The Equalizer Podcast

NWSL Week 2 is in the books, and we've got an all-timer already. Chicago and Portland drew 4-4 in a wild match that said many things (and sometimes very little) about two heavy NWSL hitters.

This week also featured two 1-0 score-lines, the first favoring the Houston Dash over Sky Blue, the second finding the Utah Royals in victory over the Washington Spirit. And finally, Reign FC drew the Orlando Pride 1-1 (a good result for the Pride after a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of the North Carolina Courage mid-week). Clearly, Chelsey Bush and Claire Watkins had a lot to talk about in how Chicago put it all together, whether or not Sky Blue is improving, the value of Christen Press, and the Pride's highs and lows. They also answered your Twitter questions!

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Games! Soccer games to discuss!

NWSL is back, and the Equalizer Podcast Team could not be more thrilled. North Carolina and Chicago drew at 1-1, Washington beat Sky Blue 2-0, Portland downed Orlando 2-0 and the Houston Dash tied Reign FC at, you guessed it, 1-1.

This week Dan Lauletta, Claire Watkins, and Chelsey Bush were here to talk pace, tactics, players, and...kits! The squad talked through whether Washington is ready for the big leagues, if Chicago hedged too many bets against last year's champs, how Houston seems like a squad of years past and if Orlando can get themselves figured out quickly enough to factor dangerously into this season. They also talk streaming, shirts, and the answering of Twitter questions (yours).

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Welcome back for the second half of The Equalizer Podcast Team's epic NWSL preview episode, this time checking in with Dan Lauletta and John Halloran about how the Chicago Red Stars are going to get their midfield to work, whether or not the league is ready to utilize a World Cup year to their advantage, and what exactly watching league games is going to look like with no TV deal currently in place.

And then, it's prediction time! Dan, John, Chelsey, and Claire all break down their 2019 playoff teams, champs, MVP's, and much much more. The picks might not be perfect by the end of the season, but what's sports without some wild speculation into the future.

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Finally!

The 2019 NWSL season is upon us, with mainstays looking to stay at the top of the table, and challengers ready to shake the standings up and make a push into the playoffs. The Equalizer Podcast Team is here to break all of it down, starting with Dan Lauletta and Chelsey Bush talking about what last year's playoff contenders need to do to keep their momentum in 2019. Later, Dan and Claire Watkins talk about what the other teams in the league need to do to surge into post-season contention, and perhaps most importantly in a Word Cup year, when in the year top squads might be vulnerable to dropped points.

Stay tuned for Part II with John Halloran and the whole squad's 2019 predictions later this week!

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Wow, what a different kind of game.

The U.S. Women's National Team smashed the Belgium Red Devils on Sunday night 6-0 behind goals from Carli Lloyd (x2), Alex Morgan, Lindsey Horan, Sam Mewis, and Jessica McDonald. Ali Krieger saw her first playing time in almost two years, and the vision for the final World Cup roster is coming into view. Right after the match Chelsey Bush and Claire Watkins sat down to see what takeaways could be gleaned from such a lopsided performance, and to discuss the bigger picture of a USWNT game turning into a flashy LA event.

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Wow, what a game.

The U.S. Women's National Team defeated The Matilda's 5-3 on Thursday evening, showing the best and the worst of the way the team is set up right now. With fewer than 70 days between now and World Cup kickoff, the Equalizer Podcast Team is trying to break down exactly what occurred. Claire Watkins and Jeff Kassouf talk midfield formations, defensive personnel, and what's going right in addition to what's going wrong for the U.S. and what Australia can take away from a tough match against the world's best.

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NWSL Preseason is rolling on, and the Equalizer Podcast Team is here to discuss who's thriving, and who's having trouble making an impact.

This week Dan Lauletta, Claire Watkins, and Chelsey Bush talk through Sky Blue's injury woes, and wonder who's going to fill out their starting lineup in the wake of some hits to their depth. They also circle back to the pickup of Taylor Smith by Reign FC, and talk salary and roster philosophies surrounding de-allocation.

Later, Claire gives a follow-up on the state of the Portland Thorns, Reign FC, and the Chicago Red Stars after seeing a few more Portland Invitational games, and the crew wonders what, after an extensive camp, they're going to see from the U.S. Women's National Team in their matchup against Australia. They also answer your Twitter questions, including which NWSL teams could use the talents of one of college basketball's top point guards (yes, we're talking about Sabrina).

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NWSL preseason is heating up, the U.S. Women's National Team dropped some roster bombs, and the Equalizer Podcast Team is ready to get things started. This week, Claire Watkins, John Halloran, and Katelyn Best met up in person after the first round of the Portland Invitational to talk about what they saw from Reign FC's 2-1 victory vs the U.S. U-23's and the Portland Thorns' similar scoreline against the Chicago Red Stars.

They also discussed the surprise re-calling of Ali Krieger to the USWNT, wondered if the U.S. midfield knows what its job is, and as always, answered your burning questions from Twitter.

The Equalizer Podcast theme music is First Conversations by Scout Ripley.

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It's been a bit of a quiet week in the days after the conclusion of the SheBelieves Cup, as players report to the early stages of 2019 NWSL preseason. Not a ton of soccer being played, but that didn't stop the Equalizer Podcast Team from taking a look at some other things going on in the WoSo landscape.

This week Chelsey Bush, Claire Watkins, and John Halloran talk about VAR being announced for the 2019 World Cup, U.S. Soccer Federation's response to the women's national team lawsuit, and what can reasonably be expected from NWSL preseason in a World Cup year. They also tackle your questions, which included topics like USWNT development, Nike expectations, and allocation stress.

The Equalizer Podcast theme music is 'First Conversations' by Scout Ripley

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The 2019 SheBelieves Cup left the U.S. women's national team with more questions than answers, so the Equalizer Podcast Team took a deep breath, reflected on the tournament, and came up with all the ways they could improve the situation.

This week Dan Lauletta, Chelsey Bush, and John Halloran put their heads together to figure out what exactly the USWNT can do about that midfield, and how they can shore up a shaky defense to back up a well-tuned offense. They also tackle the delicate issue of the gender discrimination lawsuit brought by current USWNT players against U.S. Soccer Federation, and as always, do their best to answer your burning questions.

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