Latest / Into the Channel ⚽️ A Podcast Primarily About Women's Football / Redemption for USWNT v Portugal | USA 3 POR 1 | Olivia Moultrie Shines + 2027 World Cup Roster Locks

Transcript

Redemption for USWNT v Portugal | USA 3 POR 1 | Olivia Moultrie Shines + 2027 World Cup Roster Locks · Into the Channel ⚽️ A Podcast Primarily About Women's Football

0:05
Hello, Kate, Welcome to It's a channel podcast primer about
0:09
women's football. I'm your host, Dean of the
0:11
Suspicious. And as always, I'm joined by my
0:14
coast, Mr. Grant Angle. What is up man?
0:17
Buddy, I'm feeling fantastic. We were treated to another
0:21
friendly game of football between USA and Portugal and I
0:25
thought it was quite entertaining and I think people
0:28
are starting to take take some things from these two games
0:33
versus our European pals. Yep, I mean, I I took some
0:37
things got a whole long list of things that I took that I want
0:40
to talk to you about. So I was glad that the the USA
0:45
got a little redemption, little redemption Sunday before
0:48
selection Sunday or decision Sunday, whatever the actual
0:51
official name of this, but redemption was had very excited
0:54
about that. Mister Grand Eagle.
0:56
Where should we get started? Only one place to start, my good
0:59
man. USA three Portugal, one USA
1:03
versus Portugal. Part 2 more USA versus Portugal.
1:08
I don't know what you name. I don't know what you name the
1:09
sequel to this movie. Less.
1:13
Friendly. Yeah, significantly less
1:17
friendly. I think the I think the
1:21
overarching conversation point here is that midfield sure look
1:26
different, huh? Big difference in that midfield
1:29
was happy to see it. I think my first take away from
1:32
the well, first of all, I'm I'm super parched.
1:34
You know, we're we're we're running late on Sunday.
1:37
I mean, a lot of sports today, a lot of happenings in the
1:39
household, a lot of dad stuff. I'm just going to have to just
1:43
pre empt it get this thing correct.
1:48
Just make it happen. Cheers to you, cheers to the
1:51
football. Cheers to you, cheers to the
1:54
football, cheers to everybody hanging out who hopefully
1:56
enjoyed that football. Let's go.
1:58
A great day. A wonderful day.
2:01
You brought up the midfield. I want to talk about one player
2:04
in particular that was very excited about.
2:06
And then I want to talk a little bit about, I want to play a
2:09
little game. I want to, I want to play a
2:11
little, well, I've got my Sharpie, so that's a little
2:14
spoiler. I want to play the Sharpie game,
2:16
right. So we're less, we're less than
2:18
24 months from the 2027 World Cup.
2:21
We don't have to actually sharpie any of these names in
2:24
here. We don't have to make any
2:25
selections. But I think we could have a
2:27
little fun and say, OK, watching these couple of matches versus
2:31
Portugal, were there any players that you would say based on
2:36
these performances, based on what we know to date This
2:39
player, I think if I had to make this decision today, 20, you
2:44
know, 20 ish months early, I would sharpie this player in
2:47
now. I set the, I set the rule at
2:49
4:00. So I've got 4.
2:51
I wanted you to get 4. I think you've got your four.
2:54
And I want to talk about this game through that lens.
2:57
So hopefully we can highlight, maybe we highlight the same four
2:59
players, maybe we highlight eight players.
3:01
Who knows? That'd be a lot of fun.
3:02
Either way, I want to play that game with you.
3:06
OK fair enough. I I stuck to the premise I only
3:10
selected 4. Can I ask though, do you have
3:13
the list handy of who you considered?
3:17
Yes I do. I got I had AI had a list, I had
3:20
a long list of 10. OK, there we go.
3:24
I had 12. Let's go.
3:26
See, you're always good for a little, you know, at least 20%
3:29
extra for you to prep and research than me.
3:31
That's why that's why, you know, you feel that's a very important
3:34
seat. I appreciate that I'm also good
3:37
for just like skewing somewhat away from the premise sometimes
3:40
like a total dope. And so that's why I end up with
3:42
extra sometimes. So I appreciate you being
3:44
patient with me there. Now let's go.
3:47
I want to talk about one player in the midfield, particularly
3:50
this player didn't make my four. I'm very curious if they made
3:52
your 4 because it was the first thing.
3:55
Yeah, they didn't make my 4, but I want to.
3:56
I want to mention them briefly. This was the one of my this was
3:59
on my longer list. Jaden Shaw, who I thought you
4:03
talked about that midfield. We found a really nice spot,
4:06
right and and a couple players that can really unlock.
4:10
You know that that not not quite 9 1/2 Jaden Shaw with 9 3/4
4:15
Jaden Shaw or a little little deeper, but still a threat.
4:19
And then turns out was able to be a threat all over the all
4:22
over the park. And with all the movement and
4:24
all of the like, the emphasis on trying to extend these
4:27
possessions, trying to pass, move the ball kind of like make
4:30
Portugal work a little bit more. I thought Jaden Shaw was
4:32
probably 1 of the biggest recipients of that change in
4:36
strategy. Couldn't agree more When she is
4:40
on the field with players who know how to take advantage of
4:45
her speed and her twitchiness and frankly her really good
4:48
instincts to like be speedy and twitchy to get into dangerous
4:53
areas. And you have players who can
4:54
kind of like work with her and read with read that she's going
4:57
to make those smart moves. She's dangerous.
5:00
Dude. I I just totally agree, like
5:04
that part of my notes was Shaw in this mix of players is a
5:10
different Shaw than what we've been seeing for the past few
5:12
months. Yeah, it's a great point.
5:14
I mean, you know, you're you're allowing Shaw to run, to move,
5:18
to occupy space, to distribute and shoot if she gets a look
5:22
like it's like the perfect mix. And to your point, players that
5:25
can get her the ball and I think the passing in this one was a
5:32
pretty stark difference from the first match up.
5:35
You know, the first match up was like, right, we retained
5:36
possession. Let's kick a, let's kick a
5:39
lowish probability pass up ahead in this one.
