Erithacus

Last home game, last chance to shine. Last chance for some to stay on, perhaps. Last chance saloon for others. With 'nothing' to play for it would have made sense if there was a chance to play without any shackles. Sad to say it was business as usual - another defeat, another where there was little to cheer about.

All through this season back in the WSL we have had plenty of opportunities to make a mark; we knew from the outset that we were nowhere near the level of the top (Premiership) teams but could have a good go at staying. We have proved unworthy at most categories, and sink back down again to a Championship where the number of serious and well-backed teams has grown. Whoever rises above next season will have earned their place.

A slightly different formation greeted the start in a 3-4-2-1 (with some rotation of the front trio); several interesting starts for some, others spent time on the benches. Despite that, we still looked short of players in key positions and the Everton midfield had little worry for long periods. All too often we had a big gap between the back line and the midfield. That caused players in posession to stop momentarily and look for a teammate (a common problem with the men's side); that delay allowed the opponents to close down and usually forced us to back passes. Result: no attack, no threat, no outlet, and no win.

I thought some players today did try to engage and show something of the desire, but several looked out of form or even dejected from the beginning. On the few forays upfield we had one or two players getting in for the cross - the lack of bodies in the box showed that few of our players wanted to bust a gut.

Defensively we were inconsistent. The goals we conceeded were poor, with Everton strikers given plenty of time and space; marking has been a black mark on our defence all season. If they had been a touch more composed the score would have been double. Their class showed - they looked like a WSL side, we looked a division lower. I don't have the statistics to hand but I can't recall seeing us have more than one shot on target; their keeper won't need to wash her kit tomorrow. Towards the end of the game with lots of subs and swapping of positions, we had the look of a team without leaders on the pitch; an end-of-season feel all right.

I have tried to be positive all season and highlight the better parts, but there is no evading the obvious fact that this season has been dismal. All twelve home games at Ashton Gate have ended in defeat. There are a number of factors - some in our own hands, others outside influences - but I have a nasty feeling that next season will be little different unless a major effort to correct the flaws is made, especially from the top down. As with the men's side, it is not a given.

However, I will commend a few things. I have seen Jamie Lee Napier improve with each match and her energetic running (forwards and tracking back) were good to see. When brought on (too late for anything meaningful) both Harrison and Furness put themselves about well. Both brought a desire and energy that highlighted the lack prior, as did Powell. Between them they showed far more understanding and awareness, raising the performance noticeably. Why did they not start?

So there we have it: season 2023-24 back at the top table. A one and done. So many hopes, so few realities. So many advances and greater achievements off the field yet all these gains have been threatened. Yes, that is the nature of the beautiful game but did we really do ourselves justice? The story that will be written about it will simply say: 'simply not good enough all round'. Time to put this season in the ground and throw dirt in its face.

5 hours ago, phantom said:

The departures have started.... 

Rachel Furness confirmed as leaving after tomorrow 

We will await the rest of the announcements, doubtless.

Furney is now 35 and I suspect home is calling - possibly on the coaching side, as she is certainly capable of entering that side of the game. One of the few signings made this season who had any real impact, and will leave some void to fill.

Interesting shuffle for some. Now the wait for any grumblings to cause more changes, but the clock for the publication of next season's fixtures is running. Will the powers factor in any (climate crisis) extensions this time round, I wonder?

Also noted some new names: a nod to Route One Rovers (NWCL, D1N) and Rising Ballers Kensington (CCLD1). Modern football.

From the Toolstation site:

Prem Playoff final Sat 4th

Falmouth v Clevedon - at Falmouth

1st Div Playoff final Sat 4th

Wincanton v Brislington - at Wincanton

Les Phillips Cup Final Sun 12th

Shepton Mallet v Barnstaple - at Tiverton

There are a smattering of other league games that are needed to complete the current season too.

So, the glaringly inevitable has come to pass. No last-minute, last-gasp stunners. No death-defying feats nor miracles. The atmosphere around the Gate was familiar, helped in no small amount by a large away contingent (despite Man C men playing at the same time at Forest) as well as the familiar Lioness spotters. Even the drummers were somewhat more muted than usual. It was all so...typical.

I dare say the team were more than aware of the situation and perhaps had already come to terms with relegation but this season has been difficult to describe in any other words than miserable. A tale of what could have been, not what was. But that's the reality and now we have to start to focus on the Championship - from now.

We started in an unusual 4-5-1 out formation, with Powell on the bench and Layzell at fullback. That may have had some surprise factor but the way Man City worked around us was not. Given some reshaping with Shaw out, Chloe Kelly played as a 9 and Lauren Hemp tucked in tighter than normal. Kelly often dropped short to take the pass, allowing Hemp and Coombes to fill in behind, opening space. Mary Fowler, the Aussie star, was able to flit into spaces on the right. For the most part we worked hard and held our defensive shape well, particularly in the first half. However, if the visitors had their shooting boots on the half time score would not have stayed at 0-0. We kept our nerve but on the odd occasion when we nicked possession, we squandered it very quickly. The match stats tell their own story: 33% possession, 3 shots - 0 on target. The visitors were miles ahead in that department.

