Michael Shaw and Zach Allen-Kelly are back with even with wilder Racing Louisville predictions
If you are reading this you are surely aware that Racing Louisville won a trophy (Yay!) and then immediately went out and lost to the last-place team in the league. Prepare for more ups and downs and wild swings and misses in Zach’s and my latest prediction efforts.
Short term predictions
Michael: Coach Holly gives Katie Lund her full NWSL debut in Houston as she is a native Texan.
I can’t imagine that you missed it, but just in case Katie was the hero and co-MVP of The Women’s Cup.
Zach: It is a well-earned start as well. I was a little surprised she didn’t start the KC game after the absolute beating Michelle Betos had taken in the past few weeks.
M: Katie really has that look of a prototypical keeper. She’s tall and quick. She will be a tough decision when it comes to protecting players in the expansion draft, but maybe it won’t come to that.
Z: I would be surprised it if does. My short-term prediction: pain. Sunday will not be fun. I think the schedule catches up to Racing Louisville and we have our first multi-goal loss since July.
M: Houston hasn’t exactly been playing great, but do tend to play better a home.
Z: Plus they got some Olympic players back recently.
From 502 Pros: Why attending a Louisville City game is a must
Mid term predictions
M: The club record for goals in a match is 1, held by several players. I predict that someone gets a brace before the end of the year. Who’s your guess for the most likely candidate and maybe a dark horse?
Z: Most likely is Ebony Salmon. My dark horse is Cece Kizer. I also wouldn’t count out Nadia Nadim.
M: I’m going to Nadim since she seems to get off multiple good efforts during a match. My dark horse is Yuki Nagasato.
Z: The only reason I have Ebony over Nadia is she seems to be getting more of the minutes as the target forward lately. Nadia has been on the wing a bit more when they’re on the field together.
M: Do you think this team scores enough? I have read some comments from fans that think a) certain players don’t get enough playing time and b) drafting Press instead of selecting a different hypothetical forward who would have scored more earlier in the season might have been a better move.
Z: They’re 3rd from last in goals scored, so they definitely should be scoring more than they do. I do think not having the four best players they took in the expansion draft play a single minute this year has for sure hurt them this season, but I think it remains to be seen if it was the right move long term. Controlling the midfield and getting the ball forward into scoring positions has been a bigger problem than finishing thus far this season, so I actually don’t think having someone like Press would have made that big of a difference so far. Racing definitely got enough out of the trade to make the Press pick worthwhile even without her playing. I suspect they’llll do something similar with Heath’s rights.
M: I agree with that assessment. I think if you knew that Salmon and Nadim were always the plan, then it makes sense. It’s funny that so many fans think single players can have so much influence on a match. It seems like they believe players have magical abilities to turn every match on a dime. The best players in the world don’t always make an impact on their team’s results.
Z: I think in general people focus too much on a team’s three best players when I feel like what really separates a good team from a bad one are players 6-11.
Z: I’ve got a medium-term question for you. Who leads the team in combined goals and assists at the end of the season?
M: I say Salmon’s lead in goals and assists (6) is safe, but maybe Nadim could catch up. I think if she does, it will be through assists.
Z: I’m gonna go out on a limb and pick Kizer because I feel like she’s been our most balanced attacker.
Long term predictions
M: LouCity/Racing starts their 2022 season with a full-on mascot. That mascot may or may not wear a bucket hat.
Z: Long live Gorp! Is he gonna kill Benton for the hat? The State of Louisville definitely does NOT condone violence, no matter how hilarious.
M: “Literacy Mascot Attacks Terrible ‘Chili’ Enthusiast, Takes Hat as Trophy”.
As much as that would be the best headline in the history of the world, I am thinking let Gorp be Gorp and there could be a different mascot. Or has that ship sailed? Is it Gorp or nothing?
Z: I think the library technically owns Gorp, so they may never be the official mascot. But I would say if Racing tried to announce a different mascot at this point it would not go over well.
M: I might have a solution to that…
Z: Oh boy, an Arsenal story!
M: Arsenal’s current mascot was chosen from a children’s mascot contest.
Z: I will give you that Gunnersaurus is one of the best things about Arsenal. Love the little hat. My daughter’s horrified reaction to the Bayern bear last weekend does not bode well for any sort of mascot we get though.
M: LOL. And I thought Berni was a unanimous success.
Z: You would have thought an actual bear got onto the concourse!
M: Nothing quite like childhood trauma to scar you for life!
Z: Gonna get spicy and throw out one based on nothing at all. My long-term prediction is that Alanna Kennedy will play for Racing Louisville at some point in the next calendar year.
M: She’s currently unattached, so that’s not the wildest prediction. But Racing Louisville would have to free up an international spot since they currently have 5 filled due to the trade with Chicago.
Z: How long after this posts will they announce a trade involving her rights to prove me super wrong?
M: The NWSL is so arbitrary so who knows how her saga will resolve itself.
Thanks to Zach for his predictions! I’m sure they’ll all come true!
