Hamdon Mart

On 15/08/2021 at 14:17, shahanshahan said:

Squad for today's pre-season friendly against Lewes at RHPC.

Some new shirt numbers, a lot of new players, and one I'm not even aware of (Cataldo, who I think was at Leicester last season). Aimee Palmer named captain.

No Fran Bentley in squad (so that song can't be sung).

I'm not watching the game due to self-isolating until Monday. Hope whoever is at RHPC enjoys the game!

 

Do you think this will be their squad numbers for the coming season? 

16 hours ago, shahanshahan said:

All the teams in the Championship (and WSL, whose fixtures were also announced today) have had their fixtures announced like this.

I assume it is to do with the new TV deal for the WSL, with Sky & BBC knowing which games they will show & when.
Don't think the Championship is involved as much in the TV deal, but fixtures announced in the same way

Ah thanks, yes, that would make sense. 

Looking forward to it, most definitely, will be covering it again for Opta this season. Fingers crossed for a more positive campaign, signings seem to be coming in now. 

I'm guessing the majority of games will be on the Sunday, won't they? Bit puzzled as to why they've dated both days of the weekend. 

And as a sad antidote to yesterday's slightly encouraging news, another four players leave today.... Meaghan Sargeant, Faye Bryson, Megan Wynne and Sophie Baggaley.

Sophie can count herself unlucky not to have won international honours. Very rare she makes a mistake but her departure along with that of Ebony Salmon and Gemma Evans was somewhat inevitable. 

https://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/quartet-set-to-depart/

Gemma Evans announced by Reading.

This is a real shame. When I was covering Yeovil Town Ladies a few years back, she was head & shoulders above pretty much everyone else; then she came to City and was very consistent, reliable and rightfully won her Welsh call-ups. 

Can't be many more leaving, surely.

On 22/06/2021 at 16:20, shahanshahan said:

https://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/city-women-trio-depart/

Jasmine Matthews, Yana Daniëls & Jemma Purfield have all left.

Jas & Yana originally left City to join Liverpool then rejoined a few years back. Yana is apparently rumoured to go back to Liverpool from what I've seen elsewhere, but not sure on the other two.

Feel sorry for Jemma, who last year left Liverpool, and has ended up playing for two clubs that both got relegated in subsequent seasons.

Yana and Jasmine have both rejoined Liverpool again. 

Ebony Salmon came off the bench for her Racing Louisville debut last night and scored within a minute. Good luck to her, would have been easy to stay in this country but she's left her comfort zone and fair play. 

ETA - my apologies. In my excitement, I didn't check to see if anyone else has posted. Still, the goal is good enough to be posted twice IMO. 

4 hours ago, JustinCider said:

Well, that's us well and truly snookered.

Certainly seems that the club are behind the eight ball on this one but you never know, there could be a cue of applicants for the post. 

Confirmation on Twitter that Loren Dykes is leaving after twelve years at the club. 

Was at the game today and that was a harsh, harsh loss for City. Games turn on single moments and Molly Pike heading wide in the first half was a big chance and they had a few other half opportunities to score.

Their luck was out given the state of the only goal and it all boils down to next weekend. If the girls play v Brighton like they did today, they will win.

Worry for them if they do go down as I can't see Ebony Salmon and Gemma Evans staying if they do. 

16 hours ago, steveybadger said:

I guess today was one of those bonus if we get anything matches. Sadly there was no bonus.

City tired in the last 15-20 minutes and if it wasn't for Sophie Baggaley, it could have been eight or nine. Every now & again, she pulls out an inspired performance and at times, not being disrespectful, it seemed like she was fighting the Gunners on her own.

FA Cup next up but I think Aston Villa v City on the 24th could be the biggest game in many years for the girls; with the new TV deal now confirmed, this really isn't the season to find yourself relegated.

I'm not 100% sure why they've moved to Bath this season but one reason might have been the re-introduction of supporters at matches.

It was mooted at one point that 25% capacity might be allowed in so obviously that would mean being able to get more people into TP than the SGS. 

I've watched Bristol City Ladies for the past three seasons and there's many signs of improvement there if one wants to look for them. 

This season, the results have been disappointing but we are five games into the campaign and strange results haven't been confined to the women's game (see Man United v Spurs and Aston Villa v Liverpool). They've played the teams in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 7th so far.

While Chelsea thrashed them 9-0, they only lost 3-1 to Arsenal, the third goal on 86 minutes. Everton (managed by City Women's previous boss Willie Kirk) have improved big time this season and beat the City Women 4-0 while Man City on Saturday took full advantage of a side missing five players due to self isolating. The only game you can logically say they stood a hope of winning IMO was Birmingham and everything went wrong that could have that day. Palmer (the girl with the dislocated knee) was taken out by a poor tackle from Christie Murray who three minutes later, won and converted a penalty to make it 4-0. A bad day at the office admittedly but maybe it's best to judge City when they play more of the teams around them rather than Premier League sides that are given multiple times the money that City get.

Edited to add: The Man City game on Saturday afternoon came after they travelled up on the day, having not got back from the Crystal Palace away cup tie till nearly midnight on Thursday. No wonder they had no chance.