#Midfield Flexibility

[nfllivescores]

England's New Recruits Train Before Nations League Matches, Plus Coote Updates

  The England national team is in the spotlight again as new faces join the squad to prepare for upcoming UEFA Nations League matches. With the inclusion of emerging talent alongside seasoned players, England’s roster is undergoing a promising evolution. Fans have much to look forward to as these young recruits bring renewed energy and anticipation to the team, raising hopes of clinching a strong…

[justdontaskme]

It Was Always You (Alexia Putellas x Reader)

A/N: Here you go, just as promised, the second part to this fic here. You should probably read that first to better understand this one. I probably should have proofread it again, but felt like I needed to get this out or it would forever sit as a WIP. So please enjoy and I hope to see you at my next fic.

After finally finishing what felt like the longest season of your life, you were ready for a long vacation surrounded by beaches with plenty of alone time for you and Alexia. Hawaii had been screaming your name since Christmas. The surprise planned proposal was just an added bonus for your good mood. 

Ever since you had exchanged Christmas presents, Alexia had been very tight-lipped, deflecting any and all questions you asked about the upcoming proposal you knew was coming, just not when exactly it would happen. She refused to give you even the slightest hint. 

While you packed for your two week trip to Hawaii, you felt discombobulated, running around like a madwoman as you packed and unpacked an unhealthy amount of times. Knowing that you were going to Hawaii with your girlfriend and coming back with a new shiny ring and a fiancee was driving you insane in the best kind of way. 

As the trip came closer, Alexia started sharing pieces of the itinerary with you. The schedule was very flexible, allowing you to add in your fair share of ideas of things you wanted to do while on the vacation islands. There was a good mix of adventure, romance, and relaxation packed into a short two weeks. 

This extra information also had your mind running on overdrive. You were googling everything that Alexia was booking, mentally calculating how likely her plans could lead to a proposal that day. You were dissecting every tiny morsel of information she was giving you. It led you down a long rabbit hole of what-if scenarios that was literally scrambling your brain. 

But the midfielder knew how to keep you on your toes because there were just so many possibilities. It could be during a cute, romantic dinner or an adventure with a picturesque background for a proposal. It could be during a morning stroll on the beach or a helicopter ride over the beautiful island. It could even be next to a raging waterfall or underwater during a snorkeling trip. The possibilities were endless and you felt as if you were going crazy with each new idea that popped in your head. 

When Alexia came home the night before you had planned to leave, the apartment you two shared was an utter mess. You had to fit a handful of outfits you could mix and match during your two week vacation. But you also had to prepare for the wide range of activities Alexia was planning for the two of you. Narrowing down what to wear was an obstacle all on its own. 

“Almost done packing, mi vida?” Alexia whispered, slipping behind you as she looked at your bags over your shoulder. 

She held in her chuckle as she noticed there were more clothes laid out everywhere in the room instead of in your suitcase. They were still only half packed, clothes hanging all over the bed. Some draped over your opened suitcase, others thrown haphazardly in a pile. 

“I don't know what I’m going to wear, Ale,” you whined, leaning forward to grab a top and holding it up as you contemplated whether it would make the cut. 

“Just pack some sleep clothes and swimsuits,” she said, her eyes falling shut as she laid her head against your back, loving the warmth and comfort of having you in her arms again. “You won’t be needing much of anything else.”

“But I want to look good. This is a special vacation,” you whined. 

“You know I think you’ll look good in whatever you wear,” she told you, reaching over to pick up an item from your discard pile so she could neatly fold it and make a new pile.

You glared at her because you knew she was trying to keep you happy, but she was being no help whatsoever. It also irked you slightly that she was already fully packed, her bags sitting by the door, ready to be whisked away in the morning rush to the airport.

“Half the time you’ll be dressed in a nice little swimsuit, so it’s not like you need much else. Anything else you need, we can either buy there or you can borrow from me. Besides, the other half of the time, we could be in our room which means, you won’t really be needing any clothes,” she murmured, teasingly nipping at your neck. 

You giggled at the sensation, nudging her away, as you twirled in her arms. 

“I want to look cute for this,” you amended. 

“You always look cute,” Alexia said, leaning down to press a kiss to your nose. 

“You're not helping,” you grumbled, slipping out of her hold and sitting on the bed. The pout on your face was adorable, but Alexia could tell you were taking this whole situation very seriously. 

“Don’t stress about this too much, mi amor,” she cupped your cheeks, making sure you were looking at her. “This vacation is about relaxing. You shouldn’t be getting riled up over this.”

“I know, I know. But this time it's special. And since you won't tell me what you're planning,” she rolled her eyes playfully at you trying to trick her into revealing everything, “I have to be ready at all times.”

“Good try, but how about I actually help you back your stuff?” Alexia deflected, wanting to help wind you down from this overthinking tirade. 

You sent her a relieved smile, quickly nodding your head as you both got to work sorting through your clothes once more until you had a full suitcase. With one less thing to worry about, you slowly felt a bit of the tension in your shoulders momentarily wash away. 

After you set your packed bags next to hers by the door, we flopped onto your couch, the mental exhaustion catching up to you. It didn’t take much coaxing from Alexia to get you to agree to order in food and relax before the whirlwind of vacation swept in. 

But for the rest of the night you planned on enjoying the fleeting bliss before your mind could conjure up more scenarios to work you up again. And it was always so much easier to do that with your girlfriend by your side, arms around you, her softly humming into your ear to help calm you. 

****

As soon as the plane touched down in Hawaii, you found yourself buzzing with both excitement and a tad bit of anxiety. All you wanted was to know when and where the proposal was happening. You wanted to be photo ready and emotionally prepared, so the surprise was killing you.

