Valkyratings: A bit of a mess, but scrappy as heck

It wasn't easy, but the Reign fought back from behind to steal a point on the road from a playoff team. And you know? A point on the road against a solid team is always a solid result in a league like this, where the bottom of the table beating the top is just another weekend, and the actual gap between best and worst is never as big as we tend to think.

The Reign dominated possession, but their shape was a mess, and they couldn't find the right touch. Jordyn Huitema got the turnover with open space and nobody to beat but the keeper and outsmarted herself, taking extra touches until the chance evaporated. Racheal Kundananji threaded the needle from a wide angle and scored a freaking double-poster. Maddie Dahlien got in behind but couldn't do anything dangerous with it. At halftime, it was feeling a lot like it just wasn't the Reign's night.

But we don't love this sport for following a script.

The Reign found another gear in the second half. Huitema rose up like a salmon to head home her first goal of the season. Claudia Dickey made the big save on Taylor Huff. A swarming defense denied Asisat Oshoala. They showed the fight, the grit, the will to get the result, and they got the result.

And you know what else? That's a two-game undefeated streak. We're so back. We will never lose again.

Goalkeeper

Claudia Dickey – 6

In another timeline, Kundananji puts that shot a couple inches in either direction, and Dickey gets a claw to it, or it bounces off the post and out, and I'm praising her positioning for giving a dangerous attacker nothing to shoot at. Instead, I have to tip my hat to Kundananji for absolutely threading the needle to somehow score that goal, and I keep watching and thinking Claudia probably could've done a little better on it, even if the placement was exquisite.

On the other hand, in the 66th minute, she faced a well-struck Huff shot destined for the far post and made it look routine through a ton of traffic, and in the 82nd minute, she was quick and aggressive in stopping a pure-trouble Oshoala chance cold. She wasn't credited with a save on that chance (it went down as a block for Jordyn Bugg), but I'm not convinced she didn't get to it, and she was in the right place to make sure it didn't score, either way.

Going forward. We're now a quarter of the way through the season, and Dickey is still the best shot-stopper in the league, and in the top five in virtually every advanced analytic for aerial command. There'remarkable three quarters of the season left to play, but no reason to think Claudia can't keep playing at this level.

Defenders

Lauren Barnes – 6 (off 87' for Shae Holmes)

The Lauren Barnes renaissance continues in a weird, weird match. She had 81 touches and 6 progressive passes, finding Ji So-yun in pockets of space with remarkable frequency and working with Phoebe McClernon and Jordyn Bugg in what mostly played as a high back three to hold possession and deny Bay opportunities. She put in a long cross in the 63rd minute that was just slightly too high for Huitema to get good contact on. It was vintage Lu, stepping to the ball and finding a solution when a solution needed to be found.

Going forward. With left back still a conundrum (and the injuries stacking up again) and the apparent change in how the Reign want to play in possession, Lauren Barnes may well have played herself back into being a regular starter. I didn't see it coming, but I absolutely love seeing it happen.

Phoebe McClernon – 6

As has become the norm, Phoebe had more touches (101), completed more passes (84 of 87!), and had more clearances (11) than any other player on the field, providing a steady and steadfast presence in central defense, a sure foot to start the build out and a reliable attention to organization and position on defense. I do have some questions about just how high the Reign back three-plus-one played much of the game – Curry and Mason were both bombing forward on the right flank as expected, but Bugg, McClernon, and Barnes' average position was near the midfield line, especially as they pushed harder in possession, and it did burn them on a couple occasions when Bay was able to get out on the counter. With that said, having three defenders who are comfortable as fuck with the ball at their feet and getting forward when needed has a lot of value, too, and it later helped the Reign find the moments of pressure to ultimately equalize.

Going forward. What's there to say? We know who Phoebe is, and it's good. Keep it going.

Jordyn Bugg – 6

Rewatching the 82nd minute scramble where the Reign denied Oshoala a goal gave me heart palpitations, but in retrospect, it's quality defending. I'm still not sure if Dickey or Bugg got to it, but between them, they ensured Oshoala had nowhere to go with the ball, and the little scramble afterwards notwithstanding, that moment saved the game for the Reign. Aside from that, Bugg had 86 touches and 6 completed passes into the final third on a very active and involved night for the back line, as the central defenders stepped up to provide options and probing passes to search for a road goal against a strong opponent. Kundananji scored off her shoulder, but Bugg generally defended her well, forcing her to shoot a perfect shot from a wide position despite her pace and good touch. It was just an (unfortunately) great finish.

