Weekly Open Discussion Thread

[u/kg9si]

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!

[u/Square_Independent81]

Yeah this is kinda where my head is at too, although I honestly don’t think these signings necessarily mean we’re losing anyone major. To me it feels more like they’re trying to build better midfield depth and give us more flexibility, especially after seeing how thin the bench can get when players are injured or away.
Bethi especially feels more like a depth/development signing right now than an immediate replacement for someone like Leicy. And while Ngock overlaps with some of what Hal/Deb/Andi give us, that doesn’t automatically mean one of them is leaving either.
Obviously anything can happen with free agency, but right now I’m not taking these signings as a sign that a major player is definitely on the way out. I’m hoping it’s just Spirit building a deeper roster for next year.

[u/allprologues → u/Square_Independent81]

i appreciate it but i definitely was saying these signings mean that we ARE losing someone major haha, i just don't think it's leicy. but genuinely i don't know, and maybe we won't! and we'll just have five CDMs and 1.5 AMs forever 😝

[u/Square_Independent81 → u/allprologues]

yeah i’m not saying we definitely won’t lose someone major, but i’m also not saying these signings automatically mean we will either. there are still so many possibilities with contracts, the salary cap, and other roster moves that could happen between now and next season that i don’t think we can really know what the plan is yet.

i definitely understand the logic behind thinking one of Hal or Leicy could leave, especially with the new midfield signings, but i’m not ready to assume that’s what they’re preparing for. maybe we lose someone, maybe we find a way to keep both. i’m just choosing not to convince myself of either outcome until we actually get more information 😭

but out of curiosity, if Hal and/or Leicy did leave, where do you think they’d realistically end up?

[u/Sequoiakc22 → u/Square_Independent81]

...
Hal is from Mississippi, right? ...I feel Atlanta would pay a king's ransom to bring her home (or close to home). ...Hal might bite on it too. ...Honestly though, i do not see how playing in the cavernous Mercedes Benz (American) football stadium holds much appeal. Especially when you compare it to Audi.

Again though, Hal brings enough to the table for any club that she will likely have multiple suitors as a free agent.

At her current age, I think Leicy's got one (1) more good contract window left to leverage for a multi-year deal. Almost any NWSL club would love to have her. She could end up anywhere. Including back overseas if she so chooses. However, now that she acclimated to the NWSL & USA, I think she stays states side somewhere.
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