BLOG
Racing 2 Colo-Colo 0 Post Match Thoughts
Courtesy Elizabeth Shaw
Racing wrapped up their Women's Cup tournament with a victory for 3rd place over Chilean squad Colo-Colo. Rotation was the name of the game, and some but definitely not all of Racing’s mainstays got a bit of a break.
I know it’s beginning to sound like a broken record, but once again Racing appeared to be short on players. Abby Erceg missed her chance to get any rest because the central defender ranks have just been too thin all season. Elli Pikkujämsä’s injury was a disaster for roster balance, and only now do Racing seem to be on the verge of filling her gap. League rules play a part in the delay, but those of us wondering why Racing were signing so many midfielders at the beginning of the season have to feel a little vindicated. If Racing goes into next season with a similar roster imbalance, I think we seriously need to question some of management’s roster-building decisions. Maddie Pokorny once again showed what a squad player should be. She has been a solid signing from the get-go. As a “winger” she demonstrates the utility that usually allows a team to sign more specialized players, like center back and center forward. Pokorny is the type of player that should buy you and additional roster spot, but Racing still has too many players who don’t add enough value. Pickett was nowhere to be seen yesterday, so do what you will with that information. If she were available, you would have to think that Erceg would have gotten the day off.
It’s been a while since I have thought about the NWSL table, and I honestly don’t even think about it much until it gets to this point of the season anyway. While the Red Stars haven’t really convinced me that they are a lock for the playoffs, the 6 teams above them appear to be. Bay sits in 8th, with 4 other teams including Racing certainly capable of catching them. Making the playoffs is still a reachable goal, but my observations and general probability lead me to believe that Racing will be on the outside looking in when the season ends. It isn’t impossible for this team to go on a run of good results, but it would be fully out of character. There will almost certainly be roster changes by the time the summer transfer window closes, but I don’t expect any marquee arrivals (departures are another story). Long story short, Racing has the time, but I am not sure if they have the fight/energy/roster/karma/will to make a playoff push. I don’t personally feel any excitement or energy surrounding the club, so I think another hilariously redundant 9th place finish might be in order.
I wouldn’t blame too many players if they were ready to move on from the Racing experiment. I think a backline rebuild is probably at the top of the to-do list, so this transfer window might be the beginning of that. Erceg isn’t signed past 2024, and Pickett has rarely been effectively deployed to demonstrate her full ability. Wright has been decent, but not who she once was even a few seasons ago. Ellie Jean seems full capable of giving solid 90s every time out, so I expect that she is willing to give it another year. Milliet is signed through 2026, but you can’t tell me that her effectiveness, durability and work rate hasn’t caught the eye of another foreign or domestic club. Pikkujämsä has a 2025 option, but her fitness will likely be a deciding factor in whether she returns. The back line has been pretty good for Racing this season, especially compared to the first two season, but honestly it has been a stopgap solution. Maybe all of the players stick around for another year, but the planning for the future is surely starting now.
Racing 2 Colo-Colo 0 Player Ratings
Racing rather comfortably cruised to victory without having to exert too much energy. We didn't learn much, but some squad players got some valuable minutes.
Bloomer-6: Not really called on to do much, but did get bailed out by the crossbar once.
Wright-6: Pickett didn't make the squad (hmmm) so she had to go the full 90.
Erceg-6: Full 90 for her too.
Jean-6: Solid again.
Pokorny-7: Nice to see her get a goal.
Baggett-6: I missed the first 10 minutes to be fair but I didn't see her fo anything noteworthy while I was watching.
Borges-7: Goal. Looked like the best attacker.
DiGrande-6: Not a fan of her being played out wide.
Motlhalo-6: Did nothing to change my mind on her.
Sears-7: Assist. Still don't like her on the left.
Fischer-7: Assist. Would like to see her score another before I put too much more confidence into her being the 9.
Racing v Colo-Colo Pre Match Thoughts
Courtesy EM Dash Photography
I got about halfway through writing another post in lieu of the normal pregame piece where I outlined all of Racing’s ills and what I would do to tix them before I decided that I honestly couldn’t be bothered. I have all kinds of opinions that A) don’t matter and you don’t care about and B) wouldn’t make a difference even if they did make a coherent statement, so I will stick to the script and give you my usual loosely connected thoughts.
The piece I abandoned was going to be called “Summer Nadir”. I will give you the short version:
Racing is doomed
They have always been doomed
I have ideas to fix things but no real authority to see if they work or even could
Sparing you that rather negative read, I did want to include this bit inspired by Alan Spade who rhetorically asked in the Lavender Legion Slack “if everyone still wants to run through a brick wall”:
The “brick wall” lip service at the beginning of the season always felt bizarre to me. I am all for motivational coaches and tactics, but in reality, they make better Hollywood stories and motivational poster fodder than actually being effective. My response to players willing to run through a brick wall is always, “wouldn’t you rather not have a brick wall to run through?” I get that the metaphor is meant to provide motivation in difficult situations, but shouldn’t the job of a coach be to prevent the difficult situations?