Even though it was supposed to be all happy, you felt like you couldn’t relax. Your mind refused to let your guard down completely. Thankfully, it all came in waves. You could indulge in the nice moments between you and Alexia, taking in the sights and emptying your mind for pieces of time. 

What sucked was the slightly quieter moments that allowed your mind to wander. When you had too much time to think, you always overthought everything. Your head was constantly on a swivel as you searched for Alexia everytime she was out of sight for a moment too long. Then you’d think about the outfit you were wearing and if it’d fit the occasion if you were to turn and find your girlfriend on one knee, staring up at you with a hopeful smile. 

Fortunately for you, your girlfriend was quick to step in before you could work yourself into a tizzy. She was good at redirecting your thoughts, whether it’d be to point out the beautiful scenery surrounding you on these magical islands or if it’d be as simple as unintentionally flexing her tanned and defined muscles that’d leave you flushed as your mind wandered. 

Alexia was extremely attentive this trip, and you made sure to soak it all in. 

The midfielder was an amazing girlfriend, but at times during the season, you and your relationship with the talented captain would sometimes have to take a backseat while she uplifted a legendary club and a thriving national team. 

Even with you being on the same team, it could get difficult to balance everything. So Alexia, over the years, had come to affection overloading you in her break times, and you’d be a liar to say you hated it. 

It had been almost a week of full bliss with your girlfriend in Hawaii and still no sign of a ring. You’d already gone on two breathtaking hikes, eaten at delicious hole-in-the-wall restaurants she had researched, and sunbathed to your heart’s content. 

Each night so far had ended with a private, romantic dinner where the two of you would talk about anything and everything for hours. You found yourself throughout the trip feeling as if you had travelled back in time, and you were learning about Alexia all over again. 

You reminisced on the dates you had been on at the very start of your relationship, and it reminded you so much of what you were feeling now. But instead of those crazy, scary nerves you had about possibly messing up a relationship before it even started, you now felt warm, loved, and safe. 

The way the two of you had grown together throughout the years has been one of your favorite things in the world. Yes, the two of you would occasionally fight and argue, but in the end you were always in each other’s corner. Your bond allowed you both to step up and support each other whenever needed. When one of you felt down, the other worked harder to help bring you back up. 

She was there to help heal you whenever you tried to deny you were sick even though you were coughing up a lung with snot running down your nose. She was there to lift you up when you felt your chances on your national team slipping away. She was there to make you smile whenever you felt upset about missing another milestone like a major birthday or even wedding in your family’s life as they lived a whole ocean away.  

And just as she was there for you whenever you needed her most, you were there for her. 

You were there to keep her company and out of her head and she watched endless game films after a tough match, win or lose. You were there to remind her to love whenever she and Alba got into any heated arguments that led to weeks of no contact between the two sisters. You were there to pull her from the depths of her despair when she tore her ACL and the devastating recovery that followed. 

Each and every milestone in both your careers and life since the two of you made it official was shared and celebrated with one another. 

Despite being in such close proximity to each other almost all the time between working and living together, there was never a dull moment. You took turns planning dates to help keep the romance alive. It was hard to feel like you never had anything to say because you two could talk for hours on end and still have more to add. And on the flipside, you could sit in complete silence and never feel an ounce of awkwardness. 

You really felt like you won the dating lottery with Alexia. 

This trip was needed for so many reasons, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. To begin with, you felt like you could decompress after what felt like a long, grueling season. There was also the opportunity to reconnect with your girlfriend, catching up on missed date nights or even spending quality time with one another that didn’t revolve around work. And of course, it was going to help move you two into the next step of your relationship. 

You were ready to start the next day of your vacation, optimistic that today could be the day, just as you felt every morning since you woke up in the Aloha state. 

While you had come to expect it, you still weren’t thrilled to wake up and find Alexia was no longer in bed with you. Being the athlete she was, and not being able to take off a full day, Alexia was always out for a morning run.

Checking the clock by your bedside, you saw that Alexia was due to be back any minute now, so you figured you’d get started on a quick breakfast to hold you over until lunchtime. With that in mind, you got up from bed, slowly sliding out from under the covers. The cold hardwood floors beneath you caused goosebumps to form up and down your arms. 

There was a chill in the suite you were staying in. The warm air outside was nice and welcomed, but inside you both liked to keep the AC low, prompting you to search for a hoodie instead of turning up the heat. You knew Alexia packed one of her favorite hoodies, which also happened to be your favorite to steal, and you were dying to wear it right now. 

Digging through Alexia’s stuff, you quickly find the hoodie you were searching for and throw it on. The encompassing smell that is purely Alexia immediately calms you. As you’re hugging yourself to warm up and breathe in her scent, you noticed something out of the ordinary in the back of the drawer. 

Curiosity got the better of you, so you reached out and pulled out the offending item. A rather loud gasp escaped upon finding a black box sitting in the palm of your hand. 

It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what it was. You knew she had to have hidden it somewhere, but you didn’t expect to find it before the time was right. 

You couldn’t help yourself, your hand gently lifted the lid of the ring box, a small gasp escaping when you took in the ring perched in the middle of the box. 

It was absolutely stunning. The diamond itself was just the perfect size for you, nothing too in your face but still big enough to catch the eye. The white gold shimmered along with the tiny diamonds set on the band, caging in the diamond in the middle. 

The ring was perfect.

“You weren’t meant to see that yet,” you hear from behind you, snapping you out of the trance.

At the sound of her voice, you quickly shut the box in your hand, feeling incredibly embarrassed and insanely guilty. Slowly, you turned around, your eyes trained to the floor, afraid of her expression. Your mouth opened and shut a few times as you tried to find the words to apologize. 

“It’s okay, mi amor. I’m not mad,” she reassured you, stepping into your personal space, her hands slowly taking yours. 

You threw the box onto the bed, needing it out of your hands as you hid your face behind your fingers, mortified for messing everything up, “I’m so sorry, Ale.”

