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pleaserelaxfc · 2 years

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NWSL: International Absences

So, with the NWSL picking up with three games per team between now and the likely return of most of its international players, I thought I would do a rundown of how each team will be affected, starting with the teams least affected and moving towards those most affected.

First, a quick overview of how many players each team is missing - number in parentheses is how many of them have played more than 50% of the club's minutes this season:

OL Reign: 8 (4)

Washington Spirit: 7 (5)

Houston Dash: 7 (5)

Portland Thorns: 6 (6)

San Diego Wave: 5 (5)

North Carolina Courage: 5 (4)

NJ/NY Gotham: 4 (4)

Racing Louisville: 4 (1)

Chicago Red Stars: 3 (2)

Angel City: 2 (1)

Kansas City Current: 2 (1)

Orlando Pride: 1 (1)

In general, I think the number of high-minute players absent from a team is a pretty good (but not perfect) proxy for how much a team will be affected in the international window, so in this post, I'm going to start with the Orlando Pride, the Kansas City Current, Racing Louisville, and Angel City. These four teams are each going to be missing one or two starters - often important players for the team as a unit, but with only one or two players out, the international window won't affect them much more than the normal course of short-term injuries already does.

Orlando Pride

Player(s) out: Gunny Jonsdottir (MF)

Jonsdottir is a pretty key piece for Orlando, both in terms of play and leadership. She is often the best performer in a fairly shaky midfield, where she can play either in a more attacking or a more defensive role, and she has even been tasked with playing as an outside back in a couple of recent games. However, the Pride's problems in the upcoming games are going to come down to player management and weaknesses throughout the field, rather than just her individual availability. Erika Tymrak was very good for the Pride last season but has gotten less than 90 minutes this season; either she or Mikayla Cluff, who didn't start either of the Pride's last two games with a mild foot injury, could fill in comfortably in Jonsdottir's usual attacking midfield position.

Not on international duty but absent nonetheless is Sydney Leroux, who was just traded to Angel City. She and Darian Jenkins were mainstays in the Pride's front line all season, and for good reason - although Jenkins is a standout player and will surely get some good goals, Leroux's absence will significantly limit the Pride's ability to win games outright.

Kansas City Current

Player(s) out: Desiree Scott (MF); Sydney Schneider (GK)

Scott is the bigger loss here, having the second-highest number of minutes of all Current players, while Schneider has not yet made an appearance for the team. Scott will be a loss in the defensive midfield, but rookie Alex Loera has gotten a few minutes in defensive midfield earlier in the season alongside her, and the Current also have the enormous blessing of Kristen Edmonds, who can play almost any position. While Loera hasn't necessarily appeared as a sole number 6 in the NWSL, it seems that the Current have been working on improving the defensive capabilities of several of their other midfielders, including Victoria Pickett and Chardonnay Curran, so if she does start there, the other midfielders could pick up some of the slack as well. With Loera and Edmonds both starting as center backs in recent games, either would need to be replaced there - but there is no lack of capable defenders on the Current's bench, including Taylor Leach, the newly-traded Addisyn Merrick, and (once she returns from injury) Jenna Winebrenner.

Angel City

Player(s) out: Vanessa Gilles (CB), Allyson Swaby (DF)

Gilles seemed to be holding Angel City's defense together single-handedly for large portions of the Challenge Cup, and while their defensive line has become stronger the more they have played together, she is probably still the strongest player on their back line and her absence will be notable. For their first game, Madison Hammond, who had started several Challenge Cup games before Megan Reid returned from injury, will be out under COVID protocol, so I would expect to see Paige Nielsen alongside Reid - Nielsen hasn't gotten many minutes following her own off-season health issues, but was a pretty strong player with Washington last season, so while there will be a drop in quality, I don't think it will be too significant.

More concerning for Angel City is their rapidly-shrinking depth all over the field, including in defense - in addition to Gilles and Swaby on international duty and Hammond under COVID protocol, they are still missing Jasmyne Spencer, Sarah Gorden, and M.A. Vignola to injury. Tyler Lussi has been performing at outside back, but she is already a converted forward in that position (and given the injuries in more attacking roles, might be better utilized there for the moment), and Ali Riley was kept out of the New Zealand gameday squad during their June games due to an injury picked up in training - I'm not entirely sure how Angel City would respond if anyone else in their defense weren't able to play. Their other field positions aren't doing much better, although not due to international absences, with Christen Press suffering a season-ending ACL tear, Simone Charley out with an achilles injury, and Cari Roccaro also out under COVID protocol.

