golden blonde¹

ajax (a)

september 28, 2022

elena's day starts with an early coffee run with viv, but she ends up getting a hot chocolate.

caffiene made her jumpy and jittery, something that she did not want to feel during a game day.

"you should start teaching me dutch." elena tells the dutch striker.

viv sips her hot coffee before replying, "why?"

"well my sister is trying to learn it because of jill. then they talk in dutch to each other. i am stuck, what is the term? the third wheel."

viv laughs, "that still doesn't explain why you want to learn it."

"i want to be able to insult dutch players on the field." elena says with a straight face. "but mostly jill. she is easily angered."

"i am not teaching you to curse in dutch." viv says simply.

"oh i already know how to swear. i just need it to be more refined. complete sentences and all."

viv looks at her with a dumbfounded face. "lia will kill me, hell even jill is going to kill me."

"what a shame. i will ask lotte. she seems much more willing to help." elena thinks out loud.

viv's expression transforms 3 times in a second and it takes all of elena's strength not to burst out laughing.

"fine, i'll help you out. you have to help me out with your corner kicks and free kicks though."

elena looks back at the dutch woman.

"what do you mean?"

"come on, don't act oblivious, it doesn't seem like you. i know you stay after the session to practice some set pieces."

"it wouldn't really matter anyways. steph and beth already take them for us."

"you never know when they're going to be off the pitch. your left foot is almost as good as steph's." viv notes.

"okay, we can practice set pieces after practice together, in exchange, you give me dutch lessons." elena sticks her right hand out. viv takes it happily, shaking it up and down.

the team later goes for a team walk through amsterdam, but kick off arrives not long after.

they opt for a 4-4-2 this time. manu, leah, laura, rafa and steph start in defense.

jonas had made a big emphasis on shutting down the ajax striker. lia would be tasked with marking leuchter while elena roamed more freely. while also marking leuchter, elena was playing as a left midfielder. it wasn't really her preferred position, but jonas clearly saw something in her. caitlin would be playing as right midfielder.

stina and viv would be playing as double 9's.

in their last game against tottenham, steph, elena and caitlin had run rampant through the spurs defense. their tactic was to do a similar job against ajax.

as they're lining up, elena walks to the back of the line, the opposing number 23 with a game face on beside her.

"good luck." elena nods towards victoria pelova.

the dutch midfielder offers her a smirk before turning straight ahead.

the game starts off quickly. arsenal are pressing high and look dangerous on the counter attack.

elena looks up briefly in the sky as raindrops start splattering on the pitch.

god, i better not slip and make a fool of myself.