5:42
There's a lot of lateral passes, some back passes, resets,
5:46
recycle this way, cycle it back the other way.
5:48
And, you know, just a lot more patience, you know, and then I
5:52
think even on the first goal, you know, Lily puts the ball in
5:56
and I think Molchi puts the ball in before, you know, it finds
5:59
its way back to her. And these are like kind of
6:01
aerial dink type, you know, kind of like Sweden type balls, you
6:06
know, which just provide a different angle and a different
6:09
like, you know, like a different thing to think about.
6:12
You know, if you're, if you're the defender, it's not just
6:14
balls whizzing forward. And then if it's like, all
6:16
right, well, if you, if you stop that one forward whizzing ball,
6:19
the, the chance is over. Like, you know, the US really
6:22
made Portugal defend a lot of, you know, like basically almost
6:26
like in 4 dimensions. 100% and they needed the combination of
6:33
players who are confident enough to even try to play into that
6:39
like 4th dimension, if you will, like over the top or just like
6:42
little chips or like long, long aerial passes across the the
6:48
width of the field at times. Like there's just like a level
6:51
of creativity that was in the midfield today and that that
6:56
Shaw benefits from and that I I want to you touched on it too,
6:59
but I want to be clear about it, is that Shaw, she gets into
7:03
those dangerous areas and of course, she's a threat to score.
7:06
Super willing passer too though she will give up a good shot for
7:10
a better shot. Yeah, no super player and like I
7:14
I think it's going to be you know what, what we've been
7:17
waiting for, kind of like the the re the redefinition of Jaden
7:22
Shaw as U.S. Open national team player.
7:24
Looks like that's start to take some effect, which is super
7:27
exciting. Jaden Shaw didn't make my final
7:29
four, though did make my list of 10 player that I'm like, OK,
7:33
now, now we're we're we're back, you know, with the the arrow
7:36
pointing way, way back up for Jaden Shaw.
7:38
But I want to kick it to you top 4 sharpie.
7:43
I don't know. Do you want to go one to four?
7:45
Should we go 4 to 1 and build up some drama?
7:47
How do you want to do this? I think we should probably do
7:50
1:00 to 4:00 because if you like, if you think about you're
7:53
filling out a team sheet or you're filling out a roster, you
7:56
you do start with your kind of like, OK, these are my these are
8:00
my Sharpie players, Like I'm putting them in there.
8:03
The auto start in the fantasy sports, you know, comparison,
8:07
whatever, whatever you want to it.
8:08
So if you're comfortable with that, I think that's where I'd
8:11
like to go. All right, let's go.
8:12
You're up. Lily Johannes number one with a
8:17
bullet for me. I just the the passing the
8:22
intelligence. She so Emma Hayes in the post
8:26
match press conference, like when talk when talking about
8:29
Lily Johannes did say she needs to get better as a defender,
8:33
which I just kind of I just kind of smirked and was like, love
8:36
that coach talk love it because she does.
8:40
And that's that's totally fair. Like there are other, there are
8:42
plenty of areas, you know, that this teenager needs to get
8:45
better in, but she's already such a smart defender, man.
8:49
She, she has an instinct and frankly an intelligence where
8:54
there's so many plays where you can just see or compute it,
8:57
where she's like 01 step to my right, one step to my left, one
9:01
step back and to the right. And I'll cut off this other
9:04
passing lane. And like you could see the
9:06
computer working in her brain. There was a moment early in the,
9:09
I think it might have been middle of the first half where
9:11
there's a Portuguese attacking attacker going in and Johannes
9:15
just takes a step over and the attacker is just like, I think
9:19
it might have been Silva. He's just like, whoop, got to
9:21
turn out of here and she turns and passes it back and it ends
9:24
up at a turnover. And it's just because Johannes
9:26
said, oh, I'm going to stand over here.
9:27
And her, you know, her great size and her physicality out
9:31
there already at her young age. I mean, she's the total package
9:34
man. And I, I just talked all these
9:36
say all these nice things about her defense.
9:39
Her passing is out of this world.
9:42
Passings out of this world for sure vision out of this world,
9:46
you know, just just the decisions that she makes are
9:49
usually pretty on point, even if like the the ball looks
9:53
audacious, like it's usually it's less risky when she like
9:58
kind of like uncorks here, just like, oh, that ended up being
10:00
the right play. Just was was two players away or
10:03
three players away. And I kind of do agree.
10:08
I agree with both of you. I agree with you in the sense
10:10
that Lily's a really good defender and shows really good
10:13
defensive chops a lot. But I also agree with Emma Hayes
10:18
in that, you know, I think the engagement level in this one
10:21
defensively, not just Lily, but I think there was a lot of
10:24
players when when the break was on the other way, it was kind of
10:27
like a little slow to react a little, you know, kind of like
10:31
some, I think somebody else will step in there, you know, and I
10:33
think for for for a player like Lily that's so smart.
10:36
Sometimes it's not just getting in the lane when you know you
10:42
can win the ball back. Sometimes it's just getting in
10:44
the lane to say, no, you're not going this way.
10:46
You're going to have to go the other way.
10:47
Like, you know, so it's almost like the game within the game,
10:50
like knowing, all right, I, I'm not I'm we're not going to take
10:52
it back here. But I have to occupy this piece.
10:55
I have to cut off this lane and also have like this, this the
10:59
secondary lane halfway covered right, You know, just just to
11:02
make sure that we're we're we're keeping this pressure on.
11:04
I love the Johannes pick. Obviously Lily was in my top
11:08
four too. I had her in the second thought
11:10
though, because there's one player that you know, and, and
11:15
you had, you had asked me before if we were doing any caveat,
11:18
caveats between players that did or did not appear in the 2023
11:22
World Cup. This player for me did appear in
11:26
the 2023 World Cup and that's Alyssa Thompson.
11:29
I think what Alyssa Thompson is able to do, you know, kind of
11:34
like with her speed, you know, and her runs, her, her, her
11:37
pressure, her willingness to kind of like just go.
11:41
And to your point, the distributors, you know, now if
11:44
you're thinking about Jaden Shaw as a distributor too, in
11:46
addition to like Lily and Claire HUD and the neighbor Patterson
11:49
and all that, and all the players like to keep the the
11:51
ball moving. Alyssa Thompson as a recipient
11:55
of that passing with her skills and and her angles.