“Don’t be. In fact, I’ve been watching you for awhile,” she admitted, revealing that she’d been quietly standing at the door watching as you pulled the ring out and inspected it. 

“I’m sorry, Ale,” you repeated, not even able to bring yourself to peek through your fingers to gauge her true reaction.

She shook her head, “Stop apologizing. I could have stopped you but I didn’t. Besides, you were going to see it soon anyways.”

Your jaw literally dropped as your girlfriend lowered down to one knee in front of you. “This isn’t how I planned it, but seeing you in my hoodie with the ring in your hand, I don’t want to wait anymore.”

“Alexia…” you breathed out, your voice wispy as tears began to well in your eyes. 

“I’ve known since day one that you would be an important person in my life,” the midfielder started, reaching over to grab the ring box off the bed, opening it and staring down at the carefully crafted piece of jewelry. “Every day we spend together, I find another reason to never let you go and promise myself that I will do whatever I can to make you smile at me for the rest of our lives. I don’t want to wait to call you mine forever,” the slight crack of her voice told you she was nervous, despite you two talking about this very moment numerous times in the past. “Will you marry me?”

The question was barely out of her mouth before you were shouting, “Yes!”

With the biggest grin you’d ever seen, Alexia shot up, pulling you in for a deep kiss, as she slid the ring onto your finger. You pulled away from her, immediately hugging her close, not quite ready for her to anywhere but pressed up against you. 

The next second the switch flipped as you both turned to celebrating this momentous occasion by slowly stripping each other of your clothes and finding the bed in your haste to feel one another. 

After a few rounds, you found yourself lying on your back, Alexia on her side, watching you as one of her hands continued to trail innocent, lazy paths along your exposed body. 

Both of you basked in the afterglow of your previous activities, the calm quiet allowing your minds to catch up to present. 

“Will you tell me what you were planning to do? I know you had some crazy proposal actually planned out,” you said to her, turning over so you could face her. 

She hummed, not quite ready to escape the state of bliss. 

“Well your family and my family are actually flying in later today,” she started. “They know everything, so you’re going to have to pretend this never happened and act surprised when I propose. I think they’d kill me if they found out I already did it,” Alexia said, her voice wavering slightly because she would totally get berated by Alba and at least one of your sisters and possibly a brother. 

Her admission started as a chuckle but quickly turned into a full belly laugh. Your laugh was infectious, and soon Alexia couldn’t find it in her to not join in. 

“I like that. It’s like our little secret,” you said, sinking into the bed, Alexia leaning over until she was practically sprawled out on top of you. 

She explained how your immediate families were coming in to witness the beginning of the next chapter in your life. The two of you agreed that as soon as you saw them, you had better act surprised to not arouse any suspicion. They were to keep any details about the proposal under lock and key. 

Their first day there was meant to help them acclimate to the new scenery and time change. Alexia had planned a very chill day for that exact reason, allowing everyone to gather their bearings with a nice hearty meal and exquisite sights. 

Your now fiancée then started to go into detail of how it was supposed to take place at a little private beach at sunset because it reminded her of that one sunset on a beach years ago where she first realized she loved you. And how a couple of weeks later, she took you back to that exact spot to confess it. 

She showed you her notes on her phone about what she wanted to add to her speech, which was much longer and just slightly more heartfelt than the way she had thrown all caution to the wind, unexpectedly proposing to you in the middle of your hotel room. 

Alexia went over every detail she had planned out, from photos and videos of the proposal to where she planned to take everyone to dinner afterwards. Each new detail made your heart stutter, as you felt the genuinity of each carefully masterminded idea. 

While in bed with a new shiny ring on your finger, one you’d have to return temporarily so she could initiate the actual proposal in front of your loved ones, you realized you couldn’t stop grinning. You pictured everything she was saying to you, each little detail its own way of her saying she loved you. 

The scenario you had playing in your mind was the exact way everything played out the next day. 

It was the perfect second proposal from her. You couldn't wait to show everyone that you were now officially engaged to the love of your life.  

[woso-dreamzzz]

Academy

Hardersson x Preteen!Reader

Part of The Big Adventures Universe

Summary: Your first academy session

Your first official day of academy training comes after Momma and Morsa have retired.

You've moved back to Sweden properly now with constant trips to Denmark as well. But, mainly, you're based in Sweden. Momma and Morsa have gone into coaching and sometimes commentating while you're left going to school and practicing.

You'd done a trial in the summer for Linköping FC and got in and now you're sitting in the car with Momma and Morsa psyching yourself up to go in.

You're eleven now - nearly twelve - and you open and close your hands into fists as you look over at the training centre. There's a group of similarly aged girls to you waiting outside, getting ticked in on the register as they stand in a clump.

"Do you need us to come up with you?" Morsa asks, also looking at the girls.

You shake your head. "No. No one else's parents are there." It's a lie, of course. You desperately want them to walk you up there but it'd be embarrassing so you're leaning away from the option.

Momma turns back in her seat and reaches her hand back to hold yours. "Hey," She says," It's only for a few hours. You go in. You listen. You do what they say and then we'll go and get takeout for dinner. Sound good?"

You nod, wiping your sweaty palms on your shorts. "Yeah."

"We love you," Morsa says," And if you hate it, you don't have to go back."

You slip out of the car and approach, rocking back and forth on the balls of your feet as you sign in. It doesn't take long for everybody else to arrive and soon you're all being brought inside and handed trainings shirts and stuff.

Then, names are being read out.

You're still young so roles like defence, midfield and forward are still fairly flexible but some people (like you) are already firmly in little boxes so you're easy to separate out.

But, most of your peers end up in a group in the middle because they either haven't chosen their roles or don't yet know what they'd be good at.

