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Aaron Nielsen ,

April 10, 2014 Email

Aaron Nielsen



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The second season of the National Women's Soccer League (“NWSL”) will begin play this upcoming weekend. Last season Christine Sinclair’s Portland Thorns won the championship over favourite Western New York Flash in Rochester. This season a number of new internationals have arrived, both for USA, Canada, Mexico as well as Japan, Australia, Germany and Scotland, which means that as many as 75 players currently on NWSL clubs could be representing their respective countries during the 2015 World Cup in Canada. The clubs who did well last season; Western NY, Portland, FC Kansas City and Sky Blue, are expected to do well again, however, after some major moves this winter I also expect Seattle Reign, who finished 2nd last in 2013, to compete for a playoff spot this season. The league has an expansion team in the Houston Dash who are connected to the MLS side the Dynamo and will play games in the same stadium, but based on their roster should struggle to put a competitive team on the field. Canada is represented very well with seventeen players in the league, but unfortunately outside of Sinclair the most of the high profile players are on clubs who might struggle this season. The fact these players get a chance to play a number of games throughout the summer should help them in preparation for the 2015 World Cup. Personally, I feel what is needed is a Canadian side to be represented in the league that is heavily influenced by Canadian players, which could trickle down to greater success at the National team level. Here is my preview for the 2014 NWSL season.



BOSTON BREAKERS

2013: 8-8-6 (5th Place)

Head Coach: Tom Durkin

Key Returners: Lianne Sanderson M (22gp 5g 7a), Heather O'Reilly M (20gp 5g 6a), Cat Whitehill D (22gp 1g 2a), Kaylyn Kyle M (21gp 3g)

Key Newcomers: Courtney Jones F (22g 4g 1a - Kansas City), Lisa DeVanna (16g 5g 2a - Sky Blue), Nikem Ezurike (1st Round Pick)



Analysis: With the drafting of Nkem Ezurike, the Breakers now have four Canadians in their club along with National Team veterans Rhian Wilkinson, Kaylyn Kyle, Chelsea Stewart. Boston have a strong midfield through Lianne Sanderson and Heather O'Reilly who combined for 10 goals 13 assists and 47 shots on target. The biggest question will be how the forward line will do as the club traded top scorer Sydney Leroux and brought in Lisa DeVanna who played 81 games with Australian National Team. However, the rest of the forwards have no national team experience, so it will be interesting to see how players such as Ezurike develop.

2014 Prediction: 7th Place CHICAGO RED STARS 2013: 8-6-8 (6th Place)

Head Coach: Rory Dames

Key Returners: Lori Chalupny M (18gp 5g 4a), Jackie Sanacaterina D (18gp 3g 1a), Rachel Quon D (19gp 1a), Adriana Leon F (16gp 2g 1a)

Key Newcomers: Karina LeBlanc G (21gp - Portland), Amy LePeilbet D (USWNT), Christen Press F (USWNT), Melissa Tancredi F (CanWNT) Analysis: This offseason, the Red Stars took advantage of one of the option the NWSL has, being a huge player pool to choose from as they brought three experienced national team players who were not playing in the NWSL last season. Christen Press has scored 11 goals with the US National Team and will be joined by two Canadians in attack with new signing Melissa Tancredi and Adriana Leon who scored 2 goals last season. Meanwhile, veteran defender Amy LePeilbet is joined by new signing and Canadian National Team keeper Karina LeBlanc to improve a defense that already includes Rachel Quon. With Lesilie Osburne, Lori Chalupny and potentially Shannon Box spearheading the midfield, Chicago should improve as long as new signings are able to play together as a team.

