Impetus’ Johnathan Stack was in Manchester City head coach Gareth Taylor‘s media conference yesterday (29/10/22).
Above: Gareth Taylor speaking to the media. Photo: Manchester City.
Head Coach Gareth Taylor spoke ahead of Manchester City’s game with Liverpool at the weekend, a big game for both teams with an in-form City looking for their third win in the league on the bounce. Meanwhile, the visitors are looking to find some form after back-to-back defeats to Everton and Arsenal.
But ahead of the game, the talking point was the ongoing movement in the women’s game for clubs to move away from wearing white shorts. A move that will reduce anxiety amongst players who have concerns about playing while on their periods.
Above: Manchester City’s Conti Cup win over Blackburn Rovers in midweek was the first time they had played a home game in burgundy shorts to help with player well-being. Photo: Manchester City Women.
FA Women’s National League Northern Premier side West Bromwich Albion led the way by changing to navy shorts, followed by Stoke City in the same division who moved to red shorts. North of the border, Livingston in the third tier SWF Championship has changed to black shorts with Welsh club Swansea City also wearing black shorts from now on.
The latest club to join the movement is Manchester City who debuted burgundy shorts in Wednesday night’s 6-0 win in the Continental League Cup against Blackburn Rovers. The decision to change the colour of the shorts to help with the well-being of the players is a sign of the progress being made in the women’s game.
Taylor believes the move is a “good step forward” for both the game and female athletes saying: “I think there was good interaction from players and club and then with our manufacturers in Puma. The girls were fine, they were pleased with it and just got on with it. For many of us, it was only when we saw the shorts that we realised there was a difference. A lot of this discussion had gone on previously outside of a few of the staff members but it’s great that everyone’s on board with it. I’m sure pretty much everyone would agree we’re moving things forward.
“There’s plenty of considerations now for female athletes which are important for them to be the best versions of themselves. There’s a much better awareness now, it’s more openly talked about, I think it’s only good for the girls and for the game as well.”
Gareth Taylor, Manchester City Head Coach.
Taylor’s side go into Sunday’s game looking for a fourth consecutive victory in all competitions since the international break. But City experienced a tough encounter with Liverpool in pre-season and the Reds got off to a great start to life back in the WSL with an opening-day victory over reigning champions Chelsea showing their capabilities in the top division. Taylor on the other hand is confident that if City focuses on their own performance, it should be enough to take the three points on Sunday.
Speaking about City’s opponents, Taylor said “Matt (Beard) has got a wealth of experience, he’s really knowledgeable and has had success previously. He did well getting them back up to the WSL, where they rightly belong as a team. They’re hardworking and brave in what they do.
Above: Mary Fowler in training ahead of Sunday’s game with Liverpool. Photo: Manchester City Women.
“We’re expecting a tough test, we played them in pre-season, and we’ve seen what they can do earlier on against Chelsea. “It’s a tough opponent for us but I always put it back to what we do. “If we look after ourselves and what we’re trying to do we’ll come out hopefully on the right side of the result.”
City has been in rejuvenated form after a tricky start to the season, they have been in fine form with wins over Leicester, Spurs, and Blackburn in the cup and will be looking to continue their climb up the table on Sunday.
Impetus’ Johnathan Stack was in Liverpool head coach Matt Beard‘s media conference today as the Reds’ head coach looked ahead to another tough fixture at Manchester City at the weekend (28/10/22).
Above: Liverpool head coach Matt Beard, who spoke to the media today ahead of The Reds’ trip to Manchester City on Sunday. Photo: Liverpool FC Women.
Liverpool will be looking at putting on another good display against top opposition this Sunday as they face Manchester City at the Academy Stadium.
The Reds have endured a tough start to the Barclays WSL season. An impressive opening-day win against Chelsea was followed by defeats at home to Everton and high-flying Arsenal. Matters don’t get any easier with a trip to City who themselves have had a mixed start to the season.
Liverpool picked up a vital Continental League Cup win against Leicester City in mid-week and Head Coach Matt Beard spoke of the positives from that game and what the team can take into the weekend’s game saying: “It was a good team performance. We looked at a different shape as well as we have been switching to 3-5-2 in a lot of the games with the injuries to the frontline, we’ve got I was pleased.
“I was pleased to get the goals from open play and pleased with scoring from a corner as well because last season we were dangerous from set plays. There were lots of positives to take. I felt we pressed Leicester well, we bypassed their press at times well, so from our perspective there were some valuable lessons learned and another way of playing which gives me a little bit of tactical flexibility with the group.”
The Reds’ hosts on Sunday are rejuvenated themselves having recorded back-to-back WSL wins against Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur before getting their Continental Cup campaign underway with a powerful 6-0 win over Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday.
Above: Liverpool celebrate in midweek as they recorded a powerful 4-0 Conti Cup win over Leicester City. Photo: Liverpool FC Women.
Beard views Sunday’s opponents highly, stating: “They are a fantastic team. I feel it’s going to take them a little bit of time (to gel), especially with the turnover that they have had and the players they have lost. Each week their performance level gets better so it’s going to be a tough afternoon for us. We played them in pre-season, and it was a good game we learned a lot from it, so we can take some positives from that performance.
“If we look at the way that our season has gone so far, there are loads of positives we can take, but we just need to start turning the positivity into consistency and into points. “Gareth [Taylor] has done a good job since he’s been there, and it was always going to be tough taking over from Nick Cushing. But it’s a north-west derby and we are looking forward to the game.”
The Liverpool head coach emphasised how important it was for his side to ride the wave of their fiendishly tough run of fixtures to start their first WSL campaign after spending two seasons in the Championship. “There are no easy games in this division. “We won’t take anything for granted.
“What we will do is take the learnings that we’ve had in certain moments against these top sides to make sure we don’t allow it to happen against some of the teams that maybe we will be in and around, whether that’s now [or at the] end of the season, but what we have to do is remain positive.
“I said this after we played Chelsea, that we can’t get carried away. We just need to concentrate on ourselves and do as much as we can to put ourselves in a good position come to the Christmas break.”
