The recent NWSL season was one of the best ones in recent memory. Part of the reason for this was the introduction of a new expansion team, the San Diego Wave. The team had a remarkable debut season which saw them break two attendance records and were the first expansion team to make the postseason in their first year. The main reason for the team’s early success is due to their recruitment of players, with the brightest star of all being forward Alex Morgan.
The star striker has lived up to the lofty expectations placed upon her as she helped her team finish in the top half of the table by scoring 15 goals and registering three assists along the way. Morgan ended the season with the Golden Boot and was nominated for the league’s MVP award as she helped her team make history.
In this scout report, we will analyse how Morgan has been revitalised as a league player at the San Diego Wave. This tactical analysis piece will be an analysis of her off-the-ball movements, build-up play, how she presses opponents, tactical evolution, and just how valuable she’s been for the Wave FC and their tactics.
The Offensive Engine
Alex Morgan has repeatedly stated that the main reason why she’s performed so well at the Wave is due to the team’s environment. The team’s atmosphere is one where she feels safe and that her needs are taken care of. The team’s coach, Casey Stoney, formerly of Manchester United in the WSL, has repeatedly spoken of how she’s created a safe environment where the players both feel protected and where they have a voice.
Morgan’s performances this season certainly seem to reflect those sentiments.
As was noted before, Alex Morgan has scored 15 goals for the Wave during the regular season, and one goal during the playoffs (16 in total). However, she shouldn’t be viewed solely as a one-dimensional goal-scorer. The player plays a large part in contributing to her team’s offensive build-up through her clever runs and incisive passes.
Like all good players, Morgan constantly scans her surroundings and by doing so, she not only finds openings to exploit but also becomes aware of her teammates’ positions on the pitch. As per Wyscout, Morgan has a 64% pass accuracy rate. This includes 23 successful through passes that were received by her teammates.
One example of this is from the Wave’s game against the Chicago Red Stars. During that quarter-final encounter, Alex dropped deep into the midfield to receive a pass from her teammate. She then spots Emily van Egmond making a run towards the goal and lays the ball off to her.
This type of efficiency allows her teammates to get involved in the build-up play as she helps them get into scoring positions. Another way she’s able to accomplish this is by creating space for herself by shaking off her opponents. Against the Portland Thorns, for example, Morgan loses her marker (Becky Sauerbrunn) and frees herself at the edge of the 18-yard-box.
The Thorns then make the mistake of not closing her down and within a few seconds, Morgan sends a cross into the box. The ball then finds the head of Taylor Kornieck, who draws first blood in the semi-final encounter.
Morgan doesn’t send a lot of crosses into the box but she can be quite devastating when she does so. Her cross to Kornieck was also her third assist of the season, thus proving that she’s just as comfortable helping her teammates score as she is taking on a shot herself. Overall, Morgan has created 16 chances for her team this season. Though she does work hard to help her teammates get into scoring positions, Alex works equally as hard to score goals for her team.
There is no better example of this than the first goal she scored for San Diego. In the second-ever meeting with their intra-state rivals, Angel City. After the ball bounces around in the box for a while, Morgan wins a header and sends it towards goal. Dani Weatherholt tries to clear the ball but sends it towards the Wave’s fullback, Kristen McNabb. McNabb then sends the ball into the box and Morgan then makes a run into the area to pounce on a loose ball and slot it home.
