#nwsl save of the week

[double-fake-royalty]

Never really been an Ashlyn Harris fan, but it was cool having krashlyn as the og couple of the uswnt. I’d have taken a bullet for Krieger though - ever since the 2011 Brazil pk. I was devastated for her when she missed the 2012 Olympics. And one of my big grudges with Jill Ellis was that she just stopped calling her up at a time when we really needed solid & experienced defenders. But I remember when people would call for Ashlyn to start over hope solo or naeher…like…be so fucking for real. The running joke of Ashlyn winning save of the week all the time despite the fact that Orlando was consistently losing games by 2-3+ goals. Come onnnn. Her career highlights for me were one good penalty shootout performance when the wny flash won the wps championship in 2011 and the content she provided from the 2019 wc celebrations. That’s it. I thought well of her, and still do, for being so open about her mental health struggles and I know she provided a lot of people in the lgbt community of Orlando some comfort and representation, but whatever she’s doing now with ‘fashion’, the dancing, and the atrocious mullet…phew. And I personally found her episode of Snacks to be unwatchable but whatever. All of this just feels so strategic and gross. I hope you know nothing but peace in your retirement Ali. Truly. The uswnt was so spoiled to have a player of your quality on the back line for as long as we did and you stayed embarrassing players half your age in the nwsl for yeaarrrssss. An incredible career all around. A legend in all of our eyes.

[andiessoccerblog]

The End

The World Cup came to an end this weekend, with Spain taking the gold medal in a 1-0 win over England. I was rooting for England in the final, but I think Spain was the better team in the end, by a very small margin. The game took place predominantly in the midfield, with only 5 shots on target for Spain and three for England. It felt very cautious, with each team trying to hold possession and wait for the right moments to push forward, and in the end only Spain was able to convert their chance to a goal. Spain did have a penalty that was saved by English keeper Mary Earps, who despite the loss, was given the Golden Glove award for best goalkeeper at the World Cup. 

The third place match between Sweden and Australia wasn’t nearly as close; Sweden won the bronze medal with a 3-1 win. Australian center back Alanna Kennedy didn’t play in the semi final or this third place match because of a concussion issue, and after she had played every other game in the tournament, her absence noticeably changed the effectiveness of Australia’s defense. England’s goal in the semi final and Sweden’s first goal in this match both came on defensive errors on Kennedy’s replacement’s side of the field. Sam Kerr scored Australia’s only goal with a banger from outside the box, but Sweden added two more goals in quick succession as Australia struggled to push for the win.

At the end of the tournament, FIFA also awards individual player awards.

Best young player: Salma Paralluelo, Spain. Paralluelo is 19 years old, and scored game-winning goals for Spain in both the quarter and semi-finals as a substitute. She’s a gamechanger. 

Golden Glove: Mary Earps, England. Earps saved a penalty in the final, and also got England through a penalty shootout in the quarterfinals. She had some massive saves, and is currently petitioning Nike to sell goalkeeper jerseys alongside the regular national team jerseys.

Golden Boot: Hinata Miyazawa, Japan. This award is given to the tournament’s top goalscorer. Miyazawa scored five goals, even as Japan went out in the quarterfinals. She more than doubled the total amount of goals she has scored in her entire international career.

Golden Ball: Aitana Bonmati, Spain. This award is the tournament MVP, and usually goes to a player on the gold-medal team. Bonmati is a midfielder and played a stellar final to top off a great performance as Spain’s playmaker at the world cup.

Controversy

At the medal ceremony, the president of the RFEF kissed one of the players, Jenni Hermoso, on the mouth. Hermoso stated late that she didn’t like it. The man brushed it off, saying it was an action of joy and passion. But would he kiss the Spanish men’s national team players like this?

In other posts, I have mentioned that Spain’s coach, Jorge Vilda, has repeatedly been accused of mistreating and abusing his players, causing 15 players to boycott the national team. The spanish soccer federation (RFEF) spoke to players, but took very little action to address concerns, and eventually replaced all but 3 players on the World Cup-winning roster.

With Spain’s win, it’s hard to say what Vilda’s future will be. If Spain had performed poorly, like team USA, Vilda could easily have gone the same way as American coach Vlatko Andonovski, who resigned earlier this week. But with a world cup win under his belt, Vilda’s position in a clearly sexist organization doesn’t seem to be going anywhere.

What’s Next?

Women’s soccer keeps going after the World Cup. In the USA, the National Women’s Soccer League shows most games on Paramount+ for USA coverage, and on nwsl.com for all international viewers. Games go through the finals in October. 

England’s FAWSL league resumes in September, and can also be watched in the USA on Paramount+. 

The Australian Liberty A-League Women plays in the off-season of the NWSL, so there is some back-and-forth between players that play in both leagues, starting in October 2023.

International teams also continue playing games outside of the world cups, called “Friendlies”. USA games have been shown on HBO Max, but there are also usually some less-than-legal Youtube videos of matches that pop up after a day or two. Team USA is playing September 21 and September 24 against fellow World Cup Team South Africa, and games will be on the Peacock app. 

Thanks

Thank you to everyone who has been reading my blog and giving me feedback; I have had a lot of fun writing and sharing my thoughts over the past month. I’ll probably be back for the 2024 Olympics :) See you then!

