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that-soccer-guru · 4 years

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Recently lots of people have been hyping up Kmew due to her great return against nedwnt and everyone's saying she'll go to the next Olympics. I absolutely love Kristie but the uswnt already has a solid youthful midfield. She's not gonna brake into that Lindsey-Rose-Sam-Julie-Andi lineup. There could be a chance for her in the next world cup since it's a slightly larger roster but then again we have to think about players like Macario and Howell. Would you rather take an inexperienced 30 year old or two 20 year olds who are also inexperienced, but they're young and youthful? Also lots of people have been shitting on Sonnett saying her time is up and they would rather take Midge/Davidson/Alana over her. I know Sonnett's not exactly where she should be considering she's in her prime ages right now, but I'd still rank her over Midge/Davidson/Alana. I know those three are also youthful however I believe Sonnett's experience with the national team ranks her above those three. Say O'Hara has an ankle issue during a game. Would you sub in Midge/Alana who only have 1-2 caps, or Sonnett who has about 45 caps? I hate how everyone is ready to just write her off. She would've had more experience to grow if J*ll didn't screw her over a few years back.

It's taken me a while to come up with a solid response to this ask, because it was very thoughtful so I feel like it deserves a good response.

I get your point about Kristie, but the truth of the matter is that you're not talking about the same kind of player. On top of that you also have to consider that Andi Sullivan is coming off an injury right when Kristie Mewis is having the year of her life. Yes, she's a bit older than the bulk of the midfield, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing for the Olympics roster, especially if she keeps up the momentum. Particularly because Andi provides a different kind of support to the midfield, and one that has at least a questionable spot on any given day because Rose is so injury prone. They don't play the same position but with some formation tweeks Kristie would fit right in as support for Lindsey's playmaking abilities. It NEVER hurts to have a forward minded midfielder that can make recoveries, has good speed, and is coming off an excellent career year. And with talent like Howell and Macario coming down the pipeline THIS is her moment to shine internationally, and maybe be a transition piece for the up and coming midfield. Or maybe just a chance to shine at the Olympics, either way regardless of age arguments I would take her.

My argument for Sonnett is slightly different to yours in that, if it comes down to who to sub in if Kelley runs out of gas or her ankles act up, I'd pick Sonnett by virtue of her being an experienced and reliable RB. Midge is still being shifted to the defense and her time in Sky Blue is now spent in the front (which like, thank God, I hated having her in the back and if Vlatko keeps her in the back I will weep), Alana Cook still needs a few more years of experience and a few more caps to compete for that spot, in my opinion. And with KO's retirement looming, she'd be the perfect transition RB, just right to compete in these Olympics, perfect to guide the defense through the qualifiers for the WC and just right to be seasoned enough to lead the next generation of defenders. A few more games and more camp training and Sonnett will be amazing, mark my words.

Jill Ellis did a number on more than just Sonnett's ability to develop as an international player, and thankfully it seems like a lot of that is being worked on.

Thank you for this ask! I know you sent it a while ago so I hope I delivered on answering it haha. BETTER LATE THAN NEVER!

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inthedusksynria · 3 years

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until-lune respondeu seu post “@until-lune I’m 99% convinced that Micaiah will be...”A couple of things that I want to say. • If we...

@until-lune

Hello! Again i am using this one form of reply bc its easier for format! If you prefer i change for reply format it let me know!. Putting under read more bc this got long, but i had lots of fun doing it!. I am answering all your replies here!

M!Corrin-wise - I dont think Omega Yato will be his weapon, because the refined version of his OG version (normal M!Corrin in the red pool) already has it. While his art has his normal weapon, his sprite has Omega Yato.

Dawn Yato is definitely a possibility tho! although it would be very odd to give it to him and not make its Twin/Mirror Weapon Dusk Yato to CQ!themed!L!F!Corrin.(but hey its IS)

(something i am so salty off bc i love Dawn and Dusk Yatos ;-; they are so pretty and match so well their promotions... and games... heck!! they both have their route-represent Legendary weapons features incorpored on them and just *clenches fist at the emotional moments*)

Also, A re-colored dragon alt is also a possibility, since L!F!Corn did that.

I dont think skipping the Staff is a certainty because IS has made weird choices before. Leif has an Bow which is a weird choice for him, but, like Corrin, he has a A Rank in bows in his promoted class, and like Corrin he is an “unpopular” Lord. Chrom and Lucina have Bows, when they also had Lances as options by promotion class.

I dont think popularity certainly incentivizes diversity in weapon usage. because we have had a lot of Weird choices from IS of making a popular character have the same weapon across multiple alts. -> 3H lords, Ike, Eirika and Ephraim had all a repeat of their OG weapons and are far more or just as popular as Micaiah; and even weirder L!F!Corrin, who by CYL and Nintendo magazine poll is more popular then M!Corrin, has the same weapon type than her fallen version (and still lacks a red alt for her emblem AND had an iconic red weapon associated with her promotion of DarkBlood/Nohr Noble (Dusk Yato)). Also fun fact, F!Corrin counterpart to M!Corrin Staff Rank is a Tome Rank. So it would also be possible for her to have had an red tome alt.

conclusion regarding weapons: IS pretty much spins a Wheel and decides what to do. I think its pretty much a case of...whatever the executives woke up on that day wanting.

(that, of course, doesnt make theorizing what weapon they will have any less fun xD)

Honestly the only reason why I am certain it is Micaiah is irrational/a F2P technique. In that if it is not her, it will destroy my will to summon and thus allow me to spend less XD. I have seen people doing it and boy does it works wonders when you arent right.

Going by that (my theory it is Micaiah) I find it unlikely to be Colorless (and thus Staff or colorless tome) only because the other spreads are just That Good^tm.

One of the methods that people used to guess which color the new Leg/Mythic will be is to see which color has a busted spread of colors. And it has been right ever since Edelgard

(The reason for so is that IS seems to have realized that by debutting the hero on a so-so spread, it made people wait for their rerun in order to get them, Bramimond being an example in that his spread was awful (L!Grima) and his rerun spread was godsmacking good (Mila)... pun not intended)

The colorless this time is rather...i wouldnt say weak, because Eir usability is REALLy good and Duma has a nice niche of wrecking people plans(cackles in my AR matches). However, they are fairly outdated in comparation with the other color spreads. So, in the event this leg hero is Micaiah (or Elincia, or Byleth) i dont think they would be colorless because of that.

Oh! Regarding the CYL theory, since the legendaries were introduced in the second year of FEH, I dont consider much broken, since i merely think its always /A/ winner instead of the 1st of each year. Since shuffling of legendaries is possible, (those times when IS changed the calendar lineup), should the Byleths win CYL(which is fairly likely). it would be easy to put them on the next GW. And I also think it will be a theory that will be broken absolutely next year, since I doubt Marianne and Gatekeeper would be viable L!Heroes. I agree with you that is a weak pattern that is likely to be broken.

Counterpoint to Wind F!Byleth -> Blessings not always end up being the element that is most associated with the Character in the main game. Highly Water themed (and midly Fire themed;) Corrin ended up as Wind; Julia, who has Minor blood of fire and was called “Genealogy’s Fire Emblem sword” was Earth; Eliwood, wielding the fire themed Durandal, was Wind. (tbf this is also a counterpoint to Wind Micaiah, since she has more association with Light and maybe Fire(?) than Wind)

Regarding 3H launching with 3H, besides Edelgard, Claude also debuted with no 3H legendary accompanying him. Annete was there, but other than that, no other 3H unit or legendary was on the banner. In fact, the pattern i do see with 3H legendaries is that their first re-run matches with a release of a Mythic in their color spread. (Edelgard -> Hel ; Dimitri -> Seiros).

I want to highlight that i am not saying it wont happen, but that I lean more towards they keeping a space between 3H legendaries release, in order to long term profits, and to not cause burn-out of 3H content. (or at least decrease people complaining about it; They seem to have learned their lesson with the Fates and Tellius spams.)

Finally,I do think that it is possible for Micaiah to be a Staff and for other characters to be released in this month/banner, mostly it is the premises i chose to apply to this theorizing lead me in a contrary direction xD. You show some good points! (I would love a Dawn Yato Corn and a Staff Micaiah ;-;...)

Extra Tangent: I have absolutely no idea what IS(executives) considers the character is associated with Silver Snow like...

For one side, Seteth makes lip service saying the route lord is Rhea; Rhea presents the choice mirror to Edelgard’s in the route split; the ending cutscene focuses on Rhea character development/closure, but, at the same time, she is Sir Not Appearing for 75% of the route and the rest of the time she is benched.

For another side, Byleth was made to be the lord to Edelgard emperor’s and her rival; has several cutscenes showcasing that; is the “lord” of the route in role sense, but, on the other hand, its more associated with Fire (fire emblem).

Honestly at this point i just dont know what FEH is going to do with them. I think IS is going to make one of Byleth Wind as you said and the other Fire, but which one, i have no idea. I could see too an argument for Ground(since i think at the lack of an Light element for Light element character-focused they pick ground sometimes) too, but yeah.

I cant believe the true plot twist of GW is gonna be Rhea being the wind legendary breaking all of our theories xD (/j, but can you imagine how funny it would be?)

#until-lune #text post #typing this out is really fun #formatting was weird tho #will i be able to put a point? will i not? only tumblr knows #I am glad you enjoy it too! :D If you have any memes feel free to send me bc BotV is so memetic and has awesome art! And then turns around #and tugs your heartstrings so hard *i teared up when baby!Og!Mellisa talked to Melissa and discovering Yuri fate as releaving all was so omi #ominious and then Melissa saving Yuri of it was ao djiojoidsjaoiasdj HyPE god i love them and Nine #will i be able to do a paragraph? will i not? will tumblr have a breakdown if i try to take out one point? only tumblr knows #AND YONA YONA DESERVES ALL THE RAISES EVER #syn rambles

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33v0 · 4 years

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First hand account of police behavior during the protests in KY, from the /r/louisville subreddit

“Sharing the experience of a Louisvillian from last night that was shared with me. I hope people will continue to share their experience to keep the truth alive.

I can’t help but give my full account of what happened last night as I saw it. It is actually legitimately hard to believe, but bear with me. Though they may not have seen it all as clearly, I’m certain that people who were around me at various points of this can confirm it. This is probably the most important story I will tell for the rest of my life.

I went to last night’s protest in a P-100 mask, a full-faced respirator with two particulate filters. I wore it because I’m extra vigilant about Covid and this seemed like quite a breeding ground for upset or careless people to forget there’s a pandemic killing people. I’d unfortunately learn later that it’s capable of filtering out tear gas, a lot of it; but that isn’t why I wore it, and I had it on the entire time.

I got there around 8:30 with some good friends, and we went to 6th & Jefferson, in front of the courthouse, where most of the protest was taking place. It was passionate and collective, but overall peaceful. A friend and I took a lap around the courthouse, there was graffiti but nothing out of hand. I’d walked into that courthouse every day for a couple years, so I was really taking in the spectacle of how different the whole area looked under the circumstances. But there *were not broken windows, there wasn’t an angry mob gathered at the courthouse door, or any of these other images the government is trying to conjure. It was a peaceful protest by all standards.*

Around 9, our group decided to take another lap. We were gonna come around the Chestnut & 6th side of the courthouse to not have to walk against the crowd, because people weren’t really gathered on the Chestnut side. As we rounded the courthouse, though, at 7th & Chestnut, the police had started to line up in formation in full riot gear, they were doing these kind of weird ceremonial lineup drills. At the time I thought it was a really silly spectacle. It seemed so unnecessary that it was a little funny, my friend joked that it looked like JROTC was in session, and it did. I was really amused by it and wondered like, is this for the news crews, or are they just kind of running a drill, or trying to remind the crowd of their presence? Initially it actually looked quite goofy and not as menacing as I assumed they wanted. Nevertheless we didn’t do that second lap as it seemed pretty clear we weren’t allowed to walk that direction on that public sidewalk at that time.

So this Cop Conga Line keeps adding to its ranks down towards 7th & Chestnut, then marches up to the west side of the 6th & Chestnut intersection. This is increasingly a weird spectacle to me, because the protest is really taking place in earnest a block north of there, and at first the cops are basically gathering by themselves, just standing in a menacing line in riot gear, even though there was no riot.

This achieved LMPD’s desired outcome of herding the crowd in front of them, so the scene you often see in protest coverage, a crowd of protestors opposing a line of riot police. I can’t use the word spectacle enough, or the word herding, which becomes a surprisingly common theme. Eventually the protest moves completely to in front of the police, as naturally it would since it’s a protest of the police.

It continues peacefully there at 6th and Chestnut for 15 minutes or so before a friend I came with tells me that the police are also lining up like this behind the crowd and looked to be preparing to squeeze us in. This was all just.. perplexing to me. Why, when they should be actively working to rebuild community trust, were they doing this weird posturing. It almost felt like just a photo op for their riot brigade. After 30 minutes or so of the cops lining up this way, the tension even seemed to die a little bit and the crowd was in a bit of a lull.

The whole time I’m thinking, this is a strange flex by the cops here, but assuming this protest keeps this tone, they’re just gonna stand around like this. Silly me.

*The first round of tear gas was so sudden, and wasn’t preceded by any commands to disperse or violence or chaos, that amidst this human stampede and the plumes of smoke, I thought they’d just let off some smoke canisters to disperse the crowd, which I thought on its own would’ve been wildly inappropriate. It was only as I noticed that everyone around me was choking and gagging and crying that they’d actually just tear gassed this whole crowd. And not only did they gas us, they herded the entire crowd to one intersection, waited til just about everyone had gathered there, and only then did they attack. It appeared to be nothing short of a war effort. *

Okay, if you thought a bunch of riot police herding peaceful protestors into an intersection and launching a coordinated tear gas assault was wild, put on a helmet and grab your favorite beverage, it’s only just begun. As you can imagine, sudden explosions into a crowd of at least 1,000 causes some serious chaos, and most people sprinted away since.. you know.. they were choking on tear gas.

The police had set up these barrier lines, riot cops with their shields, these big armored SWAT trucks that I honestly don’t even understand why LMPD needs one nvm 20 of them to begin with. They’d set up all these lines prior to firing their first shots, took ‘em a solid half hour to get in position, just as a military force would do for a tactical siege.

Myself and only 2 other people I saw in the entire crowd had immunity to the tear gas, so my need to retreat was a lot lesser than most, and I was just so shocked by what I’d just witnessed that I stood there a few minutes taking it all in. And at this time, if you’re familiar with downtown Louisville, there’s a grassy courtyard across from the courthouse, and because of the way the police lines were set up, across it to the northeast was the only path of retreat. To my absolute surprise, LMPD continued to hurl tear gas into the courtyard at fleeing protestors.

There was really only one way for everyone to go, which would be towards 5th & Jefferson. Guess who was waiting? A surprise line of riot police that’d previously been hidden to us by the Hillyard Lyons building. Because I didn’t have to retreat as quickly, it took me 5 minutes or so to get over there. Along the way I saw these war zone images, stunned crying people dousing themselves in milk and saline solution and water. There’s a metaphor with privilege to be had here about how lucky I felt to have a gas mask on but let’s not get into that.

By the time I got to this intersection, the remaining protestors had again gathered in front of the police line. Tension was obviously much higher now and people were yelling at the cops and such, but surprisingly, what a good majority of the protestors did was kneel directly in front of the riot line and put their hands in the air. You can’t get much more peaceful. Even after they’d attacked us once, nobody was breaking windows, nobody was violent. Peaceful protest had resumed, just much more intensely.

5th & Jefferson (I was honestly pretty disoriented so I can’t say for sure but I think that’s where we were) then becomes the epicenter, and we see what had happened at the first incident start to swell up again. The cops pinch in the protestors with riot police on 3 sides of us, they’re moving those big SWAT trucks into position, flanking like a military operation. It begs the question: if dispersion was ever the goal, why did you cut off the retreat paths? More on that in a second.

