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I find Harvey teams quite reactive in defence and attack, prefer their opponent to make the first move. I wouldn't for instance define their defending as "intense pressure" or their attacking as "free-flowing"...so I think I'm on the same page as you?

I don't think that's Harvey's way based on what I've heard from her. And I suspect particularly in NWSL that more autocratic approach "do this then this to achieve this" style of coaching won't take so easily in a league where players are empowered, or at least more so than in other leagues...

The traditional Italian training method sticks out like a sore thumb because you see players making runs off of each other without typical cues: hand signals, eye contact, checking shoulder. They just know because it's been rehearsed over and over to the point of mental exhaustion!

You will see patterns of play repeating across teams because football coaches steal, pass on idea, but also because there's a limited amount of ways teams can get from A to B. That's the what, the style of play, but not the how, which is the training method of the coach

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Blair Newman @secondball.bsky.social · 8h

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

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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

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Blair Newman @secondball.bsky.social · 9h

And that's not to mention the movement she has in behind, her ability to separate, and the power in her shot! Multifaceted striker, no wonder Hayes called her up

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Blair Newman @secondball.bsky.social · 9h

She can play up against a defender from what I've seen, use body, shield, good touch and lay-offs. She can help bring the attack up the field, hold the ball under pressure and link up, bring runners into the game

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Blair Newman @secondball.bsky.social · 13h

To be honest I don't know what that means but I discussed that with yourself and @gingers4hal.bsky.social before haha. College soccer is like foreign language to me

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Blair Newman @secondball.bsky.social · 13h

Was she a prospect coming out of the college game?

Blair Newman @secondball.bsky.social · 13h

Lots of positive stuff I think! One-v-one technique, balance, turning, acceleration/deceleration, you can see in your clips why she does well as the outside centre-back in a 3

Happy birthday (in advance) you legend 🥳

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Last year was a really good coaching job. And that Louisville even had a "run" of some sort this season with all the trials and tribulations is an achievement in itself. Yanez is a good coach, also a young coach who is learning on the job, would be a good hire for a few teams I reckon

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Speculation over the club's future won't help. And the playoffs have been done for a while. That 3-2 defeat in San Diego killed them. There's absolutely nothing on the line for them.

This year she built something from the wreckage with that move to a 3-4-1-2 formation. It really unlocked something in the attack. Otherwise, hamstrung by absences (DeMelo most notable), the loss of Sonis didn't help either. So yes, results have "reverted" but there's obvious reasons why

What I like most about Yanez is she can self-reflect. She's talked about mistakes in her first year as a head coach and what she learned going into the second, changing the way she coached but also finding an identity for the team. Which she did, and it worked.

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.

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They are using player-marking, less about technical/tactical and more about physical/mental, and have been able to carry it out and limit on paper much stronger opposition. And Uka is so much fun to watch. I wonder where she's been and why she's still in Austria (no offence to that league)

Blair Newman @secondball.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

That fake to give herself space to shoot

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Blair Newman @secondball.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Modesta Uka, how did I not know you already!? First touch to cushion a difficult ball, close control and agility to twist and turn and deceive, make a bit of space for herself. Glides on the ball in space and a whiplash ball-striker, dangerous with an open ball and at set plays. Joy to watch

Blair Newman @secondball.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

More American players should move to Europe to experience the tactical variety and quality of the CHaMpiONS lEAguE

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Blair Newman @secondball.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Ascanio I think is a unique player, a midfielder who can twist and turn and change the scenery at a moment's notice. To me it feels a bit like watching a classic Argentine or maybe Spanish playmaker type...and Klenke, well, a young left-footed CB, always looks pretty solid when I watch anyway!

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Blair Newman @secondball.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Tordin's versatility & club relationship with Wilson make a pretty unique profile. She can function in almost any attacking role. Byars can score and help establish the attack, & I thought Hayes needed to test out a natural 9 alternative. Shores is playing well in a problem position

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Blair Newman @secondball.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

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

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Blair Newman @secondball.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Her combination with Sam Kerr in Chicago was elite

Blair Newman @secondball.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

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...

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Blair Newman @secondball.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

They have it in the crest, I reckon, Phoenix would have been, well something that isn't "City"

Bronze is one of the most powerful full-backs around! I feel like just having her shield the ball is a tactic Chelsea could use for like half an hour at a time

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It went in like the only part of the goal it could possibly have gone in! 🎯

Yeah she is a difference-maker

Is there any pressing-related data where we can see if they might have become more or less intense over the season?

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Definitely, she always strikes me as having good positional sense, if not the physicality of Nielsen (but then who does!)

Houston siege defending now and they have one of the best siege defenders in Paige Nielsen

No pressure, no cover, no balance!

I need to go back and watch Ansbrow's games a bit closer to form an opinion, but do like Elgin. For her ability to bring the ball out as much as anything!

Elgin seemed to drop pretty quickly out of contention too?

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I think her reputation really took a hit when USWNT tried to profile her as a holding mid, particularly solo. She's always been much better closer to opponent's box than her own.

Oke is doing a good job covering Chawinga, particularly given starting position. One of the toughest marking jobs in football?

An open end-to-end game even by NWSL standards! Fun to watch, both teams going for it. Denver sensing the frailty in their hosts and going for the jugular, got to respect it.

Disorganisation in the KC block for Denver to open the scoring. Poor coverage from the Current frontline leaves LaBonta and DiBernardo exposed 3v2. Far too easy for the Summit to find a free midfielder and play from there

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I've a growing feeling that Penrice is a better player than all three...

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