WSL 20/21 | general chat | January signings?

jojojo

JoJoJoJoJoJoJo
Staff
Joined
Aug 18, 2007
Messages
38,144
Location
Welcome to Manchester reception committee
A change in United's management, with a new assistant coach. Glen Harris has retired - he joined us in 2018 when Willie Kirk left to take over at Everton.


Casey's new assistant moves over from the (women's) Academy/U21s

 

jojojo

JoJoJoJoJoJoJo
Staff
Joined
Aug 18, 2007
Messages
38,144
Location
Welcome to Manchester reception committee
Interview with Casey on the BBC site today
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53322040

The next step is to break into the WSL's top three, which means overcoming giants Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal.

But Stoney says the club need to "grow our budgets at a realistic expectation" and they are "aiming towards sustainability," as well as looking to compete.
So no marquee signings, and an emphasis on youth and playing philosophy. Unfortunately, also no mention of them moving their training base to Carrington or the Cliff.
 

Lightbringer

Full Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2016
Messages
1,800
New home kit, Millie looks sad - maybe she got a size too large jersey to model in ;)

 

jojojo

JoJoJoJoJoJoJo
Staff
Joined
Aug 18, 2007
Messages
38,144
Location
Welcome to Manchester reception committee
Opening weekend (5/6 September) fixtures:

Arsenal v Reading
Aston Villa v Manchester City
Brighton & Hove Albion v Birmingham City
Bristol City v Everton
Manchester United v Chelsea
Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United

Chelsea won the League last season, so that's a tough start for us. We lost to them twice last season, 1-0 each time, away in the League and at home in the LC semi. Our home WSL match against them was postponed, due to Storm Chiara, then cancelled, due to Covid.

All matches are set to be played behind closed doors. Matches not chosen for TV broadcasts will be on the FA Player again.
 

jojojo

JoJoJoJoJoJoJo
Staff
Joined
Aug 18, 2007
Messages
38,144
Location
Welcome to Manchester reception committee
Tough start second year running, isn’t it? Publicity?
Yep. It's a designated men's international weekend - Iceland v England at 5pm on the Saturday for example.

I was originally hoping that the opening match could be used as a small test of a covid social-distancing crowd at OT. But those kinds of trials have had to be postponed, so I assume they'll just look for a good timeslot for TV.
 

jojojo

JoJoJoJoJoJoJo
Staff
Joined
Aug 18, 2007
Messages
38,144
Location
Welcome to Manchester reception committee

In other "not new news, because there was no actual news in the first place" news - the game is not now expected to be used as a spectator test event. There had been a suggestion that the game could have a crowd of up to 1000, but the Greater Manchester additional covid controls, "and other factors," have apparently ruled it out again.
 

Andersons Dietician

Full Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2016
Messages
13,192
Watching Chelsea vs Man City now and the finishing has been terrible so far. Kerr for Chelsea has had about 5-6 great chances and has wasted them all.

City just had someone sent off.
 

jojojo

JoJoJoJoJoJoJo
Staff
Joined
Aug 18, 2007
Messages
38,144
Location
Welcome to Manchester reception committee
Not WSL but about our opening day opponents. City v Chelsea and playing in the Community Shield at the moment (live on BBC1).

60 minutes in and it's still 0-0. Amazingly, Sam Kerr (top scorer in the US and Australian leagues) has missed maybe 5 decent chances, including ones that would normally look like sitters for her, though she may have been offside for one of those. Both teams still looking for a match rhythm - Chloe Kelly (new signing for City) looking like a good signing. City's US signings not starting today - Rose Lavelle is still in the quarantine and Sam Mewis is on the bench.

And as I write, Kerr misses another easy looking chance and then a minute later Jill Scott gets sent off after a second yellow.
 

One Night Only

Prison Bitch #24604
Joined
Oct 16, 2009
Messages
30,643
Location
Westworld
Decent shot, keeper should have had it imo.

Some of the finishing has been hilarious, like watching Lukaku at times.

The 2nd yellow seemed harsh to me and ruined the game though.
 

jojojo

JoJoJoJoJoJoJo
Staff
Joined
Aug 18, 2007
Messages
38,144
Location
Welcome to Manchester reception committee
Think it was that 6th miss. Something needed to be said on it :lol: Some of them were really bad. I really like Cuthbert who just came on. She wasn’t at Chelsea last season was she?
And Cuthbert makes it 2-0. She was with Chelsea last year - just a disrupted season due to injuries, and a slow recovery, I think.

The red card has made it a lot easier for Chelsea.
 

Gordon S

Full Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2018
Messages
3,524
Just read Alex Greenwood is joining City. Why wouldn´t she come back here? Will she play ahead of Demi Stokes at City?
 

jojojo

JoJoJoJoJoJoJo
Staff
Joined
Aug 18, 2007
Messages
38,144
Location
Welcome to Manchester reception committee
Just read Alex Greenwood is joining City. Why wouldn´t she come back here? Will she play ahead of Demi Stokes at City?
The opinion of lots of the fans is that Casey probably didn't want her back.

