American Soccer Analysis
American Soccer Analysis is a podcast that covers American Soccer from an analytical perspective founded in the belief that soccer is best understood not by fat old men in smoky rooms, but by people adept at Excel spreadsheets. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
EXPECTED OWN GOALS: Vlatko Andonovski HIRED!! Is THIS How the Chicago Stars Rebuild? With Lesley Ryder!
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It didn't take long for Vlatko Andonovski to find a new job. As the new Chief Soccer Officer of the Chicago Stars, he has a massive task ahead to make the club competitive again. Lesley Ryder of Gal Pal Sports and Defector returns to the show to explain how Andonovski arrived in the Windy City, and what he has to do first.
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EXPECTED OWN GOALS: When Should You Fire Your Head Coach? It's More Complicated Than You Think.
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Fabrice Gautrat's dismissal from the Houston Dash marks the fourth head coach to be fired this year. It feels like a lot. Is it, though? The guys put the NWSL head coach firings in context, and when is appropriate to fire a coach when they may not have as much impact on the field as we've always thought.
Plus, it sucks that Trinity Rodman's presence or absence at Ben Shelton's U.S. Open final became a story. Like, a lot.
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EXPECTED OWN GOALS: Vlatko Andonovski FIRED?! Plus, How to Rebuild the Chicago Stars
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The Chicago Stars are comfortably on track to be the worst team in NWSL history. They just sold Jameese Joseph to the Utah Royals, too. What's the plan, here? How can they get back to winning ways in a few years when the roster, front office, and coaching staff are either broken or in flux? The guys try to figure it out.
Plus, why on earth did the Kansas City Current fire Vlatko Andonovski???
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EXPECTED OWN GOALS: What Esther González's Departure from Gotham FC Means for the NWSL
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Esther González's mutual contract termination with Gotham FC back in July "for personal reasons" wasn't that unusual. Her quick signing with Al Qadsiah in Saudia Arabia did throw people for a loop. Guardian and Defector columnist Abigail Segel returns to the show to unpack why Esther may have done what she did, how aggrieved Gotham should feel, and what it says about the NWSL's place in the broader women's soccer ecosystem.
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Can You Build a Champion?! xOG's Road to 75 Deathmatch!
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Evan is out this week but have no fear — we have a very special episode for y'all. Eric is joined by friends of the pod Kieran Doyle-Davis (ASA, creator of Road to 75) and Arianna Cascone (ESPN, EQZ) as they go head-to-head-to-head in a deathmatch of Meg Linehan's favorite viral WoSo game: Road to 75. Who will reign victorious? Who will crash out?
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ASA Show - How do you project an MLSNP Prospect?
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EXPECTED OWN GOALS: What Are the Kansas City Current, Exactly?
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The guys burn through the rest of the weekend's action to get to their main story this week: the Kansas City Current. They're good, but they're also bad? But maybe not? But maybe yes when they don't have Temwa Chawinga? Or maybe they're unlucky? And what about the terrible away record? The guys parse all of it.
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EXPECTED OWN GOALS: The Chaotic Resurgence of the NWSL's North Carolina Courage
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A quick roundup of the weekend's action lands the guys at the feet of one of the wildest and most entertaining games you'll ever see: North Carolina Courage 4, Washington Spirit 3. Since the return from summer break, the Courage have looked like the most dominant team in the NWSL, and the most vulnerable. How have they moved on from Manaka Matsukubo, and is Ashely Sanchez making her MVP and USWNT cases undeniable?
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EXPECTED OWN GOALS: Toggling the NWSL Playoff Line
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The guys wonder how all the weekend's games were either demolitions or squeakers. Then, they dig into the status of teams around the playoff line. What will it take to get to the dance in a 30-game season, and which team on the outside looking in has the best chance of breaking through come November?
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EXPECTED OWN GOALS: Over- and Underperformers in the First Half of the NWSL SEASON
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After a quick run through last weekend's action, the guys muse on who has been playing way over their heads, and who is due for a boost in the second half of the season. Don't buy some players' goal totals!
