Blair Newman
@secondball.bsky.social
✍️ NWSL, USWNT, WoSo for The Equalizer. Guardian Top 100 panelist 🕵️ Scouted for professional clubs. PFSA Level 2 Talent ID & Technical Scouting 💭 Random football musings: https://secondball.medium.com/
My analysis of Boston Legacy, through the lens of their opening 23 minutes versus the Portland Thorns ❓ Filipa Patao's formation changes 🦢 How the Swans attack 📈📉 Why sometimes it looks great, sometimes not ⚡ What's so special about *that* defensive style secondball.medium.com/on-boston-an...
On Boston, and buying in
Love them or hate them, win or lose, the Boston Legacy have been one of the most entertaining teams to watch in the NWSL this year.
secondball.medium.com
Gift Monday, Aissata Traore and Amanda Gutierres?
Big Oof Size Meme
ALT: Big Oof Size Meme
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On Boston, and buying in Boston Legacy have been one of the most entertaining teams to watch in NWSL this season. How did they do it? My analysis of Filipa Patao's Boston, through the lens of the win over Portland. secondball.medium.com/on-boston-an...
On Boston, and buying in
Love them or hate them, win or lose, the Boston Legacy have been one of the most entertaining teams to watch in the NWSL this year.
secondball.medium.com
What might Vlatko Andonovski's Chicago Stars look like? My latest for @equalizersoccer.bsky.social considers what a typical Andonovski team is, what are the needs in each position, and which players could be on his shortlist ⭐📝 equalizersoccer.com/2026/10/07/w...
What might Vlatko Andonovski’s Chicago Stars look like?
This season has been a slog for the Chicago Stars and their supporters. They have been rooted to the bottom of the National Women’s Soccer League table for a while and are all but certain to end the c...
equalizersoccer.com
Chicago made a massive move in hiring Vlatko Andonovski, but what is he working with and what will he be looking to do? @secondball.bsky.social analyzes how he has built his previous teams and what kind of players he could target to make the Stars shine again.
What might Vlatko Andonovski’s Chicago Stars look like?
This season has been a slog for the Chicago Stars and their supporters. They have been rooted to the bottom of the National Women’s Soccer League table for a while and are all but certain to end the c...
equalizersoccer.com
rating Mackenzie Barry is one of the clearest signs of ball knowledge 🫡 🇳🇿 🧱
Blair Newman@secondball.bsky.social · 2d agoI enjoyed watching Adelaide last season. Paige Zois passing, Adriana Taranto vibes, Ilona Melegh one of the best young keepers...around? Wellington have Mackenzie Barry, a defender I've always rated. Grace Jale & Tameka Yallop are fun to watch. Milly Clegg and Abby Erceg too! Pia Vlok one to watch
Checking the A-League teams a few days ago I saw Avaani Prakash has joined Melbourne City, where she'll play with Danella Butrus. Two exciting young players, two good reasons to watch City (three including the hopeful return to form of Cortnee Vine).
The Far Post@thefarpostpod.bsky.social · 2d agoYou can also watch the full episode on YouTube! www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHRT...
Sanchez has modified her game, I'm surprised so few picked up on it. Not just playing left wing. Staying high and making runs. That involves communication, signal between passer & runner. Sanchez has that understanding with Courage. Hopefully if she gets a chance, the midfielders look for her.
The Women's Game@womensgamemib.bsky.social · 2d ago“If you have a player in-form like Ashley Sanchez, they deserve a look.” Becky and Sam discuss the balancing act of team chemistry and performance when evaluating players 🧪⭐️
Imagine just casually calling up Jaelin Howell when you need a replacement in midfield? I don't think that level of depth exists anywhere else in the international game. She'd stroll into the vast majority of national team squads.
