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The World Cup content starts now...

 


Here we go it is time to get in that World Cup mood...

Edge of the Area started in 2019 after I did a few bits of content on and older blog of mine during the World Cup in 2019, since then things have gone from strength to strength and we can easily say we are really looking forward to creating content for the World Cup this summer, we are basically back where it all started but are so much more capable of providing much better content this time around.

2019 was a fantastic summer of watching the World Cup however, this summer has the potential to be even better. In 2019 we saw the USA become back to back champions however, since then the women's game has got even more competitive and a lot of teams have really started to catch the USA in terms of capability so we could see the reigning champions face some tough challenges throughout the tournament and who knows we might even see a new nation emerge as champions this time around. 

Since 2019 the Women's game really has come a long way however, there are still plenty of issues especially in regards to the treatment of female players by various Federations and no doubt we are going to hopefully see some teams highlight these issues during the campaign whilst also having some fantastic performances on the pitch to show those federations what they are capable of. We still have Canada with their issues that have been hugely highlighted, Jamaica have also recently released a statement in regards to their treatment so it is going to be interesting to see what sort of performances we get from those nations this time around. The big one to watch this tournament though is Spain, with some big names missing due to their ongoing issues they could be in for an interesting tournament, they were hit and miss in the Euros so I wonder what we are going to see from them on the World stage, I guess one good thing for them is the return of Alexia Putellas, but is it enough to outweigh those not playing due to issues off the pitch? 

It isn't just Federation issues that are a spanner in the works for this competition though as a lot of the big nations are going to be playing without some of their big name players due to injuries which seem to have been brought to everyone's attention more than ever this year. It feels like after every round of games we have seen a player end up sidelined due to an injury and they never seem to be injuries that are quick to recover from either. England have Williamson, Kirby & Mead out while Canada have Beckie out with an ACL injury, reigning Champions USWNT also have key players out as do France, that is just a few of the nations with injuries and there are plenty of players heading out onto the World stage after just recovering from big injuries so could they end up having the return of their lives or are we going to see more players drop due to injuries? I guess only time will tell. 

This tournament is a chance for players to really stand out and make a name for themselves this summer, players have the chance to become household names and those who are looking for new clubs or contract extensions have the opportunity to show clubs all over the world what an asset they would be. Just look at the rise of Rose Lavelle after a fantastic performance in 2019, that could happen to absolutely any player in 2023 with each nation having a brilliant standard of squad that will be competing. This summer is yet another chance for the Women's game to grow even further and for the World to see just how well the standard is improving and why it is worth tuning in and following leagues at all levels across the globes.

So what is in store for Edge of the Area this summer? Well thanks to the World Cup being held in Australia & New Zealand there is going to be a lot of super early starts to catch all the games we can and no doubt a lot of games will be recorded for us to catch up on as we juggle watching games, creating content whilst continuing with the 9-5 and other aspects of life but those early game times aren't going to stop us and we have a whole host of content lined up from now until the end of the World Cup in August so expect to be seeing a lot more of us. Those early starts are all going to be worth it in the end, so here are some of the content topics you can expect to see from us...

- Predictions 

- Ones to watch

- Squads

- Kits

- Previews

- Match reports 

- Round Wrap ups

- Highlights 

No doubt those topics are just going to be a handful of things you are going to be seeing throughout the summer on both the blog and social media. It is certainly going to be a busy time but we are looking forward to covering a tournament that has the potential to be one of the best yet. This is only the beginning to as after a busy summer with the World Cup we will be jumping straight into the new season of the FAWNL and the WSL which should hopefully carry on the momentum of a fantastic summer for the Women's game. 

Now let's get this World Cup content underway...

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The players we would love to see heading to the World Cup for the Lionesses...

The Lionesses World Cup squad is due to be announced in a few days which got us thinking with a lot of those players who could have been guaranteed a spot on the plane to Australia & New Zealand now being ruled out for injury who would we love to see take their place and actually get some game time? With no Leah Williamson there is a centre back spot opener right up and with Kirby ruled out we need another attacking option for sure. Who even knows if Millie Bright and Beth Mead will have recovered in time to head on over for the World Cup, it has been very quiet on the Bright front and we all need to remember just how bad Mead's injury was, do you risk taking her and possibly cause her a setback if she picks up even the slightest of knocks? The risk would definitely be using spots for those carrying injuries or just finishing recovery getting injured again and us not having the back up for the rest of the tournament due to us only being able to take so many players in the first place. 


