Blair Newman
@secondball.bsky.social
Women's football. Write for The Equalizer. Guardian Top 100 panelist. Worked as next opponent scout for SPFL teams. PFSA Level 2 qualification: Talent ID, Technical scouting.
Vlatko's NWSL record speaks for itself. Early on with Lloyd up front (from memory?) he had them firing & e.g. his last game v Sweden his tactics were spot on. I just always felt strategically, planning ahead, let him down. Job too big for him at that time? Or perhaps it's just good coach, wrong time
November 29, 2025 at 7:37 AM
Vlatko's NWSL record speaks for itself. Early on with Lloyd up front (from memory?) he had them firing & e.g. his last game v Sweden his tactics were spot on. I just always felt strategically, planning ahead, let him down. Job too big for him at that time? Or perhaps it's just good coach, wrong time
Definitely they'd make a difference, but I'm not sure it would have been enough...I do think some of his decisions were questionable, centre-back a key area for instance felt undercooked going into 2023. His call-up of DeMelo showed willingness to make big calls, just not necessarily the right ones?
November 29, 2025 at 7:19 AM
Definitely they'd make a difference, but I'm not sure it would have been enough...I do think some of his decisions were questionable, centre-back a key area for instance felt undercooked going into 2023. His call-up of DeMelo showed willingness to make big calls, just not necessarily the right ones?
That's good to know, thank you. Timing definitely played a part. I remember thinking Vlatko had the team firing initially, arguably playing even better than in 2019. Can only guess what changed leading to Tokyo.
November 29, 2025 at 7:13 AM
That's good to know, thank you. Timing definitely played a part. I remember thinking Vlatko had the team firing initially, arguably playing even better than in 2019. Can only guess what changed leading to Tokyo.
*That* would have been fun
November 29, 2025 at 7:04 AM
*That* would have been fun
I'd be interested to know how much of a leash did it put on Vlatko. He did bring in some new talent, though others like Ellis before more experimental, was that a different situation?
November 29, 2025 at 6:58 AM
I'd be interested to know how much of a leash did it put on Vlatko. He did bring in some new talent, though others like Ellis before more experimental, was that a different situation?
I was only loosely aware of that, never fully understood what it meant re: calling new players. I vaguely remember Markgraf talking on planning ahead, no. of caps players needed to be prepared for tournaments etc.
November 29, 2025 at 6:54 AM
I was only loosely aware of that, never fully understood what it meant re: calling new players. I vaguely remember Markgraf talking on planning ahead, no. of caps players needed to be prepared for tournaments etc.
Thanks for checking it out--- wrote it like a technical report, so it's probably barely readable in terms of length and wording. It was fun for me but probably nobody else. I'm really tapped in to the attention economy! I'll get your Granada piece bookmarked (on Medium?)
November 29, 2025 at 3:20 AM
Thanks for checking it out--- wrote it like a technical report, so it's probably barely readable in terms of length and wording. It was fun for me but probably nobody else. I'm really tapped in to the attention economy! I'll get your Granada piece bookmarked (on Medium?)
Isn't it ironic Vlatko, who knows NWSL like the back of his hand, was a lot less proactive in giving players a chance. Wesley, Sears, Joseph just wouldn't have seen the light of day under him I don't think. Hayes is watching the NWSL and knows how strong the league is, that much is clear
November 29, 2025 at 2:51 AM
Isn't it ironic Vlatko, who knows NWSL like the back of his hand, was a lot less proactive in giving players a chance. Wesley, Sears, Joseph just wouldn't have seen the light of day under him I don't think. Hayes is watching the NWSL and knows how strong the league is, that much is clear
The ability of Girma and Fox in those scenarios is one of the main reasons they won Gold last year PLUG ALERT...Also interesting you mention the front players being too easily split because that was a theme at the Olympics too...
wosoreport.com/2024/08/12/a...
wosoreport.com/2024/08/12/a...
Analysing the USWNT system of play at the 2024 Olympics
Visit the post for more.
wosoreport.com
November 29, 2025 at 2:47 AM
The ability of Girma and Fox in those scenarios is one of the main reasons they won Gold last year PLUG ALERT...Also interesting you mention the front players being too easily split because that was a theme at the Olympics too...
wosoreport.com/2024/08/12/a...
wosoreport.com/2024/08/12/a...