Racing Louisville

Player(s) out: Emily Fox (LB), Nadia Nadim (FW/AM), Rebecca Holloway (LB), Satara Murray (DF)

Fox is pretty clearly the biggest loss here, having been a standout player for Racing through the season and a half she's been in the NWSL, but Nadim has been adding some much-needed energy off the bench that will also be missed, particularly having traded away Cece Kizer and Ebony Salmon. While Holloway would have been the natural replacement for Fox, it seems that Racing have been preparing for their combined absences by repurposing Lauren Milliet as an outside back, and she hasn't done poorly there, either. Milliet has been starting on the front line, and recent starting lineups have had her there alongside Alex Chidiac and Savannah DeMelo, but Racing has plenty of young talent on the forward line that could fill her absence on the wing, including Emina Ekic, Kristen Davis, and Sh'nia Gordon - those three may also be relied on more heavily off the bench while Nadim is out.

#nwsl #international duty

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captianprices40thson · 5 months

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good morning good fellow could you write more about Graves x male!reader? I love your writing and 🫡🫡🫡 this american twink makes me feel things I don't like.

It's only right to think about the guy you love and hold him tight.

Warnings: None. Very fluffy. There is a little bit of internalised homophobia but that’s only if you squint and use a magnifying glass. A swear word or two. Not edited.

Requested: Yes!

Words: 1.5k

Pairing: Phillip Graves x M!Reader

Pronouns used: You/Yourself. Reader is male and receives masculine compliments.

AAAAA SORRY I’VE BEEN GONE FOREVER. School caught up to me (you know how finals are in my country.) But I’m nearly on break and will be able to write a lot more. Enjoy this extravaganza of bullshit and pain.

“Phillip-” You groaned as he dragged you through the home you shared, blindfolded. Of course, you knew where he was taking you, you had walked this path a million times before…but he still wanted you blindfolded.

“Almost there, handsome.”

“Why am I blindfolded?” You asked, curiosity getting the best of you. Sure, you didn’t ask any questions when he put it on you from behind, but it felt like he was dragging you around for a good seven hundred minutes.

“Because I have a surpriseee.” He responded and you could practically hear the grin in his voice. The American man continued to hold your hand with his own, which was surprisingly soft for a man like him who spent his days in gloves and handing things rather rough.

“Phillip, I have to cook dinner.” You mumbled, getting the slightest bit frustrated. Yes, you loved this man with all your heart, but he really needed to stop doing this shit when you had just gotten home after a long day.

“Okay, okay…we’re here.” He smiled and let go of your hand, leaving you in the darkness that was the blindfold. You were left alone for a moment, before his reassuring hands came from behind to remind you that you were not alone, and that he would be taking it off now.

“Surprise.” He smiled as the blindfold came off and your eyes scanned around the room. It was what was previously the living room, now turned into an assortment of pillows, blankets, a few stuffed animals that came from both you and him, and overall just a comfortable ass looking room. The TV and coffee table were not covered, although the coffee table had an assortment of food he knew you loved.

“I know you had a rough day at work and…figured you might just want to relax.” He continued, walking further into the room. He had taken his shoes off, revealing he was wearing cat paw print socks you had gotten for him ages ago as a joke. You were going to mention it, but he spoke first, handing you a pair of matching socks, although they were black and pink instead of his white and pink.

“Don’t think your amazing and totally cool husband would let things like a bad day slide. It's relaxing time, big guy.” He smiled and you felt like he could not have said anything more cringe. Though, that’s why you liked him. He was cringe and to be honest, so were you.

“Jesus Christ, Phillip.” You smiled, taking your socks off. “You’re so cheesy, you know that?”

“So are you? Remember what you did when I kissed you the first time?” He retorted, sitting down on the couch which was currently covered in a blanket with a stupid amount of pillows.

“Yes, I understand. I said crikey. I was seventeen. It was cool back then.” You responded, taking off your own shoes and socks in order to put on the pair your husband had given you.

“Was it though?” He asked, picking up the remote and turning the Tv on.

“Oh like you can talk, Mr ‘Totally straight until you met me.’” You smiled as you sat down on the comfortable couch next to him.

“Oh you know what?” He groaned and before you could say anything, he tackled you on the couch, ending up on top of you with his head in your neck. You both laughed, his body pressing on top of yours was comforting and felt like home. The weight of his body on yours was a reminder that you were very real and very loved.

