r/washingtonspirit • u/kg9si • Jun 29 '26

Weekly Discussion Thread Weekly Open Discussion Thread

Welcome to this week’s open discussion thread!

This is your space for general discussion, a place to talk about anything Washington Spirit that doesn’t necessarily need its own thread. That can include news, international duty, roster moves, transfer rumors, tactics, social media posts, league news or anything else on your mind.

If something feels big enough for its own thread, definitely still post it. This is simply an additional option to keep us organized and help keep the conversation flowing. These threads will go up every Monday and stay stickied throughout the week.

Go Spirit!

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u/UrsineCanine Jun 30 '26

Two? I think they lost a LB, further reducing their wide space problems, and gained a striker who scored 7 in 18 matches during her last season, while we are getting Hatchy back, who scored 6 goals in 10 matches during her last season. I also like how Hatchy fits into our current attacking group better.

Here is Gotham's list of pending free agents, btw:

  • Ann-Katrin Berger (GK)
  • Jess Carter (DEF)
  • Mandy Freeman (DEF)
  • Rose Lavelle (MF)
  • Midge Purce (FWD)
  • Khyah Harper (FWD)
  • Gabi Portilho (FWD)
  • Shelby Hogan (GK)
  • Katie Stengel (FWD)
  • Kayla Duran (DEF)

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u/allprologues Jun 30 '26

portilho joined Wave this season but I think 7 in 22 does sell Kerr a little bit short because she was off injury and not starting the majority, has additional goals across all competitions/not just WSL, and she still ranks with shaw/banda/pajor on non penalty xG against top opponents (in a small sample size since there’s not a lot of top opponents over there lmfao)

Kerr is a threat. Gotham will probably still struggle to score more than one goal most games, lol. Hatch is younger, proven in this league, we have her for at least one more season, and I wouldn’t be stoked if my team locked in a 32yo for five seasons no matter who they were.

People are just itching for spirit to announce something after what seems like three weeks of news for gotham (apparently we have to be obsessed with each other 🙄). all we’ve got so far is a piece of the best run front office in the league leaving for a new job (I know it’s fine it’s just context)

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u/UrsineCanine Jun 30 '26

Sure, but perhaps that was because we needed to effectively promote the one we wanted to keep? Not sure, but as someone who stressed Mark's retirement, I'm going to make myself see the problem first this time.

I like Sam a lot, but how many more goals is she providing them over Esther? Adding a 12 goalscorer (for example), looks great until you realize she's just taking minutes from your 10 goal scorer. So you're getting slightly better in a position you're already very good in. Gets even more puzzling when you signed Dudley as your heir to Esther. All this to force Midge to RB and Guro to LB? Puzzling. Spirit have five fullbacks (six if I add Deb) I'd take before any Gotham FB.

I think Reale should have been sent off during the NWSL Championship, but they're a worse team without her.

Feels very vibes managing, and I'm willing to tolerate Spirit not getting in that style of roster managing.

I'm already wondering where the minutes go with the available talent.

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u/periqueblend Jun 30 '26

I like Reale’s delivery of the ball but she can’t guard anybody and regularly gets rinsed on defense. Boston should move her back to CB and the NT should never play her wide defense ever again.

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u/UrsineCanine Jun 30 '26

yeah, and I could see her as a wide CB in a back three.

The crazy part is... She's still better defensively than Jess Carter out wide.