There's a fairly large group of forwards which Momma told you last night would happen. At your age, everyone wants to score a goal and most of these girls will end up as attacking midfielders before the year is up. Speaking of the midfield, they're a much smaller group than the self-proclaimed forwards and the defenders are even smaller.

You're the only goalkeeper, feeling a little awkward as you sit at a table all by yourself until the trainer comes.

He smiles at you. He's kind of got one of those old people smiles that Momma's dad has, all warmth and happiness.

You smile back.

"You know," He says, his voice barely above a whisper," I wasn't actually expecting any keepers today. Usually, everyone wants to score a goal."

"That's what my Momma says."

"Your Momma sounds very smart," He replies," Now..." He pulls out some sheets of paper. "I'm meant to explain all the ins and outs of everything. It's meant to take a while because we leave time for questions but, if you let me get through this all then I'm sure we'd have time to play a few rounds of noughts and crosses while everyone else finishes up. Sound good?"

You nod.

He's right, of course. Everyone else takes ages to explain everything but keeping is fairly straight forward and you're the only keeper here so there's not other people around to ask questions.

"Whoa there!" Morsa says as you crash into her at the end of training," You're all sweaty!"

She's right.

You are sweaty. Hair sticks to your forehead and your shirt to your skin. You're sure that you're all gross feeling but Morsa doesn't care as she hugs you back before ushering you into the car.

"How did it go?" Momma asks as she pulls out of the car park," Good? Bad?"

"Good!" You say, a grin splitting your face wide open.

"What did you do?" Morsa asks, turning in her seat to look at you.

"We played a little game," You answer, practically bouncing in excitement," So they could all see where we were at and the individual trainers laid out the plans for each week."

"Were there a lot of forwards?" Momma teases as she turns onto a road.

"Uh-huh. I was the only keeper though."

"That'll change," Morsa assures you," Those kids that haven't decided yet will end up cycling through everything. I'm sure one or two of them will be keepers."

"It's fine," You say," I'm not upset. I don't need other keepers."

Your mothers laugh softly.

"You still need to make friends," Momma says.

"I just want to train," You insist stubbornly.

"You can train and have friends too," Morsa puts in," In fact, I'd go so far as to say you need friends to train well. Promise me, princesse, that you'll make some friends."

You huff. "Fine," You say," I'll make friends."

"Good. Now, what did you want for dinner?"

[aestherin]

KEEP MY HEART

the blued (from university of inazuma, aka ui)

Scaramouche/Kunikuzushi - one of the most notable forwards — student players, in general — of this time. as the star player, he is the captain of their soccer team, with his mother as the coach. took up business despite having a hidden desire for the arts because he’s secretly a people pleaser.

Shikanoin Heizou - kazuha’s said friend from the soccer team of their rival school. he plays as a defender and loves seeing the expression on the striker’s face as he blocks them. as a criminology major and an aspiring detective, he craves for information (including gossips, yes) and finds fun in putting pieces of them together.

Aether - initially joined the soccer team because a senior asked him so that they could fill the slots and he found it hard to refuse, but actually turned out to be a valuable player. his flexibility and adaptability shine as a midfielder. took up psychology because he thought it would be fun.

Raiden Ei - coach of ui's soccer team and is scara’s mother

KEEP MY HEART — scara x reader smau

masterlist .

SUMMARY —you find plenty of guys around you attractive, but there is only one you’re willing to make the first move on: the guy you first saw during your older brother’s soccer game. spoiler: he's a player from your rival university.

TAGLIST I (closed) @lady-elodie @krnzysh @syriiina @unsterblich-prinz @xiaosonlybeloved @xiaomainlmao @cindywasneverhere @coquettemaiden @sunsethw4 @lunavixia @calickoh @arealistonao3 @lowkeyivorie @zyilas @mondaymelon @yukiipc @heartswonder @st0pthatsgay @ozzierenato @astreaa-express @shewolfmiko @lovelyycherries @myaaones @countessqin @aloveablechaos @letthewindlead @lunaavity @local-blueberry-boy @luminestars @layla240 @useless-potatho @atlaszi @alatusorrow @lahsram2201 @sakiimeo @user11918163805279 @vqazx @neigesprincess @kunicrush @yoursockstinks @hotgirlshit5 @mikctp @crucnhice @apotatouwu @yuaenri @sammybeefangirls @miko1ly @deffenferofjustice @etherisy @sagegreenthinks

[lucawrites11]

we're back at it because barça stressing me out man so...

my optimal barça line-up and game plan (v ch*lsea)

warning: controversial BUT i justify all my choices

yeah i forgot to change keira's number and made a typo in paralluelo sorry

My Game Plan:

Okay, first of all, if Graham Hansen is not fully healed. I want and need this instead and because I cannot have a conversation with medical staff, I will be justifying both of these line-ups.

The Wings:

Left: Ona Batlle and Salma Paralleulo

I think one of Jona's big mistakes last weekend was not having these two on the same wing. It has been deadly all season down that left-hand side for both Spain and Barcelona. It is better on the left but I also will take it on the right-hand side, especially, if Graham Hansen is injured and Rolfö is playing in place of Bronze.

The combo of both their speed is almost impossible any defender to handle and if you think about the Ch*lsea back four that H*yes is likely to put it, their speed combination will be difficult for Charles or Carter to handle as their speed historically has not been able to match the speed of Paralleulo and Batlle. Ultimately, Barcelona's best chances on the weekend came from fast counter attacks and speed getting into the box and, from the past, we know that is something that Paralluelo and Batlle can reliably combine to do either down the left or the right (down the right if Rolfö and Pina are playing)

Right: Lucy Bronze and Caroline Graham Hansen (if fit) / Fridolina Rolfö and Claudia Pina

Honestly, the primary motivation for picking Bronze and Graham Hansen as the preferred starting players is because I would prefer to see Batlle and Paralleulo on the left, however, I am pretty flexible on this wing and would like the fittest players to play and it's obvious that Graham Hansen has been dealing with some sort of injury. If Bronze and Graham Hansen start, I want to see them subbed off for Rolfö and Pina and vice versa.

