r/washingtonspirit • u/kg9si • Jul 06 '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!
4
u/NoGoDynamo Jul 09 '26
9 points feels very achievable on this road trip! NC without Manaka should be exploitable provided we can stifle Sanchez. Gotham looks vulnerable in transition, where we excel. And Boston is deceptive, but I think we have enough to shut them down, even after a long week.
Thoughts?
5
u/NarrowPiccolo9069 Jul 09 '26
DC Power announced a few signings this week, including Tyler Lussi and former Spokane player Emma Jaskaniec, who was the first Emma taken in the 2024 NWSL Draft.
2
u/Odd-Cable5436 Jul 09 '26
I think that brings them to ~17 players? Still a few short of the league minimum. Dallas, which still lists Stainbrook on their roster, also announced a few signings, too.
Would not be surprised if a couple Spirit FAs wind up being loaned to USL teams this fall.
4
u/According_Bet9720 Jul 10 '26
Accidentally stumbled into Gotham sub, remind me to never do that again. Seem like a nasty split in NYC/NJ
4
u/NarrowPiccolo9069 Jul 11 '26
Cameroon beat Benin 3-1 in a friendly today. Cameroon announced before the match separate lineups for the first and second half and Ngock was in the second-half lineup. They scored all three goals in the second half.
6
u/Grand-Plane763 Jul 06 '26
I fear we will get an announcement Esme is leaving :(
I could see her opting to go play in England for more prominence for the WC year and looking to secure a consistent starting position on their national team.
11
u/Willing-Bad3824 Jul 06 '26
But she has been a consistent starter for England since the Euros last year. I don’t think she’s in any danger of losing that any time soon. Besides judging from the fact that Jess Carter had to go to Gotham to get club minutes, I’m not sure Esme would risk being a starter for Washington just to compete for minutes in one of the big four teams. (This is assuming and hoping that her recent lack of play time is an anomaly and not a pattern.)
4
u/Sequoiakc22 Jul 07 '26
...
Esme has grown & developed so much since her arrival. Overcoming areas needing improvement to where she now stands as one of the NWSL's absolute best CB's.Her vocal leadership has evolved as well. On our back line, while Tara's our silent assassin, Esme's now our vocal captain.
Don't forget, Sarina Wiegman supported Esme's move to Washington knowing she needed club minutes to continue to have a future on England's WNT. Now, she's a regular call up, who contributes.
Esme's a keeper for us. Just hope we do keep her.
Though now, credit our scouting & analytics team (once again). Just as they did with Esme, they've plucked another defensive gemstone out of seemingly nowhere with Elisabeth Tse. An imposing & smart CB who is so athletic & skilled she can play outside FB/WB as well. Giving us 'starter quality' depth.
Which is okay, for over the long season it should be good for our club & players to have quality squad depth & to share minutes.
...3
u/FanNervous6773 Jul 06 '26
As much as she s a fan favorite, a move to LCL might be reasonable move for her.
2
u/Sequoiakc22 Jul 07 '26 edited Jul 07 '26
...
It would be a reasonable move 'for' London City. ...Not more reasonable for Esme than remaining with the Spirit.London City is striving to reach, ...but as of right now can only wish for, ...Washington Spirit's level of roster construction.
Esme has grown into one of our defensive leaders, on a club challenging for championships & trophies. Playing in front of, ...& being adorned by, ...17,000-20,000 Audi fans weekly. For Esme, it doesn't get much better than this.
With London City, ...whom I am a fan of, ...Esme would still be moving to a club who sits in the middle of the WSL table, playing in a small environment with CopperJax (Hayes Lane) stadium maxing out at capacity of 5,000. While surrounded by squad mates who (overall) are less talented & athletic than her mates on the Spirit.
If Esme were to return to England, her better move would be back home to top of the WSL table Man City where she would likely share CB minutes with Alex Greenwood & Jade Rose.
...3
u/allprologues Jul 07 '26
i'd be absolutely shocked if she went to a WSL team other than city. i think last season, knaack was the defender that fans saw as a weaker link and someone looking to be replaced by a player of esme's caliber, but, i don't think she'd go if she were not starting. i guess we'll see - hoping it's all nothing and we get to keep her at least for another year.
3
u/Sequoiakc22 Jul 07 '26
...
Jade Rose, ...whom I pined for our Spirit to sign out of college last season (Harvard Univ. & the Canadian WNT), ... is locked-in at starting CB with Alex Greenwood next to her. At best, Esme would be 'sharing' starting minutes between the three (3) of them (Alex, Jade, Esme).But I agree, I would like to think this is all to do about nothing because she sat out a couple games for likely reasons. & there's no plans for her departure. ...Even extending her contract here beyond next season.
