Above: Chloe Kelly, seen here after her winning goal in theEuropean Championship Final, is back in the squad for the first time since the summer. Photo: Lionesses.
England head coach Sarina Wiegman has announced her squad for forthcoming games against World champions the United States and the Czech Republic next month.
Euro winners Fran Kirby and Chloe Kelly are back in the fold after missing last month’s final FIFA World Cup qualifiers through injury, while there are first senior call-ups for West Ham United’s Lucy Parker and Jess Park who is on loan at Everton. Manchester City’s Esme Morgan – yet to make her senior international debut – returns to the squad following her call-up in September 2021, which she missed due to injury.
The Lionesses are returning to two venues that were the backdrop for major moments in the summer success. Firstly, the US will be welcomed to a sold-out Wembley Stadium, the scene of the memorable July final when a 2-1 victory against Germany clinched the trophy, on Friday 7 October.
Above: Jess Park, currently on loan Everton, gets her first call-up for England. Photo: James Gill.
Then, the Czechs will travel to Brighton and Hove Albion on Tuesday 11th October, with England having played two significant Euros matches at the south-coast stadium – winning 8-0 against Norway in the group stage and defeating Spain 2-1 after extra time in the quarter-finals.
Reflecting on her selection, Lionesses head coach Sarina Wiegman said: “Our focus is now firmly on the FIFA Women’s World Cup next summer, all of our time together is vitally important and this is an opportunity for those selected to apply themselves to the best of their ability on and off the pitch.
“The challenge of facing the world champions is one we look forward to and it is another tough fixture to measure our progress as we look to continue to make the next step forward. We are so excited to be able to go back to Wembley after our incredible experience in July.
Above: Lucy Parker – a first call-up for the West Ham United player. Photo: West Ham United Women.
“It will be a special evening and a great celebration for our fans, but we also know it will be a challenging game against very strong opposition. We are working hard towards next summer and this will help us understand where we are in our preparation.
“It would also be wrong to underestimate how good the Czech team is with our next match. We saw them draw 0-0 away to the US earlier this year and they drew twice with the Netherlands in World Cup qualifying.
“As it will be at Wembley, we want to be able to say ‘thank you’ to the fans at Brighton. They were such a special part of what we all achieved and we will always have good memories of the stadium. They created a brilliant atmosphere that helped inspire us on the pitch.”
Above: There’s a return to the Lionesses set up for Fran Kirby after she missed the final two World Cup qualifiers this month. Photo: Lionesses.
The US date has an extra significance with The FA marking 50 years since the first-ever Lionesses match on 18 November 1972. More than one hundred former players from across the years are expected to be in attendance as guests of The FA while many of those who appeared in that maiden match, a 3-2 win away to Scotland, will be involved in the pre-game ceremony.
England Squad:
Goalkeepers: Ellie Roebuck, Mary Earps, Sandy McIver.
Above: AFC Wimbledon hat-trick hero Ashlee Hincks in action at Cheltenham Town yesterday. Photo: Glyn Roberts.
A dominant display got the Dons off to the perfect start in their FAWNL Cup campaign with victory away to higher league opposition with Ashlee Hincks continuing her hot streak in front of goal.
Last season’s top scorer hit the jackpot again with a stunning treble as AFC Wimbledon earned an impressive 4-2 win at Cheltenham Town from the FA Women’s National League Southern Premier on Sunday.
There was an ideal start for the Dons as Ellie Dorey gave them the lead inside the opening five minutes. This set the tone as the visitors set out to dominate the game against a team doing well in a higher division.
However, Cheltenham hit back to level when Izzy Crook’s cross was fired home by Emma Congrave to score against the run of play on the 20-minute mark. However, Wimbledon edged themselves back ahead as Hincks continued her fine form with half an hour gone.
The Dons still needed goalkeeper Lauren Allen to produce a number of fine saves in the final stages of the first half to ensure that they went into the break ahead. The second half started with Cheltenham coming out with a point to prove as they dominated the opening 10 minutes However, the cutting edge came from the Dons once again as Hincks once again showed her finishing prowess with a fine finish.