Liverpool will be looking to put in a positive performance and pushing on up the table.
Impetus’ Nathan Edwards was in Chelsea’s media conference this afternoon ahead of Sunday’s game with Aston Villa and reports on how General Manager Paul Green is expecting an exceptionally tough tussleat Kingsmeadow (28/10/22).
Above: Paul Green, Chelsea’s General Manager fully expects a hard battle on Sunday against Aston Villa. Photo: Flora McLean
Chelsea General manager Paul Green is more than aware that the champions have a big job on their hands as they face Aston Villa at Kingsmeadow on Sunday.
The Blues will be looking to add to their unbeaten run that stretches back to the opening day, where newly-promoted Liverpool stunned them at Prenton Park.
Green said about the threats the Villans hold, “We know how tough Carla Ward’s side will make it at the weekend.”
On that occasion last season, Chelsea were held at bay by a long series of sensational saves by Hannah Hampton in the Villa goal, but cometh the hour, cometh Sam Kerr as Green continued.
“We had that last season against them, it was probably one of trickiest games at home that needed a last-minute winner from Sam Kerr.”
Above: Sam Kerr scores her dramatic last-gasp winner for Chelsea against Aston Villa last season. Photo: Ben Gilby for Impetus.
“The celebrations after that goal, deep in injury time, show how difficult it will be and we have to try and use that momentum from midweek and try to carry it over to get a victory at Kingsmeadow on Sunday.”
The club’s General Manager also reflected on his spell to date in tandem with former Denise Reddy, stating how they have both “enjoyed stepping up” in Emma Hayes’ recovery from surgery.
Green and Reddy have been in charge of the Blues since Hayes underwent surgery in mid-October and have carried on the solid form.
The West London club are yet to lose under the pair and have recorded three consecutive clean sheets, the first time since April.
About his temporary role, Green said, “We (Green and Reddy) are really enjoying it but at the same time we will be delighted when Emma (Hayes) comes back.
Above: Denise Reddy, who has stepped up along with Paul Green in Emma Hayes’ absence. Photo: Washington Spirit.
“We have enjoyed stepping up in this period, and the process we have put in place for over ten years makes it an easier transition.
“Everybody has pulled together to get the results we need for the club, and for Hayes, in this period.”
On a personal level for the former Doncaster Rovers Belles manager, Hayes’ absence has meant he has had to handle the media, with Reddy taking control of on-field decisions.
Green said, “Seeing it from a different point of view, I now know some things that Hayes use to tell me when she had finished with the press or the office.
“We have won every game, so from that point of view it makes it easier to be in this position compared to if we hadn’t won games.”
Holly Wright was in Reading boss Kelly Chambers‘ media conference for Impetus ahead of this Sunday’s huge encounter with Leicester City as two teams still searching for their first WSL win of the season go head-to-head atthe Select Car Leasing (Madejski) Stadium(28/10/22).
Above: Reading head coach Kelly Chambers – ready for a big game on Sunday. Photo: Thomas Lee Stacey Suppliedto Impetus by: Reading FC Women.
After falling short of what would have been a sensational comeback away to West Ham United last weekend after a disappointing first-half performance, Reading head coach Kelly Chambers and her players have been working hard to ensure they start on the front foot when they host Leicester City on Sunday afternoon.
“We have addressed that in the group. I have got good experience within the group, and we don’t hide away from that. We have looked at that this week. We have analysed that, but we also wanted to move on from last weekend. We were disappointed but we need to start right. We need to start from the first whistle and the girls are fully aware of that. We have worked hard this week to make sure we are ready for the game and I’m ready for the challenge ahead.”
Reading have lost all four of their games meaning they currently sit level on points at the bottom of the league table with their opposition this weekend despite Leicester having played a game more. The Royals head coach admits that her team are fully aware of the pressures of this weekend and are relishing the challenge ahead.
“We are both in the same boat at the minute. It’s a case of this week’s just been focusing on us. Focusing on what we need to do. I don’t need to tell the girls that there is pressure on the game. They are old enough, wise enough, and experienced enough to know that but what I have made clear to them is we need to make sure that we go in with our game plan and we deliver our game plan.”
Although it is still early in the season the hosts will be determined to take the positive second-half performance against West Ham and the encouraging display against Arsenal into what could already be seen as an early regulation battle.
“There is no hiding from this game as much as it is still early on in the season. When you are coming up against a team that is in pretty much similar position as you want to make sure that you go into that game coming out on top. I haven’t had to lay that out to the girls this week. They know what pressures they want to put on themselves.”
Kelly Chambers, Reading head coach on the enormity of Sunday’s game against Leicester City.
“They know what they want to get out and achieve. It is still early days, but we go into every game trying to get something out of it, whether that be Leicester or Arsenal, or whether that be someone else. We know it’s going to be a good tough battle, but we are fully focused on Leicester this weekend to make sure that we are fully prepared for that game.”
Reading’s substitutes made a huge impact in their match last weekend impressing Chambers, but she insists it’s about picking the right players for the right opposition to get the result. “I’ve always looked at previous games and it’s a case of with the depth from squad that I have got, it’s about what players can do the job that I want them to do in certain positions. I am just lucky that I have got the players that I have got available to be able to have that choice.”
Both sides will no doubt be desperate for their first three points of the season as they try to create daylight and push away from the drop zone. Focusing on Leicester specifically, Chambers observed: “They are obviously in a bit of a difficult position like we are which is hard to be in, but we have been watching some of their games back and obviously analysing as we do. We know what threats that they have.
“They know and we know what they like to do and like anybody in this league, I think anybody on their day can beat anybody, so we are not going into this game light-hearted, and we know what it means to us to make sure that we get points on the board.”
Leicester have only hit the net once so far this season with the focus being put on Reading getting the first goal and starting on the front foot something which they failed to do against West Ham. Chambers is expecting a slightly different style of play from the one they faced last weekend:
“Everybody in this league has their different styles and Leicester are completely different to West Ham in terms of their style of play and the shape they play in. It’s been a case of making sure that we prepare for that, and their threats and working out where we can have our impact on the game. It’s going to be an exciting game, no doubt, but one the same as last week than we want to try and get something out of it.”