[redwineconversation]

The Alcott

There will be those who will argue that what was Arsene Wenger was to Arsenal, Jean-Michel Aulas was to Lyon.

That argument is wrong.

I'm not denying Wenger's impact at Arsenal. He is part of the reason I became an Arsenal (men's) fan, after all. I didn't know Arsenal before Wenger. They became mine under him, a team of misfits, awkward in their own right, but special, different. They were awkward and gangly and they won things and you looked at them play and thought "huh, weird" but also "I'll see you next week." Arsene Wenger changed Arsenal. Let's not get that wrong.

But Jean-Michel Aulas created Lyon. I think there's a difference.

I talk a lot about the importance of understanding Lyon's history and I stand by that. To know Lyon is to understand them. To understand why they are the way they are today, you have to understand how they got to that point. You have to understand how we got to where we are, is what I am trying to say. History matters. it has always mattered.

OL Groupe released a statement overnight that Jean-Michel Aulas is no longer president of Olympique Lyonnais and that John Textor will be taking over the role.

I cannot help but be extremely concerned for what this means for Olympique Lyonnais Feminin.

Now, I know what NWSL fans are going to argue. Michele Kang cares about WoSo, they will say. Washington Spirit players love Michele Kang. She's rich, they insist, she'll put money in the team, this is a good thing.

Those arguments are superficial at best.

You can't equate Michele Kang to Jean-Michel Aulas, you just can't. Michele Kang saved Washington Spirit, sure, I'll give you as much. I'll even grant you that she cares about WoSo. I think she believes in the cause.

But that's not enough for a team like Olympique Lyonnais Feminin. There is too much at stake. This isn't a spat about an owner that doesn't care at all, this is about taking over from a president who literally, and I do mean that in the proper sense of the term, built the team in his own image. Olympique Lyonnais Feminin exists because Aulas wanted to build the best women's team in the world. He didn't want to buy it, he wanted to create it.

Aulas and Kang are both business(wo)men, I'm not denying that at all. But they don't hold the same level of influence. I sincerely doubt Kang will get Lyon players to listen the way that Aulas did. And why should they listen to Kang? What has she done for Lyon, exactly?

Lyon is such an emotional team, they really are. They crave loyalty about all else, and John Textor took that away from them. He broke their trust, and we're supposed to believe that Lyon is going to transfer their trust to a total stranger in Michele Kang?

As I said, to believe that demonstrates a total misunderstanding of Olympique Lyonnais operates.

UEFA will not pick up the phone if Michele Kang calls. FIFA will not pick up the phone if Michele Kang calls. FIFPro won't pick up, the national federations won't pick up, I'm not even sure if the league representatives will pick up.

It's nothing personal, it's just that Michele Kang hasn't ... well, done anything. She saved Washington Spirit, sure, but are we really going to sit here and argue that Washington Spirit holds the same name brand as Olympique Lyonnais? Are we going to pretend the results are the same, the players are the same, the consequences are the same?

Who cares, really, if Washington Spirit lose every game of the season? There are no real consequences thanks to how the NWSL is structured. You're going to argue I am being too harsh. Okay, I'll lower the bar. Are there really any consequences if Washington Spirit does not make the playoffs? Of course not. Now imagine the repercussions if Olympique Lyonnais fails to qualify for the Champions League.

Are we going to sit here and pretend that's the same thing?

Are we going to sit here, and be honest, you and I. Are we going to sit here and pretend that Michele Kang has demonstrated the ability to manage a team like Olympique Lyonnais? What happens when there's a clash between a Lyon player and a national federation? What is Michele Kang going to do about it? No one cares about how Michele Kang feels about the situation because Michele Kang hasn't dealt with that situation.

it frustrates me enormously that certain OL (men) fans are celebrating Aulas being out, as though he is the problem for Lyon (men)'s lackluster performances. They say you don't always appreciate what you have until it's gone, and I am genuinely, genuinely afraid that we are going to experience this live.

I'm angry at John Textor, too. I think the way he has handled this club since his takeover is insulting. It shows a blatant lack of understanding of the club's history and how it actually operates.

But more than that I am concerned. As I keep saying, Michele Kang doesn't have the understanding of Olympique Lyonnais Feminin to get the players on her side. They won't trust her, which means they won't go to her, which means they won't obey her. Those are all important elements.

I know I keep hammering on about this, but you don't run an NWSL club the way you run a Champions League club, and especially not a club like Olympique Lyonnais. You don't buy that team's loyalty, you earn it.

John Textor bought the most successful women's club in football history. He managed to turn it into Umea.

If we're not going to talk about how that will damage women's football, then we have a serious problem.