“Wanna watch YellowJackets?” He whispered, knowing that you had a strange fascination with Jeff. When you had first watched it, you had thought that the man was your husband due to them looking so similar. He didn’t see it. You wondered if he had a twin named Warren that he either didn’t know or didn’t tell you about.

“Absolutely.” You mused, watching him sit up and lie down on the other side of the couch. He invited you over to lay next to him, your body pressed against his. You could feel his body pressed against yours, his arm snaking around your waist in order to hold you tight.

“This feels…out of character for you.” You told him, looking around at the pillows and blankets strewn all over the place. You were right, he would never usually do this for you…what changed? You turned your body over to face him, his features changing from resting to deep thought and finally, a loving look that said more than words. “I had a…realisation at work today. Nothing big but…my time with you is precious. I don’t want to constantly be Graves around you…I want to be Phillip. And Phillip doesn’t want his husband to come home to no comfort after what I heard was a shitty day.” He told you, moving his hand to hold your face, gently moving his thumb up and down your features. He was right, this was Phillip. Not Commander Graves that you knew so well...the Phillip who you married.

“Romantic.” You murmured, going in for a kiss. He reciprocated, holding you as your lips touched. It was a shitty day, but you were pretty sure this man could make anything better if he put the effort in. He was just like that.

____

Long after you had fallen asleep and he had turned the TV off, Phillip lay awake, still holding you close to him. You were facing him, so he was able to study your features. God, you were so handsome. In his eyes, there was literally no one else more beautiful than you (and he’s met Gaz so that is huge.) His eyes looked over your lips, your perfect nose, your closed eyes and soft breathing as you slept. Could he have anyone more perfect than you?

“I am so lucky…” He whispered, moving a hand to rest against your cheek, caressing your face.

“You are so easy to love…and I was not. And yet you loved me anyways…god, I don’t deserve you.” He mumbled, a small smile on his face as he spoke to himself. He wanted you to hear him say that…but he didn’t think he was ready to admit this stuff aloud. The Phillip you knew was still under a protective layer of Graves.

“You are also very easy to please…and you’re a great cuddler…you’re just…amazing.” He told you, almost waiting for you to open your eyes and reveal you were awake the whole time.

“And…I want to be there for you more.” He continued to whisper, the ring finger on his hand suddenly feeling a whole lot heavier than it did before. He took a breath, ready to say it aloud for the first time.

“I want people to know we’re married. I don’t want this to be hidden anymore…I want to tell my shadows, I want to wear my wedding ring to work…I want to be romantic with you publicly. I don’t want to hide you anymore.” He admitted, a small tear in his eyes forming. “Starting tomorrow…I will be Phillip…the Phillip that loves you and wants you to know. The Phillip that isn't scared anymore.” He affirmed, the tears now rolling down his face. You continued to sleep, you dumbass, not knowing that this man was confessing his heart out to you right now. But not in the way he did when you were both nineteen.

A small kiss on your forehead was felt, making your unconscious form form a small smile, before he wrapped his arms around you and fell asleep, feeling like he had gotten such a big weight off of his chest…and he had.

____

“I’m headed out. I'll be home late tonight so don’t wait for me.” He told you as you entered the kitchen, having gotten dressed into your own work clothes.

“M’kay. Love you handsome. Thankyou for last night.” You smiled, walking up to him and kissing him on the lips. He nodded, then turned to go and leave the house, opening and closing the door…and he was gone.

You took a sigh, holding up your wedding ring hand. You also took it off every morning before work. It was something you hated doing but…you understood it was not ideal to be queer in your work environment. You took off the golden ring, moving over to the small wooden tray in the kitchen where you both placed yours every morning. You placed it down next to…no. His wasn’t there. He had taken his own to work. A wave of serotonin rushed through you as you realised what he had done.

You picked yours back up, a moment of hesitance. Do you take yours with you as well, or put it back? If he was brave enough to do the act, why weren’t you?

A moment of thought, tossing the ring back and forth in your hands. Then, you made your choice.

HAHAHA SCREW YOU. CLIFFHANGER. This is like inception. It's up to interpretationnnnn~.

#call of duty #cod x reader #cod #fanfiction #fluff #writers on tumblr #phillip graves x reader #graves x reader #graves x male reader #phillip graves x you #graves cod #male reader #phillip graves x male reader #very fluffy don't worry #internalized homophobia but only a little bit guys #GAY #fiction

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