The NWSL is the home of many excellent footballers, such as former Manchester City Women midfielder Sam Mewis and Wales star Jess Fishlock. There are also many younger talents plying their trade in the league, such as Racing Louisville’s former Bristol City Women and Manchester United Women forward Ebony Salmon. Portland Thorns forward Sophia Smith is undoubtedly one of the best young players in the league, though, having joined the club as the top pick in the 2020 NWSL College Draft.
In this tactical analysis, we will look at what Smith gives the Thorns on the pitch, and how the 20-year-old fits into their tactics, analysing her ability to play on opposing defenders’ shoulders, her tendency to operate in wide areas, and her movement, which creates options for her teammates around the pitch.
Before beginning the analysis, we will examine Smith’s heatmap for this season so far, which will give us a good idea of the areas of the pitch that she frequents the most.
As Smith is a forward, it is unsurprising that there is colour inside the box. However, what is noticeable is that the most colour on the heatmap is on the right of the box, suggesting that Smith is more of a wide forward than a central striker. Therefore, we can conclude from this that she is a versatile forward, and this is why she has become such a useful player for Portland to have in their squad.
Playing on the shoulder
The first thing to look at in this scout report is Sophia Smith’s natural tendency to play on the shoulder of the opposing defenders. By doing so, she opens up the space behind for Portland Thorns to attack into, and constantly forces the defenders to run back towards their own goal.