[laresearchette]

Sunday, October 20, 2024 Canadian TV Listings (Times Eastern)

WHERE CAN I FIND THOSE PREMIERES?: THE RISE OF THE GHOUL LOG (Shudder) SCOUTING FOR CHRISTMAS (W Network) 8:00pm THE EQUALIZER (Global) 9:30pm

WHAT IS NOT PREMIERING IN CANADA TONIGHT?: BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: BACKSTAGE AND BACKSTREETS (ABC Feed)

NEW TO AMAZON PRIME CANADA/CBC GEM/CRAVE TV/DISNEY + STAR/NETFLIX CANADA:

AMAZON PRIME CANADA MARIANNE & LEONARD: WORDS OF LOVE

CRAVE TV BALLERINA THE CONNERS (Seasons 1-5) LOVESICK PURPLE RAIN

NFL FOOTBALL (TSN) 1:00pm: Texans vs. Packers (TSN/TSN3/TSN4) 4:00pm: Raider vs. Rams (TSN/TSN3/TSN4/TSN5) 8:20pm: Jets vs. Steelers

NHL HOCKEY (TSN3) 3:00pm: Penguins vs. Jets (SN360) 8:00pm: Avalanche vs. Sharks

NWSL SOCCER (TSN2) 5:00pm: NJ/NY Gotham vs. Orlando Pride

HEARTLAND (CBC) 7:00pm: The family faces the hard reality of a drought at Heartland and the hunt is on to find the best spot to build a new well; Katie worries about her grandfather's health…DO SOMETHING HORSIES!

NORTHWOODS SURVIVAL (APTN) 7:00pm: Regeneration: As the weather in the Northwoods heats up, the homesteaders switch gears, focusing their efforts from surviving to thriving.

MLB BASEBALL (SN) 7:30pm: Mets vs. Dodgers - Game 6

WNBA BASKETBALL (SN1) 8:00pm: Lynx vs. Liberty - Game 5

THE GREAT CANADIAN BAKING SHOW (CBC) 8:00pm: Eight bakers leave the sweets behind for the first "Savoury Week," highlighting the spicy, salty and cheesy.

SO YOU WANT TO BE A MUSLIM (documentary) 9:00pm: Five North American individuals experience life in new and often unexpected ways when they choose to become Muslim.

ROCK SOLID BUILDS (HGTV Canada) 10:00pm (SEASON FINALE): The team kicks off an ambitious plan to save a condemned landmark in the heart of Brigus and turn it into a dazzling multi-purpose events space.

SUCH BRAVE GIRLS (Crave) 10:00pm/10:30pm: Josie tries to make her birthday dinner last as long as possible; Deb thinks Dev might pay for once; Billie and Nicky's relationship is going really well for some reason. In Episode Two, the gang takes to the woods, where Deb competes with a dead woman; Josie decides she's an artist, which upsets everyone; Billie welcomes a new man into her life.

[alexbkrieger13]

The Gotham schedule is just way too crazy. They often play 3 games in a week, including travel to Costa Rica, Jamaica, as well as flying to the west coast to play Seattle or Angel City and so on. Apparently, CONCACAF and the NWSL did their scheduling separately.. These players are just tired. But AKB had an incredible save in the 56th minute and made it look so casual 😅 I thought they let Miller play in goal like the did last time against the team in Costa Rica, but looking back it was probably a good idea to play Ann.

Yea they're gonna get a lot of miles in over the next few weeks. No one does chaos scheduling quite like the nwsl

[t-is-for]

A CRUCIAL goal live save from Kiki Pickett helped wearebayfc secure a 2-1 win in the second leg of their regular season series with San Diego 👀 Congratulations to Kiki Pickett for winning this week's DeloitteUS Impact Save of the Week!

via NWSL May 21, 2024

[adahegerbergfc]

ASHLYN FULLY ALMOST HAD A GOAL HOLY SHIT.

[trustherkindheart]

AD Franch. Player of the Week. Save of the Week. 👑👑

[we-got-the-a-team]

NWSL week 7 fan award voting

Estimated by counting tweets that use the official hashtags and produce Twitter’s voting widget. Some repeat votes might be counted in this estimate, while some votes might be omitted if Twitter fails to publicly list them.

Week 7 Save of the Week (as of end of voting on May 30)

Colaprico: 720 (42.58%) Sheridan: 529 (31.28%) Kopmeyer: 273 (16.14%) Labbe: 169 (9.99%) Total votes: 1,691

SotW turnout is considerably higher not only than Week 6′s (1,201) but any week’s (1,397 on week 2, also the last time a non-GK won the award).

Sheridan gained some ground overnight, but not much. Colaprico becomes the 2nd Chicago SotW winner in 3 weeks (Naeher, 2017 week 5) and their 3rd overall.

Colaprico ends polling with more votes than any 2017 Save of the Week nominee (was 696, week 4, for Ashlyn Harris).

Sheridan’s 529 votes would have been enough to win in weeks 2, 3, 5, or 6--in other words, any week Harris wasn’t nominated.

None of the nominated players had won Save of the Week before.

No player for Sky Blue FC (18 nominations) or the Washington Spirit (15 nominations) has ever won Save of the Week.

This is Kopmeyer’s 10th nomination without a win, the most in the league, and Labbe’s 8th without a win. While it’s early to call a winner, I’m confident neither Kop nor Labbe will overcome their 330+ vote deficits.

A Chicago player has been nominated for Save of the Week a league-leading 22 times.

The Reign pass FCKC and Boston with their 17th Save of the Week nomination, placing them 4th overall behind Sky Blue and Portland (18) and Chicago.

Sheridan’s nomination is her first, and the first of the year for Sky Blue FC, ending the longest SotW nomination drought in league history (6).

Colaprico’s nomination is the 8th for a midfielder, and her 2nd (2016 week 4). She joins teammate Vanessa DiBernardo as the only non-GKs to be nominated multiple times, something no defender has accomplished.

