Friday Ramble: Big Weekend
It's hotting up, isn't it? Off the back of a huge week in the Champions League, the WSL offers up an intriguing fixture list. Plus, I answer your questions...
Well, today's been a day. I woke up early this morning to head to Liverpool after being invited to give a talk about my pathway into writing and women's football at John Moore University, and planned to write this week's Friday Ramble on the way home.
Sadly, a few stations away, emergency services were dealing with a fatality and all the lines from me to Liverpool were blocked, so instead I started writing it from a nearby Starbucks, before the Uni kindly flipped the schedule so I could talk two hours later than planned when the line reopened.
So, I am now indeed writing on the train home from Liverpool, and all I can think about is what a pivotal weekend this is in the Women's Super League season. There's a lot of talk about the penultimate weekend which will see Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal face off against each other, but this weekend is huge for various factors.
Firstly, it's the last chance to strike a physical and mental blow, leaving it to linger over a rival for two weeks before the league resumes after the international break. It also comes off the back of two gruelling midweek games for Arsenal and Chelsea, the latter of whom played 24 hours later, went all the way to penalties and looked absolutely spent by the end of it.
They also lost several players to knocks throughout their clash with Lyon, as did Arsenal against Bayern Munich, with Kim Little and Katie McCabe unlikely to be available this weekend. Throw in the fact Arsenal host fellow title rivals and rivals for a Champions League spot in Manchester City, while Chelsea go to in-form Aston Villa, all the prospects are there for a big weekend.
Chelsea's trip is horribly tough after their last two weeks. Villa are flying and the in-form team over the past five games, level on 13 points from an available 15 with Manchester City.
City go to an Arsenal team flying high, in good form, but having played midweek and with several key players out. Man City will never have a better chance to go to Borehamwood and win, and I honestly believe if they do they might just win the league, given they have a reasonably kind run-in, know Chelsea and Arsenal have to face each other, have Champions League - and FA Cup in Chelsea's case - commitments, plus several league games now that need rearranging.
That's before you throw in a couple of gruelling semi-final ties which Chelsea likely find particularly graining given they have to face Barcelona two weekends in a row where they will no doubt do a good bit of chasing the ball around.
Manchester United have a chance to assert authority 24 hours earlier at Brighton and pour the pressure on their three rivals, but Brighton are fighting for their lives, almost took a point off Man City lately and play on a pretty tough pitch.
Spicy.
I thought the Champions League games were very varied. Arsenal were superb, while Chelsea didn't ever really click. I thought they started well, looked threatening, but went into their shell and sat back as perhaps tiredness kicked in. Lyon certainly looked fresher. I did think it was a penalty, I think you can see Becko clips James and forces James to trip herself up.
In other news, I was back on the 3Lions podcast this week to preview next week's England games, so I will link that when it comes out, and I'll be heading to Wembley and Brentford to provide coverage of both matches against Brazil and Australia.
I also had a hand in a few bits for the official Copa Finalissima programme, so feel free to pick one up! Although it may feature Marta, who has now sadly been ruled out of the game!
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Answering your Questions
Phil - What's the deal with Gareth Taylor? And what's the deal with his contract situation? Are we going to be lumbered with him for another season off the back of the Chelsea result or were City set on keeping him regardless?
Not sure at this stage. Given City could finish anywhere between winning the league and not even qualifying for the Champions League, it wouldn't be a shock if City are biding their team. I actually think overall he's done a good job, his team are incredibly tough to beat on their day and it's a shame their season one way or another always seems to be hindered by a slow start.
Adam Bateman - Do you think Villa could pip a team to finish 4th this season, if they beat Chelsea, they could be just 3 points behind Arsenal if City beat them. Are people sleeping on them to possibly get a CL place? Carla is doing a fantastic job there, definitely right up there for manager of the season for me.
I think it will be tough, but funnier things have happened. I think 5th would still be a big achievement, and anything less about what should be expected with the signings they've made. I think to penetrate that top four this season will be tough and to see how they build from there will be interesting.
Ben Cheney - Batlle now has eight assists in the league and 14 in all competitions, this makes her joint second most assists in the league along with team mate Ella Toone. Where does this place her within the current best right backs in the world, and best right backs in the all time WSL?
I think she certainly has a case at the moment. I liked her defensive game instantly when she arrived in the WSL, but I think we needed to see more of an attacking output and she's now bringing that with the goals she's creating. I think it's too early to say best right backs of all-time, but if she remains in the league for several more years and maintains this level, then she would be in those discussions.
John Vesey - When do you think there might be an official fantasy WSL game and app like FPL?
Might be beyond the remit and resource of the FA at the moment while they run the league. There are some good independent ones though, like ShePlays, but the official FPL is run in-house at the Premier League, so if/when the league is taken over by the Premier League we might see one.
Daniel C - Perhaps a bit early to tell but do you think Aston Villa will be able to hang onto their key players and achieve another good season next year? Or will they fall afoul to what I'm calling the 'best of the rest' curse and fall apart like Everton and Spurs?
I think they've got a good chance of doing so. Jordan Nobbs and Lucy Staniforth only joined in January to pursue more game time so I don't see them moving on. Rachel Daly is an odd one in that she probably commands a big move, but yet I don't see her doing it. She seems happy and content at Villa and she moved back here for family reasons. She's guaranteed to play so unless one of the big four came in with a big offer, I think Villa can maintain what they have.
Natalie - Who are Man United signing this summer?
Ha. Who knows, Nat? It's too early to say. They will have their targets, and I imagine those targets vary depending on Champions League qualification or not. I do think they will continue to look further afield though. They've signed 10 players since the end of last season, six of whom are foreign internationals.
What you missed and what comes next?
As ever, two big interviews were published on WFC this week and two really interesting ones if I may say so. Jack Sullivan was fascinating discussing leading the way at West Ham at just 17, while FIFA referee Michelle O'Neill was equally fascinating as it's rare to get to speak to a top official and I thought she offered a great insight into the job.
I also looked at
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Next week will look a little different as I'll be at Wembley next Thursday for England vs Brazil, but will still have two big interviews. The first is with Tabitha Chawinga, who you don't hear from often, but it was great to speak to the Inter Milan striker about her journey, as well as English goalkeeper Chelsea Ashurst, who has spent her whole career playing in Spain.
I'll also be launching a new weekly column!
if *that* was a penalty then there should have been four or five of them over the course of the 90 minutes, let alone the 120.
if it wasn't called, noone would complain because that is exactly how that game had been called throughout. keep it consistent and both teams can accept that.
on top of that & from the same round of the same competition - the non-pen in PSG/Wolfsburg first leg that VAR reviewed and actually RESCINDED... and it's clear nobody has any clue whatsoever.