Ultimately, Rolfö and Graham Hansen did not link up well on the wing last weekend and due to injuries they haven't had much time to gel. The better partnerships and pairings in my opinion are Rolfö and Pina and Bronze and Graham Hansen. Bronze was one of the best players as a sub on the weekend and has a lot of experience in these situations and against Chelsea, I think it would be good to use her.

The Defence:

Goalkeeper: Cata Coll

The obvious choice, clearly, the stronger Barcelona goalkeeper at the moment. Confident with her ball at her feet and a good ball-playing keeper with the ability to come out of her goal and act as an eleventh outfield player to overload a Ch*lsea midfield and progress play down the pitch.

Centrebacks: Irene Parades and Ingrid Engen

Taking Ingrid Engen off the pitch at the weekend was a crime, she was the best player and I think if she plays like that again, the only way she is coming off the pitch is surrounded by a medical team. I am serious, she is so fucking good and underrated. Her and Parades are also the strongest centreback pairing that Barcelona has put out all season, there is no doubt in my mind about this and judging my who Jona is resting and playing, there is no doubt in his mind either.

The Midfield/Forwards:

Defensive Midfielder: Keira Walsh

Solid for club and for country in every match. Most underrated player on the pitch and one of, if not, the best defensive midfielder in the world in terms of her ball recovery and blocking the passes. It was clear that Ch*lsea's tactic was too partially mark her out of the game and she needs to be brought into the game more likely by Engen overloading the midfield as an extra player with some forward movement out of the backline.

Central: Alexia Putellas, Aitana Bonmatí and Mariona Caldentey

Alexia and Bonmatí were two of the best players on the pitch on the weekend. They have so much combined experience and talent and are a deadly midfield pairing in the centre of the park. Alexia should've started on the weekend, she changed the game when she came on but there is only so much one player can do. Both she and Aitana have a bad match and come back better and fighting. They live and breathe Blaugrana and seemingly contrary to popular belief play really well together. Their combined fluidity allows each other to have a lot of freedom in the midfield.

Mariona is the strongest choice in that central position. She is best placed as a nine or false nine other than the wing that Jona had her play on the weekend. That position can also be fluid with her ability to drop into the midfield and Alexia's talent or playing that false nine position. She is better at being in the box and finishing chances than anyone else on the team and has a talent for creating space.

I would like to see Patri, Brugts and Vicky come on into the forward/midfield line as subsitutes but given the match could be 90 or 120 minutes, I don't want to apply exact timing as to when those substitutes should be made as that would depend on how the game is going and how it needs to managed.

Due to the fact, I will be in the stadium (in the home end (undercover and still firmly hating Ch*lsea)), I will not provide updates about the subs I think should be made. Only the friends who will likely regret going with me will hear my wonderful commentary and yapping on a level that has the ability to compete with Mapi Leon. But I am taking my camera so you will be all be blessed with some pics (if they are any good).

[trustherkindheart]

All of those caps we gave to Korbin this year should have been given to Hal. Like we need another real defensive midfielder not someone who can play the position but not well

For the Olympics Hayes was focused on adding players who can play several positions - Albert and (even though I love her with Gotham) Nighswonger are the top of these. They can (theoretically) play a lot of positions, but any of them well? Debatable.

Now that we're preparing for the world cup with a larger roster and time to cross train as needed we can focus on building the best roster not the most flexible one.

[all-we-know-is-falling]

El Partido de Fútbol

Mateo had asked Agustín in the morning if he would like to join him at the park later on. Mateo and some of his friends and classmates were going to have a friendly football match. Agustín agreed, although he would only be there to watch and support his friend's team, rather than play.

The sun was just past its highest point, but luckily it wasn't too hot. The two boys met and made their way to the park together; they were always together. The guys who were already there greeted them. Mateo changed into his football boots, and he was already wearing his Argentina national team jersey.

Time was getting on and everyone wanted to start the game already. Raúl spoke up, "Hey, guys. Enrique said he can't make it, something's come up."

A few guys groaned.

"Our team's going to be a man down then!" Luis complained. "One of you stay off, would you?"

"Nah, I'm not going anywhere." Mateo protested. His entire team agreed.

"Oh, come on. Now it's just unfair." Daniel huffed.

Mateo scanned the field for any extra players. His eyes landed on Agustín, who wasn't even paying attention to them, but was completely in his own head, staring at the surrounding trees that moved gently in the breeze.

Mateo whistled at him. "Hey!"

Agustín turned his face to him. "What?" He asked.

"Join their team. They're missing their midfielder." The curly haired boy was totally assuming he even knew what that meant.

"Are you sure?" The other replied.

"Yeah. Come on!"

Mateo heard someone behind him murmur, "We're finished..." and another go, "What does he know?" Luckily, Agustín was too far away to hear them.

He got up and brushed some grass off of his legs. Due to the unexpectedness of this situation, he wasn't wearing very flexible pants, and he didn't have any football boots. At least he had thought to put on his Chile jersey... even if he was the only one.

"Awesome. Thank you dude." Luis stepped towards him. "Alright! Let's start!"

They all got into their positions, Agustín taking Enrique's place on the midfield, and the kickoff began.

As it turns out, those who made the comments behind Mateo were wrong. The imaginary whistle blew and the game was onto a good start. Agustín may not have scored, but he made a really great attempt that was only stopped by Daniel's above-average saving skills. His passes were decent and he was precise with every one he made. He even had an assist, being the key to Luis' goal which held their team in the lead 2-1 for a while. They didn't win in the end, but Agustín's performance was quite shocking, even to Mateo. His tackles and defence were good too, even if he wasn't the absolute best player on either team.

