Know Your Foe with Ryan Keefer of CourageCountry

Ryan Keefer is Founder and publisher of CourageCountry, a North Carolina Courage fan site.

The Courage's form has been a little inconsistent. What is the key to finding more consistency?

There's not a single answer. The league has a lot of parity in 2021, and the Courage have played the same formation and attacked consistently the same way over the course of their time in North Carolina. Some of it is adjusting for the rest of the league catching up, and sometimes surpassing the Courage, its speed of play, and fitness level.

Every team can say this, but passing needs to be crisper, and timing runs needs to improve.

It's also about depth. The backline is missing Abby Dahlkemper and Jaelene Daniels this year. Irish international Diane Caldwell has not seen the minutes fans had hoped she would yet to supplement the Courage backline.

This will be the third matchup between Louisville and the Courage already. Do you expect this match to go down differently than the 5-0 Courage victory month ago?

It will definitely be different. Both teams are at near full strength but are also in the middle of three matches in the same week.

With the Courage's recent successes, is it title or bust for them this year?

I think that's the mentality that every team in the NWSL has to have. All but one team is going to come up short. Head coach Paul Riley though has the players and staff focus on one match at a time. So while it may be in the back of their heads for the big picture, right now Racing Louisville is the focus till the triple whistle 90+ minutes into Wednesday's match.

Are you nervous about the absentees for the matches that will take place during the Olympics?

Not as much as in past years. During the World Cup in 2019, the Courage were missing a ton more players with its USWNT and international players who were in France. The league as a whole hurts every time there's an international event whether it's friendlies, the World Cup, or the Olympics.

What has attendance been like this year?

Not wonderful, but about where it was in 2019. During the 2021 Challenge Cup, with reduced attendance allowed, matches sold out, but as restrictions have lifted, the fans have returned, but aren't selling out our 10,000 seat capacity. It's a bummer for broadcast looks too as the main cameras are on the same side as most of the season ticket holders.

Even if Racing fans may be familiar with the Courage, is there anyone in particular to watch this time around?

The starting XI has varied every time the Courage have been on the pitch in 2021, but Carson Pickett, and Jess McDonald are two consistent starters who make a difference up and down the field.

The Courage often come on strong in the second half and watch for those fresh legs. In recent matches, Hailie Mace and Brittany Ratcliffe add quality minutes late in the match.

Thanks again to Ryan. Follow his site on Twitter @CourageCountry.