Lavelle, Rodman back in form, Pulisic is on top of Serie A | USxNT

It was another eventful weekend for Americans on both sides of the pond. The NWSL gave us strong performances from Rose Lavelle and Trinity Rodman as they continue to find their form and return to full fitness. Meanwhile, the USMNT World Cup roster is coming into view as Álex Zendejas and Brenden Aaronson attempt to impress Mauricio Pochettino. All of that while Christian Pulisic is standing on top of the Serie A scoring race, for now.

Alright, let's talk some soccer.

Rose Lavelle, eh?

Gotham FC made it nine unbeaten in their 3-0 win over Portland on Friday behind Rose Lavelle’s best performance since returning to full fitness. That’s been the story behind Gotham’s return to NWSL prevalence; as Rose Lavelle goes, so goes Gotham FC. 

And Gotham definitely went behind Lavelle’s goal and assist. 

Let’s start with the goal.

Lavelle bumps the initial ball back into the midfield before shielding her run as Portland defenders keyed in on Gotham’s midfield. Jaedyn Shaw flicked the ball into Lavelle’s run as she pulled away from her markers, planted MacKenzie Arnold, and calmly finished to double Gotham’s lead. 

The assist was equally vintage Rose Lavelle. 

Lavelle stops her run, sitting between two Thorns defenders as Katie Stengel continues to break. Then, with her back to goal, she backheels a quick pass into the stride of Stengel, knowing that the defenders were expecting her to turn into a shot, vacating the space for Stengel to take her time before lashing her shot past Mackenzie Arnold.

Lavelle now has 3 goals and 2 assists in her past 5 NWSL matches, finding her form just as Jaedyn Shaw comes aboard to share the creative load. Lavelle is one of the world’s best but is usually more of a creator than a goal scorer. Now, the freedom to play in a more advanced role, with Esther pulling defenders into her space and midfield partners that demand equal attention, it has resulted in her best scoring stretch since entering the league. There’s no reason to think she will slow down with 2.39 expected goals + assists in those 248 minutes, especially if Shaw and Midge Purse find their form over the club's final stretch.

"I think we've just scratched the surface of what she can do." Lavelle told reporters afterwards of her budding partnership with Jaedyn Shaw. “I think she's settled in pretty seamlessly. I think she's fit right in. I think she is able to play the exact style we want to play. I think she's somebody who can come into any system and fill it in, because obviously she's a really smart player and very technical player. So I think when you have someone like that, they're going to fit in right away.”

Álex Zendejas continues to impress.

Zendejas is an unfairly underestimated player in the USMNT player pool. Over the past 3 years he has been crucial to one of North America’s most dangerous attacking groups, providing important goals as América won trophy after trophy. 

Still, when Zendejas was called up for the September window, the expectation among the fanbase was that he would be a one-off under Pochettino. 

Well, recalibrate your expectations. 

In 11 Liga MX matches this Apertura, Zendejas has racked up 5 goals and 2 assists, becoming Liga MX’s 5th highest scorer, 4th in expected goals plus expected assists, while still underperforming his expected stats. 

It’s a run of play that has impressed Mauricio Pochettino, especially as he utilized Zendejas in a familiar role against Japan in last month's window. Zendejas is less of an out-and-out winger and more of a wide forward who likes to dip inside. Pochettino unlocked some of that magic as Zendejas and Pulisic both played underneath Folorian Balogun in the 3-4-3, fitting then that it’s probably the best role for both players. 

Pochettino recognized the moment after Zendejas’s game-winning goal vs Japan, saying, “With this type of performance, he’s in the race.”.

Zendejas took that challenge personally and went back to work, strengthening his resume in Mexico City. 

In the four matches since the international window, he’s scored four goals and grabbed an assist against Atlético de San Luis. The feather in his cap looks like this crafty golazo from this past weekend.

This is a good player, and his key performances in Liga MX for one of the continent’s gigantes should work in his favor. 

Brenden Aaronson’s lack of results.

Speaking of the race for those final roster spots, the pack is slowly pulling away from Brenden Aaronson. The Leeds United attacker couldn’t afford to start slow after a mixed bag of a Gold Cup performance, but he has yet to create a goal or assist through six matches to start the Premier League season. Aaronson is 24 and has started the last three matches at either CAM or RW in a mid-table Premier League attack. He is far from a lost cause, but the lack of output is causing concern among Leeds United supporters.

"It's important to not put too much weight on his shoulders," Farke said last week. "Sometimes the feeling with Brenden is that we are a bit over-critical in public. [...] We know Brenden has challenges in his offensive game in terms of decision-making, being a bit clearer and more straightforward. This is something we speak a lot about.”

Aaronson hasn’t had a bad match for Leeds this season, but the problem is his lack of direct impact. Through 330 minutes, he has generated 1.3 xG + xA, but that has yet to bear fruit; however, his 0.54 goal-creating actions per 90’ ranks just ahead of Chelsea’s João Pedro and Newcastle’s Sandro Tenali, which is nothing to sneeze at given the pair’s reputation and production. 

Hopefully, Farke still sees the vision. 

Christian Pulisic is Serie A’s leading attacker.

Pulisic had to make good on his summer break after the circus of his absence and presumed rift with Pochettino caused during the Gold Cup. 

Yeah, about that, for all of the feelings around Pulisic’s antics – and rightfully so – he has quickly changed the conversation with his roaring start in Serie A. Following up on last week’s performance, Pulisic scored against Lecce midweek in the Copa Italia and washed it down with a goal and an assist against fellow title contender Napoli. That’s 3 goal contributions in 88 minutes, 9 goals + assists in 345 minutes across all competitions to start the year.

A generational heater.

Is it sustainable? Maybe not, Pulisic has never scored at this rate before, but he’s creating these opportunities in many different ways while Massimiliano Allegri dials in his approach at AC Milan.

As the second forward in the 3-5-2, Pulisic is allowed to roam from touchline to touchline, creating not just a league-leading goals + assists tally but the third most goal-creating actions per 90’. 

There will be a change when Rafael Leão returns to the lineup over the course of October, and his presence will most likely eat into some of Pulisic’s touches. However, with the way that the Modrić-led midfield is creating opportunities, it might not matter over the course of the season, and maybe Pulisic is the first choice in this form. 

Trinity Rodman is feasting.

Speaking of heaters, Trinity Rodman, ladies and gentlemen. 

Rodman assisted two of Gift Monday’s three goals in Sunday’s 4-0 dismantling of the Houston Dash and handled the lion’s share of Washington’s ball progression down the right flank.

September has been a good month for Rodman after returning to action following her back injury and reaggravation. She scored 4 goals and snagged a brace of assists across both NWSL and Concacaf Champions Cup play. During that stretch, she leads the league in goals and assists, ranks 9th in goals added, 5th in xA, and 3rd in xG.

The stats are important, but the way that Adrián González is utilizing her skillset as the focal point of the attack is even better. Defenders have to respect her speed and 1v1 dribbling ability, creating space fr her to curl passes centrally. The Dash didn’t have an answer this past weekend, and while the Spirit can’t catch the Current in the table, they can clinch a top-four finish with a win vs San Diego this weekend.

If Rodman can continue this form among a sea of rising stars in DC, the Spirit will like their chances of getting back to the NWSL Championship. 

Thanks again for reading this week. If you enjoyed it, please share and consider becoming a subscriber if you haven’t already, your support helps. Talk soon, happy soccer.