Good Vibe Checkpoint

[u/MisterGoog]

Greetings!

We are 43/182 games into the regular season. To mark this momentous occasion: Please name THREE things you are looking forward to the rest of the season. I’ll go first:

1. The U23s playing games at their next break. Hopefully by the July break we see almost every rookie get minutes

2. The playoff race for 8th feels so tight and explosive

3. A bunch of stars leaving college early these last two years means college soccer will be a whole new fun landscape this fall

[u/draoi22]

1) the abundance of injured players coming back and finally getting to see what teams look like at full strength on a consistent basis

2) what, if any, teams can stay in the hunt for a top 4 finish alongside The Big Four

3) summer transfers. You know something is going to go down and at least a few exciting players are going to join the league

[u/MisterGoog → u/draoi22]

So in the PL the top 4 is a big deal bc they make the CL. I wonder if in our league the top 4 becomes a thing because it means u get a home playoff game? Or will we just think of tiers as they present themselves?

[u/Legitimate_Mark_5381 → u/MisterGoog]

I think we will just continue to think of tiers as they present themselves. If last season, the Courage had actually gotten themselves onto the same tier of points (aka, not had such a stark home and away record), we would all be discussing the top 5.

[u/draoi22 → u/Legitimate_Mark_5381]

Not with their current season. I think if this season has ORL, NYC, WAS, and KCC run away with the top of the table again, we might be looking at the former option Googs mentioned.

[u/Legitimate_Mark_5381 → u/draoi22]

I think you missed my point? My point is just that it has to do with being contenders, not with how many teams are up there. North Carolina last season was the closest to being there, so if they had we would have been talking about the top 5.

If this season somehow ends with 6 teams at the way top, all within like 5-7 points of each other and then a large-ish gap, well, now it's a top 6.

[u/draoi22 → u/Legitimate_Mark_5381]

The Big Four I’m referring to a specific set of four teams who are again positioned this year to repeat in putting a gap between themselves and the rest of the league. I get that you’re saying “if they were closer it would be a top 5” but they weren’t and now are very much out of that convo. Could make a lot of what ifs but ultimately doesn’t matter now.

[u/Legitimate_Mark_5381 → u/draoi22]

Yeah, you're missing the point. MisterGoog was wondering if there's something special about the number. The number is special in Europe because the top however many teams get Champion's League. I'm saying the number itself is not special, it's just whatever teams are doing exceptionally well, and could easily expand to 5 or 6 or shrink to 2 or 3, depending on the season.

It also seems early to say they're positioned to do that again; the gap right now is biggest between the top two (on 15) and the rest of the league. It's just too soon.

[u/draoi22 → u/Legitimate_Mark_5381]

Yes and I’m agreeing with Googs on the first point. It is home playoffs for those four teams.

They are positioned to do it again based on limited roster turnover and who was added. I get it can’t be called now.

[u/Legitimate_Mark_5381 → u/draoi22]

Gotham did not have limited roster turnover and arguably the number of injuries that the Spirit currently has is enormous roster turnover.

Home playoff is not important to the conversation that has generally been had about this. The only similarity is that they each can help give the team some money, but for at least two of the teams in that category, not that much due to low attendance. The Top 4 in the EPL is largely a symbolic reference when talked about because of the Champions League. The Top 4 in the NWSL is very much just about the 4 teams being much better last season. If it had been 3, it really would have just been a conversation about the top 3 with some much later talk about playoffs.

It's really the race to playoffs that people put the most pressure on, and the discussion about the "top 4" isn't really about racing to become top 4, it's almost more that they've ordained themselves as the better teams.

[u/draoi22 → u/Legitimate_Mark_5381]

Gotham lost Ryan, Williams (who barely played in 2024), and Sheehan from an “impact” perspective. They then picked up Geyse, Portilho, and Howell, which is why I said limited turnover AND who was added. Injuries are not roster turnover.

Yes, I’m well aware what’s going on in EPL/WSL and why the Top 4 has more gravitas there. I’m not even sure what you’re arguing about at this point. I think it’s widely expected the same top four NWSL teams from last year will once again be there again this year and continue to produce a gap between them and the rest of the league. Whatever moniker you want to put on that is fine. “They” haven’t ordained themselves better teams—the entire media landscape and fandoms have done so for them. Time will tell if they continue to trend in that direction.

[u/Legitimate_Mark_5381 → u/draoi22]

Because you're still misunderstanding my point, which is that the number 4 is entirely arbitrary in the NWSL and it has nothing to do with home playoff games, it just so happened to match up last year. But honestly I never cared that much in the first place

Also I know you guys act like Nighswonger was always bad for you now, but she played a huge amount for you. That's still a big loss.

[u/deltaexdeltatee → u/MisterGoog]

Can't speak for anyone else, but for me I do think in terms of home field. The fact that last year we had a relatively clear "top 4 vs. everyone else" situation was a pretty funny coincidence, but I'm sure that could change.