Late entry for Most Online Player 2025

If you went full literalist on what MVP means (it's a terrible name for Player of the Year, I will never stop saying this), you would have to seriously consider Dickey as an MVP candidate. Seattle finishes...I'd say 10th/11th if you replace her with an average NWSL GK.

As always I am open to commissions from US soccer outlets on how the #JLeague has spent 3+ years preparing for its transition to fall-spring.

Completely reasonable question from @amyrwood.bsky.social over González's CotY candidacy, and here's the case I would make for him. On average 8.04 players missing per game (incl. Challenge Cup), and we're talking foundational players: Rodman, Krueger, Sullivan, Hatch.

Hate to go all "we have food at home" but it's Vlatko by a mile, & González 2nd. KC had the best reg. season in NWSL history. A 21-pt gap atop the table is Lyonnes-in-France dominance, & KC's roster is not 21 points better than the rest. Yanez showed real future CotY potential, but again: future.

Capital One Arena to host PWHL Takeover Tour game between Montréal Victoire and New York Sirens russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2025/11/10/p...

Heads up: YouTube TV is giving a $20 credit to subscribers over the Disney/ESPN mess, but you have to actually go into the settings to claim it. This is not a spam tweet, the settings page link is here: tv.youtube.com/settings/ser...

For me Coffey was a slam dunk for Midfielder, and was on my MVP shortlist. I genuinely do not think the Thorns make the playoffs if her season was even 10% worse (i.e. merely great) than it was. Thorns defensive set-up for half the season was to shrug and hope Coffey took care of it.

Does Manaka deserve some kind of 2025 end-of-season award? I think that's an easy yes. But she was not a midfielder for the vast majority of 2025.

Anyway among 10000 things to happen today, I am having intrusive thoughts of Marta finding a second burst of energy to win that penalty last night.

Laughing about this text with @dreyesceron.bsky.social. I genuinely can’t believe we’ve raised over $15k for CAFB. Things are dark but our community is a light.

"She shows what she is: one of the best goalkeepers in this league and in this country." Esme Morgan, Hal Hershfelt, and Adrián González on the impact Aubrey Kingsbury has on opponents in shootouts, and Kingsbury's reaction to her colleagues' praise:

Esme Morgan on this whole scene: "They were just having a great time up there, like the standing section was absolutely packed. And I thought, I want to get involved. So, yeah, just clambered on the little platform that they have, and Trin handed me a flag, and I was waving it."

“At some point, we’d like to win a playoff game in 90 minutes and do it the easy way. But it’s also more exciting this way.” Another playoff game, another exhilarating Spirit win. Reporting from Audi Field on Washington’s shootout triumph over Louisville:

Been occupied for a while, but Spirit injury updates from Adrián González just in case: - Carle "felt something in that sprint, in her hamstring." - McKeown has an ankle injury, not a knee. "I don't think it's [anything] big... you cannot take risk in this situation."

This is absolutely insane. 9 of the 29 saved shootout penalties is over one-third of the saves!

ICONIC BEHAVIOR ✨ @spiritsquadron.bsky.social ✨

"That goal, I dedicate to all of the Spirit fans, and also my dad. He was my first coach and made me what I am today. ... I know my dad is with me, and he's giving me the strength to keep going, and this goal was the proof." - Gift Monday on scoring in her first game since her father's passing

Hal Hershfelt's mixed zone was interrupted by a roaring Kysha Sylla, who a) shouted "HAAAAAALLLLLL" and b) proceeded to hoist Hershfelt

It is loud!

Spirit keep settling for long shots because they don't have the energy for one more run, or one more successful action. Racing is there for the taking if someone can find one more burst or one bit of composure, but it doesn't seem to be happening

If the Spirit find a winner it's going to involve Paige Metayer, who appears to be the only player on either side with gas in the tank. She's gotta start driving into the box though. Too many crosses at a set back line.

reminder that bloomer has faced 4 penalties this season and saved 3 so the spirit might wanna just go ahead and do a goal or two now'ish

Lots of fatigue showing for both teams. Spirit making iffy decisions, Sears losing footraces.

