#chelsea preseason 2021

[aussie-wbb]

WNBA Finals: The Australian and WNBL connections run deep

Tipping off tomorrow, Las Vegas and New York face off in the WNBA Finals, and there's plenty of Australian and WNBL storylines to follow.

HAYLEY WILDES

The WNBA Finals get underway tomorrow morning with Game 1 tipping off at 6am AEDT and after an incredible season, it all comes down to the two preseason favourites battling it out in what is sure to be a Finals to remember.

Las Vegas will be aiming to make it back-to-back championships, while New York will be hoping to claim the franchise’s maiden championship. 2022 WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson and 2023 WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart headline both teams, while the likes of Kelsey Plum, Chelsea Gray, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones will have a huge say in the outcome of the series.

Speaking of those that will have a big impact in the championship decider, there are a myriad of connections to Australia and the WNBL, with players with WNBL experience set to light up the Finals and a very familiar head coach.

There are three players on each team who have played in the WNBL, and of course Opals head coach Sandy Brondello is running the show in New York. This demonstrates the standing and importance of Australian basketball in the best league in the world.

For New York, Betnijah Laney, Kayla Thornton and Jocelyn Willoughby have all had stops in the WNBL, while Las Vegas’ Jackie Young and Kierstan Bell have suited up in the WNBL, and Opals superstar Cayla George is also on the squad.

Laney and Young in particular have taken their respective careers to new heights after stints in the WNBL and will be among the most important players in the series.

Laney was a revelation for the Perth Lynx in 2015/16, alongside the likes of Sami Whitcomb and Tessa Lavey. That squad made it all the way to the Grand Final series and although they ultimately lost to the Townsville Fire, there’s no doubt it was a special season for the Lynx. Laney led the team in rebounds (7.7 per game) and assists (3.8), while also adding 14.7 points per game (second to Whitcomb at 19.2).

Her toughness and work ethic shone through back then and she returned to the league in season 2017/18 with the Bendigo Spirit, creating a dominant duo with Kelsey Griffin. That season wasn’t to be for Bendigo, with Griffin’s season ending after just six games due to a hip injury, but Laney battled until the end, averaging 14.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

After struggling to find her groove in the WNBA, everything changed in 2020 with the Atlanta Dream when she averaged 17.2 points per game, up from 5.6 the previous season. She won the Most Improved Player Award and was named to the All-Defensive Team that season.

Now she is a force for the star-studded Liberty team. As well as being a defensive headache, Laney is just super efficient on the offensive end, making her the perfect fit alongside the likes of Stewart, Jones, Ionescu and Vandersloot. This season she has averaged 12.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists on 49.9% shooting from the field and 39.2% from three.

Young was on the rise prior to coming to Perth for season 2021/22, but really announced herself as one of the best players in the WNBA after her summer with the Lynx. Young spent one season with Perth, in a loaded squad that included college teammate Marina Mabrey, Whitcomb, Darcee Garbin and Lauren Scherf.

Although the Lynx lost to the Boomers in the Grand Final, Young was massive. Despite a slowish start to the season, she quickly found her groove and became deadly on both ends of the court. After averaging 17.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game for Perth, Young returned to Las Vegas a different player.

Not known for her three-point shooting in pervious seasons, Young showcased her improvement over the off-season and incredibly became one of the WNBA’s best three-point shooters, finishing third in the league for three-point percentage in 2022. Young’s newfound three-point shooting was integral in the Aces run to the Championship and she was named an All-Star for the first time in her career, while also taking out the WNBA’s Most Improved Player Award.

This season, Young has taken her game to a new level, and much like Laney, it’s all about efficiency and finding a role within a team full of stars. Named an All-Star again, Young is just an assassin on offence, averaging a career-high 17.6 points per game on otherworldly shooting splits of 52.3% from the field, 44.9% from three and 86.7% from the line.

Kayla Thornton, Jocelyn Willoughby and Kierstan Bell all played in the WNBL last season, and Willoughby will be back in the league this summer.

Thornton starred for Southside last season, helping lead the squad to an unlikely Finals appearance after a season filled with injuries. She was everything the Flyers could’ve hoped for in an import and played both side of the ball extremely well.

Leading the team in points (15.7 per game) and rebounds (6.8), Thornton announced herself on opening night with 21 points and 8 rebounds, and never looked back.

While playing for Southside earlier this year, Thornton was traded from Dallas to New York as part of the deal that landed former WNBA MVP Jonquel Jones in New York (and saw Bec Allen head in Connecticut). Although her minutes are down compared to what she playing in Dallas, her importance to New York cannot be underestimated. She’s a star in her role and brings it every game on both ends of the floor.

She does all the little things well and Brondello knows she can rely on Thornton whenever she calls her number.

In a rocky season for the Flames last season, Willoughby just kept working. A coaching and point guard change mid-season threw Sydney into chaos, but Willoughby – as well as Keely Froling and Tiana Mangakahia – did all they could to remain competitive.

Willoughby averaged 15.1 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game, and will suit up for Adelaide this coming season alongside fellow import and WNBA player Brianna Turner. Willoughby is played sparingly off the bench by Brondello and appeared in 29 games in the regular season.