11:59
I think that's a player that that has to be on that has to be
12:03
on this roster. This it was the first name that
12:05
I wrote down. I was like, you know, didn't,
12:07
didn't blow, you know, blow us away, you know, with the scoring
12:10
and the assists. But like, damn, that's a player
12:12
that you really have to defend, you know, and now you're, you
12:15
know, playing at Chelsea, like, you know, there's we're already
12:17
seeing like really, really encouraging flashes there.
12:21
So I had Alyssa in my number one spot.
12:25
I like it. I did not include Alyssa
12:27
Thompson. This is what I said at the
12:28
beginning. This is me being a dope.
12:31
And was just like, Oh yeah, I'm gonna probably the spirit of
12:33
this is to also pick players who weren't on the 23 roster.
12:36
So but it's a great pick. We're still playing the same
12:40
game though, So I'm totally with you.
12:43
Like when she cuts it in when she is like, you know, on the on
12:48
the wing and she cuts the ball in to get it on to like a right
12:51
foot. And frankly, she could shoot
12:52
with her with her left foot too. But when, whenever that when you
12:57
see defenders watching that happen, it's a 5 alarm fire of
13:01
everybody just being like somebody get in the way of the
13:03
shot because they're terrified that she's going to drill it in
13:05
the upper 90. Yeah.
13:08
And she's so fast and like she could change directions so
13:10
quickly that she could change the angle too.
13:12
Like she could cut across and and she could also kind of like,
13:15
yeah, the equivalent of a fadeaway, you know, like, like I
13:17
kind of bend the run the run back the other way, find like a
13:21
runner kind of back door coming, you know, coming right to left,
13:24
you know, if she's coming left to right.
13:25
So there's so much that she's able to do.
13:29
And I think with, you know, with Sophie Wilson, Mel Swanson, you
13:33
know, the whole triple espresso kind of up in the air, you know,
13:36
I think a player that is still years, you know, from her prime,
13:42
athletically off the charts, you know, and like game is pretty
13:45
much it's there Like she, you know, she's super productive and
13:48
super scary. I think that's a player that
13:50
that I really liked in that spot.
13:52
Who did you have #2? #2 I have Jordan bug, yes too
14:04
too smart man. Like there was there was a
14:08
moment where Portugal was driving the ball down the field.
14:11
I don't know if I can call it up in my notes exactly.
14:13
You know, we don't need to give everybody the exact play by
14:16
play, but just great wheels from bug and you know it on top of
14:23
her ability to usually be standing in the right place,
14:28
she's just able she's able to recover so quickly.
14:31
She has a good, you know, a long stride can play physical, but
14:35
often times doesn't need to play physical.
14:37
You see, like teams are scared to like really aggressively
14:41
press her because she's so calm on the ball already that she
14:45
will just she will just turn, you know, 1-2 passes, little
14:49
short passes createspace with with the the attacking players
14:52
who are pressing. And I just think, I mean, look,
14:57
conceive a Naomi Germa Jordan Bug center back pairing, I think
15:03
that's something like you can't pass it up.
15:06
I think it where we would as we watch the way Jordan Bug played
15:09
this season and what we've seen her do in her limited time in
15:12
the national team. I just think that pairing is too
15:15
good to pass up. I love it.
15:18
Yeah, I mean, and sealing off the charts too for bug and you
15:22
could already see this. It's a player that's effective
15:24
like right now, very smart. The the footwork is like a great
15:28
call out too, because it's so clean and you know, she's so
15:33
efficient in being able to like turn go up or go up field or
15:36
change direction. Not a lot of wasted steps.
15:40
I love that you you went with the center back.
15:42
I also had a center back in my third spot.
15:46
That's Tara McKeon. I think she's got I think I
15:50
think she's got a case for maybe the best center back in the NWSL
15:56
this season. You know, I think like she's
15:59
right up there playing really, really great.
16:02
I love her skills. And I think, you know, we've
16:04
seen the US in these tournaments really benefit from bringing
16:10
along players that were versatile, could fill different
16:13
spots and just do different things.
16:14
And I think Mikhail is just so rock solid.
16:17
You know, Emily's on it. Obviously ITC Hall of Famer, you
16:20
know, you know what the resume is, you can see the IQ every
16:24
time son steps on the pitch, but you also see some spots where
16:29
you know, like you have to pair son, you have to pair Sonic with
16:33
the right partner, You know, like because there there are
16:36
some limitations. There are going to be some
16:39
matchup problems. I don't think going into this
16:41
Portugal matchup, I don't think, but either of these matchups, I
16:45
don't think anybody was saying, oh, those Portugal attackers,
16:47
we're going to have to what's the plan there?
16:50
You know, like, and and I think you look at it and they they
16:53
take home three goals over two matches.
16:55
You know, these are both played on home soil.
16:57
So defensively, a lot of stuff to sort out.
17:01
Terry McKeown, I think is like, I mean, I, I sharpen his like
17:05
the third, the third player that I'm like, I think has to be
17:07
there in 27. You know, we, we'd love to see
17:11
Germa back in full strength and like the whole center back room,
17:15
like all the way, you know, fully, fully stocked.
17:19
But McEwan, I think it's a player that you know, you just
17:21
you just kind of count on feels like a very like sturdy, durable
17:25
player with a, with a bunch of different skills, I think would
17:28
be super valuable. Love it.
17:31
Yeah. I mean, we've been admirers of
17:33
Tara Mckeon's game for a while. Obviously, everybody, I feel
17:37
like every broadcast, everybody talks about the attacker
17:39
background that she that she brings to her style.
17:43
Just a level of toughness that I think is great.
17:45
I McKeon actually didn't even make my 12, which is shameful
17:51
behavior by me as a guy who's. Oh my goodness, who's?
17:54
Who's lauded her several times I just.
17:58
Put it on the bullet with bulletin board Terra.
18:01
There it is. I I humbly apologize off the
18:04
bat, but you can still call me a sucker like that's totally fine.
