2022 NWSL Season Previews: Kansas City Current, OL Reign, North Carolina Courage
/We’re wrapping up our NWSL team previews today with the Challenge Cup’s region winners, as the NWSL regular season opens tonight, April 29, 2022. You can find all of our previews here!
Kansas City Current: High voltage Current ready to shock
By Arielle Dror and Arianna Cascone
Kansas City had a rough 2021 season, finishing at the bottom of the table with 16 points and a 3-7-14 record. The team also had the worst goal differential of all teams last season, scoring only 14 goals (on 24.8 xG) and allowing 33 (on 32.1 xGA). To add insult to injury, the team was shut out in over half of their games last season (13/24) and winless through the first 17 games of 2021, including the 2021 Challenge Cup. In fact, Kansas City hadn’t won a single game in 2021 until August (and they hadn’t won on the road until the 2022 Challenge Cup…). In all fairness, the team inherited a depleted Utah Royals roster just weeks before the season began, so expectations were low to begin with, but they didn’t even have an official team name until the very last game of the season. In any case, Kansas City Woso is now Kansas City Current, and they’re writing a different story in 2022, already having won as many games over the Challenge Cup as they did in 2021.
Two players that have been crucial for the Current’s 2022 Challenge Cup success are Kristen Hamilton and Hailie Mace. Both Hamilton and Mace were acquired from the North Carolina Courage in July 2021, so this will be their first full season in Kansas City (barring any mid-season trades or long-term injuries). If their Challenge Cup play is indicative of how their regular seasons will go, we’ll be in for a treat. Kristen Hamilton led the team in shots (15), shots on target (7), goals (4), and xG (2.85). Hamilton’s game-winner in the sixth and final 2022 Challenge Cup game for the Current secured them their second win over Chicago and ultimately a home playoff semifinal match against the North Carolina Courage. While Mace only played in four of the Current’s six group-stage matches due to a right leg injury, she still played a significant role in the team’s successes. Mace led the team in g+ (1.12), recorded 11 shots with three on target, and had three goal contributions with two assists and one goal. Hopefully Mace gets healthy sooner rather than later, because the Current are a better team with her on the pitch and we’d like to see more goals like this:
That Mace goal was (a) a banger and (b) scored from way outside the 18-yard box. That seems to be a trend for Kansas City. Over the course of the 2022 Challenge Cup, the team had the fewest number of touches in the box on average per game across all teams. They’ve also been struggling to complete passes, which may contribute to their box-touches number. The Current had the worst pass completion percentage in the league (67.9%) and also underperformed their expected pass completion percentage (71.1%) during the 2022 Challenge Cup group stage. Additionally, Kansas City recorded the highest proportion of shots outside the box relative to all teams, with over half of their attempts coming from outside the 18 (42/80). Though an interesting approach, it has led to 10 goals (on 8.53 xG) and four wins for this Kansas City side, so clearly something’s working. But while the commitment to #BangersOnly is admirable, it will serve the Current well to also take shots in more efficient positions if they want to remain a strong offensive threat.
We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention that Kansas City added two more championship-caliber former Courage players to their roster over the offseason in Sam Mewis and Lynn Williams. While Mewis had been limited to just 94 minutes over two games in the 2022 Challenge Cup group stage as she recovers from a knee injury, she will no doubt become a mainstay in the Kansas City midfield once she’s back to 100%. If she can return to her 2020-2021 form – the one that earned her 2020 US Soccer Female Player of the Year and ESPN FC’s #1 women’s football player ranking in 2021 – she’ll likely be a key part of the Current’s success this season. For one, she could be a key to solving some of the passing woes that have plagued the team so far: Mewis has consistently earned extremely high passing g+ in her past several NWSL seasons.
Unfortunately, though, we’ll have to wait a little longer to see a true Hamilton, Mace, Mewis, and Williams reunion. Williams suffered a season-ending injury in the 2022 Challenge Cup opener in March, logging only 83 minutes against Racing Louisville. She underwent surgery shortly after to address what the club referred to as an ‘acute right leg injury.’
While the Courage-turned-Current players will provide veteran leadership and experience to the team, Kansas City’s young talent will play important roles this season. Both Elyse Bennett and Jenna Winebrenner have excelled for the Current thus far in the 2022 Challenge Cup, having played in all six group stage matches. They ranked second and third on the team in g+ with 0.65 and 0.50, respectively, only behind Mace. Bennett also recorded the second-most shots on the team (11, tied with Mace), with seven of those being on target (tied for first with Hamilton). With her performance in the last group-stage match against Chicago last weekend, Bennett also became the tournament assist leader (4) and helped her side to the Central Region title.
