Above: Matildas star Elise Kellond-Knight and assistant coach Mel Andreatta pictured at Marvel Stadium today. Photo: Aleksandar Kostadinoski/Football Australia.
Australia today announced their final friendly ahead of the World Cup, with France due to take on The Matildas at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium on 14th July.
The announcement means that the only member of the world’s top ten ranked nations that Australia have not faced in the past two years is North Korea, who are presently not playing international matches.
This importance of completing preparations for the tournament against France was emphasised by Football Australia CEO James Johnson who told the media today: “It is only four months before the World Cup kicks off. Our sport is just a little bit special as it has the ability to bring the whole of Australia together.
“2023 will be the biggest years in our sport. As one of the key preparations, we are very excited to play France here at Marvel Stadium on 14th July. By the time we play France, the Matildas would have played all nine top-ranked FIFA teams.”
Above: Matildas assistant coach Mel Andreatta speaking to the media today. Photo: Aleksandar Kostadinoski/Football Australia.
Also present at the announcement was Matildas assistant coach Mel Andreatta who underlined the importance of taking advantage of the current positivity around the national team by packing out the 53,359 seater stadium. “In terms of the send-off, I can’t wait to see the fans show the world and every other nation (in the tournament) what it is like to face the Matildas.”
Andreatta puts down the team’s current run of seven straight wins to a focus on more consistency in national team selection after an 18-month period of giving opportunities to a large number of uncapped players.
“If we go back to September last year, we mentioned how the process was starting to narrow in and focus on continuity. You can see that now with how each game and window, we’re getting closer. The door is not shut and there are opportunities for players who are performing before we lock down that final 23.
“The team has to have the right balance, experience, positions, and profile. We found that process difficult going into the Olympics, but that experience as a staff was good and it will help us to make the right decisions when the time comes. It normalises those experiences of playing the top teams in big stadiums in big grounds.”
Above: Elise Kellond-Knight emphasises how important the Matildas’ final friendly before the World Cup will be. Photo: Aleksandar Kostadinoski/Football Australia.
Matildas star Elise Kellond-Knight reflected on how important it was that the squad will go into the World Cup on the back of another game against top opposition saying: “It’s a big opportunity for us to test ourselves six days before our opening World Cup game. Being able to play in a big stadium will also test us. It’s another challenge with the communication on the field.”
France have, over the past week been hit by further major disagreements between players, their federation, and head coach – a sequence of events that has been repeating itself since the 2019 World Cup.
It is yet another example of players stepping back from selection for their national teams due to long-term issues with the national federation and/or their head coach. Kellond-Knight emphasised how important it is that all players in the women’s game remain united.
“It’s about the next generation and we want to improve things. All the players around the world support each other. We went through it with our own federation in 2015. We now hope France, Spain, Canada, and Chile can get through it. We’re not professional footballers forever, so we need to enjoy it.”
“The team is flying, we’re playing our best football and we’re full of confidence.”
Matthew Appleby was at the Leigh Sports Village yesterday and captures the best of the action as Manchester United took on Durham in the FA Cup Fifth Round (27/2/23).
Above: Durham’s defence stretch to get to the ball ahead of Manchester United’s Lucia Garcia. Photo: Matthew Appleby.
Andy Wicks was at the tier eight Hampshire County League Division Two match on Sunday and brings us this superb photo gallery as Andover New Street (green and black) ran out winners (27/2/23).
Above: Andover New Street’s goalkeeper makes a flying save yesterday. Photo: Andy Wicks.
Above: Inverness Caledonian Thistle celebrate during their win at Rossvale. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Kelly Neilson.
Wins for Ayr United and Inverness Caledonian Thistle has tightened the middle of the Scottish Women’s Championship table, while leaders Livingston came from behind to win a narrow victory over Dryburgh Athletic.
Elsewhere in the Scottish Women’s pyramid, both Falkirk and their development side suffered surprise defeats at home.
SWF Championship
In Glasgow, Inverness Caledonian Thistle came from behind to win 3-2 against Rossvale to take all three points, leaving the Petershill side in third after Renfrew had won 3-1 against Hutchison Vale in Edinburgh on Friday night.
