Going into the game we knew it would be a tough one but with the team that just seems to fire us up even more, yes it might be tough but we know what we are capable of even in our first few games together we were getting results against tough opposition so why should we feel any different in this game? The weather is definitely changing now so we are having to adapt to a much slipperier surface but we are still putting some great balls through to each other and not letting it catch us out with the bounce etc...

On Sunday's game we came out strong, we started well and set the precedence of how we wanted the half to go. We found our rhythm much quicker than in previous games where we have often looked shaky in the first 5 minutes or so letting our opposition settle nicely. This time though we settled nicely and it just set us off on the right foot, a few of the opposition looked shaky and like they knew they were going to have a tough game on their hands, something which I don't think they fully anticipated until we got going. As the first half progressed we did well, it was possibly our best 1st half to date and were getting into some good positions however, we just couldn't find the opening goa, one of those chances was for myself too, I know I should have gone with my right foot but for some reason I just didn't trust it and opted to switch it to my left and by then the chance was gone. To say I was annoyed with myself is an understatement. We were doing well though and the game was flowing well for us. 

In the second half we came out strong once more and were really pushing for the opener however, it was the opposition that ended up taking the lead with a shot taking a lucky bounce off the post and into the back of the net, with how it went off the post there really was no stopping it and we found ourselves behind. Coming back from behind is something have had to do a few times now so we knew not to write ourselves off just yet we kept pushing but again it was the opposition who ended up getting the next goal to double their lead with a tap in inside the box. Now with around 10 minutes of the game left most teams would have their heads held low giving up hope but that is never the case for our team, we all know what we are capable of and we keep going until that final whistle to try get something out of the game and that is just what we did. Victoria made a great break through the opposition defence to get her first goal of the season with a great finish, the whole team put 100% in knowing that they could still take something away from the game. There was a bit of a stoppage in play due to an opposition injury that helped us regroup and get a plan in place to push for the equaliser which happened in the last few minutes of the game. A couple of last minute corners lead to a low hard ball into the box which Cassie eventually put into the back of the net not long before the final whistle blew. It really was a tough game and a hard fought draw but at the end of the day 1 point is better than none and we have once again shown the opposition we haven't to be taken lightly no matter how many goals they might be ahead we can always dig deep find what we need and bring the game back. 

As for my personal game I am so annoyed at myself but at the same time I am trying to take away the things I can work on and I will be having a few training sessions on my own working on these areas. I know I need to use my right foot a lot more as that is where all the chances are landing I guess it is just a lack of confidence why I don't take those chances and would prefer to shift it to my left. I will definitely be working on the strength etc. of my right foot and work on getting those shots away as I know it is something me and Liam will be able to work on in the garden or at a local field which is going to massively improve my game overall. I have also noticed so far this season my fitness is an area that needs a big improvement, granted it is improving as I train more and play more but at the same time there is still a long way for me to go. Again though I am doing everything I can to improve this and have a few solo training drills in mind that might also help.

When you look at the table though after the latest draw we are currently sitting 4th in the table with only 1 loss in the league which is fantastic to say we have only actually played 7 league games together and have players out injured or who can't make all the games due to other commitments. With the season running until April I know that I definitely can't wait to see how it progresses as we get more gametime together and gel together even more than we currently have. We are going into the festive period strong and I am definitely excited to see what the rest of the season holds for us. The best part though is this is an absolutely fantastic team to be a part of they are all brilliant and I would go as far as saying it is the best team I have been on, there is also so much determination from every player they help pick each other up, lift each others spirits and they are just a great group to be around. 

It is another tough game on the 18th December when we face the team currently sat 2nd in the table but we have shown what we are capable and I am sure we are all thinking that we can take points away from the game and finish 2022 in the best position ready for the return after the festive period. 

Let's go Belles...

We have finally found out who has won the 2022 Ballon D'or and to be honest looking at the rankings overall I have to say there are a fair few questionable positions with some players definitely deserving a lot more in the final rankings of this year's awards. The talent in the women's game is improving massively year on year so I definitely feel sorry for those on the awards panels, narrowing down a top 20 each year must be getting more and more difficult, although a lot of players do seem to get nominated no matter what their season has been like, is it just because they are big names, and they are scared of leaving them out? Who knows. So here is how the ranking for the 2022 looks...