Cheltenham refused to give up though and Lauren Allen was forced into saves on multiple occasions. On the hour mark, Mia Lockett was taken out inside the penalty area, resulting in Hincks completing her hat-trick from 12 yards. Despite a late consolation goal for Cheltenham as Maisy Collis netted.
This was a dominant display from the Dons, comprehensively defeating a team currently sitting seventh in the division above.
Speaking after the game, Dons coach Andy May said: “It’s a really pleasing result as we came up against a team from a higher level. We tweaked the formation to a 3-5-2, so we’re really happy with the outcome.”
The Dons are back in action on Sunday at The Cherry Red Records Stadium, Plough Lane with a 2.00 pm kick-off against Wymondham Town in the FA Women’s National League Division One South-East.
The AFC Wimbledon online ticket page is selling tickets for that game now with prices at £5 for adults, free for Under-18s.
Tom Freeman provides a round-up of all the action beneath the top two tiers of the Scottish game (26/9/22).
Above: Lots to celebrate for Renfrew after they won the battle between two of the Championship’s top sides at Rossvale. Photo: Eddie McDowell.
Giffnock, Westdyke, FC Edinburgh, and Edinburgh Caledonia have progressed in the Championship and League One Cup after recording victories in the first round.
Giffnock beat Airdrie Ladies at home 4-1, Westdyke won 4-0 at Gleniffer Thistle, FC Edinburgh saw off St. Mirren at Meadowbank and Edinburgh Caledonia beat BSC Glasgow 3-0 at Meggetland.
The sides will now face Grampian Ladies, Dundee West, Morton, and Inverness Caledonian Thistle in round two respectively.
In the battle for the top of the Women’s Championship, Renfrew Ladies claimed the initiative with a hugely impressive 5-0 victory against Rossvale in Glasgow, putting the Lanarkshire club clear ahead in the table for the first time this season.
Above: Iona MacArthur, who netted for Inverness Caledonian Thistle in only her second senior start as they went down 2-1 to Livingston. Photo: ICTWFC.
In a hard-fought match in the Highlands, Livingston beat Inverness Caledonian Thistle 3-2 with goals from Mason, Hendry, and Dodds.
Jacqui Seagrave rescued a point for Morton with a late equaliser to make it 3-3 against a Dryburgh Athletic side who had looked in control for much of the game.
And Ayr United capitalised on Hutchison Vale losing a player to a red card to run out 5-2 winners at Oriam, with captain Clare Docherty grabbing a first-half brace after the sides had traded penalties, and Taysum also grabbing a brace in the second half.
In the day’s only Women’s League One fixture, Jude Connolly secured an impressive 3 points on the road for Stenhousemuir with a brace against a Grampian Ladies team with a formidable home record, her second goal coming after Sarah Stout had levelled for Grampian.
Jean-Pierre Thiesset summarizes the third round of 2022-2023 D1 Arkema season(26/9/22).
Above: Paris St. Germain’s Matilda, Lydia Williams, saw her team involved in a tough tussle with Fleury. Photo: LydsAussie.
Paris FC at home won 1-0 against Le Havre. Le Havre, promoted this season to D1, exerted a lot of pressure and played by sending high balls aimed above the Paris FC defence. Le Havre’s pressure caused a lot of problems to Paris FC, who finished third in D1 Arkema last season. The hosts had to wait until the very end of the first half to score the only goal of the day. Goal for Paris FC from Louise Fleury (45+2).
Paris Saint-Germain won 2-1 at home against Fleury. Fleury played without two of their key players, captain Léa Le Garrec, and top scorer Rosemonde Kouassi, due to their red cards last time out. Still, Fabrice Abriel, Fleury’s coach, played with a 4-2-3-1 formation and as his players followed his directives with discipline. The visitors put a lot of pressure on the Paris SG players, which was emphasised by them taking the lead after 16 minutes. Fleury players showed great technical maturity. However, Paris SG dominated this game with more than 70% of ball possession and equalised at the end of first half. The second half was almost an attack against defence as the hosts pushed to score. Fleury almost obtained a draw with their outstanding defense, but Paris SG scored at the very end of the game. It was not a very reassuring match for the hosts ahead of their return leg Champions League tie at BK Häcken, whom they only hold a one-goal lead after the first leg.