Bell only played nine games for the Lightning last season before returning to the States. She showed flashes of what Adelaide would’ve been hoping for from her (she did average 14.1 points and 4.7 rebounds per game), but it was shortlived. Back with Las Vegas in her second season of WNBA, Bell hasn’t been able to lock down totally consistent rotation minutes, but for a second-year player on a loaded squad such as the Aces, she’s done well to fight for minutes. She’s shown enough potential to be an option off the bench for Becky Hammon in certain match-ups and is only improving.

Cayla George has done it all in Australian basketball – won WNBL championships, a WNBL MVP, represented the Opals on countless occasions, highlighted by Olympic and World Cup campaigns – and now she is trying to add a WNBA championship to her resume.

George hasn’t seen consistent court time for the Aces this season. She has struggled with her long-range shooting (23.4% shooting from deep), which is vital to her game considering over 60% of her shots this season have been from beyond the arc. With that being said, she’s the type of player that has remained ready and is very clearly a positive personality to have on your bench.

Speaking of positives on the bench, Sandy Brondello has done a fantastic job balancing the many mouths to feed on a Liberty squad boasting ridiculous star power. She will be aiming for her second WNBA championship, after leading Phoenix to the 2014 title, with fellow Aussies Penny Taylor and Erin Phillips members of that squad.

Brondello has long been known as a defensive-minded coach and while the Liberty owned the third best defensive-rating this season (101), their offence was even stronger, finishing second with an offensive rating of 111.8.

Incredibly, as per ESPN, Brondello and Becky Hammon facing off will mark the first time in WNBA history that two former WNBA players will meet as head coaches in the Finals.

This truly is a meeting of the juggernauts and all I can say is, sit back and enjoy!

WNBA Finals schedule

Game 1: Monday, 9 October @ 6am AEDT

Game 2: Thursday 12 October @ 12pm AEDT

Game 3: Monday 16 October @ 6am AEDT

Game 4 (if necessary): Thursday 19 October @ 11am AEDT

Game 5 (if necessary): Saturday 21 October @ 12pm AEDT

[alexbkrieger13]

Don't know I feel like some fans always overanalyze things, even a game like that 😅

oh yea I mean we all saw what happened back in the star of the 2021 season went Arsenal beat Chelsea and there was this narrative that Arsenal we're gonna dominate the season and they didn't. In my opinion you should never look at the last games of preseason and the first game or two of the season and be like this Is Gonna tell us anything about the season because it gonna tell you very little.

[glimmerofawesome]

[pernilleharders]

[theroleofimagination]

So Arsenal v Chelsea on August 1st.

Interesting to see who wins that one with the players missing from both sides. Reckon Arsenal might have the edge with the fact Chelsea’s defence will be their problem area

Gonna be a very interesting one isnt it?!

Depending on how far the various national teams go in the Olympics Arsenal could have up to 9 players still in Japan, and Chelsea could have up to 11 still there! Plus, even if any don't make it out of the group stage I rather doubt they'd be playing on 1st August in London given the last match in the groups is only 4 days earlier, so it seems likely that whatever happens in the Olympics both teams will be very shorthanded.

It's a similar situation to the last time AWFC played at the Emirates, in preseason against Bayern in Aug 2019 - all the England and Netherlands players who'd got to the final stages of the World Cup didn't play as they'd only recently returned. There weren't quite so many missing though as there had been enough time since the earlier rounds meaning the Scots were available and it was only 5 players missing in the end due to the World Cup (2 English, 3 Dutch).

Sidenote: really hope some in-season games at the Emirates do happen, as has been mentioned, given the likes of Viv and Leah will have now missed out on both the recent matches there!

Still, it'll be a good opportunity for players on both teams who are not at the Olympics, or perhaps who don't usually get much playing time, to show what they've got and impress their managers. Seems likely there will be a fair few Academy players in the squads though otherwise they'll be a bit bare!

By my count, of contracted (and fit!) players, we currently have available 2 GKs, 2 CBs (if Jen can play), a RB, 2 MFs (1 who can also play CB), and 3 FWs (two of whom can also play RB/LB). Add in the rumoured signings of Maanum and Sørensen and that's another CB (who can also play MF) and another MF. That means that if Jen is fit we'd just have a starting 11 and a spare GK, so the Academy players will definitely be getting involved!

If all fit this would be my guess at a line-up with just the senior players:

Zinsberger

Patten - Sørensen - Beattie - Maritz

Wälti

Nobbs - Maanum

Evans - Mead - McCabe

Meanwhile, of their current squad (bearing in mind Lauren James seems to be about to be announced and there is talk that a Chelsea player may be going the other way), Chelsea would have available 2 GKs, 2 DFs (both RBs/possible LBs), 5 MFs and 3 FWs [positions all according to Chelsea's website]. They have enough players for a starting 11 (just!) but positionally they have more issues than we do because as you say they have very few defenders available...

