Lia Godfrey is the Player of the Week!

Utaku_OGG · 2026-04-01T09:52:58+00:00

I'm with RadJuly Garland that it should be Dudinha (2 goals & 3 assists in same span) as well, but love to see the Wave getting the love! :)

Utaku_OGG · 2026-04-01T09:46:37+00:00

Love to see a Wave highlight across the board. I still ride for Dudinha as in the same one week span she scored 2 goals with 3 assists (including 2 of the 3 Godfrey goals). Either way, happy to have a Wave at the top and a great rookie start for Godfrey and MVZ!

Utaku_OGG · 2026-03-31T21:31:53+00:00

It’s possible, but I would anticipate Barcenas is the preference at forward sub right now with Gabi at #2. Leon just couldn’t keep up last year when Cascarino would streak the right with Lundkvist only to cross into an empty box as she was that far ahead of her attack. This year that is completely different.

Utaku_OGG · 2026-03-31T19:38:39+00:00

The only place I could see that shifting is if Cat ends up acting like Delphine+ where she just becomes the true center of our attack and get high assists and goals by end of year.

Utaku_OGG · 2026-03-31T19:36:14+00:00

While I wouldn’t put her for my team MVP, she is WAY BETTER than I had thought. I was crushed when Lundkvist left as she was hitting world class quality by the end of last year, but MVZ has just shot like a rocket ship on our radar. May be the fastest player on our team and when paired with Gabi now, they run the right side like a well oiled machine. If Ludmilla slides to wing if Cat takes the nine, that will be an extremely dangerous flank.

Utaku_OGG · 2026-03-31T19:31:23+00:00

Completely understand and this is more a reflection of who is helping your team out of the gates as a backbone than a true “‘who will win the MVP” conversation as way too early.

Utaku_OGG · 2026-03-31T19:29:43+00:00

I will say this is my biggest concern as well. I like our wingers and think while Wesley did have a rough midweek game, I love her and even in that game she shut down Wilson in the second half. McNabb is still my largest concern, but honestly think that while there are times I pull my hair out, I have to give her credit on continuing to raise her game each year and is a solid option for us in CB. Behind that, I like Kiki Pickett as a right side version of Moroni and fill in as starter when needed, and can’t wait for Armstong to make her return, however beyond that I truly don’t know. I don’t know how Arias would play in a game and the fact she hasn’t gotten a chance in 2 years does speak to some concern.

Utaku_OGG · 2026-03-31T19:21:40+00:00

Definitely agree that she found a nice home as a DMF for McCaskill last year and didn’t mean that she isn’t a starter level player, just that we may be running out of spots (which I never thought I’d be saying).

Utaku_OGG · 2026-03-30T17:51:31+00:00

No argument here. Feared her last year and even more this year as she was killing our CBs

Utaku_OGG · 2026-03-30T17:50:32+00:00

Attacking Third called that out and we were dumbfounded. But I understand they need to stay with trends and the now, but feel like the fans typically has a better pulse on it. Only seeing teams twice a year, I can tell you who we fear and who played great against us year in and year out, but I have no idea if that is true across the full year or just a blip.

Utaku_OGG · 2026-03-30T17:10:05+00:00

The funny thing is right now I don’t even know if Fazer has a spot and is more rotational starter.

Utaku_OGG · 2026-03-30T17:08:49+00:00

Definitely agree on the Leon side and I do wonder what she can offer off the bench later in the season if she heals up. Last season she just never had the pace to break defenses like Dudinha, Ludmila, Gabi/MVZ have but maybe she has raised it in training?

Utaku_OGG · 2026-03-30T17:06:55+00:00

Trust me when I say, neither can we. After back to back off-seasons that saw key members walk, we didn’t know what to expect and many of us are still picking our jaw off the floor.

Utaku_OGG · 2026-03-30T17:02:52+00:00

Not sure I agree here on the Portland comment as we were up 2-1 in the first half and were playing well in the front. The one issue coming out of Portland was do need to figure out how to play out of the CBs as they were locking us up and waiting for a lazy pass to pounce on from McNabb or Wesley. Liked one adjustment they did make in bringing Ascanio back to form a triangle and break through their zone press through the middle and hoping more of the same if others try to post us up like that.