Where do we find ourselves now? A very difficult situation. Does anybody on the team look like they want to take on a brick wall? Definitely not enough of them. Now seems to be the time to figure out how to approach the brick wall because it is there, and it seems impenetrable.
The energy seems sapped from this team. A team that requires constant motivation, is always going to be susceptible to down periods. It doesn’t make for good copy, but give me a team willing to figure out how to avoid the brick walls versus needing the energy to constantly run through them.
Racing really should be able to handle Colo-Colo, but I haven’t the foggiest idea about how Bev might approach this match. There is absolutely nothing at stake, but also the roster is so thin that I don’t think there are many ways to put out a starting lineup that is much different than normal, especially on defense. If I were her, I would try to find a way to give Erceg a night off. Bloomer should get the nod here too. Milliet could be given a break as well as Flint. Honestly it doesn’t matter, but if Racing are going to give the appearance of making a final push for the playoffs, those are the type of moves that I would expect to see.
As of this moment there is no update on new signings, but I still believe at least one is imminent. It may not be today, but I do think it gets done sooner rather than later.
Racing 0 (2) Palmeiras 0 (4) Post Match Thoughts
Courtesy EM Dash
Racing lost its first ever Women’s Cup semifinal and it is hard to argue that it wasn’t a fair result. Palmeiras did enough to keep Racing off of the scoreboard in regular time, so you just have to accept any result when a match ends in spot kicks.
This was probably the least entertaining match in the history of the Women’s Cup. While Bev gave praise to the team’s performance, I never felt like Racing generated enough chances to feel too shortchanged by the result. Mothalo had a golden opportunity on a header late, but it was just wide. There was another sequence in the second half where the ball could have ended up in the back of the net. Neither did, and with Fischer’s chance saved in the first half, those were the only real opportunities for Racing that I can recall. Palmeiras held possession enough to keep the match even, thus were very excited to come away with the victory on penalties. They will go on to face Juventus in the final who fairly easily dispatched Colo Colo and their very entertaining and enthusiastic supporter’s section.
I feel fairly certain that I have enough data now to deem this vintage of Racing as “disappointing and dull”. They don’t score enough to play what I would call entertaining football. Their defense is fine for the most part when they don’t take on one-way traffic for large portions of time. Very little on this team is producing the needed results. Coach Yanez feels like her message is getting across or at least communicates as much during her media time, but that might be the most indicting piece of information available. Juventus scored with so much ease in the first match, that sometimes it appeared as if they were scoring in first gear. Everything that Racing does seems to take maximum effort and produces minimal results. Bar a few personal favorites, there are few players in Racing’s squad that I would be too upset to see leave for different (greener?) pastures. This club got off on the wrong foot from its inception and has never been able to completely right itself. The owners and leadership probably deserve it. The fans don’t.
It sounds like Racing could be getting some reinforcements in soon. There was definitely an unfamiliar face hanging out with the other Racing players who didn’t dress. I believe something will be announced soon, but as always that depends on paperwork and the NWSL office getting though it efficiently, something they are definitely not known for.
Racing losing was probably bad for The Women’s Cup. If Racing was to be competing for a trophy on Tuesday, theoretically you could have had a decent number of walkups. With them playing for 3rd place, I can’t imagine anyone with a burning desire to get a ticket who doesn’t have one already. I feel like Juventus will take care of business and at least score a couple in regular time and win the final.
Racing 0 (2) Palmeiras 0 (4) Player Ratings
Racing were not nearly good enough in regular time. It ultimately cost them and now they have to regroup for Tuesday.
Lund-6: Made a few good stops.
Wright-6: Was decent at left back again.
Erceg-6: Merely so-so.
Jean-6: Ditto for Ellie.
Milliet-7: Provided the best attacking impetus.
Flint-6: Fair, but below her standard.
Howell-6: Solid, if unspectacular.
DiGrande-6: Decent.
Borges-7: Keeps looking healthier, which is encouraging.
Sears-6: Doesn't need to be deployed on the left as she is so much better on the right.
Fischer-7: Had another decent night as the lone central striker.
Racing v Palmeiras Pre Match Thoughts
Racing looks to win a bit of silverware to brighten their summer in The Women's Cup which begins on Friday evening with a semifinal doubleheader. I enjoy this competition and I look forward to seeing the styles of football played by the other sides.
