In short, not really. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of reasons for Dash fans to think the team will get marginally better. The core of the 2025 squad is still there and there is continuity and a clear vision from the technical staff. Looking back at 2025, however, it’s clear that the Dash failed to answer the season’s biggest questions.
The most important question for the coming season is: who will score the goals? While the Dash wasn’t far from league average when looking at xGA, Houston’s xG was essentially in the toilet. Houston’s top xG performers last year were all-forward Yasmeen Ryan, with 4.88 xG, and Messiah Bright, with 3.11 xG. Ryan wasn’t really involved with the Dash the goalscorer. The team certainly expected some goals to come from Ryan, but Ryan’s ability to serve teammates and escape heavy traffic are the qualities that really make her shine. Bright, on the other hand, was called in to score goals. Houston signed Bright hoping she could return to her 2023 form (5.68 xG in about 1800 minutes), but about halfway through the season she decided to try other directions, including acquiring Canadian Clarissa Larisey. In the end, nothing really worked and the Dash ended the season with more strikers and fewer answers.
This season, the Dash hopefuls will have to lean offensively on Faasse’s potential and Robbe’s experience as potential difference makers. Faasse gives the Dash speed up top that they desperately need after releasing Gareis and Alozie. Robbe, or Bright, could be just enough distraction to allow Faasse to operate in isolation. The reality, however, is that the Dash have once again portrayed themselves poorly. The Dash still needs to find about 7-10 goals to be a playoff contender this season. Even if every signing is a success, it’s hard to see them producing at that level.
While scoring is key, the 2025 Dash had a poor midfield behind the scenes that didn’t get the reinforcements it needed. In terms of g+, the Dash had the worst midfield unit of 2025. Limited to players with at least 1500 minutes, the combined g+ contribution of Dash midfielders was a whopping -5.78. For reference, Chicago had the second worst rating at -4.64. WORSE THAN CHICAGO. This basement g+ is at least partially due to the team’s overall futile offense, but on a personnel level it’s hard to argue that the Dash’s midfield was good enough to compete.
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