One recurring feature was Man C skipper Alex Greenwood strolling about from centre half, doing her Beckenbauer impersonation and taking the ball 40-odd yards from her own box to near ours - no-one came to greet her as we were all locked into our formation. Although it was something of a blinder that broke the spell (helped by more standing off), more goals soon flew in.

It's no use trying to find real positives from this season, now that we will drop down, but I think the real value of our time back in the WSL will be measured in the next few seasons. Doubtless some players (and perhaps coaches) will depart soon, but those that stay will hopefully be steeled with this experience. It may be time in the bank, earning a bit of interest over the long term. All we need to do in cash out properly. Next season is already looking rather tough, what with those large clubs at the top end being joined by Newcastle and Portsmouth. Whoever will end up on top of that pile will have deserved the title.

And so the wait until the last home game. And the wait to earn just a single point from our fixtures; what a turnaround from twelve months ago. I hear that the club is looking to retain the use of Ashton Gate next season - it will be a strong move if so. We do have something to be proud of here, and it will need some courage to stay with it, both fans and board.

Is he up for election soon?

My bad ball! Make that the second last game at Ashton Gate!

We were needing a win anyway, but an extra point may well be of no importance.

Well, here goes the last game of the season. A season of what has to be seen as a miserable time at Ashton Gate. No points (with no sign of any today!) and a real disappointment all round. Of course, we didn't expect to be fighting for the title in our first season, but to be cut well and truly adrift has been a painful lesson.

However, we also should see our time as one to build on, even if it means those lessons are applied for a spell in the Championship. Several players have made their mark and the team has made some improvements in the approach. I'm not sure of the average age of the side but it must be one of the lower in the WSL. I hope we can maintain a significant presence and that those young players will stay here to carry on the dream. Perhaps we can attract some better players for the start of next season too. Hopefully.

COYR

Shaw being ruled out is a minor footnote - Man C have plenty of backup. Incidentally, I see ex-Robin Lauren Hemp has agreed to a new 3-year deal with them. Seems the length of contracts for the top flight players is on the up.

Some interesting (and perhaps American) approaches to current football sentiments. I can see that sone of the stuff that goes on here is also vexing people over there, as it were. Whilst I can see that some of the thinking is in response to perceived irritations, I can't help that some of the implementations regarding injuries will be a thorny issue. Yes, some players do feign injuries but those who are genuinely hurt will need better treatment, not under time constraints.

With regard to off-field injury assessments, will it be like the NFL's blue tent? Will games have independent doctors who will pronounce whether a player is fit to return? Is there a thought that such a structure will reduce any long-term health problems and any likely threats of litigation?

VAR: yes, we all have an opinion. Whatever the protocol, we are still in the realms where a human is in final charge - and we know they can be frail. Giving the ruling to the crowd is something the NFL has done for many years and it has become the norm. However, will we now find ourselves in a position whereby we all look at the jumbo screens and await our fate? Scenes from an Orwellian future?

This will, of course, introduce yet another level of administration to top level games. I am against anything that can't be introduced at grass roots level and feel this is how the game is splitting apart.

I must admit I was rather expecting the MLS authorities to introduce a new time limit that would quickly spread throughout the planet - the goal celebration! Maximum of 60 seconds including any flares/crowd invasion/video interview/shirt waving. Anything going over that limit would result in a VAR review, costing more time. Maybe...

Salutary. Where will we be in another twelve months' time, I wonder? Also interesting to see the many faces in that shot that are not here now.

Having used technology to broadcast football matches and then introduced the incident replay to audiences it soon became clear that some officials' decisions were not correct. That became a problem that the governing bodies sought to solve by using more technology and hence we now have the (somewhat primitive) method of an official in another town manually placing lines on a two-dimensional screen image and trying to extrapolate it into three dimensions. That still leaves lots of room for indecision and, indeed, errors in the system designed to eliminate them. I have to admit I am not a fan of technology used at the very top level that can't be used at grass roots - it makes it two different games, not one.

Goal line technology looks to have made it though. We rarely make such accusations about that system. Offsides and penalty shouts are the concern.

We struggle to accurately define a moment in time and a method to resolve it. However we try, we still end up with a subjective opinion based on a particular individual or individuals who are not the actual match officials. That's not withstanding the delays and stoppage of passions that now break up the game.