The nominees for the BBC Women's Footballer of the year 2022 have been named and we don't have long to wait for the winner to be announced as that will be happening on the 9th November. It has been a big year for Women's football and I really don't know how the panel have managed to narrow the nominees down to the 5 names they have done as the game is going from strength to strength with players improving year after year and really becoming standout names that everyone is beginning to know. With this summer's Euros a lot of players have started to become household names and young players have started catching people's attention showing just what we can expect from them as their careers progress. The five nominees for this years BBC Women's Footballer of the year have all had an exciting year and here is a look at those nominees...

Sam Kerr

Kerr is definitely an established household name. The Chelsea & Australia star just keeps putting in some amazing performances for club and country with no signs of slowing down anytime soon. We have grown used to seeing Kerr's name on these nomination lists and I can't see that stopping anytime soon. She won the WSL golden boot last year and played a big part in Chelsea securing another title in the WSL. Kerr is a player that is always great to watch but do I think she has had a better season than some of the other players on this list? Honestly I don't think she has, I think a few others have a much more influential season. 

Beth Mead

I think it is safe to say Beth Mead is a name a lot of fans have become used to hearing this year, she has had a fantastic season at Arsenal and really helped them in their push to knock Chelsea off the top spot where they just came up short on the final day. She also had an amazing Euro campaign where she was influential in England winning their first major trophy, she won the golden boot in the tournament and as the new Arsenal season has begun she is showing her form from the summer is continuing into the new season, there seems to be no stopping Beth Mead these days whether that is on a scoring front or assisting her team mates. After being left out of the Team GB Olympic squad Mead had a point to prove and she has certainly done just that, I think this is only the start of seeing Mead receiving well deserved award nominations. 

Alexandra Popp

Popp might not have played much during the domestic season for Wolfsburg however, when she did play she made an impact. She missed most of the season with a serious injury but she wasn't going to come back and sit in the shadows, she wanted that Germany call up for the Euros and she got it at long last Popp was heading to a major tournament. She started the early stages on the bench for Germany but came on and made an impact on the games, soon enough she was a started and was challenging Beth Mead for the Golden Boot. Popp really helped Germany progress through the Euro's and we were looking forward to seeing her really challenge the English defence in the final unfortunately though that wasn't to be as she pulled out of the game during warm ups with an injury. I really do think she could have changed the outcome of the final if she had played but now I guess we will never know. All I know is she is a name I am going to be keeping a closer eye on in the future as she has really impressed me this year.

Alexia Putellas 

The Barcelona captain has had a good few seasons now and has found herself a back to back Ballon D'or winner after two solid campaigns with Barcelona. Putellas is the Barcelona captain and has led the club to the domestic treble scoring 18 goals in the process and providing the team with plenty of assists. She has become a name a lot of female fans now know and I don't see that changing anytime soon with the skill she possesses. Putellas was a player everyone was looking forward to seeing play in the Euros and a player who was always going to be a key player for Spain however, right before the competition was due to start Putellas unfortunately found herself out injured with an ACL injury. I think her injury definitely impacted the Spanish Euro performance but do I think she should win this award? Honestly I think other names should have been considered and other nominees have definitely made a stronger case to win this award.

Wendie Renard

Renard has been one of those defenders I have loved watching since I started watching the women's game properly, she seems to have gone from strength to strength especially at club level but as a part of the French national team I don't think that we have seen her potential this year, yes she has played well but she hasn't looked like she used to. As for with Lyon though she has had another great season, she missed the early season through injury but she soon bounced back and helped Lyon win yet more trophies throughout the season, they just seem unstoppable. The Defender is also the first female player to make 100 Champions League appearances which I guess just shows how great she is, she really is an integral part of the Lyon squad and the French squad and I can't see that changing anytime soon. 

So there you have it those are the five players that have been nominated for this years award, do I think other players could of made the cut? Of course I do but I guess these five have just stood out that little bit more. For me though there is only winner and that is Beth Mead, she has been fantastic all year round and is showing no signs of slowing down, I am glad she is finally getting the recognition she deserves. 

