Jump to content
IGNORED

Bristol City Women - WSL / W Championship

Leveller

By Leveller
in Football Chat

 Share

Recommended Posts

old_eastender

old_eastender

Posted
Posted
16 hours ago, shahanshahan said:

Lauren Smith's press conference ahead of the Chelsea game.

Biggest takeaways are that there are no new injuries, and that plans are in place for the January transfer window. Good question also asked about Aggie Beever-Jones returning to the club she was once on loan at...

https://www.bcfc.co.uk/city-women-news/smiths-chelsea-press-conference/

Surprised she said about looking for players at championship clubs that are not getting many minutes. Don't see how anyone who can't get a regular spot in a championship side is going to add anything to us. We need 2 or 3 quality additions to secure our place in the WSL, not more players who are no better than we already have.

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Admin
phantom

phantom

Posted
  • Admin
Posted
16 hours ago, shahanshahan said:

Sille Struck's birthday celebrations going well...

 

Bullying claim incoming lol

7 minutes ago, old_eastender said:

Surprised she said about looking for players at championship clubs that are not getting many minutes. Don't see how anyone who can't get a regular spot in a championship side is going to add anything to us. We need 2 or 3 quality additions to secure our place in the WSL, not more players who are no better than we already have.

My thoughts exactly. Hopefully meant WSL players 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
chinapig

chinapig

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, old_eastender said:

Surprised she said about looking for players at championship clubs that are not getting many minutes. Don't see how anyone who can't get a regular spot in a championship side is going to add anything to us. We need 2 or 3 quality additions to secure our place in the WSL, not more players who are no better than we already have.

There is something of a parallel with recruitment for the men's team. But in the case of the women it seems more of a moneyball approach i.e. identifying players whose stats suggest they are undervalued.

It will be interesting to see how it pans out.

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
old_eastender

old_eastender

Posted
Posted

HT 0-2. Plucky, well disciplined performance for the most part. Poor to let James run unchallenged to the edge of the box for their 1st. Morgan missed a great chance to make it 1-2 just before HT, her first touch slightly heavy allowing their keeper to smother it. 

Important now, to not let Chelsea end-up scoring 4 or 5, and crashing our GD.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Hamdon Mart

Hamdon Mart

Posted
Posted

I may have to eat my words but I think City will stay up this season.

Saw enough in today's game to know that if they can play to that level against teams that are not called Arsenal, Man U, Man City or Chelsea, they have a real shout. Some of the stuff they played going forward today was very impressive, it's just the decision making that needed to be a step up. For example, Abi Harrison should have squared it early on when she chose to shot, would have almost certainly been 1-0 City. Harrison is still recovering from months out with injury and looked a wee bit rusty at times but (a) her best position is up front leading the charge and (b) no one else at the club is suitable for that role IMO. 

Chelsea are quality, make no mistake though. James is a different class to pretty much everyone I've ever seen in a women's football match; she glides past people like they're not there, has great vision and can hit a ball with precision. 

And for those that have written the team off? If it wasn't for a 98th minute West Ham equaliser today, City wouldn't even be bottom at Christmas, let alone going down with nil points as someone predicted back on the thread. 

Hope the team have a wonderful Christmas, strengthen in January, and come back refreshed. 

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Erithacus

Erithacus

Posted
Posted

A good performance but, undeniably, a loss. With West Ham picking up a late point at Leicester it does have an impact. Yes, we weren't really expected to get anything out of today's game but the table is unforgiving. No need to panic, but it all counts in the end.

When you consider how we were at the beginning of the season, it does give me real encouragement that the team has found its feet at the top level, are now up to speed and can give anyone a game. There has been steady progress and hopefully it will carry on all the way.

Looking at Chelsea's world all stars it was always going to demand a resolute application of the shape - yes, a 4-5-1 of course. They look like the proverbila well-oiled machine and their interplay showed how much time they must spend on the training field. Keeping the Chelsea midfield at bay proved not impossible but  a real test. Amy Rodgers had a strong influence on proceedings but was up against perhaps the best midfield in Europe. She  was rock and also tried to start counter-attacks when she tackled opponents. Fran Kirby's ability to fill the Number 10 role, just off the front line, and make herself available at all times was a major headache; Erin Cuthbert's box-to-box coverage and her defensive skills were untouchable; Lauren James glided through the defence on occasions and ex-Robin Sophie Ingle kept a calming assurance to the middle. Jamie-Lee Napier looks to be growing into the role and stopped a number of moves down the left wing at source. She battled well and perhaps could have scored in the first half.

It was good to see the girls give as good as they got and had a couple of good chances that, with a little more confidence, could have found the net and changed the game completely - particularly as Chelsea gave the ball away in their own box at times. I thought Nayomi Layzel had a great game and was as solid as anyone in the back line. I suspect that having the experience of Meg Connolly is a real education. Ella Powell did well to keep the wing tight and tried to make a run up the line on the odd occasion when play allowed. In goal, Liv CLark continued her reliable form and was generally a safe pair of hands. The goals were difficult to stop but the head injury at the end is cause for more concern as the goalkeepers depth is now a worry.

