Welcome to the NISA Narrative, a weekly column that picks three narratives headed into the weekend’s sleight of matches. The idea sprang out of our Knights Who Say NISA podcast where we often discuss the idea of narratives in our match discussion. So I thought, I’d use this space to discuss my thoughts on the matches of each weekend.

Narrative One:

Who is the best of league?

After a very disappointing end of the season, leaving many of us wondering when this club even cared, ‘04 came into this season with a surprising edge. The team looks more dangerous, more attacking, and its paying off. The team has scored 5 goals in two matches, more than double their average from Spring. Wait, you say, but these wins have come against Stars and Bobcats, two teams that were in the bottom half of the table last season. Sure, but ‘04 couldn’t beat anyone last season, winning only 2 of 8 matches and earning a single point in its last 5 matches. So 2 weeks into this season, ‘04 finds itself TOP of the table with two strong showings and 6 points.

Of course, this weekend will off ‘04 its biggest test of the season, playing an away match at Keyworth against the defending champion Detroit City who STILL somehow haven’t lost a match since September 21, 2020 against Michigan Stars (we’ve clearly all forgotten about this or blocked it from our collective memory). DCFC has continued its strong run this season with a home win shootout against Chicago House and a road draw against Cal United. So the team sits tied for second with 4 points.

So this should set the record straight. Is this really not your daddy’s ‘04? Is Detroit City still the class of this league? This match should answer these questions and put one of these clubs squarely in the driver’s seat for the first half of the fall season run. Still early going, of course, but this one should be a fun one!

Narrative Two:

How strong is the foundation in Chicago?

When Chicago House AC was formed, there were tons of promising aspects to love about the club. Peter Wilt was the big name, of course, but there was the addition of Chicago Fire legend CJ Brown as head coach. The zoom conference calls with fans and the public at large. The naming contest (which some of us are still bitter about). The signing of the agreement to play home matches at Bridgeview in a 20,000+ seat stadium. All of those things were exciting and fresh and hope-inspiring. But tomorrow afternoon will be when the rubber hits the road.

We’ve worried, since the announcement to play in SeatGeek Stadium, if the team could draw enough fans to not embarrass itself. It’s one thing to draw 300 fans to a college stadium with metal bleachers. It’s another thing altogether to draw that number in a stadium that will dwarf that audience. The team has obviously been working to gain fans and make inroads with the Chicago soccer community. Tomorrow will be the big test. I don’t think the team has to draw 10,000 on day one, but a couple thousand fans would certainly be a step in the right direction. A couple hundred would be a tough pill to swallow.

Narrative Three:

LA just isn’t the same.

When the spring season wrapped up, LA Force looked to be the second best team in the league. Even against Detroit City the club was only an own-goal away from level standing. Coming out of last season, many of us were convinced this team would be the one to beat in this league. Instead, two matches in, the team has struggled against competition that, at least on paper, was inferior. Draws against New Amsterdam on the road and Maryland Bobcats at home (wherever that is these days) leave the team in seventh place currently with 2 points. This weekend they host their west coast rival Cal United Strikers, who are tied for second.

Christian Chaney should be a big factor in this weekend’s match. Photo credit: LA Force

It’s VERY early in this season, without a doubt, so there’s tons of time to fix the trajectory of this club. However, streaks have a way of self-replicating, so righting the ship ASAP is the best defense against a bad pattern.

What LA has shown is that the club doesn’t seem concerned with the fact that they have almost no following. The inability to lock down a homefield is only exacerbating that problem. This weekend’s match is listed as GUEST LIST ONLY. Unacceptable, honestly, and the league shouldn’t be allowing it.

Enjoy the matches this weekend!

- Dan Vaughn