WSL 20/21 | Reading v United - 12:30 Sun 13 Dec

jojojo

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A big game for us and it's against an opponent we always find tough.

It's being played in the Majedski stadium - that's the one normally used by then men's team. As Reading are in covid tier 2, they will have fans there - up to 2000, and home fans only. The match will be live on BBC Red Button and (in most countries) free on FAPlayer.

 

SuperLJ

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Out of our recent games, including Arsenal, and the two Manchester derby games, this was the one that I had my eyes on as a potential first defeat of the season.

I didn't and don't fear what little threat that City and Arsenal supposedly pose, but Reading, this is the one that I have nightmares over and about.

Our record against them, especially at their place, is beyond poor.
There was that FA cup game, where we gave away the lead twice, on what seemed about a five minute spell, and we ended up getting beat, then there was THAT Katie headball offence, so yeah, this is the one that I will be hiding behind my sofa for, more than any other, we just don't get the luck playing away to Reading.

Now, I would love nothing more than for all of that to change, and for us to come away with the full three points, that would put a huge smile on my face!

So, I am by no means taking their place in the table as thinking that this will be a foregone conclusion, it definitely will not be, they have some very talented players, including the double F's, Fara, and Fishlock.

If we are to win, then we will have to play far better than we did against Aston Villa.
 

ImmortalJoker66

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SuperLJ said:
Out of our recent games, including Arsenal, and the two Manchester derby games, this was the one that I had my eyes on as a potential first defeat of the season.

I didn't and don't fear what little threat that City and Arsenal supposedly pose, but Reading, this is the one that I have nightmares over and about.

Our record against them, especially at their place, is beyond poor.
There was that FA cup game, where we gave away the lead twice, on what seemed about a five minute spell, and we ended up getting beat, then there was THAT Katie headball offence, so yeah, this is the one that I will be hiding behind my sofa for, more than any other, we just don't get the luck playing away to Reading.

Now, I would love nothing more than for all of that to change, and for us to come away with the full three points, that would put a huge smile on my face!

So, I am by no means taking their place in the table as thinking that this will be a foregone conclusion, it definitely will not be, they have some very talented players, including the double F's, Fara, and Fishlock.

If we are to win, then we will have to play far better than we did against Aston Villa.
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I will admit that 2-0 victory at LSV was fantastic, even hearing the roar of the crowd when Jess got that second goal still gives me goosebumps. But yea that League clash against them still makes my blood boil and that the ref wasn't sanctioned for her blatant error that cost us a valuable 3 points. Getting 3 points is a must this time for breathing room and hope Arsenal and Chelsea drop points
 

SuperLJ

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ImmortalJoker66 said:
I will admit that 2-0 victory at LSV was fantastic, even hearing the roar of the crowd when Jess got that second goal still gives me goosebumps. But yea that League clash against them still makes my blood boil and that the ref wasn't sanctioned for her blatant error that cost us a valuable 3 points. Getting 3 points is a must this time for breathing room and hope Arsenal and Chelsea drop points
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I like playing first at weekends, it means that if we win, we can just sit back and watch the others fight it out, to try and catch up, last time it was Everton who were the biggest loser's, as they slipped further away from us, and with City playing Arsenal, if we win, then that once again puts the pressure on City to HAVE to best Arsenal, no other result will do for them.

So it really is vital in more senses than the one, to pick up the full three points v Reading.
As then, whomever drops points in that later game, will drop further behind us, (ideally a draw, so both teams drop further behind us).

Such a high pressure environment this, got to pick up the full three points now!!

It doesn't lessen how afraid I am of being left fully disappointed, as I have been every single time that we have played away to them.
A change in our fortunes there would be fantastic, and it really would make my whole weekend!!
 

ImmortalJoker66

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SuperLJ said:
I like playing first at weekends, it means that if we win, we can just sit back and watch the others fight it out, to try and catch up, last time it was Everton who were the biggest loser's, as they slipped further away from us, and with City playing Arsenal, if we win, then that once again puts the pressure on City to HAVE to best Arsenal, no other result will do for them.

So it really is vital in more senses than the one, to pick up the full three points v Reading.
As then, whomever drops points in that later game, will drop further behind us, (ideally a draw, so both teams drop further behind us).

Such a high pressure environment this, got to pick up the full three points now!!