18:07
I, I get it. I do want to do a quick shout
18:09
out one other player who was not on my list, but I I just kept I
18:13
took a note on her. There is like a break in the
18:16
action, something for a throw in and you could see onto the
18:18
bench. Emily Sam's.
18:21
I just want to like the perpetual shout out to like,
18:24
yeah, she she didn't get in either of these first two
18:27
matches, but she's just the kind of player that, you know, Emma
18:30
Hayes wants to have in camp because she's a floor raiser.
18:34
Like she's a culture. Like she's not like going to be
18:38
the culture setter, right, Because you have so many of like
18:40
veteran national team players on there.
18:42
But she fits into the culture. She reinforces the culture.
18:46
And just what she did last year, you know, particularly, and she
18:50
remains a good player. And so I just kind of saw her on
18:51
the bench. I was just like, shout to her,
18:53
man, because she, you know, she's a good player to have in
18:56
camp. Yeah, no doubt.
18:58
And I mean, obviously last year's end to be so defender of
19:01
the year. And if you're Emma Hayes and you
19:04
know, you're trying to bring Jordan Bug along, you know what
19:08
I mean? That's a great player to be
19:09
like, right Jordan, you know, this is the player that it, it
19:13
might come down to U2 for that, for that one, you know, 4th or
19:17
5th centre back spot 2 years from now.
19:19
So like let's let's start the process.
19:22
So shout out to Emma Hayes for for not messing around and
19:25
assembling this team. Did you?
19:28
Did you name your third? I gave one and two.
19:32
I think you gave one and three because I think when I gave a
19:35
center back you I had Lily 20. OK.
19:39
Oh, OK. Yeah, I had a list of 1 Lily 2
19:41
Tara Mccune three got you. Thank you.
19:44
I'm desperately trying to follow along in the game.
19:48
So I am going. I'm hanging in there man, trying
19:52
to make it through sleepy boys podcast.
19:54
I am going with another defensive minded midfielder,
19:59
Claire Hutton. She plays with too much sauce.
20:02
She is Emma Hayes. I think Emma Hayes said at least
20:06
once, possibly twice during the post match press conference.
20:10
Johannes and Hutton play well beyond their years and you could
20:15
just see it. There were moments where
20:17
Portugal was trying to put the press on.
20:20
And those two, just one twos find the outlet, don't give up
20:24
possession, don't just punt it up field and give away
20:27
possession. You know, don't get squeezed.
20:30
Like, you know, we we've seen Hutton contributing to A to a
20:35
shield winning team, not just contributing being a major
20:38
factor in a shield winning team that's going to challenge for
20:41
the NWSL championship. I just, I couldn't be higher on
20:44
those two as double sixes moving forward for this team.
20:50
Yeah, I thought Hutton was really good.
20:53
And it's not just finding the outlets.
20:55
You know, a lot of it was like moving the offense along, even
20:59
if it's not kicking the ball up field.
21:00
It's like, I think that's the big unlock is like the offense
21:03
seems like it was moving in the first half of this one.
21:06
And I think, you know, talking about the match real quick.
21:08
Obviously Moultrie scores the first one, you know, and it was
21:14
kind of good and kind of bad because like 33 seconds score
21:17
the first, you know, the royal scores in, in the first match.
21:20
This one was like 4647 seconds roughly.
21:23
And then you're kind of like, you know, I kind of wish that
21:27
there was a little bit more, you know, back and forth here in
21:29
this one. And then I, I had the thought to
21:32
myself, I'm like, I want to see what the US does here, You know,
21:35
if they if if like they're able to kind of like really sink into
21:38
this game and, and keep hold of it, you know, and then they,
21:41
they give up the goal a few minutes later, Jessica Silva.
21:44
But to their credit, they come right back and, and go back up
21:48
to 1. You know, they there weren't,
21:50
there weren't a ton of shots on target in this match.
21:52
It was a little bit cageier, 23 shots total the first match,
21:57
fourteen in the second one. So it was a little bit closer to
22:01
the vest. But again, shout out to the US,
22:04
who I think controlled a lot more, you know, were very
22:07
purposeful, you know, rather than hopeful, like everything
22:11
felt like it was for a reason, Like, you know, even if when
22:13
we're recycling it. And that's just great to see.
22:16
And that honestly starts from those two players, like it
22:19
starts from Lily and Claire Hutton, you know, in that
22:23
defensive midfield, you know, making good decisions and not
22:26
just, like you said, just unworking it.
22:29
And then you have players like Alyssa Thompson or Avery
22:31
Patterson on the other side that were patient and willing to make
22:35
those backside runs, you know, to to provide an outlet for
22:39
those two players that you know, can hit that long pass.
22:41
And then if you're Portugal, it's it's just two more things
22:43
you have to worry about in real time.
22:45
You know, like we made it so easy on Portugal that first time
22:49
around. And and they had Portugal
22:50
defensively had to do so much more work.
22:52
Tonight Yeah, I think that's that's a key thing to point out
22:57
and that this younger team that we fielded today was also seemed
23:03
much more willing to be like oh OK, we're we're going to play
23:05
physical football today. Sure yeah, let's go like we'll
23:08
we'll bang right up against you too.
23:11
Not going to be a problem for us.
23:12
And they they very clearly like I have to imagine it didn't feel
23:18
great leaving Chester, PA the way they did.
23:22
And I'm going to guess one of the old, and I mean, you know
23:24
how athletes are, but I'm sure they were some of it just kind
23:26
of looking at each other like, OK, they thought they could push
23:29
us around. Let's let's go ahead and show
23:32
them like how this is going to go this time.
23:35
Yeah, no. And and that was made clear very
23:38
early. Nothing, nothing too friendly
23:41
about this one for sure. You're in my 4th spot.
23:46
You've done you've you've done 3, right?
