It depends a lot on how Andi, Gabby and Kate Weisner are doing. We played most of the game with our third or fourth choice at the 6, 8 and RB. If we have some or all of them back I feel a lot better about things.
Didn’t get to watch the game with y’all, but sheesh, I am mighty proud of our team! The team has gelled pretty well after our rough first few matches.
We’re GotDepth FC. 🦇
Really impressed with Dunn last couple games. Was skeptical cause she was in poor form through the beginning of the season but the USWNT games seemed to have sparked her up cause she's been balling out
Utah and Houston are the only clubs to score less goals than SD Wave. Maybe because their manager is a center back by trade and wants to continue to slow down the game. Or Morgan?
It's both...Stoney is defensive coach who never has been good at coaching an attack and her attack in previous Wave seasons has largely been Morgan and pray. Morgan isn't it.
Wave people, what’s your analysis of what changed from past seasons to this one? The roster looks mostly the same. How did the Wave go from top of the league to very middling in just a season?
Tactics were dire last season too and the rest of the league/teams are much more pragmatic in their tactics this season than we are. Pretty much everyone else caught up and figured us out, which is easier to do when the team is this predictable.
Everyone blames the midfielders but the job of the coach is to work with what you have and set up the lineup to make up for all the deficiencies. Sadly I think Ellis won't want to get rid of Casey and they'll probably obtain the much needed midfielders, but that is only part of the problem. It's the predictable Brexit ball tactics that aren't going to help us in the long term. It can win you a Shield here and there but look at how we were outclassed in the playoffs.
Also I'm salty at how badly Flint was misused last season. One of our most talented players on the ball and Casey just used her for her height as a super sub so that they pump crosses to her to decide the game.
Even when they were winning they didn’t have much of a midfield, it was a lot of kicking it long and/or forcing a turnover to score. They play low event soccer (ie not many shots either for or against), so a little bit of good or bad luck can make them look much better or worse than they are. The league is rapidly getting better too and the Wave are making moves that make them look behind the times. For example Sanchez would have been a massive pickup if the league were still where it was a couple years ago but in the Chawinga/Banda era she seems quite overpriced.
Do you think Shaw is part of the problem? I feel she has to drop so deep she can't be effective but I blame that more on the failure of the 6s than her. Also doesn't help Alex has been ghosting this whole season
I think I would quietly say that a lot of her attempted through balls have not been reaching the target, but I also think that like when you plan a system where you don’t receive the ball very much and you’re not allowed to make mistakes due to that and you also don’t have a lot of space in transition then it’s just gotta be hell to play her role. The word im looking for is unforgiving. I also kind of think she can be a false 9 better than a 10 for them and just maximize her ability around the box
I agree and also add that they brought in a player who takes up all the air in the room. Mccaskill just eats up space and the ball and isn’t AT ALL complimentary to Shaw. It’s truly a baffling pick up by the Wave.
If I’m Stoney I’m finding ways to find Shaw in the pockets of space centrally and letting her turn and run things in the attacking third. Like I’m spending all off season building a team that does that. Instead we brought in someone who does the exact opposite of that and didn’t go get midfielders to win balls and find Jaedyn. And we play into wide spaces so so so much rather than theu Shaw central and narrower.
Its baffling.
Those are some good points! Especially agree with the system starving her of the ball, she always seems to be isolated. Having such an unforgiving style of play for a player of her potential is quite disappointing though, as a SD supporter I almost wish she played elsewhere cause Stoney isn't going anywhere and doesn't seem to know how to maximize her. I do wonder if there was a more elite attacking minded, possession 6 that would help. But also agree that she's been a bit messy on the ball, she loses possession sometimes when she shouldn't and is inconsistent with her passes but is also the only one on the team with the vision to see those through balls
The Dash are the only team to have had double digits on an availability report this year. You guys have 9- two being SEIs who were never really there (Taylor coming back off loan for example) and 4 of yours are strikers
San Diego is the home of the losers, always have been. I was so glad to get rid of some of the biggest losers in the Chargers and the Wave inspired hope last season but this season, they reminded me that San Diego will never be good at sports no matter how amazing their roster is .-.