So this builds at this new spot for another 20 minutes, peaceful all the while, as the cops keep moving into position. I’m standing on, again I’m pretty sure but not totally, 5th street, on the north side of Jefferson now. The riot police are positioned on all sides of the protest. I had a moment of naivety where I thought, okay, maybe something happened back there that I didn’t see that warranted the gassing. It was continuing peacefully and again I think we were all kind of lulled into this idea that if we weren’t violent, they wouldn’t be, though they just had been.

*Where I was standing, there was a large concrete sign just behind me. I saw protestors kind of scurry out from behind it and behind me, and looked to see what was going on. A small group of cops had snuck in behind us and set non-projectile tear gas canisters behind the sign. As they began to fog and people began to feel it, BOOM. The riot cops threw a flash bang grenade just over the heads of the knelt, peaceful protestors along Jefferson. *

This paragraph is the kicker. I hope someone else saw or noticed this, yet because of my mask I worry I’m the only one who did. Recall that the police had lined off all paths of retreat but one, which was to go north on 5th street. So of course, after this timed ambush, people are fleeing up 5th, choking again on their second round of tear gas, tripping over each other. I wouldn’t say calmly but, clearly I was able to watch this unfold, because I was about the only person who could see. Parked in the middle of 5th street, along the only path of retreat, was one of those blacked out armored SWAT trucks. It was hiding in wait. As this mass of confused, gassed, panicked people flow by it, I see the passenger door crack open, and a projectile tear gas grenade slips out and onto the ground at the feet of fleeing protestors. Nobody was aggressing the truck, they were already reeling from being fuckin tear gassed again. It was malicious, and unnecessary, and planned, and it served one purpose: cause chaos. The panicked crowd didn’t know where the new canisters were coming from, because they were coming from amongst us. They bombed the path of retreat like a war adversary. They never wanted people to disperse; they wanted to cause a riot.

Even after the first gassing, the rioting didn’t begin. Even after the second, it didn’t. Even after THIS incident, where they once more cornered and ambushed us, the rioting didn’t begin.

This continues on similarly at a third location, the protest builds back up, with increased intensity, because now it’s also a protest against the response to the protest. At this point I was incensed. It became clear to me that the police were tactically funneling the protest wherever they wanted it to be, letting people realize that’s where it’d moved to, then mercilessly gassing it once they got into position. After the third such incident, I felt that I was too angry and upset to avoid putting myself in position to be executed by the police, which they clearly wanted someone to do, and I have a daughter, so I left. I can’t attest to what happened next and never saw the fires start or the windows break. But I can say very definitively that everything that happened was by the design of the LMPD, and there’s no plausible deniability on their part. I watched them ambush us. I watched them cut off and attack our retreat. Their only goals were to start a riot and inflict harm on the city, which they achieved.”

The following comment thread:

#saving this in case reddit takes it down #2020 protests #black lives matter

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bronzewool · 3 years

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After binge-watching the last season of Castlevania and sleeping on it for a bit, I feel like enough time has passed for me to reflect on my initial feelings about this season as a whole.

I love everything about Trevor this season and his entire performance as a whole. Trevor is easily written off as nothing more than a filthy, foul-mouth, drunk, when in fact he is the most insightful character out of our three main leads. He was raised to kill dark creatures from the moment he could lift a sword and is a fountain of knowledge when it comes to different types of dark creatures, weapons, magical objects, and dark symbols. He knows more about vampire lineage than Alucard does and is more worldly than Sypha. He is the smartest character in the rosta and doesn't seem to care none of his friends respect his wisdom.

And the best part is Trevor is just a man. He's not the son of the most powerful vampire in history, he's not a magician prodigy who controls the elements, he's just a guy with some enchanted weapons and combat training, and still capable of keeping up with them. Trevor is badass.

Although there are still parts of the overall story that do disappoint me, especially the interesting lineup of vampires and monsters we keep seeing in the background that never take centre stage before they're killed off in one fight scene. This show has some of the most unique and diverse vampires I've ever seen and we only spend time with a handful of them. Had this been 26 episodes per season we might have had time to see more of these enemies in a "Monster of the Week" style format with the rest of Dracula's council and the other territories, but alas, the quality of each episode would probably have dropped dramatically so I'll take what I'm given.

Speaking of missed plot opportunities, what was the point of Taka and Sumi? Their betrayal and attempted murder left Alucard emotionally and physically scarred, hinting at him venturing down a dangerous path and possibly repeating the same mistakes of his father, but it doesn’t go anywhere. Taka and Sumi’s plight doesn’t even come back so their entire subplot went nowhere, any negative feelings Alucard may have had towards Trevor and Sypha abandoning him are forgiven the moment they come to his aid. Heck, Alucard’s mistrust for humans is never brought into question once this season and no one seems to care he has a collection of bodies on pikes as lawn ornaments.

The moment Alucard receives Greta’s call to help he’s there in an instant and agrees to help her and her people with barely any resistance besides one short pep talk. You could have taken his entire subplot out of season 3 and he’d still be in the same situation we left him back in season 2.

Hector and Lenore’s relationship is also something I’m still trying to work out since we don’t know what they’ve been up to in the six weeks Hector has been made Lenore’s slave. I've listened to a lot of people discuss this very topic and whether it's abusive or just problematic. And I can't deny that if the genders had been swapped everyone on the internet would call out how cringe it is for a woman to fall in love with her captor.

But there is nuance in their interactions. The show seems to walk this tightrope of framing their relationships as genuinely affectionate while also giving off a lot of red flags. The two exchange friendly banter without Lenore forcing her power over Hector, Lenore feels she can run to Hector with all her problems and holds no resentments towards him for his part in killing Carmilla. But at the same time, her last words to him are something akin to a child or pet. She never once saw Hector as her equal so her actions make sense from her point of view. You don't feel guilty about domesticating a stray.

Hector's feelings however are more complex as he goes to great lengths to ensure Lenore's safety because he saw a lot of truth in what she was saying. Dracula did use Hector and lied to him about the plan, and Isaac is set on killing him in cold blood for his role in Dracula's demise. So I understand why he feels a connection with Lenore and holds no ill will towards her even though he was devising a future escape plan. I don't think he's in love with Lenore. Hector has never felt love. He had no love for his parents and the only thing he ever showed affection for was his pets, but he does feel something for Lenore that's he's never felt before, and that's enough for him to care.

I have a few thoughts on some other tidbits, like Zamfir and the underground council subplot that only seemed to exist to show how invaluable Sypha would be to build and run a village. Or St. Germain and his inclusion only making sense if you're familiar with Castlevania lore. His subplot seemed bigger than life and feels like it needed more set-up and exploration had this been an original story as opposed to an adaption. And maybe I'm starting to change my opinion about them bringing Dracula and Lisa back from the dead if they're just gonna have them retire on the east coast of England.

But I still love this season and Castlevania as a whole.

Now give me a sequel and/or spin-off. I demand more content!

Also, does anyone else find it funny the main trio never actually meets Isaac, Hector or Carmilla and they just had their own little war off-screen? Because I think that's fucking hilarious.

#personal #spoilers #I love this franchise #and I hope they continue the story #have a spin-off mini series #or a sequel with Trevor and Sypha's descendant #and start a new chapter with Christopher Belmont

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dandyvespa · 4 years

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Calling All K-Pop Survival Show Trash (I-Land Edition)

What’s good everyone

In the past I have talked about my interest in kpop survival shows and my preferred lineups for shows like Produce 101 X and Youth with You. These such posts got some attention and made me befriend some cool mutuals so I thought why not do more for any other shows I come across so I can also discuss with people and fangirl with them? Though I myself continue to like these shows despite evil editing and clear favoritism from producers/global fans, I still wish to share with you some hardworking trainees that I think you guys would be interested in, especially if ya’ll kpop survival show tl’s are dry and looking to fill the void with something different. Well, I-Land happens to be that different show. Now I know not everyone is a big fan of BigHit or even Mnet for that matter, I do encourage this show because it is a lot different from the format of the Produce series, or any past kpop survival show for that matter. The standard for ranking trainees is not entirely up to global votes and the producers in the show give their valuable take. Not only that but their living conditions, music choices, and selected trainees are very distinct and refreshing in my opinion. Not only that but you have big names like Rain, Zico, Bang PD, IU, and much more contributing to the show to create the best global kpop group.

Now when posting this I realized I should have done this earlier because the show is already on its second part hehe. I-Land is split up into two parts so I’m just gonna give a brief rundown. The first part of I-Land involves these 23 trainees that all arrive individually or within groups to do this isolated and intricate building in the woods. These trainees then go through a series of performances to see who is the most competent member in entering I-Land, this really swanky and high-tech living space fit with training areas, a kitchen filled with a bunch of food, very pristine and spacious dorm rooms, etc. The catch is that only 12 members are only able to be apart of that paradise and will be determined by voting amongst themselves (already pretty political off the bat lol). Those who are unable to attend the I-Land are sent to The Ground, basically a way more downgraded version of I-Land with much fewer resources. This first part basically has these two groups pitted against each other and shifted between the I-Land and The Ground based on this trainee voting system and the producer voting system after completing various tests/competitions. The only time where the global voting system mattered was towards the end of Part 1 in which the global votes determined the 6 trainees eligible from The Ground to be with the other 6 I-Landers (which have been selected to stay by the Producers). These 12 trainees then dive into Part 2 of I-Land which is really the start of the actual competition to make it to the official 7-member debut line. The 12 to 7 members are shaved down again based on a series of tests that will showcase their individual and teamwork skills. This time the voting is completely based on an alternating system of producers and global fans deciding the ranking, the lowest such member being eliminated every other week.

So like I said I should have started this sooner since this show premiered back in June, but because a lot of people are just starting to know about the show because BTS and now Seventeen (Performance Unit) guested or are about to guest on the show (this includes possibly TXT and Gfriend given they are also tied to BigHit), might as well update ya’ll now on why you shouldn’t just be watching just because your ults are there for barely an entire episode. Though I admit that there are shady moments and complaints I have with the show, there is no denying that these trainees that are picked are all really good in their respective areas and are incredibly dead set on becoming idols. Now you may have heard people saying that this show is a “flop” based on Korean ratings. Given I don’t know how tv ratings work in South Korea and know that this show is steered more towards global fans, a number of people I have talked to already about this show just watch on different video sharing websites or apps the next day so subtitles appear or they watch during the scheduled time of the live broadcasting on YouTube which I have to say is SOOOO pleasing for us international folks. Ratings and famous artists contributing to the show aside, I once again stress that you guys should give the show a try just for the sake of getting to know these kids because I feel like with time and practice, even if they don’t make the final lineup, they will achieve their dreams eventually.

Now as much as I want to talk about the entirety of the show, I will once again post my top 7 members down below in the (Keep Reading) section. If ya’ll don’t want spoilers and wish to look up the show first then by all means go ahead! If you guys are curious about the show or even want to scream and talk about the show if you are caught up, please message me ya cuties!

NOW WITHOUT FURTHER ADO THESE ARE MY TOP 7 I-LAND TRAINEES (SPOILERS POTENTIALLY INCLUDED):

1) Lee Heeseung

No question about it Heeseung is one of my biases on this show and for a good reason. This boy, a former BigHit trainee, is considered the ace of the show, an all-rounder who so far has shown stability in both dance and vocals (have yet to see rap being portrayed a lot in this show, but the producers, specifically Bang and Pdogg have said he really excels in rap and it was strange to them because he entered the show to focus more on vocals lol). Not only that but he is selfless, a trainee that has been putting a lot of his fellow members first and sacrificing his own time to help them or steer them in the right direction. Bro is also dorky and a total crackhead behind the scenes of I-Land lol. As of part 2 I believe he is the trainee with the most seniority, as in years of training. Despite showing his playful side here and there, he seems to be the most well-spoken and mature of the trainees, putting him as a major candidate to become a leader. It is just a bonus that he looks this good too! At this point in the show, it would be insane for anybody to not include Heeseung in their final debut lineup predictions. Plus this is legit Bang PD’s favorite son ya’ll already know.

2) Park Sunghoon

Ah the little ice prince! Another former BigHit trainee (and my second bias lol), Sunghoon is incredibly charismatic and knows how to show the right facial expressions on stage. I honestly kind of see him as a dark horse in the show. His vocals are pretty decent and he can really keep up in dancing. Overall just so hardworking, and it definitely shows because he really has been consistent through the show! It’s pretty known he is a major visual in the show but a lot of people also like him for his clean-cut and simple personality. He is also very observant of the other members and can be just as doting and selfless as Heeseung. What irks me is that the producers and even some viewers complain that his personality “overlaps” with other members, which is honestly an odd reason to have when considering the debut lineup. He seems quiet at first but the kid can be so hyperactive, funny, and radiates crackhead energy as time goes by in the show, giving us more of his personality to work with. What is more fascinating is that he used to figure-skate for 10+ years and decided to choose this path as an idol after seeing BTS. He is also determined to show his parents that they shouldn’t have doubted him and that he took the right path and I just love that. Please look out for him because with his popularity and competence, I am sure he will make it to the lineup!

3) Yang Jungwon

Pack it up ya’ll we found our little maknae of the group who is a cutie and an all-rounder! He is also a dark horse to me, but then again a lot of people consider him to be a “hidden ace” in the show. Jungwon may be one of the youngest members in I-Land but amongst the other younger trainees, but he stands out as the most skilled by a landslide. He excels at singing and is very stable. In fact I think he is one of the few trainees that has a really good singing voice next to Heeseung. He is also really good at dancing as well as free-styling. I think he is also a former BigHit trainee (I... yes I know a lot of my picks just happen to be BigHit trainees but trust me I’m not just being biased lol). I think Jungwon is someone who, though he excels himself, really appreciates his hyungs who he respects and wishes to learn from. Coincidentally, his role model is Jungkook haha. His ability to adjust to concepts, even the most mature ones, is also very astonishing. Hoping that global fans not only see him as a cute kid but as a talented, caring, and hardworking soul. Baby did not quit taekwondo to follow his dreams as an idol too!

4) Jay Park

Ya’ll you see this kid? He is a fighter. A competitor who brings the heat. And behold he is also formerly from BigHit lol, but also SM entertainment! Jay is incredibly skilled at dancing and is very charismatic on stage. I think he is one of the few people who showcased rap pretty decently, but again this show barely showed the rap skills of any of these trainees to really conclude that. The kid has been through a lot of humiliating moments in the show, even coming up with the iconic and meme-worthy line to accept such moments: resentment, anger, humiliation. He has been placed in compromising situations, but he owns up the the situation and accepts responsibilities that no one would. He is not as intimidating as he may want to look as he also very caring and helpful (plus his fear of ghosts is adorable). Even other trainees approach him to teach them choreography or get advice. Also the way he was able to lead the Grounders in the Fire performance made me appreciate him even more since then. I feel like he has the potential to be a great leader for the group as well. He is also honest in what he feels and has no problem stating that to the viewers, but is never someone who whines about not getting his way. His stubbornness will take him all the way to the debut line in my opinion haha. Go hard my sweet potato boy!

5) Jake Shim

Our Aussie boy and the icon of improvement in the show! He happens to be one of the trainees with the shortest training time. Despite this, he has had potential since his entrance test with Crown. Jake has had some rough criticism that lead him to work very hard. In fact he always feared that he may get behind others or not keep up. I think out of all the members--and that is saying a lot because they all really do try their best--he is the one who is the most hard-working and constantly practicing the choreography, even when others are asleep. I also think he has a pretty good vocal range, and it definitely improved since Flicker recently. The fact that he came all the way here to South Korea by himself to achieve his dream of being an idol after witnessing BTS is so brave. I really respect him and his friendship with a lot of the members in I-Land, especially with Sunghoon! I think he will only continue to rise up and gain more traction from the global audience.