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Art by Eli Elbogen
Music by Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs
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EXPECTED OWN GOALS: How to Build an NWSL Roster from Scratch, with Boston Legacy's Edward Gallagher
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The Boston Legacy set out to do something no NWSL club had ever done: build an entire roster without any drafts, and with only a small group of players with previous league experience. How did they do it? What did they value? Has it worked? The guys spoked with the club's director of recruitment, Edward Gallagher, to gain insight on how he and general manager Domènec Guasch envisioned the squad both for their inaugural season and for years to come.
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ASA Show - Canada Literally Win The World Cup and MLS Transfer Potpourri
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EXPECTED OWN GOALS: Why Age Curves Matter in the NWSL
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With Guro Reiten, Sam Kerr and Denise O'Sullivan coming to Gotham this year, the club's plan seems clear: load up on stars over the age of 30. Lindsey Heaps is Denver's newest contribution to their aging lineup. But these are all stars, right? Why does it matter how old they are? The guys explain why age very much matters in high performance athletics, and not always in the ways you think .
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EXPECTED OWN GOALS: NWSL's Big Summer Transactions: What's Angel City Doing?!?
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The NWSL's summer transfer window is in full swing, and we've already seen some massive moves. Sam Kerr is coming to Gotham! Manaka Matsukubo is going to Chelsea! Most importantly, Angel City shipped Kennedy Fuller, brought in Ally Sentnor, and fired their coach. What exactly are Willow Bay's and Mark Parsons's plans for the club right now???
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EXPECTED OWN GOALS: USWNT vs. Brazil Recap — Put Some Icy Hot on Those Red Cards!
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Emma Hayes wanted the USWNT to experience the cauldron of playing Brazil in Brazil, and boy did she get her wish. A split decision across two games in front of nearly 90,000 total fans taught us a lot about where both sides are a year from the World Cup, but much of that will be overshadowed by the red card bonanza toward the end of the second match on Tuesday. The guys wade through the detritus to see how the U.S. adapted from their 2-1 loss in São Pau...
ASA Show - USA/Canada World Cup Preview-ish
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EXPECTED OWN GOALS: The NWSL Summer Break "Are They Real?" Draft, with Sara Ach & Arianna Cascone!
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Now that the first third of the NWSL season is in the books—and teams are taking the next month off from competition—we thought it was a great time to take stock of what's happened, and to try and figure out which teams area legit and which ones are frauds. Joining us for the inaugural xOG Are They Real? Draft, our faves Sara Ach and Arianna Cascone stopped by to help us out. This one got spicy with takes! Probably the most fun episode we've had in awhile...
EXPECTED OWN GOALS: NWSL Game of the Week — San Diego Wave and Orlando Pride Play to Type
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It wasn't the most scintillating of affairs, but the San Diego Wave and Orlando Pride showed us who they really were over the weekend, as Orlando eked out a 1-0 victory on the road at Snapdragon Stadium. Is containing Barbra Banda enough for a team who want to be the protagonists? Can Orlando muster anything going forward that doesn't involve Banda? Does it matter? The guys unpack two very good but often frustrating squads.
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EXPECTED OWN GOALS: NWSL Week 9 Whiparound — Kansas City Current Surge, Angel City Frustrate
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On this week's whiparound, we muse over every game getting a goal or a red card before the 20th minute. A vibe shift was afoot! Mostly bad games resulted. Houston and Chicago snatched one, while Seattle can breathe a sigh of relief. Will Louisville ever look right again? The guys figure it all out!
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EXPECTED OWN GOALS: NWSL Game of the Week — North Carolina Courage Wipe the Floor with Chicago Stars FC
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The North Carolina Courage thrashed the Chicago Stars at home. On the one hand, Mallory Swanson is back! On the other hand, the Courage look like the real deal. The guys talk through Chicago's woes, and what makes the Courage so special this year.
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Art by Eli Elbogen
Music by Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs
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EXPECTED OWN GOALS: NWSL Week 8 Whiparound — Angel City and the Thorns Snooze, plus all the League Action
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The Portland Thorns and Angel City delivered a snoozer, while the San Diego Wave and Washington Spirit played each other tight. Are Utah officially good? Are Louisville officially bad? The guys unpack all the weekend's games.