To put that last point another way: Becky Sauerbrunn, a defender, has won Goal of the Week twice (counting this week) but has never been nominated for Save of the Week. DiBernardo and Colaprico, both midfielders, each scored goals in the Red Stars’s week 7 match, and each of them have been nominated for Save of the Week twice, more times than any individual defender in the league.

Labbe marks the latest instance of a player on a team that started or finished the week in last-place getting nominated for a weekly award. The rest have been Orlando Pride players.

Week 7 Goal of the Week (as of end of voting on May 30)

Sauerbrunn: 1,578 (60.83%) Debinha: 368 (14.19%) Johnson: 360 (13.88%) DiBernardo: 288 (11.10%) Total votes: 2,594

GotW turnout easily beat last week’s (1,776). Sauerbrunn’s votes have passed Rachel Daly’s week 1 golazo, and her votes alone are likely to overtake all weeks’ total Goal of the Week turnout except weeks 1 and 6.

Easily called for Sauerbrunn. With about 6 hours of ballots in the box, Sauerbrunn led by 810 votes and with nearly 2/3 of the total vote. While that lead shrank overnight, most of the gains were by third-place Debinha; Sauerbrunn’s percentage dropped, but her vote lead increased to 1,168 and ended at 1,210. This is Sauerbrunn’s 2nd Goal of the Week award (2016 week 9).

Sauerbrunn is the only player to be nominated for Goal of the Week multiple times and win each nomination.

Sauerbrunn is the 4th player to win Goal of the Week multiple times, joining Alex Morgan (2), Rachel Daly (3), and Christen Press (5). I bolded this because it blows my little pea-brain mind.

Defenders have won Goal of the Week 5 times (19.23%). Sauerbrunn accounts for 2 of those; the others are Camila (2017 week 3), Ali Krieger (2016 week 2), and Steph Catley (2016 week 1).

These are the first nominations for Katie Johnson and Vanessa DiBernardo, and the second nominations for Sauerbrunn and Debinha.

Katie Johnson is the third rookie nominated this season, after Danica Evans (2017 week 2) and Rose Lavelle (2017 weeks 3 and 5). Evans is the only rookie to win this season, and was the first and only rookie to win Goal of the Week.

Johnson is the second player with a Mexico WNT cap to be nominated in a row for Goal of the Week, after Sofia Huerta’s nomination (and win) last week.

This is the 2nd time a FC Kansas City player has won Goal of the Week in 13 nominations (2nd-fewest nominations overall). Both wins were Sauerbrunn’s.

A Flash/Courage player has been nominated for Goal of the Week 20 times overall and 5 times this season, both more than any other team. No Flash/Courage player has ever won Goal of the Week.

Only 1 Reign FC player has won Goal of the Week (Jess Fishlock, 2017 week 4) in 17 nominations (5.88% win rate, worse than any team but Sky Blue FC’s 5.56%, and the Flash/Courage’s and Boston’s 0%).

Reign FC and Chicago (17) are now tied for 4th-most nominations, passing the Pride and Thorns FC (16).

[akasmileygirl]

Quest nutrition q&a with Lindsey

Q: Do you miss Emily Sonnett?

Lindsey: Yes, I miss Emily Sonnett. A lot.

[se-llama-gaby]

Orlando lost but...

Ashlyn

Michelle

Harris

Fucking

Slayed

It

Tonight!

Bonus+

Ashlyn just over it....

[sweet-babyrose]

'I just wanted to make sure you're okay' for Leila pls

🥺

Your alarm had gone off at 4:30am this morning. It was Leila's last home game of the season. And you wanted to be sure you were awake to watch it. Playing in the NWSL this year, though, meant the game started at 5am your time. Leaning over the side of the bed, you picked up your laptop and dragged it into bed with you.

You watched the game intently, knowing Leila would want to talk through it with you later. You cheered when they were awarded a penalty. You held your breath when she got knocked down and didn't immediately get back up. You smiled in pride when Aitana got sent off with a red card and saved the team. When the game ended, you sent Leila a quick text congratulating her and telling her to call when she was free.

Your eyes unwillingly closed again as soon as you hit send and you fell back asleep.

When you awoke a few hours later, you were surprised to see that she hadn't called yet. Figuring she must be celebrating with her teammates, you got out of bed to get ready for the day. Over breakfast, you scrolled through Twitter.

There was the excitement of Barca’s perfect season that you expected. But there was also a lot of people commenting on Jenni and Leila. You dug a little harder until you started seeing the pictures. The two of them together, in picture after picture, crying. In one picture, Leila had her shirt pulled over her head and she was bent over, Jenni's hand on her back. In others, they held tight to each other, both with tears falling down their cheeks.

You tried calling her but she didn't pick up. Sighing, you sent her another message.

Hey babe. Just got up. Call me when you can.

I just wanted to make sure you're okay. I love you.

Not even five minutes passed before Leila's face lit up your screen with an incoming facetime call. You quickly answered it. "Hi, love," you said when the video connected.

"Hi, bebé." She beamed her usual adorable huge smile at you.

"Are you doing okay? I saw the pictures from after the game."

"I'm fine, I'm fine. I just." She shrugged. "Jenni started crying, and then Alexia got teary, and I just fell apart." She shrugged again. "But then Jenni stole a medical cart and we rode around the stadium."

You laughed. It was just like Jenni to do something like that. Especially when someone close to her needed to be cheered up. And Alexia was teary, you could only imagine how they all must have been feeling. Alexia never cried.