To make matters worse for PSG, central defender Paulina Dudek left the pitch at the 54th-minute mark with injury and may not be available for the Champions League game. For the visitors, Chantelle Swaby, Fleury defender, entered at the 71st minute for her first game in D1 Arkema. She is an American-born Jamaican professional footballer who plays as a midfielder. She is 24-years-old. Goal for Fleury from Batcheba Louis (16). Goals for Paris SG from Grace Geyoro (38), Kadidiatou Diani (90+1).
Dijon won away from home 1-0 against Guingamp. In an equal game, Dijon was a little bit more efficient than Guingamp. They even kept their lead when there were down to 10 players after Cecilie Sandvej received a red card at the 71st minute. Goal for Dijon from Madeline Roth (50).
Soyaux won 2-0 at home against Rodez. Another even game in which Soyaux were more efficient to score despite the fact that Rodez had eight corners. Goals for Soyaux from Camille Collin (7), Jessy Roux (38).
Reims won 1-0 away from home against Bordeaux. Bordeaux slightly dominated this game but Reims with this serious game scored during the first half. Goal for Reims from Kethna Louis (35).
Olympique Lyonnais won 3-1 at Montpellier. It was the first big challenge for Lyon in D1 Arkema this season, and it proved to be a very good game between two excellent teams. For this game, Sonia Bompastor, Lyon’s coach, returned to a 4-3-3 formation that suited her players. Montpellier could have scored within two minutes of the game, but Janice Cayman made an outstanding defensive tackle. Montpellier caused a lot of problems in the midfield during the first 30 minutes. Matters switched in the favour of the visitors as Then Lindsey Horan scored with a header from a great free kick delivered by Selma Bacha after 33 minutes From there, Lyon started to take over and reconquer the midfield. Bacha delivered an outstanding performance once more, and was named player of the match for Lyon. Her statistics (recorded by Jean-Pierre Thiesset during the game) are: 64 balls played, 36 passes with 83% successful, 10 crosses, one shot, eight balls won, two decisive passes (33rd minute a free kick for Lindsey Horan, 83rd minute pass for Daniëlle Van de Donk). Montpellier’s striker Nérilia Mondésir was excellent in defeat. Goals for Lyon from Lindsey Horan (33), Eugénie Le Sommer (71), Daniëlle Van de Donk (83). Goal for Montpellier from Faustine Robert (74 penalty).
Impetus’ Ben Gilby brings us all the news from the Australian Para Football Awards in the women’s categories (25/9/22).
Above: Katelyn Smith displays her Player of the Year Award today. Photo supplied to Impetusby: Football Australia.
Goalkeeper Katelyn Smith was named Player of the Year at the 2022 Annual Para Football Awards held at the Southport Yacht Club on the Gold Coast.
A Perth native, Smith collected another piece of history on the night as she claimed the inaugural CommBank ParaMatildas Player of the Year title. Imperious for the women’s national team in their first IFCPF Women’s World Cup campaign, Smith was awarded the Goalkeeper of the Tournament following the team’s silver medal-winning run. The 26-year-old also claimed the women’s Golden Glove for 2022 to join her trophy from the World Cup.
Above: Rae Anderson – Rookie of the Year. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Football Australia.
Rae Anderson was awarded the Rookie of the Year honour, after her performances in the World Cup.
Eloise Northam took out the Goal of the Year Award for her sensational strike against the USA.
Above: Eloise Northam – a worthy winner of the Goal of the Year Award. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Football Australia.
The final awards of the night were presented by former Paralympian Kurt Fearnley as he announced the Undefeated Champions for 2022. This category acknowledges and celebrates those players who have demonstrated their “undefeated” spirit both on and off the pitch. Tahlia Blanshard collected the award for the tireless and selfless promotion of her team and as a powerful disability advocate. Her consistent efforts across social media and through public forums have helped shape conversations, break down barriers, and show the next generation that anything is possible.
Above: Tahlia Blanchard – the Undefeated Champion of 2022. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Football Australia.