After the game, it was like Agustín had just earned himself some popularity points, because most of the guys came to pat him on the back and compliment his playing. A few more skirmishes went on with fewer players all round as some just wanted to sit around and cool off or chat.

Mateo took a seat on the grass beside Agustín and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Since when have you been into football?" He had to ask.

Agustín smiled to himself and replied, "I've always been a casual follower, but I was way into it for a while when I was younger. That's how I learned how to play."

Mateo grinned, "You were awesome." He then removed his hand. "You really gave me... us... a challenge there."

"Thank you." Agustín averted his eyes and felt a little embarrassed. When he looked back at Mateo, the boy was gazing at him, his eyes creased a bit and his freckled cheeks pulled his lips into a sweet smile. Agustín smiled back, his face suddenly feeling more flushed than before. Then someone appeared behind him, interrupting the moment that felt like it went on way longer than it actually did, and stole Mateo's attention with a conversation about which fast food restaurant had the better Coca-Cola. What a useless question, Agustín thought, although he knew full well that he would be totally down for that discussion if Mateo had brought it up instead.

[lunar-years]

i resolved the dissonance of Jamie's behavior re: Man City as that 1) obviously he behaved well as a team player under Pep (because in no universe would Pep have tolerated s1 jamie's nonsense) but since jamie was in Manchester and his dad had easy access to him, he never had a chance to really settle in and relax in to being a team player, so there was probably always an internal struggle there

2) he was loaned to Richmond to gain experience (because man city's bench is ridiculously deep) where Cartrick just dumped all the responsibility for winning on him without any boundaries or real guidance, which is a hell of a lot of pressure for a 23yo

3) suddenly there's this new manager who doesn't know what tf he's doing trying to impose boundaries on him again just when he's first escaped his dad so he's absolutely going to push ted as hard as he can to figure out when he'll snap

basically i feel like Man City was lots of rigid boundaries, Cartrick was no boundaries, and Ted just created an environment with the right balance of flexibility and boundaries that works best for jamie personally. if his dad had fucked off out of his life while he was still at man city, he'd have been just fine being a very good team player as a striker, but i doubt that on a team with Kevin de Bruyne he'd have ever developed as the attacking midfielder he seems to have turned into at Richmond.

tl:dr i don't think it's that Ted is somehow this magical unicorn of a manager. i sort of think that he accidentally created the perfect environment for *jamie* to thrive as a playmaker

Ahhh no notes!! This is excellent.

[diemannschaftblr]

@/iMiaSanMia: Julian Nagelsmann on tomorrow's game against Hungary: "We cannot expect the same opponent as at the Euros. They will have a more attacking approach tomorrow. At the Euros, they sat very deep against us. It also depends a lot on us how far we can push them back. We'll also have a different lineup as some players have left. But there won't be a big change"

Under the cut: first match after the Euros, players that will start tomorrow, criticism, comments about Pascal Groß, Aleksandar Pavlović and Angelo Stiller.

The first game after the Euros is important in terms of how we can keep the momentum going. We deliberately didn't do anything new in training. We have very little time to train and want to consolidate the things we have done in the tournament. We want to see the enthusiasm of the Euros again.

Nagelsmann confirms that Pascal Groß and Niclas Füllkrug will start tomorrow: Pascal will play. He will not be Kroos, but Pascal. I don't need anyone to replace Toni Kroos. Niclas Füllkrug will play for Ilkay Gündogan in a different formation. He won't do things like Ilkay either. Everyone can do what they are good at.

on being criticized after he said 'we want to be world champions' as it supposedly puts the players under pressure: It's good that we are setting such high goals. I cannot understand some of the statements made by experts. When a coach says he wants to be world champion and is criticized for it, I think that's crazy. I would like to read the headlines if I had said I didn't want to be world champion.

on Pascal Groß: He's extremely good on the ball and has an eye for through balls behind the backline. Pascal isn't afraid of getting the ball. You have to want the ball to create something. At Brighton, he had a coach [De Zerbi] who had very good ideas. Talking to Pascal is fun. He's crazy about football and can assess himself very well. He's a great guy.

Nagelsmann says Niclas Füllkrug will start up front while Kai Havertz will have a role in attacking midfield. But in some situations there will be two strikers. Musiala and Wirtz will play on the right and left and switch positions to occupy the spaces in a flexible way.

on Pavlović and Stiller: Both are making a very good impression. Both are very brave and want to have the ball. There was never a moment where I felt they were shy or hiding. They're also funny guys and have the necessary humility. They don't act like 'young showmen'.

[horriblehistorieschild]

There seems to be a disconnect between the defenders and midfield since the midfielders are more flexible. There needs to be more communication. Bremen have a game plan and know what they're doing. Thankfully still 0-0

[alexbkrieger13]

A opinion piece about P's potential role at Bayern :)

https://www.90min.de/posts/pernille-harder-die-neue-spielmacherin-des-fc-bayern

Pernille Harder: Bayern Munich's new playmaker

With Pernille Harder, one of the best offensive players in the world will play in the FC Bayern Frauen jersey from the coming season . The already strong offensive of the reigning German champions will be raised to a higher level with the top transfer. But what is the best way to use Harder at Bayern and who has to leave the starting XI for them

The Dane is considered a "complete attacking player" because she can play almost any position in attack: up front, as a shadow striker, false nine, ten or eight. Like hardly any other player, Harder knows how to position herself instinctively and, as a strong-willed team player, also put her teammates in the limelight. In order for her to be able to fully develop her world class and creativity in the third attack, however, the tactical setting has to be right.

