Are we finally seeing the rise of Manchester City after watching them struggle last season?

The WSL this week saw the gap at the top close in on Chelsea with both Manchester clubs picking up all three points from their games. We also saw Arsenal get back to winning ways after a tough battle against a strong looking Brighton side. London City picked up another three points to see them move up the league table. Elsewhere the hunt for the first points of the season continue for both West Ham United & Liverpool. 

This weekend all the WSL games were played on Sunday with four of the games being 12 o'clock kickoffs, seemingly a strange move from the league with it being the men's international break, imagine the attendances and viewership on TV if those four games were spread out across the weekend, it actually took us a while to decide which 12 o'clock game to watch and I am sure a lot of other people will have faced that same struggle. 

Anyway here is a look at the games this weekend...

Aston Villa 0-0 Leicester City

The only goalless game of the weekend came in the game between Aston Villa & Leicester City. Unfortunately this was one of the games that we didn't get the chance to watch due to it clashing with others however, it seems like Villa were on top throughout the game with just over 60% of possession and 17 shots throughout the game for Villa it is hard to believe there were no goals in this one. 

Chelsea 1-0 Tottenham 

Tottenham managed to keep league leaders Chelsea to a 1-0 result where the goal came from a Keira Walsh wonder strike, the only type of goals that Walsh seems to score. Chelsea dominated this game with a total of 27 shots however, only 4 of these recorded as on target. This loss is only Tottenham's second of the season after 6 games, which is definitely an improvement on last season.

London City 1-0 West Ham

West Ham are yet to win a game this season and you can't help but wonder when that first win is actually going to happen for the club. After a rough start to life in the WSL London City Lionesses seem to be finding their feet and those new signings are gelling to help the club get those much needed results. This game was a close one in terms of possession but Asllani's 68th minute goal secured the 3 points for London City Lionesses.

Everton 1 - 4 Manchester United

This game really was a tale of two halves. In the first half Everton were all over United and took the lead in the 16th minute, throughout the whole of the first half and the opening 10 minutes of the second half Everton looked the biggest threat... things then changed though after Malard equalized for United. The pressure was applied from United after the equalizer and we saw the United we are used to seeing, the pressure paid off in the 70th minute when Park forced an own goal from Kitagawa. The second goal seemed to spur United on even more with Park adding two goals of her own in the 84th & 89th minute taking the score line to 4-1 to United, a score we certainly didn't expect after watching the first half.

Arsenal 1 - 0 Brighton Hove Albion

Arsenal managed to end their losing streak this weekend with a 1-0 victory over Brighton Hove Albion. A 15th minute own goal from Olislagers is what sealed the win for Arsenal however, Brighton put up a good fight in this game and had some chances of their own. Things just seem a bit disjointed for Arsenal at the moment and this honestly showed during this game as they were nowhere near their best. Unfortunately this game saw Brighton's Mpome stretchered off after a ball to the head from close range so fingers crossed for a speedy recovery for Mpome.

Liverpool 1- 2 Manchester City 

The final WSL game of the weekend saw Liverpool take on Manchester City at Anfield in a game that didn't disappoint. The first half was pretty end to end at times with neither team able to convert their chances. Kapocs opened the scoring for Liverpool with a fantastic header in the 52nd minute. Man City then realised they needed to get back into the game and applied plenty of pressure which eventually broke through Liverpool's back line in the 64th minute. Beney found herself on the score sheet once again for City after pouncing on a loose ball from the Liverpool 'keeper. It looked like the game was heading to a stalemate until City found the break through goal in the minute with Fujino finding the back of the net with a great goal. There was late drama though with Liverpool finding the back of the net with one of the finally kicks of the game however, scorer Bonner was in an offside position and the goal was cancelled out leaving Liverpool still looking for their first points of the season.

Al round it has been a great weekend in the WSL and it is already looking like it could be a tightly contested league at both ends of the table. We are now heading into the Subway cup games & the international break so the WSL is not back in action until the beginning of November. Let's see what the cup games & international break have in store for us...

We are only a few days away from the start of Euro 2025 and let's just say this off season already feels like it has gone on forever so the addition of football to watch daily once more is more than welcomed. England are going into this as current holders following their 2022 victory but with how things have progressed in the women's game lately there is sure to be plenty of tough competition for that top spot on July 27th. Whilst sitting down to work out this predictions post I realised just how hard some of these groups are to call due to how nations have been progressing lately. Each group has one team you think is just going to miss out or could be a dark horse so it took a while to settle on these predictions. 

