Houston Dynamo extend Olsen, NWSL transfer window closing, and more: Friday Freedom Kicks
Happy Friday! I feel like spring has only just begun, and yet the weeds in my yard are already out of control. How does this happen? I don’t know, but I will continue to procrastinate on dealing with them by focusing on soccer instead.
Houston Dynamo FC secure multi-year contract extension for head coach Ben Olsen (Houston Dash)
Olsen will be staying in Houston at least through 2026. Good for him, and for Houston!
NWSL transfer window logistics (Spotrac)
The NWSL’s transfer/trade window is closing tonight at midnight, which means rosters will be pretty much locked from now until August. Taylor Vincent explains what that means, how the NWSL window lines up with the European calendar, and which teams still have room to make moves.
Watching Emma Hayes’ Chelsea with Mark Parsons: “These games are where she feels alive” (The Athletic)
Very interesting article, in which The Athletic took (former Spirit) coach Mark Parsons to a game between Chelsea and Aston Villa women and just recorded his commentary. Parsons talks coaching decisions, player quality, and why he aways stands during a match.
The 20 best players yet to make a USMNT appearance (Pro Soccer Wire)
A lot of MLS players on this list of American players who could still make it to the National Team, including one Ted Ku-Dipietro.
Washington Spirit’s Croix Bethune was interviewed on The Hoffman Show this week:
Olivia Moultrie paved the way for NWSL’s youth movement (ESPN)
At 15, Olivia Moultrie forced the league to allow U-18 players via an antitrust lawsuit, ushering in the pro turns of Jaedyn Shaw, Chloe Ricketts, Alyssa Thompson, and MANY others. She’s now a mainstay in Portland’s midfield.
Finally, here’s your table of games for the weekend. It’s going to be a busy Saturday!
| Teams | When | Where | Watch |
| Washington Spirit vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC | Sat., Apr. 20 at 1 p.m. ET | Washington, DC | CBS, Paramount+ |
| Loudoun United FC vs. Louisville City FC | Sat., Apr. 20 at 4 p.m. ET | Leesburg, VA | ESPN+ |
| D.C. United vs NYC FC | Sat., Apr. 20 at 7:30 p.m. ET | New York, NY | AppleTV |
| Old Glory DC vs. Houston SaberCats | Sat., Apr. 20 at 5 p.m. ET | Boyds, MD | MNMT |
| D.C. Defenders vs. Birmingham Stallions | Sat., Apr. 20 at 7 p.m. ET | Birmingham, AL | Fox |
So glad to see Ben get the extension, for years the book on him around the league became that he was unimaginative and in over his head. This is so good to see even though not in DC.
Saw a note from Goff on Bluesky yesterday that DC will most likely be without Klich, Herrera, and KPD for the NYCFC game. Klich and Herrera for yellow card accumulation and KDP for his adductor injury (though I think he’s still technically questionable). Goff expects Peltola to start in place of Klich and for Santos to start in place of Herrera
Santos on the right…will be interesting…but we’ll be weak on the right side in terms of defense with both him and Stroud on that side.
It seems like overthinking things to play Santos on the right and Antley on the left. Sure, Antley has done okay on the left, but he’s traditionally been a right sided player. Santos hasn’t been great defensively, but he’s also been our only source of offense from the left.
Herrera will be gone, and Santos can be a starter in his absence, but it would make way more sense for Antley to be Herrera’s direct replacement and Santos to take up his old spot on the left.
The thinking may be that Stroud will track back better than the left sided alternative, and they’re trying to balance the sides
I dunno, Dajome can track back as well as Stroud can.
Or (and I have no clue one way or the other),that the presenting NYC match-up personnel-wise favors this reverse alignment.
My assumption is Lesesne has finally been infected with the madness that comes with living in DC and not being allowed to do things that make sense.
rec’d for making sense
I think the rationale for Santos on the right is this: (1) NY likes to attack down the right flank. On that side you’ve got Oieda (who got their first goal last week) and Keaton Parks. So I think Lesesne is assuming that he wants more speed on the left side and that left back isn’t going to be getting forward a lot. I can live with Antley staying at home most of the match and being a defender 90% of the time. Plus, if it’s a 3-man backline, he was on the far left anyway (if we go with 3 defenders and 2 wingbacks). (2) I think Santos has trouble playing a full 90. So who replaces him? I think either Stroud drops back to wingback to sub for Santos on the right side. Or Fletcher is back to the bench and comes on as a mid-second half sub for Santos. So if you put Santos on the left and then need to sub him, life is more complicated.
Fletcher again for Ted? Or will Pirani be rewarded for the goal last week? As Will said, our defense is looking suspect on the right. Anyone that could offer some more on defense might be worth giving minutes to.
With Klich out, think you gotta start Pirani to fill the central passing void.
If Santos is definitely playing on the right, I’d like to see the following:
Bono
Santos-McVey-Bartlett-Antley
Hopkins-Peltola
Stroud-Pirani-Fletcher
Benteke
Do I think this is a super starting lineup? No. But would rather have Dajome on the bench as maybe our one offensive sub (Murrell looked really rough last week). Fletcher gets one more chance to simply get involved in the press, and any impact play is a bonus, he just needs to run more in the system. I think we hope Pirani gains confidence. In any case, Herrera, Klich, and TKD have been quality this season, they’re going to be missed regardless of tactics or adjustments.
Edit: if we see the 5-2-3 again, especially with Klich out of the two, I’m gonna be distraught
If we see the same ref as last game, I’m gonna be beyond distraught….
I think you reward Pirani for scoring a lovely goal and you give Fletcher a chance to come on a second half energy/attacking sub (which he has excelled at).
You know, subbing in Santos for Herrera does not predicate that Santos will be on the right. He may well be positioned on the left, and Antley on the right. I think we are making an assumption, unless it was printed elsewhere that it’s a direct position substitution.
I suspect Santos will be on the left and Antley on the right.
Really, our starters should be picked by their experience in baseball….