"Emotional rollercoaster, huh?"

"Yeah."

"I wish I could have been there to give you a hug."

"I wish that, too, Y/N." When she didn't say anything after that, you started to worry that maybe you'd pushed too hard for this transfer and Leila didn’t actually want it.

"Um," you cleared your throat, "so uh, you feel good about the game?"

"Yeah it was a good game. What happened, why did your mood change?"

"Nothing, love."

"Hey," she said softly, "it's just me."

"Um, well it occurs to me that maybe you don't actually want to be leaving Barcelona and I maybe pushed you into this."

"I hate to break it to you, bebé, but if I didn't want to leave Barcelona, I wouldn't be. I want to leave. I want to be closer to you. But I also feel sad. I've been here so long. My teammates aren't just my teammates. They're my family. I just needed to process it with them, that's it. But I'm very excited to get to finally play on the same team as you, to live in the same time zone as you. We've never done that one before."

"I've heard it's a bit cold in Manchester," you say in response.

"Nothing compared to Chicago," she said, shivering just thinking about it. She'd come for a week in February and refused to leave the apartment after she got there.

"I'll keep you warm."

"I know you will," she said smiling.

Your alarm went off, signaling it was time to go. "Babe, I have to go. I have training soon."

"Okay. Don't forget we have a date tomorrow! Wear something pretty for me."

"You sure you can handle it?" You laughed recalling your last date night dress and Leila's pleas for you to go put more clothes on. "I mean, you're all the way over there in Barcelona and I'm all the way over here in Chicago." You winked at her.

"On second thought. Don't wear something pretty."

"A couple more weeks and then you can take me out on a real date and I can wear that pretty dress for you." You winked at her. "Call me if you want to talk later. I know this is hard but I'm here, for whatever you need."

"I know you are. I love you, Y/N." She blew you a kiss.

"Love you, too." You gave her a small wave and a big smile and disconnected the phone. You felt better after talking to her and seeing her smile. She seemed okay now and you were glad she had her friends there to lean on when it got too emotional or tough.

That's one of the reasons why you had picked Manchester. Although you had played all over the world, Leila had never left home before. You walked into the training grounds extremely grateful to have found a girlfriend who trusted you and loved you enough to throw caution to the wind and move out of her comfort zone. You just hoped when you were together again, you could be her source of comfort.

[hardtchill]

That’s really interesting. If the +1 was the compromise between them, that means Harvey wanted her for even longer but could only get Tobin to agree to the +1. With Tobin being 34 and having her sights set on LA, it’s a bit shocking if Harvey was hoping to get her to agree to any sort of 2 year+ contract. I’m really not trying to start the retirement conversation again but let me just say this; Tobin said during her interview that she hasn’t even thought about retirement. That tells me that for better or for worse..she’s going to try to pull a Pinoe/Carli and play until she’s 37 or around there. I’m assuming she had that talk with Harvey. Maybe that’s why Harvey wanted her for longer? Play a few seasons with OL, try to make the national team, and save her last nwsl season for LA with cp.

I mean, personally i'm more inclined to believe that Tobin simply doesn't want to plan retirement and just goes with the flow. I don't think her saying she hasn't thought about retirement means anything.

I have said before that Tobin is a terrible player to stan in regards to you really being incapable of knowing what she will do. I really don't think she is a player who will plan out her retirement and tell us. I think one day she just won't show up to pre-season which will have us all freaking out and a week later she will post a picture of her painting with a caption saying, "going full time artist yo".

[pressquad]

danny colaprico constantly saving my team’s life

[rowdownthrowdown]

Regarding call ups, age absolutely matters. We have to start looking towards the 23 wc and beyond. The majority of the team is over 30. Out of the Olympic roster Lloyd, Pinoe, Morgan, Press, Heath, Kristie Mewis, O'Hara, Sauerbrunn, Krueger, Neaher, and Franch are all over 30. Thats 11 players there is no way all 11 make it to the 23 wc. Vlatko is planning for the 23 wc, 24 Olympic, 27 wc, and beyond. Ash is just too old to be considered. She'll be 37 at the wc and 38 at the next Olympics. No one over the age of 25 will be getting a call up. It sucks but its necessary.

And all of those players are on the roster which is exactly my point. The age excuse, while understandable, doesn't hold water. If Ash is too old to be called up, even though she's made the most NWSL Saves of the Week this season by far, then Megan, Tobin, Christen, Alyssa, Alex, Becky, and Kelley should also not be getting call ups for being in the same age bracket and all of the 30s should be on the fence.

If no one over 25 will be getting a call up then why are 16 of the 21 (76%) call ups older? Are Smith, Pugh, Macario, Fox, and Davidson the only ones on the team, now?

Yes, Ash is old. But she's still one of the absolute best GKs in the league. She's still very much world class. GK is less influenced by age than other positions.

Carli Lloyd is a starter up until her retirement at age 39 and somehow Ash is too old? Christine Sinclair is 38 and still active internationally. Kristine Lilly still has the most international caps in woso and was USWNT until she was 39. Christie Pearce was 40 when she played in the 2015 World Cup final.

Tom Brady is ancient in football player terms and he's still indisputably a great player who last won Super Bowl MVP at age 43 and NFL MVP at age 40. His last Pro Bowl, the closest thing to a call up since pro players aren't eligible for the national team, was at age 41.