Above: Kelly Chambers – all eyes on three points for Sunday. Photo: Thomas Lee Stacey. Supplied to Impetus by: Reading FC Women.
The Royals have had great crowds at the Madejski Stadium this season with Sunday’s fixture looking to be more of the same with the crowd being called on to drive the players to get the much-needed result.
“It’s just amazing to see those people come through the door to support us and if those people are coming, we need (the fans) to be that extra player for us. We want to hear (them) singing because they want it just as much as me.”
There are no fresh injury concerns this weekend although Reading have already been hit with a few long-term absentees in the squad. “We have been hit with injuries quite hard with Deanna Rose getting injured and Emma Harries not back fully fit yet so that had taken a bit of a hit on us but to be fair I wanted a squad this year and I feel I’ve got that.
Five months after suffering an ACL injury playing for England under 23s against Holland in April, Harries made her return earlier this month only for her return to match fitness halted by another little niggle. “The game where she (Harries) took the knock against Arsenal has just set her back a little bit, which is disappointing because obviously she was a real threat against those but we need to look after.
“She is still very young, and we just need to give her time and make sure that we look after so she can complete the whole season. It’s been touch and go but I wouldn’t say that she would be available for this week.”
Rose faces a race against time to be fit for next year’s World Cup after sustaining a ruptured achilles in their opening WSL match of the season. “She will be out for the rest of the season. She has got a goal of trying to reach the World Cup and we are obviously fully on board to try and support her with that. In terms of us, there is hope that she could be back before the end of the season but that would be the very, very earliest.”
Sunday’s game between Reading and Leicester City at the Select Car Leasing Stadium will be available live on the FA Player with kick-off scheduled at 2pm. Alternatively, Reading will be providing live text commentary on their official Twitter channel with build-up beginning around 1pm.
Above: Kelly Chambers and Reading are hoping to be smiling come full-time on Sunday against Leicester City. Photo: Thomas Lee Stacey. Supplied to Impetus by: Reading FC Women.
Impetus’ Kris Goman was in Arsenal’s media conference ahead of tonight’s Champions League clash with FC Zürich. She heard from Friida Maanum on her current form, and head coach Jonas Eidevall about where last week’s win in Lyon puts the Gunners in the race to win the competition this year (27/10/22).
Above: Arsenal’s Friida Maanum (left) is in great form for the North London side and loving life at the club. Photo: The Guardian.
After demolishing Olympique Lyonnais 5-1 away last week, Arsenal get to play a Champions League match at home against FC Zürich at the Emirates Stadium.
With interest in women’s football at an all-time high, the Gunners are expecting a decent crowd and Jonas Eidevall’s in-form team, currently on a run of 12 successive wins in the WSL, are sure to put on a show as they look to continue their success against the Swiss side.
In the last two matches, Frida Maanum started in the place of Viviane Miedema, benching the Dutch superstar for her 150th game for Arsenal. She’s also managed to score a goal in each of these last two matches proving Eidevall’s decision to be a good one.
The Norwegian international joined Eidevall at the media conference looking ahead to the Champions League tie. Maanum outlined how she’s enjoying her football at the moment.
”Yeah, I am. I’m really happy to be here at Arsenal. Also, to get game time which I’ve waited for a long time now.” Eidevall has shown trust in her the last couple of games and she’s repaid that faith. “Yeah, both against Lyon and Liverpool. When you’re not playing, you always want to play and when you get the chance you want to take it. I just try to do my best I can in the games.”
Above: Friida Maanum celebrating in Lyon last week. Photo: David Price/Arsenal WFC.
It was pointed out that one if the things she really brings is carrying the ball and dribbling. Maanum replied that her and Miedema are quite different. “If you play a team that suits me better, I can play the other way around with Viv but Jonas knows my strengths and of course my weaknesses as well. But like, in the Lyon game I just tried to be my best and like you say, I like to dribble the ball and also the high pressure fits me good.”
Clearly there’s intense competition for places in the squad and Eidevall has spoken of having so many players in such good form, despite the injuries. Maanum was asked if it’s helped her development as a player since moving from Linköpings to Arsenal. “Yeah, it’s really positive. We have a competitive squad. That makes the squad even stronger and the players even stronger because you have to work so hard in training to even play and I think that’s really strengthening our team.”
The same team started for both the Lyon and Liverpool games and she was questioned as to whether she accepted that she needed to be rested at some point in the season. “I mean it’s obviously hard to play games every third or fourth day but I think I have the fitness to do it and it’s obviously up to Jonas if he wants to play me or not but I feel like I’m here to play.”
”When you’re younger you always want to play but then, it’s always important to understand you have to rest as well. Probably some games, not only fitness but also for your head because it’s really intense to play every third or fourth day so, like I said, I think it’s really important that we have the depth in the squad that we have and that’s the strength there.”
When speaking about the match against Zürich, the Norwegian star admitted she wasn’t completely sure what to expect from them. “Yeah, to be honest, I haven’t watched a lot of Swiss games but obviously our team of analysts are analysing them all the time and we know what we’re meeting.
“Obviously it’s really important. Every game now is important. We know what we did in Lyon and then we have to build from there. It’s a completely different game tomorrow against Zürich and yeah, we just have to go out there and play our game.”
Above: Arsenal head coach Jonas Eidevall isn’t resting on his laurels after last week’s stunning 5-1 win at champions Olympique Lyonnais. Photo: KNews.Media.
Gunners head coach Jonas Eidevall has most definitely done his homework about tonight’s opposition, and highlighted what he expects to see.
It was mentioned that they formed one deep block and Juventus had to be very patient to break them down, and the Gunners chief concurred: “From seeing that game, it painted a very consistent picture through the whole game so it’s one of the ways we prepare for to play.”
With a sensational win in Lyon already in the bag, Eidevall is not resting on his laurels and is intent on going out all guns blazing with his strongest possible squad.
“We have to do our part, prepare as good as possible, execute as good as possible and then we have to see where that leaves us in the league table.”