Chelsea may well have more signings up their sleeves (and hopefully Maanum and Sørensen do come to Arsenal) but it's certainly going to be an interesting game and not very representative of what the season will hold given there will be so many players absent from both teams. At the end of the day it's a pre-season game so should never really be taken too seriously and hopefully an opportunity for some fans of the men's team to be introduced to the women's team. I went to the Emirates for the Bayern game in 2019 and unfortunately a lot of the men's fans didn't bother turning up til after the women's game but there was still a decent number of fans there. Fingers crossed more will be engaged this time.

[redwineconversation]

I hope you both feel the sparks by the end of the drive

Sometimes I think the more hostile the environment, the more Lyon thrives in it. It just triggers their competitive side, allows them to be more themselves, be more comfortable in their own skin. With a majority of the crowd cheering for their opponents, Lyon seemed almost happy and carefree, kicking the ball around and clearly enjoying themselves.

Lyon playing a hostile crowd in a final? Let's be frank, Lyon lives for that kind of shit.

But we already knew that. We've always known that, and we didn't need to watch the reigning European Champions play in a hot and humid Portland to come to that conclusion. So what did we learn during this preseason?

Bompastor has not yet solved the Carpenter Dilemma. I'm not exactly certain there even is a solution rather than simply cross our fingers and hope for the best until Carpenter is back. Cayman can do fine against "lesser" teams but got killed against Harder (whose miss in the semifinal kept Lyon in the game by the grace of God).

Almost all of Lyon's attack came from the left because of the Carpenter Dilemma. Lyon got away with it this time but it is only a matter of time before teams realize they just need to throw bodies at Lyon and Lyon will start struggling.

Lyon hates losing, and will flex on a team they don't like given the chance. Lyon played horribly against Chelsea for roughly 75 minutes, realized they were losing, and then clawed their way back into a game in borderline insufferable heat and humid. I really cannot emphasize how bad it was in the stadium - I am referring both to Lyon's play for 75 minutes and the weather conditions.

Lyon also really likes solving problems in real time, and we saw that against a fast Monterrey team (who I hope we see more of, I genuinely do). Lyon is a really, really bright team, and it's pretty cool to see their football IQ being applied in real time.

Van de Donk makes a difference in the midfield. She's still coming back but you can tell how comfortable she has become with this Lyon team, especially considering she was injured for six months. Some things will never change - van de Donk is always going to be muscled off a ball by a more physical player - but she makes up for it by still trying to get the ball back after it's lost. She did really well against PSG the last time she played them (6-1 win in November 2021), so it'll be interesting to see (1) how many minutes she gets and (2) what she produces.

I feel we saw a lot of growing pains from Damaris this tournament. Part of me wants to snark about it - the kid should know better by now - but I am also going to excuse a little bit of rust in preseason. I felt like she didn't quite master the line between being physically aggressive and just letting Lyon impose their physicality over Monterrey. It wasn't as flagrant as it was against Chelsea, but something that does need to be sorted out sooner rather than later. Those kind of mistakes will be costly later in the season, and I have no interest in paying up.

Remember when everyone was giving me shit for wanting Bruun back this year? I do!!! But who was right? Me!!! Victory lap aside, it's still preseason, so let's see what happens as the season progresses. For now I am just glad that she seems full of confidence, but more importantly, seems to be having fun. Once she stops being a perfectionist and just ... shoots, the goals come.

The future kid to keep a very close eye on is Marques, who reminded me a lot of Sombath and Bacha in their early days. As I said earlier, it would be absolutely criminal if Lyon let another team poach her from under them.

The next test is the clash against PSG in the Trophee des Champions game next Sunday. PSG-OL games are always fine because of the rivalry, and this time it'll be interesting because both teams are missing significant players due to injury. The other intrigue is the coaching battle between Precheur and Bompastor. Precheur was an amazing coach during his time at Lyon and I feel that PSG will really thrive under him.

[gaywoso]

News today 07/09/2020 as of 11:07 AM Eastern

-Nothando Vilakazi (South Africa WNT) signs with Logroño

-Marta Mascarello resigns with Fiorentina until 2022

-Sini Laaksonen (Finland) signs with Santa Teresa

-Lucy Staniforth signs with Manchester United

-Mackenzie Arnold signs with West Ham

-Emilia Zdunek (Poland WNT) renews with Sevilla until 2021

-Ingrid Moe Wold signs with Everton

-Charlotte Fleming, a Chelsea academy graduate, signs her first professional contract

-Rachel Cuschieri (Malta WNT, ex PSV) signs with Lazio of Serie B

-Manuela Coluccini (ex Roma) signs with Res Women of Serie C

-DFB has the economical and the organizational part of the process for Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga approved for all clubs

-Barcelona starts training on the 13th and they have two preseason matches against Montpellier on August 2nd & 9th

[fossadeileonixv]

Behind Enemy Lines: INTER!

For our last entry into our preseason series we have enlisted the talents of two TITANS of the industry and die-hard Interisti... Alex Donno and the eternal Nima Tavallaey Roodsari. We emptied out the Fossa coffers for this one folks, so sit back and enjoy the ride!