Going forward. We've got so much Jordyn Bugg to look forward to. So, so, so much. Don't let the normalcy of her providing special moments numb you to the amazing things she's going to do.

Madison Curry – 5 (off 46' for Emily Mason)

Madison Curry started the match with aggression and purpose, and despite playing only the first half, she looked good shuttling the ball forward, she got a good foot to a Ji So-yun pass in the 39th minute to force a save from Jordan Silkowitz, she ran hard tracking back in defense, she threw a hilariously good tackle... and she left the match at halftime with an injury.

Going forward. Madison Curry is a game-time decision for the Current, but her eagerness to mix it up and willingness to run hard and do the scrappy work in every phase of play is (though sometimes nerve-wracking) a big asset. Hopefully, she's back to one hundred and can help unsettle and contain a lethal Kansas City attack this weekend.

Midfielders

Angharad James-Turner – 5

The Reign dominated possession and controlled the midfield throughout and... it was fine? Angharad, herself, was good at jumping lanes, blocking passes, and making it harder for Bay to get out on the counter, but she may want that scoring sequence for Bay FC back, as she was caught a bit disconnected from the back line on the Reign turnover, in no position to influence the play at all as Caroline Conti played Kundananji in quickly and accurately. With the Reign dominating possession and the lines pushing up high, James-Turner was out of her shape more frequently than anybody, but did mostly recover well and cover effectively.

Going forward. All things considered, Haz is having a comeback season, and the Reign are getting a ton of value out of her particular sort of grit. While not her best outing, this too was a fine, professional venture that helped secure a road point.

Sam Meza – 7 (POTM)

Honestly, Meza has just been fucking revelatory since a shaky first start. She's so calm on the ball, she's a freaking bulldog on defense, and she's increasingly adding her forward vision to the mix in some tantalizing ways. Like the assist, dropped to perfectly caress Huitema's forehead at a place where Air Jordyn could get to it and the defense just wasn't gonna, the best of three key passes on the night. Like the seven recoveries (although I would count at least two of them as tackles, myself, and I'm not 100% clear on what Opta thinks is the dividing line), six progressive passes, and four carries into the final third. With the Reign not always doing much with their possession, Meza kept finding ways to get into space and give her teammates something to work with.

Going forward. By gawd, Meza's got the potential to be truly special. It's probably too early to dub her the heir apparent to Fishlock, but...

Ji So-yun – 6 (off 74' for Ana-Maria Crnogorčević)

I was a bit frustrated with Ji live, but I came away with a more sanguine view on her performance on rewatch. The Reign were struggling to break down a low block and struggling to turn an enormous possession advantage into quality chances, but Ji did as much to carve those rare chances out as anybody, and she had some really sneaky good moments. She also led the entire field in shot-creating actions (5), progressive passes (9), recoveries (8), had the hockey assist on Huitema's goal, won every single one of her aerials... there's a moment in the 30th minute (right before that missed chance) on a throw-in where she pushes high, bodies up Caprice Dydasco, takes Barnes' throw-in off her head and immediately puts it into the path of Lynn Biyendolo. Lynn can't quite get to it, but – Ji creates space and creates opportunities for her teammates to run on to, in so many ways. She's so frustrating to defend.

Going forward. The emergence of Meza and Mercado as really legitimate contributors means there'll be a bit of a logjam in the midfield, and we might see more substitute appearances for Ji, but she's an incredible progressor of the ball, we're getting a lot more out of her playing in a more assertive style, and I can't imagine she'll be readily displaced.

Forwards

Maddie Dahlien – 5

With Bay FC playing defensively compact and with a deep line, Danger Maddie didn't have much space to run into and rarely had a moment to go at a defender with everything on the line. While Ji and Meza both put her into good spots on occasion, and while she was occasionally solid in her holdup play, she struggled to really put her mark on the game, her touch failed her a few times too many, and she was mostly kept contained.

Going forward. Bay demonstrated that the way to stop Dahlien from getting a big chance is to give her nowhere to zoom. Finding ways to get into the space and matchup she craves, even against a disciplined block, is the next step for her.

Lynn Biyendolo – 5 (off 92' for Olivia van der Jagt)

With Bay FC playing defensively compact and with a deep line, Lynn Biyendolo had what was likely her least effective outing of the season. Bay gave her functionally no space to run or shoot, but she still found moments to try to influence the match with savvy and game vision, taking on defenders, winning headers, and making the hard runs even when they weren't well-rewarded. Arguably her best single moment came relatively late, receiving a slick one-time pass from Emily Mason near the touch line in the 60th, cutting inside, and putting up a nicely weighted ball that Jordyn's glancing header couldn't keep on frame.