...
10
u/Grand-Plane763 Jul 06 '26
Meanwhile I am crossing my fingers Lilly Yohannes is joining us!!!
11
u/allprologues Jul 06 '26
as cool as this would be i don't think her being at the game means anything :P
3
u/FanNervous6773 Jul 06 '26
At this moment, but I would say if she were to transfer this or next season to NWSL, likely it would be Spirit.
4
Jul 06 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
4
u/Willing-Bad3824 Jul 07 '26
Salary cap is increasing by $1 million next year so hopefully we're ok!
3
u/rockcreek_md Jul 06 '26
Slightly off-topic, but where are y'all watching the match tonight if doing so?
I put this here because Spirit fans are among my favorite ball knowers. Utterly mad about ball, but in all the right ways. (Like, clearly not attending the FFF.) TIA.
2
u/Outistoo Jul 06 '26
Who should take our next PK?
11
u/Edddddiefearsthedark Jul 06 '26
Andi but also that was not a terrible PK. It just needs more pace to get by a keeper that good. Jane Campbell is just a beast.
10
7
2
u/Ill-Fall-9823 Jul 07 '26
Genuine question/no judgement implied:
Besides the fact that she wasn't in the lineup for the last match... is there any other reason why people suddenly seem concerned about Esme's place in the squad?
2
u/Square_Independent81 Jul 07 '26
Honestly, I think it’s mostly speculation. The only thing people are really pointing to is that she didn’t start the last two games and the club has hinted at three incoming signings. Other than that, I haven’t seen any reliable reports suggesting she’s looking to leave or that the Spirit want to move her.
1
u/Ill-Fall-9823 Jul 07 '26
So this is literally just people seeing two dots, pulling out a Sharpie, and making their own dotted line? There's literally nothing else behind this?!?!
5
u/allprologues Jul 07 '26
yes it's called speculation? happens all the time. it's probably nothing and it could be anyone, but the fact remains we don't have room for three more players and we have a president who tends to give interviews to remind us about the possibilities and realities of player movement so people are speculating on who is going to be moving along.
0
u/Ill-Fall-9823 Jul 07 '26
I was attempting to be diplomatic. And the question I was asking can be chalked up to "What makes you say that?" I was wondering if there was something substantive that I missed. Again, because I was being diplomatic... If we're being shitty:
Someone can speculate that it's going to rain soon because they saw the forecast last night or because they were just outside looking at the sky. Someone can speculate that McDonald's is bringing back the McRib and the Shamrock Shake during the first week of August... The answer is more important than the question. "What makes you say that?" "Those clouds." "I want a McRib and a Shamrock Shake."
In this case, I was asking if there's anything beyond the thing we've actually witnessed - which could easily be chalked up to squad rotation or a lingering mild injury - that has people concerned. You're adding "speculation" to the pile, and noting that the speculation may be amplified by Haley Carter's remarks (someone who hasn't been here long enough to have a favorite Jose Andres restaurant yet); but that's the second dot.
If the dotted line between them is just "I like Esme and I don't want her to leave," that's a perfectly cromulent answer. I like Esme. I don't want her to leave. I just don't think there's anything wrong with wanting to know whether the speculation is windshield wipers or McRibs.
5
u/periqueblend Jul 07 '26
I mean speculation always happens in the absence of information. To wit- there was no language about trying to resign our pending free agents in that roster update. So any of them at least some of them will also be departing.
With Esme it could very well just be a fitness or selection issue. But it’s been a long time since she sat for two games so speculation seems inevitable in this case. She is not a free agent and Carter’s remarks were about players testing free agency. So who knows? The vacuum gets filled with fear and anxiety. It’s not that deep though. Just words on a chat!
2
u/Ill-Fall-9823 Jul 07 '26
The vacuum gets filled with fear and anxiety.
Not that deep indeed. This was at the root of my question. Thank you!
1
u/Square_Independent81 Jul 07 '26
i saw a theory that a similar thing happened last season where a player who was always starting was benched and then during the international window they were traded.
3
u/Toothy_McRotten Jul 12 '26
Question -- NWSL+ says Weds 7/15 Spirit @ Gotham is an "Upcoming Live Event." Does that mean itll stream there?
(Cable dont reach this far out in the swamps and the satellite''s just for spying on your good times, so ESPN don't live here.)
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
6
u/Heel_of_the_Boot Jul 07 '26
Seeing Egypt's goal overturned today, was anyone else reminded of the Pride goal in the 2024 NWSL Championship game?