The newly formed San Diego Wave FC have wasted no time in making waves ahead of the 2022 NWSL season. Before I go on, I should probably mention that I possess an unashamed adoration of puns. Sorry, not sorry.
Anyway, where were we? Ah, yes. The San Diego Wave.
Expansion teams are always exciting for observers of the league. Angel City FC have garnered a lot of attention of the months following their unveiling, partially due to their star-studded ownership group. Los Angeles and indeed the great state of California, have been conspicuous purely in their absence during the NWSL era. That’s all set to change in 2022 as both Angel City and San Diego Wave look to make their debuts this year.
Away from the glitz and glamour of the Hollywood Hills, San Diego Wave FC have made some impressive roster moves. The signing of Alex Morgan in particular is bound to help ‘put bums on seats’. All that being said, I’m not without my concerns. Whilst I’m aware we’re still quite away out from the start of the season (pre-season camps begin February 1st), I thought it’d be interesting to break down the squad being built in Southern California, under the Lionesses legend, Casey Stoney.
📸: Casey Stoney
For those unfamiliar with the particular nuances and intricacies of NWSL roster construction, building a team from scratch is no easy feat. Clubs in the NWSL don’t have the luxury of strolling over to another team and saying ‘hey, we want that player. How much?’ There are trades, allocation money, player rights… It’s not easy. Which, in all honesty, makes the work completed by Stoney and President Jill Ellis all the more impressive.
So, without further ado, let’s get into it. I want to break this squad down departmentally, starting with the goalkeepers:
Goalkeepers
Kailen Sheridan
Sheridan is a top drawer NWSL goalkeeper, there’s no question of that. She had a solid 2021 season with Gotham FC, keeping 6 clean sheets and posting an impressive 83.9% save percentage. The Canadian stopper commands her area well, and her distribution is strong (71.7% pass success rate in 2021). San Diego could do a lot worse.
Carly Telford
Not content with one top drawer goalkeeper, San Diego have recently added former Lionesses stopper Telford to their roster. Telford checks in from WSL powerhouse Chelsea. Stoney will, of course, be all too familiar with Telford. The battle with Sheridan for the number 1 jersey is going to be interesting.
📸: Carly Telford for England WNT (Lionesses)
Defenders
Abby Dahlkemper
Arguably one of the world’s best central defenders on her day. The former North Carolina Courage and Manchester City player will undoubtedly prove to be a keystone player for this team. With 77 caps and a World Cup title under her belt, Dahlkemper will bring vital experience to an otherwise stacked backline. At 28, she’s still in her prime too.
Tegan McGrady
A player who has yet to truly establish herself in the league. Injuries have blighted her progress since the Washington Spirit drafted her from Stanford in 2019. Her best numbers were in 2020, when the full-back featured in 5 games, for a total 379 minutes. During this time her pass success percentage was 82.1% and she completed 6 interceptions and 4 key passes. Her overlapping runs should provide balance to this team offensively, whilst her athleticism will be useful in transition. If she stays fit, that is.
Kristen McNabb
The 27-year-old central defender has been around the league for a while, having clocked up 63 appearances for the OL Reign. She also had a solid spell at Melbourne City in the W-League. A 2017 NWSL Draft pick out of Virginia, McNabb is a leader on the field. She organises her teammates and is an excellent reader of the game, capable of playing the ball out from the back from both the left and centrally. Can see her being a big success in souther California.
Kaleigh Riehl
The former Paris FC defender was a rare shining light for Racing Louisville in 2021. I was somewhat taken aback when the Kentucky based club allowed her to leave. Riehl completed 26 interceptions across 19 starts and 2 substitute appearances. Her collegiate career was decorated to say the least. Riehl won the NCAA Championship with Penn State, amassing 101 career appearances. I don’t believe we’ve seen the best of her, but under the guidance of a defender as good as Casey Stoney was, I feel like this could be her season.
Naomi Girma
Not technically under contract, but the 2022 NWSL Draft pick was picked up at first overall. So, it’s fair to assume the Wave have high hopes for the former Stanford Cardinal. Girma served as team captain, as Stanford stormed to the 2019 Women’s College Cup title. She amassed 68 appearances and chalked up 8 goals in total.
Christen Westphal
The former Portland Thorns right-back brings further balance into an already impressive defensive line. Having accumulated 67 NWSL appearances for the Boston Breakers, OL Reign and Portland she’s as reliable a squad player as you’ll find in her position. By no means is she player of the year material; her Fotmob.com rating of 7.18 for 2021, across 15 games, is indicative of her status as what I like to term, ‘reliable depth’. Every team needs players like Westphal, who can come in and ‘do a job’.
Midfielders
Emily Van Egmond
I may have a slightly unpopular opinion regarding the Australian former Orlando Pride and West Ham United midfielder. For me Van Egmond is a little pedestrian in midfield. There’s no doubting she has the ability to make a tangible impact in the middle of the park, we just don’t see that often enough. Her 4 goals and 2 assists for the Hammers in 20/21 are by far her most impressive numbers at club level. Contrarily, 2 assists across 2 seasons for the Orlando Pride (albeit a very poor Pride at the time) say it all.