City is a risk for her. She may go from squad player at Lyon to squad player at City. That said, City may need a strong squad if they are going to do much in the Women's Champions League. There's been a pattern in the women's game recently that the WSL champions are a team that aren't playing in Europe that year.
 

Lightbringer

Full Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2016
Messages
1,800
The opinion of lots of the fans is that Casey probably didn't want her back.

City is a risk for her. She may go from squad player at Lyon to squad player at City. That said, City may need a strong squad if they are going to do much in the Women's Champions League. There's been a pattern in the women's game recently that the WSL champions are a team that aren't playing in Europe that year.
Why would not Casey want her back? Is she upset about something with regards to Alex departure?

It could also be that Greenwood wants to win trophys and play in europe now and thats more likely to happen with City in the short run.

I have no idea myself of course, just speculating :-)
 

Wixqaz

Full Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2019
Messages
243
Supports
Celtic
She's aparently scored 4 in 3 so far. She was in the squad last year but was on the young side so played less. I think the under 21s are mainly playing friendlies so far, against the first teams of lower league teams. Good to see. Hornby (a winger) was on the bench last game for the first team. It would be good to see some move 'in house' players come through this year. I've heard good things about Maria Edwards. It's a real pity that the group for the Conti cup doesn't contain a real lesser team (Liverpool are still a Derby and full time), would have been good to see some of the youngsters against Lewes etc. Maybe the FA Cup will give a better draw.
 

jojojo

JoJoJoJoJoJoJo
Staff
Joined
Aug 18, 2007
Messages
38,144
Location
Welcome to Manchester reception committee
She's aparently scored 4 in 3 so far. She was in the squad last year but was on the young side so played less. I think the under 21s are mainly playing friendlies so far, against the first teams of lower league teams. Good to see. Hornby (a winger) was on the bench last game for the first team. It would be good to see some move 'in house' players come through this year. I've heard good things about Maria Edwards. It's a real pity that the group for the Conti cup doesn't contain a real lesser team (Liverpool are still a Derby and full time), would have been good to see some of the youngsters against Lewes etc. Maybe the FA Cup will give a better draw.
Yes, that's certainly one of the down sides of them removing seeding from the group stage of the WSLCup. The groups should be more competitive, but the opportunities for the U21s and squad players will be less. The 5 subs rule might help though.
 

jojojo

JoJoJoJoJoJoJo
Staff
Joined
Aug 18, 2007
Messages
38,144
Location
Welcome to Manchester reception committee
The WFACup gets a new sponsor - Vitality, the insurance brand, are taking over from SSE. Oddly enough there will be two WFACup Finals this year, as last season's way paused rather than cancelled and will restart in October (we got knocked out in February!) I don't know which brand will have their ads up on the first final.


It sounds like more money will be coming in. That could be a big deal given how financially fragile the clubs are at the moment.
 

jojojo

JoJoJoJoJoJoJo
Staff
Joined
Aug 18, 2007
Messages
38,144
Location
Welcome to Manchester reception committee
WSL Cup group stage fixtures are out:
Wednesday 7 October – Liverpool v UNITED (14:00 BST)
Wednesday 4 November – Everton v UNITED (19:00 GMT)
Thursday 19 November – UNITED v City (19:00 GMT)

 

NotThatSoph

Full Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2019
Messages
3,757
What's the format here, two top teams go through? Could get exciting, City obviously the favorites and Liverpool struggling, and then United and Everton finished pretty close in the league last season.
 

Lightbringer

Full Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2016
Messages
1,800
What's the format here, two top teams go through? Could get exciting, City obviously the favorites and Liverpool struggling, and then United and Everton finished pretty close in the league last season.
Only the 1st place team advances. And then the two best 2nd place teams of all groups. So lose against City and it could be over. Very tough. Goal differential could be key. And we got 2 road games of course.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jojojo

jojojo

JoJoJoJoJoJoJo
Staff
Joined
Aug 18, 2007
Messages
38,144
Location
Welcome to Manchester reception committee
While we've been resting/training, the Women's FA Cup has been doing its quarter finals and semifinals. Birmingham, City, Arsenal, Everton (Everton beat Chelsea in the QF) are in the SFs

Last night Everton beat Birmingham 3-0 in the SF. Birmingham played extra time in their match on Sunday, winning it on penalties, and they did look tired.

Everton look good though. They won their opening league games as well (and are up top with Arsenal on 6 points). They had a good transfer window. Signing Gauvin feels right a real statement of intent - she came on as sub and scored last night, so she'll probably be ready to start soon. Certainly, they're not looking like a team that was dancing with the relegation places before Willie Kirk took over.

City play Arsenal tonight, with Arsenal probably favourites based on the season so far. 7:15 ko, live on BBC2 and BBC online.
 

jojojo

JoJoJoJoJoJoJo
Staff
Joined
Aug 18, 2007
Messages
38,144
Location
Welcome to Manchester reception committee