I could go on a longer-winded rant about the stark contrast in the interest between this competition and the USWNT match just announced in Louisville, but I will spare you. Let's just say that I am rather fond of this competition, and if you don't decide to come you are missing out. Most club players will never be good enough to play for their national teams, so the outsized interest and importance placed on international football doesn't sit right with me. I could go longer and deeper on this topic but nobody is interested that. Let's just say that club soccer will always be, in my opinion, the better and purer product.
By all accounts, Racing should breeze through this competition if they played their best available XI, which doesn't include DeMelo who is out and it targeting Chicago for a return. Regardless of who plays, Racing should still have enough quality to overcome any team in this competition. I think some rotation is to be expected, and that's a good thing.
Expect Juventus to be a little rusty as they are in preseason form, but Colo-Colo and Palmeiras are in mid-season form. That means that we should get to see their style at its most optimal.
Pride 1 (3) Racing 1 (4) Post Match Thoughts
Courtesy USA Today Sports Image
Racing put themselves in position to get the scoreline that they needed, but ultimately fell short. This is an entertaining tournament, and until there is a CONCACAF Champions League type event I would like to see it played again (when necessary to fill in for international tournaments).
Many times these types of tournaments are most valuable for the lessons you learn during them so here are my takeaways:
Jordyn Bloomer should get some more looks during league matches. However, “should” and “will” are distant cousins. Lund has done nothing to lose her starting job, so I can’t picture any scenario other than injury in which we would see Jordyn start over her. It’s a good problem to have for Coach Yanez, but you do feel for Jordyn. If the league can settle on having a “cup” tournament every season, then she should be the “cup” goalie. Personally, I would like to see her in both Women’s Cup matches, but I bet the two keepers get a start a piece.
I try to stay off the cesspool known as Facebook, but I heard from my wife that there were some rather unfortunate pro-Orlando sentiments from Linda Mothalo fans. I get that people follow certain teams due to certain players. However, I find it laughable that she is being held off the pitch for any other reason than the players in front of her on the depth chart are earning their minutes. Personally, I think her signing was a “miss”. If you feel personally attacked by that statement, I suggest you grow up.
There is some defensive flexibility on this team. I’m not clamoring for a change to a back 3, but I think Jean has been good enough to chance resting a wing back like Racing did last night. I realize that Wright was partly responsible for conceding the Orlando goal, but I thought she was fine other than that.
Racing needs more squad depth. Once again (and I can never type those words without thinking of Bernie Sanders), Racing had 7 players on the bench when 8 were permitted. Injuries and excused absences led to the shortfall last night, but it has happened a few times this season. There are some players (who will remain nameless, but I will give you 2 guesses) that even when they are on the substitute list would only ever get used if the team was ahead or behind by multiple goals.
On last night’s match, I thought it was a bizarre starting lineup, but I understand it. Obviously, Bev wanted to give some squad players some minutes, but I thought the poor pitch conditions really made it tough to get anything going on both sides until about 30 minutes into the match. It’s not unusual to see players that don’t play much together struggle to connect on passes, but I thought the first half group did okay under the circumstances. Obviously, brining on better (and in Ary’s case, fitter) players in the second half gave Racing a fighting chance. Sticking with the boxing metaphor, the first half could be interpreted as a bit of rope-a-dope tactic and since they only conceded one goal, you have to admit that it kind of worked. I think the opposite approach could have backfired especially in the soggy conditions, so overall I surprise even myself by saying that I liked how the rotation ultimately played out. It felt like Racing had their chances to get the scoreline that they needed, and that’s all you can ask.
Feel free to take joy in the spot kick shootout result, but it was completely moot even if obligatory. I would always prefer winning any knockout competition over losing it, but the reason that they are less valued in club football is partly due to the fact that advancement and even winning the cup is not always settled in regular time or extra time. Imagine ending the NBA finals in a 5-minute OT followed by alternating free throws. Football by its nature dictates that spot kicks are necessary, but I will always prefer the league competitions, where it simply isn’t necessary.
Pride 1 (3) Racing 1 (4) Player Ratings
Courtesy USA Today Sports Images
Racing made a go of it, but came up short of the two goals they needed. The spot kicks were an exercise in futility.
Bloomer-7: Very good again, and I think she should challenge Lund for minutes.
Wright-5: Was a little out of position on the goal.
Erceg-6: Needlessly put Orlando into a dangerous position with a poor pass.
Jean-7: Probably needs even more meaningful minutes.
Milliet-6: Solid as usual.
Flint-6: Hasn't been her dazzling self recently.
Baggett-5: How she gets minutes is beyond my comprehension.
Borges-6: Put in her longest shift since her return.
Bahr-6: Got in some good positions, but did nothing once she got there.
