What The Heart Wants

Shuffle Up And Deal

The first Monday of preseason is typically one of the busiest days of the league calendar, as transactions made between the draft and preseason are announced, as well as any player movement that has happened over the first few days of training.

As training wrapped up, the Hearts' coaching staff and three-headed player leadership committee (Ali, Steph Labbe, and Diana) sat down to discuss the roster and what they've seen so far in practice. Wendy is sitting in on the meeting, taking notes for future reference.

Erica: Are we satisfied with the 20 we have? Are there spots we should be thinking about fortifying before opening day?

Carm: The back line has been the team's weakness since the expansion draft. Getting Becca, Cari, and Cami on draft day helped a bit, but only Cari is a player that I think should be in the first XI on April 7th. We can stand to upgrade the other three spots if an opportunity arose to do so.

Kristin: The keeper situation is a point of surplus for us, but it's part of the bigger plan to have two starting-caliber net minders to work with NEXT March in preparation for Steph's going to France for the World Cup. I don't think we touch that, especially since their ladies are so integral to the future of the team.

Ali: Let me bring up a player that will be in the area next week. She was a teammate of Becca and EJ's at Duke, but went undrafted and is trying to land a spot at the end of a team's roster. Morgan Reid.

Erica: She went undrafted?! Well, I suppose that with all the focus on Imani Dorsey and Becca at the top end and EJ's rise up the projected board during the season, little credit was given to the defense in front of her.

Carm: She could definitely press Erin and Cami on the left to eventually start there. She'd have chemistry with Becca and EJ so her possibly playing centrally would be an option as well.

Wendy: I know I'm supposed to be quiet while you guys discuss the ins-and-outs of the roster, but I'd like to chime in with some additional information on her. She grew up in Raleigh, so Bill and I got to hear a lot about her through the grapevine. Like EJ, she played basketball as well as soccer, but was a point guard as opposed to EJ being a shooting guard. She was pre-med at Duke and recently wrote a wonderful piece for The Players' Tribune on how her off-field life became defined by some photos on her Instagram. They led to her being trolled at games and bullied a bit in the comments sections on her social media. She described how a flight over winter break showed her that she needed to stand up and state her own reality about the beauty of strength and muscles and that she's NOT a pin-up queen for men to ogle. You know, I wish I hadn't given BOTH fourth-rounders to Vancouver to move up to get Frannie. If we had had one of them, I would have taken her knowing the left back situation might be tenuous.

Ali: She told Becca that she was going to contact teams up this way today and tomorrow since she didn't get an offer from the Courage after trialing there at the end of last week. Might want to check your voicemail and email after we finish.

Steph: I don't know if any of you have caught it, but it looks like Mana is struggling. Doesn't seem to be particularly engaging with the rest of the team, isn't as peppy as I've known her to be when she played in Portland, and just projects a down-in-the-dumps response to those around her. I remember that, like myself, she left the league near the end of last season in order to find her way again. Maybe something is still wrong and she's not ready to be back here. Will you let me talk to her tomorrow during training and see if I can find out if there's something going on?

Erica: You're probably the only person on the team who can get into her head if that's where the issues are residing, because of your own struggles. If there is a problem, I'd like to know so we can act on it for her benefit as well as that of the team.

Carm: Erica, are you sort of sure that the first XI we've been working with so far will be who you start on Sunday?

Erica: I'm pretty sure. A number of them are no-brainers, like the three we have here plus Cari, Kristie, Steph McCaffrey. Who slots in alongside her up top and who fills out the back line are still up for debate.

Diana got a message from Rhian upon her arrival at the Spirit's training complex with some scuttlebutt happening there.

Diana: It looks like the league's machines are back up and running. Rhian said she saw Estelle Johnson at the Spirit's complex hugging a number of people on her way out the door following training. I'm guessing she's on the move.

Steph: Awwwww. She's such a solid professional and good person. With all the injuries our team took going into last season and during it, there is probably a surplus of bodies at right back at the moment. They got Larkin in the draft, Caprice Dydasco is back and healthy, and they still have Kleiner who plays outside.

Ali: I hope she's landing somewhere good for her. She deserves a chance to play for a decent team in 2018.

Erica: Back to business. Where should we focus if we're going to make changes?

Carm: Back line and maybe an outside midfielder, preferably one that can play both sides.

Diana: Think we need one more on the left than the right, since I, Jen, Mana, and even Morgan can play out there.

Ali: We need another center back, or at least the potential for one since Quinny and I are the only two that have any experience in the spot aside from Cari and Bianca.

Kristin: I know we run 8-6 in the center, but do we need to possibly grab a 10 as a late-game option if we're behind?

Erica: Morgan would be the default option from what we have, and Kristie HAS played it, but it's not her strong suit. Stephany would be the player that were we to start with one I would place there. We have choices and I think we can wait a bit before thinking about what to do in that case.

Steph: Defense, defense, defense. I and the other two keepers will only be able to do so much to keep us in games if the back four and Ali can't keep balls from bleeding through.

Wendy: I'm going to check my messages and then go to Brian's office to sign the papers for founding the foundation, plus work with Julie to get the bank account started and the first deposit made.

Erica: If you have anything concerning our potential trialist, let me know and I'll get back to her this afternoon.

Wendy: Will do.

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FC Kansas City - Announced the retirement of goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart. 

Chicago Red Stars - Traded defender Samantha Johnson to Washington for defender Estelle Johnson; Traded goalkeeper Michele Dalton and defender Arin Gilliland to Kansas City for defender/midfielder Christina Gibbons and their natural second-round pick in the 2019 NWSL Draft.

Sky Blue FC - Acquired midfielder Tameka Butt on loan from Brisbane Roar of the Australian W-League.

Vancouver Legacy - Acquired midfielder Sophie Schmidt on loan from FFC Frankfurt.