When Arsenal play Zurich FC, they’ll be playing their 100th game in the European football. Eidevall spoke about whether he thought a second European title could be on its way this season.
“I think for us to be playing one really good game away to Lyon and get a great result and to start speaking about winning the whole competition, I don’t like that. I don’t think that’s humble enough. It’s not where we come from.”
Arsenal head coach Jonas Eidevall on whether he sees his team pushing to lift the Champions League title this season.
“We’re still at a place where we know we’re a very good football team but we need to work extremely hard and develop in order to fulfil our potential as a team and that power and obligation from history we feel like we have, we know that there’s so many great football players and managers that have put this club in the position it’s in today and we’re so determined to try and leave this club in an even better place than we came into it with.”
Prior to last week’s trip to Lyon, Eidevall spoke about wanting to see how his team compared to the European champions. Following that 5-1 success, the Swede outlined what thinks now.
“I don’t know if I think about it on that deep level. We go game by game. We try to apply ourselves as good as possible. To make things really simple, that’s what we do. And what potential, what ceilings do we have? We’ll have to find out. But if we do 100% of good preparation and execution, we don’t have to regret anything. And I think when you do that, nights like that can happen in Lyon. It’s not a guarantee but it can happen and it was beautiful to be a part of. But we have to keep working and keep having that mindset and focus and maybe it can happen again.”
Mana Iwabuchi came on very late in the game against Liverpool on the weekend and she looked pretty upset after the game. Eidevall outlined the thought process in bringing on his Japanese star two minutes into second half stoppage time.
Above: Arsenal’s 2007 UEFA Women’s Cup winners. Jonas Eidevall won’t entertain thoughts of repeating the success this season as yet. Photo Ian Walton.
“That’s a management decision, of course. For me, every game I treat it with the utmost of respect. We saw when we played and used our last opportunity to sub against Ajax in the second game and Beth Mead got a concussion and had to be carried off and we had to finish that game with ten players.
“We know that it’s always a risk making use of the last sub too early because you don’t know what’s going to happen. In hindsight, it’s very easy to sit and say you could have used that opportunity earlier because now you know how it’s going to play out. But when you use that opportunity maybe 15 minutes before the game is over, you all of a sudden have to replace your goalkeeper or to deal with something else on the pitch and you end up turning a comfortable situation into a dangerous one.
“I’m the only one to blame and I need to take responsibility in those situations and that’s what I do by treating every second of the game with the utmost of respect.”
Finally, Eidevall highlighted the disparity between fixture scheduling when it comes to European ties which adversely impact the WSL sides saying, “You see the other teams that we’re playing in Europe, when we played the qualifiers for Ajax, they didn’t have a midweek or they didn’t have a weekend game in between the two games because the Dutch association, they want to prioritise to see if they can go into the group stage because they know that their players will get more competitive games so they choose to do it like that. I think and what I’m looking for is to have that discussion with the clubs and the forces that run the league to see how we get the same.”
Despite having more competitive games and less time to prepare for the Champions League ties than some of their opponents, Arsenal are looking pretty good so far.
In the latest of our series of interviews with Impetus’ sponsored players for 2022/23, Mia Hyland of fifth-tier London and South-East Premier side Saltdean United spoke to Ben Gilby abouther footballing journey, and why she feels Saltdean United is the right club to challenge herself and grow her game (27/10/22).
Above: Mia Hyland wins a battle for Saltdean United. Photo: Simon Roe Photography.
Mia Hyland has had a deep love of the game since the earliest of ages as she grew up in Kent.
The Saltdean United player takes up the story: “I started playing football when I was five years old as part of a setup called cover coaching. I believe for the first few months I was the only girl playing against boys as not many girls played around that age at that time.
“When I hit six years old I was still playing against boys and a few girls until my family decided to set up a youth girls’ football team in the local area. I played there for about five years until I decided that it was time for me to play in a club that would really consolidate my footballing knowledge and progress my technique at Gillingham Centre of Excellence.
“During this time I also represented East Sussex County where I challenged myself to play in different areas to what I usually do because I value being versatile and expanding my knowledge of the game. I was part of the Gillingham centre for roughly four years and played a few games for the women’s first team, but when I hit 16, I decided that I wanted to look further to really push myself into the women’s game and so I left to play for Lewes Womens where I represented both the first and development team.
“I continued to play there for three years whilst growing and maturing under many influential coaches and playing alongside experienced women. When I turned 19, I left Lewes and went to study at university where from my second year I captained our women’s team and led a successful two-year league-winning team being promoted within the BUCS (university) leagues.
In my last year at university, I decided that I wanted to play football outside of my university team and so I signed with Hastings United women’s first team and played there for one season. It was there I gained many benefits like being paid to play and also playing alongside women I played with at Lewes. However, as it was tier six football, I knew I could give more and so in the summer, I joined Saltdean United which was a step up in the tiers.
Above: Mia Hyland. Photo: Saltdean United.
“When I look back at all the clubs I’ve played for and represented it truly does make you think about the future and where you can be and where football can take you. I’ve been unlucky this year in the sense that I’ve sustained my first proper injury and been out for five weeks which is something I’ve never experienced within any of my previous clubs but it only makes me work harder to get back fitter.”
Mia fully recognises that she would not be where she is now in the game without the support of her family and her early coaches.
“My mum and dad, more dad particularly, influenced me playing a lot. They’ve always been very honest with me and my sister about us playing football and driving us all up and down the country to do what we love, so I’m very grateful to them for pushing me to do what I love to do.
“I’d also say my assistant coach at Gillingham, Cori Daniels, a former Arsenal, and Charlton Athletic women’s defender massively influenced my journey. I never forget the coaching, the motivation to work hard, and the influence she had on me to want to go further in my football journey. It was that year she gave me the best advice and I went on to be top goal scorer, players player, and coaches player of the year that season and she just inspired me to keep being that player I am now.”