2014 Prediction: 6th Place HOUSTON DASH 2013: Expansion Team

Head Coach: Randy Waldrum

Key Newcomers: Ella Masar F (20gp 3g 2a - Chicago), Erin McLeod G (16gp - Chicago), Lauren Sesselmann (19g - Kansas City), Teresa Noyola M (18gp 1g 1a - Seattle), Stephanie Ochs F (22gp 1g 2a - Washington), Kealia Ohai (1st Round Pick) Analysis: The newest NWSL club, the Houston Dash, will be up against it as on paper they are by far the weakest team in the league going into the season. The players on the roster only combined for eight NWSL goals last season and they also collectively have the least National Team experience. This means Canadian National Team players such as goalkeeper Erin McLeod and defender Lauren Sesselmann will be very busy on the pitch, and also being the most experienced players in the club will have to take a leadership role as well. The team does include some players of interest for the 2015 World Cup, including Japanese defender Aya Sameshima, two of the top Mexican players in Arianna Romero and Teresa Noyola, Brazilian Rafaelle Souza, and American national team prospect Kealia Ohai.

2014 Prediction: 9th Place FC KANSAS CITY 2013: 11-5-6 (2nd Place/Lost in Semi Finals)

Head Coach: Vlatko Andonovski

Key Returners: Lauren Holiday F (18gp 12g 9a), Erika Tymrak M (21gp 6g 4a), Merritt Mathias F (22gp 2g 3a), Jen Buczkowski M (22gp 2a), Leigh Ann Robinson D (22gp 5a)

Key Newcomers: Amy Rodriguez F (USWNT), Liz Bogus F (20gp 1g 2a - Seattle), Cecilia Santiago G (3gp - Boston) Analysis: With Desiree Scott choosing to play professional soccer in England, FC Kansas City are the only team in the NWSL not to have a Canadian player on their roster. However, if given an opportunity to watch, you should, as FCKC have one of the most dynamic offenses in the league led by Lauren Holiday who is quickly becoming a key player for the US National Team and could be one of the top players during the 2015 World Cup. In addition to Holiday there is Amy Rodriguez who has been capped over 100 times for the US Women's National team, although missed last season due the birth of her first child. Kansas City should compete as they did last season with the biggest concerns in defense, but they also have US Keeper and defender Nicole Barnhart and Becky Sauerbrunn also in the team.

2014 Prediction: 4th Place PORTLAND THORNS FC

2013: 11-5-6 (3rd Place/Won League Championship Finals)

Head Coach: Paul Riley

Key Returners: Christine Sinclair F (20gp 8g 2a), Alex Morgan F (18gp 8g 5a), Allie Long M (22gp 3g 3a), Meleana Shim M (19gp 5g 2a)

Key Newcomers: Nadine Angerer G (Germany), Rachel Van Hollebeke (USWNT), Michelle Betos G (7gp - Seattle) Analysis: The NWSL benefitted greatly with Portland winning the league’s first title last season. The team is connected to MLS-club Portland Timbers, plays in the same stadium, averaged over 13,000 fans a game and they also have two of most high profile players in the women’s game in Christine Sinclair and Alex Morgan who performed what was expected of them last season. The biggest concern with the Thorns this season is overall depth, however, they did add US national team veteran Rachel Van Hollebeke and experienced German keeper Nadine Angerer who has played 250 professional games. To give a comparison, Sinclair who has now played 195 games for Canada, has only played 75 games in what would be regarded a pro league.

2014 Prediction: 3rd Place SEATTLE REIGN 2013: 5-3-14 (7th Place)

Head Coach: Laura Harvey

Key Returners: Hope Solo G (14gp), Megan Rapinoe (12gp 5g), Jessica Fishlock M (21gp 4g), Lauren Barnes D (22gp 1a)

Key Newcomers: Sydney LeRoux F (19gp 11g 2a - Boston), Nahomi Kawasumi M (Japan), Kim Little M (Scotland), Carmelina Moscato D (10gp - Chicago) Analysis: Seattle had an unexpectedly disappointing season last year, although partly due to injury and players missing games, but have gone out of there way this season to be one of the top teams in the league. The club still has US National Team mainstays Hope Solo, Jessica Fishlock and Megan Rapinoe, but have also added Japanase national team player Nahomi Kawasumi, Canadian Carmelina Moscato and ex-pat Sydney LeRoux, who scored 11 goals with Boston last season. To me the most interesting signing is Kim Little who is the Christine Sinclair comparison for the Scottish National Team. Little played a number of seasons with UK powerhouse in Women's soccer Arsenal and is the star of Scotland’s Women's National team who should qualify for the 2015 Women's World Cup in Canada.