So here is how I think the groups are going to look at the end of the groups stage...

Group A

Switzerland

Norway

Iceland

Finland

Group A has the potential to go to anyone but I can't help but think that the home crowd is going to spur Switzerland on for them to top the group. Norway do have the potential to cause an upset to the home nation however, we think that home support is just going to edge Switzerland over the line and leave Norway sat in second place. It was hard not to put Iceland into that second spot though as they do have some fantastic players capable of creating the results but I can't help but think Norway will just beat them to the second spot. Unfortunately I think the strength of the teams already mentioned may just be a bit too much for Finland and we could see them struggle in the group stages although I have to admit I would love to see them prove me wrong.

Group B

Spain

Belgium

Portugal 

Italy

Group B is certainly a group that I had to sit and really think about as the teams in this group are all getting better & better year after year and there is definitely a potential for upset within this group. Looking at the group you would like to think it would be Spain sitting at the top once the group stage comes to a conclusion, they are World champions currently after all. Will that Bonmati illness right before camp have thrown a spanner into the works and cause disruption for the tournament? I guess we are soon going to see. Even with the disruption in the build up to the tournament I can't help but think they are going to be sitting top of the group as their team is build with some fantastic players. Second place in the group was certainly hard to call however, I have gone for Belgium finishing runners up of group B as their tournament experience along with a strong strike force could just see them edge it and progress to the next round, Belgium are a team I really enjoy watching so I can't wait to see how they get on. Portugal have really progressed within the women's game recently however, I can't help but think they are just going to be edged out of progressing in the tournament, they definitely have the capability to cause an upset though and who knows they could get those important points to get to the next round. Unfortunately for Italy I just can't help but think the other teams in the group will be too strong for them and we could end up seeing them sat at the bottom of Group B.

Group C

Germany

Sweden

Denmark 

Poland

Group C is another strong group however, I feel like we could see Euro 2022 finalists Germany topping this group. Things have changed since that final with players retiring & getting injured however, with the group they are in I just can't help but think they are going to be progressing as group winners. As for the second spot I think Sweden are going to have a point to prove and with some fantastic players going into this tournament in great form (Blackstenius) I think they will definitely push for the top spot however, I think they are going to be beat to it and have to settle for second which will still see them progress to the next round. Denmark are another side that could cause some upsets but I can't help but think Sweden & Germany are going to be that bit too strong for them and we will end up seeing them in third place. As for fourth place in the group I think it is going to be Poland we see here as they have definitely been drawn in a very strong group.

Group D

France 

England

Netherlands

Wales

Ah group D, the group I honestly think is the toughest one to call. I would have loved to say England are going to top this group but my favourites for this tournament are actually France and I think they are going to put in some fantastic performances in the group stage which will see them winning the group. As for second place I think England will just sneak in this spot and they will have to put up a fight to do so. Since their win in 2022 a lot has changed with retirements & injuries and things haven't been the smoothest in the run up to the tournament. I am really hoping that we do see them progress from the groups but it is definitely going to be a challenge. England could end up losing that second spot to the Netherlands as they have the potential to do really well in this group with players returning from injury however, for the sake of the predictions and for the hope of England actually progressing out of the group stage I will be hoping that the Netherlands finish in the third spot. Wales are making their Euro's debut and unfortunately have been drawn into potentially the toughest group, I might be popping them in fourth place in my predictions but don't write them off as with the squad they have we could definitely see some upsets throughout their games. 

So there you have it those are my predictions for the group stages of the competition, we all know just how unpredictable football can be though so let's see at the end of the group stages if any of these predictions came true or if I was way off the mark when I wrote this post.

For now though let's get the tournament underway and finally get plenty of football back on the TV as it is safe to say I have been lost without it. 

Scrolling through TikTok one day I came across a brand which just seemed perfect for every women's football fan that wanted merchandise to support their favourite player without playing a fortune for their latest club or international shirt, which we all know is far too expensive these days. The company we came across is called Club Level Collective and is one of those brands I could very easily spend a fortune at. They do a nice mix of items for different players at different prices so there really is something for everyone. 

Back in 2024 I signed up to join the Halifax Amateurs Lionesses, a brand new team forming in Halifax who would be playing 9 a side football, a mixed ability team with some players coming across from other teams, some getting back into football after years of not playing and some who had never played before. The team has come on leaps and bounds since the first ever training session and in today's post we get to chat to Lioness goalkeeper Becky Alderson who is also in charge of the women's team and set the wheels in motion for the team to be where it is today, here is how that chat went...