As a youngster growing up, whilst her friends were inspired by the likes of David Beckham or Wayne Rooney, Mia’s idols were from the women’s game. “As a youngster, I was always encouraged to watch the men’s game as the women’s game ‘wasn’t important,’ or ‘they just aren’t as good as the men’. I was running round screaming that I wanted to be like Jill Scott or Fara Williams! To me, all the female footballers in the early 2000s England team were idols because they always fought to strive to show women can equally be as great as the men could and it’s even more remarkable to see the foundations and legacy built that has set up the fantastic women’s squad for England this year.”
In terms of how she would describe herself as a player, Mia said: “As a young player I’ve always been that one that runs around, gets in the way, and likes to get on the ball, be a nuisance and never let a tackle go past me! However, as I’ve grown I feel like I’m very composed and also believe in fairness and sportsmanship. But I must admit I also can have some arrogance about myself from time to time because there’s nothing more important for a player to know their confidence and talent.”
As Mia highlighted earlier in the conversation, she recently suffered her first major injury and identifies that as the most challenging period she’s had as a player.
“The injury I sustained to my ankle this year has been hard being out for five weeks – it’s my first proper injury. It’s hard personally because when the one thing you love to do is taken away for a brief time, it’s a shock to the system. I’m still getting back into it slowly, starting to get some minutes in the tank whilst recovering properly so only time will tell when it’s fully healed.”
Above: Mia Hyland in action for Lewes. Photo supplied by: Mia Hyland.
Mia’s spell at Lewes gave her a first-hand look at the Sussex club’s unique set-up and sense of equality. She gave us examples of what life was like at The Dripping Pan.
“I was fortunate enough to play at Lewes when they first introduced the women’s pay to the team. I was 16/17 and was called up to the first team at that point. I was being a part of the setup that had been so supported for not just those current players but for future players was something incredible.
“Lewes very much are well known for their set up, and the amount of international representation they have and how far they’ve come from. I think previously when I was at the club where they had an option of a development squad it was very good for young players to learn in that environment which was always good I think, but I do believe the development setup has gone now which is a shame for women wanting a chance to experience Championship football, but the first team seems to have a lot of success and their set up works for them and it’s nice to see the Lewes results reflecting that positively.”
Focusing on her current club, Mia is full of praise for the club she is now part of at Saltdean United. “The club is very dedicated to progressing women’s football from setting up youth teams to fighting for new stadiums for all the women’s teams to play in. They’re a club that backs their players and gives them the facilities to grow and recover. It’s nice to be a part of a team that manages your well-being as well as the club’s successes, which is very rare in some teams.”
Whilst Saltdean had a challenging campaign last season, they remained in the London & SE Premier and Mia has high hopes for a better 2022/23 for the club.
“We have started off very strong and are looking to stay well within the top half of the league table. Of course, within any league, there are many well-known faces, players coaches who have stepped down from tiers three and four and who will be a challenge. But this year hopefully with many new faces to Saltdean and new coaches we will be more successful than last year.
“My aim personally is to step up my game massively and get fitter from three years worth of university football. What I want mainly is to push myself and challenge myself against teams that will push me to work harder. All in all, the aims are to get results as there is nothing greater than a winning side and I love being a part of a team that wants that and works hard to get that as this is definitely something I always strive for.”
Above: Mia Hyland in action for previous club Hastings United. Photo supplied by: Mia Hyland.
Above: Southampton unveil their kit with new sponsors Starling Bank on the front – left to right: Lucia Kendall, Lexi Lloyd-Smith, Ashleigh Ward, Paige Peake, and Rosie Parnell. Photo supplied by: Southampton FC Women.
Barclays Championship side Southampton have announced that Starling Bank will be the club’s official principle partner for this season. From this Sunday’s game against Sunderland, Starling’s logo will feature on the front of players’ shirts.
This sponsorship is a continuation of Starling’s celebration of women’s football, following the bank’s national sponsorship of the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022, which saw it launch the first fantasy football game for women’s football in the UK and award £23,000 in grants to women’s grassroots teams.
Above: St. Mary’s Stadium, Southanpton Women’s home ground. Photo: Andy Rain/PA.
The bank has strong links with Southampton, employing 400 people in the city and the partnership comes at an exciting time for the club, now playing in the FA Women’s Championship following back-to-back promotions.
Southampton FC as a whole club is on a mission to encourage more fans to support the women’s game and has seen a 120% increase in season ticket sales compared to last season. As part of this drive to grow the women’s game, all Southampton games will be played at the men’s Premier League home, St Mary’s Stadium with a capacity of 32,689. The team also trains at Staplewood Campus, the same facilities as the men’s side, and are now full-time professionals.
Southampton are managed by Marieanne Spacey-Cale MBE, a legendary former Lioness with 91 caps. Speaking about the sponsorship, Spacey-Cale said:“We’re all delighted to welcome Starling onboard as our Official Principal Partner. This is an exciting time for the team as our first season in the championship. To have the backing and support of Starling, an organisation that’s fully committed to growing the women’s game, is really motivating.”
Above: Marianne Spacey-Cale, former Lionesses legend and Southampton head coach. Photo: Isabelle Field/Southampton FC.
As part of the partnership, together Starling and Southampton will also launch an initiative to develop grassroots coaches at local clubs throughout Hampshire to grow the pipeline of female footballing talent.
Sarah Batters, Director of Marketing and Partnerships at Southampton FC emphasised the importance of the relationship with Starling Bank going further than just shirt sponsorship: “It was important for us to find a partner that was prepared to invest in the women’s game – going further than just putting a logo on a shirt.
“From the moment we started conversations with Starling Bank, their commitment to making an impact to the success of the women’s game with their sponsorship was clear – and we can’t wait to get started. We hope to see a record attendance for this Sunday’s big game against Sunderland where we will showcase Starling Bank on the front of our women’s shirt for the very first time.”
Southampton play Sunderland at St. Mary’s Stadium in the Barclays Championship at midday on Sunday 30th October.
Above: Jessie Rasschaert wins a header for Brisbane Roar at Melbourne Victory last season. Photo: Imago.
Brisbane Roar have re-signed experienced defender Jessie Rasschaert for the 2022/23 Liberty A-League season.
Rasschaert returns for her second season with the Roar having played in all 14 matches during the 2021/22 campaign.
The centre-back is looking forward to donning the orange and black once again for the upcoming campaign.