23:48
Yes. I I keep asking, I keep losing
23:50
track. I should've just wrote your
23:51
wrote written yours down and make my life a lot easier in my
23:54
4th spot. I, I struggled with this one
23:57
because the player that had player of the match today, but
24:02
maybe potentially Olivia Moultrie with two big goals was
24:07
like right on the doorstep of of grabbing that fourth spot on my
24:13
on my very dumb list. I think Moultrie real quick
24:16
before we kind of like before I get into my fourth player, I
24:21
think Moultrie has an NWSLMVP ceiling in her, but I think she
24:27
could do everything the the the player comp that I that I came
24:31
up with Detroit Pistons, Isaiah Thomas, you know, can pass, can
24:37
score big moments, doesn't matter, plays bigger in big
24:41
moments, wants all of it. Can, you know, can kind of like
24:45
engage defensively when needed and just there's there's
24:49
nothing, nothing too big for that player, you know, can like
24:53
just kind of come out. And then also the reason I, I
24:57
kind of like Hark in the name Isaiah Thomas can play with
24:59
anybody, you know, like has a game that like you could just
25:03
put any player around them. And Olivia Mutcher will find a
25:07
way to be effective to be able to distribute, to get to the
25:10
right spots to just through her movement without even touching
25:13
the ball, open up opportunities for other players.
25:15
I just think she's incredible, had an incredible game.
25:19
I'm not going to mention how young she is because I was I was
25:22
very tired of hearing how many teens and 20s and 19 and 21.
25:27
And it's like, OK, we get it. A lot of young players.
25:29
We're very excited. But Olivia Moultrie, forget
25:31
about how her age, an incredible player and just, you know, shown
25:37
off the screen in in such a huge way in this match.
25:41
Maybe it's an easy comp. I was trying to come up with
25:46
with other international players that we could compare her to and
25:51
I was, you know, looking at her stats this year, I think she has
25:53
eight goals in the end of the SL.
25:56
You know, she's around like a 70 ish pass completion percentage.
26:01
I think she's like somewhere around like 800 passes on the
26:04
year. And I'm just like trying to
26:06
think like, OK, who who compares who's a midfielder with good
26:10
speed, who you are fine with them, you know, ripping shots
26:14
pretty much anywhere around the area.
26:16
How does like a, a Sarah Dobratz sound like?
26:19
Is that, is that kind of close? Like I, I think I see some of
26:24
that in her game. I was thinking like, and no,
26:27
obviously no disrespect to this other player, but is she a
26:30
better Jesse Fleming, which is maybe like a little bit of an
26:33
easy comparison to make because they both play for Portland
26:36
Thorns like. I kind of when, when you were
26:40
bringing up the, the Europe comparisons, the 1st and this is
26:43
not the same, doesn't play the same position, but I think this
26:46
player could play these two players don't kind of play
26:49
anywhere, right? And I think like the player that
26:51
I thought about that multi's game reminds me a little bit of
26:55
Sandy Baltimore, you know, can like just take dart in, can
26:59
shoot, can pass, can see. That's, you know, the vision.
27:04
It goes so like overlooked so often when you have a player
27:08
that can see everything, everything's available to them,
27:12
you know, assuming they can, they have the skill to like
27:14
place the ball. Like, you know, if you're
27:15
Johannes or Moultrie or some of these other super skilled
27:19
players, some of the Barcelona midfielders, take your pick if
27:23
you can see it and you can get the ball there, Like literally
27:26
the entire pitch is at your disposal.
27:27
And there's so many players that that don't have that don't have
27:30
that, you know, in in their arsenal.
27:32
But Moultrie, I think is that kind of player.
27:34
And Baltimore, I think is the same.
27:35
Like, and it's not just I can pass the ball there.
27:37
I can run there. Like I can get past this player
27:40
and inside that player, get there and then that opens up
27:43
something else somewhere else. Or I'll just fire a fucking
27:46
laser and nobody's going to stop that either.
27:48
Like, I mean, Moultrie's weren't, you know, totally
27:51
tattooed tonight, but like, you know, she, she got it done.
27:54
She walks away with two goals and ends up being the difference
27:56
in the match. Yeah, the Baltimore comparison
28:00
is is really interesting. I like that.
28:02
Let me throw one more at you. Kind of based on stats, kind of
28:06
just some some general feel. I, I don't think Moultrie
28:10
Moultrie is not as good of a passer, but how about a little
28:14
bit of Manuela Giuliano in her game, a little bit of like a
28:17
little bit of a mean streak to like, you know, kick.
28:21
I love that take the free kicks can shoot from distance, will
28:26
foul the shit out of you if you, especially if she's frustrated
28:29
in a spot. It's like, I think I think
28:32
Giuliano had like 12 goals last season or something like that.
28:35
And Moultrie's sitting on a obviously she's not, I mean,
28:38
unless she's just really uncorks in this last match, she's not
28:41
going to get to 12. But yeah, I just a lot of a lot
28:45
of good players who kind of I'm trying to like think of.
28:48
So that's probably fairly flattering to, to Moultrie.
28:51
But some of those good players too, like I said, like is she a
28:54
better version version than Jesse Fleming, which would be a
28:57
pretty damn good player And I I think she is.
29:00
I mean, just just talk about because the players we're
29:02
considering here, it's like, is she Fleming?
29:05
Is she Dabritz? Is she Baltimore?
29:07
Is she Giuliano? This is like fucking crazy.
29:10
Anyway, Moultrie a tremendous game.
29:13
Again, I think you know, her ceiling.
29:15
I really do think she has an MVP ceiling in the league.
29:17
I think she could get she could get there and she's in the right
29:21
kind of organization, you know, to be able to do it.
29:24
And I think she has that could be the heartbeat of that team,
29:28
you know, just because she's just such a badass.
29:31
But the fourth player that I put on my list of players that that
29:36
have to be there, and I've got a player comparison for this
29:42
player as well. Gibby, Avery Patterson, I think
29:46
was involved in everything was all over the pitch.
29:49
You know, you talked about like the chippiness, mixing it up,
29:53
making them feel us. Like I think she, she kind of
29:56
like was making some great triangles on the right hand side
30:00
with Lily and Claire Hutton and like just was like a, a good
30:03
outlet for them to be able to just move the ball up the field
30:06
together and could just fly up or just kind of hang back a
30:09
little bit and was just involved in everything.
30:12
She's like mixing it up everywhere.
30:14
It's like I, I love players like that and is an absolute tank.