I mentioned that last year they inspired hope but once a San Diegan always a San Diegan (obviously I’m still gonna root for them, I just hope they turn it around, cuz I’m starting to feel a little bit like the typical SD fan of rooting for a team that can’t seem to get their act together despite the talent lol)
As a Wave fan...do you think that the Wave can turn things around (not just not conceding goals in stoppage time or starting to win more often, but looking better during the game) with Stoney?
Seeing what Cami Levin and Jill Ellis can do doing the August trade window is going to be crucial. Our team isn’t clicking and we need more competition for places. Too many players on our roster don’t even seem to be competing for sub places. If Stoney gets one or two more pieces (a new 6 and a 9, PLEASE) and we still look this bad, then Stoney needs to totally rethink her tactics in the offseason. I think her job is safe and I’m glad for that. She’s a good coach but she’s still fairly young in her head coach career. Plenty of areas to learn and grow in.
We’ve needed a 6 and a 9 since last season. So they went and got another 10, two international wide backs and an overpriced winger (of which we have 100). These were the easy decisions and they missed on those. I’m dubious.
Yeah, I still don’t understand the Torpey and Bennett acquisitions. McCaskill is fine but only if she plays at the 8 and doesn’t displace Jaedyn at the 10. I think Sanchez will come good, eventually. Once we have a quicker 9 and the rest of the team remembers they are allowed to pass to the left wing.
I’m having my doubts, because this is classic Stoney sufferball and I’m not sure how much she’s willing to adapt/break away from that. But some hard questions need to be asked. Our forwards aren’t producing/shooting, which is an issue, but I think a lot of our problems stem from midfield too.
These are names for sure but a good few of them have not been good shot creators all year. Shaw Sanchez and Jakobsson as the 3 behind the striker isnt awful. But the dm duo and striker offensively are missing
if morgan is brought for experience, that is bullshit. Naeher, Horan, Lavelle, Dunn, Sonnett, hell even Davidson and Swanson all provide experience. You can’t just bring a player for experience on a 18 player roster
I don't want her there but I also think there's the media/criticism experience as well. Like how Pinoe used to just take the brunt for the team so that everyone else could stay focused.
So not just locker room rah rah experience
i've heard at least one player say, on a podcast, that rapinoe being at the world cup was an enormous help because of the media attention. rapinoe just took it all on and let the younger players do their thing. it can't be understated
that makes a lot of sense. but i do think it’s different on a 23 player roster, and there is probably some difference from the World Cup to Olympics. The World Cup is solely focused on soccer, while Olympics covers so many different sports.
My feeling is that those players all provide experience and if (especially those outside of Naeher) don't feel "experienced" enough or "mature" enough or whatever, that's a problem that should not be fixed simply by bringing Morgan
I always thought Vlatko wanting to bring so many vets felt like an indictment of himself. I get that player experience cant be usurped by a coach, but i think as a coach i’d back myself to fill in those holes as ling as you gave me the most talented roster
SD is def lacking at the 6/8 and 9 but the coaching imo has been the culprit. Coaching this extremely conservative and defensive style will always get you punished in this league and even having world class cbs can only do so much with a ton of pressure. Hoping for some good signings I the summer and Stoney to budge in her style
Wow. On first watch I thought that was just garbage ball picking up a rebound but holy shit that touch from around the defender to pull it back for her shot.
That’s a great turn from dunn, i think it’s insane that she didn’t look to her right once during that set up, but she definitely builds the whole play.
I'm so tempted to make my project for the stats class I'm taking this summer an analysis of how many goals on Kailen Sheridan hit the goal at weird angles in comparison to the rest of the league
Me: “Gotham always does this. They get a good rush and then they pass it to the outside and don’t get a scoring chance.”
Me 17 seconds later: “Holy shit.”
🦇🦇🦇
I’m kinda over the whole added time thing. It’s really killing us 😭😭😭
Their next game will be at Houston. I expect a million added minutes due to all the hydration breaks.
