Stars return in 15th place on the table
By Lesley Ryder
If any team in the NWSL needs a reset, it’s the Chicago Stars.
After a lackluster start to the season, the Stars return to action hoping to change their fortunes. The team’s only managed to score five goals in twelve games, and they’ve struggled to stay healthy leading to some creative roster management. Nadia Gomes at right back? Sure, I guess.
But on Friday, Martin Sjogren shared that the team’s defensive depth was in better standing than it had been all season. Taylor Wood is back in the Stars lineup, and reinforcement will arrive in Leila Ouahabi. The Spanish defender joined the Stars on a free transfer from Manchester City.
“She can bring a lot of good mentality in what it takes to win, how hard you need to work to win, but also, of course bringing a lot of quality into the way we want to play now.”
Even though the Stars are expected to be without Michelle Alozie while Nigeria defends their WAFCON title, Sjogren is not expecting to add more defenders in this next window.
One more reset
Before the break the Chicago Stars fired General Manager Richard Feuz, ending his 1000-day rebuild before the end of his third season in charge. His time will be best remembered for the choices made each transfer window—whether it was spending no money, too much money on similar players, or only recruiting international players over age 30. Feuz just could not find the right combination of players to succeed.
It’s a bummer. Despite having two whole years to build a winning team around Mal Swanson, the Stars instead are trying not to finish last for the third time in four years.
After Feuz’s exit, the Stars tapped Kate Cohen to be the club’s interim technical consultant. Cohen joins the Stars after a successful tenure as the Kansas City Current’s head of analytics and scouting. Cohen also previously worked with Football Australia, and the USWNT. Its the kind of experience that’s been missing in the Stars technical department in Feuz’s tenure.
While Kate Cohen advises the club on player recruitment and roster construction, the Stars turn to sports advisory firm Bloom Sports to help full the GM vacancy. Bloom Sports has previously worked with NWSL teams like Angel City FC, Orlando Pride, and Bay FC. According to Bloom Sports’ website, the firm will “help you discover and develop the leadership team to ensure the skills and culture are designed to help talent prosper and execute on the vision.”
Let the second half begin
The Stars open their second half against the Utah Royals, who so thoroughly dominated the Chicago Stars in April that they only managed one shot on target. Head coach Martin Sjogren believes Sunday’s game is an opportunity to show the team is trending in a positive direction. “It's going to be physical, and it's going to be a lot of hard work, but I also think we are in a bit of a different place at the moment [than before]” Sjogren told reporters ahead of the match.
But it’s not entirely doom and gloom for the Stars. The extended break has allowed the team’s injured players to get back to fitness, and given Mal Swanson more time with the team following her return from maternity leave. Though she may not 100% just yet, her presence alone can be a difference maker.
“Mal Swanson is one of the best players in the world” said Brianna Pinto ahead of the match. “She's so dynamic in the attacking third, like she knows what she wants, and she's really organized around the box, and I think it makes it easier for the players around her.”
Pinto told reporters the break has been helpful for the club. “We've been able to go back to the drawing board and one, get people healthy, but two, figure out what we want to do differently heading into the second half of the season, so I think everybody's feeling fit and fresh, and we're ready to make a statement here this weekend.”
If nothing else, it’s a positive sign to hear the Stars players are coming out of the break with optimism. “I really do believe in this group of players that we have, and we've got some good additions coming as well, which is great, and I know that the next half of this season is going to be so much better” said Pinto.
The Stars face an upstart Royals side, who resume the season riding a 10-game unbeaten streak. With seven wins and three draws in twelve games, the Royals are just one point shy of the 25 points they’ve earned in each of the last two seasons.
I suppose if there’s hope for the once-lowly Utah Royals, there’s hope for Chicago too.