30:18
Like I, I wrote down, I think Avery Patterson could be EU s s
30:22
version of like Amira Ramirez. Like, OK, you can see where
30:27
she's coming from. You can see where she's trying
30:29
to go, but it doesn't mean anything.
30:31
You can't stop her. She's too big, she's too strong.
30:33
Like, it doesn't matter if you she can tell you where she's
30:36
going. Doesn't matter.
30:36
Like, and I think Avery Patterson has that kind of
30:41
profile. She has the striking, you know,
30:43
in her background. I think you know, from from her,
30:45
from her college career and she just knows the game and
30:49
physically she's she's an absolute handful.
30:52
So I just I love that player profile, you know, and I know
30:56
the US kind of struggled with with players on the outside, you
30:59
know, opposite that Emily Fox spot and Patterson can play on
31:02
both sides. So I think she's she's a no
31:04
brainer for me too. I think would love that.
31:06
I mean, I broke the sharpie out my four spot.
31:09
I gave it to Patterson. I think if, if people vote on
31:13
the four, I think Patterson is what, what gets you the victory,
31:17
My good man. And you know, I've, I've, I've
31:19
purchased a lot of Patterson stock, especially over this NWSL
31:23
season. And I, I don't know, he got me
31:25
second guessing myself because I think I, I think I overthought
31:29
it. I didn't put her at #4 but the,
31:31
the players I was considering for for were Patterson, the
31:41
player I have obviously, and Ally Centnor, but I ultimately
31:47
went with and she did not appear today, but I went with Michelle
31:50
Cooper. Oh, nice.
31:52
And that it and that is because you, I mean, you talked about
31:55
kind of how the how triple espresso is going to evolve.
32:01
You know, obviously Sophie Wilson and Trinity Rodman are
32:03
coming back. It's been a while since Mel
32:05
Swanson has played competitive football and we're talking we're
32:09
still talking about two years from now.
32:10
I think there are some questions to be answered.
32:13
I think there will be time, you know, for her to get back.
32:15
But I think, you know, you Alyssa Thompson is going to be
32:19
100% in that mix. And I think on the other side,
32:22
you just need somebody to reliably spell Trinity Rodman
32:26
and just, you know, talking about passing at speed, playing
32:30
super physical, bringing kind of like that change up to Rodman's
32:33
game a little bit. I think Cooper has all those,
32:37
all those abilities and I just like her doggedness out there to
32:42
also be a very willing defender. I just, you know, I could I, and
32:47
we've even talked about it like Cooper is a step down from
32:50
Rodman. And who isn't to step down from
32:52
Rodman other than like, as we've said, CGH, maybe a couple other
32:56
players, wingers, But I think Cooper's got to be on the roster
32:59
because you need you need to have another super reliable
33:03
striker. And I think Cooper is that.
33:06
Yeah, no doubt love Cooper's game.
33:09
I think I I kind of struggled too because I was like, you
33:13
know, I I do think Rodman is will be back and probably as
33:17
close as you know, is not in the same, you know, maternal, you
33:20
know, situations as the rest of the espresso.
33:24
So I think we'll see we'll see Rodman back.
33:26
So I think it kind of made Cooper a little bit less
33:29
expendable for this exercise. One hit a couple players that we
33:33
didn't get to mention yet. Actually, we've talked about all
33:36
these players that made my longer list except 21 Emily Fox.
33:42
I think it's got to be there. You know, it's kind of like it
33:44
kind of felt like a cheat to put her in because I just feel like
33:47
she's already she's already pre sharpened in before this before
33:50
the stretch and is in good health.
33:52
PTJ, Fallon, Sellers, Joyce. All I mean was at the top of my
33:56
longer list because I'm like, I think nice, you know, seeing the
34:02
performance and seeing what she's been doing for united in
34:06
big matchups. I I, I just I like her game and
34:10
I think she's kind of like grabbing that spot is like the
34:12
number one option. I think the the the more windows
34:16
that come and go. She just stretched that lead a
34:19
little bit, you know, further each time out.
34:22
And then the last one that didn't get mentioned yet.
34:24
Sam Coffey, I think tremendous player.
34:28
She's going to make that. It's going to make the midfield
34:30
really interesting. Kind of made me think, you know,
34:32
could we go to like a Portland style, you know, midfield
34:37
diamond of our own where they had Fleming.
34:39
You know, they have they trade Sugita, but Fleming Sugita, you
34:42
know, coffee and Moultrie were there for for for a minute there
34:45
at least for a couple matches of season.
34:47
But I think coffee's got to be there.
34:48
It's going to be really interesting to see how that you
34:52
know, like who ends up starting those matchups.
34:54
I know it's two years from now, but I mean, I don't know who who
34:58
do you sit in that instance? At that point, you might just be
35:01
looking at the chemistry. And to your point, maybe Lily
35:04
and and Claire have that, have that chemistry kind of sewn up
35:07
by then. But I mean, coffee's not going
35:08
to give up that spot. I mean, it's going to be an
35:12
absolute dog, dog fight for her to kind of like, you know, you
35:16
know, hand that spot over. So we'll, we'll, we'll be
35:19
locked. Into that for sure and no matter
35:22
how surprised she acts every time she scores a goal, Sam, you
35:27
know you're good. We know you're good.
35:30
I I'd still I love the celly. I think we I've mentioned before
35:33
he's kind of got like those Bret Hart vibes when he just want to
35:36
put his hands up like who am I? What do you think?
35:40
I like, yeah, I mean the touch that Coffee put on that corner
35:43
kick, obviously right off the the training ground at Centenor
35:47
that plays it in. And it's just like the
35:49
Portuguese players are like, oh, Sam like, yeah, we'll let Sam
35:52
Coffee kind of make that run in at that at that area of the box.
35:57
And she's just clever and talented enough to to keep it
36:01
low and put it in. I think the other, just the
36:04
other players that we didn't mention, I mentioned Centenor,
36:06
obviously Lily real, she just drop her in.
