Erithacus

So who is going to step into the office in the interim? Technical Director 9-19 and Assistant Coach Marco Chiavetta? Or is this an opportunity to cast the net further?

A bad scoreline and home to West Ham on Sunday. Pressure is really on now. Maybe Mr Lansdown's recent cashing in of some shares will be put to good use? Hopes circulating that fans will be allowed back in (to Twerton) for Brighton game on January 10th. That needs to have a big, positive effect.

Like many old duffers now, I have many memories of going to the Zoo as a nipper. Through young eyes it was a marvellous place to see so many animals that otherwise were only seen in black and white. However, the understanding of creatures, their environments, their behaviours and their needs has increased markedly since; clearly there had to be changes to accommodate this and space is a prime restriction in Clifton. It should not come as a great surprise. I also have memories of some less than pleasant memories of the polar bear pacing up and down constantly (I understand it came from a travelling circus and was used to a miniscule cage before arriving). But that aside it was a good place to spend a day in and feel like you had gone around the globe. The move to Wild Place seems a logical and practical idea. It should fit in with the current missions on study and conservation. The old site I will suspect of being fattened for the table if some potential buyers are concerned. We'll see, but it would be good to wander into the place and still recognise the layout.

Shocking news that the two teams have taken the decision to apply the boot at this time. If they were men's teams it might be seen in a more predictable light, but the WSL is not that kind of environment - up to now, that is! Beard has a history of success with Liverpool not so long ago, so his departure is a bit more of a surprise. Clearly the pressure for achievment is growing more. Could these moves give City women a bit of encouragement? There are precious few points among the bottom clubs at the moment so the turmoil might be an advantage. And I'll be the first to say 'Job for Cotts/LJ/Phil Neville... to get that out of the way.

Some good news! At least there is a vein of hope, if only in Conti Cup at the moment. Perhaps it shows that the team are well above lower league level.

First point after six league games. Spurs are also without a win but are just above City with three from seven. Great show of determination, but it's looking to be a tough season. Hopefully the Covid situation will not be a big factor from now on.

Hopefully that means a dislocated knee-cap, not the entire knee - that would be a disaster if so. Her twitter seems quite optimistic so if the scans don't prove bad we could look forwards to her returning later this season. The 19-year-old had started every game thus far.

Sounds like a nasty injury to Aimee Palmer. Hope it's not a serious one. Looking ahead, is this going to put more pressure on Oxtoby? After all, former coach Dave Edmondson was shown the door a while ago. Or is it the club is managing expectations and not looking to be too ambitious? It does seem a lifetime ago that the Vixens were reaching for the title and Europe.

Yes, Villa at home this Sunday. They won 1-0 at home to Sheffield United tonight - that after a 0-6 stuffing by a rampant Everton side last weekend. If the Man City/Arsenal games don't define our season, then these upcoming ones will. It would be great to see that they are 'getting themselves together' now.

Given the recent form, I feel the defeat at the Gooners is something of a significant improvement. Good to see the return of Abi Harrison after a long injury lay-off, too. Stats are one thing but don't tell the true story. Plenty of matches show a big possession bias but the scoreline told another. I don't doubt the game was one-way traffic for much of it. Ultimately, there is only one statistic. Yes, there will be a separate mini league at the bottom where the struggle to survive will be played out. Interesting to listen to Mr Lansdown on the latest interview that we know what we are about and where we will be competing. The top clubs are putting top money into the women's game, but we have a more realistic approach. It is no surprise or shame. Two big games coming up: home to Villa next Sunday and home to Brum the weekend after. That will give us a better picture. Big pity we can't attend.

It was pointed out on the highlights show that these games against the elite teams 'will not define our season'. When we have played the likes of Brighton, Spurs and Villa we will see how level the playing fields are. A veritable mini-league. Sadly, the days when we could compete with anyone are gone, so we must focus on the important matches.

Have to agree with some comments on here that the Vixens looked awful. I will accept that the money divide between us and Chelsea is a significant factor in attracting talent, but the performance was appalling. Only a couple of seasons ago they were able to take on the best and given them a game. Not now. It looked more like a cup game between two much different levels. The home side (and the other usual suspects) are going to fight it out amongst themselves for trophies again and the rest of the division will be engaged in the struggle to avoid the drop. The growing gulf is becoming a real problem for the image of the women's game. Perhaps the FA (who control the WSL, not the Premiership) are not too concerned as long as the international side are successful. Either way, I feel that the girls are not performing as well as they should. Is it simply a lack of talent drawn to the club? Is there a deeper concern that they are not performing for the head coach? Oxtoby has been here over two seasons now and the lack of improvement is starting to become more noticeable. If this was a men's side the grumbling would be loud by now. Still, onto the next game: Arsenal.

Opening game of the season and plenty to ponder over, it seems. Not sure where Everton will sit in the table but they look improved on recent years. Tanya Oxtoby praised the team for the application shown and accepting it is a significantly young new squad this time around, but the signs are a little concerning. Still, lots of games left to turn the effort into results.

Interesting acquisition but not unexpected as previous back-up keeper Eartha Cumings has now gone to Charlton.