2014 Prediction: 2nd Place SKY BLUE FC 2013: 10-6-6 (4th place/Lost Semi-Finals)

Head Coach: Jim Gabarra

Key Returners: Monica Ocampo F (16gp 8g 2a), Sophie Schmidt M (19gp 7g 1a), Christie Rampone D (20gp 1a), Courtney Goodson D (22gp 1g 1a)

Key Newcomers: Jonelle Filigno F (CWNT), Nanase Kiryu (Japan), Maya Hayes (1st Round Pick) Analysis: The Sky Blues are Greater New York's club in the NWSL who also participated in the WPS. The team did well last season finishing forth through the leadership of US National Team veteran Christie Rampone and the offensive play of Canadian Sophie Schmidt and Mexican Monica Ocampo. The Sky Blues had added to their attacking depth this off season by signing Canadian Jonelle Filigno, Japanese international Nanase Kiryu and drafting Maya Hayes who scored 71 goals in 89 games while in College at Penn State. With Seattle improving this season the competition for playoffs places should be tighter this season, which might make the Sky Blue's the odd team out.

2014 Prediction: 5th Place WASHINGTON SPIRIT 2013: 3-5-14 (8th Place)

Head Coach: Mark Parsons

Key Returners: Diana Matheson M (19gp 8g 3a), Lori Lindsey M (21gp 1g 2a), Robyn Gayle (14gp 1a), Ashlyn Harris G (18gp)

Key Newcomers: Christine Nairn M (22gp 3g 5a - Seattle), Ranae Cueller F (18gp 5g - Kansas City), Danesha Adams F (20gp 3g 3a - Sky Blue), Crystal Dunn D (1st pick overall) Analysis: Despite the efforts of Canadian National Team players Diana Matheson and Robyn Gayle, the Spirit struggled, finishing last in the league in 2013. The Spirt have made some improvements, including drafting Crystal Dunn with the 1st pick overall in the 2014 draft as well as adding Christine Narin, Ranae Cueller and Danesha Adams. They will hopefully provide some goal scoring, since outside of Matheson’s eight goals last season no other player scored more than two goals for the Spirit during the 2013 season. The club also added Yael Averbuch, who has US National Team experience and Danish international Cecilie Sandvej. On paper, the Spirit are still one of the weaker teams in the league, especially in scoring, with only 22 national team goals among all the players on the roster.

2014 Prediction: 8th Place WESTERN NEW YORK FLASH 2013: 10-8-4 (1st Place/Lost Finals)

Head Coach: Aaron Lines

Key Returners: Amy Wambach F (19gp 11g 8a), Carli Lloyd M (15gp 8g), Samatha Kerr F (19gp 6g 5a), Andriana Martin F (15gp 3g 1a)

Key Newcomers: Selenia Iacchelli M (CWNT), Emma Kete F (New Zealand), Lydia Williams G (Australia) Analysis: In past decade, no player has had a greater impact on US National Team or the creation of professional league in North America than Abby Wambach. Arguably the top player in all forms of the North American women’s professional leagues, she lead her home club, the Western New York Flash, to 1st place in the league only losing out on the championship game to Portland. Western NY return most of their key players from last season including Carli Lloyd, Spanish National Team player Adriana Martin and Australian Samatha Kerr, and they are now joined by fellow Australian Lydia Williams and Canadian Selenia Iacchelli. The 2015 World Cup might be Wambach’s last games as a player and it would be fitting in preparation if she could bring her hometown Rochester a NWSL championship.

2014 Prediction: Champions



Aaron Nielsen has worked within the soccer/sports industry for over 15 years. His statistical analysis brings the beautiful game in a whole new light. The detailed player data and prospect lists he produces are used by many scouts, agents, and football insiders around the world.You can find updating stats regularly at ENBSports.