Impetus carried out interviews with a number of the award winners during the IFCPF World Cup – they can be read by clicking on these links:
Impetus’ Ben Gilby hears from newly arrived Newcastle Jets defender Teigen Allen and head coach Ash Wilson(25/9/22).
Artwork: Newcastle Jets.
Newcastle Jets are excited to announce the signing of Matildas defender Teigen Allen who joins the club after playing at Western Sydney Wanderers last season.
Allen joins the Jets to bolster Ash Wilson’s defensive stocks and the Jets manager is delighted to have secured her signature.
“Teigen is a versatile and solid defender who will bring a wealth of experience into this squad. She is a true competitor and has a strong winning mentality which is something I admire. She is someone who will work hard for the team and will set high expectations of herself and others and lead by example.
Above: Teigen Allen in action for Australia against Argentina in 2019. Photo: Michael Dodge.
“Teigen’s attitude, work ethic, technical ability as well as her defensive knowledge were key contributors to her signing but in addition to this, she is a good person who I think reflects so many of the values we represent here in Newcastle and I am looking forward to working with her.”
Allen is excited for the new season and is eager to link up with her new teammates.
“I’m looking forward to the season ahead. I will challenge myself on and off the field which will allow me to put myself in the best physical position for the team ahead of the new season. I’m looking to bring my experience in this league and I want to pass on that as well as my knowledge of the game to younger generations and to be a good role model that they can look up to.”
Impetus’ Jonathan Stack was in Manchester City head coach Gareth Taylor‘s media conference for us yesterday, and there was certainly no panic after his team’s tough summer and start to the season (24/9/22).
Above: Gareth Taylor speaks to the media ahead of tomorrow’s huge game at Chelsea. Photo: Manchester City FC.
Manchester City are looking to get their season up and running this weekend with head coach Gareth Taylor looking for a much-improved performance in the big WSL clash at Kingsmeadow against Chelsea tomorrow.
In what was already a difficult summer with big players leaving to pastures new and players hanging up their boots, trying to fill in the gaps proved to be quite the task. City are already facing an uphill battle after losing to Aston Villa 4-3 at Villa Park last Sunday. Things don’t get any easier with a trip to the Champions of England who themselves suffered a shock 2-1 defeat to newly promoted Liverpool at Prenton Park last week.
These two teams who finished first and third last season, as well as contesting a superb high-quality FA Cup Final, would not have been expecting to start the season on the back foot, but with both teams suffering opening day defeats, this match now proves to be massive.
Above: After a difficult few months, Manchester City players need to re-set ahead of tomorrow’s test at Chelsea. Photo: Manchester City FC.
City manager Taylor gave his thoughts on both team’s opening day reverses saying: “I wasn’t surprised that Liverpool got something out of the game (against Chelsea). We played them in pre-season and they’re a tough outfit. Same with Aston Villa, a completely different team from last season, lots of changes, and when those players play well, anyone can beat anyone.
“There’s no change in that respect. For us, we know it’s going to be a really tough game, it’s their first home game but we’re looking forward to the challenge. We’ll hopefully show a better version of ourselves without the ball this time. Regardless of the team we pick, we’re expecting a good level and will try to make it difficult for Chelsea on their own patch but also show our best version with the ball.”
Australian international Alanna Kennedy could be in contention to feature this weekend after picking up a thigh injury on international duty against Canada earlier this month. Taylor provided an update on the defender saying: “There’s a couple of players who are being monitored closely, but nothing too different to what we had last week. Alanna should be in a better place, she wasn’t able to make the bench last week, so we think she’ll be back in contention, hopefully after another training session.
“But there has been no real change from last weekend (in terms of availability), so pretty good. We’ve got good options. When you have them, it gives you a bit of a selection headache, the players are probably aware that, although we didn’t get off on the right foot last week, there were some elements of our play that were quite good.”
Chelsea v Manchester City, at Kingsmeadow tomorrow, 4pm kick-off local time.
Impetus’ Ellie Ramsauer was in Brighton and Hove Albion head coach Hope Powell‘s media conference and heardher positivity and pride in her squad going into tomorrow’s important game with Reading(24/9/22).