It doesn't lessen how afraid I am of being left fully disappointed, as I have been every single time that we have played away to them.
A change in our fortunes there would be fantastic, and it really would make my whole weekend!!
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This is why I said on twitter and facebook that this could be the best Title race in WSL history since the new Format was implemented back in 2018/2019 season. A 4 way BRAWL with the WSL title and 3 Champions League spots up for grabs will make this League EXTREMELY competitive. Now if it continues to be successful we could see the same amount of teams in the top flight like the Premier League and somehow I would like UEFA to make the equivalent of the Europa League for the ladies so more clubs have something to battle for not just the Champions League.
 

SuperLJ

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ImmortalJoker66 said:
This is why I said on twitter and facebook that this could be the best Title race in WSL history since the new Format was implemented back in 2018/2019 season. A 4 way BRAWL with the WSL title and 3 Champions League spots up for grabs will make this League EXTREMELY competitive. Now if it continues to be successful we could see the same amount of teams in the top flight like the Premier League and somehow I would like UEFA to make the equivalent of the Europa League for the ladies so more clubs have something to battle for not just the Champions League.
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The men have three European competitions (Champions League, Europa League, and Conference), whereas the women just have the one, the Champions League, so I could definitely be on board with another European tournament for the women, if the finances are there to make it possible.

I don't think that there will be a four way for the title, or the top four places, I can see one team fading away, most likely City, as they just don't have the squad, nor the manger, to catch the teams a j e them.
They don't worry me in the slightest, any team relying on Steph at the back, is just asking for heartbreak and misery.
Plus having a striker that cannot score (White) regularly, doesn't bode well.
One goal all season, (I am not counting anything that happened in that farcical game against Bristol, why h simply shouldn't have been allowed to go ahead) shows just how poor she has been.

Reading and Everton worry me far more than City do being honest, especially when Everton get their own star striker back from injury.
They look a completely different side, a much better one with her in it, then out of it.
 

Wixqaz

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SuperLJ said:
The men have three European competitions (Champions League, Europa League, and Conference), whereas the women just have the one, the Champions League, so I could definitely be on board with another European tournament for the women, if the finances are there to make it possible.

I don't think that there will be a four way for the title, or the top four places, I can see one team fading away, most likely City, as they just don't have the squad, nor the manger, to catch the teams a j e them.
They don't worry me in the slightest, any team relying on Steph at the back, is just asking for heartbreak and misery.
Plus having a striker that cannot score (White) regularly, doesn't bode well.
One goal all season, (I am not counting anything that happened in that farcical game against Bristol, why h simply shouldn't have been allowed to go ahead) shows just how poor she has been.

Reading and Everton worry me far more than City do being honest, especially when Everton get their own star striker back from injury.
They look a completely different side, a much better one with her in it, then out of it.
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I disagree on City's squad. They have a really good squad that probably 2nd only to Chelsea. But once again they've got a manager who wont play players in their actual positions.

They're playing Rose Lavelle on the wing and Alex Greenwood at CB. It makes no sense either as they have the players. Thats their downfall to me, management, not the squad itself.
 

SuperLJ

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Wixqaz said:
I disagree on City's squad. They have a really good squad that probably 2nd only to Chelsea. But once again they've got a manager who wont play players in their actual positions.

They're playing Rose Lavelle on the wing and Alex Greenwood at CB. It makes no sense either as they have the players. Thats their downfall to me, management, not the squad itself.
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How exactly is their squad better in any way than ours?
Genuinely curious about this point.

They rely on names who are past their best (Steph, White, and Bronze, for example), whereas, our squad is younger, and much more talented, hence why we are five, soon to be eight points clear of them in the league, and are unbeaten against them this season.

Chelsea I would say have the best squad, then ourselves in second, with Arsenal in third, just due to how relatively small their one is.

I don't buy I to the hype that goes with City's squad, not too many of their players would get into our team, for fully fit squad v fully fit squad.
Our players are very good ones, and it seems are a bit underrated, and City's are vastly overrated.

Darn this three posts a day thing, as this is now my last one, so I will reply to any subsequent post(s) tomorrow, but safe to say, we are where we should be, battling it out for the title, and City, are whey they should be, battling it out with Reading, Everton, and Birmingham (take away three points from their total, due to that Bristol game, as that should not have been played).
 

ImmortalJoker66

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City will say they have a strong squad considering that most of their players are in the England squad, that's why they got the nickname Lionesses FC from the Barmy Army due to the amount of England National Team players are in that team
 

Wixqaz

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SuperLJ said:
How exactly is their squad better in any way than ours?
Genuinely curious about this point.

They rely on names who are past their best (Steph, White, and Bronze, for example), whereas, our squad is younger, and much more talented, hence why we are five, soon to be eight points clear of them in the league, and are unbeaten against them this season.