Ayr United secured their third win in a row with a 2-0 victory at Morton, thanks to Clare Docherty’s 12th league goal of the season and a strike from Lauren Sloan.
SWF League One
There was high drama with promotion hopefuls Falkirk suffering a 5-1 defeat at the Falkirk stadium to St. Mirren. Suzanne Wyatt’s 20th league goal of the season for the home side merely a consolation with the visitors scoring through Ceara Macintyre, Helen McLeod, Jen Caldwell, Francesca Blair, and Maxine Fury.
Also scoring her 20th goal of the campaign was Westdyke’s Kayleigh Traynor, whose side were twice pegged back in a 2-2 draw in the north east derby against Grampian Ladies. After the Falkirk defeat, though, it is a point gained for Westdyke in the promotion race.
League leaders FC Edinburgh brushed aside Gleniffer Thistle 10-0, while Edinburgh Caledonia came back from three goals down to win 6-3 at home against Giffnock Soccer Centre. Airdrie Ladies beat Dundee West 2-0 in the City of Discovery.
Biffa SWFL
Forfar Farmington won the top-of-the-table clash in the North league, putting two past previously unbeaten Glenrothes Strollers without reply.
In the East league, Dunfermline Athletic inflicted a second defeat for Falkirk of the day, beating them 3-1 at the Falkirk stadium. In West, Alloa Athletic leapfrogged Motherwell Development in the table after beating them 4-3 in a tense game, while Dunipace beat West Park United 5-3 in another thriller to remain third.
In South, the Ayrshire derby saw Ayr United Development see off Clark Drive Girls 5-3, while Kilwinning beat Dalbeattie Star 11-0.
Above: AFC Wimbledon in a celebratory mood yesterday against league leaders Hashtag United in Basildon. Photo: Emily Topping.
AFC Wimbledon breathed new life into the tier four FA Women’s National League Division One South-East title race as they stormed to an incredible 4-0 win away to league leaders Hashtag United.
The Dons went into the game eight points behind the Tags with one game in hand, knowing that anything but a win could derail a title charge. However, goals from Ashlee Hincks, Emily Donovan, Becki Bath, and Emma Plewa condemned Hashtag United to their first league defeat of the season, and ensured that Wimbledon are well in the race as they enter the business end of the campaign.
There was a less-than-ideal start for Wimbledon as Amy Taylor sustained an injury in the warm-up shortly before kick-off. Bath was drafted into the starting eleven.
With only seven minutes on the clock, Hincks put the Dons 1-0 up, scoring directly from a corner. Wimbledon kept pushing for more and got what they deserved 20 minutes in as Donovan fired off a stunning strike from 30 yards out to double the lead.
Being two goals to the good, the Dons set out to control the game. A midfield masterclass from Donovan, Bath, and Fran Ali – who made her first start for Wimbledon – alongside some fine saves from Faye Baker ensured we went into the break ahead.
The second half started much like the first, and a third goal was added less than five minutes in. This time, Bath’s head was the first to make contact with a Hincks corner, with the ball sailing past the opposition keeper.
The fourth and final goal came in the final minute of normal time, when Plewa battled past the Hashtag defence during a counter attack to put the ball in the net and confirm a resounding scoreline.
Speaking after the match, Dons goalkeeper Faye Baker said: “It was a great game. You know, very physical, feisty, end-to-end. We really put on a professional performance and got the job done. We are buzzing with three points and a clean sheet. It’s what we came to do.”
Wimbledon coach Kevin Foster reflected on how pleased he was that his team took on board his staff’s messages leading up to the match, as he said: “We were excellent. We spoke before the game and during the week about being us, and the match being about what we can do and how we can implement our style.”
The title chase continues this Sunday, when AFC Wimbledon welcome Chesham United to the Cherry Red Records Stadium, Plough Lane.
Above: Melbourne City star Dani Galic (right), who has had a major breakthrough season in the A-League Women, takes her place in the Young Matildas squad. Photo: Keep Up.