“I’m Alex Donno, a longtime suffering Inter supporter. My father introduced me to the Nerazzurri when I was seven years old and my life has been a roller coaster ever since. I cover sports in the media, primarily basketball and American football, but I also have the privilege of creating Serie A content with my co-host Jerry Mancini on the  @CalcioConPod podcast.”

“  @NimaTavRood Nima is a football journalist and the founder of the excellent @SempreInterCom and is also 1/3 of the @ItaFootPod along with Carlo Gargonese and John Solano”

How do you like your teams transfer window so far? 

ALEX:  Inter’s transfer window to this point has been bittersweet. The most important move was bringing back Romelu Lukaku on loan from Chelsea. It almost feels like he never left in the first place. “Big Rom” was a key piece in Inter’s 2021 Scudetto run. His partnership with Lautaro Martinez was deadly. “Lula” are back together at last. The addition of Kristjan Asllani to Inter’s midfield was another excellent move. He’s an ascending player who can serve as the vice Brozovic that Inter have never had. Adding Henrick Mkhitaryan on a free is a low cost move to add interesting depth and experience. Inter also added former Ajax keeper Andre Onana on a free. He has very high upside with his reactions and athleticism. Inter finally have depth at keeper to pair with Handanovic.

NIMA:  I think Inter’s transfer window has been good from the sense that all the glaring deficiencies have been addressed: Onana is much better than Radu, Lukaku levels above Caicedo, Asllani & Mkhitaryan more useful and better than Vidal & Vecino but where Gosens is a question mark as a replacement for Perisic & Bellanova potentially a great player. Overall very good but the ciliegina sulla torta is missing. The Dybala & Bremer. And so that’s why many Interfans feel disappointed. The depth has in priced, the starting 11 hasn’t improved as much as expected. But once everything calms down not even the harshest critic can say that given financial constraints Marotta & co have done an amazing job

What do you expect in the last few weeks of the window? 

ALEX:  At various times in the window it appeared that one of Alessandro Bastoni or Milan Skriniar would be sold. Now, both appear to be staying, with Denzel Dumfries as the newest exit possibility. If Dumfries departs so late in the window, the right wingback will not be easy to replace.

NIMA:  I don’t expect Inter really to do anything other than maybe a backup CB to replace Ranocchia. I certainly hope no starter is sold. That would completely destabilize the entire club & it wouldn’t surprise me if there were important resignations as a result as well, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves 

What excites you for this season? 

ALEX:  It will be exciting to see just how competitive Inter will be this season. Despite all the uncertainty, most sports books view Inter to be the betting favorite for the scudetto. I’m not necessarily buying that hype. To me, Juventus can become favorites and I see now reason why Milan can’t repeat. I view this season as a three-team race. The race for fourth place will be just as competitive.

NIMA:  For Inter I’m excited about seeing how Lukaku performs under Inzaghi. From a broader perspective I’m excited to see this new Napoli who I think will surprise many, same re Milan who I think people are sleeping on, the excitement & expectations in both Rome clubs is infectious, Monza returning with Galliani & Berlusconi, Fiorentina’s incredible mercato I hope will end up off them winning the conference league, there’s so much

What worries you? 

ALEX:  On the flipside, Inter’s mercato has been held back by a need to make a profit. Ownership under Chinese conglomerate Suning has not been financially stable since the pandemic. Because of these financial restraints, Inter were unable to close deals with Paulo Dybala or Gleison Bremer despite having personal agreements with both. There has also been a constant threat of needing to make a big sale to balance the books

NIMA:  from an Inter perspective I’m worried about Simone & co getting off to a shaky start that could destabilize & derail everything. From Serie A perspective I’m worried that once more in the UCL there will be no more teams past stage of last 16. But I do have Roma as my dark horse to win the UEL and I have Fiorentina as one of the favorites to win the conference league

Your top 4 predictions for Serie A.

ALEX: I see the top 4 this season as: Juventus Milan Inter and Roma with Napoli narrowly missing out on a Champions League spot. 

NIMA:  I don’t do any predictions before the mercato closes, as so much could yet happen but I will say that I think unfortunately this is the last season we have Victor Osimhen in the Serie A before he makes a £100m move to the EPL.

 Anything from the rest of the league that most peaks your interest?

ALEX:  I believe the top 3 teams will only be separated by 3 or 4 points, giving us a 3 team race to the end. Roma, to me, are by far the most improved team in Serie A and could make it feel like a 4 team race for the first few months.

NIMA:  There’s so much that tickles my fancy: how will Sassuolo handle the losses of Scamacca & maybe Raspadori? Can Atalanta 2.0 under Gasperini work? Can Spezia & Hells continue to punch above their weight? Lecce & Corbino are back for goodness sakes!! Also, the Serie B is a hornets nest. I’m struggling to see how I can fit all this in each week.

Thank you both Alex and Nima for bringing the goods. Make sure to give them both a follow folks and also check out their pods. Both are excellent roundup shows that give you a view on the league from several different perspectives.

Also that’s a wrap for for our preview series. hope everyone enjoyed it. Special thanks to EVERYONE that contributed and also of course to our man Gillis for the excellent graphic work!