EOTA : So to get things under way tell us a bit about the Lionesses and how the team formed ready for their first season.

BA : So the team was formed just over 12 months ago now. We came together after I stopped playing elsewhere and decided to start a new team within the my own club. The team is a mix of some that have played football before and some that haven’t. We began training mid-way through last season really and then started to get some friendly games in ready to start the season this time.

EOTA : The team play in the 9 a side division for beginners & developers do you think these 9 a side leagues are perfect for those just trying to get into the game or get back into it? 

BA : Yes I absolutely do. They are a great format that allows anyone to be apart of it really. There doesn’t seem to be as many barriers in the 9v9 format than that at the 11v11. Its great because the kick off times are slightly later than normal which allows those with kids ( or those who coach) to be able to do both. The length of the game is better too, so that definitely helps with the fitness concerns. The rules around subs etc help to as that means that people can play for a few minutes and keep rotating depending on the ability and fitness levels.

EOTA : Do you think these leagues are going to be a big part of growing the women's game?

BA : I think as a whole the 9v9 will grow the game, but possibly not in the way people would think. It will naturally grow the game because they allow a wider range of people to be involved, there is no upper limit so absolutely anyone can be involved. I think some will see them as a negative league and think that football should be played 11v11 at adult level but its good to see the game expanding. Most of these women will have possibly been involved in the game in some capacity just maybe not a playing one, so they definitely increase participation that way.

EOTA :  The team is a mixed ability team with plenty of opportunity for everyone, those who came with little confidence have really grown into the game is this one of the most important things you hoped for when starting the team? 

BA : Yes definitely I am no professional footballer and certainly not the best player, and I wouldn’t be able to get into a team with the level of kids coming through these days. It’s a team that is available to everyone, as with any of the teams within our club. Seeing the confidence of a lot of the players increase throughout the past year has been amazing to see. Ladies that haven’t played football before or haven’t played for many many years, absolutely loving the game. I remember the first session I took it was a bunch of women that didn’t really know each other and were all really shy and didn’t really speak. Then fast forward 12 months and you can see the difference that’s what makes it special.

EOTA : We have seen the team start their first season really strong what do you think has been a key factor on their performances so far?

BA : I honestly think just making sure the ladies play with a smile. From the first game we played I've always said we have to enjoy what we are doing and be proud and that exactly what they do. We have taken one game at a time and worked hard when things maybe haven’t gone as planned and we have been able to adapt and learn which is what we need. The team work hard for each other and that also helps.

EOTA :  In the first season we have already seen the team step out of their comfort zone and move to 11 a side for the cup and make it into the second round how proud did you feel seeing those players step up and show just what they are capable of?

BA : The cup game was a great occasion, some will laugh at that but It really was. We were lucky to be able to play at the ground the majority of our teams play at, and experience the grass pitch. It was our first 11v11 game and we just said we needed to enjoy it, we needed to win our individual challenges and that what we did. I was in goal and it was a joy to watch (although freezing) we played some great football against a very well established team and it was great to get the win in front of many friends, family & off course our junior players.

EOTA :  The women's game is growing massively and you can now say your club is apart of that with the lionesses playing under the club name, as someone who has been in women's football for a while now how does that make you feel?

BA : The over riding emotion has to be pride, we started with two teams that were all male so to have a women's team in the club is amazing. We have girls playing in junior teams too which is also great to see, the women's game is always going to keep growing so hopefully we can continue to grow the female participation within our club too.

EOTA : The Lionesses have gone from strength to strength and with the season coming to an end what are your hopes for season 2?

BA : Season 2 will bring some different challenges hopefully. The league we are in at the moment is a small one so we have played the same selection of teams over and over again so hopefully we can increase the number of teams in  the league and play against some different teams and continue to learn and develop as a team.

EOTA : Finally for anyone local who might be reading this and wanting to put the boots on for the first time or return to the game after a long absence what would you say to them? 

BA : Just do it, you will never know if you don’t try it. The team are a lovely bunch who welcome anyone with open arms, ask as many questions as possible and enjoy the buzz of being apart of the team.

So there you have it, you can follow the Lionesses on Facebook & Instagram to see their journey going into season 2. Being a part of this teams first season has been absolutely brilliant and I know that personally I am really excited to see what season 2 has in store for the team as there is some great potential. 

Thank you Becky for taking the time to chat to us and all I can say is expect plenty more content about the HAJFC Lionesses in the future as they are a big part of our day to day and with season 2 on the way there is plenty to write about so watch this space.