Historical help?

When Joe Vala and I discussed and distributed the Center Forward podcast, one of my favorite tropes every season was “what player from a previous team could most help out the current one?” I recently began debating this internally as each side has begun their push for the playoffs, with LouCity aiming to defend their Players’ Shield regular season title and Racing in legitimate playoff contention for the first time in their history. So who from the past could most assist their former teammates?
Racing Louisville is finally in the playoff hunt. Previous seasons saw Racing just outside the playoff line this time of year and they would proceed to finish 9th every year. This season they are sitting in 7th in a tightly packed table where every point will matter (cliche I know). Racing is coming off back-to-back draws on the road against 2nd place Orlando and 3rd place Washington. Normally drawing top table teams on the road isn’t painful, but Racing gave up stoppage time equalizers in each contest.
This Racing side is playing with passion and fire. They have an all-league candidate in midfield general, and redwood, Taylor Flint. Jordyn Bloomer has been a revelation in goal after the season-ending injury to Katie Lund, even setting the league record for saving two penalties in the same match. Emma Sears picked up from her stellar rookie season and leads the team in goals with 6. The next leading scorers are Flint and Savannah DeMelo at 3. Their total goals scored of 22 puts them dead smack in the middle of the league.
Do not take that the wrong way, this is a team with talent in the attack. Teams would line up to get Sears and most wouldn’t turn down DeMelo either. The team’s usual starting striker has been Kayla Fischer, and she has only scored twice this year. Rookie Sarah Weber has also caught a few starts, but only has a single goal to her name as well. That is why my selection for a former player to come and help out is none other than Nadia Nadim.
Now I would of course be asking for the ideal scenario of Nadia being healthy, which was not often the case during her time in Louisville. Nadia still sits third all-time in franchise history with her 10 goals. What Nadia never had during her time in Louisville, besides good luck and a clean bill of health, was the supporting cast being offered now. The attack supporting her was a young DeMelo and a veteran in Jess McDonald. I think this Racing side could use a veteran up front and a skilled scorer who wouldn’t have to do to much and that is Nadia Nadim.

This is the worst possible time to be writing about anything concerning what could “help” Louisville City. The team has won three straight, scoring 4 goals in each victory, which included a 4-1 demolition of the Charleston Battery in front of 13,000 fans at Lynn Family Stadium. City lead the east by 3 points over Charleston and have a +5 goal differential lead over the Battery as well. Oh, and Phillip Goodrum has come out of nowhere to lead the USL Championship in goals at 12.
City lead the league in goals scored and only Sacramento at 16 have given up fewer than City’s 17. So what could this team need then???
I’m bringing back Speedy Williams. The weakest position on this team is whoever they try to pair with Taylor Davila. Zach Duncan had the first crack, but he went down with a season-ending leg injury. Kevon Lambert has been better as of late, but still hasn’t put it all together. Evan Davila has been solid, but not much to write home about. Niall McCabe is Niall, but shouldn’t be relied upon for massive minutes. The help this side could use is someone to lock down the center of the park and let Taylor Davila do Taylor Davila things (i.e. pinging unlocking passes and setting up the attack). Can you imagine the nightmare LouCity would be if Davila just had to focus on playing higher up the field??? I think I just heard the rest of the Eastern Conference crying. Lucky for them this is just a hypothetical and not a reality!