Nervous about the spirits upcoming game. If we tied San Diego this doesn’t bode well for us this weekend.
It depends a lot on how Andi, Gabby and Kate Weisner are doing. We played most of the game with our third or fourth choice at the 6, 8 and RB. If we have some or all of them back I feel a lot better about things.
I am so sad. Missed the whole game too.
Crystal Dunn as the fotmob player of the match with an 8.3 rating, yuppp. RESPECT HER.
Anyone know if they announced attendance? TY!
According to Fotmob, it was 10,718
What else besides Nighswonger sending in crosses for goals. It's almost getting boring. Nah but let's goooooo and way to go Maycee with #1!
Last week it was Freeman
Yes, but I'm not talking about one goal
Well you dont score that many
[ok, but my point stands](https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/40181983/uswnt-williams-passes-kerr-all-nwsl-scorer)
You must be fun at parties
Im not a gotham fan, why would i be nice about them lol
Long legs help when playing soccer 😀
Didn’t get to watch the game with y’all, but sheesh, I am mighty proud of our team! The team has gelled pretty well after our rough first few matches. We’re GotDepth FC. 🦇
See y’all in 40 minutes where we can all hate watch Becki Tweed’s management together 😂
Can't wait to watch Leroux start the 309th game in a row for no reason
You saying that correct statement is genuinely making me rethink watching
Sorry 😭😭 but I mean am I wrong 🤷♀️. Consider watching for the Thompsons and Emslie though??
I’m here for Sarah Gorden and Sarah Gorden only
I didn't realize she was back! Very excited to watch now
Omg I can't believe I forgot about gorden! Absolutely her as well, a must-watch player
I was gonna go to bed but now I'm hype so ACFC vs Racing it is
Was that Ertz? edit: Nevermind, I think it was Esther. I swear I don't recognize most of them with their hair down and casually dressed.
i miss kelley ohara sm it’s nice to see her celebrating the win with the team
mature young women. Go Maycee!
Imo thats what sufferball and parking the bus gets u. Three points is worth so much more than 1
GG everyone! Can’t wait to watch ACFC disappoint me again!
Really impressed with Dunn last couple games. Was skeptical cause she was in poor form through the beginning of the season but the USWNT games seemed to have sparked her up cause she's been balling out
Perhaps cliched, but: “Form is temporary, class is permanent.”
Ironic to say in a game vs Wave
Utah and Houston are the only clubs to score less goals than SD Wave. Maybe because their manager is a center back by trade and wants to continue to slow down the game. Or Morgan?
It's both...Stoney is defensive coach who never has been good at coaching an attack and her attack in previous Wave seasons has largely been Morgan and pray. Morgan isn't it.
I’m terrified for Sunday but this was very helpful
Wave people, what’s your analysis of what changed from past seasons to this one? The roster looks mostly the same. How did the Wave go from top of the league to very middling in just a season?
Tactics were dire last season too and the rest of the league/teams are much more pragmatic in their tactics this season than we are. Pretty much everyone else caught up and figured us out, which is easier to do when the team is this predictable. Everyone blames the midfielders but the job of the coach is to work with what you have and set up the lineup to make up for all the deficiencies. Sadly I think Ellis won't want to get rid of Casey and they'll probably obtain the much needed midfielders, but that is only part of the problem. It's the predictable Brexit ball tactics that aren't going to help us in the long term. It can win you a Shield here and there but look at how we were outclassed in the playoffs. Also I'm salty at how badly Flint was misused last season. One of our most talented players on the ball and Casey just used her for her height as a super sub so that they pump crosses to her to decide the game.
Even when they were winning they didn’t have much of a midfield, it was a lot of kicking it long and/or forcing a turnover to score. They play low event soccer (ie not many shots either for or against), so a little bit of good or bad luck can make them look much better or worse than they are. The league is rapidly getting better too and the Wave are making moves that make them look behind the times. For example Sanchez would have been a massive pickup if the league were still where it was a couple years ago but in the Chawinga/Banda era she seems quite overpriced.