Although often having to stay on the back foot, Thestrup was largely shackled and had little to really get hold of. Abi Harrison started (once again) as wide left but slid into a more central position, eventually dropping a little deeper and was always looking to find a gap in the defence. Her hard work was not properly rewarded. Ffi Morgan's pace posed a threat but opportunities were limited.

Overall, it was a display that will be heartening. Despite the result it shows the team in a much better light and if some players can return during the mid-season break now then it will be all the better. As the next game will be the Liverpool cup game, it should be a platform to move forwards (and up the table) in the New Year.

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites
old_eastender

old_eastender

Posted
Posted
13 hours ago, Hamdon Mart said:

I may have to eat my words but I think City will stay up this season.

Saw enough in today's game to know that if they can play to that level against teams that are not called Arsenal, Man U, Man City or Chelsea, they have a real shout. Some of the stuff they played going forward today was very impressive, it's just the decision making that needed to be a step up. For example, Abi Harrison should have squared it early on when she chose to shot, would have almost certainly been 1-0 City. Harrison is still recovering from months out with injury and looked a wee bit rusty at times but (a) her best position is up front leading the charge and (b) no one else at the club is suitable for that role IMO. 

Chelsea are quality, make no mistake though. James is a different class to pretty much everyone I've ever seen in a women's football match; she glides past people like they're not there, has great vision and can hit a ball with precision. 

And for those that have written the team off? If it wasn't for a 98th minute West Ham equaliser today, City wouldn't even be bottom at Christmas, let alone going down with nil points as someone predicted back on the thread. 

Hope the team have a wonderful Christmas, strengthen in January, and come back refreshed. 

Good post. Agree Harrison does not look sharp, but hopefully that will come.

There is doubt we have improved a lot since the poor displays at the start of the season, but for me staying up will depend on bringing in a couple of quality signings in Jan, who will not be just squad players but starters in the first 11.

Commanding centre half and an anchor midfield player are the two most pressing needs we have in my view.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
shahanshahan

shahanshahan

Posted
Posted
27 minutes ago, Erithacus said:

Great to see ex-City (Academy) keeper Mary Earps win BBC Sports Personality of the Year tonight. We bask in her glory. Pity she didn't have time to dress and had to appear in her bedroom kit. :blush::worship2::englandflag:

Is the first time a player that once played home games at Ashton Gate has gone onto win SPOTY? I think I may have asked a similar question when she won The Best FIFA Women's Goalkeeper at an awards earlier in the year

Link to comment
Share on other sites
shahanshahan

shahanshahan

Posted
Posted

For those that may have missed the announcement tonight, the Supporters Club & Trust reached an agreement with the football club to provide coach travel for supporters to travel to ALL remaining WSL away fixtures this season

https://www.bcfc.co.uk/city-women-news/coach-travel-confirmed-for-all-wsl-trips/ https://www.bristolcitysupporters.org/away-travel-confirmed-for-city-women-wsl-2023-24/

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Erithacus

Erithacus

Posted
Posted

The Women's team was previously Bristol Academy before the Bristol Sport group swooped to take over. Earps was in goal 2014-15, and kept the score lower than we were really worth. Despite her obvious talent, the team crumbled and were relegated after 2015. No surprise she has proved far better in the following seasons.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Bristol Oil Services

Bristol Oil Services

Posted
Posted
On 19/12/2023 at 21:56, shahanshahan said:

Is the first time a player that once played home games at Ashton Gate has gone onto win SPOTY? I think I may have asked a similar question when she won The Best FIFA Women's Goalkeeper at an awards earlier in the year

I believe it is the first time. The closest to the criteria you set out there might be the 1980 winner, Robin Cousins, who did his skating just along the Portway at Shire.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
shahanshahan

shahanshahan

Posted
Posted

For those not aware, match & coach tickets for Brighton away are now on sale, and have sold really well!

For me, it'll be my first time at Crawley's ground since City men had that 1-1 draw...and everyone heard the news that Colin Daniel's goal relegated the blue & white out of the football league...

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
shahanshahan

shahanshahan

Posted
Posted

Secret Santa with Abi Harrison & Amalie Thestrup. I feel bad for Jesse Woolley, where none of them could suggest a present for her. But at least both seem to acknowledge Lauren Smith's new touchline attire this season, which is very different from the standard Hummel/O'Neills gear that she previously wore

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
TheCulturalBomb

TheCulturalBomb

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, shahanshahan said:

Bristol City have the fourth highest average attendance in Europe...behind Arsenal, Manchester United & Barcelona

This graphic is from the German website soccerdonna.de

GCnHcpeWUAAC05O?format=jpg

That's nothing but wild. Credit to everyone at the club on the women's side. Hopefully the attendances give more turnover and the money trickles down to the academy and development of talent. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...