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NWSL Season Preview 2023: NJ/NY Gotham FC as the comeback kids

By Oliver Hunt

HARRISON, NJ - JULY 31: Paige Monaghan #4 of NJ/NY Gotham FC celebrates her goal teammates while Jane Campbell #1 of Houston Dash walks past in the first half of the Women's Empowerment Match in a National Women's Soccer League match against the Houston Dash at Red Bull Arena on July 31, 2022 in Harrison, New Jersey. (Photo by Ira L. Black - Corbis/Getty Images)
HARRISON, NJ - JULY 31: Paige Monaghan #4 of NJ/NY Gotham FC celebrates her goal teammates while Jane Campbell #1 of Houston Dash walks past in the first half of the Women's Empowerment Match in a National Women's Soccer League match against the Houston Dash at Red Bull Arena on July 31, 2022 in Harrison, New Jersey. (Photo by Ira L. Black - Corbis/Getty Images) /
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NJ/NY Gotham FC has everything to prove and nothing to lose as they attempt to go top of the table this season, a direct flip from their bottom of the standings finish in 2022. Their journey won’t be easy but they might power through and upend everyone’s expectations.

It’s a long way back for Gotham FC this season, but they put in the work during the break to make their dreams a reality. They recognized that they needed to make a change, and took an aggressive approach to their rebuild, betting on champions.

They acquired Kelley O’Hara from the Washington Spirit, Lynn Williams and Kristen Edmonds from the Kansas City Current, and Yazmeen Ryan from the Portland Thorns. These players add to the talent they already had on the bench in Midge Purce, Kristie Mewis, and Ifeoma Onumonu. Plus, they hired head coach Juan Carlos Amorós, who led the Houston Dash to their first playoff game last season.

But will it be enough to reverse their position from last season? It’s not impossible, the Kansas City Current were bottom of the table in 2021 and had their best season yet in 2022. Only time will tell if Gotham can do the same this year.

NJ/NY Gotham FC projected starting XI:

Gotham is rebuilding itself, with a major roster overhaul in the works their starting lineup is going to vary from last season greatly. Mixing in new talent can be challenging and it might take them a couple of games to truly get in the groove. Here is a guess at their starting lineup for their first matchup of the season against Angel City FC on March 26.

Goalkeeper: Abby Smith

Defenders: Kristen Edmonds, Ali Krieger, Bruninha, Mandy Freeman

Midfielders: Victoria Pickett, Kristie Mewis, Yazmeen Ryan

Forwards: Midge Purce, Ifeoma Onumonu, Lynn Williams

NJ/NY Gotham FC Most Important Player: Margaret “Midge” Purce

Midge Purce is a superstar both on and off the pitch. She’s a leader that represents all the growth and strength that Gotham is looking to embody this season. She was tied for top assists and goals for Gotham last season, tallying three in each category. She’s a national team star, with four goals and three assists in just 23 appearances.

Not only shining on the field but off the field as well, Midge was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list. A graduate of Harvard, she is one of the founders of the Black Women’s Players Collective. Midge is passionate about Gotham, recently signing a contract extension into 2024 with an option for 2025. That kind of stability and long-term star power will help Gotham on its way to greatness. Head coach Amorós had the following positive words to say about her extension.

"“Midge is an outstanding player with the ability to make the difference in the final third. Her long-term commitment to the club shows that she believes in the project we are building.”"

NJ/NY Gotham FC best-case scenario for the 2023 season: Make the semifinals

Gotham has committed to the rebuild this offseason and made sweeping changes to their roster and brand. They’re passionate about building something withstanding, and becoming a pillar of soccer greatness.  But the keyword here is building, they’ll likely need some time to put themselves into gear, and time is incredibly valuable with a world cup looming and a league full of talent. That being said, they’ve handpicked a roster of star players and that could make the semifinals a real possibility, making it the club’s first playoff clinch after the rebrand of 2021.

NJ/NY Gotham FC predicted finish: Fifth place, out in the quarters

With a proven playoff head coach at the helm, and a deep bench of eager champions, Gotham has a real shot of finishing top six. They likely won’t reach into the top four just yet, instead finishing just below in fifth place for the 2023 season.

They’ll be sharing their playoff spot with a lot of talent, and while they’re good, there are better teams out there this season. So, it’s probable their season will end with a quarterfinal finish. But it’s likely to happen in spectacular fashion as Gotham sets out to prove they can beat the odds and everyone’s expectations of them.

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