Spurs will have to remedy England puzzle
Feed Beth England and she is going to rating. That a lot Tottenham could have recognized lengthy earlier than they signed her for a British listing switch charge ultimate month. The giant query is how they construct a much broader recreation round her: runners past, good-quality crosses, provider from midfield. It is a puzzle they’re nonetheless looking to remedy, with the occasional promising opening in opposition to her former membership Chelsea on Sunday interspersed with 3 offsides and various unnecessary lengthy balls. But her motion and completing is a transparent improve, and her objective was once her 3rd in 4 video games. Plenty to paintings on, however an encouraging get started. JL
No new striker, no targets for Arsenal
Jonas Eidevall rejected any advice his aspect had an issue changing probabilities after Arsenal drew 0-0 with West Ham on Sunday. The Gunners failed to attain within the league for the primary time since a 0-0 draw with Chelsea on 11 February 2022. “We scored nine against Leeds, we scored three against Villa, I can’t see a pattern,” he stated. “If you want to draw conclusions from one game it’s too small a sample size – there is too much noise in a 90-minute game. If it was a trend I would be really worried but let’s be very honest, we played West Ham, Leeds, Villa, Chelsea and Zurich, I think we scored 22 goals in these five games with these forwards. So I am not going to stand here and say we have a problem scoring goals. The lack of goals was accentuated by Arsenal failing to sign a top striker in January and they sit five points behind the league leaders, Chelsea, with a game in hand. SW
Referees in the spotlight
Carla Ward’s frustration at the standard of WSL refereeing was a focus after Aston Villa surrendered a one-goal lead to share the points with a resilient Brighton on Saturday. While accepting her side’s performance was not up to the level she would expect, Ward cut an exasperated figure on the touchline with challenges going unpunished and a series of mistaken offside calls. “It’s not just me; it’s every single manager and every single player and every fan wanting the [refereeing] standards to go up,” she stated. “At what point do we realize that professional football careers as managers, their futures are sometimes in the hands of those that aren’t professional and that’s not OK?” While Villa gave up flooring of their struggle for 5th, Brighton returned house with a very important level of their struggle for survival. SD
Midfielders lead Liverpool against protection
Liverpool took a large step against their objective of conserving WSL standing as an vigorous efficiency noticed off Reading on Sunday. Matt Beard’s two midfielders, Ceri Holland and Fuka Nagano, exploited the areas left by means of an off-colour studying who discovered themselves in giant bother 2d from backside. Holland is in a wealthy vein of shape and her trade and eye for objective brought about never-ending issues. It was once the Wales global’s fiftieth Liverpool look and she or he marked it in taste, notching her 3rd objective of the season. Beard’s eyes lit up as he spoke concerning the have an effect on of the brand new Nagano signing. The Japanese participant arrived simply over a fortnight in the past, however regarded proper at house in a show that highlighted her technical and inventive skill. It promised a lot for the longer term. SD
Loan signings give Leicester hope
Leicester misplaced 2–0 in opposition to Manchester City, however their defensive reinforcements confirmed promise. Morale seems boosted by means of Janina Leitzig and Courtney Nevin becoming a member of on mortgage till the top of the season. Leitzig, who signed from Bayern Munich, was once enforcing in objective, generating a WSL listing 15 saves in an attractive show on Saturday. It took particular targets from Bunny Shaw and Chloe Kelly to overcome her. Also spectacular was once Nevin, a 20-year-old Australian full-back who made existence tough for City attackers on his WSL debut. In 2023, Leicester have showcased a assured defence, which provides the crew probabilities to counter and create extra probabilities for Missy Goodwin and Hannah Cain. The membership has carried out nice trade and acquired high quality younger gamers who may shift the discourse from relegation to survival. RO
Wasteful United omit probability to stick best
Manchester United ended up being knocked off best spot after lacking goalscoring alternatives in opposition to Everton. Lucía García struck the highest of the bar from shut vary and Ella Toone pinged an excellent shot from the brink of the field broad. Alessia Russo, after Arsenal made a record-breaking bid for her at the ultimate day of the January window, was once stored quiet on Sunday. Courtney Brosnan, Everton’s goalkeeper, merits large credit score for some improbable saves and was once a a very powerful a part of a powerful protection that close the door on Mark Skinner’s aspect. “We had 25 opportunities,” Skinner stated. “We didn’t get as many as we wanted on target, but we had good chances.” This goalless draw generally is a defining second within the name race. RO