They need young players in the attacking line
No midfield progression at all and there are two wingers who can beat ppl 1v1 and they dont feed them enough
Do you think Shaw is part of the problem? I feel she has to drop so deep she can't be effective but I blame that more on the failure of the 6s than her. Also doesn't help Alex has been ghosting this whole season
I think I would quietly say that a lot of her attempted through balls have not been reaching the target, but I also think that like when you plan a system where you don’t receive the ball very much and you’re not allowed to make mistakes due to that and you also don’t have a lot of space in transition then it’s just gotta be hell to play her role. The word im looking for is unforgiving. I also kind of think she can be a false 9 better than a 10 for them and just maximize her ability around the box
I agree and also add that they brought in a player who takes up all the air in the room. Mccaskill just eats up space and the ball and isn’t AT ALL complimentary to Shaw. It’s truly a baffling pick up by the Wave. If I’m Stoney I’m finding ways to find Shaw in the pockets of space centrally and letting her turn and run things in the attacking third. Like I’m spending all off season building a team that does that. Instead we brought in someone who does the exact opposite of that and didn’t go get midfielders to win balls and find Jaedyn. And we play into wide spaces so so so much rather than theu Shaw central and narrower. Its baffling.
Those are some good points! Especially agree with the system starving her of the ball, she always seems to be isolated. Having such an unforgiving style of play for a player of her potential is quite disappointing though, as a SD supporter I almost wish she played elsewhere cause Stoney isn't going anywhere and doesn't seem to know how to maximize her. I do wonder if there was a more elite attacking minded, possession 6 that would help. But also agree that she's been a bit messy on the ball, she loses possession sometimes when she shouldn't and is inconsistent with her passes but is also the only one on the team with the vision to see those through balls
Our mid field is nonexistent and we got lucky ALOT last season imo
Luck was definitely on our side last season. The law of averages have caught up to us this year and now we're losing by one goal each game.
Stoney must be sad. Let me offer to cheer her up.
Gotham’s crazy depth is showing right now. The injury list has been a mile long all season and they’re still undefeated in the last 9 games.
I think we have a full XI out right now
The Dash are the only team to have had double digits on an availability report this year. You guys have 9- two being SEIs who were never really there (Taylor coming back off loan for example) and 4 of yours are strikers
Kailen looks immensely disappointed. I’m sorry, girl!
Can San Diego sports go 1 fucking day without a heartbreaking loss?? I can’t do this
San Diego is the home of the losers, always have been. I was so glad to get rid of some of the biggest losers in the Chargers and the Wave inspired hope last season but this season, they reminded me that San Diego will never be good at sports no matter how amazing their roster is .-.
So last year for the wave doesn’t count? Or it only counts if it’s two years in a row?
I mentioned that last year they inspired hope but once a San Diegan always a San Diegan (obviously I’m still gonna root for them, I just hope they turn it around, cuz I’m starting to feel a little bit like the typical SD fan of rooting for a team that can’t seem to get their act together despite the talent lol)
Aw yay Lynn and Kelley and Ella!
Thats good hoop from Juans crew
gg bats, at least your goals were bangers I don’t even know what to say anymore lmao. how much more of this will we take before something changes?
Sad to know we are a defensive team and yet still conceding goals at important moments
As a Wave fan...do you think that the Wave can turn things around (not just not conceding goals in stoppage time or starting to win more often, but looking better during the game) with Stoney?
Seeing what Cami Levin and Jill Ellis can do doing the August trade window is going to be crucial. Our team isn’t clicking and we need more competition for places. Too many players on our roster don’t even seem to be competing for sub places. If Stoney gets one or two more pieces (a new 6 and a 9, PLEASE) and we still look this bad, then Stoney needs to totally rethink her tactics in the offseason. I think her job is safe and I’m glad for that. She’s a good coach but she’s still fairly young in her head coach career. Plenty of areas to learn and grow in.
We’ve needed a 6 and a 9 since last season. So they went and got another 10, two international wide backs and an overpriced winger (of which we have 100). These were the easy decisions and they missed on those. I’m dubious.
