season preview
Off the top, shoutout Shea Butter FC Podcast. Not just for existing and providing essential coverage of women’s footie, but also coining Wavé (wah-vay). It’s the first place I heard it said, so until corrected, I am crediting them for a great name that needs to stick.
FIRST WAVE
2022 recap
It was a dream inaugural season: the face-of-the-franchise superstar acquisition had a career resurgence and led the league in goals, the #1 overall pick in the draft made an instant impact on the team, and a manager from one of the biggest clubs in the world (and baddest collection of coats) led the franchise to its first playoff win. We are talking about golden boot winner and MVP nominee Alex Morgan, rookie AND defender of the year Naomi Girma, and manager of the year Casey Stoney.
Unfortunately, the team ended the season on the wrong side of a scripted-for-television moment when Portland Thorns’ Crystal Dunn scored a ripper in the 92nd minute to break the 1-1 deadlock. It was her 5th NWSL appearance of 2022 and first goal since giving birth in May. Oh and Rocky Rodriguez scored this nasty volley.
Can’t even say it was some San Diego cursed nonsense because the Thorns were just that good last season.
2023 TRANSACTIONS:
players IN
players OUT
2023 storylines to follow
SHALLOW WATERS OF DEPTH
In 2022, Abby Dahlkemper looked a shadow of the defensive stalwart that anchored back-to-back NWSL titles with the Courage and secured a fourth World Cup trophy for current champions USWNT. Well, back in January she announced she was recovering from a back surgery she had after the 2022 season. There is no timetable for her return as of now, but with the back issue, a bout of Covid at the beginning of the season and a fractured rib in May, it would explain some of her struggles on the pitch. A lazy Google search says a 6-12 month recovery from surgery. Wave have her listed as SEI (season-ending injury) on the team website. (I wonder if that designation opens a roster spot. Would love to know if someone knows!)
With seven defenders currently listed on the roster, including Dahlkemper, only Girma and Kaleigh Riehl had significant playing time at center back last season. NOT OPTIMAL IN MY OPINION. Kristen McNabb has covered CB in previous NWSL seasons, so I would guess she gets the nod when Girma goes off to win a World Cup in the summer.
AH MIRA, LA AMIRAH
My favorite player last season besides GirmaGod was fellow rookie Amirah Ali. Even though attacking options were deep with plenty of veterans, Ali quickly demonstrated her unique abilities in limited minutes.
The eye test will tell you she has two things no other attacking player on the roster has: blessed dribbling skills and a knack for ball recovery. I pieced some of my favorite moments below:
While Sofia Jakobsson has some joga bonito in her bag, she doesn’t have the burst to leave a defender chasing. Jaeydn Shaw can produce magic from 1-on-1s but she isn’t winning tackles at the same rate as Ali. (consider Shaw’s 261 minutes played is a small sample size)
The stat test also backs these points. Among her positional peers (Attacking Mid, Wingers), Ali ranks in the 96 percentile in both Successful Take-Ons (2.71/per 90) and Tackles (3.36/per 90) ACROSS THE TOP 8 WOMEN’S LEAGUES AROUND THE WORLD.
So I couldn’t understand why her playing time was so limited during her rookie season. She featured in 18 of 22 regular season games and averaged just 31 minutes a match. In an interview with Shea Butter FC Podcast, Ali mentions aftereffects of getting Covid, as well as a few knocks during the season. She wasn’t on the team sheet for a match against Angel City in September due to a knee injury.
There will still be competition to break into the starting lineup despite Katie Johnson and Jodie Taylor not returning, but Ali’s dynamic ability to contribute on both sides of the ball and create space where none exists should see her get a massive increase in minutes. We’d like to see average minutes per match in the 60s this season.
MATCH PREVIEW
Our Wavé are 3-0-0 against the Chicago Red Stars, including a 1-0 thriller at Soldier Field last July where Shaw became the youngest player to score in a NWSL debut, Kailen Sheridan saved a late penalty, and a 10-player squad saw the match through for the final 30 minutes. The other two wins at home were 2-1 score lines that don’t reflect the dominant performances by the Wavé.
Chicago lost two of its starting midfielders to free agency this offseason, Vanessa DiBernardo and of course our Danielle Colaprico. I have no idea if that team is going to be good out the gate. I do know Mallory Swanson is playing absolutely possessed and I will fear every moment she’s facing goal with the ball. If you have an Athletic sub, read this Swanson piece on why she’s been so good.
PREDICTION: Colaprico gets the “playing against former team” stat buff and fills the midfield linkup missing from last year’s squad to avoid “just hoof it” ball, Rachel Hill scores with the facing former team stat buff, Swanson fails the Girma test. 3-0 Wavé.
KNOW BALL LINKS
Why or why not Taylor Kornieck is a 6
Read and watch this NXGN feature on Jaedyn Shaw
A Catarina Macario interview where she mentions the possibility of coming home (San Diego!)
1 question for every NWSL team this preseason
Play around on FB Reference. So much good stuff and why I tried to link player pages
Here’s a little thread on VAR as it makes its NWSL debut this season