FORZA MILAN!

Lisi 

[maugustyniuk]

Enter the World of the Knicks City Dancers with 2 of Their Newest Rookies

Auditions rarely fail to deliver on suspense. But this? This was the nail-biter to end all nail-biters. Hayoung Roh and Chelsea McCloskey, both professional dancers based in NYC, had made it through what felt like endless rounds of cuts, both on Zoom and in person. Out of the nearly 500 dancers (from 30 states and nine countries) who'd answered the Knicks City Dancers' open call for video submissions, just 20 remained—McCloskey and Roh among them. "We were separated into six holding rooms, where we kept trying to figure out the math," Roh recalls. "How many girls are there in total? Who was called back?"

Finally, the women returned to the audition room to dance one last time—or so they were told. Instead, KCD head coach Alyssa Quezada dropped her bombshell: All 20 women had made the final cut. They would be 2021–22 Knicks City Dancers: the latest and greatest edition of one of the most prestigious NBA dance teams. "It was the biggest celebration and the coolest moment of my dance career so far," says McCloskey now. And that was just the oh-so-perfectly-dramatic beginning.

Chelsea McCloskey Photo by Tess Mayer

Making the Team

A KCD audition is grueling by design. "A lot is asked of the Knicks City Dancers throughout the season that they're contracted to be a part of the team," says Quezada, a six-year veteran of the squad who's now in her fifth season as coach. So it makes perfect sense that over the course of four long days, aspirants need to show a lot to the all-female KCD leadership team: head coach Quezada, assistant coach/captain Teddi Bircks, co-captains Alexis Tillman and Brooke Fera, and director Amanda Pierce-Martin. (Any returning Knicks City Dancers also have to reaudition each year if they want to claim a slot on the team.)

Between cuts, auditionees are asked to freestyle, learn combination after combination, apply technical corrections and choreographic changes, and perform full-out as one cohesive squad. Extensive interviews play a role too, because KCD members make plenty of media, promotional and charity appearances during basketball season. "We really need articulate, well-spoken dancers who come across with a presence that is representative of New York," Quezada says. "We want independent, chic, passionate, inspiring, ambitious women, who also happen to be great dancers." New York City deserves—and gets—no less.

On Board the Court Ship

Like many dance jobs, being a Knicks City Dancer is technically a part-time gig. In fact, McCloskey says the team roster currently includes a few schoolteachers, nine-to-five office workers, fitness professionals, professional dancers and college students. But that "part-time" label fails to capture the intensity of prepping for the jam-packed KCD performance calendar, which starts with the NBA preseason kickoff on October 5. Roh says that the KCD's thrice-weekly, four-hour evening rehearsals "feel like being shot out of a cannon. We're learning and taking in a lot, but it's been really fun."

"Versatility" can be an overused buzzword in the commercial-dance realm. For the KCD, it's truly a way of life. Guest choreographers—Lacey Schwimmer, Mandy Moore, Maks and Val Chmerkovskiy, to name a few—come in one at a time to set numbers that range from classic Broadway jazz to Latin fusion to hard-hitting hip hop. Every season, the dancers learn, clean and perform up to 60 complete dances. That way, any basketball fans who show up at all 44 home games won't see too many repeats.

And get this: Each production number is staged for 16 dancers, so that on any given game night four women get time off. Keep in mind that the KCD usually rehearse at studios around the city because, as Quezada says, "Madison Square Garden always has the most amazing things going on." All of which means that each Knicks City Dancer gets on the court to learn her track for that night's formations just six hours (!!) before game time. The KCD pull this off for every game with the help of an intricate grid-plotting system, detailed video footage of all dances, and, of course, the coaches' and squad members' brilliant dancer brains. As McCloskey says, "There's a definite science and precision to how everything works on the court. I've never been on a dance team before, so I'm excited to take on all of this new knowledge and skills."

Sparkling Legacy, Even Brighter Future

At a time when some NBA dance teams are reassessing their image and purpose, the Knicks City Dancers keep strutting confidently towards the future. "We're really proud to represent the Knicks as a group of women in a way that feels empowering and inspiring," Quezada says. "I think it's very cool that a lot of other teams are going coed, but I feel like we get the best of both worlds when we perform at halftime and in 'T-shirt toss' dances with the 7th Ave Squad." (That's the Knicks' mixed-gender entertainment and hype squad, which includes some dancers who are more breaking-focused.)

For Roh and McCloskey, there couldn't be a more thrilling way to dance into the post-pandemic era. "I don't think I've ever danced for 20,000 people at a time, and I've definitely never danced at Madison Square Garden before," Roh says. "When I was moving back to New York in May of this year, I could not have imagined that I'd be performing in person here, surrounded by such amazing, strong women. So I'm just trying to soak it all in."

Meet Chelsea McCloskey

●Hometown: Exton, PA

●Training: Lionville School of Dance in Exton, PA; BFA in dance and BA in dance education from Montclair State University in NJ

●Favorite KCD dance: Prince's "It's About That Walk." "It's one of the classic, iconic Knicks City Dancer dances."