Sounds like Dr Alice Roberts (she's one of our own) in her Channel 4 series: https://www.channel4.com/programmes/britains-most-historic-towns/on-demand/68435-002 If you haven't seen it and want to know a little more about our past then it's a good programme. The Queen Square riots were a savage episode where ignorance, brutality and senselessness all combined against a backdrop of elitism. The mural of the riots on the Bath Road near the Thunderbolt was painted over, sadly. Maybe we can find another place to revive it - or even use old Colston's plinth?

Perhaps they were mindful of that notorious FA Cup game a few seasons ago v Doncaster. I had a ticket for that and saw the droves leaving before kick-off.

Hmm, Twerton Park. That name rings a bell, and a memory of Ronnie Sinclair desperately sprawling on the ground. Hope that is not an omen. Wonder why the SGS campus is being ditched, as it was a good playing surface and the facilities were upgraded a couple of years ago. Maybe the charging for car parking became a big problem when it came in, or perhaps the use of the Arriva car park has been withdrawn. Interestingly, the site encourages on-street parking around the ground. I assume the girls will continue to play on Sundays primarily and won't clash with Bath. Either way, it will be a shame not to be there any more as there are plenty of great memories from it - must be well over a decade's worth now! Still, it does open up a fresh 'market' and maybe a spur for greater achievement. Could it be the springboard for glory?

Akinfenwa Cornwall Separated at birth. If only they had played the other's sport...

You didn't tell us you had a career in the judiciary, Tone. Civic or county courts?

I imagine that the awarding of silverware has been forced so that the teams for next season's European competitions and the like can be arranged. Not having a winner would have been difficult to administer. To be awarded the league title on an incomplete set of results must somewhat devalue the feeling perhaps, but an acknowledgement nonetheless. It delivers finality. Yes, to see Liverpool drop is a shock - considering their monopoly of trophies in the recent past. Again, it must be strange to be cast down on an incomplete set of results (much to our relief!). I bet Vicky Jepson is fuming.

Hmm, sounds the sort of comment that would chime in the halls of power. With the red carpet rolled out for Man Utd's newly reformed team in recent years, it would not surprise me if that turns out to be a big factor in shaping the next season. I would also agree that if we had (and were for much of the season, don't forget) at the bottom of the WSL then we would almost certainly be relegated on an incomplete set of results. Will Liverpool go? One big criticism of the WSL is that it is not a meritocracy.

The WSL is something of an invitation league in that there are several specific aspects a club must satisfy before they are permitted to the top table (ground, contracts, hours player train, etc.). The obvious push is to procure as good a standard of women's football as possible (and the national teams therefrom). So given a normal season, the teams looking to end up in WSL are not necessarily the ones who top the Championship table anyway. I suspect that the powers are having to reread the rules and may have some room for manoeuvre regarding the promotion/relegation issues. Politics might just play a part in that. We'll see. Shame that the women's season is now in the history books as an incomplete one, but it does allow the clubs to start afresh in their preparations. It may also give a useful demarkation for contracts. The fact that the women's game is nowhere near as reliant on media exposure/money is perhaps a blessing in that respect. Let's hope the new season starts on time and has a clear run.

Great result for the girls! New Aussie international Chloe Logarzo must have had a positive impact, although it's Eb Salmon who came on to score the only goal. Sounded like a good even battle now that a few injured players have returned. Massive for the club as we go above Birmingham (and it's about beating the teams about you, right?), but they have a game in hand. It's good news coupled with Liverpool's defeat at West Ham means the Robins are two off the bottom. It looks like one from these three that will drop into the lower division, unless Brighton are dragged into the mire. Importantly, the remaining fixtures bring up just one game against the bottom teams (Brighton away). Tan Oxtoby seemed unexpectedly confident in the light of recent defeats but maybe she does have the ability to keep this side up.

Agreed that last night's WFA Cup game was a nasty beating, especially considering that the girls have not been on the end of such a big scoreline against Everton. In fact of the only two defeats in the past few seasons one was also in the Cup. It will be a really difficult run-in to this season if the girls are to keep their place in the top division. Realistically it will depend on Liverpool failing to get much at all from now on. Very true! With regards FFP, I understand that the regulations (are you watching Man City?) only apply to the men's senior teams - not the Unders or the Women's teams, etc. I don't know what rules apply in these areas, but I suspect they are not as strict. Naturally, a bespoke ground to play in is the goal of any top class club, negating the need to hire out other clubs' grounds. Man City have their set-up and the girls play at that. Hopefully the Women will have a home to be proud of and inspire them to greater achievements.

Yes, another hatful conceded today and it's not a great surprise at Chelsea, sadly. The goal difference is a mile behind any other team, so it will come down to points. Next Sunday's game at home to Liverpool is going to be a real defining crunch, even in January. So much could rest on it. Casey Stoney's comments are a bit mean, I feel. Maybe it has a little to do with the fact that the City Women beat them at their place recently. It rather implies that the women's game is linked to the men's - which it is to a certain extent, but not on the pitch. Liverpool: the men are leading the Prem by some distance, the women are propping up the WSL. The old adages applies equally: the table doesn't lie, no team is too good to go down. Was it only a few seasons ago that the Liverpool women were winning titles regularly? Sic Transit Gloria