It’s always smart to take preseason tournament performances with a grain of salt. We’ve watched teams like the Houston Dash and NJ/NY Gotham FC outperform in past iterations of the tournament only to flounder afterwards. However, the Current’s strong 2022 Challenge Cup is a cause for optimism for any fan of the team. If they can sustain this momentum when it comes time to play stronger teams in the other divisions, then Kansas City have a good case to remain competitive for one of the six playoff spots. Whether they make it far into a postseason run is still an open question, but if they use this season to integrate their outstanding young talent and establish an identity in their first true season as a club, then they should be set up well for an impressive 2023.
_________________________________________________
OL Reign: Fishlocked and loaded
By Yash Thakur
After the takeover and rebranding in 2020, OL Reign have had some solid foundations under Laura Harvey, reaching the semifinals of the playoffs last year, missing out on the NWSL Shield by a mere two points, and finishing on top of their group, and the league, in the current edition of Challenge Cup. Harvey’s arrival (along with the OL loan boost) saw an uptick in the second half of the previous season.
In terms of the squad profile for OL Reign going into the season (based on Challenge Cup), the squad balance looks good with a healthy minutes distribution and a weighted average age of 26.5 years, with no minutes clocked for Rapinoe yet. While draft picks Olivia Athens, Olivia Van der Jagt have signed regular season contracts, Marley Canales is yet to sign one.
The club has seen an influx of as many as 12 players this season. The squad has its pillars in young up and coming players like Alana Cook, Bethany Balcer, and Phallon Tullis-Joyce, who are all in their peak years and playing maximum minutes. However, OL Reign’s roster is augmented with a dash of necessary wisdom due to experienced maestros Megan Rapinoe and Jess Fishlock (last season’s NWSL MVP).
The takeover by the OL group was seen as an opportunity to have some of Lyon’s players play in the US on loan. The first year saw the arrivals of Dzsenifer Marozsan, Eugénie Le Sommer and Sarah Bouhaddi on loan from the French team. With three international slots still available, a similar opportunity might still present itself this season.
Tactical outlook
Laura Harvey’s side can be characterized broadly based on their defensive solidity. Giving up the least amount of xG during the Challenge Cup this year, Reign doesn’t let opponents rain on their parade.
Harvey sets up her team in a 4-2-3-1, with Quinn and Fishlock usually forming the double pivot. As Quinn is generally tasked with providing screening presence, Fishlock adds dynamism from midfield as she pops up in the final third providing support on the ball side. Sitting in front of them is usually Lavelle, who is tasked with offensive duties, taking on players and using her dribbling abilities to push the team forward and navigate tight spaces in the final third.
The solid defensive base in Harvey’s 4-2-3-1 reflects in numbers as well, with Reign giving up the least xGA (5.46) of all teams in the Challenge Cup so far. It’s worth mentioning that this has been a standout feature of Harvey’s teams in the past. The back four is usually composed of Cook and Sam Hiatt at CB with Sofia Huerta nailed on the RB slot and Lauren Barnes playing as the LB. Huerta, a naturally more attacking RB, can be very impactful from that position. She is constantly joining the attack to provide support and whip in crosses. Huerta’s often drifting inside towards the central areas to help deal with transitions and provide bodies in the middle. Case in point, Huerta’s goal in this year’s Challenge Cup came from right in front of the box. Having Barnes as LB aids this as well, with the team transforming into a back three of sorts in buildup phase with Barnes as the third CB.
The dynamics change slightly if Jimena Lopez is given the nod at LB, with the Mexican having more of an attacking tendency. In buildup phases, this turns out in a 2-3 structure at the back with Fishlock pushing forwards. Tullis-Joyce in goal provides an added layer of security at the back, being able to pull off crucial and spectacular saves consistently. The former Stade de Reims GK is also very adept with the ball at her feet, as she’s capable of distributing well. Though Tullis-Joyce’s sweeping abilities off her line could be improved.