6) Kim Sunoo

Sunshine boy coming through! Sunoo came along with Jake and performed Crown together and since then I always thought he had some real talent. This thought was only proven later on, but really set it for me his Save Me performance. Listen his vocals are so promising despite also having a short training period. I honestly think it would rival Heeseung’s vocals. I do think he has room to improve in dance, but he really works for it. He is always so positive and nice to others. He is very modest and eager to learn and I love how he is basically this aegyo king who never cringes at the slightest when he acts like himself. As someone who wishes to be on tv, I hope he gets there. I feel like a lot of people have slept on him because he was mostly known as that one cute kid with adequate skills, but they are far more better than a lot of the trainees since the beginning of the show. His popularity already puts him really up there so I can only hope he just continues to prove himself to the producers because they have already complimented him on his more masculine and skilled side in Fake Love. Fighting my son!

7) K

Our last member is K! Now I have had my eye on K because his visuals really stand out for me, like something out of a comic or drama. Handsomeness aside, K hails from Japan and is the oldest member on the entire show. He is very experienced in choreographing and is undoubtedly one of the best dancers on the show, which was definitely established in the dance unit competition. His vocals are also pretty underrated. I think he that knows how to grab attention and make us wanting more. Now as much as I adore his skills and ability to lead other members in the choreo, I have noticed that he is the type to be very straightforward, and it may come off as intimidating to other members. I am not sure if this is just South Korean etiquette of respecting elders and just trying really hard not to upset them, but the way that members have had their fair share of discussing issues with how K just turns icy whenever he doesn’t see things his way or makes a mistake leading them to be frightened to the point of not being able to chime in with their thoughts is very alarming. I get that no one wants to step on his toes further, but I hope this attitude and relationship doesn’t persist. I like K and I can see that he dotes on other members and helps them out as much as he can, but sometimes his hypocritical and isolated attitude gets the better of him. Now granted this may be a result of MNET’s evil editing, but seeing all these trainees share their uneasy thoughts regarding him makes me feel another way. Even when these issues happen, it ends up with him having to talk it out with his members and reflect, which is highly appreciated. Even the producers feel like K is important and is promising in his ad-libs and skill set. May he recover from all these issues and keep himself together!

HONORABLE MENTION:

★ Hanbin

I thought I would add an additional member that I have been on the fence about if one of these other potential trainees do not make it, especially considering I am a bit scared of K’s placement due to global fans being easily persuaded by how MNET edits their shit. I actually have never laid eyes on Hanbin since the entire first half of the show because he was always in The Ground. After seeing him lose confidence their I was scared if he would ever recover. Luckily, he opened up this time around! Not only do I see him acting more like this sweet older brother towards the other trainees, especially in times of conflict like with K and Niki, but he has really been standing out with his dance and vocal skills. I already know he used to be part of a Vietnamese cover dance group, but I never knew how stable and clear his vocals were. Though I don’t think he is as stand out as other members in these skills, he definitely showed more of his confidence and improvement since Part 1. I was honestly wondering why so many people have been hyping him and I guess I was the one wrongfully sleeping on him and his hidden talents heh. I also hope he is getting more recognition now and it would be nice to see another member who is outside of South Korea appear in the group, especially since Bang PD is going for a global group. Call me a Hannie now lol.

ALRIGHT end of this thread. Again feel free to talk to me about the show or finally start watching the show. Even though I did not list your favorite, understand this is my personal debut lineup. This in no way means I am hating on any of the other members. I think they all have what it takes if they were all able to get casted onto this show, and I hope they eventually will. Given that I was looking for much more trainees that caught my eye, have had experience, a good personality, a natural and improved skill set, and just an overall good connection with them, these were the trainees I was most enticed by. It is pretty set like this and I doubt it will change, but who knows. Thanks for taking the time to read this and I hope check out the show or continue to stream it! <3

#iland #I-land #k #sunghoon #sunoo #heeseung #jay #jake #hanbin #jungwon #bighit #kpop #kpop survival show #opinions #debut #lineup #mnet #tv shows #text post

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skyflyinginaction · 5 years

Text

Shinhiro Aragaki Transulations from the Persona 3 Portable Fanbook

[sidebar]

Blog Handle Gaki

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[main body]

[handwritten title at top] Gaki-san Cafeteria

Profile Name: Shinjiro Aragaki Sex: Male Birthday: 1991/8/11 [This profile uses year/month/day format.] Blood type: A Group: Gekkoukan Academy Upper Class Year 3 Class C (Suspended) Club: Unaffiliated

Ugh... Me? Having a blog? So lame... Still, everyone's doing it, so I figured I'd give it a shot. Dunno what's with the goofy title. I'm just gonna write whatever I want. So uh, maybe gimme some ideas for posts?

Well... Might as well pass the time while I'm here. Anyway... enjoy?

Favorite Sites: [banners] A Dog's Heart [in snail] Sea slug [to right] Umiushi Family Cooking [white text, bottom right] Official Site

[large white text below blog page] I'm keeping my eyes peeled. Because there's an unimaginable way back...

[main body]

Aragaki, the lone wolf who sticks out like a sore thumb at nightly meetings, is from the same orphanage as Sanada. Three years ago, Aragaki was a member of the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad, where Sanada awakened the power of Persona within him. However, he wasn't able to fully control his powers. One day, a horrible accident occurred and a number of people were driven mad. Aragaki's Persona went berserk and snatched away the life of an innocent bystander. Despondent, Aragaki dropped out of school and began aimlessly roaming the streets at night. In order to restrain his Persona ability, whenever Aragaki is faced with danger, he takes a suppressant drug - although it has its side effects. Aragaki only returned to the SEES to bear his past deeds. Aragaki gave his life as a final apology to those tied to the past and unable to move forward, saying: "I'm the only one who deserves to rot in hell."

[at bottom:]

Shinjiro Aragaki

[left column]

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Like A Whole Nother World

Category: Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad 2009/9/3 (Thu) 23:18

People are taking my return to the SEES really nicely... What the hell happened. Back when it was just me and Aki and Kirijo, the lounge felt way too big... But with all the new members, it's stuffed. Girls, a little kid, and even a dog... Some real variety in this lineup. Did Aki and Kirijo just get swept up in all that?

And on top of that, they're all treating me real good, even though they barely know me. The 2nd years think I bailed their asses out at the meeting place, when really I was just chasing off some pests. Either way, they're being real nice to me.

I don't bother with school or club activities or whatever, so I can focus all my energy on battle. Hit me up whenever you're heading off to Tartarus. I mean, that's why I came back here in the first place.

COMMENT Comments (4) ・ Trackback (0)

2009/9/4 (Fri) 01:23 JUN☆P-

Never gonna forget the hero at the meeting spot, dude. You totally bailed us out. With Aragaki-san on our side, we're like a hundred-man army!

2009/9/4 (Fri) 18:51 Yukaricchi♥

So you helped found the club, Aragaki-senpai... Thank you so much for saving us. I think you might actually be a really good guy, deep down...?

2009/9/4 (Fri) 21:00 Aigis

Koromaru-san reports that you often give him treats. It seems you two have become fast friends. Aragaki-san, you are rather reserved.

2009/9/4 (Fri) 23:06 Gaki

Oh come on, are you guys really kicking things off with a bunch of embarrassing comments? Hundred-man army, good guy... Don't just make stuff up about me. Ugh, I dunno how to deal with this.

[righthand column]

Boy's & Girl's Event

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Escapade

Category: Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad 2009/9/6 (Sun) 21:55

Under the full moon, a Shadow appeared, as promised. I hang out at Escapade plenty, but this time everyone on the floor was complaining about the power being on the fritz. I guess that was an omen or something that a Shadow was about to appear. Can't let things like that slip you by.

But man, there were some real annoying tagalongs last night. Junpei thought he was gonna party his ass off, the poor guy. That chick from Strega was totally stringing him along, but Junpei still managed to be worried about her. Maybe I'm being too harsh, but pure-hearted guys like him are the ones that fall for that kind of thing.

But still, the chick's Persona was really something... Might be worth worrying about. I think I'll pop my head into the hospital too.

[screenshot:]

Junpei Iori

Hey, uh... I just wanna know one thing... Was that really all just an act?

COMMENT Comments (4) ・ Trackback (0)

2009/9/6 (Sun) 22:23 Yukaricchi♥

I mean, Junpei's so unsubtle about things like this... I bet he's going to visit at the hospital again today. Maybe if Junpei keeps talking to her, Chidori-san will start to open her heart... Or maybe I'm naive for even thinking that?

Boy's & Girl's Event

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Passing the Persona Torch

Category: Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad 2009/9/15 (Tue) 22:36

Man, you guys are a real pain. Though I guess I can't be so quick to judge if Koro-chan hangs with you...

⬤ Questions From Persona Users ⬤

1. How did it feel when your Persona awakened?

I don't remember anything from back then...

2. What did you think when you saw your Persona?

Don't really care, that's just how he looks. He's Aki's Persona's brother. I mean, me and Aki go way back. You couldn't separate us even if you tried.

3. What's your favorite attacking strategy?

I'm not a big fan of whittling enemies down bit by bit. Better to give 'em one big hit and knock 'em dead, all in one go.

4. Any Shadows you have trouble with?

I don't got any weak points. I mean, if your Persona is weak, that just means your heart is weak.

5. What do you want to do when we're done fighting?

Hell if I know. I just want to take responsibility for what I've done. I think I'm just about there. After that... Aki, it's your turn.

COMMENT Comments (4) ・ Trackback (1)

2009/9/15 (Wed) 19:47 Aki

So it's my turn... Got it. Shinji, it may very well be because of my influence that the power of Persona was awakened within you...

[left column]

Boys & Girl's Event

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What Are You Weirdos, a Cosplay Group?

Category: Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad 2009/9/16 (Wed) 22:58

Come on... I am not gonna participate in your little cosplay thing. The bus stop was one thing, but this time you　want me to wear a tailcoat? What? Is that a butler costume? Like I'm gonna play some servant role.

Oh, and when we're going off to Tartarus, don't expect me to act like we're going on a picnic, or whatever. When a Shadow pops out, I want to look like a grown-up warrior. We didn't get this far by being stylish.

I mean, if you're fighting to win, then I'll quit whining. Just don't mess around too much. And don't forget that lives are on the line.

COMMENT Comments (4) ・ Trackback (0)

2009/9/17 (Thu) 19:48 Yukaricchi♥

Please don't call us all "weirdos"! Our leader is the one who's into dressing up. I'm a victim too.

2009/9/17 (Thu) 22:39 JUN☆P-

That's the first time I've seen you hatless, Aragaki-san. ...And your head looks totally normal. So disappointing...

2009/9/17 (Fri) 19:29 Aki

I've never brought this up, but... Junpei, what do YOU look like with your hat off? I mean, even when you went swimming at the beach, you refused to take it off.

2009/9/17 (Fri) 21:46 Gaki

What kind of weird ideas are you having about people's heads... Hey Aki, meet me at the strategy room for a tactical debriefing on stealing Junpei's hat.

[right column] Boy's & Girl's Event Public Post

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Haven't Seen a Movie In Ages

Category: Posts 2009/9/23 (Wed) 22:26

Man, I haven't been to the movies in ages. It's a lot nicer to go on your own, but... Well, if you're inviting me, you must be kind of a weirdo. I guess I don't mind coming along though, kills some time.

But like, did you pick that movie on purpose? "Woof-Meow Kingdom"... We were surrounded by family, made me weirdly sweaty. And the climactic scene where they got dragged in the river... That was... Well, whatever...

Right, I need to give Koro-chan the special dog food and assorted bones I got on the way home. The leash we use on walks is filthy, so maybe I should get a new one, too... Oh, and I'm going to give him a bath later tonight. Shoot, I forgot to get a massage brush...

Anyway, do you think Koro-chan's good at doggy paddling? Never know when something bad might happen around water...

[screenshot:]

> Somehow, Aragaki's eyes seem red...

COMMENT Comments (3) ・ Trackback (0)

2009/9/24 (Thu) 10:00 Aigis

Koromaru-san is profoundly moved by your exceptional treatment of him, Aragaki-san.

2009/9/24 (Thu) 19:13 Fuu＊ka

Aragaki-senpai, you're a real animal lover, aren't you? Nobody who likes animals is a bad person, or so they say. I'll have to cook up something nice for Koro-chan too!

[advertisement:]

Garlic ・　Olive Oil ・ Pepperoncini

Paella

Family Cooking

Airing Weekly, Sunday 7 PM SMATV Network Kismet Publishing

September edition of the textbook now on sale. If not at your local bookstore, go here → to order online.

[button:] I Want It!

[left column]

Boys & Girl's Event Public Post

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Evening Walk

Category: Posts 2009/9/26 (Sat) 23:14

You guys keep going off about how taking a walk at night soothes the soul, and I kinda have to agree. I used to kill time at night by hanging out in back alleys or clubs, but I guess it's not so bad doing something more healthy with my evenings. And this is so weird, but taking a nice walk makes me want to make dinner for Koro-chan.

It's fall and everything's being harvested, which makes it the season for eating. You guys need to remember to eat up and stay healthy. Or else you're gonna end up bedridden, like our leader was. What would you even do if a shadow popped out then? Well, I guess everything's going good on that front, so it's fine for now. Just remember to get a nice square meal in every day.

[screenshot]

Shinjiro Aragaki

You hungry? I'll fix you something when we get home.

Girl's Event Public Post

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The Trick to Cooking

Category: Cooking 2009/9/27 (Sun) 23:47

Fall's the season for eating, but I don't think that fancy kitchen we have is getting any use. The fridge is full of sports drinks and milk, the cupboards are crammed with protein shakes and cup noodles and junk food... It's messed up. Do you people seriously never cook? We didn't even have a good set of utensils, so I brought some in. Yamagishi's the only one who seems excited about cooking, but she doesn't have the basics down yet. Don't get me wrong, enthusiasm's great, but...

Well, if you've heard someone say that cooking is an act of love, it probably came from someone who's mastered their basics. Doesn't matter how much love you pour into your cooking, if you mess up some fundamental part, it's not gonna taste good. A super common mistake beginners make is ignoring what the recipe says and improvising instead. Get your basics down pat, then you can switch things up. Remember, you don't gotta rush it. Doesn't matter what you're doing, taking it one step at a time is key.

COMMENT Comments (2) ・ Trackback (0)

2009/9/28 (Mon) 18:51 Fuu＊ka

Aragaki-senpai, thank you... You put it pretty bluntly, but you're trying to help, aren't you? I'll start working my way up with simple things like onigiri. If you'd like, feel free to come sample my work?

2009/9/28 (Mon) 19:52 Mitsuru

Aragaki, I'm rather surprised at how good you are at cooking. I wouldn't say you surpass my family's professional chef, but your food was indeed exquisite. Perhaps eating together with everyone isn't so bad, every once in a while.

[right column]

Girl's Event

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Making Things Right

Category: Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad 2009/10/3 (Sat) 02:45

[screenshot]

Shinjiro Aragaki

...They're in your hands now. I believe in you.

[post body]

So tomorrow's the long-awaited full moon, huh. And you know another huge Shadow's gonna pop out. But I never thought the full moon would fall on tomorrow's date, of all days... I can't bring myself to call it a coincidence.

It's not like I think I won't be coming back, but with what I have in the palm of my hand... Well, I can't tell if it's a coincidence or a cruel prank. And the whole time I sit here agonizing about it, the pocketwatch in my palm keeps on ticking. If I had to name the one thing I can never change, it'd be my past self. Who's bound by their past now? It's not just me... So, the only thing left for me to do is to make things right. Because no matter what I choose, I don't got much time left...

I'm not gonna write anything more here, I promise. You don't have to forgive me for my selfishness. And no matter what happens, don't you dare cry...

COMMENT Comments (5) ・ Trackback (0)

2009/10/7 (Wed) 18:36 Fuu＊ka

Aragaki-senpai, they said you wouldn't wake up... When I first read this post, I didn't get it at all, but... Looking back, I think you knew what you were about to do...

