WSL 20/21 | Chelsea v United - 14:30 Sun 17 Jan

jojojo

JoJoJoJoJoJoJo
Staff
Joined
Aug 18, 2007
Messages
38,145
Location
Welcome to Manchester reception committee
United (top of the League :D) take on the League champions, who are currently in second place. Annoyingly the match is on BT in the UK, but it's free on FA Player in most other other countries.

Chelsea are three points behind us, but have a better goal difference, so they'll go top if they win. We drew 1-1 with them at the start of the season. We were under strength in several positions (players injured, and new players unavailable) and they had new players who hadn't yet hit form.

Both teams are stronger now, so it has potential to be a cracking match. On paper at least Chelsea are the stronger team and will have benefitted from their match with Reading (a 5-0 win) to shake off any Christmas break cobwebs.

Sunday afternoon is going to be:
a. One adrenaline rush after another
b. Tough
c. A day to line up the snacks and drinks in advance
d. All the above
 

ImmortalJoker66

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Nov 6, 2020
Messages
121
Location
Trinidad and Tobago
Supports
Trinidad and Tobago
Ok I will admit I am scared like hell cause they have a very devastating attack in the form of Fran Kirby and Sam Kerr. I want a positive result but also want to inflict a first defeat against Chelsea
 

jojojo

JoJoJoJoJoJoJo
Staff
Joined
Aug 18, 2007
Messages
38,145
Location
Welcome to Manchester reception committee
So by some extraordinary freak of scheduling we really do have:
United, United - top of both leagues
United top of the leagues

Both playing away to the League title holders on Sunday. Which is a shame really, as I would like to give both games my undivided attention - before, during and after (depending on how well we play)

Still, this gives me the opportunity to plan a match day menu with my family (over zoom!)

Looking at Chelsea, well the bottom line is they have no real weaknesses and they have massive strength up top. If they can find a way to use Ji, Harding, Kerr, Kirby in one team they'll be electrifying up front.

Not that we're bad ourselves of course. We just don't have quite that amount of firepower or precision. It's going to be a tough day for our midfield and defence, and chances are going to be hard to come by for our forwards. Exciting day.
 

kundalini

Full Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2004
Messages
5,750
Lotta Okvist appears to have left, or be about to leave. She is apparently joining Kopparbergs Goteborg.

https://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/fotboll/a/zgMon5/lotta-okvist-klar-for-kopparbergs-goteborg

She hasn't been in any of the training pics since the return. I think the lack of playing time is the main issue. The downside of such a large squad is that some players barely get any mins.

I thought she was our best player in the Cup game against Everton but she seemed to struggle in the 2nd half of the West Ham match.

As for the Chelsea game, shame that Alessia Russo isn't available. Tobin Heath and Leah Galton are performing at a similar level to the Chelsea stars this season.
 
Last edited:

jojojo

JoJoJoJoJoJoJo
Staff
Joined
Aug 18, 2007
Messages
38,145
Location
Welcome to Manchester reception committee
Lotta Okvist appears to have left, or be about to leave. She is apparently joining Kopparbergs Goteborg.

https://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/fotboll/a/zgMon5/lotta-okvist-klar-for-kopparbergs-goteborg

She hasn't been in any of the training pics since the return. I think the lack of playing time is the main issue. The downside of such a large squad is that some players barely get any mins.

I thought she was our best player in the Cup game against Everton but she seemed to struggle in the 2nd half of the West Ham match.
I think the lack of playing time means that if she can get a suitable move, it's right for her to take it. Covid controls - not being able to see family, probably made that even more urgent for her.

It's a shame, I was quite hopeful for her when she first came in. But it proved hard for her to get playing time and with Batlle's arrival and then Galton showing that she can play at left back/wing back it's made competition even harder.

Best of luck to her.
 

ImmortalJoker66

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Nov 6, 2020
Messages
121
Location
Trinidad and Tobago
Supports
Trinidad and Tobago
I think the lack of playing time means that if she can get a suitable move, it's right for her to take it. Covid controls - not being able to see family, probably made that even more urgent for her.

It's a shame, I was quite hopeful for her when she first came in. But it proved hard for her to get playing time and with Batlle's arrival and then Galton showing that she can play at left back/wing back it's made competition even harder.

Best of luck to her.
She was our answer after Greenwood left for Lyon and she was a bit shaky at first but grew into the game each time she was played and put in some good performances. You are right that her best performance by far was against Everton and I was hoping she would stay till the end of the season and possibly get a League medal but if she desires the move back to Sweden who are we to hold her back, she will be sorely missed though for her charisma and damn it she is cute as hell!
 