Reign have a good counter-pressing structure with the wingers working hard and playing an important part in suffocating teams near the touchline. The ball-sided CM provides the numerical advantage and marks out immediate options trying to cause a turnover high up the pitch. With so much pace on the wings, this allows the team to counter quickly after winning the ball back in deeper areas via their midfielders, in case teams manage to evade the first line of pressure.
The problems begin to surface in the final third. While having a solid defensive record, Reign have often lacked the final punch in the attacking third. In the Challenge Cup group stage, OL Reign recorded the joint third-least number of shots with just 68, creating 5.79 xG (4th lowest). However, the team scored 11 times and outperformed their xG by over five. These 11 goals came from 10 different goal scorers, which indicates a distribution of responsibilities among the roster. With that said, though, the attacking underlyings haven't been convincing so far. While their xGD (expected goal differential) is 0.33, solidly midtable, their actual goal differential is the best in the league at six thanks in part to that overperformance. Luck might have been on Reign’s side during the Challenge Cup, but it’s unlikely that they will continue to earn wins if their offensive performance maintains status quo.
Balcer will be tasked with leading the line from the front, but without the help from Le Sommer, whose loan ended last season, and Rapinoe (injury), the other wingers will have to step up big time in terms of final output.
Standout players
Rose Lavelle
Lavelle joined Reign mid-season last year and was a part of the second half upsurge by the team. She has already equalled her goal tally from last year, albeit just one goal, but she looks set to play an instrumental role this season. Lavelle floats across the final third providing support wherever needed along with Fishlock. We can immediately see from ASA’s g+ added model that her best trait is her ability to take-on players, carry possession forward and create space to then play the final ball or have a shot herself. Her ability to receive into half-spaces under pressure and earn a foul is good as well.
Bethany Balcer
The 2019 rookie of the year scored nine goals in 2021, leading the charts for goals p90 and was one of the most threatening players for Reign last season and across the league. Her ability to get into good positions to shoot is highlighted well in her g+ ASA wheel. A lot of the goalscoring burden will be shouldered by Balcer.
Sofia Huerta
The right back has been brilliant so far for Reign in terms of their offensive and defensive structure. Her impact on the offensive end with excellent crosses into the box is impeccable. She can pick out targets for her crosses from deep aimed right at the heart of the box, which is represented well above. After transitioning from winger to a fullback late last season Huerta has settled in the role and begun to maximize her potential as a two-way threat for her side.
Angelina
Another option in midfield is Angelina, whose versatility has seen her deployed on the wings and up front on occasion. Her speed allows her to make quick recoveries and keep track of speedy forwards while being perfectly adept on the ball. When attacking, she uses her pace and quick combinations to manifest and attack space really well. With a long season ahead, she should be seeing a lot more minutes this season and has the potential to have a breakout season.
Conclusion
While Reign are a stable side under Harvey and look set for a good season, there are obvious areas of concern as well. Some of the attacking concerns might be alleviated when Rapinoe is back in the mix, given the US international’s sheer impact. The forward will not only add goals but also add a creative punch via her crosses and set-pieces. Balcer’s performance will also be crucial for the team’s fortunes in front of the goal. While the team likely has their sights set on an NWSL Championship after losing in the semifinals last season, the lack of a cutting edge in front of goal might see them fall short again, unless a game changer of a loanee(s) appears out of the wild for another boost in the second half of the season.
_________________________________________________
North Carolina Courage: Don't Call It A Comeback Rebuild
By Arianna Cascone and Jay Carter
In 2021, the North Carolina Courage snuck their way into the playoffs in an unfamiliar position. They clinched the sixth seed with a 9-6-9 record after leaving their fate up to the Houston Dash on Decision Day. Previously, the Courage had only ever been the number-one seed heading into the playoffs. They were NWSL Shield winners from 2017-2019 and won the league in back-to-back fashion in 2018 and 2019. The story ended differently in 2021, though, as the Courage lost in overtime to the Washington Spirit in the first round of the NWSL Playoffs. It’s important to mention that North Carolina were playoff contenders last season despite the off-the-field adversity they faced. Their former head coach was fired mid-season after reports of repeated sexual coercion, and assistant coach Sean Nahas took over the interim head coaching position before being named head coach in the off season. It will be interesting to see how North Carolina’s season pans out in 2022, which will (hopefully) have less off-the-field turbulence.
A disbanded dynasty
In previous years, the Courage were heralded as an unstoppable dynasty. Now, they’re in the midst of a rebuild.
