NWSL champs NJ/NY Gotham FC make a splash with USWNT’s Crystal Dunn as part one of a major star-laden makeover

Barely a month after winning their first NWSL title, NJ/NY Gotham FC seem intent on capitalizing on that momentum by securing four of the most exciting free agents on the market — U.S. women’s national team stars Crystal Dunn, Rose Lavelle, Emily Sonnett and Tierna Davidson.

Dunn officially joined the reigning champions on New Year’s Eve, while The Athletic reported earlier this month that Lavelle and Sonnett are in advanced discussions to join Gotham after competing against them in the championship for the OL Reign. The Equalizer also reported this month that fellow 2019 Women’s World Cup winner Tierna Davidson is also nearing a move to the New York metropolitan area.

The moves make a clear statement about Gotham’s aspirations to defend their title and to build off their dramatic transformation this year. The team has spent much of their NWSL history below the playoff line and finished dead last in 2022, but in their first year under Juan Carlos Amoros became the lowest-seeded team in the playoffs and then went on to win their first NWSL title. Gotham are taking advantage of an unprecedented opportunity to not just defend their title, but to raise the club’s profile considerably with marquee signings. The incomings also serve as a resounding vote of confidence in Amoros, whose attack-minded style led the team to their most notable accomplishment.

Above all, though, the group of Women’s World Cup winners also help answer serious needs Gotham have on the pitch. Here’s a look at how each of these players will serve as on-pitch upgrades for the NWSL’s reigning champions.

Defense wins championships

Amoros and company perfected a defense-first strategy during the NWSL quarterfinals and semifinals in which they absorbed pressure and then built their attacks from the back. In the championship game, they limited an attack-heavy Reign team to just two shots on goal and restricted them to complete just 44.7% of their passes in the attacking third.

A crucial part of that strategy was Ali Krieger. The recently-retired USWNT veteran capped off her career with an impressive final season in which she was nominated for NWSL Defender of the Year. She helped ensure her side would finish in the league’s top half for goals against, conceding 24 goals in 22 regular season games, and she hit some notable statistical highs. Chief among them is the fact that she was dribbled past just 4.8% of the time, well below the league average of 32.2%.

The 25-year-old Davidson seems like her natural successor after recovering from the ACL tear she suffered in 2022 but ultimately brings her own skillset as a natural center back rather than Krieger, who converted from right back. She ranked fourth among center backs last season for duels and aerial duels after winning 69.1% and 66.7% of them, respectively, during 18 games. It’s an improvement upon all Gotham players in 2023, and her passing accuracy of 81.4% is also an upgrade from Gotham’s center backs last year other than Maitane Lopez’s 83.7% in 11 games.

Her passing ability coupled with Lopez’s might allow Amoros to evolve his strategy of building attacks out of the back, especially with Davidson’s potennew national team colleagues playing further up the pitch.

Midfield star power

Amoros did not start two identical lineups until the playoffs, the result of injuries throughout the season. His championship-winning midfield featured three emerging talents — 25-year-old Nealy Martin, 24-year-old Delanie Sheehan, and 24-year-old Yazmeen Ryan. The 30-year-old Sonnett and 28-year-old Lavelle may have a few years on them, but that experience also confirms that they are some of the best in their positions.

After spending much of her club and national team career in the back line, Sonnett finally seems to be thriving as a true defensive midfielder. She ranked fourth for players in her position with 10-plus appearances for touches with 1,272 and led the entire league with 212 recoveries, demonstrating an ability to be an active participant in maintaining her team’s mission.

Lavelle, though, is an absolute game-changer for Gotham’s attacking ambitions. Amoros’ side boasts some top-tier attackers in NWSL championship MVP Midge Purce, Best XI honoree Lynn Williams, and Spain World Cup winner Esther Gonzalez, but struggled at times to get the best out of them. Gotham scored just 25 goals in 22 regular season games, ranking 10th in the league. Gonzalez’s September arrival can now be interpreted as the first in a series of high-profile upgrades for Gotham after scoring three times in eight games, including the championship-winning goal.

Midfield talent Lavelle could significantly bolster Gotham’s creative spark and truly unlock the talent in front of her. She played just seven times for the Reign this year while battling injuries and taking on national team duties, but during the 2022 season, she created 25 chances and boasted a passing accuracy of 79.6%, as well as a 78.1% passing accuracy in the final third. She has goals in her game, too — she scored five times that year and ranked 11th amongst players with 10-plus games for expected goals with 6.63. She also ranked sixth in the league for shots with 60 and fourth for shots on goal with 24.

Dunn the unicorn

CBS Sports previously reported that Dunn was between the Washington Spirit, the Orlando Pride and Gotham this offseason, and seems to have locked in her choice. It feels like a fitting landing spot for the fellow World Cup winner considering her local roots, but her skillset makes her a strong fit in a handful of ways for the reigning champions.

Dunn’s unique reputation as an elite soccer player across various positions on the field precedes her, including her abilities as a fullback. She has occupied that role for much of her time with the USWNT and feels like a natural inclusion for Gotham in that spot, too. Amoros’ fullbacks, Bruninha and rookie of the year Jenna Nighswonger, frequently kickstarted the team’s attack and Dunn is a natural candidate to continue that.

The well-rounded player, though, is just as capable of fitting into Gotham’s team further up the pitch. Dunn spent the 2023 season playing in midfield for the Thorns and ranked ninth last season for chances with 35 and shots on goal with 20, as well as a passing accuracy just under 80% overall and in the attacking third. She has also previously slotted in on the forward line and excelled in that position during different periods in her career.

Dunn’s unmatched tactical flexibility means it will be worth asking what role Amoros eventually envisions her playing, but her attacking output will be incredibly helpful for a team that has room for improvement in that category, regardless of where she ends up on the field.