McKeown is being helped off the pitch, & seemed to be pretty emotional. Doesn't seem like a good situation. Kysha Sylla about to enter.

Awkward fall for Tara McKeown, and the Spirit have gathered around her as she receives treatment. Got to her feet without trainers, but then sat right back down.

Updates will be sparse as the sun has hit the press box and engulfed us in flames...but I will post for Sandstorm

Racing equalizer, delicate lob into the box for Fischer to just barely get a touch on before Kingsbury could arrive. Given the Spirit's high-drama 2025...not really surprised. Given the way the game has unfolded though, this is basically Racing's one truly dangerous box entry.

8 minutes of stoppage time announced and the Rise Up, DC chant is at its loudest. Spirit are in a 532, Louisville have gone with...I guess a 4231 that becomes a 424 whenever possible

I deeply respect Gift Monday's vulnerability on her personal social media over the recent loss of her father. She penned a very lovely letter to his memory.

Kouassi replaced by Metayer, and the Spirit are in a back 5 now. Unclear if they'll go 541 or 532, we haven't had a settled moment to really get a look. Rodman & MacIver the only subs who aren't either in the game or warming up.

Spirit goal, Gift Monday with a header that takes an eternity to get all the way into the bottom corner. What a moment for her after losing her father during the intl. break. First game back after missing out at Utah with an excused absence.

Replay showing Borges getting the ball as she shoves Bethune down, which is probably what saved her from a booking.

Ary Borges just decked Croix Bethune off the ball. Bethune stays down, ref stops play but has not shown any interest in booking Borges. He saw the play as it happened and gave advantage, this one's puzzling to me.

Racing summoning Kayla Fischer to the bench, so that's probably a like-for-like with Sarah Weber. Meanwhile, Spirit are just starting to find combinations to open up Racing's back line. Monday shot is at Bloomer, but the work to create the chance is what the Spirit should keep doing.

19,215 in attendance for Spirit-Racing. 3rd consecutive playoff sellout.

In terms of halftime adjustments from both teams, Spirit asymmetry has kind of faded as the game has gone on. More or less 433 in all phases now. Racing has pushed Sears & Hase a bit higher, to have 3 forwards in a line supported by O'Kane rather than Weber alone supported by 3.

Playoff "Free DC" is going to be plenty loud on big CBS.

#NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman spoke to media at Audi Field during the halftime break. Asked about the league's change from its prior policy on trans players & future plans for a new policy, and got this reply:

This is the closest thing to the angle and replay needed on the Spirit goal. I think it shows Santos offside, in a way nothing on TV has.

Trying to resolve this from the press box, and there's not an angle on the broadcast that shows Santos' positioning in relation to Louisville's deepest defender, who is inside the 6. Replays showed the wrong part of the sequence.

Absolutely huge test for Wiesner, who will be going up against Emma Sears. Spirit betting she can come through on that front, & it allows them to keep the asymmetry that makes Kouassi such a threat.

Gabby Carle makes a hard sprint to win the race to a ball over the top, but her challenge is a bit awkward and she's staying down. Doesn't look great, but maybe it's just a cramp? She's being stretched rather than checked for an ankle or foot problem.

VAR review here. My guess is a check on whether Hershfelt is offside and involved.

Spirit 1-0 on yet another dead ball. No one has been better on attacking set pieces in 2025. Sneaky short corner that drifts in, not unlike Wiesner's goal at Bay.

Rose Kouassi is a menace. Arin Wright just saved a goal after Kouassi's ridiculous move at midfield set up Croix Bethune with the biggest chance yet.

Tara's gone explorin'

Spirit going asymmetrical: 352 in possession with Kouassi & Carle as wingbacks, 4141 out of possession with Carle at LB & Morgan RB. Louisville in 4231, O'Kane as a destroyer 10.

Clash of heads right away with McKeown and Weber, with both players being checked out by trainers. Straight from kickoff.

Tifo from @spiritsquadron.bsky.social before kickoff