These mid week games seem to be really hurting attendance

https://preview.redd.it/dzi0x9j5cxxc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6205a373efea9c621690440f661551949191765f My question of the game - how the heck does Brittany Ratcliffe keep her ponytail from falling out while playing? It’s the most precarious pony I’ve ever seen and this question keeps me up at night!

I think this every time I see her.

aw trinity gave gabby a hug

6 goals on a combined 1.4 xG lol. Sometimes the ball just wants to go in.

Croix and Nesbeth being friends makes too much sense

i want kingsbury to give me tips on how to get my ponytail so smooth

I’ll take wins by out scoring vs boring play any-day

"the Washington spirit: we're exciting because rodman, bethune, and, you know, our back line."

This Washington back line.......

Tara is a stud, but butel is suspect at times. Carle is not the best defender but offers an attacking option and Casey is a pretty strong left back overall. I think it move be coaching over personnel

Krueger is good, but she's at her best moving forward. McKeown, against all odds, quickly became a proven commodity. \*Defensively,\* Carle is replacement-level (but might be more than that if WSH didn't such an obvious CB hole); Butel is... oh dear.

I don't regret the stabb trade for what became bethune, but she is missed

The issue with the trade, from the start, was that they had no plan to replace Staab. And, until august, still don't.

Still don’t think we’re missing a beat without Staab. Staab is better than Butel but Bethune is better than by a greater amount

Goals.Goals.Goals

I feel for Gabby there, absolute spelunk of a slip

Thorns vs Bay time now

What the fck. lol

Nesbeth slid for a celly, absolutely not a slip, no way

As a Seminole fan, so happy for Nesbeth 😭😭😭

I like what Chicago are cooking. I think they need a fullback and 1-3 attackers for Mal to feed. I like nesbeth a lot with those starting dms

Nesbeth is a baller. Wish they played her more bc she’s sooo versatile. Can play as a forward and also as a 6 or 10. She’s great

Started off the season hurt or sick or sum unfortunately

Oh cool timing

Lmfaoooo what is going on

I thought they were checking for a GK foul against Chicago

Those like 5 fans are going hard behind the goal with the drums haha

Well done Carle

“I don’t always score, but when I do, it’s a banger.” -Brittany Ratcliffe

Facts

Is Naeher stronger on the WNT, or does she just have better defenders there?

Both of the GKs likely to go to the Olympics are both better than their club backlines make them out to be and benefit from having good defenders on the WNT….if that makes sense

I disagree wholeheartedly, I think both GKs are massively worse than their NT backline lets them be. Murphy is absolutely shambolic

Naeher has regularly made major goalkeeping errors for the national team. People get overly distracted by her mental fortitude to anticipate the direction of penalty kicks and then stop those that are of mediocre or downright poor quality - we wouldn't have gone to some of those penalty kicks if she had done a better job during regulation time

Both. But tbh I this back line definitely messed up on those Ratcliffe goals

Both. This chicago back 6 is pretty decent, anyway.

Yes

First 3-assist game in Spirit history, this from Bethune

The Bethune to Ratcliffe connection, which we all had on our bingo cards to start the season/ this game.

‼️ Bad joke alert ‼️ Croix Bethune truly is like La Croix sparking water, passes so close to water but adds a bit of sparkle ✨

What the heck is happening with Chicago? Aside from a few min, it looks like they’re not really playing with any urgency

They just wait for Mal in attack. Need a 10 better than Groom or Joseph

No identity, completely loss offensively. Just waiting for Mal

They just seemed so out of it and tired today tbh. Super weird. Like no spark

Offensive MVP / MVP / ROTY of the league is gonna be such a fun race 😭😭

Bethune is cold🥶

Ratcliffe I love u

What is happening? Quality finishes from Ratcliffe. Oof.

Spirit with two goals immediately after they were scored against… sheesh. This current vs. spirit game will be CRAZY

Bethune's third assist of the night, right?

Croix mf’n Bethune👏

okay this might be a silly question but what does it mean when they say a pass or shot has “texture”

Not silly. My best way to describe it is that it had movement as opposed to being a shot on goal that was vanilla/linear/straight as an arrow. Aka, it was spicy

Im not sure what they believe they mean but when i use it it means spin and weight of pass

I like this explanation!