The "Ash is too old" thing is a bogus excuse

[4stars-uswnt]

My Muse, My Valentine [Christen Press x Reader]

requested by anon: Not sure if you’re accepting any request but can you write a cp x photographer gf where her gf surprised her at man u, like her gf secretly transfer there to be with cp. Thanks

A/N: please ignore some of the inconsistencies this story has with reality :) but anyways... hope you enjoy and have a happy Valentine’s Day (tomorrow) and remember it’s a day about LOVE, whether that be romantic, platonic, familial, or self ❤️

“I’m gonna miss you,” you whine, as you watch your girlfriend pack her suitcase.

“I know, babe. I’m gonna miss you too, so much.” Christen leans down to quickly peck your lips, before continuing to fold her clothes.

You and Christen had been dating for almost three years now, having met after you’d photographed one of the USWNT’s matches. You instantly felt an attraction to the curly-haired forward, your camera always drifting towards her wherever she was on the pitch.

After you’d posted a couple of your photos on your Instagram, which Christen made a point to like and repost, you gathered up the courage to approach her after a game, and thus began your relationship.

With yours and Christen’s busy schedules, it was sometimes hard to find time for each other, but you made it work, sharing an apartment in Portland during the offseason and flying out for matches when you could. But being a sports photographer did have its benefits, as your work often led you to spending more time with your girlfriend and admiring her speed down the field and score goals.

But now, with the pandemic, as the NWSL was struggling to field games,  you found yourself with little work. Christen herself was not quite satisfied with the league’s plan for the season, so when Tobin proposed the idea of going to the WSL, she desperately wanted to, yearning to get back on the pitch.

At first, when Christen approached you with the subject, you immediately opposed, not wanting to be so far from your girlfriend for such a long amount of time. Additionally, with COVID, it would be nearly, if not completely, impossible for you to visit. But after a blowout fight and discussing it further, you realized that this is what would be best for Christen and her career.

“Do you have to go?” You pout, sitting up and moving to the end of the bed.

“You know I do, (Y/N/N).” Christen playfully rolls her eyes.

“Humph.”

“Babe, come on, don’t make me feel worse about leaving you.”

“Then don’t,” you quip, grabbing your girlfriend by the waist, pulling her down on the bed with you.

“Babe!” Christen squeals, as you blow raspberries into her skin.

You lift your head from the crook of her neck, your eyes locking with hers. “I know that you have to go,” you admit seriously. “Doesn’t mean I like it, but I know that this is what’s best for your career.”

“Thank you, (Y/N),” she says earnestly, giving you a small smile. “We’ll text and FaceTime everyday.”

“I’m holding you to that.” You cup her face and bring her in for a kiss, savoring the feeling of her soft lips on yours. “I also know that you’re gonna kill it over there in Manchester. The WSL isn’t gonna know what hit them.”

Christen ducks her bashfully, a small blush arising on her cheeks. “You know I love you, right?”

“Of course, Chris. I love you, too.”

“Good.” She gives you a quick peck, as she gets up from the bed. “Now, either quit bothering me or help me. My flight is early tomorrow morning, and I haven’t even finished packing.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

—————

It had been a little over five months since you’d dropped Christen off at the airport and she left for Manchester. Despite the constant texting and the nightly FaceTime calls, you couldn’t help but ache for your girlfriend. Without her, the apartment was lonelier and the bed felt bigger.

It had helped that your work had started back up, first with some freelance work and then with the NWSL fall series starting, which gave you something to do and kept you fairly busy.

Currently, you were sitting at the kitchen counter, sipping on a cup of coffee, as you edited some photos for the Thorns. Just as you were saving your work and closing Lightroom, about to shut your computer, a ping alerts a new email in your inbox.

Switching tabs, you notice the message is from an unfamiliar address, so you presume it’s a new client. You click and open it, your eyes widening, as you scan the email:

Ms. (Y/L/N),

I noticed your professional portfolio through many referrals, particularly your work form the World Cup. I am writing on behalf of the BBC News Media Centre, and we’re looking for an excellent sports photographer to join the team, specifically to cover the FA Women’s Super League and the Premier League.

Your experience is outstanding, adn your work speaks for itself. I think you’d be a great fit for this role, and I’d love to tell you more about it and hear more from you.

Would you like to set up a phone or Zoom call soon? If so, let me know when you’re available.

Best,

Charles Smith

Director of Media Relations at BBC Sport

You quickly reread the email, and then reread it again, just to make sure you’re not dreaming. This was too good to be true. But you shake yourself out of your stupor and quickly type out a response to set up a phone call as soon as possible.

After hitting send, you shut your computer with excitement and throw your hands up in the air.

“Yes!” You exclaim into the empty apartment, as you throw your fist in the air and jump off the barstool.

Knowing you needed to distract yourself, otherwise you’d just be staring at your computer, eagerly awaiting the response, you decided to go on a run.

Jogging through the city, you think of your girlfriend and your potential reunion if this job offer worked out. You decided that if you did in fact take this position, you’d surprise Christen at one of her matches, hopefully one that you’d be able to photograph.

As soon as you arrive back in your apartment, you make a beeline for your laptop. You anxiously open your inbox and beam when you see Charles had replied to set up a Zoom call at 9:30 tomorrow morning. You excitedly type out pleasantries, telling him you’re looking forward to it.