Turner-7: Scored an excellent header.
Goins-6: Didn't get many opportunities in the 45 minutes she got.
Sears-7: Changed the match, as she typically does when she enters as a sub.
DiGrande-7: The team is better with her in it.
Pride v Racing Pre Match Thoughts
By the time Racing takes the pitch on Thursday, they will know exactly what they need to do to qualify for the semifinals of this competition. If they get 7 points AND win the group the job will be done.
On the other side, Orlando will also know if they have a chance to win the group. If they are mathematically eliminated, one might be tempted to fully rotate and get some game film on squad players. That's what I would do, but in this league who knows. Either way, both Taylor Flint and Bev Yanez commented that Racing wouldn't adjust their preparation. It is honestly too late to do that now anyway, but if Racing are put into a position where goal difference is at play, I would expect the substitutes to reflect that.
Everyone seems impressed with Kayla Fischer as the isolated center forward in Racing’s setup for the last two matches. I will reserve judgment on the switch until we get some more games. Initially, it looks like a good move for Kayla. She is much less likely to pick up a silly yellow card in that position. However, she needs to show some goal-scoring prowess over an extended time before I declare Racing’s center forward issue “solved”. It's a different look and I am all for it as an option at least. She does seem to want to press more than anyone else who plays there, so that's definitely a plus in the current system.
Orlando while missing key players is a different system to solve compared to North Carolina. Racing's recent progress will be measured against how they play against different styles. Orlando never looked uncomfortable once they got a lead at home against Racing earlier this season, so the goal here should be to take them out of there comfort zone early.
It was bad news for Kirsten Wright yesterday. I don't think there is more anyone can say other than to wish her a speedy recovery. I have no idea in terms of if they will try to fill an open roster spot between now and the end of the season. I think it will be based on who is available and willing to come to Louisville.
Racing 1 (4) Courage 1 (5) Post Match Thoughts
Courtesy Connor Cunningham
It was a much better performance than Racing has put in recently. Unfortunately, they couldn’t come away with all three points. Spot kick shootouts are just so random that I personally don’t read anything into those, but an extra point would have been handy.
Racing started the match by not allowing the Courage a touch in their attacking half for the first 5 minutes. I made special note of this because I had in my head the way I would set up against them and this matched the strategy that I would employ. I think when you are playing a possession-oriented team that one way to play against them is to keep them in their own half regardless of who has possession. This allowed Racing to get off to a quick start and that momentum carried all the way through the first half and Racing pretty much controlled things. Of course, they have done that before, so the second half was the key. Racing was not a good in the first part of the second half, but they weren’t bad. Pickett scored on a fortunate deflection, but the build-up in attack was good enough that the Courage shouldn’t complain. Racing had a few good chances to put the match away, but they didn’t. The Courage equalized late and that was that.
The issue with Racing for quite a long time has been protecting a lead when they get one. Last night was a case in point of this weakness. Based on the number of chances that Racing got, you would have to say that the counterattack was decent. What Racing has never been good at is '“counter control”. It seemed as if every time that Racing won the ball back from the Courage, they either made a flailing clearance, or immediately tried to start a counterattack. What was needed was a call back to the first five minutes. Possess the ball long enough to settle it in your own half, then try to pen your opponent in. There is obviously a risk to this too, but when Racing has done this in the past, it has worked out better than sitting in deep and getting repeatedly pounded with shots. Racing’s inability to become collectively composed in high stress situations has been their downfall way too often.
Here are a couple of Lauren Milliet related items. First, she conceded that there was no contact on the penalty/simulation decision in the first half. When I asked her about it after the match, she essentially said “what else am I supposed to do when a player sticks a leg out in that situation?” That is a fair point. Counterpoint: just about every other yellow card I have seen giving for simulation/diving looked almost exactly like what I saw Lauren do last night. Only Lo knows if she would have fallen the same way at midfield versus how she did in the box. Ultimately it didn’t matter, so the judgement call can remain just that and everyone can move on. The certain thing is that it absolutely wasn’t a penalty. Second, Lauren Milliet just might be Wolverine in a full adamantium skeleton. It seems like that at least once every other match she takes a brutal hit, pops back up and is never worse for wear. However, last night was the most scared I have ever been that for once she might not just get up. The brutal foul wasn’t a red card, but it was what several people call an orange card. The contact was brutal, but not quite in the red card territory. She was in visible pain for minutes. If soccer is ever to implement a penalty box type system like hockey, this one would have to be in the “5-minute major” category.
Racing 1 (4) v Courage (5) 1 Player Ratings
Racing let one slip away by sitting too deep too early. Overall, Racing played better than they have recently.
Lund-7: Had a few good saves, but could do nothing on the goal.