Chelsea I would say have the best squad, then ourselves in second, with Arsenal in third, just due to how relatively small their one is.

I don't buy I to the hype that goes with City's squad, not too many of their players would get into our team, for fully fit squad v fully fit squad.
Our players are very good ones, and it seems are a bit underrated, and City's are vastly overrated.

Darn this three posts a day thing, as this is now my last one, so I will reply to any subsequent post(s) tomorrow, but safe to say, we are where we should be, battling it out for the title, and City, are whey they should be, battling it out with Reading, Everton, and Birmingham (take away three points from their total, due to that Bristol game, as that should not have been played).
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Thats your right to disagree. Man Utd's squad still has a way to go in my eyes. They will get there with recruitment and improvement from their young players.

City also have a number of good young players, Hemp, Morgan and even Kelly. Stanway. Houghton should not be first choice for them on England. I do not rate their manager, and I did not rate Cushing either.

Rose Lavelle is an excellent player, but she has injury issues. That said she's also been poorly managed by their coach and not played in her correct position.

Casey Stoney is a much better manager. If you switched the managers of City and United you'd also likely switch the teams positions in the league.

To bring it back to Man Utd, if Press plays I'd really like to see her on the wing. Press - James - Heath and Galton at LB. Press is also an excellent player (and a very impressive person), but when she plays in this system she's often isolated, on the wing she can make space and turn provider. For Utah she played in a 2 mostly, so maybe playing her with Galton - Press - Heath and Toone against these 'lower' teams she'll get space anyway.

James has always impressed me with her close control and the quality and ease of her shot. But she needs to pass more, she's a ball hogg this season and she also needs to press better. If she can learn those traits she'll make it to the top, if not she'll end up another might have been.
 

SuperLJ

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One thing, can Press, Heath, Tooney, Jackie, and LJ all play together at once, in the same side?
Somehow, I for some reason, don't think that they can, that would be a bit too attack minded, so one, maybe two of them, might have to start on the bench, tough to decide just who though.
Even tougher when Russo comes back, and you have to think about putting her in the mix!
Then you have Stanifoth, Siggy and Katie to think about as well!

We have sooo much depth, no wonder Fusso is doing dance videos, as I really don't know when she will be making her debut, there just doesn't seem like there is an opportunity for her to do so currently.

I say good luck to Casey, to not only trying to pick a side, but also trying to keep as many players happy, as that surely cannot be an easy thing to do with do many people fighting for so few places.
 

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Is Jackie still a doubt for todays game? I hope they dont take any chances with her, would be really stupid.
 

jojojo

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Lightbringer said:
Is Jackie still a doubt for todays game? I hope they dont take any chances with her, would be really stupid.
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I think they said it was precautionary when she came off, at any rate she's back in action today:

Lots of people on the injured/unavailable list list including Lauren James, Christen Press, Alessia Russo, Jess Sigsworth, Martha Harris and Emily Ramsay :eek:
 

Gordon S

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Quite impressive to have such a strong matchday squad with so many players out!
 

jojojo

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Gordon S said:
Quite impressive to have such a strong matchday squad with so many players out!
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It is, that's one of the things that's really changed for us this year. More competition for places and more depth on the bench. I'm hoping that we get to see Fuso today - for a nice reason like we're a couple of goals up of course.

It'll be interesting to see how we line up, and who plays in the middle of that attack.
 

Gordon S

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We need to wake up now, they will score if we keep playing like this
 

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Tuning in now through BBC iPlayer, come on you reds!

Just noticed the normal camera angle, that's a rarity in the women's games.
 

Gordon S

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Wouldn`t mind Zelem or Staniforth in there now, we can`t get control of the game
 

jojojo

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A bit of a haphazard half that. A lot of chances that didn't quite turn into shots on target. Noticeable that we don't get knocked around as much by Reading these days - whether that's because they've changed or we have, I don't know. Good that we've gone in a goal up.
 

jojojo

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sillwuka said:
Tuning in now through BBC iPlayer, come on you reds!

Just noticed the normal camera angle, that's a rarity in the women's games.
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Combination of the BBC (multiple cameras) and it being in the men's stadium, with more normal camera positions I think. LSV is OK as well, especially when it's MUTV or one of the broadcasters doing it. Some of the FAPlayer only matches look like they're being relayed from a phone camera stood on one of the floodlights. In those games the live coverage is better than nothing but more or less impossible to really watch for 90 minutes.
 
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