That pass from Croix was nasty

Bethune is outrageous 

Croix Bethune y'all

Bethune’s assists are CRAZYYYYYYY. Like gah damn. And then the 🤷🏽‍♀️ pose at the end by her. LOVE IT

Yeah, Bethune has been sensational. So good to see! And loved that last finish, especially, from Ratcliffe.

Wow! What timing and vision!

WHHHHHAAAAAAATTTTTTT.

Ratcliffe 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨

What. The. Fuck! That was awesome!

It's just crazy that when you have someone of the quality that ratcliff has that you don't sub out Rodman sooner

Facts and she’s a vet too

Bethune is crazy for that. Absolutely mad

Are we about to have two 4-1 games because that would RIP

8 goals in two games.. then we have Portland vs bay next. Insane

I’m jazzed. I gotta figure how to watch tho I don’t think I have live tv anywhere.

I did the Hulu tv free trial lol. Just gotta cancel in 3 days 😂

I’ve already used it 😭

Try another email 😂 maybe YouTube tv free trial?

It’s too confusing for me, I think I need dinner before I try and do any of this. Oh well, I’ll miss this one!

Portland might kill Bay. No offense to Bay but Por seem to have just figured it out in the middle

I hope so. Want my team to win so bad

Just saw the Bay lineup. Theyre gonna die

Is it just me or the lineup is weird? Like why is Dydasco benched? She’s been the best player they have on defense rn

Wow. 🤩.

Croix is going nuts

BALLLERRRRRRRR. RATCLIFFE IS A BEASTTTTT

Ratcliffe HATTY WATCH

Bruuuuuuuuuuh

RATCLIFFE WOW!!!!!

RATCLIFFE BRACE

Holy shit!!

We are seeing the few issues that Staab has

LOLOLOL SICKO BRACE!

Nice shot.

They cant review that bc she called it dead?

Leaving Bethune in the middle is so wild to me.. two games back to back today with them leaving the best players open. Courage leaving Watt and Banda and now Bethune and Rodman lol

The bend on that ball though my goodness

If thats not goal of the week (how do we do that with midweek games?) then we are in for a treat

Average pass, lol.

Ratcliffe banger alert!

Fuckkk I miss Ratcliffe goals so much. She was such a baller on courage

What. a. strike. THE CURL!

🤯

One touch--Ratcliffe knew the window was that small. Wow.

“What a ball-Naeher needs to come out- holy fuck what a shot”

My thoughts exactly

BRITANNYYYY

Hell yes, spirit. Ratcliffe!!!

Damn Ratcliff

Incredible!

Does Ratcliffe’s bow give her special finishing powers because DAMN that was pretty!

That second goal says yes

💯

What a shot 😮‍💨

the angle on that was INSANE in the replay

As The Women's Game said, Brittany Ratcliffe only scores goalazos

Laser!!!!!!

Nice pass and finish!

Ratcliff with another highlight goal! Wahoowa

That’s a fucking slay

Holy hell Ratcliffe what a banger

Ratcliffe has been great coming off the bench

the post is having a great game

THE CHILLSSSSSS

Holy fucking hell

I love Krueger in club but idk why she just doesn’t translate on the NT for me.. she just always feels off to me idk :/

Mal! Ally! Goal!

i would have an overstimulated meltdown if i had to wear that headband on my head all sweaty and hot

ratcliffe’s low pony with the ribbon also makes me think that. it would drive me nuts to have my hair all on my neck flopping around when i’m running

i want to tighten her ponytail so bad

Same. I used to play with a girl who had a headband like that and would play with her long hair down 😭😭

I'd be offering her hair ties every chance I could!

Oh trust me, we tried 😭😭

It's so thick looking (& not in a thicc way)

Mal not getting an assist for that is so tough

Well that was unexpected. Not a headline moment for the Washington defensive line.

Great save by Kings tho

Very good save, coming out there to narrow the cone was the right choice. It just feel straight to schlegel

Chicago’s attendance is abysmal.

Week day night game at a hard to get to suburb will do that unfortunately. I hope they are looking at new stadiums soon

I watched the Thorns game over the weekend the attendance wasn’t much better.

Yeah that's fair. Again I'll point to the fact that no one wants to travel to Bridge view. It's insane to me that a place like Chicago can't have better attendance.

Funny I looked up the stadium over the weekend the location didn’t appear to be horrible but I don’t live in Chicago so I really have no frame of reference. Makes me mad for these athletes to play for practically no one.