Pickett-7: Got a little lucky on the goal but won't mind.
Erceg-7: Really solid for the first 75 minutes.
Wright-6: Subbed off at half to give Jean some minutes. Ellie deputized well.
Milliet-6: Took a really nasty foul and maybe should have won a penalty.
Flint-6: It was a quiet night for her.
Howell-8: I thought she was excellent. The missed penalty doesn't cheapen it.
DiGrande-6: Couldn't quite connect with Sears as much as I would have liked.
DeMelo-6: Worryingly went off, but stayed on the bench after she was subbed.
Fischer-7: Put in an excellent pressing performance at the 9, and got an assist.
Sears-7: Appeared to be back to her old self.
Borges-6: Got a really smart yellow card to prevent a dangerous counter attack from the Courage.
Jean-6: Has earned more minutes with her solid performance.
Racing v Courage Pre Match Thoughts
Courtesy USA Today Sports Images
Racing gets another bite at NC Courage apple on Friday night in the NWSL x Liga MX Summer Cup. The Courage have always been a nightmare team for Racing, but I attribute the current gap between the teams to stylistic difference (or stylistic superiority in my humble opinion) in its current iteration. North Carolina is missing 5 Olympians, but it remains to be seen if their absences will be enough for Racing to get over the hump.
The recent trip to Cary, North Carolina (home of the world’s least spectacular stadium, WakeMed Soccer Park) has definitely left a bad taste in the mouths of the Racing players. Bev commented that she didn’t feel like she needed to give the team any extra motivation to get up for this match. You would have to think that Abby Erceg would especially like to stick one to her old club sooner rather than later. If they are to do so Racing will probably have to a) possess more of the ball or b) at least not let the Courage possess so such of it in Racing’s defensive half. Having “not Casey Murphy” in the Courage goal is always a brighter scenario too. In the last match I felt like Racing ultimately outclassed Monterrey, so they definitely must do something different here to get points.
Racing have been practicing penalties in order to prepare for a shootout if things come to that in either of the next two matches. Last season prior to the knockout rounds of the Challenge Cup, Racing practiced penalties but kept them under wraps. This year, I got to see a few players take penalties. I personally think penalties can be over analyzed and there is definitely increased focus on them at the highest levels of football. Bev did say that they have “mechanisms as a staff to prepare the goalkeepers…to provide them information…quickly, so we have a lot of processes in place for that specifically.” For me, show me a saved penalty and I will show you a mediocre-at-best effort.
Not apropos of anything really, but Kirsten Wright seems like a afterthought on this team now. She didn’t practice today but was around at the end of practice. Since she is signed through the 2026 season, you have to assume that she will be around next season if she is healthy. It’s hard to say if Racing actually misses her as the combo of Sears and Turner have produced more numerically than she ever did. I said a few weeks ago that if she were to have an impact on this season, she would have to get some minutes in the summer tournaments. As of this moment, I don’t foresee that happening. One thing is for sure: Racing could have used the extra roster spot earlier in the season if they knew she was going to be out this long.
Is it just me or have 4 seasons of general lackluster play caused the fan base to go from hope to frustration to apathy in a fairly quick manner. This season has been the least excited I have been entering into a Racing season yet, and I haven’t seen anything yet to make me think my excitement level was wrong. I will admit that external factors are at play for me. My true football love (Arsenal) is good again, so that plays into my general lack of enthusiasm toward Racing because I have a different outlet for my football enjoyment. However, I don’t sense that I am alone. The attendance has been up, but has the enthusiasm? Maybe it has, and I just haven’t noticed. I think this franchise needs a shot in the arm and barring a trophy (I would even take a 2nd Women’s Cup) I don’t see much on the horizon worth me getting excited about. A playoff run might do it, but this club needs something newsworthy AND positive to happen.
Racing 3 Monterrey 1 Post Match Thoughts
Courtesy Elizabeth Shaw
In the end Racing fairly easily handled Rayadas after a slow start. The goal in the group stage of this competition is to maximize points and goal difference, so job mostly done.
Stop me if you've heard this one before, but Racing got off to a slow start. When asked about it, Bev who is ever the optimist in her public facing comments about the team, commented that she felt like there were shifts in momentum, not necessarily a slow start. That's definitely one way to look at it. Let's be honest here. The 2nd half showed us that Racing was completely capable of bossing the match. They simply weren't organized enough to do so in the first 30 minutes. Bev also mentioned that the particular focus this week in practice was on counter pressing. You have to say that Racing did look good in their counter press in the 2nd half, but there were moments in the first where they weren't as coordinated in their pressing. I think Racing is still in the phase of their system with Beth where they are thinking too much. Counter pressing hasn't become second nature yet. Bev still has to call out to the players when to press too often. A tweak at half meant that Racing were much more fluid in their style in the 2nd half.
