What happens before?

Chapter 23

"Quit ladies!" She told them in a firm voice. Their mouthes closed right away paying full attention to her. "Kidding" she laughed at their seriousness and got started on the game plan.

The last time they had played Chelsea Joe had opted to lay back and defend. Something that did not work out for them, it had cost them the league trophy and a 5-0 los.

"I will do it a bit differently than last time. We will attack!" She made a fist with her hand making Joe laugh, so did the others. "We will push them back in defense, which we of course will break with the line up i made!" She was getting confident now.

"And that is?" Emma Mitchell laughed at the way Daan was bringing the plan. "Do not worry, you are in it!" She told her with a giggle. Joe was right this would be good for her.

"No but now in all seriousness this will be the line-up. She started righting it down on a chalkboard like herself, in a goofy and funny way. "Our dutch strong hands, The Irish lass, lanky Leah, haggis, tiny woman, captain snake hips, oh shit if forget who was in that spot, Beffie, Dutch goat and our honorary Dutchie"

In the end the line up wasn't that surprising and all of them could laugh in the way it was announced. The captaincy was different and that was what shocked them. Daan knew what she was doing so they trusted her.

"Thank you Danielle" Joe got up with a giggle. "Bit different but it is one of the styles we've always trained so we can pull it off" the brunette nodded along with him, so did the girls.

After a while they were excused and were told to rest properly. Joe had given Daan the new arsenal suit already in advance for tomorrow.

She had also offered to cook so Kim could fully relax. She was making a salad tonight. The scot walked into the kitchen after a while. "Daan i just want to say that you did good today, i am proud of you" the brunette looked surprised "you're not mad." Kim smiled "No of course not. I trust you. Lia will be a good fit, and I won't be around forever."

"Thank you Kim!" Daan gave her a hug and continued making the salad. Which was almost done and just had to be served. Kim grabbed the plates out of the cupboard and set the table, the brunette put the bowl on it.

"I wanted to talk about something with you" she sounded nervous. "What?" Daan asked slightly worried. "It's not I don't mind you being here, I don't. I was just wondering when you would go back home again?"

"Oh that. I want to talk to the girls about it. It is of course going to be a big step with Beth being there too 24/7. It is progressing between us so i hope soon if you're okay with me staying for a little longer. If not i will find a hotel to stay in"

"I don't mind you staying here just a little longer but if that will turn into moths, i hate to say this but the expenses are getting higher with you here and i hate to say it but" the brunette interrupted her. "No i get it. don't feel bad, i will pay along if that is the case" she told Kim in a firm voice. "I don't want that to happen though" her captain nodded.

That night both of them went to bed early. To prepare for the game. Waking up Daan was nervous, it was in her hands now. Not entirely, she still had the team that needed to put in the work.

She woke up earlier today to talk some last things over with Joe and get all of it prepared. An hour later the girls started to arrive. They were asked to come in a little earlier than usual.

They would make a video with the starting girls. Daan would walk trough them to reveal her as the manager of the game. It took them several takes but in the end they got it done just in time before the warmup.

The fans had social media exploding with all the retweets and shares of the post. They all screamed walking in the stadium wishing them luck before the girls got in the dressing room for the team talk.

"Girls i know we can beat them! We are strong! Do the best you can out there and do not loose focus!"
She told them. "We are the Arsenal" all the women said in unison walking out on the pitch Whilst Daan was quickly making her way to her seat. Joe gave her a nod on que of the whistle blowing.

They were doing amazing already in the first half but did not manage to get on in the back of the net. Neither had Chelsea who did exactly what Daan suspected, try to defend and attack.

The halftime talk was encouraging. She was happy with all of them and didn't want to change it. She did cal one of them aside who felt off. "What's wrong?" Her voice sounded concerned. "Phil's here Danielle" she knew what was going trough her head right now.

"Don't worry about it! He's here because he has kept an eye on you. Watching he had done many times before not just in real life. There's more pressure on you now but use that pressure in the game. It's up to you what you do with it!"
She told her giving her a hug walking back out
Of the tunnel.

As expected in the second half the game started to break, in Arsenals way. Their defending got sloppy giving the number 23 a change to break trough with an amazing shot from distance. Not once but twice. They had won against Chelsea, they had beaten the blues for the first time in 5 years and Danielle was the one to do it.