Above: Hope Powell talking to the media. Photo: Brighton & Hove Albion Women.
It was a tough start to the season for Brighton and Hove Albion as they lost 4-0 to a strong Arsenal team at Meadow Park. Their challenge was made harder as Emma Kullberg was sent off for Brighton after a trip on Stina Blackstenius outside the box.
However, Hope Powell, Brighton’s head coach, was keen to look at the positives of that game as she recognised the effort put in by the team despite the disadvantage, stating she was “proud of the players, the way they continued (and) ran”, and she appreciated that they “put a shift in”.
Another positive Powell took from the match was that they made it through the 90 minutes with no fresh injury concerns “which was the main thing.” Despite no new injuries, they remain without Rebekah Stott, who is still recovering after her ankle surgery several weeks ago, with Megan Connelly (broken ribs), Danielle Carter (illness), and Masie Symonds who is still recovering from glandular fever remaining on the sidelines.
The Seagulls’ head coach reflected on the impact of these injuries, particularly on the senior players who are key influencers in the squad and therefore a big miss during the time they are out. However, Powell remains positive after her side’s defeat to Arsenal and is happy with the spirit the squad showed despite going down to 10 players.
The former Lionesses coach did, however, concede that it was “not an easy reset” for the team as they lose a player through suspension for the red card. This, on top of injuries, mean that the squad has had “quite a lot of work to do” and there is a need to “change things around” to accommodate this change. Despite this Powell maintains that the “players are very positive” and are “looking forward to the challenge on Sunday”.
Above: Brighton and Hove Albion players return to the Amex Stadium tomorrow – over 5,000 tickets have already been sold. Photo: Brighton & Hove Albion Women.
Brighton are looking ahead to Sunday’s fixture against Reading which will be the first women’s game played at the Amex Stadium since the Euros. Last summer’s international tournament, which brought in an influx of new fans to the women’s game, is likely to lead to an upsurge in the numbers attending, which will amplify the atmosphere and, in turn, give the team a boost. Powell reflects on this as she encourages fans to “come along and judge for themselves”, particularly those who may not have been fans of the women’s game before the Euros.
In terms of the opposition, Brighton’s head coach concedes that Reading “will be a tough game” despite their opening game of the season 4-0 defeat at Manchester United. Powell says she sees “the game as an opportunity”, but acknowledges that Kelly Chambers’ side will see it the same way. This is expected as both sides will be hungry to put points on the board after a disappointing opening day of the season.
Reading made a number of signings in the summer, which the Seagulls chief is wary of, believing it will make this a “close contest.” However, Brighton have also made a number of signings this summer who have impressed Powell since being introduced to the squad.
In particular, Elisabeth Terland has imposed herself since arriving from Norway as Powell shared that Terland was actually ‘disappointed she didn’t score’ against Arsenal. Brighton’s head coach also spoke of Terland’s “really good strike” of the ball and her ambition “to be a top striker for club and country”.
Brighton and Hove Albion host Reading at the Amex Stadium in the Barclays Women’s Super League at 2:00pm tomorrow local time.
Ahead of tomorrow’s big WSL clash between Chelsea and Manchester City at Kingsmeadow, Impetus’ Jonathan Tay profiles the talented teenager Mary Fowler (24/9/22).
Above: Cairns-born Mary Fowler has been a teenage star for the Matildas for some time. The WSL is about to find out why. Image: Football Australia.
“Mary Fowler, for me, is the next big thing.”
Matildas captain Sam Kerr does not mince words when discussing her teenage teammate, Mary Fowler. A team mate she will come up against as an opponent at Kingsmeadow at 4pm local time tomorrow afternoon.
Since breaking out at the 2021 Olympics as a viable option for the Australian squad, Fowler has been on a meteoric rise. She’s excited players and fans alike; her magnetic ball control and lock-picking passing paired with a calm and composed demeanour.
Kerr, a golden boot winner in 3 different countries, labelled the 19-year-old already the “best finisher in the team…on both feet”.
“She’s been in the team for maybe three or four years now, but in the last year and a half she’s completely changed and found herself,” Kerr observed. “Maybe Europe has helped that, but she’s honestly a key player for us now.”