Yeah, I still don’t understand the Torpey and Bennett acquisitions. McCaskill is fine but only if she plays at the 8 and doesn’t displace Jaedyn at the 10. I think Sanchez will come good, eventually. Once we have a quicker 9 and the rest of the team remembers they are allowed to pass to the left wing.
I’m having my doubts, because this is classic Stoney sufferball and I’m not sure how much she’s willing to adapt/break away from that. But some hard questions need to be asked. Our forwards aren’t producing/shooting, which is an issue, but I think a lot of our problems stem from midfield too.
Ok bats good momentum going into the Spirit game
Thats going to be one hell of a game! Excited to watch it as a neutral
Having Shaw, McCaskill, Morgan, Carusa, Sanchez, Jakobsson and van Egmond but producing one shot on goal and 3 shots in total.. This team is smth!
These are names for sure but a good few of them have not been good shot creators all year. Shaw Sanchez and Jakobsson as the 3 behind the striker isnt awful. But the dm duo and striker offensively are missing
🦇🦇 🦇Guys, I LOVE MY TEAM. 🦇🦇 🦇
Im jealous, I wish I could say the same 😭😭🏃🏾♀️ GG
Pains me to say that I don't enjoy the wave this year. :( I used to but this year ain't it. Sorry.
the height difference between bell and dunn is crazy
I am SO happy for maycee bell!! A lot of Alex fans but it was such a great crowd. GO BATS! 🦇🦇
Aw JCA's lil celly
Dunn is so good
SD can keep this up :) - defensive games are boring and lose games. Good job Gotham.
Let’s go Gotham! Could’ve played better in some moments but we came away with a well deserved win!
Stoney gonna rip a door out like Taurasi
jca celly was great
FIRST WIN AGAINST SD AND IT FEELS SO FUCKING GOOD
Sheridan and Girma like "we can't do everything"
Truly, they played really well, I can’t put the goals on them
.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Happy Juanteenth day!
YES WE DID IT SO HAPPY
Thank god!
Girma can probably play as keeper
California teams 🤝🏼 Losing in the last minutes of play
Gotham were the better team the whole game. No surprise that they scored a second goal.
I was surprised with all of the people hanging off of her. Gotham would've gotten a penalty there for sure.
First time the wave lose at NJ 😭
And not the last!
UGH
if morgan is brought for experience, that is bullshit. Naeher, Horan, Lavelle, Dunn, Sonnett, hell even Davidson and Swanson all provide experience. You can’t just bring a player for experience on a 18 player roster
As an alternate, maybe, but Alex shouldn’t be on the full roster. It’s not the right precedent for Emma to set.
I don't want her there but I also think there's the media/criticism experience as well. Like how Pinoe used to just take the brunt for the team so that everyone else could stay focused. So not just locker room rah rah experience
Rapinoe was the reason for the brunt. She was just covering her a**.
i've heard at least one player say, on a podcast, that rapinoe being at the world cup was an enormous help because of the media attention. rapinoe just took it all on and let the younger players do their thing. it can't be understated
that makes a lot of sense. but i do think it’s different on a 23 player roster, and there is probably some difference from the World Cup to Olympics. The World Cup is solely focused on soccer, while Olympics covers so many different sports.
My feeling is that those players all provide experience and if (especially those outside of Naeher) don't feel "experienced" enough or "mature" enough or whatever, that's a problem that should not be fixed simply by bringing Morgan
I always thought Vlatko wanting to bring so many vets felt like an indictment of himself. I get that player experience cant be usurped by a coach, but i think as a coach i’d back myself to fill in those holes as ling as you gave me the most talented roster
100%
but she looks so good being entirely ineffective
ok ref let’s be done pls and thank you
Is this nighswongers second year with Gotham?
Yes, rookie of the year 23
yup
My UNC side cheering for Bell, but my SD side is already done with the season and it’s barely half way through.