Under head coach Alexander Straus, who has been on the sidelines since 2022, Bayern developed a much more flexible style of play than under predecessor Jens Scheuer, which is also more oriented towards possession and is defined by dynamic, short passes in tight spaces. It's a style that suits Harder better than her former club Chelsea. The Blues are more direct in their attacks. In fast forward play, the goal is to get the ball from the defensive line to the front of the attack and from there into the goal in as few moves as possible.

On the Isar, more value is placed on a clean build-up and passing game from behind. The routes in the direction of the opponent's box are less predictable, as it sometimes goes to the left, sometimes to the right and sometimes through the center. Harder brings the perfect qualities and skills for this: an enormous spatial awareness, the perfect instinct for runs and cleverly executed passes as well as an almost effortless proactivity on and against the ball.

As of June 2023, FC Bayern has the following offensive players in its own ranks in addition to Pernille Harder: Lina Magull, Karólína Lea Vilhjálmsdóttir, Sydney Lohmann, Franziska Kett, Linda Dallmann, Klara Bühl, Weronika Zawistowska, Jovana Damnjanovic and Lea Schüller. There will not be room for everyone in the starting XI, although rotation will be one of the imperatives for next season. The competition will be fierce, also because the working papers from Magull and Lohmann will expire next year.

What this strong offensive lacks, however, is a playmaker in the last third. This was already evident last season when cleverly implemented attacks didn't end in a goal, the game was characterized by a lack of efficiency or there were difficulties against opponents who were standing deep. In general, it is the playmaker's job to act as the switchboard between attacking midfield and striker, to get the ball into dangerous positions through accurate passing, but also to complete an attack herself.

If the Dane took over this role from next season, it would look a little different, because the Munich team is not a team that is tactically built around a single player. In all probability, Harder will orientate himself in the attack line behind Lea Schüller. The Bayern striker, who always moved away from the fixed point on the nine in the game last season and sometimes worked more in the direction of the attacking chain in midfield, could now move back into the attack as a classic nine with Harder's commitment.

Harder would either act as a shadow striker or ten behind Schüller, depending on how Alexander Straus sets up his team. The Dane would be flanked by Klara Bühl, who is a permanent fixture on the right wing. The left flank raises the bigger question mark: with Carolin Simon and the Austrian new signing Katharina Naschenweng, there are two flexible, attacking full-backs on this side.

In the past season, it was often observed how the Munich team started the games with a back four, which then quickly proved to be a hybrid, as at least one of the full-backs slipped into the role of the rail player when the ball was in possession. So what does this defensive orientation have to do with Pernille Harder?

A high-playing left-back would allow the offensive power (Lohmann or Magull) next to the Dane to orient themselves more centrally in the attacking midfield. Harder could then, in keeping with her new team's hybrid-flexible playstyle, switch between being behind Schüller and playing as ten, while giving her the freedom to thrive on the field. It's also important to note that she can act as a playmaker in both situations without having to field the team around her.

Even if the offensive department of the FC Bayern women seems to be overloaded with top players, the transfer of Pernille Harder makes a lot of sense. As a longtime captain of the Danish national team, she brings a special leadership mentality to Munich, which can bring the whole team a big step forward. Cross-competitive experience and the qualities at world class level described above make the player the new key figure in FC Bayern's attack.

[incorrectnwsl]

I think on field chemistry of the individual players isn't necessarily lacking, I think it's more a problem of the players not being played together in a way that makes sense. It because very obvious in a few things Jill said to CP and Tobin about her thoughts behind the frontline in 2019. How Carli with Pinoe and Tobin didn't make sense in the way Alex with them did because Alex gave both of them the room they needed. For the frontline, one of the things that I noticed is Sophia (Mal does this, too) driving into the middle, which is also naturally where Alex is. So my question to the staff is, how they haven't yet managed to train them in a way that they benefit from each other instead of crowding each other? Same goes for Lindsey's role in the midfield. She didn't look great in a lot of games for the uswnt while she had awesome games at Lyon a week before and a week later. But we know that Lindsey and Rose have on field chemistry, we've seen it before! So my thing is, it's not the chemistry that's lacking, it's the way they're asked to play doesn't benefit these players, thus making for games that always look slightly off. It would be fixable if Vlatko was more flexible, which he isn't. He tries to control everything, but with doing that, he doesn't bring out their best. They're still phenomenal players, which is why they get some results, just not in the way they could. The potential these players individually bring isn't fully shown on the field. Sorry for the rant!

Wow, this is incisive and detailed.

[akasmileygirl]

My takeaways from this game:

The midfield wasn't working in the first half, they had no presence like that. Rose brought major change there, but please put Julie in midfield. She is needed there.

Also, when Andi drove forward a bit, there was such a deep hole right in the middle, which is partly why the Netherlands were able to just control the midfield like they did in the first half. They could just run forever with no one there.

Same train of thought: Why does the striker have to work back so much when the midfield is right there? Alex did Lindsey's job on more than one occasion.

The wingers need to understand that they have to go into the box as well. Especially when one of them drives inside, making Alex give them room, then passing to her when she is on the wing. It happened quite a bit that when a cross came from Alex that no one was in the box.

Vlatko needs to sub more, why tire all of them out when he has such a deep bench and when some things are clearly not working. We knew he wasn't flexible with his game plans and all, but most of the team looked slow and tired already in the first half, why have them do that for 90+ minutes?

Also, get them better cleats, Crystal was slipping all the time in the first half, Rose as well.

