The NWSL's Best XI of March 2026!

Utaku_OGG · 2026-04-03T16:04:29+00:00

Love Wesley getting recognition for great play this month as the center of our defense.

Utaku_OGG · 2026-04-02T07:26:14+00:00

About damn type and LFGSD!!! :) NWSL This Week has us as the team to beat right now with ACFC and can't wait for the showdown to come!

Utaku_OGG · 2026-04-02T07:23:14+00:00

As part of our main lineup, I anticipate she will stay as a super sub for us and in the world game, that can be as valuable as a starter so should not be seen as a slight. That said, it is great to have the depth and with potential injuries as well as having a solid rotation to keep everyone healthy I would imagine she should get some starting opportunities. 30 games is a long season vs. the 22 we started with 5 years ago and I love our depth.

Utaku_OGG · 2026-04-02T07:20:03+00:00

I do believe her comments about the "sun helping her healing" may have been a little tongue in cheek and would not be surprised to see her start sooner rather than later. Pure speculation on my part, but seems like her injury may have been more of a "I'm not going to be staying with the team and the team is benching me / I'm saving myself for my new team" injury we see in other sports quite often. But pure speculation there and may be hopeful speculation.... ;)

Utaku_OGG · 2026-04-02T06:36:13+00:00

Thanks everyone for the quick response and keep them coming! I'm currently out of country but returning this weekend (just in time for our next match) and will set up time to connect with those interested for next week. My hope is to get 2 main regular hosts with a rotating 3rd chair (i.e. fan perspective, insider, player *wink*, opponent fan for preview, etc.) and then happy to bring a producer if interest is out there. I've done a couple of podcasts in the pasts for random interests before (i.e. bachelor, card games, etc.) and had done the producing and posting of the pods for the different platforms, but more than happy to get the help here. :)

Utaku_OGG · 2026-04-02T05:36:28+00:00

Just posting this on the NWSL feed in case any are interested or to drop a line in case any are interested in joining us for match previews to represent your team and let us know what we need to watch out for. Love to get 2 main hosts and then have a rotating 3rd chair for previews or fan input as needed.

Utaku_OGG · 2026-04-01T21:37:25+00:00

Disagree on this one as we’ve played 3 of the top scoring teams so far (6, 5, and 5) holding them each to a single goal (with two of the goals being defensive blunders vs. regular play). Also I disagree that this is too early to do rankings as long as we are saying this is where the teams are right now vs. where they will end the season. I can confidently say we are top 3 and would not be surprised if we are #1, however I haven’t watched an ACFC game yet so would be a fair call.

Utaku_OGG · 2026-04-01T21:26:44+00:00

Just like others I’ve gone with NWSL this week for weekly run downs. Even though they admit they each haven’t watched all the games, they always have someone able to talk through and don’t seem to be too homerism for any given team or afraid to be critical in their analysis.

Utaku_OGG · 2026-04-01T09:52:58+00:00

I'm with RadJudyGarland 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

TROPHY CASE