The Women's Game@womensgamemib.bsky.social · 3d agoGotham midfielder Jaelin Howell has been called into USWNT camp for the matches against Spain 🇺🇸 She will replace Man City midfielder Sam Coffey, who picked up an injury in yesterday's match against Arsenal. 📸: @uswnt.ussoccer.com
The margins for counter-attacking Gotham are so fine. Top class recovery in transition from Howell and O'Sullivan there, to apply pressure, reorganise and get between ball and goal
Aaand that's why you *don't* play Shaw up front. Get her off the striker, arriving secondary around penalty spot, full view of goals (defenders depending, obvs), ability to finish in basically every single way
Amoros offside masterclass coming in again, or it feels like it. Reminds me of when he took over Houston mid-season and suddenly they were catching opponents off all the time
Vlatko's first decision on players? He likes wing-backs that can get up and down the field. One of the more demanding positions in a Vlatko team I think. Not sure if Leila could carry out those expectations, certainly at this point in her career.
Taylor Vincent@tayvincent6.bsky.social · 4d agoChicago Stars FC today announced that the club and defender Leila Ouahabi have mutually agreed to part ways, allowing her to pursue other opportunities. Ouahabi joined the Stars in June after playing four seasons with Manchester City.
Kept attacking when they didn't need to. Just the four goals. Thorns fans booing off the officials for...not favouring their team, I guess? Vintage Boston
Barney Gumble: Just Hook It To My Veins!!
ALT: Barney Gumble: Just Hook It To My Veins!!
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Boston could play for time, take it to the corner, fall over, cheat. Or just keep scoring until the game ends. Got to love the Super Swans
Amanda Allen on for Boston, probably for mobility and runs in behind because Portland are keeping a high line even down a player
Check Nichelle Prince's movement by the way, she is legitimately a striker. Brilliant, a real outlet in behind here
It's funny that Boston being physical is somehow a bad thing. Like they're not allowed to make contact now. Patao has them ramped up and competing and they can't get playoffs and there's no relegation, how can you not love it?
Karich playing in the extra comfy slippers this evening. Boss
The Sopranos: Tony Soprano Smoking Cigar
ALT: The Sopranos: Tony Soprano Smoking Cigar
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Excellent. The top-scoring team with the top-scoring player *must* make the playoffs. It should just be a wildcard rule. Even if you finish 16th, if you top-scored you get in ahead of whoever finished 8th.
OptaJack@optajack.optajoe.com · 5d ago78.8 - Following its win at Seattle on Friday, @nccourage.com's playoffs chances increased from 47.7 percent to 78.8 percent, according to the Opta Predictor. Leap.
I don't know why and it's unquestionably not true but that feels like the 100th looping shot that Dickey has had to be acrobatic with in this game
I'm interested to see what happens between Ashley Sanchez, and Seattle's full-backs who vary their positions, and whether she is able to exploit that in transition...or do Seattle keep one back to nullify her
Missed this at the time. No wonder Yanez's future is uncertain. What Louisville did last year under her watch was something special. She is a good coach in a crap situation.
The Athletic | Football@theathleticfc.bsky.social · 2w agoThe future of coach Bev Yanez is uncertain but there are also issues around investment and even possible relocation to address www.nytimes.com/athletic/763...
That fake to give herself space to shoot
andré, but scarier@andre-carlisle.bsky.social · last wk.LINDA MF'N CAICEDO
More American players should move to Europe to experience the tactical variety and quality of the CHaMpiONS lEAguE
andré, but scarier@andre-carlisle.bsky.social · last wk.lmaoooooo misa let the ball stop in the box before kicking it to williamson whose attempt to reset and take the goal kick was deemed a handball in the box and paris fc got a pk to tie the match 2-2
Byars, Tordin and Shores I'm not surprised by as first-time call-ups. I also wouldn't have been surprised had Ascanio and Klenke been in consideration
All this Atlanta talk has me going back through old WUSA teams. Among others, the Beat had Brianna Scurry, Sun Wen, Homare Sawa and Charmaine Hooper...