27/2/23
Young Matildas head coach Leah Blayney has selected a 23-player squad to travel to the Kyrgyz Republic next month for the first round of the 2024 AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers.
Australia’s U-20 Women’s National Team will face Guam and hosts Kyrgyz Republic in Group C of the Round One Qualifiers with the group winner progressing to Round Two in June 2023.
Selection of the squad has followed three training camps and international matches over the past six months that saw 43 different players called up for the start of the new U-20 cycle.
Above: Alana Murphy, having a superb season at Melbourne Victory. Photo: Melbourne Victory.
Blayney said that the selected players are eager to commence the qualifiers positively in Bishkek.
“I can’t fault the way all the players have undertaken the preparations for the Round One Qualifiers over the past six months,” Blayney said. “Their diligence and enthusiasm made the selection of the final 23 an incredibly challenging one with so much talent available across Australia.”
“Our final 23 reflects the needs of the squad to ensure balance across all positions with the players named providing unique attributes to the collective. We have been diligent with our scouting network with the mixture of Liberty A-League Women’s, National Premier Leagues, metro and regional, and international players sending the message that we will consider any footballer we believe can be valuable to our ultimate goal.
“Qualification for the 2024 AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup will be a long process and, while those who were not selected this time around would be disappointed, it is important to recognise their contribution in elevating the training standard and highlighting that there will be several future openings.”
Above: Adelaide United’s exciting attacker Emilia Murray is in the Young Matildas squad. Photo: Adelaide United.
For a majority of the roster, it will be their first taste of international competition football at the U-20 age group with only seven players returning from the Young Matildas 2022 U-20 Women’s World Cup campaign.
The squad sees strong representation from the Liberty A-League Women’s competition with 19 of the 23 currently on the rosters of ten different clubs. Several have starred in the competition with strong performances across the 15 rounds of the 2022/23 season. Seven different Member Federations are also featured including a number of players from regional Australia.
“This will be an important trip for us to not only ensure we progress to the next stage but also ingrain good foundations that will benefit us across the next two years,” Blayney continued.
“Regardless of the opponent, we take every match seriously as they are not only occasions where we can develop but also where we can establish strong habits for future tests. There is an unknown quality to the opposition which by necessity means we need to ensure full focus on our own performances, continued building of cohesion and executing our playing style.”
Above: Tijan McKenna receives a call up for the Young Matildas. Photo: Perth Glory.
Players and staff will depart Australia on 3 March 2023 with the Young Matildas’ opening match kicking off at 8.00pm on 6th March 2023 (local time) against Guam with the second tie against the Kyrgyz Republic taking place four days later.
YOUNG MATILDAS SQUAD:
Alexia APOSTOLAKIS Defender, Western Sydney Wanderers. Tegan BERTOLISSIO Defender, Macarthur Rams. Milly BOUGHTON Midfielder, West Ham United. Ava BRIEDIS Midfielder, Melbourne Victory FC. Claudia CICCO Forward, Wellington Phoenix FC. Jynaya DOS SANTOS Forward, Sydney FC. Gemma FERRIS Defender, Western Sydney Wanderers. Tahlia FRANCO Goalkeeper, Sydney FC. Daniela GALIC Midfielder, Melbourne City FC. Sasha GROVE Forward, Canberra United FC. Shay HOLLMAN Midfielder, Sydney FC. Kahli JOHNSON Forward, Western United. Zara KRUGER Midfielder, Brisbane Roar FC, Chloe LINCOLN Goalkeeper, Canberra United. Maya LOBO Defender, Macarthur Rams. Tijan McKENNA Defender, Perth Glory. Alana MURPHY Midfielder, Melbourne Victory FC. Emilia MURRAY Forward, Adelaide United FC. Jessika NASH Defender, Melbourne Victory FC. Ella O’GRADY Forward, Football Queensland QAS. Sienna SAVESKA Forward, Western Sydney Wanderers. Anika STAJCIC Forward, Sydney FC. Grace WILSON Goalkeeper, Adelaide United FC.