“We’ve got terrific staff and I’m looking forward to working with them again,” Rasschaert said. “There are a few new faces, a few old faces but I’m excited to be part of the group again.”
The 35-year-old relocated to Queensland in 2021 after spending two seasons with her hometown team Canberra United.
The defender had another strong season in the National Premier League Women (NPLW) Queensland with Gold Coast United, as her side reached the Grand Final, playing in 17 games.
Above: Jessie Rasschaert (third left) celebrates Katrina Gorry’s goal at Melbourne Victory last season. Photo: A-League Women.
Rasschaert was also part of the Gold Coast side who also reached the Kappa Women’s Super Cup quarter-final, where the defender scored one of her two goals this season.
Roar head coach Garrath McPherson said Rasschaert provides experience and maturity in their team environment. He went on: “Jesse quickly became a fan favourite last year after being signed from Gold Coast United, and she has not lost a single yard of speed,” he said.
“She played over 1,000 minutes of A-League football across the season and provided experience and maturity to our environment. She has picked up from where she left off and it has been great to see her back with her teammates enjoying the hard work of pre-season,” McPherson added.
As she prepares for this to be her last A-League season, Rasschaert is looking to be there for her teammates, both on and off the pitch.
“I think I just want to be there for the team, in all aspects on the field, off the field. I think I just want to create a positive environment and be the best person, I can be for everyone,” she said.
“Women’s football at the moment is huge so to be part of this world is special to me. I’m probably going to make it my last season so I’m definitely going to try to finish on a high and go for the trophy at the end,” she added.
The Roar A-League squad will continue preparations for their upcoming season as they build towards their Round 1 clash with Canberra United on 19 November.
Above: Injured Tottenham players Kerys Harrop, Esther Morgan, and Rosella Ayane look on as Spurs warm-up on Saturday against Manchester City at Brisbane Road. Photo: Rachel Lara Cohen.
On Saturday in the second minute of Tottenham Hotspur’s game against Manchester City on Saturday, Ellie Brazil left the pitch. She was on a stretcher. Her knee was bandaged. Her game was over.
With just five games of the season gone, Brazil is the third Spurs player to sustain a serious injury. Add these to the multiple injuries overhanging from last season and there’s a rapidly developing injury crisis in the Spurs team.
A similar issue occurred last season, albeit a little later: in January. At that time, we lost so many players that Spurs were starting games with just three outfield players on the bench, something that prefigured a dip in form. But even later in the season, and especially evident in the two games against Chelsea, Spurs lacked the squad depth to refresh or to tactically adjust and match the top teams during the second halves of games.
This summer, Tottenham signed seven new players, creating considerable optimism that things were improving, that the team would have more options and a deeper bench. Indeed, for the first game of the season, away at Leicester, things looked good. Spurs had a bench made up of eight players. Since then, however, the size of the bench has plummeted.
It decreased to six (vs Arsenal); five (vs Reading); five (vs Liverpool) and six (vs Manchester City). Compare that to the North London side’s opponents for those games who in the case of Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester City all had nine players on the bench. Only Reading (who are struggling this season) were close with six players on their bench, one more than Spurs fielded in that game.
Given that the bench always includes a goalkeeper (whichever of Tinni Korpela or Becky Spencer is not starting), that leaves four or five outfield players available as substitutes. In every game this season one of those outfield players has been Gracie Pearse, a promising young defender. But she is yet to play for the first team and is in a position (centre-back) in which stability is at a premium and mid-game substitutions are typically made only out of necessity. That leaves Spurs head coach Rehanne Skinner with just three or four outfield players that she can deploy to make tactical changes.
Skinner’s options have been further constrained because some of these players are on the bench precisely because they lack fitness. In the most recent game, against Liverpool, it appeared that this was the case for Nikola Karczewska and we know that Chioma Ubogagu, who returned from a long-term ban in this game, was still getting up to speed. In the event, both Karczewska and Ubogagu were used, in the final five minutes, most probably because their minutes were restricted.
Above: Just five substitutes (shown at the left of the row) lined up before Spurs’ game against Liverpool. Photo: Rachel Lara Cohen.
Where are the biggest gaps?
What do these injuries and Spurs’ very limited bench mean for different areas of the team?
After signing four attack-minded players this summer it seems ridiculous that Spurs still lack options going forward but they do. This was most evident on Saturday in the deployment of Jessica Naz in the number nine role (she was substituted for Ellie Brazil, who was herself in a position that Nikola Karczewska perhaps more naturally fills).
Naz has a lot of strong points, and is great as a wide attacker – running onto balls or taking people on – but she’s not the sort of player who gets into the box, gets hold of loose balls, and shoots, and nor does she do the hold-up work or pressing that Rehanne Skinner demands of a player leading the attack.
Spurs fans have got to hope that Karczewska recovers from whatever limited her minutes on the weekend. Once she’s back a front three where she is flanked by any two of Ashleigh Neville, Celin Bizet, and Naz is a decent first option. If Bizet gets up to speed and Rosella Ayane returns from injury there are alternatives. But just one more injury or a slower-than-anticipated return from injury leaves the attacking line perilously thin.
Options in the centre of midfield are equally strained. The defensive midfield pairing of Eveliina Summanen and Angharad James is working. And when she operates in front of Summanen and James’ protective cover, Drew Spence can be, and has at times been a creative force. Unfortunately, she has also been a little inconsistent, with off days. And by the end of a game, the former Chelsea star can appear to have run out of steam. Conversely, Cho So-Hyun has the energy but lacks Spencer’s precision and vision. Until Ramona Petzelberger is again available there are, however, only limited ways to adjust.
Spurs’ defence is where the team currently has the best options or at least a relatively settled back four (Asmita Ale, Shelina Zadorsky, Molly Bartrip, and Amy Turner). Turner is not a natural right-back, but has become more comfortable in the role over the last few games and most recently did a decent job keeping Lauren Hemp (relatively) quiet. Ironically, however, this has happened because Spurs’ back-line does not include the player who is arguably our standout defender, Ashleigh Neville.