It's just the tactics convo around long throws, set plays is a bit emperors new clothes. I refuse to laud clubs shelling mill-to-billions to play it as Sky go "look at this revolution" when I saw dinosaur gaffers get ridiculed for it before. But maybe some or all of that is in my head!
November 27, 2025 at 5:05 AM
It's just the tactics convo around long throws, set plays is a bit emperors new clothes. I refuse to laud clubs shelling mill-to-billions to play it as Sky go "look at this revolution" when I saw dinosaur gaffers get ridiculed for it before. But maybe some or all of that is in my head!
In seriousness, it's nothing to do with Arsenal for me. I'm old enough to remember the Henry/Pires combination, Campbell joining them, Vieira, Bergkamp, Kanu. I've always seen them as a club of real class, history, a diverse, passionate fanbase. Remember watching them thrash my beloved Leeds...
November 27, 2025 at 5:00 AM
In seriousness, it's nothing to do with Arsenal for me. I'm old enough to remember the Henry/Pires combination, Campbell joining them, Vieira, Bergkamp, Kanu. I've always seen them as a club of real class, history, a diverse, passionate fanbase. Remember watching them thrash my beloved Leeds...
Good on them for reviving Pulisball ;-)
November 27, 2025 at 4:59 AM
Good on them for reviving Pulisball ;-)
November 26, 2025 at 12:10 PM
Wilkinson was last Thorns coach to make a positive difference on-field. Taking away the strike partnership, playing Wilson on her own through the middle was a great call, easy to forget given how obvious it sounds now. Plus it coincided with changing Weaver's role, and she thrived off the left
November 26, 2025 at 2:18 AM
Wilkinson was last Thorns coach to make a positive difference on-field. Taking away the strike partnership, playing Wilson on her own through the middle was a great call, easy to forget given how obvious it sounds now. Plus it coincided with changing Weaver's role, and she thrived off the left
Post-Wilkinson it's felt like an extended caretaker spell. But caretaking is its own job. Often very hands-off, because the caretaker has very little real power. Tough to make big calls or rock the boat when you got the job essentially on the premise of lifting team spirit.
November 26, 2025 at 2:14 AM
Post-Wilkinson it's felt like an extended caretaker spell. But caretaking is its own job. Often very hands-off, because the caretaker has very little real power. Tough to make big calls or rock the boat when you got the job essentially on the premise of lifting team spirit.
Americans would have made a bigger deal of it...
a wrestling match is going on in front of a crowd of people
ALT: a wrestling match is going on in front of a crowd of people
media.tenor.com
November 24, 2025 at 10:26 PM
Americans would have made a bigger deal of it...
Bet you did that with your eyes closed ;-)
November 24, 2025 at 12:46 PM
Bet you did that with your eyes closed ;-)
Esther has the kind of attributes that don't go away. If she stays fit and wants to, she could score goals to the day she retires. Like the old saying about great defenders who lose their pace, "yeah, but the first yard is in her head". It applies to poachers too
November 24, 2025 at 8:12 AM
Esther has the kind of attributes that don't go away. If she stays fit and wants to, she could score goals to the day she retires. Like the old saying about great defenders who lose their pace, "yeah, but the first yard is in her head". It applies to poachers too
I remember watching Barca the year after they beat Chelsea in that final, and always felt Gotham's high press under Amoros has generally been very similar. A midfielder pushes up alongside the striker, 4-1-3-2 with the '3' moving side to side to cover behind/press the full-back...
November 23, 2025 at 9:04 PM
I remember watching Barca the year after they beat Chelsea in that final, and always felt Gotham's high press under Amoros has generally been very similar. A midfielder pushes up alongside the striker, 4-1-3-2 with the '3' moving side to side to cover behind/press the full-back...
Everyone could learn from how Orlando played them. I suspect Gotham hated that game. They looked very uncomfortable as the protagonist.
November 23, 2025 at 3:38 AM
Everyone could learn from how Orlando played them. I suspect Gotham hated that game. They looked very uncomfortable as the protagonist.