Jordan
@sportsbystats.bsky.social
81 followers 330 following 210 posts
#NWSL, #CFCW, and #WashSpirit fan. Tactics, analytics, and other thoughts. #SpiritFam #NWSL #Spirit #ThatstheSpirit #ChelseaFCW
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Just based off the way the knee moved, but yeah, I’m not at the match but if they didn’t do the assessment that’s potentially good.
My instinct is Bernal is almost exclusively a sub in the postseason. Cantore also likely gets a lot of postseason playing time.
FWIW, outside of Kingsbury being the locked in starter and with tactical additions of Narumi, Metayer, and Abiodun, I think this is the XI we’re going to be seeing for most of the postseason.

It provides central overloads while not sacrificing wide areas.
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there are four matches with FOUR DIFFERENT ways to stream for NWSL in the next week - Fubo, ESPN, Amazon Prime, & CBS. How could a professional sports league ever expect to gain popularity when it expects its fans to have four separate streaming subscriptions?? Ridiculous.
Right! Like it’s not necessarily anybody’s fault, but he never really had to coach a defense and it showed. Our improvement defending since the change has been incredible.
If I had to come up with one takeaway since the start of the Spirit’s season it’s that Giraldez cannot coach a defense to save his life.
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This is the squad that might play the quarterfinals at home.
Graphic from American Soccer Analysis depicting the rolling changes in the Seattle Reign's non-penalty expected goal differential in the 2025 NWSL regular season.
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This is something that is fairly easily fixed with money. NWSL chooses to use PRO2 referees.

It's telling that owners are cool with investing in nice stadiums because of the real estate play they get along with it, but paying a marginal % of that to improve play on the field is a bridge too far.
Trinity Rodman speaks out on the refereeing in yesterday’s Spirit-Wave game. (You probably know this, but poor officiating has been a theme across the league this NWSL season.)

“This is one of many examples…. Refs need to be better at managing these games. No words”
I’ve said this before, but if I was an agent advising an NWSL player - say, idk, Trinity Rodman - I’d strongly advise the player to go to the WSL. It’s becoming very competitive, you’ll get paid more, and the refs are *substantially better*.

NWSL needs to do more and that makes me deeply sad.
Trinity Rodman speaks out on the refereeing in yesterday’s Spirit-Wave game. (You probably know this, but poor officiating has been a theme across the league this NWSL season.)

“This is one of many examples…. Refs need to be better at managing these games. No words”
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It’s never lost on me that NWSL pays for PRO2 level referees because they can’t/won’t pay for the PRO level and at some point, all the owners in the league are going to need to talk about that if they want to be serious
Trinity Rodman speaks out on the refereeing in yesterday’s Spirit-Wave game. (You probably know this, but poor officiating has been a theme across the league this NWSL season.)

“This is one of many examples…. Refs need to be better at managing these games. No words”
The “passes in the final 1/3” stat is what has been so impressive about the Spirit lately. They may not always win the possession battle, but they control the totality of matches in a way I’ve never seen this team do.
Washington Spirit 2 : 1 San Diego Wave FC

▫ Passes into final 1/3: 26 - 26
▫ Passes in final 1/3: 76 - 47
▫ Passes into opp. box: 16 - 6

#WASvSD
Rose “I never give up” Kouassi
Rosemonde Kouassi launches a hail mary from distance for the game-winner 🚀
Once again, NWSL needs professional refs.
Also, there was only one call in the entire match where I thought the ref was absolutely out of his mind, BUT… he is the most inconsistent ref in the league. One pull is a foul, the next is a yellow card, and the third is nothing. He loses control of matches and then starts behaving like a child.
Maybe I’m just a fan, but this Spirit team is arguably the hardest to defeat in the league. San Diego had one shot on goal, the Spirit had eleven. The Spirit generated 3.49 xG, San Diego only .82 xG.

Complete dominance, despite a shaky end.

Also, ROSE!
He’s arguably the worst in the NWSL.
The ref has been to no surprise by anyone absolutely terrible. Who has not been calling this game evenly.
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If the Spirit halftime show was just the region's HBCU marching bands turn up, I personally would be delighted
Hal and Croix have been immense. Deb and Rose are playing interesting and nuanced roles and are doing excellent. Props to the Spirit.
Spirit are always trying to have a +1 in the back and +1 in midfield. Goal is to force Wave into major numbers disadvantages. Spirit are doing a lot to draw the press and get the ball to Monday and Rodman in space.
Spirit played most of that half in a 4141 with Hal is the sole DM. Two interesting tactical decisions, though and I think that they’ve generally worked:

1. Deb becomes a 6 in early buildup with Trin going wide. Then they’re fluid in the final third.

2. Rose almost defends as a wingback.
This looks like a 3box3 with Deb and Hal as the two DMs, Trin and Rose as attacking “wingbacks”, and Leicy and Croix as the 10s. It could also be a 4231 or 433 with Deb as a CB. Knowing Spirit and Adrian, probably a bit of all three. Central progression and isolate wide attackers high up the pitch.
Annnnnd WE’RE BACK!

Here is your @sheabutterfc.com match day thread! The spirit have the chance to clinch a home playoff game.

Your Spirit starting 11
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her DEBut is unrivaled 😌
From debut to dominance. ⭐

One month in and she's already moving different — 87.3% passing accuracy, second in the league in tackles, and now Deborah Abiodun is September’s Ally Rookie of the Month.

Read More: bit.ly/3VO4wnH
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Man I can’t believe how much the Spirit have changed since the beginning of this year. I’m so grateful for this team and for Adrianabd I love them so much