There isn't long to wait with the winner being announced on the 9th November, who would your winner from these five players be? 

 It is safe to say it is already getting pretty tight at the top of the WSL table and there is still a long way to go in the season. It might be early days but we are seeing a very competitive start to the 22/23 with Arsenal and Manchester United really standing out to us, they are both unbeaten and look very threatening on the attack, I just hope these two teams really keep on pushing and challenging Chelsea who are level on points but having played 1 more game than Arsenal & Man Utd, they definitely aren't where they would expect to be by now, that opening weekend defeat to Liverpool has got them playing catch up. As for the rest of the table Everton are really showing us that they have a point to prove after last season's struggles. Unfortunately, at the bottom of the table both Reading & Leicester are struggling, neither side have recorded any points yet and with how the rest of the table is moving I do believe they need to start picking up points soon. So here is a look at the weekend's results...

Finally on Sunday we managed to get to our first Manchester United game of the season. We picked up our first season tickets for the club and the game vs Brighton was the first we could attend due to prior engagements on the day of the Reading game. This was definitely a great first live WSL game of the season for us with a fantastic result going Man Utd's way. On the drive to the game we said we could end up seeing a few goals but I don't think either of us expected all 4 goals would go in United's favour. 

United started the game really well though and looked threatening from the get go. It only took 14 minutes for United to get off the mark and of course it was Ella Toone who got the goal with a pretty good header.  She then went on and doubled United's led in the 26th minute, the goal was nicely slotted home after a fantastic bit of build up play through the middle of the field. In the 40th minute Leah Galton finally found her way onto the score sheet after playing a big part in Toone's goals, it was another great goal created by United getting through Brighton's defence too easily. The first half was absolutely fantastic from United but in the second half they just seemed to sit back a bit and passes didn't flow as well as they had in the first half. We did get to see a goal in front of us though as Leon got her first for the club with a brilliantly placed low driven shot. The game ended 4-0 to United but Brighton could have certainly got themselves on the score sheet as they had some great moments of build up play throughout the game, they just couldn't get past Earps who made some absolutely brilliant saves. Her save at the end of the first half was certainly the best though as she was outstretched and it looked almost certain that the ball was heading into the top corner.

Manchester United moved the ball around really well throughout the game however, in the first half a lot of the best plays were coming from link ups down the left hand side with Galton being instrumental in a lot of the attacks especially those that led to the goals. To be honest Galton could possibly have been our player of the match as she seemed to be everywhere making runs that Brighton didn't expect and getting the team into some dangerous positions. I think it is safe to say Galton is going to be a key player this season if United want to challenge for the top spot so I really hope she stays injury free. Her reading of the game is definitely a great asset for United to have. I am glad she got on the score sheet too as she definitely deserved it. 

It has been a long time coming but I finally got to see Lucy Staniforth in action, she is one of those players I have loved watching for a long time now and I really do believe she is a massively under rated and I wish other people would see her potential. She reads the game well and doesn't panic when in possession, her balls through the backline are brilliantly placed and she can switch the play to the other side with ease. She just seems to be aware of things before they happen and it was rare we saw a bad ball from her on Sunday. Again just like with Galton I think she is going to play a big part in United's chase for glory this season if she can stay away from any injuries. As for Ella Toone it is safe to say she has gone from strength to strength this summer and her two goals on Sunday just shows us she is on fire and ready to help United improve on last seasons 4th place finish. If she stays in the form she is currently in I can see her being on the scoresheet becoming a very regular occurrence. 

With the performances we have seen from Man Utd this season I think it is safe to say they are definitely giving it their all to get a Champions League spot come the end of the season and if they keep performing like they have in these early stages I think they have a strong possibility to gain a Champions League spot and even challenge to be the winner of this seasons WSL. After 3 games they are sitting at the top on goal difference with a game in hand on current title holders Chelsea, it might only be early days but United are getting their fans hopes up so let's hope the momentum keeps on rolling.