2009/10/7 (Wed) 20:28 Mitsuru

Of course I was aware of the situation between Aragaki and Amada. It was a failing on my part that it came to this. From hereafter, the Kirijo family will dedicate all available resources to his medical care. Perhaps Aragaki's strong spirit will grant us a sliver of hope...

2009/10/8 (Thu) 01:36 JUN☆P-

I know you were ready to give your life in this battle, but... Now that it's actually happened, it hurts like hell... Aragaki-san, please wake up...

2009/10/8 (Thu) 20:38 Aki

When I thought Shinji was all but gone, he whispered, "This is what I wanted." While some may dismiss his way of making things right, I would not count myself among them. Everyone, we need to face forward!

2009/10/9 (Fri) 18:46 Amadaman

I've decided to keep fighting here. Until Aragaki-san returns, I will protect his place.

[bubble at top left]

If You Get Into A Relationship...

Social links with Aragaki don't turn romantic until you max out your S. Link rank with him. But once you do get to max, if you call him one more time, you can have the protagonist confess to him. After a short period of heated questioning, you can enter Aragaki's room. Acting much unlike the Aragaki you've seen so far, he will embrace the protagonist and make an unexpectedly bold move. While it's quite the mushy event, if you do get in a relationship, he'll actually be quite assertive. By the way, the protagonist confesses to him in the dorm lounge. If you think about it, Yukari and Junpei and all the other members would be right next to them the whole time...

[screenshot:]

Shinjiro Aragaki

You're uh... not married, so don't get this wrong, but...

[bubbles at top right]

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat Break

[center of circle:] Shinjiro Aragaki

[by tarot card:] Moon

[spiky bubble at bottom:] Shinjiro Aragaki

[to left of portrait, beneath "Persona capable to summon once Moon's commu rank reaches the max:]

Sandalphon, the Angel That Conveys Prayers

[tag labeled 27]

From the Iwatodoi Dormitory Lounge ......Edition 27

[junpei:] Man, Aragaki-san's cooking is the best. [koro:] Woof!! [aegis:] Koromaru-san says he enjoys it too. [aragaki:] H, hey. You guys suck at eating balanced meals. Try to take care of yourselves. [mitsuru:] I agree completely. Akihiko could stand to eat something aside from gyudon. [Rice with beef and vegetables.] [sanada:] I, I eat more than just gyudon! I get plenty of protein shakes in too!

[next column] [mitsuru:] Ugh... You're giving me a headache. [junpei:] Gyudon and protein shakes and nothing else... That's uh, really... [aragaki:] Don't act like you're any different. You basically live off cup ramen. Balance your diet. [junpei:] Uh, well... I uh, how do I put this, just like, think it's good... [fuuka:] Okay, I'll keep balance in mind and cook something up! [aragaki] How about you focus on learning how to cook, first. ...Although, you can go ahead and start practicing.

[vertical line of text in center:]

Brotherly Lines

[column on right]

S. Link Rank 3 Female Protagonist

Look at the balance in these meals... Do you guys live off this...?

S. Link Rank 4 Female Protagonist

...You're not going to leave those vegetables on your plate, are you?

S. Link Rank 7 Female Protagonist

Get some good sleep. ...'Night.

S. Link Rank 9 Female Protagonist

Feels like I got a place to come home to.

S. Link MAX Female Protagonist

Now that you're here, I don't have a care in the world...

[screenshot to left:] Shinjiro Aragaki

Does everyone here eat like crap...?

[block labeled Girl's Side] Like An Older Brother

Shinjiro Aragaki always makes sure his fellow club members make it home safe. While he comes off as rather blunt, he's actually deeply worried about everyone's unhealthy eating habits. Following the protagonist's advice, he throws a party. While putting everything together for the party, he teaches Fuuka (who is hopeless at cooking) how to cook. Drawn by the smell, their dormmates gather, and the lounge springs to life. While everyone enjoys the meal, Aragaki steps out for a bit, and asks the protagonist for a private chat. Then, gazing at the protagonist with a gentle smile, he says, "I'm leaving Sanada and everyone else in your hands."

[screenshot to right:]

Aegis

Koromaru-san is distraught.

[caption below screenshot:] Even Koromaru-san can tell how bad Fuuka's cooking is. But with Aragaki teaching her, she'll be able to make delicious food someday.

TRANSULATIONS NOT MINE THEY ALL BELONG TO THE LOVELY (https://kasael.tumblr.com) ALL CREDIT OF THIS ENTIRE TRANSULATION BELONGS TO THEM NOT ME DON’T REBLOG WITHOUT CREDITING THEM FIRST.

#Persona 3 #Persona 3 Portable #shinjiro aragaki #transualtions

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riarushi · 5 years

Text

mark as your badminton partner.

❥ genre- fem!reader, fluff, friends to lovers, idk sports?

❥ word count- 3.3k

I've wanted to do this for so long :') I play badminton myself and have been training for 2 years, so when I started stanning NCT and saw that Mark liked badminton I was super happy. I know this is my second Mark piece but anyways, please enjoy it! ~Ness

ミ☆

You got partnered with Mark at the beginning of the season.

You coach wanted to try rearranging the lineup, so he put his favourite singles players together as a mixed doubles team.

So now you and Mark are partners.

It wasn’t like you didn’t know him, though.

There were times when you warmed up with him.

From those, you picked up a bit of his playing style.

He was a little bit playful and ambitious, preferring quick attacks like smashes and kills.

Although his judgement wasn’t always the best.

Sometimes, he would hit the net and laugh nervously as he went to pick up the birdie.

You, on the other hand, were a little more cautious.

Every move you made was calculated in some way.

The angle of your birdie, the position of your opponent, you position, etc.

There was always something that determined your next move.

That contrast made you and Mark the perfect mixed doubles team.

However, the first few practices didn’t reflect that.

Neither of you were used to having another person on court.

You would constantly bump into him at the center.

He even hit you with his racket a few times.

“Sorry! Sorry! I forgot to look in front of me, haha...”

Mark massages the back of your head, handing you your water bottle with his free hand.

You smile, and take the water as Mark removes his hand from your head.

“It’s fine, we’re still getting used to this.”

The two of you return to the court after hearing your coach shouting.

You definitely weren’t as skilled as the previous mixed doubles team.

After playing with them for a while, you and Mark couldn’t even score 10 points.

They each came to give their tips and to their respective opponent.

“It’s not that you two aren’t a good pair, in fact your play styles are matched perfectly,” the girl previously in your position explained.

“My net shots aren’t as good as yours.” You laughed tapping your racket against the side of your leg.

“Oh, it’s not that! You guys just need to bond a little. Makes the teamwork better, ya feel?”

You nodded.

“I hung out with that idiot a whole bunch once we were partnered.” She pointed at the guy currently joking around with Mark. “If I didn’t I think playing badminton with him would’ve been way too awkward.”

ミ☆

Taking your predecessor’s advice, you ask your partner to join you for dinner after practice.

“Mark, do you wanna grab something to eat?”

He looks up from his bag, eyes staring into yours.

“Sure, if you want. I don’t have anything to do anyways.”

You settle for a small restaurant.

Nothing fancy, but a place where you can sit and chat comfortably.

You learn quite a lot about him that you never knew before.

He had a passion for music, he disliked sciences, and he had a huge friend group that he shared a house with.

In return, you told him lots about yourself.

Your interests, your friends and family, and some funny life stories.

When the food arrived and you couldn’t finish, he helped you eat the rest.

He’s a growing boy still.

By the end of the night, it felt like you had already become pretty close.

“So that’s why your racket grips are always green?” you ask, laughing as he bounces his bag higher onto his shoulders.

“Look, my friends are ridiculous. I can never buy rackets myself ‘cause they know I’ll try to get a different colour!” he whines.

“It’s kinda cute that you guys have a squad colour, though~”

“Nooo, I want a blue grip or something! Anything other than green! It’s so embarrassing when they come to tournaments..”

ミ☆

You thought it was an exaggeration, but Mark wasn’t kidding when he said they were embarrassing at tournaments.

The famed Jaehyun, Johnny, and Donghyuck from the stories were all hooting loudly as you two stood on court for your first game together.

You had met them formally prior to the match.

Although they acted polite towards you, you could hear them teasing Mark the second you turned around.

“So when are you guys gonna make it official?”

“Dude, we’re literally just badminton partners.”

“Hey, you never know.”

“It won’t happen!”

You couldn’t help but stifle a giggle as Mark’s friends continued to push the idea.

It really helped relieve the stress you had for your first match.

Here you are, on court with your partner getting ready to serve.

It’s nerve-wracking.

As soon as the birdie goes over the net, your mind switches to game mode.

There are more variables than you’re used to, since two more people had been added to your usual setup.

Not to mention the court was bigger.

Just like in practice, you and Mark bump into each other a few times.

He still wasn’t used to covering you if you went back, either.

Formations a little messy, the two of you lose your first set by quite a bit.

Your coach comes over to give his advice before the next set.

“What do you think went wrong there?”

You and Mark look at each other, unsure of what to say.

“Both of you can do better than that. Your formations were fine last practice, what’s up here?”

When he doesn’t get a response, your coach sighs. “Talk it out with each other.”

He leaves the two of you staring at each other.

“So, um...” Mark starts, spinning his racket in between his fingers.

You let out a little laugh. “I’m just a little nervous, sorry.”

“Don’t be nervous! You were doing great,” he comforted. “Did you see that kill you did near the end? I could never do that.”

“Oh, really? I think that smash you did to the front right was just as good.”

He smiles at your compliment and readies himself for the next set.

Although you lost the game, you and Mark definitely improved during the second set, only losing by 2 points.

You high-fived each other after the last point before returning to Mark’s screaming friends.

“HOW COULD YOU LOSE? YOU WERE USING YOUR LUCKY RACKET!”

“YOU WERE THE ONE WHO CHOSE THIS ONE, I’VE NEVER EVEN PLAYED WITH IT BEFORE.”

ミ☆

Since that tournament, you and Mark have been training more and more.

Your skills have been going up quite quickly, actually.

The two of you never bump into each other, and Mark instinctively covers whatever you can’t.

You’re starting to finally become a solid doubles team :’)

Your friendship has been growing stronger as well.

Both of you always eat dinner together after practice.

Though you’ve eaten at a couple of restaurants with him, the first one you went to remains superior.

Mark agrees.

There’s a lot more that you to about with each other, too.

You two feel more comfortable sharing more personal things, like your opinions on other teams and your friends.

Truly a close bond uwu

Of course, this reflects with your improved teamwork as well.

Your coach is happy that he doesn’t have to keep pointing out mistakes since you two point them out for him.

“Mark! You’re supposed to hit at 45 degrees, not 12!”

I know how to do a clear, okay?! I wasn’t even that late!”

“Oh yeah? Then why did it go to the middle left?”

“Shut up! You can’t even hit a net shot without letting the other person kill!”

Of course, it’s all playful.

You guys have grown to care a lot for each other.

Mark makes sure to also fill your water bottle every time he fills his own.

You bring extra snacks for him in case he gets hungry.

From a distance, you guys look like that one athletic couple™.

Which is friends love teasing him about.

You’ve spent the night over at their house a couple times now.

Since the training center is closer to Mark’s home than yours, it makes getting to morning practices a lot easier.

His friends adore you by the way.

At least three of them can’t stop pinching your cheeks (aka Johnny, Yuta, and Jaemin).

They treat you like royalty as the bully Mark about his friendship with you.

“Are you sure you’re not dating? Because I think I’ll take Y/N if you don’t~” Yukhei teases.

“Stoooooopppppp, leave me alooooonnnneeeee!”

Whenever you stay over, Mark lets you take his bed while he sleeps on the couch

What a gentleman uwu

His bed is super comfy.

And it smells nice, unlike the sweaty Mark you usually have to be around.

You always fall asleep pretty quickly under his covers.

The next morning, you’re perfectly rested up and ready for practice.

Unlike your partner, who barely got any rest with his roommates walking in and out of the living room all night.

ミ☆

You didn’t tell him yet, and you made sure he couldn’t see it last night.

But you had a little surprise for him this practice.

You tap your partner’s shoulder as he pulls out his gear from his bag.

“Mark! Guess what?”

“Mhm? What is it?”

Unable to keep the smile off your face, you pull out a racket from behind your back.

“I got you something!”

Mark looks at the object, then back at you before taking it from your hands.

“You like it heavier on the head, right?”

He nods, adjusting his grip and doing a couple of small test swings.

“But most importantly...”

You grab his wrist, prying a few of his fingers off the handle.

“The grip isn’t green!”

Mark smiles, admiring the vibrant blue colour you had chosen for him.

“Thank you, Y/N. It’s perfect.”

“Wait! There’s something else I wanna show you, too!”

You run over to your bag, Mark watching as you rummage around in it and pull something out.

“Tada!”

His smile grows wider as you run back, holding another racket in your hand.

“Is that new, too?” he asks.

You nod happily.

“I got it to match with yours, see? Same colours~”

You hold the racket beside Mark’s to let him look at the matching patterns and shades.

“But my racket is balanced, hehe.”

Your partner’s eyes sparkle as he admires your racket while you practice, glancing at his occasionally.

He better hide this one, or his roommates will whine AND tease him.

That’s pretty much overkill.

ミ☆

“Hey, Mark? Can you fill my water bottle again?”

His eyebrows raise slightly in surprise, but he nods and grabs the bottle.

When he returns, you start chugging the water.

“Woah woah woah.” He pushes the bottle down, take it out of your hands. “Why are you drinking so much? You might throw up on court.”

“Sorry, I’m just really nervous..” You closer your eyes and sit down on the bench.

“Don’t be. We’ve gotten pretty good, we even beat the last pair we versed.”

“I know but... this pair is supposed to be super good.”

You remember the previous mixed doubles player warning you about this duo.

They’ve been partners for years, of course their play would be perfected.

You and Mark on the other hand, have only been partners for a little over three months.

“I don’t think we can beat them like coach said..”

You head your partner sigh as he grabs your hand, placing your racket in it.

“We can, okay? Trust me, I got you.”

He places a chaste kiss on your forehead before grabbing his own racket and walking towards the court.

When your eyes open, they immediately gravitate towards Mark and his bright blue racket grip.

The match was more than you were expecting.

Although you weren’t losing terribly, it felt like you couldn’t keep up.

Every time you tied, something would happen, causing you and Mark to lose the serve.

You ended up losing the first set and just barely winning the second.

The two of you step off the court as the referees call for a quick break.

“We have... a third set to play...” Mark says in between pants.

You nod, setting your water bottle on the bench after downing everything inside.

“We’re so close...”

“And you thought we couldn’t beat them.”

Shoving his racket into his chest, you try to hide a smile.

“Get serious... or else we’re gonna lose.”

He chuckles.

“Okay, okay..”

ミ☆

Please... Please don’t mess this up...

You take a deep breath before serving gently.

They were so close to winning, they had 20 points.

You and Mark were way behind at 11, and were lucky enough to get the serve.

Any mistake and you could lose the game.

With a smash, Mark gets another point.

“Nice one, Mark.” You scoop up the birdie, switching sides and readying your racket again.

You feel a tap on your shoulder just as you’re about to serve.

“Serve high,” your partner whispers.

You turn around, worried. “Isn’t that risky?” you ask quietly.

“Trust me.”

Nodding, you wait for him to get back in position before serving.

The boy in the other pair runs to hit it to your left.

Quickly chasing after it, you toss it just over the net onto the other side of the court.

Surprised, the girl fumbles and misses the birdie.

Another point for you and Mark.

He smiles, spinning his racket in his hands as he walks over to his side of the court.

Making cautious yet accurate attacks, you somehow manage to tie with the other team.

Meaning, you have to play a deuce.

“Just two points, Y/N.. Two more points and we win...”

You can hear the nervousness in Mark’s voice.