36:10
She can play huh, Smart calm can pass real clever can play
36:15
physical. You just drop her in the line up
36:18
and I'm just like, OK, I guess she somehow fits perfectly with
36:21
this group already. She's a really good player like
36:25
so it's like, you know, a player that it's weird when you watch
36:30
her play in the it'll be so you know, for, you know, for Gotham,
36:33
it's like some players just have AUS possession team type game,
36:37
you know, like where they've they've got the versatility.
36:40
They can they're active in different parts of the pitch,
36:43
like they're they're kind of patrol, like they have the
36:45
discipline to kind of own a lane and and an area.
36:49
But it's always like at the right moments, you know, they
36:51
just make the right movements to kind of deviate from that.
36:54
And Lily Rose like that kind of player for sure.
36:57
I love watching her play. I mean, I love watching the
36:59
Defenders and she she just has like a great, she plays a great
37:03
brand of defense that I think fits this club really, really
37:06
well. Yeah, no doubt.
37:10
And then just two more honorable mentions real quick.
37:11
I just, I had to put Yasmine Ryan and Emma Sears on there
37:15
because I had to at least think about it.
37:17
I mean Sears, I know we've talked about it before Aly
37:20
Sentinor plays bigger than she is, but there was a a free kick
37:26
late in the match where and it was pretty far out for Portugal.
37:29
But the two person wall was Sears and Sentinor and I was
37:34
just like Sears has really good size.
37:37
Like I think, I think Sentinor might be in like the five
37:40
5:00-ish range, but I mean, with Sentinors speed and skill or
37:47
pardon me, with, with Sears's speed and skill plus her size, I
37:52
mean, she's, you know, she's a beast out there too.
37:54
So I think they're, they're all in consideration.
37:58
I think this, this entire exercise shows that it's going
38:02
to be, it's going to be incredibly tricky to pick 23.
38:08
Yeah, it's going to be brutal. I mean, there's going to be some
38:10
good players that don't that don't get through.
38:14
All right, man. Well, I was I was pumped with
38:18
the result. Anything I just went to hit
38:19
before we got any other players that that deserve like a like a
38:21
mention, anybody that played well over these couple of
38:24
matches before we before we hit the episode calendar.
38:27
I just want to say Portugal, I think they're good.
38:30
Like I know in their last, in their last five, pardon me, in
38:34
their last five, if you look at the group stage of the Euro,
38:39
they are one win, one draw, 3 losses.
38:43
They lost to Spain. They obviously lost to USA
38:46
TODAY. And then I think they lost to
38:49
maybe I think Belgium was in their group and they have a win
38:53
over USA and they have a draw against Italy in that group
38:56
stage of the EUR. And you know, Italy obviously
38:58
went on to make the semi final and I know like they were
39:02
getting cracked in the Nations League, like leading up to the
39:06
Euros, but that that team is good man.
39:10
Like, you know, obviously Carol Costa is getting like toward the
39:12
end of her career. What is she 35 years old?
39:16
But you know, they dropped Costa in that back line and you have
39:19
Fonseca Costa, Gomez Alves. That's a good back line.
39:24
And like they, you know, in the in the match before, instead of
39:28
Costa, they had Corea. Yeah.
39:32
And yeah, and they had a motto in in the in the starting lineup
39:35
before. So, you know, they had they had
39:37
moved some a couple players around.
39:40
But yeah, as soon as a motto came back into this match, you
39:42
saw how good she she was once again for Portugal.
39:46
She's 26. So I don't think this bigger was
39:51
obviously it's a win. It's a flip to result, but like
39:54
3 to 1 score line. I nothing really happened to
39:59
that match to make me doubt my Portugal is still a good squad
40:05
take and like and I know like like I said, they're getting
40:07
cracked in the in the nations league.
40:10
Didn't win a match, but they were in a group with Italy and
40:13
and Spain in the EUR tough draw. And then they come to the USA
40:17
and play matches like so you can't you cannot accuse Portugal
40:21
of you ain't played nobody. They've played plenty of good
40:24
teams. You know, I mean, you just kind
40:28
of wonder because obviously the the US doesn't look, you know,
40:33
markedly worse than they did the last time we saw them in major
40:36
competition, let's say the Olympics last year.
40:38
You know, like they look about at the level some stuff moving
40:41
around and working some stuff out.
40:43
But Portugal, they look way better than they did in 23 and
40:47
they look better than they did in the EUR.
40:49
And I think I think you were right to call it out when you
40:51
said, OK, well, Kika's, you know, not having Kika's going to
40:54
like derail any team, but it's really, really good to rather
40:57
this Portugal team. But Kika back in the mix, you
41:01
know, very much a hub of their offense.
41:03
This team looks like, I mean, a team that has has gone up maybe
41:08
2 levels. You know, to be honest, I think
41:11
like, and you just wonder, you know, what, what is the nation's
41:15
league doing to kind of like, you know, iron sharpens iron
41:19
kind of thing with those European teams or the Euros
41:22
where, you know, that that competition, the EUR group stage
41:25
was a was an absolute bloodbath. Like there were great, great
41:28
teams falling left and right. And we're just like, Oh my God,
41:31
like this team's going to go. And then you see a team like
41:33
Italy, like really come into their own.
41:36
And then and then Juventus carries that into the Champions
41:39
League, like, and they're just like, oh, like it, it just feel,
41:41
it feels different. And I think Portugal definitely
41:44
falls into that category of teams that feel different. 2
41:49
years. I mean, this is, this is just,
41:52
you know, it's, it's tough to say this, this shouldn't be a
41:54
team hanging with the US because they, they clearly are, they
41:57
clearly are a team that is in, you know, like, like they're
42:02
just in the conversation like this.
42:04
I don't know what, where, where would you put them?
42:06
Are they like a top 12 team? I mean, like, I think they, they
42:10
kept saying that this is a 23rd ranked team.
42:12
This is not the 23rd best team in the in the world.
42:16
So So they they, they they are are ranked ranked #23 #23 ahead
42:18
ahead of of them them in in the the FIFA FIFA rankings rankings
42:19
as as we we sit sit here here today today, Finland Finland is
42:22
is 22 22, Korea Korea is is 21 21, Belgium Belgium is is 20 20,
42:26
Austria Austria 19 19, Columbia Columbia 18 18, just just to to
42:28
kind kind of of give give you you an an idea idea of of, of of
42:30
the the company company they're they're keeping keeping right
42:31
right behind behind them them. another one that I think is real
42:34
tricky Switzerland is 24 I don't I don't think switzerland's the
42:39
24th best team I think they're they're probably up there a
42:42
little bit but that might be some forward-looking stuff for
42:45
me I think when I was kind of looking at this.