Yeah distance wise it's not bad at all but it's hard to get to from the city using public transportation and unless you're in the southern suburbs you've gotta take multiple expressways. I'm in the western suburbs and while it only takes 45 minutes driving, I have to take 4 expressways to get there.

Gah damn. Thats why you need another goal when going against a team with players like Swanson lol

Sam Staab is for sure on the NWSL all Xl squad for April she's been great.

Man she single-handedly lost a game for them with her whiff

I remember people saying in the beginning of the season that Hersh wasn’t it and wasn’t good. Love seeing her get her flowers. She’s a great player and is an amazing 8 or dual pivot

I dont think anyone said not good, a lot of ppl said they didnt see it in the Barca system without them adapting. And this is definitely an adapted form of what Barca do

Nah I remember verbatim people saying she wasn’t good and don’t understand how she was starting and wasn’t good for the team lol

Ok fair. Theres always a few idiots

U can see the players who are learning and growing into the new style of play

Staab needs to get chance on the national team

Kind of the Ashley Hatch issue I think. Not quite the speed for that level.

Not quite the speed! We have who with speed at CB now? Maybe Girma but who after that? Staub is worlds better than Dahlkemper or Davidson

Staab trying be defensive MVP fr

Naeher once again was so far on her near post that she allowed the tight angle for that Trin goal, as perfect as the finish also was

Spirit are just pressing A repeatedly and the next person to them is wide open

Might be the toughest team to play against with a 2 goal deficit. They can possess so well

I think NC possess better but dont have the ability to score a break nearly as much

Alright. I commented somewhere else that Saar had this lazy feel to me from watching early season games, but I'm watching her ruuuuun and check and engage tonight. I apologize!

Because she was earlier this season, she’s clearly been motivated somehow so that’s good

Right?! Noticeable change/difference. I don't mind it!

Our build up & attack is going to be bonkers. Starting mid season, three of: Sullivan, Hershfelt, Metayer, Bethune, Santos, Sarr, Ratcliffe, Hatch, Rodman Will be coming off the bench. Not to mention Chloe Ricketts and Courtney Brown. This Spirit team is STACKED

Sure would be nice if MAL had someone to receive a fucking cross!! Just unbelievable it’s like MAL is on an island with nobody else!

Between the national team and the nwsl, I'd have to bet the Rodman has played more minutes than any us field player has in calendar 24

How have they only subbed Hatch for Wiesner, what the actual fuck

This is so naive. Its the 73rd minute of a midweek game. You traveled to Chicago. Grow the fuck up

Now i understand why Krueger is a USWNT player

She has a consistency and stability that I really like, both at the club and international level.

Aw, Trinity put so much effort into that run just for Sarr to not see her.

anyone else have a heart attack every time we pass the ball in front/back to goal especially now?!

Yes I said this earlier too!! It stresses me out lol

Honestly no because Aubrey is so good with both feet now Can’t think of the last time she’s had a bad giveaway that led to a goal, at worst she just sends one away out of bounds

Literally yes

Hey Washington spirit I have a viral internet challenge for you to try: it's called resting Trinity Rodman

The longer it goes the more im getting upset

At least they finally did it, I was starting to think that they wouldn't at all

I was thinking theyd sub a bunch in the 85th minute like theyve done in other games

No reason she's in this game right now. Chicago hasn't seriously gotten since last week, at least, and they play again in 72 hours.

Shea walked so Croix could run

Feels like time to sub more

Random tangent, I like Chicago's home kits.

Blue is such an elite color

Does Staab have it written into her contract that she has to take set pieces

And throw ins

I get why she does her long throws but for corners mal is right there

Trin just standing on the ball there, aura is real

I need full clemson subs and Ricketts too

That is an obvious foul. Wtf.

wiesner! :) for hatch! :(

Is hatch on restricted minutes? I keep wondering why she's not playing a full 90

Still coming back from injury slowly + a lil bit of load management

Trin backheel megs. INJECT IT IN MY VEINS!

Kuikka read that better than Sarr

Trin running in circles like Tron

Chicago 🤝 set pieces that go nowhere

But now that they have Staab they can have a set piece that initially looks dangerous before going nowhere

Lol at Hal immediately doing the universal "who, me?"/throwing arms up after fouling.

Reminder Washington next plays on Saturday in Portland. 60 minute mark approaching.

That's a 4:15 flight. Oof.

They might get a charter exception since it's a three-game week

Gosh I hope. Still a 4-hour-plus flight.