That’s because Neville has been needed (and has been doing an important job) further up the pitch as a winger. It is a reminder of how the lack of options at the front impacts the backline. On the upside, the (apparently) imminent return of Kerys Harrop will provide further options and maybe we will see Gracie Pearse getting some game time in Conti Cup games and breaking into the team.
Asking questions of the club
Several of the Spurs players with long-term injuries have had ACLs (anterior cruciate ligament injuries). This is an injury that is especially common in the women’s game, regularly taking out top players (Spain and France’s stars, Alexia Putellas and Marie-Antoinette Katoto, were both ruled out of the Euros this summer with ACL injuries). Because of that, it is a topic on which a lot has been written, but also, to which there has been a lot of attention paid, including analysis of ways to reduce the likelihood that ACLs occur.
Taken individually, each Spurs player’s injury might be considered a horrendous accident. But sometimes a run of bad luck indicates an underlying issue. And when there have been as many serious injuries as there have been (almost one per game this season) the club will inevitably be asking questions.
That might include identifying patterns and risks. It might mean placing an even greater priority on ensuring that everything is done during and beyond training to strengthen in ways that prevent injury, and within games to reduce the kinds of movements that make injury more likely. It might mean adjusting the playing style.
The worry is that at this point, as the bench gets thinner, Spurs’ injury woes may be exacerbated by players playing more minutes than they might have had the team had a deeper bench or being asked to play through a strain or come on when nursing a minor niggle.
Long-term injury list
Spurs provide a lot of support for injured players the club has excellent rehab facilities, with expert staff. The club does not, however, provide regular updates about player injuries, recovery, or other absences. For instance, the source of Esther Morgan’s injury was only revealed six months after it had occurred and only because she wrote a blog for mental health day that discussed how her injury had impacted her mental health and provided some detail.
The following is therefore a collation of the information currently available about player injuries, absences, and returns.
In order of possible return (a total guesstimate)
1. Kerys Harrop Unspecified injury. Rumoured to perhaps be a back problem. Kerys last played in the final game of the 2021-2 season (at home vs Leicester) and then missed the pre-season. On 13th October BBC journalist Emma Sanders reported she was ‘expected to return within the next few weeks’. And Rehanne Skinner has said she ‘is close’.
2. Rosella Ayane Fractured her foot in the first game of the season, away at Leicester on September 18th 2022. The initial prognosis was that she’d be out for about four weeks. Ayane is apparently back in training and has been spotted climbing stairs at Brisbane Road but no return date yet.
3. Ramona Petzelberger Last played as a substitute away at Arsenal on 24th September 2022. She has been out of the squad since then. No information about the reason for her absence. It is presumably injury, but it may be something else. She has not been spotted among the group of injured players at either of our most recent home games.
4. Esther Morgan Tore her rectus femoris muscle at a level grade of 3C when she was on international duty for Wales during a loan period at Leicester in early Spring 2022. Currently recovering at Spurs, but scheduled to go back out on loan at Coventry United when she is recovered. She is back ‘on grass’, but there are few other details.
5. Ellie Brazil Injured on 22nd October 2022 at home vs Manchester City. Went off on a stretcher. Seen afterwards with knee strapping and crutches. Nothing confirmed. But it did not look like a quick fix.
6. Kit Graham ACL injury in November 2021. Graham has been training on grass, but there are no confirmed return dates and rumours are that it’s likely to not be until January.
Above: Kit Graham in rehab. Photo: Kit Graham Instagram account. Shared by @spurswomen.
7. Ria Percival ACL injury in April 2022. Ria looks to be a long way from a return date. She’s not yet back in training. We’re hoping she’ll be back for the end of the season – and a home World Cup for her in New Zealand in the summer, but it’s not clear.
8. Kyah Simon. ACL injury on 2nd October 2022 at Reading. It will be surprising if she returns this season and a stretch for her to make the World Cup.
Minor knocks and other issues
1. Nikola Karczewska did not start against Manchester City and game on as an 86th-minute substitute. Since she would seem to be a better fit than Jess Naz for the number 9 spot that Ellie’s injury left vacant (a position she had occupied in the previous game) we can only assume she is one of the players Rehanne Skinner said had picked up ‘a few little minor injuries’.
2. Chioma Ubogagu has been out on a drug-related ban. She played her first minutes against Manchester City, coming on as a late 87th-minute substitute. Although not injured, having had more than six months out will mean that she is not fully match-ready.
3. Jessica Naz was initially on the bench on Saturday for the Manchester City game. She has not played a full 90 minutes this season and had some kind of injury over the summer. It’s unclear if she’s back to full-match fitness. She did get through almost a full match at the weekend, but notably tired in the second half.
Note: Due to a lack of information from Spurs, some of the above list is speculative. If people have better information with which I can update the list, I will be more than happy to do this.
Above: Vicky Lopez celebrates her winning goal against Japan in the quarter-finals. Photo: FIFA.
The Women’s Under-17 World Cup might not be one of the most spotlighted female tournaments, but this was the competition that gave future superstars Alexandra Popp, Jordan Nobbs, Mana Iwabuchi, and the current Ballon d’Or holder, Alexia Putellas.
This year’s edition is being hosted by India who were also debutants alongside Tanzanians and Morocco and it has been an exhilarating tournament so far.
GROUP STAGES:
Group A:
The tournament opened with the U.S.A showing why they are one of the best football nations in the world, hammering the host eight goals to nothing, while Brazil slightly edged the African debutants Morocco by an early strike scored in the fifth minute by the Brazilian striker, I.A Borges de Morais ensuring the South American champions kicked off the tournament with a win.
The second round of matches saw the CONCACAF champions lock horns with the Brazilians. The match ended in a 1-1 draw and both goals were produced in the space of eight minutes. Nicollete Kiorpesslotted home her first goal of the tournament after a dazzling run from the Nigeria-eligible American starlet, Onyeka Paloma Gamero however this lead was short-lived as Ana Carolina Firminhofired home an audacious strike after pouncing on a loose ball at the edge of the American box. African debutants Morocco, picked up their first victory in the tournament, and the three-nil defeat almost sealed the hosts’ exit from the competition.