For the rest of the afternoon, you were in an increasingly good mood. So later that evening, when Christen called you for your routine FaceTime, she could tell something was up.

“Why do you keep smiling like that?”

“Can I not be happy to talk to my girlfriend?” You tease, a huge grin plastered onto your face.

“You can,” Christen trails off, not quite believing you. “But you have the weird giddy look you get when something’s up?”

“Nothing’s up. Just had a good day,” you shrug nonchalantly.

“Okay,” the forward accepts, still eyeing you suspiciously. “Anyways, you know She Believes is in a couple weeks, are you working the tournament?”

“Yup,” you nod and make a mental note to mention that to Charles tomorrow.

The two of you continue updating each other, chatting about topics ranging from what you had for breakfast that day to re-inc’s upcoming drop.

“Alright,” Christen yawns. “I think I’m gonna call it a night.”

You check your phone and see it’s 5:37 pm, meaning it’s almost midnight in Manchester.

“Okay,” your eyes softening at the sight of your sleepy girlfriend. “Good night, Chris. I love you.”

“Love you, too, babe. G’night.”

After ending the call and shutting your laptop, you head into the kitchen to make some dinner for yourself, getting on with your evening.

—————

The next morning, you anxiously await for Charles to begin the Zoom call, nervously bouncing your knee and biting your lip.

“Hi, (Y/N),” Charles greets, his face appearing on your screen.

“Good morning. Or rather good afternoon?” You correct with a light chuckle, to which he reciprocates.

“Well, as you know from my email, we are looking for a photographer to join our team, and from many referrals, you seem to be a very good candidate,

“So, I was thinking maybe we could look at your portfolio really quickly and then hash out the logistics to see if this is something that could work out.”

“Sounds good,” you agree, as you pull up some of your best pictures and share your screen.

The two of you look through your photos, many from the 2019 World Cup, some of the Olympics, and a few from random NWSL games.

“Well, (Y/N), your work is quite impressive. If you’re ready, and you’re seriously interested in this position, we can talk specifics, scheduling, all that good stuff,” Charles offers.

“I’m definitely interested, but can I just preface by saying that my girlfriend is a major part of this decision, so depending on what she wants to do at the end of the season will impact my contract.”

“Oh?” He raises his eyebrows, clearly not expecting your candor. “Your girlfriend plays in the WSL?”

“Yeah, well, technically only for this season. Her contract is up in May,” you explain.  

“(Y/N), to be completely frank, we’re looking to hire because a couple of our photographers had some personal issues due to COVID and had to leave mid-season,” Charles reveals. “So if it turns out that your girlfriend wants to go back to the NWSL, then we can work that out. And if she wants to stay, and you end up liking it here and you fit in well, we can also work that out. We’re pretty flexible.”

You sigh in relief, giving him a small smile. “Wow, thank you so much. So what would my contract look like?”

“Well, we can sign you to three month contract with the option for extension,” he offers, as you nod along enthusiastically.

“That sounds great,” you exclaim, beaming. “And just to let you know, I’ve already signed on to work the She Believes tournament from the 18th to the 21st.”

“That actually aligns with the WSL’s international break, and there are a couple Premier League matches that weekend, but I think we can manage, so that shouldn’t be an issue.”

“You guys are too kind and so flexible. I really appreciate it so much,” you say earnestly.

“It’s really just us being desperate for a good photographer,” Charles jokes.

“Either way, I’m grateful for this opportunity.”

“We’re excited for you to join our team,” he reciprocates. “So, in terms of when you’ll begin, I honestly would like you to come over as soon as possible so that you can get settled and get acclimated.”

“I am honestly ready to start whenever you’ll have me.”

“How about next week? The Manchester Derby is on Friday, and honestly, given your portfolio, I’d love you to photograph that match,” the British man admits.

“That’s perfect!” You were in complete awe of how perfectly everything was working out. Photographing a Man United match as your first job meant you could surprise Christen, maybe as an early Valentine’s gift.

“Great,” Charles smiles.

The two of you discuss and finalize your contract and the logistics of you starting the job. Once everything’s settled and you each have the information you need, you wrap up the call.

“Well, thank you so much, Charles, for this offer, and I can’t wait to see you next Tuesday.”

“I can’t wait to work with you and meet you. See you next week. Cheers.”

After ending the Zoom call, you begin to make a COVID test appointment, book your flight, and arrange your hotel room for the few days that Christen doesn’t know you’re there, preparing yourself for moving across the world.

—————

After landing in London, getting settled into your hotel, and meeting with the BBC team and the other photographers, you were now on your way to the Manchester Derby.

In the back of the black cab, you pull out your phone to text a good luck text to Christen.

It was difficult to keep your surprise a secret, especially when you were actually in England, because it was much more difficult to FaceTime without her noticing your change in setting. You had to make up the excuse that you were swarmed with editing and preparing for the upcoming Thorns trainings.

As you pull up to the Academy Stadium, you hear your phone ding.

Chris ❤️

Thanks babe. Miss and love you 😘

You quickly type out a response, before heading into the building.

(Y/N/N) 💗

Love you too. I miss u too but go kick butt.

The match was exhilarating. Not only were you a sports photographer, but you were also a huge fan of the game, enjoying a good game when you see one.