I don't see any real advance on what we will have for the forthcoming future but I do think there might be a better way forwards with regards to offside claims. Modern footballers wear tracking modules that log their every move on the pitch, sending a stream of data to receivers pitchside. So why not use them to determine whether they are closer to the goalline or not? I see this as analogous to the transponders used in motor racing that accurately determine lap times to a thousandth of a second. That seems to work well enough and is almost instant. I appreciate that in play it will have to be used retrospectively and that someone will still have to replay the incident to mark the exact time of the pass, but it might significantly cut down the lines and waiting around. It also defers the responsibility to a computer, not a human.

Intrigued to see 4,700 at the Gate - I was wondering if the Saturday lunchtime fixture would clash or draw new fans who would be otherwise at local matches instead on Sundays. I imagine Liverpool brought a few.

But the bottom line is...another home defeat. Looking at this season we have had nine home league games and lost the lot, not including a Cup game against Liverpool. The only positives were 1-1 draws in the Conti Cup - at the HPC! Ashton Gate has been a total loss and with only Man City and Everton left I fear there will not be any relief. Even though Man C are currently stuffing West Ham, I don't feel it will prevent the inevitable.

If relegation is confirmed, I wonder if the club will remain at the Gate next season. (Incidentally, what are the regulations for grounds in the Championship?) I reckon sustained attendances at home this season levels out around 4,000. Attendances at the HPC are significantly smaller due to its restricted size so perhaps there is a feeling that the women could retain a good number of supporters if they stayed. It would be nice to hear what the club is planning on. I dare say there won't be the large turn-outs without the Lioness factor, but that last promotion game did bring out a big crowd.

Someone has worked a flanker there, selling a Boeing snow-blower and relabelling it as a rain-blower.

Finally the final whistle. An end to that game and one which we realistically didn't have a chance with. Still a hard pill to swallow, but not unexpected, sadly. Amongst other stats to ponder over, the attendance was 3,500 (perhaps a late Sunday game has had some effect, but I suspect a lowly turnout by Gunner's standards. With West Ham picking up another point the gap is widening still further.

Whilst it's been a very wet season, the imposition of the cut-off for fixture dates has proved a real test for many. I wonder if it will sharpen some minds as to how to organise things from this point onwards. Global warming protocols, anyone?

It would seem that the deal is a continuation of the present one, and so I imagine that the coverage will be predicated almost entirely to the WSL - the Beeb show about 30 seconds of the Championship leaders at best. I am keen to know how much input the new authorities (New Co) are having in this, seeing as it taking over from the FA. I am also aware that the title sponsors, Barclays, have a current deal for the top two divisions until 2024-25 and am wondering if there is a 'rolling contract' option.

With all the fondness and sentimentalities from both posts, it does seem exceptionally strange that he has been sacked - so sweetly! My cynical mind thinks that there is a big avoidance of something here. Either the board has made some sort of deal that is being kept in the boardroom or that Harris has done something dreadfully disgraceful and is being given a chance to slide away without exposure. A gentlemanly agreement or a closed doors job?

1 hour ago, Mr X said:

Anyone know before the flats were built what was on that land? Also is it a bowling green next to the flats win one of the photos?

There doesn't seem to be much at all before the flats. Close by were various warehouses and works buildings by Duckmoor Road. The bowling green appears to be as old as the original ground, which was a football and cricket ground (without stands) in the 1920s. Previous to that, the Town Plan map of 1879-88 shows the whole place was open fields and Colliter's Brook used to run under what is now the Lansdown Stand.

For a detailed look, I will (once more) point anyone in the direction of the Know Your Place website https://maps.bristol.gov.uk/kyp/?edition=&ma

It has a wealth of old maps that you can swipe between them and a modern version.

Redolent defending...

If she has popped her shoulder it won't be useful for someone to wrap their arm around it!

I hope it's not the end of her season, though I did worry that was the case when she went off during the game.

Rough bunch, us Bemmy Boys. A hotbed for football and other sports - particularly opponent-baiting and ref-stoning. Was the ref's name Jehovah by any chance?

I like the adverts for full size balls 4/9d, small balls from 2/6d; best antelope balls for only 9/6d! Shinguards were a mere 4.5d a pair and were probably harder and heavier than concrete. Those were the days, men were men, etc...

I understand that Adidas have made the national kit for over 70 years, as well as the boots, balls and accessories. Now the authorities have changed to Nike it has stirred up a lot of resentment - the 44 issue being a catalyst for uproar. Add in the involvement the firm had with international competitions for almost as long and you can see why there has been such a reaction. However, the simple expedient was that Nike offered twice the fee that Adidas did; it's simple economics, and the DFB are insisting that the extra money will filter down to the grass roots. Wait -  haven't we heard that one before?

I also find it rather odd that Germany as a nation has announced that it has legalised cannabis at the same time. Hmmm...

25 minutes ago, wayne allisons tongues said:

Game got the all clear at 2.15 after a pitch inspection.

Wow, what a fixture list! That would be three months' worth at any other time of year. I bet they are as glad to get a game out as they are with the result.