“Play safe, be ready.”

Mark walks a little bit closer to the middle of his side, ready to defend.

At your serve, everyone moves around the court, readying for the next move.

The two of you are pushed into defence, returning the bird side by side as your opponents attempt to drive it into the ground.

When the opposing boy drops it to the front, Mark quickly dives to save it.

You move to cover the back, smashing the return onto the other side of the net.

One more point..

“Not bad, Y/N.. Didn’t know you could hit that hard...” Mark pats your back as he passes, mustering the best smile her can.

“I used to be a singles player too, y’know...”

Taking a deep breath, you ready yourself for what you hope is the final serve of the game.

You can feel your partner watching you, and you turn to see the nervousness and excitement in his stance.

He lifts up his pinky, signalling you to serve high again.

“You really need to stop being such a showoff..,” you playfully mock him.

Your partner only smirks at your comment.

The birdie flies to the back, quickly being received by the opposing female.

In response, you aim the birdie to the open spot she leaves in the front.

Unfortunately, she’s quick to get back in time to hit it, allowing her partner to return comfortably to his position in the back.

Her push goes straight to the middle, a perfect place for Mark to attack.

You aren’t exactly sure where he is on court, so you decide to position yourself in the center just in case.

Mark, however, didn’t realize you were trying to attack and collided with you.

“Mark! Hurry! Get back up!!” you shout, panicked.

You aim the birdie aimlessly, allowing the other team to start attacking as Mark tries to push himself off the ground.

“I’m gonna knock you over if you don’t get out of the way!”

“I can’t! They keep hitting here!”

The other team has clearly caught onto a strategy.

By keeping the more aggressive player on the ground, they have a chance to confuse you and gain the serve.

“Just smash! Do something!” your partner yells.

You nod, watching the high receive you were just given.

Trying to hit something that gives Mark time to get up, you gently push the birdie to the front corner of the court.

Mark gets up quickly, only to have nothing to receive.

“Did we just...”

“We just won..”

You turn around to face your partner, who had a smile just as big as yours plastered on his face.

“Mark! We won!!”

Squealing, you drop your racket and run towards him with your arms out.

He lets go of his own and catches you in a hug, letting you wipe your tears of joy all over his sweaty chest.

“I told you we could do it, didn’t I?”

You feel his hand gently stroking your hair, but his quick heartbeat contrasted his calming actions.

Excited from the win and your love TT

Even though your teammates and friends were cheering loudly, all you could hear was the pounding of your partner’s heart.

You were so glad to win with Mark.

ミ☆

“I saw that racket grip! When and how did you change it?!” Donghyuck pouted, hitting Mark’s bag.

Your partner groans. “It’s a gift, okay? I didn’t choose the colour.”

“But you still used it? Just keep using the old one!”

“Clearly,” Johnny chimes in. “You didn’t see Y/N’s racket on the floor.”

He points at the handle sticking out of your bag, causing you to hide it from view.

You could feel your face getting warmer as the older boy laughs at your actions.

“Oh? Are they matching?” Donghyuck wiggles his eyebrows, nudging Mark’s side.

In the dark, you’re unable to notice the blush that had crept onto your partner’s cheeks.

“No response! So they are matching~ I’m so gonna tell Chenle about this one!”

“Hyuck, shut up.”

Johnny chuckles. “Okay, okay. Get in the car kids, it’s getting late and this old man needs rest.”

You whine.

“Johnny, you’re not that much older than us!”

ミ☆

“I still can’t believe that we won.”

Mark smiles at your words, tugging one of his large hoodies over your smaller frame.

“Like, you went woooooossshhhh and then ran after the receive like swiisshhhhhhh...”

He chuckles, watching as you reenact the scene with your sweater paws.

“I know, I honestly shocked myself.”

“What? But you were so cool about it, Mark!”

“Oh, was I?”

You nod. “You were like, ‘Oh, I just hit a shot that was impossible to receive, lemme wipe the sweat off my forehead~’ like it was nothing!”

While describing the event, you dramatically place the back of your hand on your own forehead and throw your head back.

“Okay, you child. Do you wanna watch movies tonight or not?”

You giggle, making your way to the living room.

“Dunno if I’m gonna be able to focus though.”

The two of you watch movies until you start getting sleepy.

With your eyelids getting heavy, you rest your head on Mark’s shoulder.

His arm makes its way around you.

“Wanna go back to your room?” he asks, tucking some loose hair behind your ear.

You nod against him, eyes already shut.

He picks you up and takes you to his bedroom, setting you down on the mattress.

“Goodnight, Y/N.”

Just as he’s about to leave, you grab his sleeve.

“Did you shower today?”

He raises an eyebrow, though you can’t see in the dark room.

“Yeah, of course I did.”

“Hmmm...”

“Don’t tease me now, Y/N..”

You feel the sides of your lips being tugged at when you hear the pout in his voice.

“Sleep here tonight.”

Your words shock yourself, but you try not to move as you wait for Mark’s answer.

After a few moments, you feel his sleeve leave your fingers and the covers move.

“I have to be honest, the couch sucks,” Mark says, his weight causing the mattress to sink a little.

You smile, shuffling closer to Mark to wrap your arms around him.

“Night, Markie..”

Mark presses a kiss to the top of your head.

“Night, my little champion...”

123 notes · View notes

fossadeileonixv · 4 years

Text

Milan 2 Parma 2

The usual ratings and ramblings.... Let’s go!

DONNARUMMA 7 Not much he could do about either goal. Put on a clinic in ball handling and playing the ball from the back.

CALABRIA 7.5/5.5 I say that because I’m of 2 minds on his performance. Overall played really well going forward, especially in the second half when we were really pushing for the goal. Defensively? Gervinho is Parma’s most dangerous threat and Calabria was just hanging back on the Parma opener. With Kalulu coming on for an injured Gabbia you have to be more responsible than that. Go help the kid out! Cut off a passing lane. Do something man.

GABBIA He played.... and got hurt. Not his fault!

ROMAGNOLI 7 Also guilty of ball watching on Parma’s first goal, otherwise I thought played very well. Took the initiative to make several runs forward to keep the pressure on Parma. Love when he does that. Also credit to him and Kessie for immediately pulling Kalulu aside aside as soon as he came on the pitch to not only give him instruction but encouragement. Superb leadership.

THEO 9 Honestly.... how much better of a game are you gonna get from your left back? Just kept coming and coming and coming all game long. Superb. Amazing. Wow.

BENNACER 6 Looked hurt but also looked a mess. Then of course actually got hurt. That runner on the second goal is all him. Kessie is chasing the Parma player to the corner. Get your ass to the middle! Also of the midfield triumvirate he is becoming the last one I want on the field when we need a goal. Took 2 shots from crazy distance and also seems allergic to the offensive third.

KESSIE 6.5 Frank the Tank with another solid if unspectacular performance.

HAKAN 8 In a parallel universe where a couple of those shots go in he gets a 10 and it’s a performance for the ages. But that’s life.

DIAZ 7 Despite not being a fan of the lineup, more on that later, I thought he was much better this week than last. His passing range was much better and he was stronger on the ball. Crazy stat? His passing % was at 90 for the game. That’s the kind of thing you usually see from CBs or DMs.

CASTILLEJO 7 Played really well. Gave the team the width they so desperately needed after last weeks debacle. Unfortunate to be ever so slightly offside on the goal. Not sure why he was taken off.

REBIC 6 As good as he was the last couple games holding up the ball and distributing he had a much tougher time today. When tasked with being more active down low he was a little lost. That’s just not his game. It’s a much different game for a #9 being up 2-0 than it is being down 2-0.

Substitues

KALULU 7 If we lose that game I’m probably giving him MOTM. Loved everything he did. Stepped right in like he’s been there the whole time. Positive energy? Check. Strong on the ball? Check. Crisp passing? Check. An incredible find by the management.

LEAO 6.5 Did some nice things but would rather we just left Casillejo on. Might have made more sense at LW for Diaz?

HAUGE 6 The boy looks gassed. As mentioned above should have just brought on Leao for Diaz.

TONALI 7 Every game gets better and better. Did a great job recovering the ball and getting it back forward to the attack.

PIOLI 5 Didn’t like the starting lineup. It was a complete mess last week so why do it again? Granted they were better this week but Diaz and Hakan don’t provide enough balance and leave the midfield far too stretched out by not tracking back. two guys that both want to have the ball and be the playmaker in a 4231 is just asking for trouble. In that formation the waings have to bust their asses in order to balance out the midfield. When one of those guys wants to stay up top and play ‘creator’ it falls apart. Unless things went perfectly this lineup was never gonna make it to the 60th minute without a sub. Never. So there’s that. Then Pioli doubles down by making a double sub that made little sense. Leao for Diaz would have been just fine. Leao goes to LWm Hakan to th middle and everything is fine. Instead he brings on a gassed Hauge for an in form Castillejo as well. Yuck. With injuries piling up Pioli may have to rethink his rotation and substitution patterns these 3 games before Christmas.

RAMBLINGS

- I can’t remember the last time I saw a team block as many shots in a game as Parma did yesterday. It was like they were all carrying trash can lids. Credit to them as they not only defend in numbers and play their system very well... but they are fearless. There’s no lazy bums playing for Parma. Not one. The work they put in and the unity they play with is impressive. They are the Serie A definition of TEAM.

- We have 3 games until the Christmas break: @Genoa, @Sassuolo and home for Lazio. That’s not the toughest run of games before the break but it’s not easy either. Let’s take a quick peak, shall we?

Genoa stink and we’ve won our last 3 trips at their place. That’s the good news. The bad news is that we are the walking wounded right now. Kjaer and Bennacef are out. Zlatan is questionable. A lot of other guys are looking gassed. I can see Pioli trying to get through this one with Zlatan and the B squad. That worries me. A bland draw where we fool around for 60 minutes and try to win it late wouldn’t surprise me.

Sassuolo oddly doesn’t worry much. Is that nuts? They’ve only scored 3 goals in their last 5 games and were horrible against Benevento. Jeremie Boga is in the worst form of his life and with Francesco Caputo injured the offense has stalled. The back line doesn’t worry me at all. I may regret this. Oh well.

On the bright side Lazio may actually have more injuries than us! They have been the walking wounded despite surviving the CL group stage. By the time this game comes along Lazio will really be looking forward to the Christmas break. Also in our corner is that 3 days earlier Lazio have Napoli, who is on FIRE. Could be Lazio is already half on vacation by the time this game comes along. Could be.

- Last thing.... the mindset of this team, top to bottom, continues to amaze me. No matter what happens no one ever gets too far up or too far down. No matter if it was 2-0 or 2-1 we just kept coming and coming. Sure guys were frustrated the ball wasn’t going in, but I didn’t see any finger pointing. There weren’t any dumb fouls out of frustration. They just got the ball back and came back at Parma over and over. I know folks want to credit Zlatan with that but I think we’ve also got to credit Romagnoli, Kessie and Donnarumma for that as well. They have become the heart and soul of the squad. Between the 3 of them they now have 575 appearances in a Milan shirt.

Cheers

Lisi

0 notes

mechagalaxy · 4 years

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John T Mainer 28840 and Don Lindley 876604 Interview

ANN-Joining us in the ANN studios is Don Lindley 876604 of the Spirit of Bunny, thank you for joining us Don. Can we pick your brain for a few thoughts about the back to back Clan Wars in 3357?

Don-Well , you gonna need a small pick , not much brains left after back to back wars , Dragons did some mighty heavy pounding , but medics say the triple vison should clear up in a few weeks

ANN-So Don, Spirit of Bunny fights in Division 2, how did you do in each war?

Don-There was a lot of speculation about the first war , with all the new adjustments, lots of scrabbling for position and such , but at least in the upper div's , didn't seem to change the outcome much - I ran a 55 ton spec so i didn't really engage in the heavy actions.

The second war- well every body brought the big iron to play - good test of new mechs and lines.

ANN-So the first war, adjusted, with specialists, you faced Northwind Dragons, Black Star Lycan Rangers, and Myth and Legends Team Banzai.

The only difference in the second war is you faced Northwind Dragons, Death Dealers AFF, and Myth and Legends Team Banzai.

Gold in both goes to Northwind Dragons, Silver to the Spirit of Bunny, Wood to Myth and Legends Team Banzai, the only difference seems to be Black Star Lycan Rangers went from gold in 3 to bronze in 2, in the adjusted war, swapping places with the Death Collectors AFF.

Not a lot of change in outcome, how about fighting? Did you do the same amount of attacking in each style?

Don-Harder to attack in the first war - numbers were close in round 2 , thankfully we had the Cyborg , didn't want to get caught out of formation , but I did manage a few , second war , no change ups , just good scouting (good intel never survives long) , and alot of bare knuckle brawling , skill vs heavy guns , lots of running also - sometimes the battle doesn't go as planned.

ANN-That is true, specialist involvement make scouting harder. A person who feared to hit your specialist may kick you unlimited. In a no specialist war, the first attack gives equal intel to both sides.

How many levels did the fighting cost you, both wars combined?

Don-Start to finish 5 levels , really hoping to find some real loot in the raid , gonna take a long hard road to catch up that many levels , and a lottery win is eluding me like the plague

ANN-That is true, not a sniff of a lottery win this series of wars. Five levels is a lot to support, even if you just look at your main lineup.

You are in the three hundreds, where the KOTM XP starts getting bad, the space between levels starts to get small, how are you keeping up in terms of resources to level up, and guns to equip?

Don-Ever been so broke , you sold old guns just so you could enter the lottery for a slim chance ? thats how it has been since I broke the dreaded 300 bench. seriously looking at clearing a bunch of mechs from the hanger right now

ANN-I hear you! In order to get the resources I need even to get my crystal beasts to level, I end up almost at the next, without even being able to do more than my front line niode beasts.

How big is the gap right now between your front rank mecha and your rear niode machines in level? Are you up on all, or rationing starting to open a gap?

Don-The gap is widening - at the start of the war I had all but my penner up to level (weird feeling that) but now 2-3 levels and widening. the xp to resource ration is a bit out of sinc at the moment , and not looking to improve. I could have a bigger base , that would add more mechs to the field , but the cost to keep that many mechs adjusted is just too steep.

Besides the fact I can't afford to upgrade my base.

ANN-Have the prizes from Clan War increased to balance the cost of fighting for them? Or are you basically getting the same return, at higher cost?

Don-Bigger mechs mean bigger bills to upgrade and outfit , the raids are where the real payoff used to be , in the lower levels , raid caches meant all the difference , now they barely pay the cost of wat, let alone making any real gains on advancing actual abilities.

ANN-I note that Gold gets you five good pieces of Niode Equipment for the big machines, Silver two good ones, two jokes, bronze two good ones and a single joke.

Gold should obviously get the prize mecha, but would you consider it fair to get less mecha and more equipment for the BFM mecha that none of us could otherwise afford?

Cool to have a Penner, but if you can't equip it, you can't hope to do better against guys winning more and better mecha AND the gear to put on them.

Don-I can't speak for the rest , but getting moar and better gear to outfit the mechs I can't afford to buy, let alone outfit would sure make silver and bronze fighters give the gold tier a bit more of a fight, not sure we could catch them , but at least we could make it a fight instead of a sacrafice to the craftsmen.

ANN-True that.

Any guesses on what kind of raid is going to follow a double whammy war? Faction War XP orgasm of doom, regular Clan War slaughterfest, or something in between?

Don-Hoping for faction war type caches with regular clan war action , but with all the new involved in the double wammie ? Who can really say. I figure on reloading for big war.

ANN-Luck in the hunt, I hope the random number gods shower you with something better than Wrecker Shots and Death's Head this time.

Thanks for joining us here in the ANN studios Don.

Don-Thanks for the drinks

John T Mainer 28840 and Don Lindley 876604

0 notes

seigyokus · 7 years

Text

8.1 - Everyone, Gather 'Round!