Going forward. Lynn is a savvy, cagey, thoughtful opponent, underpinning her remarkable athletic talent with a phenomenal understanding of space and timing. Bay kept her quiet, but she was still a step away from breaking free or an inch away from finding Huitema cleanly several times. Teams that don't basically concede the midfield will have a much harder time keeping her off the scoresheet.

Jordyn Huitema – 7 (off 87' for Maddie Mercado)

Okay, yes, we have to start with that chance. 31st minute, unforced error to gift her the ball, just green grass and the Silkowitz between her and the opening goal. And Jordyn outthought herself, taking too long and taking too many touches until a huge chance turned into a mediocre one that went begging.

But we can't end there, because Huitema was a menace attacking throughout the entire match. Six of the Reign's nine shots belong to her. She had three decent to good chances aside from that big miss. She won five of five headers, including the most important one of the match, rising above the opposition to drive home the equalizing goal. Her seven recoveries and two interceptions helped keep the Reign in their attacking third and helped keep the pressure on when it was needed.

Going forward. Goldfish that big miss, and this was basically exactly the game I've been waiting for from Huitema, bullying defenders with her height and size, winning dangerous headers, attacking the goal relentlessly on set pieces. I hope this is the turning point from promise to final product.

Substitutes

Emily Mason – 5 (on 46' for Madison Curry)

With Madison Curry's injury, Emily Mason was an unplanned early sub that forced the Reign to adjust a bit. She filled in reasonably well, though she was both less aggressive getting forward and substantially less smooth in possession, completing just 44% of her passes and finding none of the line-breaking passes Curry did. On the other hand, she found more of a connection with Biyendolo, and the Reign's defensive shape was also substantially more consistent with Mason on the field?

Going forward. The Reign, and Mason, adapted to hardship and came out with a result. That said, if Curry's injury is short-term (as it seems to be), Mason certainly didn't displace her on the depth chart.

Ana-Maria Crnogorčević – 5 (on 74' for Ji So-yun)

Replacing Ji So-yun in the 74th minute, AMC came on for a 15-minute cameo and helped see out the draw. She was a strong presence in possession and scarcely put a touch wrong, misplacing just one pass and adding five recoveries and an interception in limited minutes, though she also didn't find her way to creating the danger one might have hoped for from a veteran attacking substitute.

Going forward. This was a perfectly respectable and professional outing that helped to secure a point, though I find myself longing for the Instantly Dangerous Ana-Maria we saw late last season, and hope we try to find her more minutes at better positions for her skillset.

Shae Holmes – N/A (on 87' for Lauren Barnes)

Another match, another short minute appearance for Shae, who completed five passes, hammered a late clearance to protect the tie, and did just fine spelling Barnes for the last moments of the match.

Going forward. Despite Barnes' resurgence, there will be minutes for Shae, but Harvey's sure not finding many of them for her right now.

Maddie Mercado – N/A (on 87' for Jordyn Huitema)

Giving Huitema a well-earned rest with a short minute appearance of her own, Mercado subbed on and competently helped see things out. She touched the ball four times. There's not really a lot to write about here.

Going forward. But there's plenty to write about here, as with everyone healthy, we have five to seven midfielders all making strong arguments to play, Mercado very much among them. There are worse problems to have.

Olivia van der Jagt – N/A (on 92' for Lynn Biyendolo)

Olivia van der Jagt subbed on late late for Biyendolo. She didn't touch the ball.

Going forward. Olo is a great piece to have back, even if she hasn't been asked to do much on the field yet.

Referee

Katja Koroleva – 7

I really liked this match from Koroleva. She used the whistle where she needed to, let them play where she could, and you could frequently go ten or fifteen minutes without ever asking yourself about the refereeing.

(And then I liked it even more the next day, when I saw Corbyn May doing whatever... that... was in Portland - Louisville.)

Going forward. Give me this sort of consistent showing from the CR on any matchday and I'll be more than alright with it.

And Another Thing..!

This was a weird-ass game with both teams ending up in weird-ass shapes and a lot of weird-ass outcomes to what one would expect to be good chances.

This was also the sort of game that the Reign were finding maddening ways to lose a year ago, and coming away with points this year is a big difference in the admittedly still young season. This Reign team has shown far more ability to find the points that are there to take, and far less fragility in dropping results late.

This Reign team is also just more fun, even when they're inexplicable.

As one last bit of ineffable wisdom – I'm going to get real controversial here and say we should definitely be more careful about maintaining our defensive shape against Kansas City.