When the match opened, it looked like Rayadas identified Sears and DeMelo as Racing's “danger women” and doubled both frequently. It was slightly ironic that both were involved in all 3 goals, but not in their typical ways. Sears scored from being in the right place at the right time, and DeMelo assisted twice by making the right pass. On Fischer's goal, Rayadas kind of lost track of Sav and to her credit, she took only a single touch to find Kayla. It's not the typical thing we see from Sav and I wish we would see more of it. On Ary's goal, I think the set piece benefited by Wright starting it centrally, then getting it out to DeMelo wide so she could deliver the ball into the box at a better angle. Let me also point out that the defending by Monterrey on both of those goals was atrocious.
Jordyn Bloomer proved herself to be a very capable shot stopper. It is quite a jolt to see someone other than Katie in the goal, and you don't quite appreciate her physical presence in goal until you see someone else out there. I hope that we continue to see Bloomer out there for the next couple of matches. I think she would be better evaluated against an NWSL opponent and I don't think one match is a fair evaluation period. Surely Orlando and North Carolina would put her under much more pressure in the build up which is where we need more match film on her.
Racing 3 Monterrey 1 Player Ratings
After a slow start Racing handled Monterrey pretty handily in the second half. Racing still can't string 2 good halves of football together, but they will take the 3 points.
Bloomer-7: Deputized well for Lund, but we didn't get to see her distribution skills much.
Pickett-6: Got a few minutes off for once.
Erceg-6: This probably doesn't interest anyone but me, but a comedy of errors meant that she didn't get the captain's armband after Howell departed.
Wright-7: It was good to see her at left back for a bit.
Milliet-7: Good going forward and had a couple of decent looks at goal.
Flint-7: Helped control the 2nd half.
Howell-7: Had an assist (or at least I think it will count that way) on Sears goal.
DiGrande-7: I continue to like how she gets into space centrally.
DeMelo-7: Great assist on Ary's goal.
Sears-7: In the right place at the right time for her goal.
Turner-6: Found it difficult to get too many touches.
Bahr-6: Put in a solid 2nd half.
Fischer-7: Took her goal well.
Borges-7: It was good to see her get a goal.
Racing v C. F. Monterrey Pre Match Thoughts
Racing will play it’s first match in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup on Saturday at 8pm against Liga MX team Rayadas de Monterrey. The “Striped Ones” were the champions of the Clausura section of the Liga MX season. Racing's group (E) is rounded out with Orlando and North Carolina, so the club faces a challenging group stage. The rules for the tournament can be found on the “Rules and Policies” section of the official NWSL website if you want to know more. Here are some items of specific interest, followed by my usual thoughts:
There are 5 groups, but only the 4 group winners with most points advance to the knockout stage. The tiebreaker procedure is the usual type of thing (goal difference, goals scored, then discipline).
The unique-ish (but fairly common for summer club tournaments) feature is that draws award each team a point, but there will be a penalty shootout after full time to award one additional point to the shootout winner. The usual 3 points for a win still applies.
Kayla Fischer may want to note that two yellow card offenses during the first two matches will result in a suspension for the last group match, but all cards will be wiped for the knockout stage.
There will still be a limit of 5 subs, with the standard concussion protocols in place. The minimum game day roster size is 18 with a max of 20. I am fairly certain that for NWSL teams, the player must be under an NWSL contract but with some teams sending off 7 players I think they could appeal to add a non-rostered player (it isn’t clear in the stated rules).
It's tough to know how Racing plan to use these 3 games other than what was presented at face value. The general feeling that I got was that the plan was to continue to hone the themes and skills that have been part of the system, but maybe to focus more on the specific execution of the details. Clear as mud? When pressed (by me even though I should know better by now), Bev gave no indication of whether or not we might see some players that we haven't seen much of to date. I remain ambivalent on whether or not it would be good to rotate in some new players. It's not as if the regulars are setting the world afire, so figuring out a better rhythm might be the way to go. Regardless, it feels like previous years in that the back end of the roster is just along for the ride.
Courage 3 Racing 1 Post Match Thoughts
Courtesy NWSL
Seemingly incapable of putting together two consecutive halves of solid football, Racing is now 0-0-10 all time against the North Carolina Courage. The second half display by Louisville was by far their worst this season, and things look pretty bleak at the moment. Luckily, the players and staff will have some time off to regroup and try to salvage something by the end of the season.
Somewhat incomprehensively, Racing finished the weekend no worse for wear in the hunt for a final playoff spot. Louisville is in the worst form in the league based on their last five matches (1 point from 15). They are aided by the fact the 5 teams below them have only marginally better recent form. This stretch of matches before the break seems like a missed opportunity, but based on Racing’s performances you have to wonder if the opportunity was really truly there.
