Who doesn’t love a little Christen Press magic dancing through defenders like a breeze through palm trees? And yet if you add up all the minutes she’s played in three outta six games this season, it barely adds up to one solid halftime. Since signing that fresh one-year deal after the long road back from an ACL injury, fans were all hyped to see the Press Show back in full swing. But hold up; it’s been more like a teaser trailer than a feature film. Most of her minutes? Off the bench. Her debut in game three gave us five blink-and-you-miss-it minutes. Then came a couple more sub appearances; just enough to tie her boots, maybe stretch a little, but still no start. And when Angel City fumbled a 2-0 lead against Orlando Pride and left her sitting on the bench the whole time, fans weren’t the only ones steaming. Her manager, Denise White, had receipts and wasn’t afraid to use them.

Denise pulled up to the Angel City Instagram like a protective lioness, spotting Press parked on the bench again, and boom, she let loose in the comments: “How do you have a two-time World Cup Champion and Olympian and not start her?” she wrote, probably with the caps lock energy we all felt. She even shut down any injury excuse talk—said Press is fit, fierce, and fully ready to roll. “You have a Ferrari in the garage but not willing to take it out,” she added, practically revving the engine herself. Fans echoed that vibe all over social media, but this time it hit different—because it worked. After all the noise, interim coach Sam Laity finally held his hands up and said maybe, just maybe, they’ve been holding back the wrong player.

Well, well, well… looks like someone finally said the quiet part out loud. After Angel City’s wild meltdown against the Orlando Pride, where they coughed up a comfy 2-0 lead and walked off with a 3-2 heartbreaker, interim head coach Sam Laity had a moment of truth under the spotlight. Yup, SI.com reported that he came clean and admitted what fans (and let’s be honest, Christen Press’s manager) were already shouting from the rooftops. “My reflection was, probably made a mistake not getting her on the field, especially where the game was going,” Laity told reporters, sounding like a man who knew he left a queen piece off the board when the chess match got messy. And honestly? That moment of clarity hit different after watching the squad spiral in those last 20 minutes.

Press, who’s only racked up four short cameos totaling 48 minutes this entire season has been warming the bench like it’s a throne, with fans waiting, hoping, begging to see her dazzle again. The wildest part? Angel City had the game in their palms. Goals from Riley Tiernan and Katie Zelem gave them the 2-0 halftime cushion. But then came Marta. Then Barbra Banda. And boom—just like that, Orlando was back. And to seal the chaos, an own goal in the 90th minute from Mary Alice Vignola slammed the door shut on Angel City’s hopes. All while Christen Press sat watching, laced up and ready, but unused.

Now here’s the tea: Laity’s trying to shift gears. Friday night, Angel City takes on the powerhouse Washington Spirit at Audi Field, and this time, the coach swears he’s ready to dust off that Ferrari. “The plan is to get her on the field as much as we can. Hopefully we can do that against the Spirit,” he said. We’ll believe it when we see it. Christen Press is no stranger to patience, after all, she waited 730 days to return post-ACL injury. But now that she’s back, healthy, and game-ready, the clock’s ticking on those sideline sunsets. And while she’s been mostly MIA from the pitch, there’s no denying that she can still replace a few players out there. As for the big R-word? Retirement whispers are floating around, but let’s not close the book just yet.

Christen Press to replace a few players? Or is retirement in the books?

Diana White really stirred the pot with her firecracker of a comment, and fans? Oh, they were right there with her. With 82 likes and a mini-thread of 11 replies bubbling underneath, the vibes quickly shifted from mild frustration to full-on debate mode. One fan even threw a bold question her way, asking if there was anyone she wouldn’t want starting over Christen Press. Diana? Didn’t flinch. “For Christen? Where do I start? Any of them that make sense, and there are quite a few.”

Honestly, the message couldn’t be clearer—fans are not vibing with how the face of the franchise is being benched like some rookie. And even though interim boss Sam Laity’s exit is set for June 1st, making way for Alexander Straus, it might be wise for Sam to clean up this mess before he clocks out. Because if Press keeps collecting splinters on the bench instead of minutes on the pitch, the energy around Angel City might go from impatient to downright chaotic.

And about that “R” word? No one’s said it outright, but let’s just say fans are low-key spiraling. Especially since RE-INC dropped a teaser titled “Christen Reflects on Her Year 15 Journey…” and yep—people are reading way into it. Sure, the video’s about greatness, puppy Bob, soup debates, and bikes, but there’s also this big reflective mood swirling in the air. “How has her POV on the word, the process and the current state of her greatness evolved over her 15 professional seasons?” Whew. That’s got folks side-eyeing the future. No retirements confirmed just yet, but one thing’s for sure—everyone’s watching real close.