WHAT A START! 🙌
Sam Kerr sets up Mary Fowler to give the Matildas a dream start in Sydney – scoring the opener only 2 minutes in!
As impressive as Fowler’s growth has been thus far, this next calendar year could be a platform for the Cairns native to become even more of a household name.
She’ll not only be relied upon to be an important creative outlet for the Matildas at a World Cup on home soil next July but for English giants Manchester City this domestic season as well.
Having joined on a four-year contract, Fowler will ply her trade in the Women’s Super League, one of the most high-profile competitions in the world, up against the likes of Steph Catley and Caitlin Foord’s Arsenal, and Kerr’s Chelsea.
In 2021/2022, for all of Fowler’s notable showings for Australia, she managed just 674 minutes for her former club team Montpelier, operating predominantly as a forward or left winger.
But even with limited offerings, some of that potential was on display: five goals from six starts, whilst also ranking highly in per-90 statistics across the D1 Féminine for expected goals, dribbles, shooting efficiency, and chance-creating passes.
Statistic (per 90 min played)
M. Fowler
Rank
Expected Goals
0.4
20th
Shots
3.34
9th
Shooting Accuracy
56%
10th
Dribbles
6.41
9th
Through Passes
1.6
9th
Smart Passes
1.2
11th
Above: Fowler’s statistics vs all D1 Féminine players (minimum 450 min played). Source: Wyscout.
Thus far, though a small sample size, City head coach Gareth Taylor has more utilised Fowler through the central midfield area in the two games played during their ultimately unsuccessful Champions League qualification campaign.
The idea is to make greater use of the youngster’s talent on the ball, facilitating in the build up phase of her team’s play, and presenting more occasions to find teammates further up-field in scoring positions.
It should also assist in furthering Fowler’s development, as she gains more consistent reps in a similar role to the one she plays for Australia.
Above: The similarity in Fowler’s heat maps for the Canada-friendly series (left) vs for first two appearances for Manchester City (right). Source: Wyscout.
She’ll have a golden opportunity to grab a starting place right from the off, with Manchester City astoundedly losing their entire first-choice midfield of Georgia Stanway, Keira Walsh, and Caroline Weir from last season.
The Australian didn’t make the XI for the Sky Blues’ opening match of the WSL, but she didn’t have to wait long, coming on after the interval for the unconvincing Filippa Angeldahl.
Granted, there are still areas of Fowler’s game where she can continue to make improvements. Her passing at times loses its sharpness or direction, and she can drift in and out of games for stretches of play.
Matildas head coach Tony Gustavsson noted after the first match of the recent Canada friendly series, “Mary (Fowler) struggled a bit in defending, her intensity in pressing, so we got a bit stretched. Her attacking was phenomenal, she can spin on a dime and shoot from distance…[but] we were not intense enough in the first half.”
More than anyone else though, Fowler herself understands the importance of staying grounded and absorbing as much as she can, particularly at this nascent age. Speaking during her first interview for her new club, she affirmed, “I’m still young, and I’ve still got a lot to learn.
“Being at a club like Man City, I’m not only surrounded by amazing staff and coaches, but I get the chance to be playing alongside and playing against some of the best players in the world. I have everything I need to fulfil my potential as a footballer.”
City head coach Gareth Taylor added, “Mary is, without doubt, one of the most exciting young talents in the game right now. She has a maturity beyond her years but for her, she’s excited to come to England to learn and grow as a player.”
🗣 "When you watch City play, you see football. You see how beautiful it is and you can really fall in love with the game just by watching City play."
We may not see Fowler at her peak of ability for another one, or even two, World Cup cycles. Particularly with Manchester City also facing somewhat of a squad rebuild, there will be an adjustment period as she acclimatises to the speed of an unfamiliar environment and in the face of unerring opposition.
But if the teenager’s development to this point is anything to go by, by this time next year there may well be a much greater crowd of local and international fans agreeing with Kerr about who the “next big thing” is.
Impetus’ Kris Goman caught up with both Arsenal‘s Katie McCabe and Jonas Eidevall prior to the potentially record-breaking North London derby to be played at The Emirates this afternoon (24/9/22).
