WSL Cup SF | United v Chelsea | Wed 29 Jan at 7:30

[jojojo]

We lost 1-0 to Chelsea earlier in the season on a disputed penalty call. Since then, Chelsea have strengthened. They beat Arsenal 4-0 last week and won their cup tie against Charlton 4-0 today. They're going to make us work for it, but our first final beckons...

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

The match is on FA Player. And yes, it really does clash with our LC SF at City annoying.

 

[jojojo]

Match tonight. The one for the big screen or the little screen? Or better still - live at Leigh.

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

It's on the FA Player.

 

[buchansleftleg]

I'm live at Leigh...team news looks good....hopefully avoid penalties!

 

[jojojo]

Galton still out, but Lauren James starts. Hanson missing as well, injured/ill I guess. Toone (I think) is suspended as well. No sign of Aimee Palmer either (cuptied maybe?) So it's a small bench and one of them (May) is from the U21 squad.

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

 

[jojojo]

6 minutes in and it's still 0-0, no serious chances so far. Sigsworth on the right, James in the middle and Arnot on the left as you'd expect.

A smaller crowd than usual, not surprisingly, but the Barmy Army are keeping the volume up, which is great. Really unlucky scheduling.

 

[buchansleftleg]

Best referee performance ive seen so far at LSV. Actually gave a yellow card in first half.

 

[jojojo]

Good contest from what I've seen of it. We've had some decent chances. Defending a Chelsea fk from the edge of the box now. Abbie McManus got injured in the tackle/foul on Cuthbert - still receiving treatment.

 

[jojojo]

Good save from Earps. Still 0-0

 

[buchansleftleg]

0-0 at half time. Very tense match.

 

[jojojo]

0-0 at HT

 

[jojojo]

0-0 at half time. Very tense match.

Looks like a tight game. The kind of thing a single counterattack or a good setpiece could settle. Of course, by the same token - it only needs one goal and the whole thing could open up.

 

[buchansleftleg]

Chelsea should be down to 10...bad tackle on zelem. Chelsea playing dirty now.

 

[buchansleftleg]

United building more pressure. Siggy hauled down in the box but no penalty apparently!

 

[buchansleftleg]

Why did i complement the ref? Handball in midfield but Chelsea get a goal. James almost scores from the restart. 1-0 Chelsea.

 

[jojojo]

72 minutes and Chelsea go one up.

 

[jojojo]

FT and Chelsea win 0-1. Match, from I've seen every bit as tight as the scoreline says. But again, one of the big three does just enough to beat us.

 

[buchansleftleg]

Match followed a similar pattern to recent games against the bigger sides. We start to build serious presssure and opposition just kick and push their way back into the game aided by referee reluctant to punish them.

The tackle on Zelem was a straight red. Numerous other kicks and pushes on United players but referee seemed more interested in stopping the game to not allow injured players back on or take ages over dropped balls and restarts.

Groenen was a big highlight for me....awesome player. James was better playing deeper. Feel like we could do with bringing Green back from loan.

 

[jojojo]

Casey complained about the ref after the match.

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

It's a hard one though. In terms of where WSL matches sit in the FA football pyramid, and therefore in terms of paying the refs, the refs aren't bad. But equally, as soon as you televise matches and have action replays etc, while they're not bad for amateurs who train in their own time and get £50/£60 a game, they look poor.

In other news, McManus left the ground on crutches. Galton should be back "soon". Kirsty Hanson has an ankle injury and will be out for, "a considerable amount of time."

 

[jojojo]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date