●When not in KCD mode, Chelsea: Teaches group fitness at 305 Fitness and Club Pilates locations around NYC and NJ

●Random fact: "When I was a senior at MSU, I got MRSA [a serious antibiotic-resistant infection] from stepping on something while dancing. Luckily, I got emergency surgery, but the doctor almost had to amputate my foot."

●What head coach Alyssa Quezada is saying: "Chelsea is very, very good at taking direction and implementing corrections, all with a smile on her face. She catches your attention and is a joy to watch. We always loved Chelsea the three times that she auditioned before this, and we're so excited that this is her year to make it on the team. It's been an honor and a privilege to watch her grow and mature as a dancer and as a woman."

Meet Hayoung Roh

●Hometown: Irvine, CA

●Training: Civic Dance Center in Bakersfield, CA; Orange County School of the Arts in CA; BFA in dance from NYU Tisch School of the Arts in NYC

●Favorite KCD dance: Lizzo's "Juice." "I can't help grooving to it, nonstop!"

●When not in KCD mode, Hayoung: Dances for a few project-based contemporary and modern companies

●Random fact: 'Hayoung' means 'glory to God' in Korean.

●What head coach Alyssa Quezada is saying: "Hayoung's versatility and 'it' factor were obvious right away from her reel. We really wanted to see what she'd bring to the room, and she certainly did not disappoint. It was a breath of fresh air to watch Hayoung knock it out of the park, seemingly without any difficulty. And she has such a sweet, humble and grounded disposition. You want to talk to her as much as you want to watch her dance."

from Dance Spirit https://ift.tt/2WV3yv3

[anthonybwilson]

Saturday News/Sports TV - 9/25/2021

Saturday News/Sports TV

- [x] 2:00am: CNN Newsroom Live (CNN) - [x] 3:00am: New Day Weekend with Christi Paul & Boris Sanchez (CNN) - [x] 3:00am: Kendis Gibson and Lindsey Reiser Report (MSNBC) - [x] 3:00am: Live From the Ryder Cup (GOLF) - [ ] 4:30am: Premier League: Chelsea vs Manchester City (NBCSN) - [ ] 5:00am: ABC15 Mornings (KNXV) - [ ] 5:00am: Velshi (MSNBC) - [x] 5:00am: 2020 Ryder Cup (GOLF) - [ ] 6:00am: Smerconish (CNN) - [ ] 6:00am: Good Morning Arizona (KTVK) - [ ] 6:00am: 2020 Ryder Cup (NBC) - [ ] 6:00am: College GameDay (ESPN) - [ ] 6:30am: Premier League Mornings (NBCSN) - [ ] 7:00am: CNN Newsroom with Christi Paul & Boris Sanchez (CNN) - [ ] 7:00am: The Cross Connection with Tiffany Cross (MSNBC) - [ ] 7:00am: Premier League: Leicester City vs Burnley (NBCSN) - [ ] 7:00am: Big Noon Kickoff (FOX) - [ ] 8:00am: CNN Newsroom with Fredricka Whitfield (CNN) - [ ] 9:00am: Alex Witt Reports (MSNBC) - [ ] 9:00am: NCAA FB: Notre Dame at Wisconsin (FOX) - [ ] 9:00am: NCAA FB: Texas Tech at Texas (ABC) - [ ] 9:00am: NCAA FB: Boise State at Utah State (CBS) - [ ] 9:00am: NCAA FB: LSU at Mississippi State (ESPN) - [ ] 9:00am: Premier League Mornings (NBCSN) - [ ] 9:30am: Premier League: Brentford vs Liverpool (NBCSN) - [ ] 11:00am: CNN Newsroom with Jim Acosta (CNN) - [ ] 11:00am: 2020 Ryder Cup (NBC) - [ ] 11:00am: MLB: Cardinals at Cubs (MLBEI) *Cardinals up 5 games in NL Wild Card* - [ ] 12:00pm: Yasmin Vossoughian Reports (MSNBC) - [ ] 12:00pm: College Football Scoreboard (ABC) - [ ] 12:30pm: NCAA FB: Texas A&M at Arkansas (CBS) - [ ] 12:30pm: NCAA FB: Iowa State at Baylor (FOX) - [ ] 12:30pm: NCAA FB: Rutgers at Michigan (ABC) - [ ] 12:30pm: NCAA FB: Clemson at NC State (ESPN) - [ ] 1:00pm: MLB Mix (MLBMIX) - [ ] 1:00pm: MLB: Yankees at Red Sox (MLBEI) *Red Sox and Yankees currently have AL Wild Card Spots* - [ ] 1:00pm: MLB: Astros at A’s (MLBEI) *A’s 4 games back in AL Wild Card* - [ ] 1:00pm: MLB: Pirates at Phillies (MLBEI) *Pirates 5 games back in NL Wild Card* - [ ] 2:00pm: PoliticsNation (MSNBC) - [ ] 3:00pm: CNN Newsroom with Pamela Brown (CNN) - [ ] 3:00pm: American Voices with Alicia Menendez (MSNBC) - [ ] 3:00pm: MLB: Royals at Tigers (MLBEI) - [ ] 3:30pm: College Football Scoreboard (ABC) - [ ] 4:00pm: MLB: Blue Jays at Twins (MLBEI) *Blue Jays 2 games back in AL Wild Card* - [ ] 4:00pm: MLB: Nationals at Reds (MLBEI) *Reds 6 games back in NL Wild Card* - [ ] 4:00pm: MLB: Braves at Padres (FOX) *Padres 7 games back in NL Wild Card* - [ ] 4:00pm: NCAA FB: Nebraska at Michigan State (FS1) - [ ] 4:00pm: NCAA FB: Tennessee at Florida (ESPN) - [ ] 4:00pm: NHL Preseason: Canadiens at Maple Leafs (NHLN) - [ ] 4:30pm: NCAA FB: West Virginia at Oklahoma (ABC) - [ ] 4:30pm: NCAA FB: Akron at Ohio State (BIGTEN) - [ ] 4:30pm: NCAA FB: Southern Miss at Alabama (SECN) - [ ] 4:30pm: DBacks Live Pregame (BSAZ) - [ ] 5:00pm: Ayman (MSNBC) - [ ] 5:00pm: Good Evening Arizona at 5pm (KTVK) - [ ] 5:00pm: MLB: Dodgers at DBacks (BSAZ) - [ ] 5:00pm: MLB: Mariners at Angels (MLBEI) *Mariners 2 games back in AL Wild Card* - [ ] 7:00pm: College Football Scoreboard (ESPN) - [ ] 7:00pm: USL Soccer: Tacoma Defiance vs Phoenix Rising FC (CW61) - [ ] 7:30pm: NCAA FB: Colorado at Arizona State (ESPNU) - [ ] 7:30pm: NCAA FB: Arizona at Oregon (ESPN) - [ ] 7:30pm: NCAA FB: Oregon State at USC (FS1) - [ ] 9:00pm: 3TV News at 9pm (KTVK)