With those injuries there is a real chance that we can see players break into the team after losing their spot previously or even those who have yet to have a chance really step up and prove what they are capable. We have seen a really competitive WSL season this time around and honestly for us there have been a lot of English players that have shown up week in week out and really made a difference for their clubs. I am not sure if it is the upcoming World Cup that has spurred these players on or just the quality of the game improving but they have all certainly made a case for a spot to this summers World Cup. 

So here are those players who we think have had an impact at their clubs this season who we believe deserves a spot on the plane to the World Cup...


We weren't too sure about Nikita's move to Man Utd at the start of the season but it is safe to say she 100% proved up wrong. She seems to have slotted right into the United team and we honestly think she has had her best season in a long time and it is nice to see just how much of an impact she is making for club. Parris didn't get much game time at the Euro's and hasn't had the chance to play for her country lately however, with her form at United we would love to see her called back up and actually get game time as we think we are really starting to get the best out of her after a few hit & miss seasons.


To say how young Maya is she is showing a whole lot of potential to become one of the greatest English centre backs, we have seen her keep Man Utd in the game plenty of times this season with some brilliant blocks and perfectly timed tackles. Maya does get called up to the England squad these days and I hope that she gets called up to show us all what she is capable of in a major tournament. With Williamson out injured I would love to see Le Tissier paired up with Bright or Greenwood at the back to show what future centre back partnerships could look like for the team. With her age I think Maya Le Tissier could be a name we see on plenty of future Lioness squad lists and fingers crossed it is on this World Cup one.


Now this one incredibly unlikely to happen due to Leah's personal choices however, she would 100% be a perfect addition to the Lionesses squad. Galton has been in absolutely fantastic form this season and we have all seen she is very capable of scoring goals and also creating them for her teammates so she would definitely be a huge asset to the Lionesses squad. Galton's pace certainly causes problems and it is safe to say she has been an key player for United's success this season and is one of the reasons they are entering the Champions League for the first time, she could bring so much to the England squad.


Coombs has really made a name for herself this season at Man City and has really helped them get back into things after they had a rough start to the season. We have seen Coombs get called into the Lioness camps post Euros and it is safe to say we would love to see her on a plane to Australia & New Zealand. The midfielder would add a bit of experience to the team and would have a brilliant chance to show everyone just what she is made of and why she should be getting that game time for her country, even if it is as a substitute she can still bring so much to the squad.


Manchester United's captain Katie Zelem always seems to just fall short of making it into the Lioness squad however, surely this time around she should be on the plane ready to make an impact in the World Cup? She has been a key player in Man Utd's success this year just like Galton has and we think it about time she got the chance to shine for her country too. Zelem has a great ability to hold the ball up when needed but her vision for her passes is absolutely fantastic too. She can bring so much to the squad and even her set pieces could prove a big difference in the tournament as she has shown at United she can find a team mate in the box really well especially from corners.


There was a bit of heartbreak here at Edge of the Area when Staniforth left Man Utd for Aston Villa but we soon got over that when we realised just how good of a move it was for Staniforth. She is finally getting the game time she deserves and surely with some of the performances she has had at Villa you would think Wiegman would definitely be considering putting her on the plane but I guess only time will tell. In the end we are actually quite glad Staniforth left United as it has really given her the chance to get valuable game time and show us all what she is capable of.


It is quite unbelievable to that Turner spent a lot of last season out with what can only be described as a life threatening injury as she has really bounced back this season and again with her in central defence Man Utd have looked absolutely solid at the back. Turner has put in some great defensive work but she has popped up at the opposite end of the pitch when needed too with some brilliant headed goals to give United a very late and crucial lead. With the defensive injuries that the Lionesses already have in the back line Turner could be the perfect addition to the squad to strengthen that back line.