42:50
So like I mentioned, they had that draw versus Italy in the
42:53
EUR Italy is ranked 12th, Norway is 13th, Denmark is 14th,
42:58
Australia is 15th. If you had two legs, Portugal
43:03
versus any of those teams, Italy, Norway, Denmark,
43:06
Australia, are you like shocked which which team of those would
43:12
you be shocked if Portugal advanced?
43:16
I think the only one would be Italy because the the run that
43:20
Italy has been on recently, every other team Norway did like
43:25
all those other teams. I mean, totally get a blow.
43:28
I mean, Portugal just came to the US and and and beat them 21
43:32
like, you know, and this is a team that is still on the
43:35
ascent, still has a lot of young players.
43:37
Like I think, you know, you look at Italy, whether it's like
43:41
Giselli or Bonancia, you know, there's a lot of, you know,
43:44
Leonardi, there's like a lot of players that are like Giuliano
43:47
we mentioned at the top of the show players, these are players
43:49
that are, you know, not, not probably like post prime, you
43:55
know, if we want to be kind of like gentle about it.
43:58
So Portugal, definitely a team that, I mean, come 27, they're
44:02
going to be an absolute problem. Yeah, I think that's totally
44:06
fair. I think I would be pretty
44:08
surprised if they got through two legs with Norway just 'cause
44:13
I think there's a, there's a talent disparity on the
44:16
attacking side there. But yeah, I'm, I'm with, I'm
44:20
largely with you there. You're gonna be shocked though,
44:23
right? Like, I'm not shocked.
44:25
I think 1. One and one nil, then you know,
44:27
and start the other luge. You know, it's like, there we
44:29
go. Yeah, and you can't be, you
44:32
know, look. Shout out to all our pals in
44:34
Norway. You can't be totally shocked if
44:36
Norway gives one away either, right?
44:39
And Portugal is the type of side they'd be like, oh, you're going
44:41
to give that to us, OK. We're snatching it like they're
44:44
not the team that's, you know, some the worst teams to root for
44:47
are the ones that when their opponent tries to give them the
44:49
game and they're like, oh, no, thanks.
44:51
Well, you, you take that one like it's just the worst.
44:54
And I don't think I don't see Portugal as that kind of team
44:57
right now. So yeah.
44:59
And I, and I think there's something to be said like, you
45:03
know, Canada is ranked 9th. I wouldn't, I wouldn't be super
45:06
shocked if Portugal could get past them over 2 legs.
45:10
Like I wouldn't be super shocked.
45:11
I would be surprised. Maybe I'm doing degrees on this
45:14
thing, but I look at Portugal, look at Portugal's toughness.
45:19
I don't know how much of that does Canada have right now.
45:23
Who else I got? I got almost two years it sorted
45:27
out. Any who you won't have to wait
45:30
two years for our next couple episodes.
45:32
Next week into the NW Cell returns.
45:35
We're going to talk some playoff matchups.
45:36
We're going to have end of season award show.
45:39
We got more Champs League coverage coming your way as
45:41
well. If you missed the Jordan Soko
45:43
itinerary, definitely go back and check that out.
45:46
We did a great Champs League match Day 2 recap that's in the
45:49
books. And then maybe in a day or so,
45:52
we're going to have our decision day machination show.
45:56
We're going to, we're going to, we're going to breakdown all the
45:57
stakes associated with this weekend of football in the end
46:01
of Busal as the league prepares for the playoff stretch run.
46:06
All right, man, I think we did it.
46:07
Did it. Anything else you want to hit
46:09
before we get out of here? I think that's it.
46:10
I'm going to continue to put the internal pressure on myself just
46:13
to let everybody know I am efforting to get an absolutely
46:18
legendary guest on this program. I'm going to make it happen.
46:22
I'm going to I'm going to close, I'm going to close this
46:24
interview. I'm going to make sure it gets
46:26
scheduled. We'll get the legend on the on
46:28
the on the podcast. I will not say it will not
46:30
reveal who that is just yet, but I'm, I'm not underselling it.
46:35
I'm trying to get a legend on this show with us.
46:37
So I'm putting the pressure on myself.
46:40
Cosign in the legend, you know, label absolutely all right man,
46:46
this has been another episode into the channel.
46:47
Thank you thank you thank you for watching listening, hanging
46:50
out. If you enjoyed the show or love
46:52
them so far as much as your boys do, make sure you keep getting
46:54
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47:01
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47:03
great way to do that. Into the channel merch, another
47:06
great way to do that. Links to all the above and much,
47:09
much more in the description of this episode.
47:11
And a big thank you to my coast as well, Mr. Grant Angle for, I
47:14
mean, what's what's more permanent than Sharpie?
47:17
You know, maybe maybe a tattoo of some sort.
47:18
I don't know if I'm going to be ready to go all the way there.
47:20
But yeah, I know what time my guy is sharpied in from here
47:24
until the end. And I appreciate you bro.
47:28
Likewise, buddy and and on that merch, I just want to say, you
47:31
know I'm wearing this very comfortable into the channel
47:33
good sweatshirt right now for anybody who's, you know,
47:37
travelled the world or maybe lives abroad.
47:39
He lives in in these United States.
47:42
Have you ever laid on fresh soft grass in the hills of the
47:46
Appalachia? Or have you ever swam in the
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beautiful blue coral of the Mediterranean Sea?
47:53
That's what it feels like to be enveloped in this wonderful Into
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48:00
Embrace the softness of it. Embrace the comfortability.
48:03
And thank you for rocking with us.
48:05
We always appreciate that. Please let us know who are your
48:07
for? Who are you sharp being in to
48:10
the US Women's National Team for the 2027 World Cup?
48:13
Let us know, drop the knowledge. Thank you again for watching and
48:16
we will see you all next time.