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Art by Eli Elbogen
Music by Devin Drobka's Bell Dance Songs
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EXPECTED OWN GOALS: NWSL Game of the Week — Racing Louisville Get One Over on Portland Thorns
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Racing Louisville got an emphatic, desperately needed three points at home against the Portland Thorns, who at times looked shambolic. But just how superior were Racing? What can we say is the good and the bad of the Thorns right now? The guys had a real debate about where these teams live a quarter of the way through the season.
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EXPECTED OWN GOALS: NWSL Week 7 Whiparound — Goals Optional
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This NWSL weekend offered a lot of games where nothing happened, except the rare moments where it all happened. Kansas City Current got well against the Chicago Stars, the Seattle Reign failed in their anti-football campaign vs. the Washington Spirit, and Barbra Banda IS the Orlando Pride. Let's dig in!
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EXPECTED OWN GOALS: NWSL Week 6 Game of the Week — Boston Legacy are Good?!? Denver Summit are Not!!
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The first of two NWSL expansion derbies this year brought a wild contest with incredible attacking force from the Boston Legacy. What did the Denver Summit bring? A bit of finishing luck. Yet, Boston couldn't find a winner until the absolute death. No matter, as the club's first three points are now in hand. What do we make of these two new teams after seven games played? The guys try to separate signal from noise.
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EXPECTED OWN GOALS: NWSL Week 6 Whiparound — Washington Spirit Rule, Chicago Stars Drool
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The weather affected a few matches this weekend, but whereas Houston and Seattle had no pulse, Orlando and Washington thought they were in the Crank 2 remake. Meanwhile, Racing Louisville were ground down by Gotham FC, the Portland Thorns ran hot and cold in blustery Chicago, and Bay FC held off the San Diego Wave thanks to Racheal Kundananji. What fun the NWSL is!
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ASA Show - MLS Mulligans
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EXPECTED OWN GOALS: NWSL Week 5 Game of the Week — Washington Spirit Dominate the Kansas City Current
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This week's featured match drills down on two of the league's titans whose fortunes are careening in different directions. The 4-0 scoreline suggests the Washington ran riot over the Kansas City Current, but it's a bit more complicated than that. What isn't complicated is that Washington's results are catching up to their performances, while Kansas City find themselves in a pit of mediocrity that needs to change fast. The guys pick all of it apart.
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EXPECTED OWN GOALS: NWSL Week 5 Whiparound — Luck, Bad Luck and More Bad Luck
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On today's NWSL whiparound, we examine why so many results didn't match the performances, from Chicago's and Louisville's absurd wins to San Diego looking less like a 3-goal monster in the second half against Denver. Gotham, meanwhile, did exactly what was expected of them, and the less said about Seattle and Utah, the better.
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EXPECTED OWN GOALS: USWNT vs. Japan, Round 3 — Emma Hayes Enters Final Boss Mode
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The final of the USWNT's cold, unpleasant friendlies against Japan concluded on a high, with a close-to-A-team squad taking down the Nadeshiko 3-0 in Commerce City, Colorado. Was Japan held back by altitude and sub-optimal personnel choices? Is Rose Lavelle the preferred option to defend from the front with Sophia Wilson? Did any player's stock rise higher than Kennedy Wesley's? The guys reflect on a week of highs and lows for the Stars & Stripes, and what comes next when t...
EXPECTED OWN GOALS: USWNT vs. Japan, Round 2 — The Kids Couldn't Lock it Down
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Emma Hayes rotated heavily when the USWNT headed up to Seattle on a cold, rainy, windy Tuesday evening, and lost 1-0 to a Japan who just looked better, especially without the ball. What are the lessons here? What should we expect in Colorado on Friday? The guys ponder a tricky performance and its stakes for the World Cup in 2027.
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EXPECTED OWN GOALS: USWNT vs. Japan, Round 1 — Is This Emma Hayes's Preferred Lineup?
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The U.S. women's national team got past Japan 2-1 on a cold, wet Saturday in San Jose, and this might portend a lot for the World Cup knockout stage in 14 months' time. The guys try to determine what looked good, what needed work, and whether Emma Hayes is committed to this group going forward, or if there are some positions that can still be challenged for. (Yes, this is mostly about Lindsey Heaps.)