Each week during the home and away season, Impetus’ writing and photography team covering the A-League Women will nominate a player, coach, and event of the week. We’ll keep a tally of the player and coach votes as the weeks go by, and just before the Finals, will announce our winners for 2022/23 (27/2/23).
Player of the Week:
Above: Michelle Heyman speaking to the media about Pride Round on Friday. Image: Canberra United.
BEN GILBY:Michelle Heyman. For reasons both on and off the pitch. The A-League Women’s all-time top scorer increased her tally by another two in her side’s 3-0 win over Western Sydney Wanderers, but more than that was her integral role in the competition’s inaugural Pride Round. In her pre-game media conference, Heyman spoke openly about how she, in conjunction with Heather Reid had been campaigning for such a round for many years and how parents have come up to her after games to comment on how her status as a hugely successful openly gay has helped them to understand their own children. Heyman is an all-around legend and role model par excellence.
Above: Adriana Taranto. Photo: Forza Football.
BEN CAREY:Adriana Taranto. Her performance for Western United against Newcastle Jets was stellar. She provided three assists for three different goalscorers and created even more opportunities. Taranto is beginning to establish herself as one of the best midfielders in the A-League.
Coach of the Week:
Above: Njegosh Popovich. Photo: Canberra Times.
BEN GILBY:Njegosh Popovich. After two successive 5-0 defeats, Canberra United’s season could have fallen apart big time. But the reaction has been phenomenal. Three wins in a row with eight goals scored and just one conceded. He’s motivated his team superbly and they are in a major race for Finals.
Above: Natalie Lawrence, Wellington Phoenix head coach. Image: Wellington Phoenix.
BEN CAREY:Natalie Lawrence. Despite a tight 1-0 loss to Sydney FC, she inspired her team to perform exceptionally well for the full match. Wellington defended very well and created some fantastic opportunities. They were always in the match and made Sydney work hard for the win.
Event of the Week:
Above: Signage at Perth Glory’s Macedonia Park on Saturday. Photo: Perth Glory.
BEN GILBY: Pride Round. At last. And, how good!
BEN CAREY: Adelaide United v Melbourne Victory. It was a very exciting and competitive match, one where the momentum swung back and forth. There were great moments of teams working together and moments of individual brilliance.
Artwork: Charlotte Stacey, founder of On Her Side.
Above: So much for Newcastle Jets to celebrate today at Newcastle Jets. Photo: Keep Up.
League leaders Western United destroyed Newcastle Jets getting revenge in style for their 2-0 defeat to the same team just over two weeks ago.
The visitors, led by assistant coach Helen Winterburn after Mark Torcaso suffered an injury himself, punished Newcastle from the off. Khali Johnson finally broke her duck for the season dispatching a ball in from Hannah Keane after a set-piece with just six minutes on the clock.
It got worse for Jets on 18 minutes when Emily Garnier was given a red card for pushing Adriana Taranto as the Western United player ran through.
What a hit!! 💥
Tyla Vlajnic goes bang and @wufcofficial are running riot in Newcastle.
Johnson added her second 10 minutes before the break, firing home after pushing up the left wing. Shortly afterwards, it was three as Jets keeper Georgie Worth could only direct Tyla-Jay Vlajnic’s corner into her own goal. Vlajnic herself got on the scoresheet just prior to the halftime whistle when she rocketed a shot into the net.
Western United added two further goals in the second period. First, Dani Steer scored from close range after 55 minutes with Keane celebrating her new contract at the club by grabbing her 11th of the season with 12 minutes left.
This victory now sets up next weekend’s game with Sydney FC, a battle between the top two perfectly. It’s going to be huge.
A goal-of-the-season contender from Catherine Zimmerman rescued a point for Melbourne Victory against Adelaide United in the final match of Pride Round.
Things were looking positive for Victory when a hopeful Melina Ayres ball caught Annalee Grove by surprise. The attempted cross snuck in at the near post to give the home side an early lead.
It wouldn’t last long as Adelaide United defied the early momentum to score twice for the first time this season.