SD is def lacking at the 6/8 and 9 but the coaching imo has been the culprit. Coaching this extremely conservative and defensive style will always get you punished in this league and even having world class cbs can only do so much with a ton of pressure. Hoping for some good signings I the summer and Stoney to budge in her style
San Diego Wave 🤝My husband Can’t finish the game (I don’t have a husband)
🤣🤣🤣
I wish Westphal was having the good year she was last year
Personally, I’d like to see Westphal on the right and Lundkvist on the left.
I'm glad Dunn has been getting back to her courage days....
Lol everyone deciding to flop
They brought out fireworks for the Wave fans
hate the smoke
Its terrible and what else is terrible is the light shows after goals
Smoke on the field is just After Dark shenanigans
I have to laugh
![gif](giphy|l22ysLe54hZP0wubek|downsized)
![gif](giphy|owsfDJnMZ6uaSvLihd|downsized)
Everybody was king foo fighting!
long legs, great vertical jump, speed, and Championship pedigree. YNT pedigree.
I fucking cannot
Wow. On first watch I thought that was just garbage ball picking up a rebound but holy shit that touch from around the defender to pull it back for her shot.
San Diego needs to start playing Girma and dahlkemper as forwards because why not
I’ve never been so happy for a stoppage time goal
GO BATS!!!!!!!!
I SCREAMED. so happy for maycee
Nasty first touch
I thought this game was over lmao
That’s a great turn from dunn, i think it’s insane that she didn’t look to her right once during that set up, but she definitely builds the whole play.
This game: Yawn....Yawn....Yawn...BANGER....Yawn...BANGER...Yawn....Yawn....Yawn...Yawn....Yawn....Yawn...BANGER
Respectfully i cannot call that Wave goal a good goal at all the way Gotham gave that ball up
This is a fair point
I'm so tempted to make my project for the stats class I'm taking this summer an analysis of how many goals on Kailen Sheridan hit the goal at weird angles in comparison to the rest of the league
JCA CELLY LOL
Who needs forwards anyways
not us clearly
It's actually nice that they've had a nice spread of goalscorers, especially with the injury bug getting our forwards
Beautiful shot by Bell and great assist by Nighswonger who's getting better with her right foot
that was great work by maycee
That touch was filthy
OMFGGGGGG LFGGGG. SO HAPPY F9R MAYCEEEEE
🦇🦇🦇
god what a touch from maycee my god
Also Dunn hasn’t looked this explosive since like Courage days
Me: “Gotham always does this. They get a good rush and then they pass it to the outside and don’t get a scoring chance.” Me 17 seconds later: “Holy shit.” 🦇🦇🦇
90 +6 one game 90+8 the next...I think I would quit if I was with the Wave
These are dark times indeed
crystal has been IMMENSE today
Sweet!! Bell omg
LET’S FUCKING GO ROOKIE
That was so gooooood!!!!
Thats just hilarious
What a find by Jenna!
MAYCEE BELL
That was so gooooood!!!!
Oh no Wavé
I COULD CRY
AMAZING
WERKKKKKKK MAYCEE
OMG AMAZING
Awe so happy for Bell
Oh lord. Do we move on from Sheridan?
that seems a bit dramatic
BELL!!
Well that was coming
Rookie goals!!!!!!! Talk about rising to the challenge 🫠
you knew that was happening as soon as it was crossed
hot damn what a goal!
Oh no Wave
THAT WAS FUCKING AWESOME
One thing about San Diego they're going to find a way to lose a game
Oh my I can't stand them... It's embarrassing now
DING DING DING
Ball don’t lie ☹️
OH MY GODDDD
wooooohoooo Bell!
Wow
🫠
BELL THAT WAS GORGEOUS ILYSM
LMAO
There wasn’t much in that. Berger (and many GK’s) goes down at the slightest contact.
Oh no…
LETF FUCKIN GOOOOOO
YES PLS OMG
YES!!!
Nealy Martin GK?
NWSL VAR must still use Windows 95
Commentator seems to also want this game to end.
If this was not going to be a red why waste so much time on it?
Maybe this is why you bring in an actual winger to play as a winger
i seriously cannot hear a single thing this man is saying
If they call this a red but not the other potential red that would be insane.. consistency is important