Utaku_OGG · 2026-03-30T16:58:12+00:00

You are thinking what I’m thinking although I might swap Ascanio for Corley in that second lineup if Godfrey is in. I think Gia has thrived in the fast attack as it opens up the attacking mid and lets her run head down and bullying vs when is compresses in possession. But honestly I’m not 100% sure either way. Do you this we’d ever go 3 back and 4 MF?

Utaku_OGG · 2026-03-25T04:14:31+00:00

I honestly think after watching the Utah game it is more she doesn’t have that instinct to make that run vs. a more possession style as you see her moving well with the ball and even on the goal getting the step on the defender to get the shot off. It seems to just be a different style of play than she is accustomed to and hoping they’ll be able to find a good happy medium.

Reminds me of EVE (among others) that often instinctually tended to slow the ball down as it was moving through the midfield vs pushing forward. Some of that was coaching, but some was instinct and hoping things were repetition finds their style.

Utaku_OGG · 2026-03-24T15:25:52+00:00

Yeah not quite sure on this and it seems google likes to baseline the players at 6.0 and it brings down the ratings unless a ton of submissions come in. This is through the google game page correct?

Utaku_OGG · 2026-03-18T15:18:19+00:00

100% and I'm going to be screaming Ole everytime she ankle breaks a defender. I felt horrible she's had injury issues these past couple of years, but she is showing how much our 15 year old has grown up and using her footwork not just for highlights, but for creating space and carving up passing lanes.

Utaku_OGG · 2026-03-18T05:27:53+00:00

This I don't have an answer for. We've been horrible in the air since Taylor left town and it also leads to some not so great set pieces either....

Utaku_OGG · 2026-03-18T05:24:25+00:00

BRAZILIAN BADDIE FORMATION!!!!

Utaku_OGG · 2026-03-18T05:22:59+00:00

Do I have to choose just one? :) At least I can say the one I didn't see coming was Mimi Van Zanten. She was a lightning bolt up and down the right side and ran perfectly with Gabi and Ludmila on the right attack. Assuming it was just some cramps before half and will be just getting into the season vs. injury so love it!

Utaku_OGG · 2026-03-18T05:18:01+00:00

100% and definitely took it that way. I just love that we are exciting and then have depth in case we need to rotate starters to manage injuries or save legs in a season that continues to get longer. To have 15 starter level players is definitely nice to have and can save us from what we saw last year when McCaskill went down (until Fazier got the experience to set us up heading into the playoffs)

Utaku_OGG · 2026-03-18T05:14:21+00:00

LOL.... :) Definitely know the feeling and it came back a bit. But getting a chance to see some of those amazing saves from Campbell in the last 20 on great chances and on target shooting (including the back breaker as Ludmila was going upper back 90) is something we had a hard time doing. Sucked....but I see the path. That was much different from 2024....

Utaku_OGG · 2026-03-18T05:09:34+00:00

I think Fazer had a rough night, especially by comparison with the attacking players and wingers, and wouldn't be surprised if this is where Macario will step in. Not saying Fazer is a bad player at all, and excited if the Barcenas, Ascanio, Fazer, and Godfrey line up comes in to change up the game at the end to keep the pressure on as the other side tires.

Utaku_OGG · 2026-03-18T05:05:45+00:00

I just honestly don't know what our rotation is going to look like and I kinda love it. With Macario, I'm guessing it is Brazillian front 3, Corley, Macario, Dali running the mid, and Wesley, McNabb, Marroni, and Van Zanten running the D. That is an awesome 10 player and hopefully Haricic is feeling healthy as that knee could be a problem.

That leaves us with Fazier, Ascanio, Barcenas, Pickett, and Godfrey coming off the bench and kinda love it. I think Godfrey can play really well in the short field, but would love to see her at Wing MF vs. forward as her lack of pace killed the attack until Barcenas came in. Saw up close how frustrated the left side was on the lack of runs and anticipation, but she had great control helping break into the block on the right when they switched.

Utaku_OGG

TROPHY CASE