When the Portland Thorns last took the field, they did so with a starting lineup that found international-caliber talents like Andressinha and Midge Purce on the bench. That doesn’t even count players too injured to suit up. When Hayley Raso and Katherine Reynolds are brought into view, Mark Parsons had far too many starting-level talents for his lineup’s 11 spots, something that hasn’t changed during an offseason of almost no departures.
The Thorns aren’t the only NWSL team with a talent overload, a situation the league’s lack of expansion – as well as the increased time players are willing to devote to the sport – has created over the NWSL’s six-plus seasons.