When Chelsie Dawber is allowed any amount of time to face goal, it spells trouble for even the best defences. Her pass inboard was flicked on by Isabel Hodgson, then cut back by Paige Hayward for Meisha Westland to tap in at close range.
The second came soon after. Victory failed to clear a corner kick. Jess Nash’s header fell to Dawber who prodded past Casey Dumont to give Adelaide the lead.
On the balance of play, Victory deserved more than their slightly fortune goal. This was their first match since the departure of Alex Chidiac, and while they looked comfortable in midfield they were missing the type of final pass the Matildas playmaker can provide.
To make up for Chidiac’s absence, Beattie Goad seemed to take on more responsibility. She started on the left but roamed freely and enthusiastically. Goad was at the heart of Victory’s most promising moves, but the offside flag denied them an equaliser on two occasions to the frustration of the home bench.
Adelaide also had their own changes to adapt to. With Fiona Worts on the bench, Adrian Stenta shifted Hodgson and Melinda Barbieri further forward than usual.
It seemed unorthodox on paper but produced the best-attacking display of their season so far. Barbieri’s role was similar to her positioning at Box Hill United during the NPLW season. She is a naturally attacking player and pressured the Victory defence when they had possession. Adelaide looked dangerous when they had the ball, but Victory maintained control over much of the match.
Above: Wild scenes after Catherine Zimmerman’s equaliser. Photo: Melbourne Victory.
Victory went into this game needing a win. They are in fourth position, but Perth Glory are quickly rising up the ladder and have a game in hand. Canberra United’s win also means the pressure is on Jeff Hopkins’ side to maintain their position, and if they can jump above Melbourne City, their chances of defending their title increase.
Aside from the first goal, Grove was in solid form between the posts for The Reds and it took a wonderful strike to level the scores.
Zimmerman was as close to the halfway line as she was to the goal when she struck a thunderbolt into the back of the Adelaide net. It was a stunning goal, and equal to any other scored this season. Victory were without the American striker for much of the campaign so far, and this was an example of the firepower that still remains even after Chidiac’s departure.
It would be the last goal of the game, although the home side continued to test Adelaide’s luck and composure. Elise Kellond-Knight set up goad for a good opportunity and then hit the woodwork with a well-hit effort, but to no avail. As the game neared the end, both managers made changes, Emilia Murray and Fiona Worts came on for Adelaide, while Tiff Eliadis and Lia Privitelli were introduced to good effect for Victory.
Privitelli’s impact was immediate and obvious. She has pace and tenacity few defenders can match, and Victory look a stronger side with her on the pitch. Victory almost snatched a late win, but Kayla Morrison’s close-range effort skidded wide in the dying seconds.
In the end, the draw does not really suit either side. Victory remain in fourth spot but lost the opportunity to gain ground on City who now have a game in hand over their local rivals.
Adelaide United remain in eighth spot. However, they did rediscover some of their attacking verve in this match. They took their chances when they came and their midfield competed evenly with Victory’s.
Although Victory had almost twice as many shots on goal as Adelaide, it was a fairly even game statistically elsewhere. Possession was split 49% to 51%, and there were only 18 passes separating the two sides.
It is still too early to determine what impact this will have on the end of the season. Neither side will be happy with the draw, although it was imperative that Victory did not lose. This game is likely to be remembered for the success of the Pride Round, and Catherine Zimmerman’s incredible goal.
Above: Tottenham Hotspur’s Celin Bizet plays the ball in against Liverpool earlier this season. Photo: Spurs Women.
Tottenham Hotpur are on a seven-game losing streak in the WSL. This is relegation form. Yet, ironically, with the addition of Mana Iwabuchi and Bethany England, plus Ashleigh Neville’s return from suspension, Spurs’ are looking better and, in contrast to their pre-Christmas games, scoring goals.
The problem has been that Spurs’ strengthening has coincided with a run of games against top-four teams (Chelsea twice; Manchester United once). Losing to these teams is not a disgrace and should not be season-defining. But when these losses follow on and extend a poor run, the losses can contribute to general feeling of malaise. Playing better but not getting anything out of games is disheartening. It also makes it hard to evaluate the team or the manager.