Lightbringer

Full Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2016
Messages
1,800
Lotta Okvist appears to have left, or be about to leave. She is apparently joining Kopparbergs Goteborg.

https://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/fotboll/a/zgMon5/lotta-okvist-klar-for-kopparbergs-goteborg

She hasn't been in any of the training pics since the return. I think the lack of playing time is the main issue. The downside of such a large squad is that some players barely get any mins.

I thought she was our best player in the Cup game against Everton but she seemed to struggle in the 2nd half of the West Ham match.

As for the Chelsea game, shame that Alessia Russo isn't available. Tobin Heath and Leah Galton are performing at a similar level to the Chelsea stars this season.
I think the lack of playing time means that if she can get a suitable move, it's right for her to take it. Covid controls - not being able to see family, probably made that even more urgent for her.

It's a shame, I was quite hopeful for her when she first came in. But it proved hard for her to get playing time and with Batlle's arrival and then Galton showing that she can play at left back/wing back it's made competition even harder.

Best of luck to her.
Yep. I read that article in aftonbladet yesterday, its been rumoured she was heading to Göteborg for several months now. And with the publicity stunt Göteborg pulled off to get the team merged with BK Häcken they obviously had even more financial backing to make it happen.

Stoney and United really screwed over my favorite club Hammarby in sweden. United brought in Lotta and Hammarby lost promotion because of that with 1 point. And then United kept her on the bench. Hammarby got promotion last season and will play in damallsvenskan next season along with Göteborg. But Okvist wants to play champions league football so Hammarby lost out on her returning.

All in it turned out horrible for everyone but Göteborg who could snatch Lotta from Hammarby which had not happened if United had not bought Lotta. United also wasted the transfer fee, but thats obviously a drop in the bucket.

I am unsure if Stoney gave her enough chances to prove her worth, but I also dont think she is going to cut it if United are going to be a top 5 side in the world on the womens scene.

As jojojo said, it was bound to happen as Lotta cant make the swedish national team sitting in the stands at that age.
---
On a final note: I hope Göteborg/BK Häcken fail as I hate when clubs are buying/taking over other clubs to "cheat" the system and go to the highest division immediately. Häcken had a team in the 3rd division, so they skipped at least 3 divisions.
 
Last edited:

Maestro14

OHKO'd a shiny Electrike
Joined
Dec 30, 2011
Messages
4,425
Location
No worries

Strong XI for United. Heath is on the bench, but Press starts.

 

jojojo

JoJoJoJoJoJoJo
Staff
Joined
Aug 18, 2007
Messages
38,145
Location
Welcome to Manchester reception committee

Strong XI for United. Heath is on the bench, but Press starts.

Surprising to see Press start and Heath on the bench, but hopefully it means that Christen is fully recovered now. Strong bench as well, very different to a year ago. I expect we will see Tobin later.

City currently thrashing Villa and reminding me of the fact that the WSL places may well end up getting decided on goal differences. Unless, of course we beat Chelsea, in which case all bets are off. :D
 

RORY65

Full Member
Joined
May 28, 2009
Messages
4,452
Surprising to see Press start and Heath on the bench, but hopefully it means that Christen is fully recovered now. Strong bench as well, very different to a year ago. I expect we will see Tobin later.

City currently thrashing Villa and reminding me of the fact that the WSL places may well end up getting decided on goal differences. Unless, of course we beat Chelsea, in which case all bets are off. :D
Sounds like Heath might not be fully fit, she wasn't in the official team sheet and then she was and she's not been in the warm up. I'm guessing if true that they won't want to risk her unless it's needed late on.
 

Ayush_reddevil

Éire Abú
Joined
Mar 22, 2014
Messages
10,664
You would think that for the biggest game of the season the broadcast would be a bit better
 

thedano

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Oct 31, 2013
Messages
228
Is it me or does Press look completely uninterested, couple of times she has pulled out of a challenge or not chased a pass, looks very poor
 

Stack

Leave Women's Football Alone!!!
Joined
Sep 6, 2006
Messages
13,288
Location
Auckland New Zealand
Chelsea are getting the ball into our penalty are more often. They are constructing better phases of play
 

Stack

Leave Women's Football Alone!!!
Joined
Sep 6, 2006
Messages
13,288
Location
Auckland New Zealand
When we go forward we have got to large a gap between our attackers and mid/def which means we are vulnerable to counter attacks, allowing Chelseas to control those spaces and breakdowns. We need to go forward with a more combined compact manner