Analyzing Kiki Pickett’s key defensive midfield role for Bay FC

Defensive midfield is not an easy position to adapt to. For more attacking players, the defensive duties associated with the role can stretch concentration and stamina to breaking point. For technically skilled defenders, playing higher up — with the game no longer in front of them and pressure from multiple directions — becomes a challenge their ball-playing qualities can’t handle. With all of that in mind, Kiki Pickett’s rapid transformation from full-back to Bay FC’s starting number six is significant.

This time last year, Pickett was starting life with her third club in four seasons. Back in 2021, the Kansas City Current paid $175,000 to select her as the fourth overall pick in the National Women’s Soccer League Draft. She played on both sides of the defense during that campaign before being traded to the North Carolina Courage, where she briefly operated on the forward line in the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup. Between injury and competition for places, she was unable to get consistent minutes, but did play as an “inverted” fullback at times.

Perhaps that experience drifting into more central areas for North Carolina aided Pickett when Bay signed the 25-year-old as a free agent and threw her into the base of midfield last year. But that certainly wasn’t the initial plan. Lucy Rushton, then-general manager, described Pickett as “a dynamic, explosive outside back” in the press release announcing her arrival.

What changed? A season-ending injury to Alex Loera. After a brief experiment with traditionally more attack-minded players, Pickett came in and filled the defensive midfield void. She started in a narrow 1-0 loss away to eventual Shield and Championship winners Orlando Pride, and kept her place thereafter. Comparing Bay’s basic numbers without Pickett to with her in the starting lineup, their win rate went from 25% to 50%, their goals conceded went from 2.38 down to 1.22 per game, and their points per game more than doubled, from 0.75 to 1.56.

Previously an open team, Bay became far more balanced and snuck into the playoffs. Their new midfield anchor played a vital role in that development. Pickett impressed with her tenacity and ball-winning, doing the dirty work so others could shine. Going into 2025, she was no longer a utility player, but a nailed on starter. And any danger of her falling into the old ‘water carrier’ stereotype dramatically fell by the wayside with her opening weekend scorcher against Utah Royals; a long-range, left-footed strike that bounced back out of the net while Royals goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn was still diving. Attention: Captured.

That goal made headlines, but Pickett has also shown, in more nuanced ways, that she can contribute on both sides of the play. Yes, she remains integral to Bay defensively, but she is becoming an increasingly reliable facilitator in the early stages of their attacking game. She’s the anchor of the midfield, staying central to act as a pivot around which possession is built, and giving herself access to close down on both sides of the field.

In defense, Pickett makes a habit of anticipating play to snaffle up loose balls, mark threats between the lines and shut down counterattacks. She did a fine job of limiting Ally Sentnor’s influence when the United States international played as a Number 10 for Utah in their 1-1 draw with Bay. At times, she also had to close down Mina Tanaka, with Utah’s striker dropping back to try and overload her with Sentnor.

On the ball, Pickett stays in front of Bay’s central defenders, makes herself available for a pass and moves the ball quickly with minimal touches to keep possession flowing. She has a knack for retaining under pressure, and doesn’t sit back and admire her passes, instead getting on the move to receive the return or help out further up with a well-timed support run.

In this first clip of Pickett’s influence in possession, we see her 1) find an angle to receive, control a difficult, bouncing ball, then find a teammate, 2) check her shoulder and move the ball accurately within two touches, and 3) move against the grain of pressure to show up in space behind her opponent, play forward first time, get the return and spread the ball to the other side.

The following sequence shows a couple of examples of Pickett keeping the ball under pressure, using the outside of her boot to turn or pass to a teammate and figure a route out of a tight situation.

While she predominantly keeps things simple, Pickett does search for more ambitious passes every now and then.

In the clip below, she 1) switches the point of attack, finding Caprice Dydasco in space on the opposite flank, then 2) shows excellent vision to pick out Taylor Huff in an advanced position, despite having limited time to think or sort out her footwork.

And this final sequence demonstrates Pickett’s willingness and ability to support the attack, either by driving forward into the space afforded to her, or by timing a support run to arrive and receive a lay off from a teammate.

Talking in an interview for the San Francisco Chronicle last year, Pickett discussed how challenging it was for her to adjust to playing in defensive midfield. “It was all mental overload,” she said. “I was like ‘Where should I be? Where do I make the next pass?’ I wrote down so much in my notebook and just watched training clips to try to get it right.”

In under one full season’s worth of experience, she has the appearance of a natural in the role. For all the attacking quality in this Bay side, right now it’s hard to imagine them being successful without Pickett protecting the center-backs, connecting passes, and enabling the attackers to roam with greater freedom.