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EXPECTED OWN GOALS: NWSL Week 4 — Checking in on All 16 Teams
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The NWSL is taking three weeks off, so the guys decide to see where things stand with every club. Is Kansas City maybe not as bad as they seem? Is Haley McCutcheon working as an attacking midfielder? What's good about the Boston Legacy? All that and much more!
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EXPECTED OWN GOALS: NWSL Week 3 — Angel City is Top of the Table, and the Houston Dash are Evolving
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The three-game week so early in the NWSL season did a number on many teams, especially ones that traveled. After the guys round up the weekend's slate—including Eric being pitchside for the Denver Summit's record-breaking home opener—they dig into the top-of-the-table clash between Angel City and the Houston Dash. Are these teams really good? What has Houston changed since last year? What are Angel City doing well and what's smoke and mirrors...
ASA Show - MLS Small Sample Size Theatre
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EXPECTED OWN GOALS: NWSL Week 2 — Portland Thorns Go Spelunking on the Seattle Reign
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Wait, WHAT?!? The Portland Thorns beat the Seattle Reign 2-0 in their Cascadia Rivalry home opener, but did it playing with only nine players for 40 whole minutes. This is unprecedented for a number of reasons. After whipping around the rest of the league (where wind, red cards, and a host of other silliness drove results), the guys try to figure out what signal can be pulled from the noise of a raucous derby that saw the shorthanded...
EXPECTED OWN GOALS: USWNT Star Catarina Macario Joins the San Diego Wave! Plus, the Boston Legacy's Entry to the NWSL
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After months of rumors, speculation, and journalistic teases, Catarina Macario has finally made the move to the NWSL, joining her hometown San Diego Wave for a record-breaking five-year, $8 million contract. How does she help the Wave? What is still left to be done for San Diego to remain a contender? The guys ponder it all.
Plus, Eric shares his wild weekend hitting three NWSL games in three days, including the Boston Legacy's inaugural home ope...
EXPECTED OWN GOALS: NWSL Season Preview Week — Gotham FC, with Jenna Tonelli of Sports Illustrated
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Two Championship titles in three years. Are Gotham on their way to a dynasty? Maybe, if they can win the big one without squeaking into the playoffs. Jenna Tonelli of Sports Illustrated joins the guys to make sense of the arrivals of young prospects Jordynn Dudley and Andrea Kitahata, and how the roster can stay balanced while improving on their goalscoring record.
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EXPECTED OWN GOALS: NWSL Season Preview Week — Washington Spirit, with Riss Willett of Shea Butter FC
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It was a second straight Championship loss for the Washington Spirit last year, and now they are without Croix Bethune. But they gain a new front office head in Haley Carter, as well as 18-year-old wunderkind Claudia Martínez. And there was something about Trinity Rodman...
Do they have what it takes to get back to the title game? Riss Willett of Shea Butter FC breaks down one of the deepest rosters in the league, and how they can build on an impressive two years.
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EXPECTED OWN GOALS: NWSL Season Preview Week — Kansas City Current, with Cindy Lara of KC Soccer Journal
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RECORDED BEFORE THE PENELOPE HOCKING TRANSFER
The Kansas City Current put up the greatest regular season campaign in NWSL history last year. And then Katie Stengel knocked them out of the first round of the playoffs at the death of extra time. There's still one mountain yet to climb for this group, and they'll attempt it with a new head coach, Chris Armas. Not only that, they'll add yet another megaweapon in attack, Croix Bethune. Was the cost of Claire Hutton worth it? Cindy Lara of KC Soccer Journal and The Tea(L) offers her thoug...
EXPECTED OWN GOALS: NWSL Season Preview Week — Portland Thorns, with Phuoc Nguyen of Stumptown Footy
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The Portland Thorns nabbed third place and a semifinal berth in 2025, all without Sophia Wilson and Morgan Weaver. Then, they fired head coach Rob Gale. In at the last minute comes former Tottenham Hotspur gaffer Robert Vilahamn. Out goes midfield maestro Sam Coffey. Not much offseason happened beyond that. Will the returns of Wilson and Weaver overpower the team's midfield deficiencies? Phuoc Nguyen of Stumptown Footy walks the guys through the thinking of owner Lisa Bhathal Merage and GM Jeff Agoos, and what realistic expectations should look like. (Though Sarah Lowdon didn't get the permanent...
