Women's Soccer

OK, so why?
More turf matches?
Angle of femur to knee different from men’s?

This Johns Hopkins doctor seems to have an answer, all female athletes, not just in soccer:
ACL Tears in Female Athletes: Q&A with a Sports Medicine Expert | Johns Hopkins Medicine.

And, instead of spending time and money on this, UEFA should simply read the internet:

What can female athletes do to prevent ACL tears?

Sports injuries are always a possibility, even if you do everything right. But there are steps you can take to minimize risk factors related to your technique, training and lifestyle. The following recommendations are all equally important in preventing ACL tears and other sports injuries:

  • Practice good technique. While not a guarantee, proper technique when training and playing a sport can help ward off sports injuries. Work with your coach and/or your sports physical therapist to identify improper form and correct it.
  • Avoid working out while overly fatigued. When you’re tired, it’s easier to make mistakes or forget about good technique. Getting enough sleep and stopping a workout before exhaustion sets in help to prevent injury.
  • Work to develop muscle groups evenly. Core and extremity strength are equally important. Focusing on one while ignoring the other increases your risk of injury.
  • Create a balance between strength and flexibility. Both tight and overstretched muscles are more prone to injury. Working on strength and flexibility in moderation is key.
  • Eat a balanced diet. Poor nutrition leads to decreased strength, endurance and attention. Eating well can help improve your focus and performance.

Meanwhile, the Brit is shaping, and shaking, the USWNT up, but good.

Need to let go of the dinosaurs (Morgan) and let better players play in their natural positions. Sophia Smith in particular.

Angel City skirts a rule, signs Alyssa’s sister before she had to declare for the draft:

Nice skirting.
They have a younger sister Zoe, who is 12. Guessing the rules will be changed before then.

Also: NWSL does the right thing, then decides the wrong thing;

Right thing: balanced schedule each plays the others twice, once at home once away.
Wrong thing: STILL thinks it needs playoffs, cuz 'Murica.
Oh, and they’ll hold a tournament during Olympics, without the tops stars of the league.

Hey, USWNT: Don’t lose next time. That should cut the amount of abuse about 50%.
Also: Hey, Spain, don’t win the WWC. That should cut the abuse by about 50%.

Apparently, “social media abuse” is so important (it shouldn’t be, to the point that The Simpsons could repurpose the Paul Anka song for it), it requires a study by FIFA. Physical abuse and death of laborers in Qatar? {silence}

“Two unidentified players – who FIFA has chosen not to name in order to protect the individuals from further abuse – representing the U.S. and Argentina received significantly more abusive messages than any other players at the tournament.”

I wonder who the Argentinian player was.

Should we assume that the American player was Rapinoe?
So, let’s see if Argentina has any gay players… huh, five!

https://www.outsports.com/2023/7/11/23787885/world-cup-women-gay-lesbian-lgbtq-usa-australia-brazil

OK, so which one is most outspoken, or has an identifiable hair color, or has complained about unfair treatment and pay, or that she won’t go on a date with me, or…

Geez, even our US Women’s league isn’t all that great. I count five players in the “W Soccer’s Best 50” list on ESPN:

Now the voters might not be biased (I see a lot from Europe), but it should all balance out. Alas, it does not.

I counted zero Canadian women. I know Canada has struggled of late but they must have one good player.

Some TEAMS had five or more players.
I guess that’s what happens when clubs pay the players more and players aren’t tied like slaves to a team via league draft.

American coach at Brighton:

Spain absolutely dominates that list.

The clubs there seem to know how to find the talent even at young ages. What is happening here in the USA? No idea, but guessing the pay-to-play club system (where the ultimate goal for many is a college scholarship) is one cause for missing the talent, especially among minorities.

Barca F manager leaving at end of season, probably retiring to NWSL (but maybe retiring to MLS?).

Is there a salary cap on managers in MLS and NWSL?
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Preguntando para un amigo

Mewis moving to London to be closer to fiancée. Ah, love:

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SheBelieves Cup held in ATL and CMH (Columbus for non-flyers to the city). Semis on artificial turf, I think. Finals on grass. Oh, well, halfway to equality!
USA, BRA, JPN, CAN.

Finals in CMH on 4/9, day after Total Solar Eclipse, the path of which is close by. Two birds, one stone, though behaving weather not guaranteed.

Sam Mewis calls it a career. Only 83 caps, but she had a significant impact on the USWNT.

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Horan calls US fans morans.

She’s not wrong.

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I think there are many knowledgeable Canadian and American soccer fans but they grew up watching European soccer, World Cups, etc. Not sure how many of those are really into US soccer leagues?

Having said that I think she probably will wish she had kept her opinions of American fans to herself. A bit Loudermilk on her part.

But, she’s kind of right. Other sports, you have fans who can understand how offense and defense come together to create goals, runs, points, whatever. Soccer, it’s “… uh, go down the field and pass it or whatever and kick it and it goes in, right?”

Put another way: I think there are people who watch soccer, who follow soccer, who barely understand the smaller details of soccer like they do other sports and never will.

Morgan out of CONCACAF W Gold Cup, starting in late Feb. Team going younger, but no Alyssa Thompson. Injured, maybe?