Above: Bethany England scores against Manchester United. Photo: @Spurswomen
That is why the next four games are crucial, both for how Spurs finish the season, but also perhaps, the future of manager, Rehanne Skinner. Indeed, the four games – Reading (home) in the FA Cup, Manchester City (away), Liverpool (away) and Leicester (home) in the WSL – may now be season-defining.
The following looks at the games one-by-one. It concludes by reflecting on where we may be once all four are played.
1) Reading (home) FA Cup 26th February
Reading are two points and two places below Spurs in the WSL. They have also lost their last four WSL games. In other words, they are exactly the kind of WSL opponents Spurs should be savouring the opportunity to play.
Additionally, Tottenham have already played Reading twice. Both games were away. The first, in the Conti Cup, Spurs won 2-1 (with goals from Ashleigh Neville and Nikola Karczewska and a late Reading penalty from Natasha Dowie). But Reading won the second in the WSL 1-0, benefitting from an own goal from Amy Turner. The positive takeaway from these is, however, that Reading did not score against Spurs from open play in either game this season.
Above: Nikola Karczewska scores against Reading earlier this season. Photo: @Spurswomen
Winning the game against Reading will not affect Spurs’ WSL form. But it would be the first win against a WSL side since beating Brighton in that increasingly anomalous and now long-ago 8-0.
A convincing win (by at least a two-goal margin) would signal the team’s progress, not only in the context of the current losing run, but also in comparison to the stuttering wins that marked Spurs’ early-season (Brighton excepted). It would also provide a much-needed, confidence boost before the team returns to the WSL.
More practically, a win would mean Spurs progressing in the FA Cup, giving the team something (other than a highly unwanted relegation battle) to play for as the season draws towards a close. Indeed, a cup run is not unthinkable with the fifth-round draw meaning that at least one of Chelsea or Arsenal go out this round (as they play each other) and that at least two lower league teams are guaranteed a berth in the quarter-finals.
Conversely, a loss to Reading would be a bad sign, suggesting that the team has not found a way to translate the improved play we have seen in 2023 into results.
2) Manchester City (away) 5th March
Manchester City are in blistering form. Their front three (Lauren Hemp, Bunny Shaw, and Chloe Kelly) made a starry Arsenal defence look utterly chaotic in their last WSL game. Meanwhile, their midfield, which struggled a little at the start of the season is coming together, with Yui Hasegawa and Filippa Angeldal (both new arrivals last summer) now settled.
When the two sides last met in mid-October, Spurs were beaten 3-0. It was not the North Londoners worst performance, but the score was fair: Spurs were clearly second best. This was also the game in which Ellie Brazil was injured in the eighth minute while playing in the nine position. Her substitution meant a not-fully-fit Jessica Naz was required to play out of position for 80+ minutes. Unsurprisingly chances were few and far between.
Since then, both sides have improved. Manchester City’s already impressive front-three seem to have reached another level. But Spurs are also finding ways to score and if both Bethany England and Niki Karczewska are available should be able to find the back of the net.
Which is to say that the odds are in favour of Spurs racking up an eighth successive WSL loss. But other things are possible. And a close(r) game than last time out would be a reasonable expectation. If Tottenham were to get a point, it would feel like a win. And be a massive sign of progress. In short:
A draw or a win would signal a significant turnaround in the season.
A loss to Manchester City in which Spurs played well, if it came after a win against Reading, would be disappointing but not reason to lose optimism.
A very bad loss to Manchester City (by 3 goals or more), or a loss that came without a win in the game against Reading, could damage confidence.
3) Liverpool (away) 12th March
When fans looked at Spurs’ fixture list in the new year, especially after the cancellation of the home game against Leicester City, the away game at Liverpool stood out as the next obviously ‘winnable’ game.
That is not to diminish the opposition in this game. But Liverpool lie just two points ahead of Spurs in the WSL and are one of only three teams that Tottenham have beaten this season in the league. That victory, a one-nil win in October was Spurs’ first home game of the season and first-ever game at Brisbane Road.