After the aggressive decision by Sean Nahas to make 3 attacking changes at half, Racing had no answer for the speed and ferocity of North Carolina’s attack. The Courage’s first goal was a delight to those of us who prioritize ball movement over individual brilliance. It is my personal favorite type of goal. It makes the defense look confused and bewildered. My operating principle is that the ball is always the fastest thing on the pitch, so to see a goal like that reminds me of what is great about football. When teams get that type of quick passing right, there is little you can do to stop it. Wingate’s cheeky finish on the Courage’s third was the result of some good ball movement and a fortunate bounce when Erceg stopped the initial pass. It wasn’t as good as the first but was a “tails up” type of goal that teams get when they are “feeling it” and have the match well in hand. Lund frankly gifted the Courage the second goal, and if the team wasn’t already demoralized, that surely did it.
Turner scored a fine goal of her own. Here she is describing it. “Obviously, back to goal, I know that a quick touch and a shot will probably not be expected. The ball was able to get through to me, and I just saw a window, and I just took a shot.” It was the type of center forward’s goal that Racing misses out on when Bahr is starting centrally.
After the match Coach Moscato talked about cohesion and the lack of it in the second half. According to her, Racing’s lines of engagement became stretched and there wasn’t tactical cohesion in terms of players not collectively knowing when to press and when to drop. Maybe it's me, but Racing rarely seems cohesive. I will be honest with you and say that maybe they are, and it is just in patterns that I don’t recognize. I will tell you that I often see pattens that I recognize when I watch Racing’s opponents. It could just be my bias in that I think that we all tend to do more pattern recognition when the patterns are more pleasing to us. When I watch Racing, especially recently, I see a team of individuals who never quite know what to expect from each other. That issue was something that I pointed out at the tail end of last season too. I am positive that the staff is working tirelessly to communicate how they want their system to work, and I am sure that the players are giving it their all. I am just not recognizing it. That doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Maybe it’s a chaotic pattern that is meant to be disruptive and therefore my brain won’t see it as I like pleasingly elegant ball movement and spacing. I will tell you this. Regardless of the plan, it isn’t producing results and Racing’s better opponents seem to have no trouble figuring out the weaknesses.
Courage 3 Racing 1 Player Ratings
The Courage showed it class, seemed to shift into another gear, and then cut through Racing in the second half without much resistance. Lund’s error didn't help but Racing were collectively poor in the 2nd half.
Lund-5: 100% guilty of conceding the 2nd goal.
Pickett-5: The Courage seemed to pick on her in the 2nd half and to be honest she looked at step slow.
Erceg-5: Was not her usual solid self with a few bad touches and a giveaway.
Wright-5: Spent most of the 2nd half on her heels.
Milliet-5: The best of the defenders on a poor night, but that isn't saying much.
Flint-6: Looked rusty at the start but worked her way into the match.
Howell-6: Mercifully did not play her 3rd 90 minutes in a row.
DiGrande-6: Got the assist on Turner's goal.
DeMelo-6: Had a couple of good chances and hit the crossbar on what could have been a fantastic goal.
Fischer-6: I know this will shock everyone but she picked up a first half yellow (and then was subbed).
Turner-7: Scored a fine goal.
Sears-5: Appeared slower than she typically does.
Courage v Racing Pre Match Thoughts
Racing find themselves in a rather poor but certainly not unprecedented run of mid-season form which now means that they are on the outside looking in when it comes to playoff position. It isn’t a great time for a road trip to North Carolina, but if you've ever been to WakeMed Park you know that there is never a great time to visit that dump (although the field itself is nice).
Carm Moscato was the coaching staff representative at media availability today, so I asked her if the team felt at all down about the recent run of results. I prefaced my question to her about the team's form by stating that Racing seemed to be falling into the all too familiar pattern of a mid-season slump. She she that personally, she didn't feel any kind of “heaviness” related to the team’s mindset, but rather “excited to get it right”. It is tough to understand the “why” of Racing’s recent results, and Carm called it the “million dollar question”. I think it's simply a bad break here or an unfortunate bounce there. Racing simply hasn't shown an ability to overcome the random misfortune that will inevitably be encountered in some matches. Put another way, things seem to happen TO them versus them being in control of their own destiny. I will pose a question: has it ever felt like Racing coveted control? Personally, I think control in football is a two-sided proposition. Focus too much on your opponent and you miss the details important to your own system. Focus too much on your own system and you leave yourself vulnerable when Plan A doesn't work and your opponent starts to dictate the match. Based mostly on what I have seen from this team and heard the staff, I would say that Racing are likely more guilty of the latter. When things don't go their way and they don't have immediate success, it takes a halftime talk to adjust, or when things are going their way, they sometimes seem to forget that a very capable opponent is on the other side.