Idolish Seven - Part 3, Chapter 8.1 For more Part 3 translations, click here!

Translation below the cut!

Nanase Riku: A charity telethon!? Takanashi Tsumugi: Yep! Akebono TV broadcasts a 24 hour program for charity every year! Takanashi Tsumugi: The official title is: "Friends Day." Takanashi Tsumugi: Usually, the other guests are already set, excluding the main personalities. However, there was a sudden change of plans and IDOLiSH7 got an offer to guest on the show! Takanashi Tsumugi: This charity telethon has a very long history and was launched by the comedian, Gentle Taniyama-san. He's the person who taught Mister Shimooka-san. Takanashi Tsumugi: Ever since Gentle Taniyama-san passed away, the main personality of the show has been selected by an executive committee. Izumi Mitsuki: Yep, I've heard about that! I've been watching the show ever since I was a kid! So we're gonna star on that show? Takanashi Tsumugi: Yes! And not just as guests in charge of a corner, but as personalities! Takanashi Tsumugi: The main personality is Re:vale, from Okazaki Agency. This will be Momo-san's third time appearing, and Yuki-san's second time. Takanashi Tsumugi: Besides IDOLiSH7, the other personality on the show is TRIGGER, from Yaotome Productions. All of them have appeared on the show once. Takanashi Tsumugi: Thanks to the idol boom following the reopening ceremony, all three groups have gotten offers to appear! Osaka Sougo: With this, we'll be taking on a major job with Re:vale and TRIGGER again! Izumi Iori: ....... Izumi Mitsuki: Hooray! It looks like it'll be quite a handful, but since we're gonna be working with people we know, I'll be more at ease and I’ll definitely do my best! Nanase Riku: That's true! I'm sure we can learn a lot from guesting with Re:vale and TRIGGER! Izumi Iori: ......Again? Izumi Iori: It would be best if the viewers and the media get the same impression as Osaka-san with respect to this program and don't throw a more negative spin on this....... Izumi Iori: The idol boom, as coined by the media.... I understand why the producers would want to assemble a lineup that will reliably bring in the numbers they want to see. Izumi Iori: The charity telethon has very high viewership every year and the audience spans a wide age range. The personalities on the show have left records generation after generation as well. Izumi Iori: The program has an upstanding image, often has excellent sponsorship, and has ample funding. IDOLiSH7 can only benefit from participating in this. However.... Izumi Iori: If we continue to appear alongside these other groups, our own group's value may cheapen as a consequence.... Additionally, the forced nature of this grouping may generate backlash. Izumi Iori: There is no reason for us to decline this offer, as we are currently trying to gain more traction in the market. Re:vale is the main personality. But at the very least, if TRIGGER could just.... Izumi Iori: It would be great if Yaotome Productions turned down this offer.... Takanashi Otoharu: Participating in this will require a massive time commitment for meetings and preparations, not including the 24 hour live broadcast. If you are all still fine with that.... Izumi Mitsuki: Of course we are! Right, everyone? Nikaidou Yamato: Yeah. We'll be able to help people in need. Rokuya Nagi: Yes! It would be a great honor. Yotsuba Tamaki: Yeah, I'll do it. I used to hold the donation box back when I was at the orphanage. Like during local festivals and stuff. Osaka Sougo: Tamaki-kun.... Yotsuba Tamaki: I can hold an even bigger donation box now. I wanna do it. I'll do my best! Nanase Riku: Singing for people and helping people out.... That's exactly what we wanna do! Takanashi Tsumugi: Thank you, everyone! This job will be difficult, but I’m trusting you all with it! Izumi Iori: .......

Yaotome Gaku: Charity telethon? Re:vale's the main personality, and IDOLiSH7's appearing in it too? Yaotome Sousuke: Due to the nature of the program, no revenue will be generated. However, because it is very well known and will be beneficial to your image, there is no reason for us to decline the offer. Yaotome Sousuke: The three of you may be displeased, as all of you are already busy with other jobs, but you have no choice. You will be appearing on this show. Kujou Ten: There was nothing to be displeased about in the first place. Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: I don't have a problem with it either. I'm pretty happy about the lineup, and it'll be an honor to sing at this charity telethon. Anesagi Kaoru: Keep in mind that it's a 24 hour live broadcast. Take care not to let the other groups affect how TRIGGER is perceived. Yaotome Gaku: I know. Yaotome Sousuke: ......If possible, I would have declined the offer. However, these three groups are the faces of the idol boom right now.... Yaotome Sousuke: Having TRIGGER bow out of this national charity event is risky. It would leave the impression that they're greedy and only care about money. Yaotome Sousuke: First the reopening ceremony and now the charity telethon, with hardly any time in between....... ......Say what you may, but this is much too soon....... Yaotome Sousuke: While this is a very fitting stage, each individual group is capable of establishing their dominance. However, all three are being sold as a package deal, as if they were unsold items left over from the day's business. Yaotome Sousuke: We must stop this stream of events somewhere.... Yaotome Sousuke: It would be for the best if Re:vale fell ill all of a sudden and TRIGGER became the main personality.......

Okazaki Rinto: Congratulations! You two are the main personalities for the charity telethon, "Friends Day!" Momo: Thanks! It's a pretty big gig, but I'll do my best! Yuki: I'm sure we can handle it, since it's the two us. Momo: Yuki, that was so cool!! Yuki: I crossed the line last time, Momo. That was my fault, and I apologize. I was just worried since you were dealing with someone so dangerous. Momo: ....... Yuki: I know you care a lot about me, but I care a lot about you too. Momo: Yuki.... Okazaki Rinto: About time, Yuki-kun! You finally said it to a human being! Come on, let's high five! Yuki・Okazaki Rinto: Yippee! Momo: Hahah, what's with you two! Momo: Heheheh! Okazaki Rinto: I'm glad you two were able to make up! Let's all do our best for "Friends Day!" Yuki: Wait.... Mister Shimooka-san won't be appearing? Momo: Huh? Okazaki Rinto: Apparently he hasn't been in very good health, so he stepped down. Momo: Really? It's a pity since Shimooka-chan was the founder's student. Momo: The last time we were together, he told me that he'll always want to appear, even if it's just for five minutes, ‘til the day he dies. Yuki: It looks like some of the established guests that used to appear every year won't be participating either. Momo: Ah.... All of the famous people from Tsukumo aren't there. Yuki: I see.... Either way, it looks like we're in for some sleepless nights. Momo: It's like he's trying to say, "Hey guys, I set a bomb!" ......Ugh, what a douche.

Production Director: ......As such, that was our rough outline for the programming in "Friends Day." Izumi Iori: Even though it's just a meeting, this is quite an impressive lineup.... All of the internet TV stations across the country are joining forces to produce this.... Yaotome Gaku: So that's why my dad couldn't refuse this job, even though he hates it when we mingle with other groups. Production Director: I'd like everyone to remember the objective of this program. Yotsuba Tamaki: Ob-jec-tive? Nikaidou Yamato: Tama........ Production Director: In other words, our directive.... Actually, I'll have the chief producer explain since I tend to speak very formally. Chief Producer: The goal of this charity telethon is to help people in need. Chief Producer: We might not be able to save everyone in just one day, but we'll be able to tell the whole country that there are indeed people who need help. Chief Producer: This includes people who are sick, children without families, the unemployed, and disaster victims. Bringing awareness to people who aren't interested in these issues is no easy task, even though it's very important. Chief Producer: We'd like you all to introduce these very serious and difficult problems to our viewers in an approachable and friendly manner. Just like how the title, "Friends Day," suggests! Yotsuba Tamaki: ......I think I get it. I wanna do it right. Production Director: Good. We'll be very troubled otherwise. Staff: Hahaha! Chief Producer: In order for this charity telethon to continue on, we'll also need empirical success. We'll need your help on that point, since you guys are the current heartthrobs. Chief Producer: We briefly touched upon it earlier, but if you could turn to the 'Pre-Event PR' column in the planning documents.... Yuki: Say.... Chief Producer: Yes? Yuki: .....I took a peek at it earlier and was really surprised. Nanase Riku: "Friends Day" theme song.... "24 Hour Head-Start Production Camp".... Kujou Ten: "We made the theme song in 24 hours!" Composer and Lyricist: Re:vale.... Choreographer: TRIGGER.... Izumi Iori: Costume design: IDOLiSH7......!? Wha.... Why are we in charge of costume design? Chief Producer: Ah. By costume, we mean T-shirts, so all of you are in charge of designing the print on the T-shirts. Make sure it's tasteful! It's because some of you have done modelling before. Rokuya Nagi: ....... All I did was wear the clothes though...? Izumi Mitsuki: Uh, are any of us fashionable? Nanase Riku: Yamato-san is! I think Yamato-san is really cool! Nikaidou Yamato: No, no! I'm just your average guy! If we're talkin' high fashion, then I think Sou's pretty close to that. Osaka Sougo: I just listen to the store employees' advice....... Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: So are we doing all of the choreography ourselves? For twelve people? Including formations? Yaotome Gaku: Yeah, but it's impossible to choreograph anything unless the song's done first. Right, Yuki-san? Yuki: ......24 hours.... There's no way I could do it in that time....... Kujou Ten: Excuse me, there's something I'd like to ask. Chief Producer: Yes? Kujou Ten: Why is there a camera in here? Chief Producer: That's Kujou-kun for you! Chief Producer: We'd like you guys to move to the training camp, starting now! All: What!? Momo: So the next 24 hours from now are for that? Wait! But what about the jobs we have lined up for tomorrow!? You're pulling my leg, right? Osaka Sougo: Is it really starting now? Like really, really starting now? Did you say that as a demo, by any chance...? Izumi Iori: Will we have a change of clothes? What about our underwear and toothbrushes...? Chief Producer: Please purchase them there. Izumi Mitsuki: Huh? What? Wait, read this.... Izumi Mitsuki: ......"And all of a sudden, everyone was en route to a villa in Atami...." Izumi Mitsuki: Why am I hearing about this just now!? Momo: Man, I would've brought my swimsuit if I knew we were going to Atami! If you go just a bit further to Izu, you can even go diving! (1) Chief Producer: It's okay, you won't have any time to play around. Alright, then. Everyone, please get moving! Yotsuba Tamaki: Uh, so where's Atami? Is it in Hokkaido? Izumi Iori: Are you really asking that despite how many times have you ridden the Tōkaidō Shinkansen for MEZZO" work? (2) Yaotome Gaku: Hey Nikaidou, you should do Kanichi's pose in front of the Konjiki Yasha statue and take a pic. I bet it'll suit you. (3) Nikaidou Yamato: Sure thing. You better do Miya's pose for me then-- I'll send ya flying. Nanase Riku: Yay! We're going on a trip together! Kujou Ten: It looks like it'll be quite a handful, but I'm a little excited for it. Nanase Riku: Really!? Kujou Ten: Yes. It'll definitely be worth it. Nanase Riku: I never thought you'd say that! I'm really happy! Let's sit next to each other on the bus! Kujou Ten: Ahahaha. Oh, Nanase-san. Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: .....We're surrounded by cameras so Ten can't drop his persona....... Yaotome Gaku: .....Is he gonna last?

To be continued....

TL Notes/comments:

thank u @kuriiii for proofreading!!!

(1) Atami is a resort town in Shizuoka Prefecture. Its name literally means "hot ocean," and the town is famous for onsen. Izu refers to the Izu Peninsula, and also the area near it. tl;dr its by the beach n looks great and fun 2 be at (2) Tōkaidō Shinkansen - high speed rail that goes frm tokyo to shin-osaka! One of the stops is actually Atami. Hence why Iori is like "dude, bro. how do you???? not know where it is???" (3) The statue depicts a scene from "Konjiki Yasha" (The Golden Demon), which is a story by Ozaki Koyo (a Meiji author, 1868-1903). Some context: "In the story, a beautiful young woman named Miya tells her fiance, Kanichi, that she is breaking off their engagement so she can marry a banker’s son who has wooed her with a big diamond ring. Enraged, Kanichi kicks Miya to the ground and vows to forsake humanity. Kanichi goes on to become a cold-hearted moneylender and Miya’s marriage to the rich man does not go well." ANYWAYS Kanichi is the man kicking the lady, and given Yamato's long streak of portraying villains, I think that's why Gaku's poking fun at him here. But Yamato counters that Gaku should pose as Miya (the lady getting kicked) LOL

As usual, if you see any mistakes/mistranslations/etc, please message me!

Thank you for reading!!

#アイドリッシュセブン #idolish7 #story3:text #story3:tl #translation

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fmlfpl · 5 years

Photo

Lineup Lamentations - GW15

Our Transfers, Captains, and Starting 11s for the week!

—

WALSH

TRANSFERS:

OUT: N/A

IN: N/A

Gonna save this midweek. Team looks okay and while I am expecting a bunch of fuckery from Pope the cuck I feel like having two frees into the weekend will give me more flexibility to figure out what I'm doing with my life.

GK:

Pope (MCI)

Pope, perhaps farewell game, fuck you.

DEF:

Alexander-Arnold & Robertson (EVE)

Trent and Robbo go in the 1 goal conceded darb. Hopefully I find an assist between the pair lest I receive two blanks instead. Welp.

Lundstram (NEW)

Poinstram home banker looks like a good home banker. Not much to say here besides everyone owns him and no one cares.

Kelly (BOU)

Last friend is my actual best friend and his name is Martin Kelly. His name is Martin Kelly. His name is Martin Kelly. His name is Martin Kelly.

MID:

De Bruyne (bur)

Kevin remains as my sole citeh asset. I continue to be generally underwhelmed by him but he keeps returning. Fine guy to hold I guess.

Son (mun)

Swan goes to OT in what could be a goalfest game. Seems okay...not expecting the world but also not expecting United's defense to be able to handle these.

Ozil (BHA)

Last but not least is the bug eyed mantis god himself mister ozil. Easy game easy life..haul incoming.

FWD:

Kane (mun), Lacazette (BHA), and Vardy (WAT)

Lotta beef up top for me with Kane, Laca and Vardz. Hopefully Kane bangs and Laca does a better job of doing shit. Vardz...like Pointstram..no one cares.

CAP:

Lacazette (BHA)

Laca. Fuck you, up the arse.

—

ALON

TRANSFERS:

OUT: N/A

IN: N/A

Full blown 8am panic this morning for me before packing and heading to the airport with what to do with Salah...

Like I said on the pod I’m fairly certain that he’ll be out of my team soooooon (Maddo too probably) but also I don’t know for who, Son or Raz or Mane or Alli being the likeliest lads.

In the end when I’m this unsure of myself and unsure of life and rallying off red arrows for fun it’s sometimes better to just save and roll the transfer and with more time and info and better fixtures I can figure out my moves next week. Probably fuck off three players for a hit and get in Son/Alli and a premium and one other swap maybe Tomori to Kelly or something for the funds...

For now saving feels sorta stale and bad but it’s fine and normal and what I’m used to. Much of life, FPL, and bread is both stale and bad.

GK:

Gazzaniga (mun)

Can’t wait to see how many goals they concede this time.

No faith.

DEF:

van Dijk (EVE)

Clean? Dong? Hopefully something... VVD is forever a legend though the one prem match I go to this season he braces what an actual god.

Lundstram (NEW)

Yeah yeah everyone has him everyone is starting him his points are basically null.

Söyüncü (WAT)

And now everyone has Soy or at least one Leicester defender too so also feels like sort’ve an empty spot in my team which sucks but I duno it’s a good cleanable fixture and maybe Soy will get on the end of one.

MID:

Salah (EVE)

Don’t ask just leave me alone.

De Bruyne (bur)

City will keep scoring goals and Kev will keep trickling points.

Pulisic (AVL)

I had my Pulisic rant on the pod and also there’s this StatsBomb article and basically TLDR Pulisic is a great fucking pick and he’s gonna fuck.

Maddison (WAT)

Fucking Maddo. Also had my Maddo rant :(...