That day the home side were entirely dominant for the first half but could not find a way to increase an 11th-minute lead that had come from an own goal (Niamh Fahey tapping in a Celin Bizet cross from the back-line). Spurs then faded badly after the break and Liverpool were perhaps unlucky not to equalise, but were also poor in the final third.
Above: Celin Bizet crosses the ball for a goal in Spurs last game against Liverpool. Photo: @Spurswomen
Since then Liverpool have had a busy January transfer window, bringing in five players (three from the US) and strengthening across the pitch. That includes the return of former-captain, Gemma Bonner in defence and the introduction of highly-rated Japanese international, Fuka Nagano in midfield. In the first game back after the break, they lost 6-0 to Manchester United, but as new signings have bedded in they have steadied with a couple of close losses and a win against Reading.
For all that, this is the best opportunity Spurs have for drawing a line under their WSL losing run (assuming the Manchester City game goes to form and they do not do it then). Given the length of the run (potentially eight games by the time of this fixture) it will be critical that it ends decisively. That makes this a must-win game. Anything less than a decisive win here will feel like failure. Practically, it would also mean that a relegation battle is more likely.
4) Leicester City (home) 15th March
This is the game that should have been played on the 22nd January.
If it had been played then, and, if Spurs had won it their losing run would have ended after five losses (before outings against Chelsea, Manchester United, or Manchester City). But a frozen pitch meant that wasn’t to be.
Above: Eveliina Sumanen in Spurs 2-1 win over Leicester to start the season. Photo: @Spurswomen
Spurs began this season winning away at Leicester with sumptious goals from Ashleigh Neville (a shot from 40 yards out that won Goal of the Month) and from Drew Spence. For Leicester, that game kicked off a nine-game losing run, after which they looked nailed on for relegation.
And then came new manager, Willie Kirk, and five new January signings, perhaps most critically, goalkeeper Jamina Leitzig. Leitzig is on loan from Bayern Munich and is a top keeper with experience in the Champions League and a save percentage in the 99th percentile. She has, arguably, been as transformational for Leicester as Rachel Daly was at the other end of the field for Aston Villa. For instance, she made 15 saves against Manchester City (despite Leicester eventually losing 2-0) and kept clean sheets against Brighton and Liverpool to ensure Leicester won these games.
In short, even with a Beth England-powered attacking line-up, Leicester will be a difficult team to score against.
But before they face Spurs, Leicester have two tough WSL games: against Manchester United and Everton. That means that they may also be targeting this fixture as a possible place to pick up the points they will need to avoid the drop. In other words, this could be a classic six-pointer.
On the upside, if Tottenham do win at Liverpool and then again here, it would put the team on a clear upwards trajectory and, on 15+ points, likely clear of relegation trouble. For comparison, at season end the bottom two teams in 2021-22 were on 11 and 13 points; in 2020-21 they were on 12 and 14.
Conversely, irrespective of what happens against Liverpool, a loss here could pull Spurs back down into or close to the relegation zone.
Where might Spurs be after these games?
Having taken each game one at a time, what should Tottenham fans be looking out for when they think of them as a block? Based on the logic laid out above I suggest the following ‘mood-ometer‘ – for Spurs fans based on the combined results of these games.
Spurs’ outcome from the four games
Mood
More than six points gained AND still in FA Cup
Optimism-a-go-go
Six points AND still in FA Cup
Realistically upbeat
Six or more points BUT out of FA Cup
Calm if unexcited
Four-Five points AND still in FA Cup
Intermittent nail biting and hope
Four-Five points BUT out of the FA Cup
Mild gloom
Two-Three points, whether in FA Cup or not
Proper fretting
One or fewer points, whether in FA Cup or not
Panic stations
As noted at the start of this article, there are good signs and cause to hope that these games will leave Spurs fans in a much better place than they now find themselves (relatively secure in the league and still in the FA Cup). But until all four games are done, most Spurs fans, will be anxiously watching on.
Not least because the game that follows on from the last of these four, is the home North London Derby. And everyone knows that Spurs need to come into that game in winning form.
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