Although returning players that accounted for 68.5% of their 2021 Regular Season minutes, this number underestimates North Carolina’s losses. In the forward position, the Courage will be without current and former United States Women’s National Team greats Lynn Williams (KC Current), Amy Rodriguez (retirement), and Jess McDonald (Racing Louisville FC) in 2022. Last season, Williams and McDonald led the team in goals with seven and four, respectively. Rodriguez joined the squad in July 2021 following a trade with the Kansas City Current that sent Hallie Mace and Katelyn Rowland to Kansas City and contributed another three goals for the North Carolina attack. Even with this star power, the Courage were shut out in nine of their 24 regular-season games and their lone playoff game in 2021.
The Courage midfield has also been shaken up, with Sam Mewis (KC Current) and Cari Roccaro (Angel City FC) joining new clubs in the offseason. So far, the Courage have attempted to plug the Mewis-sized hole in the midfield with Malia Berkely or Meredith Speck to reasonable, if not Tower-of-Power-like, effect. That said, Mewis was out for the majority of last season following the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, having only suited up for the Courage five times in 2021. Her absence will undoubtedly be felt in 2022, but it won’t come as a shock to the Courage midfield that had to operate without her in 2021.
Returners and new additions
The North Carolina defense will be returning their go-to personnel in Carson Pickett (24 matches played (MP)/24 starts), Merritt Mathias (22 MP/22 starts), Kaleigh Kurtz (22 MP/21 starts), Abby Erceg (20 MP/20 starts), and goalkeeper Casey Murphy (23 MP, 23 starts).
Most of Murphy’s 2021 season could be included in a highlight reel. Despite North Carolina losing five of their last eight games, Murphy tied the league record for most clean sheets in a single season (11) and followed that stellar regular season up by breaking her own record for most saves in a playoff match (13) in 2021. Murphy was largely the reason the Courage battled into overtime in the NWSL Playoffs in 2021, with the quarterfinal game being a battle of the goalkeepers.
Interestingly, though, Murphy was snubbed from the NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year shortlist in 2021 as NJ/NY Gotham FC’s (now San Diego Wave’s) Kailen Sheridan, Portland Thorns FC’s Bella Bixby, and Washington Spirit’s eventual-winner Aubrey Kingsbury (née Bledsoe) were in the running.
We didn’t get a chance to see Murphy in the 2022 Challenge Cup due to an injury, but Courage fans should be reassured that upon her return, their last line of defense will be one of the best in the league.
Debinha is also returning to the pitch for the Courage in 2022. The Brazilian playmaker saw a dip in her performance compared to recent years in 2021, as she posted a g+ per 96’ of only +0.09, compared to +0.26 g+ per 96’ and +0.23 g+ per 96’ in 2020 and 2019, respectively. She also scored the fewest goals in 2021 than she has in any other NWSL season (three). However, her form seems to be returning. She’s scored four goals through six games in the 2022 Challenge Cup and has been the key to the Courage’s midfield so far this season. Hopefully she continues to get on the scoresheet for the Courage come the 2022 Regular Season.
Given her history of excellence in this league and with North Carolina, her leadership and experience on and off the pitch will undoubtedly help guide this new Courage roster in 2022.
The new-look Courage have made a few notable additions in Kiara Pickett, Brianna Pinto, Kerolin, and Jaelene Daniels.
Pickett was the 4th overall pick in the 2021 NWSL draft, a pick made by Kansas City who traded a whopping $175,000 in allocation money to then-Sky Blue to get the pick. She started 13 games for Kansas City, all at fullback. She did not light the world on fire statistically, as she recorded -0.34 g+ compared to the average fullback in 2021. The continuity of the Courage backline has meant some shuffling of roles for players, and Pickett is one of the prime examples. In her appearances, Nahas has deployed Pickett in the attacking midfield role in the Courage box, where she has chipped in one assist. There will probably be time for Pickett at fullback this year (starter Merritt Mathias is the NWSL all-time leader in yellow cards so there might be a couple accumulation issues) but for now, Pickett is on the field in a new role and growing into it quickly.
