In terms of recruitment, I think it also takes time/investment to build up the scouting infrastructure in new regions. Identifying young talent in regions far from a club’s home usually requires local infrastructure and eyeballs to do things like watch games, record video, interview, etc. That is an investment that many organizations aren’t going to take on until there are a few promising breakout stars that demonstrate the potential return that can be had.

Their goal differential this season is mind boggling. It is currently at -40 after 24 matches. The next worst in the league is -12. That doesn’t happen without serious issues at every level both on and off the field.

The problems continue to pile up for Louisville between their struggles on the field and then off the field stuff like this or the owner threatening to move/sell every other week.

When you score a brace in under 90 seconds, then you get your picture on the graphic…

Really glad that the BOS Nation FC stuff is behind us. I actually don’t hate the name as much as some others I have talked to (it is an anagram of Bostonian), however, the marketing on top of it was just awful.

The game at Centreville Stadium that I went to was a lot of fun, despite going down 3-0 in the first 10 minutes. The stands were mostly full, and the chants/etc. lasted until the final whistle. I saw lots of Boston Breakers swag being sported by folks in the stadium, representing the OG woso fans in the area.

Looking forward to seeing them stay in one stadium for a whole season next year before getting a stadium to call their own in the 2028 season.

I had the chance to watch this game live and Boston looked pretty good; at least much better than their recent record would indicate.

The midfield did a great job of controlling the game and shutting down some of the most threatening Utah players. I have become a huge fan of the Karich-Caño pair, and they will be key going forward in this possession-heavy style that Boston wants to play.

The main vulnerability Boston has had recently is really poor turnovers in their own defensive third trying to build from the back. We still managed to do a bit of that this game, but it was better. Also, we were a bit lucky that Utah wasn’t able to capitalize on it as much as some of our recent opponents. I was overall impressed with the defense compared to their recent performances, so hopefully things are starting to tighten up back there.

On the attacking front, Boston was playing a touch more direct than I have seen them do recently, and it was working pretty well. Schupansky has been a great addition and Hernandez has been able to provide some support from the back line to help provide service from either side along with BSG. I think Boston is still missing a clinical finisher though. Aisatta has been doing her best, but I just don’t think she is the threat that Boston needs up front. The solution was supposed to be Guti, but she has struggled to come into her own this season.

Following the notifications for this game was infuriating. I saw the equalizer so late and was so happy that we could get a point out of the game. Apparently the VAR took absolutely forever, because the late PK didn’t happen until 90+17’. I had long thought the game was over at that point.

😭

Yeah, the new stadium will be great for those already living in the city with easy access to the subway. However, for many further out in the commuter rail range (like me), transit is still tough. As a quick comparison, from where I am at, it would be ~40 minutes to drive to White Stadium, but ~2.5 hours to take transit.

It is kind of the inverse of the situation with Centreville Stadium in Pawtucket. Those in the city find it tough, but driving isn’t bad. I am hopeful that the move to White helps the team build up a loyal following in the city.

Personally, the Pawtucket stadium is a bit nicer to travel to from where I am and for others that have to drive. The future White Stadium in Franklin Park will be nicer for those in the city without cars as it is within walking distance of the Orange Line. However, parking is likely to be an issue for those coming in from outside the city.

At the very least, they aren’t splitting next season between Centreville and Gillette.

I was there! The beginning of that match was wild - 3 goals in the first 10 minutes. I can’t decide whether I was happy or sad that I decided against waiting in line for a drink before heading to my seat. I would have missed that opening.

The frustrating thing about the Legacy lately is that our game has improved tremendously. We actually looked pretty good for most of the minutes of the match in my opinion. However, some bad mistakes/turnovers combined with some clinical finishing by Portland meant that we were always chasing the game from a pretty big deficit.

I think that if we continue to improve playing out of the defensive third to avoid the occasional costly turnover, we could make a decent run of a season in the coming years. I am not sure if that means signings in the future or some tactical/formation tweaks, but I feel like we are almost there.

On a non-football note, it was pride night at the game and there was a wedding on the field during the half! Congrats to the happy couple! Apparently they are fans that have come to every home game this season all the way from St. George, ME. That is a ~4 hour drive, so that is some true dedication!

right now, being on a spring to fall footprint with MLS, we both have our playoffs at the same time and what that means is that there are holds across lots of dates with uncertainty," Berman said. "With us being on different calendars, that’s no longer going to be the case. We’re going to have visibility into weeks that might otherwise have been reserved but not confirmed and that will be helpful.

I was wondering if the MLS switch was going to cause the NWSL to consider a switch to align their schedule internationally, but it seems like that won’t be the case. In the US situation where most teams are not the primary tenant of the venue, I guess it makes sense to play a different season than other leagues.

I am guessing the first part of the season will be mostly away games for teams like Boston due to the weather. February is usually our snowiest month, and we often don’t see full melt until March or April. So, hopefully that means we can have a great run of home games to wrap up the season.

I didn’t get a chance to watch this one as it happened, but the highlights were a trip. That miss at 60’ hurts. Pull level at that point and the whole game changes.

Also…that backheel goal (79’) was gorgeous.