One time can I get a Maddo corner to Soy dong? One fucking time before I fuck this kid outta my life??? Watford concede set piece goals like it’s their day job... I can dream...

FWD:

Kane (mun)

Was a very sad acceptance on the pod of Kane possibly still just being a slow donkey piece of shit bad pick worst pick of the lot on Spurs but... Again... I can dream.

Vardy (WAT)

Auto.

Connolly (ars)

Had no numbers to speak of vs. Liverpool but he was a little live-wire and almost got in behind a few times if it wasn’t for VVD saving tackles. Eye-test in. And against Arsenal I like his chances.

CAP:

Vardy (WAT)

Whatever.

Would love some smart stats person to figure out the game theory behind what to do when everyone is going to be capping the same player.

Is it actually better to consistently go against the grain on these? Or is it better to follow the field and get your points elsewhere? My brain isn’t big enough to figure out the maths behind that but surely there is someone out there who can do it...

Game theory in.

—

RANDOM SLACKER OF THE WEEK: DEWITT

The words of Random Slacker are not officially endorsed by this website nor any employees of FML FPL LLC.

TRANSFERS:

OUT: N/A

IN: N/A

Moves are fun and hits are great so that was tempting but I’ve decided to roll a free this GW.

The move that stood out was upgrading Dendocker to Grealish in a straight swap but that sounded better in my head and less good after talking with some guys. Grealish wouldn’t be starting for me and that’s a little too much money in the bank. Also, che, LEI, shu aren’t the best upcoming fixtures.

Probably gonna look at a double move next GW and strongly consider moving Maddison to Alli’s brother.

GK:

Gazzaniga (mun)

Who in the hell knows how this match is gonna go down? I’m definitely not expecting a clean but United is still a shitshow so anything could happen. Spuds could also concede like four goals and I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised.

I’ll give Gazz a few more weeks and reassess his spot in my squad.

DEF:

Alexander-Arnold & Robertson (EVE)

I say this every week and then I’m always disappointed but this should be an easy clean IMO. Everton are clinging on for dear life and played a super defensive lineup and formation against Leicester. I’d expect a similar lineup against Liverpool and that shouldn’t be a problem for the Reds. WHO THE FUCK KNOWS THOUGH? Adrian might just not give a shit and nothing matters.

Lundstram (NEW)

Probably the best clean shout fixture in the division so feels good starting Lundy boy here. He also doesn’t even play defender so starting him as one feels awesome still. Twitter has shouted him as a cap shout and I still think that’s pure fuckery.

MID:

Mané (EVE)

Mane is just in amazing form and honestly not even a bad cap shout this week. With Salah still not back fully fit, Mane is their primary means of attacking and supplied by the best fullbacks in the world so smiles all around.

Maddison (WAT)

Leicester are good and Watford are very bad. This is easy.

Pulisic (AVL)

Disappointed in the lack of returns against piss poor WHU but Pulisic still looked their best attacker and Aston Villa aren’t world beaters, but not terrible. Let’s go Captain America.

Son (mun)

Even with me being pretty new to EPL and FPL, Son is a fucking joy to watch. Just running 24/7 and grinning ear to ear. He may be due a rest soon but Mou doesn’t typically rotate a lot and will want to demolish United.

FWD:

Vardy (WAT)

The crackhead man is on fucking fire. He just keeps scoring goals and now he’s finally shooting more too. I don’t exactly love Vardy as person or player but you can’t avoid having him now, he’s just bad. Best FPL striker right now.

Rashford (TOT)

Rashford is another player in great form. United still don’t look too great but Rash continues to tick. Had a goal stolen from him last week but I’m not upset about it at all.

Ings (NOR)

Home Norwich is still a great attacking fixture and Mr. No Knees is ticking along, even with his bullshit non-involvement goal last weekend. I’d expect at least one attacking return this week but he could easily be rested too. What do I know though?

CAP:

Vardy (WAT)

Easiest decision I’ve made in a long time. Let’s go crackhead.

#lineup lambs #lineup lamentations

0 notes

anemonensblog · 7 years

Text

11(33) Questions meme

So I got tagged by @writsgrimmyblog quite a while ago, and didn’t get around to answering it since I was travelling, so got further tagged by @dictacontrion and @huldrejenta. So this is very long. Hence the cut thing.

RULES:

- Always post the rules

- Answer the questions given by the person who tagged you

- Write 11 questions of your own

- Tag 11 people (or however many you want)

As for my questions, I’m tagging @eidheann, @dracogotgame, @capipuff, @awesomedig, @comingupwithusernamesishard, @noeeon, @i-didnt-wanna-do-it, @firethesound and then if you guys who tagged me wants to do my questions too, I wouldn’t mind readig your answers :D

@writsgrimmyblog asked:

1. What’s your favourite quote from a book or poem? I'm not the best at picking out quotes and I've never been big on poetry, but Kate Tempest has some texts that really digs into my soul. Seeing her at the third biggest stage at Glastonbury, a spoken word artist drawing such a crowd - was pretty powerful. So I chose this quote from her 'Tunnel Vision':

"The myth of the individual has left us disconnected, lost, and pitiful" (which sounds a bit bleak, but the whole poem/album is really powerful, and it ends on a sort of hopeful note.)

2. What song makes you want to dance like nobody’s watching? I only ever dance like nobody's watching :D latest to Pumarosa at their set at Glastonbury, and then to some pretty heavy techno waiting for Josefin ��rn's set at the Glade. While I don't listen to it much on my own, nothing really makes me let loose and not give a shit like hard electronic music does wrt dancing.

3. What’s your favourite ship to read? Currently Larry. Fic wise it's such a varied pairing to read - covering so many themes and settings - so I never manage to get tired of it. I also really love Tomlinshaw, but Drarry is always in my heart - my first and deepest fandom love.

4. If you could own one item of clothing belonging to any celebrity what would you pick and why? Umm, is it weird to be in a celeb related fandom and say that I don't really pay that much attention to celebrities? I guess in the sense of overall style I usually like Kristen Stewart's choices and I'd probably be more than happy to wear her wardrobe at all times. But for a single item I'd probably go for one of Harry Styles's lush and luxurious and ridiculously expensive floral blouses and pair it with a pair of high waisted skinny jeans and my brogues.

5. Gif with a hard or soft ‘g’? Well, as I usually pronounce file formats in Norwegian, the hard g is the only one that makes sense. I suppose we do have a version of soft g too, but that would make it yif, and that just sounds weird. So hard g it is!

6. What’s your favourite fanfic ‘getting together’ trope? Hmm, does coming to terms with one's sexuality count as a getting together trope? That always hits me really hard and feels very emotional. Otherwise I guess friends to lovers and enemies to lovers, with loads of pining and ust.

7. What’s your guiltiest pleasure? I'm not sure I actually have a really guilty pleasure? I used to watch a lot of Americas next top model, just because I loved seeing the process with the photo shoots, so maybe that's a little guilty with regards to how the modelling and fashion industry perpetuates some very unhealthy things.

8. Most relatable 1D (or solo 1D) lyric? “If tomorrow you won’t be mine, won’t you give it to me one last time” JK LMAO but no one can convince me that song isn’t fucking hilarious. For real though, I’m more of a melody than lyrics kind of gal, so I’m not entirely sure? Maybe this one, for good luck, since I’m making some changes in my life (also bonus since they are Louis’ lines :D): “I think I'm gonna win this time, Riding on the wind and I won't give up, I think I'm gonna win this time, I roll and I roll, 'til I change my luck, I roll and I roll, 'til I change my luck”

9. If you could give one piece of advice to a celebrity, what would it be? I don't necessarily feel like I have any good basis for giving advice to celebs, but I guess just remembering to keep a healthy perspective towards the world, and to use their platform for good. Their participation in politics and activism could do more good than I think a lot of them realise. (But stay informed and think before you speak.)

10. Tell me your favourite joke. You know, I literally can’t think of a single joke. I guess I could search for some, but that would sort of belie the point.

11. If you were famous for a day, what question would you most dread being asked during an interview? I think anything related to diet/workout routine/keeping my body in shape would make me feel really uncomfortable and objectified.

@dictacontrion's questions:

1. If you could have one billion dollars or the not (or only incidentally) profitable superpower of your choosing, which would you choose and why? As my big dream/my favourite thing to do is travelling and seeing the world, my chosen superpower would probably be teleportation. BUT teleportation would still leave me with the issue of spending money and getting days off work (unless I used the teleportation for criminal purposes I guess). So I think I'd go for the billion dollars, which not only would enable me to travel as much and however I'd like, but is such a ridiculous amount of money that maybe I could use it to do some good in the world.

2. What article of clothing makes you feel most awesome? The way I dress is incredibly dependent on my mood, but I guess maybe my denim shorts? Mostly because of the setting in which I would wear them. I love the feeling of warm air and sun on bare skin more than practically anything, so the few occasions where I'm able to wear my denim shorts I feel happy and awesome from the get-go :)

3. How did you get into your most recent fandom? That must be the 1d fandom, so long story short: a 1d fanfic based m/m novel tickled my curiousity, Harry's 'not that important' even more so. Got recommended the fantastic gryles fic “If this is love” by sunsetmog which I read and adored, and diving deeper into sunsemog’s fics I then read “I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow” which till this day still stands as one of my fave ever fics. Then followed some arbitrary tumblr searching and blog following, and in time the rabbit hole that is Larry swallowed me hole and has failed to spit me back out.

4. What’s your least favorite/most hated book, and why? I’m terribly impatient, so I don’t really finish stuff I don’t like? So I don’t really have that passionate bad feelings about any one book I’ve read. Read some 1800s Norwegian realism/naturalism literature in high school which at the time felt like a drag, but in hindsight I’m very happy I read. Moby Dick annoyed the hell out of me, and I gave up halfway through, but I still don’t hate it, I don’t think. So I don’t really know *shrugs*

5. Describe a fanwork you’d love to read/see/watch, but don’t want to create yourself, please? Ummm, a long and plotty Ginny/Luna fic maybe. I’d love to read more femslash, but the fics I’ve seen out there are usually just little ficlet. And nothing against a good ficlet, but I’m longing to dive deep into a long and immersive wlw story. (Incidentally, if anyone have any such recs, be it fanfic or original fiction, I’d be happy to hear about it!)

6. What would be the lineup of your ideal music festival? Ahhhh this is simultaneously the hardest and the best possible question for me!! Okayyy: Grimes, Years & Years, One Direction (ofc), Pumarosa, Arctic Monkeys, Lianne La Havas, Shura, The Shins, Loyle Carner, Wolf Alice, Ezra Furman, Lady Gaga and Rihanna (the two of whom I don't listen to much, but I think they'd bring some amazing pop flair), the Kills, Chvrches, All We Are, Warpaint, Tame Impala, Susanne Sundfør, Amason and then Katzenjammer for some fun nostalgia, ohh and Kate Tempest! and Charli XCX was a lot of fun and I wouldn’t mind seeing her again. ummm okay and then a club line-up for after hours with AlunaGeorge, Disclosure, Hot Chip, Roger Sanchez, Röksopp ft Robyn, Christine Dancke and Nick Grimshaw because why not ;) (And now I’ll probably go on to regret everyone I forgot to add)

7. You’re given the power to unilaterally create one law or policy in one country - what is it? To nationalise all natural resources so their riches would benefit the people rather than a few rich private business owners and multinational corporations who are often not even based locally.

8. If you had to commit to living in one place for the rest of your life, what would it be? Part of me wants to say London, but I think realistically I'll have to choose Bergen (in Norway)<3

9. Thinking about your life a year from now, what’s one thing that you hope will be different? I hope I’m no longer in this limbo between life phases and will have got to implement the changes I’m going for properly.

10. What’s one thing that you hope will be the same? My relationship.

11. What’s the last thing that made you laugh? Was out with some friends for beers last night, which included many laughs, but I can’t remember what in particular that made me laugh. I hang out with these people way to rarely. They’re such great people, and hanging out with them feels so relaxed.

And last but not least, @huldrejenta‘s questions:

1. What was your favourite album as a teenager? Depends on when you asked me. If I was 13, probably “The Eminem Show”, but as a 17-year old, most definitely Arctic Monkeys’ “Whatever People Say I Am That’s What I’m Not” (which still stands as one of my all time favourites)

2. What’s your favourite album now? Pumarosa – “The Witch” – fantastic album, which I wholeheartedly recommend.

3. One pairing you’d love to have more fanfic/art about? As mentioned above, Ginny/Luna. But also more femslash in general would be pretty fantastic.

4. What’s your favourite villain in books and/or movies? I’m not a villain kind of lady, but maybe Umbridge? I don’t think anyone has ever given me as bad feelings as her, because she’s such a realistic villain in a lot of ways. She’s not caricature evil like Voldy or Sauron, but an everyday, self-involved, closed minded evil. And that’s a very effective kind of evil to hate.

5. Do you believe in supernatural phenomenons? No

6. You can have dinner with any person from history, who would you choose? This is kind of an impossible question. So many interesting persons through history. But, actually, I think I’d really have loved to have met my grandfather on my father’s side. My dad is quite old, so his dad was born in the late 1800s and died long before I was born, but he was a teacher and from the sound of it, incredibly foresighted and modern for a man of that time. Which are values he’s very much passed on to his sons. My dad is amazing. My grandfather was a teacher, and during the Nazi occupation of Norway during WW2, he was among those who lost their jobs because he refused to teach nazi ideology to his pupils. And this was in a small, working class industry town, and my dad has told so many fantastic stories about him. I’d love to have met him and talked to him.

7. Name three things you like about yourself :) While I’m pretty shy, I’m also kind of tough in some ways. I went to Japan without much of a plan and winged it as we went. I started playing rugby at age 27. I started singing in a choir I found by googling, where I didn’t know anyone. I wish that toughness spread to other sides of my life, but at least it’s something. I can sing, something which brings me immense joy. I have a pretty good memory, combined with wide spanning interests and curiosity, so I remember a lot of weird facts and random things.

8. Hogwarts era Drarry, yes or no? Depends. 8th year, post war/canon, yes. Canon divergence (other than ewe), mostly no.

9. What was the last thing you googled? The lyrics for some 1d songs for one of the questions further up :P

10. Favourite Harry Potter book? Hmmmmmmmmmm I don’t know? Maybe Prisoner of Azkaban? They’ve all had very profound effects on me though, so it’s like choosing a favourite child.

11. Favourite museum/gallery? I’ve seen a lot of amazing museum during my life, so that’s kind of impossible to answer as well. But maybe, for nostalgic reasons, Bryggens Museum in Bergen. Because my dad used to take me and my sister there sometimes during weekends when we were little, when my mum needed to sleep after a night shift at the hospital. And he’d tell stories and we’d look at the archaeological spots and the seasonal exhibits, and we’d get soda and cake in the museum café.

My questions:

1. Do you have a song stuck in your head right now? Which one?

2. Do you have any plans in the foreseeable future that you’re looking forward to?

3. What’s your favourite place inside your house/flat?

4. What hobbies do you have outside of fandom?

5. Do you speak any languages besides your own?

6. What’s the best concert you’ve ever been to?

7. If you could meet the leader of your country and tell them whatever you wanted, and be guaranteed they’d listen to you, what would you say?

8. What movie did you watch over and over as a child, and what was your favourite thing about it?

9. What’s your favourite thing about each season through the year?

10. If you were to get a pet tomorrow, what would you call it and why?

11. How did you discover fanfiction?

#about me #meme #question meme

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smoothshift · 5 years

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An Unexpected week review of a 2019 Camaro SS via /r/cars

An Unexpected week review of a 2019 Camaro SS

Hey guys, I visit r/cars pretty often because I love to read about cars in general. A bit about myself, I’ve always liked Ford and I’ve never driven a Chevy product for any extended amount of time. This is a story about how a squirrelly trash can came out of nowhere and caused my MKZ to have a $4k trip to the shop and me take ownership of a SS for a week. Never done a “review” so don’t pull out the torches, I’m just your average guy that likes cars.