Sydney Pulver
Another of San Diego’s 2022 NWSL Draft class, the holding midfielder featured in 11 games for Washington State during the 2021 Spring Series. A combative midfielder who breaks up play and controls possession well. San Diego will want to be patient with her, but there’s little doubt she has the potential to establish herself as an NWSL starter.
Marleen Schimmer
A midfielder drafted out of Grand Canyon University in the 2022 class. The German had the attention of a number of NWSL clubs during the drafting process. With 13 goals and 14 assists during her senior year, it’s not hard to see why. She has an uncanny knack of being in the right place at the right time. One to watch, for sure.
Kayla Bruster
A bustling midfielder, picked from the University of Georgia, Bruster is a player who adds steel to the midfield area. A first-team SEC pick in 2019, she will be hoping to prove she has what it takes to compete at this level.
Mia Gyau
A player drafted in to provide both defensive and midfield cover. Gyau reads the game well, and is an energetic presence. It will be interesting to see how she adjusts to life in San Diego.
Belle Bried
Another Stanford alum; Bried is a talented midfielder, particularly in a creative sense. Her 10 goals and 11 assists in 94 games at the collegiate level attest to her tremendous potential. With the ability to break lines and a keen eye for a pass, Bried will be looking for a breakout year. The only surprise, at least for me, was that she went so low in the draft at 27th overall.
Taylor Kornieck
A recent trade acquisition from Orlando, I think Kornieck is a really intriguing case. Utilised primarily in midfield, Kornieck struggled to establish herself in Orlando. I don’t believe midfield is the position for her. Her passing isn’t good enough; she regularly floats around the 60% pass completion rate. Where she is, in my opinion, most effective is as a target forward. She’s an absolute nuisance for NWSL defenders, and at 6.5 feet, she’s comfortably the tallest player in the league. Which gives her a significant aerial advantage. She’s at her most effective in forward areas. No question.
📸: Taylor Kornieck
Forwards
Alex Morgan
Undoubtedly the star name on this team. It might seem like something of an oxymoron, especially when you consider her status in the game, but this is a pick up that would concern me as a San Diego supporter. I know this might sound crazy, and this is coming from an Orlando Pride fan and content creator, but there have been serious question marks over her commitment at club level. Indeed, there were very few years shed over her departure.
Ever since a very public fallout with the Orlando organisation, over the release of her husband, Servando Carrasco, from the men’s club, Morgan has had the air of someone wanting out. The fact that she has scored only 10 goals for the Pride since the beginning of the 2018 season says it all. I will concede that pregnancy and the Covid-19 pandemic didn’t help matters, but 10 goals in 38 games isn’t what you expect from a player who has scored 115 goals at international level. Her comments about using the Pride as a means to maintain fitness ahead of the Olympics also went down like a led balloon in central Florida. When you also factor in a less than stellar loan spell at Tottenham Hotspur in the WSL, San Diego will be hoping to get ‘The Boss’ back to her brilliant best.
Jodie Taylor
Another former Pride member who has pitched up in southern California. The erstwhile Lionesses striker has struggled for consistency in the last few years, but has still played for some of the world’s best teams. One thing you always get from Taylor is work rate. She is a tireless runner, who showed brief signs of a burgeoning understanding with Morgan in 2021.
Katie Johnson
The Mexico international has yet to live up to her enormous potential. Johnson struggled in Chicago, netting only 2 goals in 40 games for the Red Stars. Johnson will be hoping to replicate her international form at the club level. She has scored 8 goals in 23 games for La Tri.
Kelsey Turnbow
Another draftee (2021 class, Covid delayed) with a seemingly bright future ahead of her. She certainly wasn’t goal shy in college, notching 56 strikes in 102 games. You don’t average a goal every other game, without being a good finisher. Her movement and intelligent play could serve her well in the NWSL.
Makenzy Doniak
Something of a nomadic entity, having played for 7 clubs in 3 different countries since 2016. Has never really found her feet anywhere, and so will be hoping to do just that in San Diego. Whilst it’s still early days, and I feel I must stress that, I think San Diego supporters have every reason to be excited. Even at this fledgling stage of the club’s journey, they have begun to lay the foundations of a solid roster.
Amirah Ali
A forward picked up from Scarlet Knights, she plundered 44 goals in 103 games at the collegiate level. Quick, powerful and an explosive finisher. Definitely one to look out for.
Sofia Jakobsson
Having turned out for the likes of Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Real Madrid the Swedish forward is no stranger to high pressure situations. She’s also played at 2 World Cups. Jakobsson gives an already impressive forward line further options.
I’m sure you can agree that San Diego Wave FC will be hitting the 2022 NWSL season with an impressive squad, but how far can this team go in their debut season? I’m excited to find out.
If you’re new to the NWSL, here is: Why now is the perfect time to get into the NWSL. Many games are streamed for free via NWSL Twitch.
Written by Dan Berridge
*All statistics courtesy of fotmob.com
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