We are back at Leigh Sports Village for the next home game vs Chelsea in November and it is safe to say the countdown is on. It is going to be a big test for United and I think it is going to be a close game but I guess only time will tell, can they extend their lead or will Chelsea prove too strong for them? 

There may or may not be a new shirt on its way ready for this game but can you guess who's name is on the back?

England played their final friendly of October on Tuesday evening as they took on the Czech Republic in Brighton. This game was a chance for Wiegman to rotate her team a bit and see what worked and what didn't. we saw Stanway added to the out injured list and saw Mead and Daly starting from the bench. England were looking to continue their unbeaten run in a game which saw Lucy Bronze gain her 100th cap for her country however, the unbeaten run continues in a way that England probably won't be happy with as they were held to a 0-0 draw. 

The Czech Republic showed England in the first few minutes that they weren't there to be sat back and bullied, they were going to bring a game to England and put up a fight themselves. They even had the first chance of the evening with a shot that found its way over the bar and out for a corner. England's first chance came from Lauren James on her first senior start for her country, she let off a brilliant strike which came very close to going into the back of the net, instead though it rattled against the post and was cleared from the danger zone by the Czech defence. The Czech team certainly held their own especially in the first 10 minutes when they defended well and made a few breaks for themselves. As for England though the seemed to be getting in each others way too many times and this led to them losing the ball rather than continuing a promising attack, which is something we definitely aren't used to seeing from this current England side. When England did manage to string some passes together though they looked fantastic and unstoppable but unfortunately this didn't seem to happen as much as us fans would have liked it to. They definitely dominated the first half possession though there was just no end product throughout the first half, Hemp is still trying to learn her new role and there never seemed to be back up to get the most challenging shots, it was a far cry from the performance we saw in the first half against the USA on Friday. 

The teams went into half time with the score line at 0-0, there wasn't too much from either side but the Czech Republic definitely showed us they weren't here to mess around, they wanted to push and cause an upset. Half time saw Wiegman make some changes with Mead and Toone entering the pitch and it is safe to say England started much livelier than they did the first half with some great balls into the box which no one could convert into a goal. The best effort came from a brilliant ball in from Mead which found the head of Hemp but even that found its way over the crossbar. The second half also saw Esme Morgan finally get her first England cap and also Ebony Salmon receive her second, these are 2 players with a lot of potential so to see them getting a chance is great, I think they will be names we see a lot of in the future. England were doing everything right and had plenty of chances however, they just couldn't get the ball across the line and the game ended 0-0, credit to the Czech Republic though they really brought England a challenge that I don't think many of us expected. 

The Mead and Bronze link up looked really strong at time and I think this could be very beneficial for the World Cup if both players stay fit and get called up for the competition. England certainly used this game to experiment with their players and it created an interesting game which just looked like it was lacking something at times, it was a far cry from Friday's victory over the USA. The loss of Williamson and Russo was definitely noticed in this game as the defence was shaky and not as in control as we have seen when Williamson has been commanding the backline and I do believe Russo would have helped massively attacking wise as her positioning and awareness is fantastic, she would have really suited this game. I think I am enjoying Hemp in her new role and if she settles into it quickly I think this could really benefit both England & Man City, although we did lack that pace and threat on the left with her upfront. I think James settled into the game well too, she looks a bit shaky at first but with it being her first start I guess that could have been expected, as the game progressed she definitely settled in well and I think she is another player we will be seeing much more of in the next few months at least. 

I will be honest I had the Scotland vs Republic of Ireland game on at the same time as this one and I have to say I much preferred watching that game as it was a lot more exciting than the England game, Friday night for England was much more entertaining, whether that was due to the opposition or the team rotation I aren't sure but the Czech Republic definitely turned out to be a strong opponent for us that we couldn't break down. 

Even with a 0-0 draw though the unbeaten run continues and it is time for the players to head back to their clubs before returning to representing their country in November. I am really hoping Williamson and Russo are back in the November camp free from injury but I would also love to see Nobbs get another call up and get some game time as I think she would be really beneficial in the midfield. 

England can we please have some more games back up North though it would be great to see the Lionesses play live once again as getting down south is definitely a struggle these days with kick off times etc...