You watched in awe, the level and style of play significantly different from than NWSL. While snapping hundreds of photos of both teams, your camera would always somehow land back on your girlfriend.

Your heart ached for the curly-haired forward, as you missed her dearly. Until you saw her back on the pitch, you hadn’t really realized that you missed watching her play the game that she’d mastered, her movements around the pitch and on the ball effortless and elegant.

As the ref blew the whistle, signaling the end of the half, you scroll through some of the photos you’d taken, deleting some of the blurry and unfocussed ones.

A smile immediately forms on your face when you see a picture of Christen during warmups with a huge grin on her face. You spend all of halftime editing said photo and putting together an Instagram post for your girlfriend.

About fifteen minutes later, the teams take the pitch and you go back to doing your job. Throughout the second half, you could tell that Christen was getting increasingly frustrated, her team getting down 3-0 with only about five minutes left.

You watch as the players high five and hug each other, and you want nothing more than to run onto the field to be with your girlfriend, but you had a plan to stick to.

As the team goes back into the locker room, you pull out your phone to post a photo on Instagram and then you shoot a quick text to Tobin:

(Y/N)🤓:

toby go check out my ig post :))

Back in the Man United locker room, after Casey went through her post match speech, Tobin checks her phone and sees a text from you. The injured forward playfully rolls her eyes at your message but follows your directions.

Upon opening the social media app, Tobin raises her eyebrows, her eyes widening. She glances across the room to see if her best friend had seen your post, but Christen was minding her own business, changing into sweats after her shower.

“Chris!” The older forward calls over to the other woman. “Have you seen your girlfriend’s Instagram post?”

Christen furrows her brows in confusion. “What? No, what is it?”

Tobin waves her friend over and shows her the post:

Liked by mrapinoe, ashlynharris24, and 638,231 others

yourusername: My muse, my valentine.

“As I sat and looked at her

and the rolling hills she sat upon

I thought,

what amazing luck I have

that the world had created

such beautiful things

and given me the eyes to see them.”

- atticus

tagged: christenpress

- - - - -

mrapinoe: Stunning pictures, (Y/N). Love you guys 💖

alikrieger: These photos are 🔥🔥🔥🔥

alexmorgan13: love this 😍😍

cdunn19: Beautiful!

glennondoyle: Love love love love this!!

ashlynharris24: Holy shit! Are you in Manchester????

↳lavellerose: Was this today??

↳sammymewyy: Oh my gosh it was!

↳kellyohara: Valentine’s Day surprise for Pressy?? 👀

Christen zooms in on the photo in the center, her eyes widening when she realizes that it is from today’s match.

“How did she get that picture?”

Tobin mentally slaps her forehead at her friend’s denseness. “Knowing (Y/N), she probably took it.”

“But that’s impossible. She’s in the States,” Christen states and shakes her head, dumbfounded.

“Actually,” you speak up, stepping into the locker room, deciding to make your presence known. “I’m right here.”

“(Y/N)?” Your girlfriend looks up at you, her mind in a state of shock.

“Hey, love,” you greet shyly.

Once her mind caught up with reality, Christen runs and jumps into your body, kissing you passionately but briefly and wrapping you into a bone crushing hug.

“I can’t believe your here,” she whispers into your neck. “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too, babe, so much.”

Unwrapping herself from the hug, Christen stares at you in awe. “What… how are you here?”

“We can talk about that later,” you give her another quick kiss. “But right now, I just wanna spend time with you. Maybe we can grab some dinner? You can show me around Manchester, considering I’m gonna be spending a lot of time here.”

Your girlfriend looks at you puzzled, but you just give her a wink with a small smirk on your face.

“Well, c’mon lets get out of here.”

—————

Back at Christen’s apartment, the two of you sit down for a nice and casual, but romantic, dinner you’d prepared along with a bottle of red wine.

After catching up, the forward finally decides to address the elephant in the room. “So how are you here? What’s going on, (Y/N/N)? You said earlier that you’d be spending a lot of time in Manchester, what does that mean? I’m so confused. Not that I’m grateful that you’re here right now and that I get to see you, but I thought you were working She Believes, and—“

“Chris,” you cut off your girlfriend’s endearing rambling. “Babe, you’re rambling.”

“Sorry,” she blushes, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

“I got a job with BBC Sport till the end of the season,” you answer her parade of questions.

“Does that mean what I think it does?”

You nod, while taking a sip of your water. “It means I’m yours if you’ll have me.”

Not having the adequate words to express her joy and excitement, Christen gets up from her chair, walks over to sit in your lap, and connects you lips for a searing kiss.

“I can’t believe you,” she breathes, rubbing her nose against yours. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” you quickly peck her lips while rubbing circles on her hip. “But as much as I love you and all this romance, we gotta get going soon.”

Your girlfriend tilts her head in confusion.

“Do the words ‘She Believes’ ring a bell?” You tease. “If I remember correctly, our flight leaves in a couple hours.”

“You’re coming with me?” Christen asks, her brain trying to wrap around the fact that her girlfriend, who she hadn’t seen in almost five months, would now be living with her in England and flying back to the States with her for the next week.

“Of course, Chris,” you give her a cheeky smile, along with a kiss to her nose, as you quote a book Becky had convinced the whole team to read. “You should know by now that I’d follow you anywhere. You’re the only good thing left in this world.”