India ended winless as they lost heavily to Brazil and America clipped the claws of Morocco with another goal-scoring spree to ensure they topped the group on a better goal difference.
Above: USA celebrate a goal during the tournament. Photo: FIFA.
Group B:
The group opened with Chile picking their first three points against New Zealand with a 3-1 victory, but the more interesting match was the matchup between the European giants, Germany, and the Super Falconets of Nigeria.
Both teams displayed quality as both keepers recorded brilliant saves within the first fifteen minutes of the match. After a keenly contested half an hour, the Nigerian defender Miracle Usani, fired home a ferocious strike with a free-kick. The Germans however equalized from a beautifully worked corner slotted home by Svea Stoldin the 49th minute. They would score the winning goal twelve minutes later as a defensive error enabled Mara Alber pick a beautiful spot to curl her powerful finish.
The second round of matches saw a torrent of goals as the Germans swept the Chileans away with six, while the Nigerians compounded the woes of the New Zealand with a 4-0 victory.
The final round of group games saw Germany already guaranteed as the group winner while the runner-up slot was going to be snatched by the winner of Chile against Nigeria. The Falconets scored an early goal in the fourth minute through Ngozi Emmanuel’s strike, however, they found it really difficult to add to their tally as the Chilean goalkeeper Melladoo Alvarado pulled off magnificent saves, as strikers Ajakaye and Bello hit the bar. The much-needed second goal came through Bisola Mosaku and was quite timely as Chile would later get a rather debatable penalty in the 91st minute as the game ended 2-1 in favor of the Africans.
Group C:
The matches in this group opened with narrow victories for China who pipped Mexico 2-1 and Spain who edged the Colombians by a goal to nothing.
The group however took an interesting turn on game day two, when the Colombians beat China 2-0 through an early brace from the versatile striker Linda Caicedo,while the Mexicans got a late 2-1 victory over the brilliant Spanish. These results meant that any of the four teams could pick up the quarter-final ticket in the last group stage matches.
Despite having 73% possession against China, the Spanish could only muster a single goal and this was enough to see them through the group stages. Colombia pipped the Mexico to pick up the second slot with Linda scoring for both sides.
Group D:
Above: Veronica celebrates her equalising goal for Tanzania against Canada. Photo: FIFA.
Japan opened the group with a 4-0 win over Tanzania, taking advantage of the red card the Tanzanians received, sending a wave of warning to the rest of the group while Canada had to settle for a 1-1 draw against France with both goals scored in the space of six minutes.
The second match gave the first surprise of the group as Tanzania got three points from France with a 2-1 victory in a physically combative match that had two penalties and a last-minute red card. Japan continued their dominance with a 4-0 win over Canada, this meant that Tanzania had a shot at a quarter-finals ticket with a draw in their last match, a result they got against Canada. Japan beat France 2-0 to continue their dominance, becoming the second country after Germany to pick up the maximum points available in the group stage.
QUARTER-FINALS:
With eight countries departing from the competition, the battle became more intense as eight countries from five different continents locked horns for the semi-finals ticket. It was the second time that Africa had two representatives at this stage of this tournament with Ghana making it to the semi-finals and clinching a third-place finish in 2012. Both Nigeria and Tanzania came into the quarter-finals hoping to at least match this record, an almost insurmountable task for both teams given the quality of their opponents.
USA v Nigeria:
Above: Nigeria celebrate a goal. Photo: FIFA.
For most pundits, this was predicted to be the most dynamic match-up. The compact shield of the Falconets’ defence getting tested by the ferocious attack of the young Americans.
It was the Africans who scored first when Josephine Edafe converted a penalty awarded by VAR, it however took the USA just fifteen minutes to get an equalizer. After a lot of huffing and puffing by the Americans, the match headed to penalties where the Falconets edged the Americans by four goals to three, a record-breaking result for the star-lights who reached the semi-finals for the first time in the competition.
Germany v Brazil:
This was a match that could swing either way depending on who gathered the momentum first. The Germans grabbed the opening goal in the 23rd minute with a brilliant finish from Marie Steiner.The Brazilian might have felt they deserved an equalizer after Goherte headed a looping corner but VAR ruled out the goal for an offside. Both sides created a lot of chances, however, it was the Germans who had the final say with a last-kick goal scored by Melina Kruga.
Chile v Tanzania:
This was the only quarterfinal that looked like it could be one-way traffic. Conceding two quick goals in the first twenty minutes and a 23rd-minute red card by the Tanzanians ensured Chile had the smoothest ride to the semi-finals where they would be playing another African team. A 36th-minute penalty sealed the victory for Chile.
Japan v Spain
Above: Japan’s Momoko Tanikawa celebrates her sensational goal against Spain. Photo: FIFA.
For any neutral football fan, this was the most exciting quarter-final tie. A match-up meant we had the chance to witness the Japanese sizzling style of play with flair and maestro movements go against the Spanish’ traditional tiki-taka played at a faster pace.
Both teams turned on the heat from the first minute as both goal-keepers were called to action multiple times and made crucial saves within the first 20 minutes, however, it was the Spanish who had the chance to go ahead when Toko Koga fouled the Spanish striker, Carla Camacho in the box and was awarded a penalty. The striker surprisingly skied the penalty over the bar, leaving her teammates crestfallen.
After a keenly contested 60 minutes, it was the Japanese striker Momoko Tanikawa who put her team ahead through a goal of the tournament contender to take the early lead however the defending champions kept on knocking hard on the Japanese defense until they caved in the 87th minute when Vicky Lopez equalized with a shot after pouncing on a loose ball in the penalty box to make it all square.
The match was heading towards penalties until the Barcelona wonderkid Lopez glided her way through the tired Japanese defense and slotted a calm finish home to set up an all-European semi-final.
SEMI-FINALS:
The two semi-finals will see Nigeria aim to be the first African country to reach the finals of the competition while Spain are gunning for a second consecutive final against Germany, being the second country to achieve that after Japan.
The semi-finals promise to be exciting and we can’t wait to see which superstars will evolve and break out from this competition.
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