[soccernetghana]

2022 World Cup qualifiers: Ghana coach CK  Akonnor to work on new approach following absence of influential duo – Mohammed Kudus & Thomas Partey 

 Black Stars head coach Charles Kwabla Akonnor will be without two of his influential midfielders Thomas Partey and Mohammed Kudus for the double-header in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.The duo have been ruled out of the clash due to injuries which could be a blow for the four-time Africa champions.Thomas Partey and Mohammed Kudus have not been in action for their respective sides in the ongoing 2021-22 season.Partey got injured in a preseason friendly against Chelsea whilst Kudus has been ruled out of action for Ajax due to a knee injury.The two players were initially called up in the 30-man provisional squad for the World Cup qualifiers but were later ruled out due to their unavailability for the games.With the two dynamic midfielders missing the Charles Kwabla Akonnor will have to rely on the experience of Mubarak Wakaso, Iddrisu Baba (Mallorca), Emmanuel Lomotey (Amiens) in midfield.The Ghanaian coach may change his tactics to accommodate the current players in his team.The last friendly against Cote d'Ivoire at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium saw the midfield partnership of Thomas Partey, Baba Iddrisu and Mohammed Kudus which will be absent in the double-header against EthiopiaGhana play against Ethiopia on September 3 at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium.Squad below: GOALKEEPERS:Richard Ofori - Orlando Pirates FC - South AfricaLawrence Ati Zigi - St. Galen FC - SwitzerlandManaf Nurudeen - Kas Eupen - BelgiumRichard Atta Hearts of Oak - GhanaFULL BACKSBenson Anang - Zilina FC - SlovakiaYiadom Andrew - Reading FC - EnglandBaba Abdul Rahman - Chelsea FC - UKGideon Mensah - FC Girondins Bordeaux - FranceBaffour Philimon - Dreams FC - GhanaCENTER BACKSAlexander Djiku - RC Strasbourg - FranceDaniel Amartey - Leicester City FC- EnglandIsmael Ganiyu - Asante Kotoko - GhanaJonathan Mensah - Columbus Crew - USAMIDFIELDERSMubarak Wakaso - Shenzhen - ChinaIddrisu Baba - RCD Mallorca - SpainEmmanuel Lomotey - Amiens FC - FranceWINGERSJoel Fameye - Orenburg FC - RussiaSamuel Owusu - Al Fayhad Saudi ArabiaGyasi Emmanuel - Spezia ItalyKamal Deen Sulemana - Rennes FC - FranceTariq Fosu - Henry - Brentford FC - EnglandIsahaku Fatawu Steadfast FC - GhanaATTACKING MIDFIELDERS:Afriyie Banieh - Hearts of Oak - GhanaKudus Mohamed - Ajax FC - HollandMajeed Ashimeru - RSC Anderlecht- BelgiumSTRIKERSAndre Ayew - Al Saad - QatarJordan Ayew - Crystal Palace - EnglandKwame Opoku - USM Algiers AlgeriaKelvin Yeboah Sturm Graz Austria source: https://ghanasoccernet.com/

[glimmerofawesome]

[pernilleharders]

[theroleofimagination]

Hi. Not sure if you're updated to other teams. Is Kerr moving back to US?