Above: Katie McCabe – proud of the way Arsenal have built on Euros success to sell over 50,000 tickets for today’s game. Photo: Arsenal Women.
A North London derby between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur is always a tasty affair, and both Katie McCabe and Gunners head coach Jonas Eidevall are expecting a physical game from their rivals.
McCabe outlined: “That’s what a derby game is all about but it’s up to us to control our minds and control that mentality. We’ll be ready for any physicality thrown at us tomorrow.”
When quizzed about her role on the team and sharing positions she said, “When you’re playing at a club like Arsenal, there’s always going to be quality in every position. Sometimes even two players in a position that you’re going to have to fight for. I’m quite versatile in that sense.
“I think I play maybe, I think it was four different positions last year. It’s up to me to train 100%, train hard. Push. If it is obviously Steph (Catley) or Caitlin (Foord) on that left side, it gives Jonas a difficult decision when he selects his team. I want us to win every week whether I’m playing my part on the pitch or playing my part on the bench, I want to be there 100% for the girls. It’s one of those things when you’re playing for a big club, there’s always going to be competition and you have to fight for your place.”
Looking back at the Euros, McCabe revealed how much she enjoyed going to the games in person and seeing it all from a fan’s perspective, and then emphasised the foundations that are being built upon since July. “Arsenal have done a terrific job of tapping into that momentum from the Euros and really pushing this game, the North London derby at the Emirates with 51,000 tickets sold, I think. It’s unbelievable.”
McCabe highlighted how the Euros got people in to support the Republic of Ireland national team too and their match against Finland had a record crowd for a home game. “You feel that momentum now. The support from the fans, the atmosphere.”
Reflecting on the change in the team over her time at the club, “It’s amazing. The progression, the investment the club have put in over the last seven years of being here, it’s unbelievable and it’s very easy to stand still and think, oh, we’re Arsenal and we’ve won all these trophies but the real progression and drive from the club from the top down and all around the training ground as well, there’s a real sense of one team, of one club.
Above: Katie McCabe is aiming for more celebrations against Tottenham today in front of a huge crowd. Photo: PA.
“You can feel that even when we went to the first team game. We were invited and brought down onto the pitch. It’s such a special place to be part of. Having everyone feeling part of it is massive. We were over there having lunch and we’ve got David Seaman wishing us luck for tomorrow. It just shows how far we’ve come as a club.”
Focusing specifically on this afternoon’s big game, the Ireland international said: “It’s important to get three points tomorrow. We know obviously what a derby means as an Arsenal player and as a fan and we want to beat them and it’s on our home turf as well. We’ve got 50 odd thousand fans cheering us on as well so it’s important to obviously stay within our game plan and stay in control and make sure we get the three points.”
Today’s game could see one the biggest women’s club match attendances in over a century and McCabe was asked if that made her feel proud or a little bit frustrated because women’s football has been held back for so long and could be in a totally different place.
“There’s an obvious frustration there that we have been held back for so long but we can’t dwell too much on the past and we need to obviously just charge forward with that. We’re playing at the Emirates tomorrow and Liverpool and Everton are playing at Anfield as well on Sunday. I think the drive from all the clubs in the WSL is to take the momentum from the Euros and keep building and not let this just be a once off and we need to keep going with it and keep driving.”
I then asked Katie if she prefers to play at home at Meadow Park with a sold-out crowd of bolted-on fans or at Emirates Stadium with over 50,000 attendance, many of whom may have just jumped on the bandwagon of the Euros that may not be so familiar with the game and certainly with the players.
“For me, since I’ve come here, Meadow Park has always been our home and we’ve got a really good connection with Boreham Wood. Those kind of one-off games at Emirates are becoming a lot more frequent now which is fantastic and Emirates is starting to feel like our home as well having played there so much last season and hopefully, we’ll be looking to build on that again this season.
“It’s neither here nor there with me. I love both playing fields. I think maybe you’ve got that extra touch at Meadow Park where the fans are a little bit more close and you can interact a little bit more. But you can’t say no to 50,000 fans at the Emirates either.”
