i wish Sam Meza was being drafted to a team that actually did have a Rose Lavelle ahead of her in the depth chart. she would have been a perfect player to learn from.
Meza, as it stands, is the only creative, attack minded midfielder on the Reign's roster. I don't like the idea of dropping Meza into the starting 11 her rookie year as i love the upside, but don't think she's going to contribute hugely in her first year as a pro.
no clue what the Reign think they're building, given they haven't added a single warm body to that roster apart from three drafted rookies this entire offseason whilst losing some of their most important players via expansion and free agency. interesting strategy.
I do feel bad for the Reign because I think the club sale (which should go through soon fingers crossed) has directly affected their ability to make deals, strategize and plan contracts for the roster build -- although I do think they are going to miss out on Ella Stevens (a really underrated NWSL player) too, who I think could've helped in central attacking positions.
Meza is interesting to me because she's more of a building attacker than a break-the-lines attacker like Lavelle. I think Harvey's teams have been at their best when they play short intricate passes and that can really help her. I do agree though, that needing to throw a rookie into high usage and responsibility is a risk. It would be great to build her up slowly. But i think Harvey is a great coach for her to land with.
Could be time for the Reign to go international and bring in a big-name central attacking threat? Kenza Dali? Yui Hasegawa? Kiana Palacios? Maybe they strike a deal with Gotham for Yazmeen Ryan who is going to see her minutes cut into based on their signings?
as of 01/17/24, they have not *added anything* to their roster while every other team in the league is adding to theirs. since the final, they've lost 4 high quality players from their roster and added 0... like, what are we doing here? players are returning to their markets already.
I really like Van Der Jagt & Athens as players but they are anything but creative options out of the midfield.
i honestly believe Meza is the only player on that roster right now suited for that role as Fishlock even was pushed further and further back last year and is not exactly entering her prime these days.
they have no choice but to add given their losses, right? maybe they'll recall Luany from her loan with Madrid CF but thats a player who might as well be a rookie with zero time in league thus far.
just really, really strange and impossible to understand how this roster stagnation and the Reign's seeming inability to put multiple year, lucrative contracts in front of their/any UFA's this offseason is somehow *not* directly tied to the sale process which involves heavy league oversight and *checks notes* also a business owned by the Washington Spirit owner Michelle Kang.
i believe 1000% theres a story in there about the timing of the sale and how it's impacted everything with that team, i just also know the league and it's teams will never be allowed to say that up front because it's a PR nightmare for a league.
I adore Harvey as a coach, but just like Gotham went from worst to first, it's not hard for a team to be in the championship game one season and at the foot of the table the next season. unfortunately, i don't think this Reign team will score goals without some pretty serious recruitment.
i wish Sam Meza was being drafted to a team that actually did have a Rose Lavelle ahead of her in the depth chart. she would have been a perfect player to learn from.
Meza, as it stands, is the only creative, attack minded midfielder on the Reign's roster. I don't like the idea of dropping Meza into the starting 11 her rookie year as i love the upside, but don't think she's going to contribute hugely in her first year as a pro.
no clue what the Reign think they're building, given they haven't added a single warm body to that roster apart from three drafted rookies this entire offseason whilst losing some of their most important players via expansion and free agency. interesting strategy.
I do feel bad for the Reign because I think the club sale (which should go through soon fingers crossed) has directly affected their ability to make deals, strategize and plan contracts for the roster build -- although I do think they are going to miss out on Ella Stevens (a really underrated NWSL player) too, who I think could've helped in central attacking positions.
Meza is interesting to me because she's more of a building attacker than a break-the-lines attacker like Lavelle. I think Harvey's teams have been at their best when they play short intricate passes and that can really help her. I do agree though, that needing to throw a rookie into high usage and responsibility is a risk. It would be great to build her up slowly. But i think Harvey is a great coach for her to land with.
Could be time for the Reign to go international and bring in a big-name central attacking threat? Kenza Dali? Yui Hasegawa? Kiana Palacios? Maybe they strike a deal with Gotham for Yazmeen Ryan who is going to see her minutes cut into based on their signings?
I'm just stunned by the Reign rn bro!
as of 01/17/24, they have not *added anything* to their roster while every other team in the league is adding to theirs. since the final, they've lost 4 high quality players from their roster and added 0... like, what are we doing here? players are returning to their markets already.
I really like Van Der Jagt & Athens as players but they are anything but creative options out of the midfield.
i honestly believe Meza is the only player on that roster right now suited for that role as Fishlock even was pushed further and further back last year and is not exactly entering her prime these days.
they have no choice but to add given their losses, right? maybe they'll recall Luany from her loan with Madrid CF but thats a player who might as well be a rookie with zero time in league thus far.
just really, really strange and impossible to understand how this roster stagnation and the Reign's seeming inability to put multiple year, lucrative contracts in front of their/any UFA's this offseason is somehow *not* directly tied to the sale process which involves heavy league oversight and *checks notes* also a business owned by the Washington Spirit owner Michelle Kang.
i believe 1000% theres a story in there about the timing of the sale and how it's impacted everything with that team, i just also know the league and it's teams will never be allowed to say that up front because it's a PR nightmare for a league.
I adore Harvey as a coach, but just like Gotham went from worst to first, it's not hard for a team to be in the championship game one season and at the foot of the table the next season. unfortunately, i don't think this Reign team will score goals without some pretty serious recruitment.