I am pleased that Jae Howell seems to be back to full strength. I asked her how she felt and she joked that playing down a player and in a match with a 100 degree heat index wasn't ideal. Here is her full quote. “Physically I feel great. My past two 90 minutes, we were down one and then it was like 110 degrees out, so that just threw me in the fire a little bit, but it's been great. You know I said last game that it's my favorite thing playing on the field with those girls, and it's just been a joy to be back and a blessing to be healthy and so hopefully just keep it that way but, yeah, I'm feeling great right now.”
Racing really needs to get a result in Cary, but I think they could use some time off just as much. I feel like this team needs a reset. The last few matches have been labored affairs. The mental weight of never having gotten a result against North Carolina is something else the players will have to contend with on Sunday. After that, they will get some much-needed time off.
Racing 0 Bay 1 Post Match Thoughts
Courtesy Jordan Prather (NWSL)
Racing put in another lackluster performance and now find themselves outside of the playoff spots. I predicted that the match would pivot on an error after watching a labored first half from both sides and Louisville ended up being the one who made it.
There is a rule of thumb that you never make a defensive substitute while defending a corner, but Bev did the next worst thing by putting in Baggett and Goins to defend on a dangerous throw deep in Racing’s territory. Baggett committed the foul for a (stone cold) penalty on virtually her first action of the match. The subs of Goins and Baggett had been planned minutes before, but I think I would have told the 4th official to hold off on the subs until Racing wasn't in such a dangerous position. I'm not saying that this is a major error. I AM saying this is the type of detail you have to get right when your margins of error are so slim. Baggett hasn't played meaningful minutes in a while, so it was pretty clear that she might be rusty.
Racing will always miss Taylor Flint when she doesn't play, but they especially missed her on Saturday. The passing completion rates for both teams were well above 80%, indicative of a lack of pressure from both sides. Flint likely would not have allowed such nonsense as she lives to disrupt things. However, the heat index sucked the life out of the atmosphere, so who knows how this match plays out in other circumstances. By the way, I hate ESPN. It's full of sports shouting,
commercial breaks where college football players stand around for 5 minutes while erectile disfunction ads play ad nauseum, and frequent appearances by noted circus clown Stephen A Smith. Their worst crime may be that they mandate stupid game times to fill their schedule. I hope Racing never appears on ESPN again unless they get a decent time spot.
This team has to start to play better. You can make all of the excuses in the world and there have been plenty of extenuating circumstances, but I have heard 3 and a half years of the “this team didn't quit” platitudes. It's definitely been long enough for me to take no solace in any kind of “effort” related, “nearly there” rhetoric. I will throw out a platitude of my own…I'm not mad, just disappointed. However, I can't say I am surprised at how this season is turning out because every season before it has turned out the same way.
The Fill the Fam match is always a good time to do a pulse check on the general health of the franchise. The average attendance for Racing’s home matches this season is 7300. That is up 21.6 % from last season and also represents a 10.5% increase over the inaugural season which was their highest to date (numbers represent league matches only). Those increases aren't bad, but I suspect that Racing is going to end up around 6900 or 7000 when the season ends. If you would have asked me at the beginning of this season if I thought the roster was 21.6% improved, I would have probably said no. I think I say yes to the question now, but the roster balance is suboptimal. Racing has needed the back end of its roster this season and it has been woefully lacking. Having 4 keepers under contract is a bizarre luxury for even a top-level team. Motlhalo was given the number 10 jersey and has played 7 minutes less than that high-profile number. Clegg isn't close to seeing meaningful NWSL action and Kurosaki has seen no time. I would probably sacrifice Motlhalo, Kurosaki, or a keeper for an extra defender at this point. The transfer window doesn’t open for another month, but I think we could see some movement then.
Racing 0 Bay 1 Player Ratings
It was a day when a single mistake decided the match. Racing was not (is not) good enough to recover.
Lund-6: Got nowhere near Oshoala's penalty.
Pickett-6: Exhibited good energy going forward and had a good look at the end.
Erceg-6: Had a nervy touch or two which is unusual for her.
Jean-6: Got caught on the ball a few times.
Milliet-6: Solid as usual.
Howell-7: Looks to be getting back to full strength.
DiGrande-7: I thought this was one of her better matches.
DeMelo-6: Didn't get a whole lot of good attacking looks.
Fischer-6: Managed not to get a yellow card.
Bahr-5: Pushed Racing’s best chance wide.
Sears-6: Was not as quick or dangerous as she usually is.