Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs in Arabic <\/p>\n
A year ago, NJ\/NY Gotham FC had fielded what many believed was a superteam.<\/p>\n
With a retooled roster, headlined by several U.S. Women\u2019s National Team players \u2014 including Rose Lavelle, Crystal Dunn, Emily Sonnett and Tierna Davidson \u2014 Gotham seemed poised for a valiant defense of its 2023 title last season.<\/p>\n
But they fell just short, losing in the NWSL semifinals on penalties.<\/p>\n
In the four months since that harrowing finish, Gotham experienced an exodus of several high-profile players, which forced general manager and head of soccer operations Yael Averbuch West to restock her roster again.<\/p>\n
All the work Averbuch West and her staff have put in since last November has been building up to this moment.<\/p>\n
A new campaign begins Saturday when Gotham travels to Seattle for its season opener.<\/p>\n
This time around, the superteam label has faded \u2014 not that Averbuch West ever considered it in regard to her team. But winning the franchise\u2019s second title remains Gotham\u2019s ultimate goal.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we look at our roster, we\u2019re really excited about things for next year,\u201d Averbuch West told The Post. \u201cWe have a number of returning players who have performed extremely well here, and we\u2019re excited to see them continuing to grow with the club.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a lot of ways, Averbuch West views 2024 as a success. <\/p>\n
Gotham went 17-5-4 to finish third in the NWSL standings. They set a team record for fewest goals conceded (20) and finished with a plus-21 goal differential, which was the league\u2019s fourth-best mark.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, though, the season came to a harrowing end when Gotham lost in the semifinals to the Washington Spirit on penalties.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s our goal to win the championship every year, and I think we all feel proud of what we accomplished,\u201d Averbuch West said. \u201cWe improved in a lot of ways on 2023. \u2026 Almost every other way that you can measure we improved, which is our ultimate goal is to improve the consistency of how we look every single weekend.\u201d<\/p>\n
Star-studded rosters can present a good problem in terms of having a lot of talent, but not enough playing time.<\/p>\n
The roster turnover raised some red flags. But Averbuch West doubled-down on Gotham\u2019s vision.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not sunny 365 days here,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s not an easy, laid-back experience. It\u2019s a very challenging experience with the aim of always pushing to get better, and that\u2019s what we commit to here, and that\u2019s what we expect of our players.\u201d<\/p>\n
Forward Delanie Sheehan and defender Sam Hiatt left in free agency, and Gotham granted USWNT forwards Lynn Biyendolo and Yazmeen Ryan\u2019s trade requests.<\/p>\n
U.S. Olympians Crystal Dunn and Jenna Nighswonger are also gone.<\/p>\n
Dunn, who missed the final 10 games of last season for an \u201cexcused absence,\u201d signed with Paris Saint-Germain, and Gotham sent Nighswonger to Arsenal for a transfer fee of $100,000.<\/p>\n
The reasons for each players\u2019 departure varies. In some cases, such as Dunn\u2019s, Gotham wasn\u2019t \u201ca perfect fit\u201d for what they needed.<\/p>\n
Averbuch West doesn\u2019t want to dwell on who\u2019s gone.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe did retain a lot of talent,\u201d she said. \u201cWe also brought in some really big talent.\u201d<\/p>\n
The returners include Gotham\u2019s top three goal scorers from last season \u2014 Esther Gonzalez, Lavelle and Ella Stevens. They also signed Brazilian star forward Gabi Portilho and midfielder Jaelin Howell, and added UCLA standouts in defender Lilly Reale, midfielder Sofia Cook and goalkeeper Ryan Campbell.<\/p>\n
Averbuch West said Reale is \u201carguably the most professionally ready player coming out of the college game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reale is a three-time conference defensive player of the year honoree (Pac-12 in 2022 and 2023, Big Ten in 2024.) She had spent part of last summer training with Gotham, and the coach\u2019s feedback from those sessions was that \u201cshe\u2019s already a pro.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s really ready,\u201d Averbuch West said. \u201cBut also very hungry to continue to learn and grow and develop her game.\u201d<\/p>\n
The main takeaway from The Post\u2019s conversation with Averbuch West was her desire to see \u201cconsistency\u201d and \u201cgrowth\u201d this season and beyond.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to perform well game in and game out,\u201d she said. \u201cWe really focus on the things that we need to do every day to kind of ensure the consistency in our performance on the field and then we believe that all of the rest kind of followed based on that.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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