If Wiegman wants to replace those injured in the back line with a bit more major tournament experience she is hopefully looking towards ex captain Steph Houghton. Steph has had a bit of criticism lately due to comments about previously being left out of Lioness camps however, if the season is anything to go by then Wiegman definitely needs to be looking in her direction especially with a back line that could be just coming back from injury. Steph has 100% made a difference since becoming a regular feature for City again this season and her return from injury really helped City get back to winning games plus that experience could come in really handy in the dressing room if things aren't going quite to plan for the team.


It is no secret on how much we love Jordan Nobbs here at Edge of the Area and we have our fingers crossed that she gets the chance to represent the Lionesses at this World Cup. She is so deserving of a chance as since her move to Villa we have seen her really make a difference to the squad whilst also showing everyone why she is such an underrated player, she deserves a lot more credit than she gets as she is a game changer and the minutes she is finally getting at Villa goes to show that. We are just hoping that the injury curse she seems to be under before every major tournament has finally gone and that she really gets a shot this time around, she could be key in the middle of the pitch for the Lionesses with some fantastic defending and brilliant attacking abilities.

A lot of these players in our eyes are so underrated and don't get the recognition they deserve so it would be great to see them head to the World Cup and really show everyone what they are made of and just how much impact they can have in the team. The countdown is on now to see who has and hasn't made the cut from Wiegman, let's just hope a few of these names have made it.

Who would you love to see called up to the Lionesses World Cup squad for this summer?

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The men's World Cup might be starting soon but we are counting down to 2023...


The men's World Cup might be starting very soon however, I have to admit that I am definitely more excited for the Women's World Cup next year and the countdown is most definitely on already. The recent draw for the group stages has made the competition a lot more real and has opened our eyes to just how soon it is going to be played. This world cup is an extended one for the Women's game with 32 teams now in the competition and with how the game is currently progressing us fans are definitely going to be in for a treat as the tournament takes place in July & August 2023. It was great to watch the draw and seeing some of the groups take shape there are going to be some brilliant games even in the early stages with some tough match ups even in the groups. With the game progressing it is at the moment we are seeing upsets in friendlies so will they carry on over into the tournament? Will we see favourites dumped out of the competition sooner than we expected? It is going to be interesting to find out and I think some teams are really going to have to up their game if they want to keep up with the rest of the teams in the competition. So here is quick look at the groups...

Group A
New Zealand 
Norway 
Philippines 
Switzerland

Group B
Australia
Republic of Ireland
Nigeria
Canada

Group C
Spain 
Costa Rica
Zambia
Japan

Group D
England
Group B playoff winner
Denmark 
China PR

Group E
USA 
Vietnam
Netherlands 
Group A playoff winner

Group F
France 
Jamacia
Brazil 
Group C playoff winner

Group G
Sweden 
South Africa
Italy 
Argentina

Group H 
Germany
Morocco
Colombia
Korea Republic

There are certainly some interesting groups, I am particularly looking forward to the game between USA and the Netherlands in group E, this is a replay of the 2019 final and with how the teams are playing lately this could definitely be a great match up that is definitely a bit different to the 2019 final. I am really looking forward to seeing how far England can get in this tournament too, they really impressed us in the Euros and there is the potential there to really push forward and hopefully get to the final if not win it, they look like a totally different side under Wiegman and the hope is definitely there for the 2023 World Cup. There are going to be plenty of great match ups through the group stages and if the teams expected progress the match ups in the knock out rounds are going to be absolutely fantastic too and could go either way.

The countdown is really on for the competition now and Summer 2023 really can't come soon enough, as always we are really hoping to catch as many of the games in the build up to the tournament start and when it does eventually begin, let's just hope the time differences don't affect the amount of games we can actually watch, although I am sure we will find a way to work around this. 

We are already planning plenty of content for the tournament and we can't wait to get going with it, there will be posts about the squad announcements, group predictions, player profiles, ones to watch, match reports and so much more coming to the site and social media so keep an eye out for that and let us know if there is anything specific you would like to see throughout the tournament or in the build up to it. 

Bring on the 2023 World Cup.
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