[influencermagazineuk]

Stones Optimistic England Will Adapt Seamlessly to Back Three Ahead of Quarter-Final Against Switzerland

John Stones is confident that England can smoothly transition to a back three formation if Gareth Southgate decides to make the tactical switch for Saturday’s quarter-final against Switzerland. With Marc Guéhi serving a one-game suspension, England has been forced to make defensive adjustments. Reports suggest that Southgate has utilized training sessions this week to experiment with a return to the system that proved successful during the 2018 World Cup. Антон Зайцев, CC BY-SA 3.0 GFDL, via Wikimedia Commons Southgate, known for his strategic flexibility in recent tournaments, has primarily employed a 4-2-3-1 setup in Euro 2024. However, the team's performance has lacked fluidity, prompting consideration of a shift to a back three, last seen in the Euro 2020 final against Italy. Stones, reflecting on England’s past successes with a back three, highlighted its potential effectiveness against Switzerland. "We’ve used this system in previous tournaments," he noted. "It’s a valuable asset for us as a team, allowing us to adapt seamlessly and perform cohesively." In the absence of Guéhi, Ezri Konsa is expected to join Stones and Kyle Walker in central defense. Kieran Trippier and Bukayo Saka could provide width as wing-backs, contingent on Luke Shaw’s recovery from a hamstring injury. Phil Foden may play a pivotal role in midfield, partnering with Jude Bellingham behind Harry Kane. Stones also addressed concerns about his fitness, dismissing worries stemming from knee strapping observed during training earlier in the week. Additionally, discussions within the squad are underway to commemorate Southgate’s upcoming 100th game in charge. The availability of Bellingham, potentially facing disciplinary action for a goal celebration in the previous match, remains uncertain pending a decision from UEFA. Read the full article

[leonsliga]

The twitter trolls know "having friends" isn't the only quality, they needed leon's strength and mentality and assists as well but they love to make him small for some reason. What lothar meant was leon is well respected in the team and that's what a leader needs, look at thomas (who was also on the bench... very interesting that when the game goes bad, tuchel sends leon and thomas in)

That’s precisely how I feel, anon :) sometimes the Twitter trolls really drive me crazy. I feel like when things go wrong these days, Leon’s often made the scapegoat. Maybe his performance last season made him an easy target then, but certainly not now, when he’s turned himself around and shown the qualities he brings to the team. That’s why I don’t understand how whenever things have gone wrong for us this season, the trolls are so quick to blame Leon and say he needs to go, even when the circumstances were either out of his control or not his fault.

Leon may have taken a step back from his “scoretzka” title of late, but his assists have been phenomenal in the absence of his goals, just like you said. His strength, mentality, and flexibility as a box-to-box midfielder make him an absolute force to be reckoned with as well. I once heard him described as an “all-action pressing machine” and I couldn’t agree more. He can do it all when it’s needed :)

I totally agree with your point about Leon and Thomas’s substitutions; how very telling that when all looks lost, Tuchel sends them in to fix it 🤔

[unitedbydevils]

Match Review: Manchester United 2-1 Chelsea

A... a good performance? A good TEAM performance? With this side? Seems sus - start testing piss.

A double dose of Scott McTominay put a disjointed Chelsea to the sword at Old Trafford on Wednesday night as Manchester United overcame Pochettino's Chelsea to claim a much needed three points.

The under pressure home side started the game strongly, and United were rewarded for their early intent with a goal for Scott McTominay inside the box on the 19th minute.

Erik Ten Hag has every right to be pleased and frustrated though, with United having several opportunities on goal that the likes of Antony and Garnacho really should have scored.

Match stats (above) show that Chelsea held more possession, but with a midfield three of Enzo Fernandes, Moises Caicedo, and Cole Palmer it was to be expected that they would have more of the ball when against the trio of Bruno Fernandes, Scott McTominay and Sofian Amrabat.

It was the Moroccan who really surprised United fans last night, putting in a shift that probably deserved Player of the Match. The midfield pivot for the night looked very assured in possession and for once actually fit - a potential season-changer for a United desperate to replicate last season's Casemiro who himself hasn't appeared this season (and is also injured and thus unavailable yet again).

The match was scarily end-to-end at times, reminiscent of a basketball game. The lack of control may have Ten Hag worried, but playing Scott McTominay always encourages such lack of possession. He is not there to shuttle the ball around - Mount, Casemiro, Mainoo and Amrabat are. McSauce is basically another 10 like Bruno, though personally I think his lack of flexibility should mean he takes the CAM spot and Bruno sits deeper - which I think his passing vision suits.

Beyond this it was another quiet night for Rasmus Højlund - but not for a lack of trying. One Twitter user said "I didn't realise it was Ramadan in Manchester because Højlund is starving and all he can do is pray". Garnacho's assist for McTominay's second was lovely wing play, and Højlund also went for that ball, but it's not enough service for the centre-forward. Moreso from Antony too. Both wide men had good games for United and worked hard; tracking back, making runs, playing quick 1-2 passes... but more attempts at crosses and through balls to the striker have to be found. He needs to start scoring, and that confidence will improve his in-game actions too. That snowball effect will buy a few extra percent improvement when it comes to duels, dribbles, and the odd extra goal comes from that. Not just that, but opposition defenders will actually start to fear a United striker again. We saw what Purple Patch Rashford was doing to defenders. It was sheer terrorism. We need more of that.

I don't think it's any coincidence that United put in what was probably the best senior level performance (we don't count Palace in the cup) and it's with Shaw back from injury and Amrabat fit. Ten Hag's style of football requires certain players to activate it, and beyond the first XI there are very few appropriate deputies at the moment.

This is where the issues of behind-the-scenes management come into play. United have the short-term issue of resurrecting their season and the long-term issue of overhauling the squad in the image of one manager. Erik Ten Hag has had his way with transfers, but there have been some failings, and this on top of poor results has got many fans on his back.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe & co. may be able to fix the latter, but we'll see. For now, Ten Hag needs to grind out results to quash the sacking/replacement rumours. Next up is Bournemouth. Another win will keep the confidence up ahead of Bayern, and a Champions League miracle there might upset the apple cart with our scary foray away at Anfield the weekend after.

Time to go Cherry picking.