Monday Dispatch: A good weekend if you like a title race
Arsenal's demolition of rivals Chelsea has blown the WSL title race wide open as we approach Christmas, but the battle is equally tight at the bottom...
And then suddenly there were four?
It had started to look like Emma Hayes might have it a bit too easy in her final season at Chelsea. After Arsenal had lost on the opening day, Manchester United had struggled to find momentum after a summer turnover and Manchester City were frustrating themselves in games they should have won, Chelsea were ticking along nicely, unbeaten, and the only points dropped away at Manchester City earlier in the season.
But this is the Barclays Women’s Super League, and the compact nature of the league and schedule means your rivals are never far away, and you’re only ever one thrashing in front of a record league crowd away from being back in the thick of battle.
It’s not often you see Chelsea done for four goals, and even more so you see them run all over and dominated to the extent Hayes had nothing to do but admit her side were bullied after the game, accepting rivals Arsenal fully deserved their 4-1 win.
On the big Emirates pitch, their free-flowing football on the counter opened up a Chelsea defence who look about as assured without captain Millie Bright as England do. When they got back into it at 1-1 despite being second best, it looked like the typical Chelsea mentality shining through of picking things up when backs are against the wall, but two goals in as many minutes saw the game put beyond them, and goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger would have been disappointed with the second.
It got worse from there and they were lucky to not lose Lauren James, although could also count themselves unfortunate to be on the wrong end of one of two decisions too, particularly the second half penalty which did firmly end the game as a contest.
Arsenal though have bounced back brilliantly from that opening day defeat at the same venue. Despite picking up wins, even for a couple of games they looked a little unassured of themselves, but it’s coming together for Jonas Eidevall now, not unaided by the return of Beth Mead who looks like she’s never been away. Given they haven’t even really reintegrated Vivianne Miedema back into the team either, Arsenal’s options are mouth-watering across the pitch.
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The two Manchester clubs are still a little adrift, but both within four points after wins against Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur respectively across Saturday and Sunday. After a frustrating 1-0 defeat at home to Brighton followed by an absolute demolition of Tottenham, it looked like City had gone back to their other face when they fell 1-0 down to Carla Ward’s Villa side.
On their day, City is one of the toughest teams in this league to stop, but how quickly it can go between that and absolute frustration in attack continues to be baffling. Fortunately, Lauren Hemp was on hand for two quick-fire goals to earn a much needed three points.
For United, it finally looked like they had some balance in an impressive win at Tottenham. Sure, the hosts have fallen off a cliff a little in recent games after a really positive start under Robert Vilahamn, but to go there and win 4-0 as comfortably as United did bodes well.
All season they have lacked balance and cohesion as Marc Skinner looks to find a way to gel his new-look side together, and it’s no surprise they did so going back to something which closely resembled what worked for them last season.
There was a return to the midfield three of Hayley Ladd – who was superb – Katie Zelem and Ella Toone, with two out-and-out wingers either side of a central striker, with Melvine Malard in her preferred forward position.
It worked a treat. Parris continues to be a revelation this season, Malard’s movement and class told in the shape of a goal (maybe two) and an assist, while Toone had one of her much better games in recent times, and Ladd added balance alongside Zelem in the midfield.
At the other end, they were rarely worried, and Mary Earps would have been likely thankful for a quieter game than she’s had most of this season with United’s defence on the whole less assured than last season.
Liverpool have just fallen adrift of the top four now after what was a frustrating draw against Bristol City, who move off the bottom of the table. It’s looking just as close down there as it does up the top, with five points between the bottom five.
I’ll be honest, I feared the Vixens would get cut adrift, but they’re well within the fight and are starting to find themselves and becoming much tougher to beat. For West Ham meanwhile, who replace them at the bottom, there’s just no direction. I was hopeful when Riko Ueki was added at the end of the transfer window it would add something, but despite a striker pairing of the Japanese international and Viviane Asseyi, the Hammers have just seven goals from nine games, which is unacceptable.
Villa are still down there, but signs are they’re improving and the quality they have should eventually see them move away, while Brighton will be grateful to have come from 2-0 down to snatch a point against Leicester City, who got slightly dragged back into the bottom pile after giving up their lead in Crawley.
Brighton have been a tough one this season. There seemed a lot of promise after Mel Phillips arrived last season and the summer recruitment caught the eye, yet it just hasn’t quite clicked yet this campaign. Saying that, despite just 10 goals in nine games so far, they have the top scorer in the league in Elisabeth Terland.
Funny old game.
I can't call just yet who is going down, and that is great credit to Bristol City, fair plsy to them.
If they stay up, then that will mean a shock for one of the other sides down there....
I doubt that teams have relegation clauses in contracts, but if not, and Bristol do indeed stay up, then I can see a fair few people trying to leave that club that does get relegated.....
I remember it wasn't too long ago that Arnold the West Ham goalkeeper, was being treated as a national hero at the World Cup.....to go from that....to being bottom of the table.....that is definitely some come down!
Some very interesting and vital times are ahead that is for sure.....every point matters hugely down there.