and it is readily apparent. There is no need for me to pile on.

TV Kit Rating

The Courage’s kit was number 3 in our kit rankings but on the big screen the details simply do not read. It just looks blue. That’s what I get for saying anything remotely nice about the Courage. By the laws of probability some of the Courage fans are also likely Duke fans. Let that sentence sink in. There is only one excuse for being a Duke fan and that is only if you attended West Point with Mike Krzyzewski like my trivia teammate Jim Ruwet. That’s it. The rest of them can suck an egg.

Madchester Song to Make You Feel Better

Definitely revered in the UK and underrated in the US, the Charlatans will be making multiple appearances in the “Madchester” section this year.

“She’s a waterfall”

Thankfully, nothing much looks like it gets Bev down. She was generally pleased with the performance and to be honest so was I. In my season kickoff post I committed to not be so “doom and gloom” to start the season. I think a draw would have been a fair and good result here, but it wasn’t to be. I had another line prepared from “Waterfall” to be the title of this post, but I am sure I will get the chance to use it later on. The season was always going to be a grind and have its ups and downs. Therefore, the season will be about persistence and overcoming adversity, just like the song referenced here.

I liked the resilience of coming back to level the score at 1-1 before half. Ellie Jean seems just as good as last season and ready to lead the line as it were. Racing possesses dangerous wingers and there seems to be depth there. This team will always have a fighting chance with Bev’s ability to adjust at half and everyone is bought in (for now).

What has me worried is wing defense and central attack. Weber scored, but probably should have had another, and the goal was created out wide by Sears. It will be a long season is Fischer doesn’t immediately improve at the 10 or they don’t figure out a better option. It pains me to say this, but Milliet looked a little overmatched by Sanchez a few times and McMahon, to me at least, didn’t rise about the level of “serviceable” (she was better in attack).

This league for better or worse will always be about fine margins. When that is the case, oftentimes individual talent, skill and quality are what you need to get things done, regardless of how well-oiled and tight-knit your team is. If you look at the current roster, it is hard to see any player beyond Sears who has the ability to consistently change a match on the offensive end. That may just be the current state of things, but for now, any victory from Racing will have to come from a unified and gritty effort. The good news: that is right in Racing’s wheelhouse.