Pinto was picked third overall by NJ/NY Gotham FC in the 2021 NWSL Draft following a successful career at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). She struggled to break into Gotham’s midfield in 2021 and only appeared in 10 games for Gotham, playing 195 minutes. Even so, Pinto’s ceiling is high, as she scored 31 goals and assisted another 19 in 73 appearances for the Tar Heels at UNC. Being back in her home state and reunited with head coach Sean Nahas, who she says has been “instrumental in her development,” will hopefully help her tap into her potential. She’s already opened her account with North Carolina in 2022, scoring a goal in her very first appearance, and against her previous club, during the Challenge Cup.
North Carolina signed Brazilian forward Kerolin to a three-year contract in the off-season. She will undoubtedly help bolster the Courage attack this season, as she has five goals through seven appearances with the Brazilian Women’s National Team. She will likely link up with fellow Brazilian international Debinha this season and add some goals (and assists) to the scoresheet for the Courage. In three appearances, Kerolin has been a complete menace and will continue to cause a number of embarrassing moments for NWSL defenders. She’s recorded 11 shots (three on target), and 0.96 xG. She also drew two penalties against the Washington Spirit in the final group stage match. In just 158 minutes of play, Kerolin has racked up 1.32 g+, good for fourth on the team and more than twice any other Courage player per minute.
*Number of passes completed over/under expected. Regular season, only.
Jaelene Daniels, the Courage’s 2019 Defender of the Year and two-time NWSL champion, came out of retirement and agreed to a one-year contract with the Courage in the offseason amidst a lot of controversy. The signing may seem a bit confusing, as her position was (successfully) filled by Carson Pickett in 2021. Pickett had a break-out season in the Courage’s backline in 2021 and ended the year with a 2021 Best XI First-Team nod. Pickett’s 2021 passing statistics in North Carolina bested those of Jaelene Daniels from 2018 and 2019 in nearly every category, and Pickett’s 2021 g+ statistics were not so far off from Daniels’s most recent NWSL season g+ numbers. For what it’s worth, Jay basically predicted that C. Pickett would fit in well and excel in the Courage’s line-up in his 2021 season preview last year.
Prior to the 2022 Challenge Cup, Daniels hadn’t played competitive soccer since the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup, and even though she was an important part of the North Carolina defense pre-retirement (and child), it’s unclear how she’ll fit into the 2022 edition of the Courage. So far this Challenge Cup, she’s mostly been playing out of her natural position, as North Carolina has been relying on Carson Pickett, Abby Erceg, Kaleigh Kurtz, and Merritt Mathias in the back line. Daniels has recorded 10 shots (two on target) while adding one goal so far for the Courage. However, Daniels slotted into the backline in the final 2022 Challenge Cup group stage game for the Courage, as Pickett was sidelined in a walking boot. While Pickett is likely the regular starter, it’s great for the Courage to have depth in their backline. If Pickett stays healthy, it will be interesting to see if Daniels ever slots into the defense during the 2022 Regular Season.
Challenge Cup performance and 2022 Regular Season prognosis
The Challenge Cup has gone (surprisingly?) well for the Courage so far, despite the overhauled roster. They came out of the gates with an interesting strategy, lining up with 6+ players that have spent significant time in their career as defenders on the field at a time (playing Jae Daniels, Kiara Pickett, Malia Berkely at the 9, 10, and 6 respectively), and it’s been working for them. Berkely has fit seamlessly beside Courage defensive midfield stalwart Denise O’Sullivan in the midfield as a second ball-winner (there are far worse ways to use defenders with a knack for interceptions - Berkely has put up 0.57 g+ interrupting in just 350 minutes played). She put that nose for the ball to good use and then found the net with an absolute banger against Washington to open her scoring account with the Courage. The additions of Kerolin Nicoli and sixth-overall 2022 draft pick Diana Ordóñez, as well as experienced French international Valérie Gauvin (who has yet to appear for the club), may shake up the attacking rotation. Emily Gray has quite the task ahead of her if she wants to break into the midfield, but she was selected third overall in the 2022 draft as a promising box-to-box midfielder. The Courage came away from the group stage with 12 points, a 3-3-0 record, and the East Region title. They’ll travel to Kansas City to play the Current in the 2022 Challenge Cup semi-finals on May fourth.
Even with their 2022 Challenge Cup successes, it’s hard to tell whether the Courage will find their usual levels of post-season success in 2022. If they can find the back of the net this season, their defense, anchored by one of the best goalkeepers in the NWSL (despite what end-of-season awards might say…) and maybe the best center back in the league in captain Abby Erceg, just might be able to push them into playoff contention.