Not currently (who knows in the future) - she has another year of her contract with Chelsea so unless a team buys her out of it she'll still be at Chelsea for the 2021/22 season. Feel like it would have to be a pretty massive fee as well given how well paid she is at Chelsea and as she was the league top scorer last season too. Whether she re-signs with Chelsea or goes to a different team/league next year, who knows!

She's still on her post-Olympics holiday atm and will presumably go back to Chelsea in the next week or so to get a bit of a preseason before the start of the season.

[worldticketsandhospitality]

USA Football World Cup- Pulisic wants to be the go-to player USMNT star backed to become a key man for Chelsea

Pat Nevin, a former Blues winger, has high hopes for a slew of highly-rated strikers at Stamford Bridge in the 2021-22 season. Christian Pulisic should become Chelsea's right-hand man, says Pat Nevin, as the American international is expected to shine at Stamford Bridge alongside Kai Havertz and Hakim Ziyech in the 2021-22 season. The defending Champions League Football champions have a wealth of attacking talent at their disposal, and Thomas Tuchel faces a plethora of popular options.

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                        U.S. international Pulisic is part of those plans, as the 22-year-old striker looks to put his injuries behind him and become a talisman for the Premier League Football side. When asked if Pulisic has what it takes to reach those heights, former Chelsea striker Nevin, working with British bookmaker Goal, said, I don't think he has much to prove, but there is a lot of competition to be in the top three. Of course, there's Havertz, whom I think is a sure regular, so there are two more positions to fill.

Ziyech, Pulisic, [Timo] Werner, and [Callum] Hudson-Odoi, who was perhaps the best player in preseason, are also in the mix. Mason Mount, like Tammy Abraham, is essentially Chelsea Football Club player of the year, and that's before any potential new acquisitions are factored in. It's fantastic to get a game in such places, but they won't start every game and play 90 minutes; instead, they'll be used tactically.

A lot of these players are young, and it's a group that in two or three years will be much improved than they are now because they won the Champions League Football. I want Christian to play every game because he is a good footballer and has amazing game intelligence. I wouldn't compare him to [Eden] Hazard, but he has similar qualities.

Can Pulisic become a key player for Chelsea?

The American winger made history last season by becoming the first player to reach a Champions League Football final, but only featured in 18 Premier League Football games as muscular problems hampered him from time to time. Still, there is no doubting his current ability and future potential, and Nevin expects to see more of a group of young stars in another exciting season for the Blues in west London.

Nevin added that I wouldn't be surprised if Pulisic is the man to take his game to the next level, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was Ziyech or Havertz either. Pulisic has everything going for him, he can score goals from distance, he has pace and he works hard. So he can become a better player. He scored a hat-trick in a game at Burnley and we all thought that would be the start, but an injury set him back.

That's what happens in soccer, you have to keep going, and I think he's had a very good time at Chelsea so far. I think he can be a great player, but if I had to choose one this season, I would say Kai Havertz wins. Considering how old he is and what he's already done, scoring the winning goal in the Champions League Football final. He has so much class and people in Germany are shocked at what he can do.

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[premierleaguefootballtickets]

Liverpool Football Tickets: Liverpool commences setting up of seats with care rails at Anfield

A total of 7,800 seats will be refurbished in the test, of which about 1,800 are located at Kop and 6,000 are located at the Anfield Road booth below. The introduction of the safe standing area follows similar initiatives by clubs such as the Celtics and Manchester United Football. As part of the single-season test, Liverpool Football has installed the first track seat at the Kop end in Anfield.

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This work was initially announced in June, and the first phase of the setting up was finalized before the club’s preseason games on Sunday and Monday. The extra work of converting the seats into safety rail seats will be completed in time for the opening of the new Premier League Football season between Liverpool Football and Burnley Football on August 21.

Sports identified two areas in Anfield during a security review. There is a permanent problem with the Ground Safety Agency (SGSA). A total of 7,800 seats will be refurbished in the test, of which about 1,800 are located in Kop and 6,000 are located in the lower booths on Anfield Road dedicated to changes. The test tracked in the footsteps of clubs alike the Celtics and Manchester United Football, who elected safe areas to stand in their stadiums.

Other Premier League Football clubs are expected to consider doing the same, adopting a hybrid seating system with safety rails. Liverpool Football will face newly promoted Norwich City on Carroll Road on August 14, kicking off the prelude to the 2021/22 Premier League Football season, live on Sky Sports. For more to know About Arsenal vs Liverpool Tickets.

Jurgen Klopp's squad, which won third place the previous season, will host Chelsea Football and champion Manchester City Football on August 28 and October 2 respectively. And then play at Old Trafford on October 23 Germany vs Manchester United. The initial Merseyside derby of the season seized place at Goodison on the night of November 30.

While Leeds United visited Anfield on Boxing Day, and then the Reds took on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on January 1 to welcome the New Year. Liverpool Football will play Manchester United at home on March 19, followed by a key match against Manchester City Football at Etihad on April 9 and Everton at Anfield on April 23. They will end at home on May 22. The game against the Wolves.

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