Above: Arsenal head coach Jonas Eidevall emphasised his expectations of a physical approach from Tottenham Hotspur. Photo: Guardian.
Jonas Eidevall was visibly excited to be playing three games in a week after four months of no action. “It feels so alive. Your brain switches on in a totally different way. It’s very nice to be back and playing.”
He was at pains to point out that the tickets for the derby were 50,000 sold tickets. “They weren’t giveaways or at a discounted price, it’s sold tickets. And that’s really, really special because doing this, the way the club has done it, it’s a statement. It shows the press here; it is for real.
“The investment that we as a team, the club has done, but also, all the past generations, the past teams before us, have done and have built us up to this stage here. That’s phenomenal. We feel that and we want to make the most of it so it can happen again and more frequently. Let’s be honest, football clubs need revenues, and ticket sales are important to revenues.”
Eidevall highlighted how well preparations had been going. The only player who wasn’t available for the Champions League game against Ajax in midweek was Mana who was ill but she should be able to return to the squad for today’s game so Arsenal should have full availability.
The Gunners head coach emphasised the importance of Beth Mead, for him, one of the best players in the world. “For her to play her best game, that will involve a lot of actions. That means you can’t be having positive actions all the time. The thing is, as a forward, you will always fail more than you are successful. But for Beth, it’s about having that self-confidence. That can be pressing, that can be challenging, it can be one-v-one for example but that’s where she needs to go to every game and when she does, then I think that she’s one of the best players in the world.”
Above: Jonas Eidevall pointed to the fact that his team are no longer reliant on Vivianne Miedema for goals. Photo: Arsenal WFC.
In recent years, a regular criticism on the Gunners was their reliance on the goals of Vivianne Miedema. That’s not the case anymore. “Any team needs a number of ways that you can score goals,” Eidevall explained, “And hopefully, you have a number of players that can score goals for you. Any team that can only do it with only one player or only one way, will always become predictable for an opponent.
Looking back to Arsenal’s midweek Champions League Qualifying Round 1st Leg defeat to Ajax, it was suggested to Eidevall that facing Brighton and Hove Albion in his team’s only competitive encounter this term wasn’t a great preparation as the Seagulls went down to ten players so early. A battle with Tottenham should set the North Londoners up perfectly for the second leg in Amsterdam due to the physicality likely to be present this afternoon.
“Ajax are a very physical team and we know Tottenham is as well. That’s the team that fouls the most in the WSL. They have been doing it so consistently under Rehanne Skinner that it’s very much a strategy that they have – to foul a lot. They try to be very physical, so of course, we are prepared for that. And we could see that Ajax was doing the same.” He spoke at length about how opposition teams changed their tactics just for Arsenal and played differently from their last five games when they play his team. This just meant Arsenal had to be adaptable and able to change to suit the new formation or tactics.
When it comes to selection, Eidevall placed emphasis on what specific threats the opposition are likely to pose. He gave the example of left-back. “We have two very good left backs in Steph Catley and Katie McCabe. They are not exactly the same type of players but they also have different qualities. Sometimes that quality as a player will fit really well against an opponent. It’s also a competition but I believe a competition also brings out the best of people, long term. Very few people without that competition can derive that standard every day. We’ll see who gets to play tomorrow.”
Above: The versatility offered by Steph Catley is something Jonas Eidevall is a huge fan of. Photo: Martin Rose.
I asked about the role of Steph Catley who was pressing forward taking direct shots on goal against Ajax – something which is not a regular part of her game. Eidevall recalled she scored in the final game of the season against West Ham United and suggested she might have felt a little bit encouraged from that one.
“But to be honest, with our full-backs in more attacking positions, I think that comes as a natural thing that she gets a bit more into those positions and I really like when I have Steph Catley as an attacking full-back because her timing of doing runs is exceptional. So when you do that right, she will get into more positions for both the finishing and the final pass.”
Eidevall emphasised once more that Tottenham are the team that fouls the most in the league and that it’s a strategy. He wanted the officials to be aware and take a more proactive approach and caution earlier to protect the players and make the game flow a little better. “But that’s the referee’s calls, not mine. We just need to be prepared for it and not let it get into our head and focus on the way we play.”
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