First off the squirrelly trash can. Wasn’t squirrelly at all, just a normal dumpster. Get called into work, hurry out the door, open my garage and make a right out into the alley. I’m dreading work wondering how long I’ll have to be out and then I hear a low screeching noise, I keep going before I realize the dumpster is whittling the side of my car! I get out in full panic, check the passenger rear and it’s worse than I expected. A dent and deep scratch goes from my back passenger door to almost the entire rear quarter panel. Crushed with a painful pit in my stomach that life has reminded me still exists, I drive to work heartbroken. I would later find out that the dumpster was left closer to my driveway/garage by the garbage men but moot point.

In comes the Camaro. I was supposed to have a “luxury” rental from a company that rhymes with Renterprise but could you believe they didn’t have any available? Given the option to chose from what they have, I go and scour the lot. I’m walking and I see some Camaro side panels that are from 2009 but wait a sec, the rear end and front end look a bit off. I walk around the front and see a lot of grill and the floating bow tie. This isn’t a 2009 camaro, it is a 2019 camaro. The butterface of the current pony car lineup.

Late for work I choose the SS. I turn it on and it has a wonderful sound, I pull out of the parking lot and feel the immediacy of power. I start my 30 minute commute with a big grin on my face, and it’s not just the power, it’s the feeling of actually driving. Of the steering wheel having a more direct connection to the road, but also the feeling of stability. I’ve road and driven Mustangs in the past (not 2019s) and they didn’t give me the same confidence the Camaro did. Maybe it was the longer wheelbase or maybe it was the staggered 275 Eagle F1s. But the car always felt fast though, I suppose that could be attributed to the healthy amount of torque. What ever it was, it made me happy. Like a kid waking up on Christmas, is how I woke up in the morning eager to drive it. To work, to the store, to anywhere. I was over the moon. Hell I loved the car so much I washed the damn thing and removed several superficial markings with some scratch doctor. My wife was bewildered but she let me enjoy cleaning the car without too much harassment.

Of course the car isn’t without its flaws. Everyone has read or experienced the piss poor visibility of a Camaro. Want to check your blind spot before switching lanes? Think again idiot, says Chevy. Want to make a quick run and fill a 5 Gallon jug of water? It’s gonna have to ride shotgun because it won’t stand upright in the trunk. Want to take your friends to lunch? As if I had any but they would have to have the thinnest lower legs this side of the Mississippi to ride in that back seat.

But as a person who has never even given a Camaro a second thought, I walk away a believer and can appreciate what Chevy has achieved. The fact that the 455HP V8 could match and often beat my MPG of my EcoBoost on Touring mode is just icing on the cake. Oh and if your wondering about the grill of the car, it actually doesn’t look bad in the metal (plastic?). I believe now that the renderings lack a lot of detail so on the internet it just looks like a gaping hole but really looks fine to me IRL. 2020s fixes the issue regardless.

Anyways guys, I’m on mobile so sorry for formatting, these were probably more of impressions than a review, and I’m sure someone is about to have a conniption because of my punctuation. So with that I’ll leave you all to return to life with maybe a little bit of optimism of what competition has to offer. Hope you guys have a great day!

#reddit #autonews #auto #cars

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365footballorg-blog · 6 years

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Armchair Analyst: Your complete guide to the Week 8 MLS slate

April 20, 201811:24AM EDT

Eight, eight, I forget what eight was for.

Let’s go.

Friday Night Feature

Sporting KC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps

9 pm ET | Match Preview | TV & streaming info

Is Kei Kamara the best player in the league? No, of course not. But he might be one of the most important players in the league, because his skillset is what gives Vancouver’s attack their shape and ability to function. Kamara is a rugged, committed, large and athletic center forward. The ‘Caps love to play long through him, and early in the season that’d been pretty successful.

He was out last week, and he’ll be out this week as well as the next several with a groin injury. Playing without him left Vancouver pretty stumped in their dispiriting 2-0 home loss to LAFC. Here’s a map of their incomplete passes from that game:

Notice how many of them are long-balls right up the gut or crosses toward the general vicinity of the penalty spot? That’s Kamara’s territory, and his backup, Erik Hurtado, is not the same type of forward nor the same type of threat. He wasn’t able to win those balls, and thus Vancouver were reduced to a walk-it-up approach that gave LAFC plenty of time to keep their lines tight and build a wall about 35 yards from goal. The ‘Caps had no answer, and managed just one shot from inside the box and eight overall despite attacking pretty desperately for the final half-hour.

So it’s fair to say they lack ideas without Kamara.

Being on the road this week is probably a relief for Vancouver, especially against a Sporting team that will 1) press high (though nowhere near as high and hard as they used to), and thus 2) leave space in behind for the likes of Hurtado, Alphonso Davies and Cristian Techera on the counter. We saw them get roasted by Will Bruin and the Roldans in exactly that scenario last week.

Saturday Slate

Montreal Impact vs. LAFC

1 pm ET | Match Preview | TV & streaming info

The Impact play just their second home match of the year, and their first at Stade Saputo. LAFC, meanwhile, play the finale of their six-match, franchise-starting odyssey. They’ve won three of their previous five, including three of four against Western Conference foes. That means they’re officially playing this game with house money – whatever happens here (injuries excepted), it’s been a successful road trip. Full stop.

Montreal have had much less success in the early going. They countered their way to back-to-back wins over Toronto and Seattle last month, but have been blown out in two straight and are still… I’m gonna be charitable and call it “questionable” at the back. Victor Cabrera in particular has struggled, Rod Fanni came off injured against the Red Bulls and man does it feel like this team is always just scrambling like mad back there. That’s compounded by a midfield who’ve yet to find any sort of rhythm or ability to control the game with possession.

It’s early days yet. Remi Garde is still adding pieces, juggling formations and lineups (my guess is he goes away from the 5-3-2 in this one and into a 4-5-1 with Ignacio Piatti as a false 9). But it’s not been a promising first two months, and the hope in Quebec is that with a home-heavy schedule coming up, Montreal finally get their legs under them and start living above the playoff line.

Houston Dynamo vs. Toronto FC

3 pm ET | Match Preview | TV & streaming info

Houston have left points on the table just about every week via careless defending and their own poor finishing. They should not do so this weekend against what’s sure to be a backup-laden TFC team.

As was the case with Colorado vs. the TFC reserves last weekend, this is a pass/fail proposition. I do not care how well they play at this point – we all know they play well. They have to win.

New York Red Bulls vs. Chicago Fire

3:30 pm ET | Match Preview | TV & streaming info

A friendly reminder of what the Red Bulls do to a soft and disorganized defense:

Those third-line passes – ones that eliminate multiple defenders in a zonal scheme – are murder. And New York are both fearless and ruthless about hitting them.

I honestly don’t know what the Fire do here. I don’t think they can keep playing Bastian Schweinsteiger as a sweeper, and it’s probably past time to give someone else the minutes Tony Tchani’s been getting, as he hasn’t been at all effective on either side of the ball.

The last time these two teams met, which was in last year’s playoffs, the Red Bulls won 4-0. I wouldn’t be surprised if Saturday’s scoreline was similar.

Columbus Crew SC vs. New England Revolution

7:30 pm ET | Match Preview | TV & streaming info

My colleague Bobby Warshaw laid out the case for Diego Fagunez in his column on Thursday. The operative take is “They have a small and funky sample size.” New England have played an inordinate number of games either on the power play or the penalty kill, and just twice on the road, and etc. etc. etc., so it’s hard to get a real feel for where, exactly, they are overall.

I will say that my early opinion is so: They are organized and committed when playing front-foot defense, which they showed best in their 2-2 home draw against NYCFC. They were organized and dangerous when playing purely back-foot defense and hitting on the counter, which they showed in their 2-0 win at Houston. And they’ve looked kind of clueless when trying to build from the back – unable to string passes together, inattentive to runners and prone to “hey I forgot to check my shoulder, oops!” lapses – which killed them last weekend in their 1-0 home loss to FC Dallas.

I think that means New England have two good ways to play, which is more than most teams at this point. But I’m not quite certain of that just yet.

As for Columbus… they’ve hit the woodwork seven times in seven games, including five in the last three weeks. Not coincidentally they’re 0-3-0 in that span. The underlying numbers still like them, though, and so do I. They might not get it right this weekend (watch for the Revs to try to turn Zack Steffen over), but they’ll be fine in the long run.

Orlando City SC vs. San Jose Earthquakes

7:30 pm ET | Match Preview | TV & streaming info

Jason Kreis was finally happy with the “defensive mindset” of his team in last weekend’s 2-0 win at Philadelphia. Part of that, from where I sat, was simply getting Cristian Higuita into central midfield and sliding Will Johnson over to right back.

Higuita – who came on at d-mid the half-hour mark when right back RJ Allen was injured, thus sliding Johnson over – is a pure destroyer in front of the defense and an unadventurous passer of the ball. He adds almost nothing to the attack, but he rarely gets out of position, never tries to do too much, and generally speaking seems to have no illusions with regard to his strengths and weaknesses as a player.

Johnson is not that guy. He tries to cover a ton of ground and often does so to the detriment of his team’s defensive shape. His ideas with the ball are often excellent but his execution is often lacking, which leads to giveaways that the Purple Lions aren’t equipped to handle. And while he’s definitely a tough tackler, he’s definitely not a backline shield because his instincts are always to hunt rather than protect.

I would hope, for Orlando City’s sake, that Johnson stays at right back this week and either Higuita or Uri Rosell partners Yoshi Yotun deep in the 4-2-3-1.

The Quakes, by the way, have not been good. As with Garde’s team and Friedel’s it’s too soon to really judge what Mikael Stahre is doing, and I will say that the 4-3-3 they played last week showed some promise in terms of the team’s ability to create overloads then switch the field of play, spreading the opposing defense out:

Not a lot has gone right for the Quakes but the 4-3-3 they played last week showed some promise in terms of their ability to create overloads then switch the field of play, spreading the opposing defense out. pic.twitter.com/dYXN26mMjX

— Matthew Doyle (@MattDoyle76) April 20, 2018

But they’ve been sloppy at the back – waaaaay too sloppy at the back – and have not shown an ability to get in behind any defense they’ve played against. They’re already three points below the playoff line, and this game starts a stretch in which they play four-of-five on the road. It’s entirely possible that by the time that stretch is over, the Quakes will be trying to dig themselves out of a big old ditch.

FC Dallas vs. Philadelphia Union

8 pm ET | Match Preview | TV & streaming info

I’ve covered Dallas in each of my last two Sunday columns so I’ll leave it at this, here: I hope Cristian Colman starts again, and not just because he’s capable of some wildly amusing stuff. I just think FCD look much more dangerous with him on the field.

As for the Union, here is midfielder and team captain Alejandro Bedoya talking to Matthew De George of TheAthletic.com about the team’s over-reliance upon crossing the ball:

“We had a meeting today and that’s one of the things that I brought up. I said I’d like to mix it up more in not just being too predictable in terms of getting it to feet and getting it wide, cross, repeat,” Bedoya said Tuesday. “I’d like to stretch the defense, maybe get the wingers to make those outside-inward diagonal runs in behind the defense so we can play the balls in between the center backs or in between their outside back and the center backs.”

Borek Dockal could make some of those runs as well, for what it’s worth. Anthony Fontana did in the opener and he got himself a goal out of it.

Real Salt Lake vs. Colorado Rapids

9 pm ET | Match Preview | TV & streaming info

RSL got destroyed last week at NYCFC, losing 4-0 to the Cityzens. Their lack of coordination through central midfield and dislocation between their lines of midfield and defense has been catastrophic early-on this year, but there are also more contained, individual issues. Why, for example, does right back Adam Henley do… whatever this is on this particular sequence?

This is unreal from the RSL defense – look at how lost Henley is, how they don’t track or pass off runners, etc. This team looks like it’s in preseason. #NYCvRSLpic.twitter.com/qav4gNWkpS

— Matthew Doyle (@MattDoyle76) April 12, 2018

I have no idea.

Colorado haven’t been great, but they’ve played with more clarity than the Claret & Cobalt, and that’s paid off with a totally respectable 2-1-2 record through five games with a fast-and-direct attack that’s generated nine goals. If RSL decide to play on the front foot here, if they decide to say “hey, we’re at home, we’re technical, let’s use the ball and carry the game” but are as sloppy and inattentive as they’ve been through the season’s first seven weeks, Dominique Badji will repeatedly get into space and roast them.

LA Galaxy vs. Atlanta United

10:30 pm ET | Match Preview | TV & streaming info

So LA switched to the 4-4-2, with both Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Ola Kamara up top last week against the Fire. It was not the prettiest thing in the world but the general idea of “let’s just get our guys into the box and overwhelm a less physical backline” was the right one.

You could imagine the same thing would be on tap against the Five Stripes, who have one of the smaller backlines in the league. And fair enough – it’s always been a pretty decent strategy to attack Michael Parkhurst in the air. But if you’re going to do that, 1) you’re probably going to have to push your fullbacks up, and 2) then you have to figure out how to account for all that space said fullback left behind them.

Atlanta United are sitting deeper than they did last year and inviting teams further forward because they are just murder in space. Here ya go:

Ashley Cole and Rolf Feltscher are going to have to be very clever on Saturday night or Josef Martinez is going to score this exact same goal two or three times.

Sunday’s Double-header

Seattle Sounders vs. Minnesota United

4 pm ET | Match Preview | TV & streaming info

Ozzie Alonso came back last week and was awesome in a 30-minute cameo. Clint Dempsey and Kelvin Leerdam are now un-suspended. Will Bruin is healthy, as are Chad Marshall and Roman Torres.

There are still absences, and will be all year (get well, Jordan Morris). But this is something close to the Best XI that Seattle can play for the first time since last October, and I for one am eager to see whether the early-season disaster they inflicted upon their fans was an injury- and suspension-hit mirage or an actual sign of things to come. Their attacking performance last week at Kansas City suggested it was probably more of the former than the latter.

I am also eager to see more of the Darwin Quintero show for MNUFC. He was fun as hell in his MLS debut last week and should make that team better while, at the same time, probably making them more vulnerable defensively. And really, who doesn’t love goals?

Portland Timbers vs. NYCFC

6 pm ET | Match Preview | TV & streaming info

NYCFC have been the best team in the league thus far in 2018 (though the underlying stats don’t really show it, I’m trusting the eye test here more than xG). The Timbers have been…

How suboptimal, you ask?

PTFC’s -8 GD in 76’-90’ is the worst GD (or even GA) of any team in MLS in any interval.

PTFC’s -8 GA in 76’-90’ is as many or more goals than 12 teams in MLS have allowed ALL SEASON. #RCTID

— Chris Rifer (@ChrisRifer) April 17, 2018

I think there are obvious fitness issues here, but there are also sub issues. Timbers head coach Gio Savarese has repeatedly tried to sit on leads so far in his MLS tenure, and when you have a questionable backline the idea of “hey let’s give up the ball and let the other team attack” just isn’t a very good one. Once a team becomes passive and lays back, they need a dominant central defensive presence. Portland do not have that.

One more thing to ponder…

Roomba-pong is the sport of the future.

Happy weekending, everybody.

#block-block-188 {padding:0;} #stay-connected {border-top:1px solid #ebebeb;margin:20px 0;} #stay-connected p {margin:0;color:#4d4d4d;line-height:1.5em;} @media screen and (max-width: 730px) { #stay-connected {padding:8px 6px 0 6px;width:100%;} } @media screen and (min-width: 731px) and (max-width: 1120px) { #stay-connected {padding:8px 6px 0 6px;width:100%;} } @media screen and (min-width: 1121px) { #stay-connected {padding:8px 6px 0 6px;width:708px;} }

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Armchair Analyst: Your complete guide to the Week 8 MLS slate was originally published on 365 Football

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