A look at the BBC Women's footballer of the year 2022 nominees...


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? 

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It is already starting to get tight at the top of the WSL table...

 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...


Tottenham vs Manchester City
The first game of the weekend was a good one. Unfortunately there was a delay in the opening minutes with Tottenham's Brazil going down with a nasty looking injury, fingers crossed she makes a speedy recovery and is back on the pitch soon. Tottenham looked promising at times with some good pressing however, it was Manchester City who walked away with all 3 points thanks to two goals from Shaw and 1 from Hemp. Shaw is really showing us all what she is capable of and why she is able to fill the boots of retired Ellen White with her run of goals at the moment and I think we could see her in the running for this seasons golden boot if she keeps going the way she is. It is nice to see City slowly getting back to winning ways too as they really didn't have the best start to the season. 

Aston Villa vs Everton
A brilliant goal from Lucy Graham saw Everton pick up another 3 points for the season which sees them winning 3 out of their opening 5 games. They are really showing us that they are a much better side than last season where we saw them finish 10th in the league. If they keep playing like they have been doing I can definitely see them improving on that 10th place and also causing some upsets along the way. As for Villa they won their opening 2 games and have lost their last 2, with the teams around them starting to gain momentum are we going to see them start slipping or are we going to see them get back to winning ways soon? 

Liverpool vs Arsenal
Arsenal have extended their unbeaten run in the league with yet another clean sheet. We saw a few changes to their starting line up after their midweek victory over Lyon, most surprisingly we saw Miedema starting on the bench. I don't think many fans expected this but it didn't slow Arsenal down as they comfortably won the game 2-0. We saw Walti get her first WSL goal for the club and what a strike it was and we saw Frida Maanuum on the scoresheet for the second time this week, showing us why Jonas believed in her to start the game. Liverpool did have a few chances and played some good football in the middle of the pitch at times but they just couldn't get themselves on the scoresheet.

Leicester vs Manchester United 
Leicester continued their winless run at the weekend whilst Manchester United extended their unbeaten run with yet another clean sheet, thanks to yet more very impressive goal keeping from Mary Earps, who is having a fantastic start to the season. The win sees United level on points with Arsenal & Chelsea at the top of the table and to be honest I think we need to get used to seeing them up there as they definitely look like a contender for at least a Champions League spot this season. It was nice to see Parris get her first WSL goal for the club too and I am sure we will see plenty more from her throughout the season. 

West Ham vs Reading
West Ham have had a bit of a mixed start to the season and have won 3 out of 5 games so far and at the weekend they found themselves 3 goals up against league strugglers Reading before half time, Reading managed to pull two goals back but just fell short of pulling back a draw to pick up their first points of the season. Reading are definitely struggling so far this season and fingers crossed they can get some points on the board soon, as for West Ham though they have started this season strong and if they keep these performances up we could see them cause a few upsets this season.

Brighton vs Chelsea
Well this game was touch and go for a bit with the bad weather and as the game got underway you could see why, there was plenty of surface water on the pitch but that didn't stop Chelsea and 2 goals, 1 from England and one from Harder saw them leave with all 3 points. Brighton definitely did a bit better than the previous weekend where we saw Man Utd score 4 past them, the defence looked a bit tighter at times and they did create some good chances that they were unable to convert. Did the weather effect Chelsea though? Well some passes didn't seem to connect as well as you would expect from the team and some shots just didn't seem to connect as well as they might have done in other games. Chelsea are definitely pushing to make up from that opening day defeat but with them having played a game more than Man Utd & Arsenal is that going to cause them a problem as the season progress.

The league is only in its early stages but we are already seeing teams make a better start than they did last season and we are seeing other teams like Man City finally starting to gel together and get the results we expect to see from them. We said before the start of the season we expected to see this season be much more competitive and it is already living up to those expectations. I wonder if we wil get any surprise results in next weeks wrap up? Check back next week to see. 

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Now I am back playing what is happening with Edge of the Area?


Well I never thought I would be back kicking the ball around, in fact I am surprised I accepted the invite after last time I played but even in these early days of being back playing I am really enjoying myself and feeling better than ever, things just seem to have fallen back into place and once again my love for the game has grown although I didn't think it had room to grow anymore. 

I had played football on and off from a very young age but unfortunately at 21 years old I found myself stopping playing. My left knee was not my friend and the pain after games was a nightmare, I ended up referred back to the hospital where they advised I stopped playing so I didn't make it worse. In the end I was told I possibly had Osteoarthritis, something I never really expected but here I am now at 28 years old lacing up my boots once more and having the time of my life, I can't wait to see how I feel by the end of the season as it really has given me a new lease of life already.

 Due to not playing I ended up creating this site, Edge of the Area, it was a way for me to feel a part of the game again without having to put my body through pain to be a part of it. The site has been an amazing source for me to get more involved in the game, I am absolutely loving the content we are putting out and honestly I have no plans for slowing down anytime soon however, I was really inspired by what I saw at the Euros and there was that little niggle in the back of my mind of wanting to get back to playing especially now that my knee was feeling stronger and I was starting to feel much fitter than before. That is why when Halifax Friendly Football Club reached out to see if I wanted to join their new team I really couldn't refuse, it would be 9 a side and games wouldn't be every week so I could easy my way back in and honestly it is one of my best decisions of 2022 I absolutely love being back as I say it is early days but the knee is doing well and I am feeling better than ever so we will see how it continues to go.

 
So where does Edge of the Area stand after all this? With me now playing most might find it hard to juggle everything but I am putting a plan in place to make sure I am able to balance both playing and writing as I am loving both at the moment and don't want to neglect either. No matter what there is going to be at least 1 new post up on here each week although some weeks might end up with a whole lot more on depending on the ideas I have and any news happening that week, there might even be plenty of content coming around my games and the team I play for as there is plenty of potential content there, a few ideas are already in place so keep an eye out for that content coming soon.
  
We are of course still going to plenty of games so the match reports will be continuing as usual and with access to more live games on Sky, the BBC and the FA Player, there are even going to be reports based on those games we watch, there really is no slowing down we are throwing ourselves into building the platform we have and with the season ticket for Man Utd Women and more time to watch games at home there could very well be WSL match reports weekly alongside FAWNL ones when we get to go to those Bradford City games we still love attending. It isn't all going to be match reports though we are also planning on expanding our content range, the ideas are in place we are just waiting to hear back from people to get the ball rolling on those ideas, fingers crossed that all falls into place soon as we are already excited about the direction we are taking these new ideas in. 

Granted some of the games do clash with games we have already bought tickets for however, we aren't letting this site disappear, with a bit of planning we know we are going to fit a lot in this season and we can't wait to see where it takes us both playing wise and content creating wise. We have big plans and getting back on the pitch is only adding fuel to the fire, bring on the rest of this season. 

Let us know if there is any specific content you would like to see from us? 

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Manchester United go top of the league with victory over Brighton

 

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?

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How things are looking after another weekend of WSL football


We have seen another great weekend of WSL action with 17 goals over the weekend in the 6 games being played. There were some big scoring games and some games that took us by surprise as we thought they would have had more goals in them. I think it is safe to say it is a good time to be a Manchester United fan as they have found themselves top of the league, it might only be on goal difference at the moment, but they are showing promising signs this morning and I can see them being up there for a while if they carry on playing the way they currently are. Chelsea are also starting to move up the table but with teams around them having a game in hand they are still chasing Manchester United & Arsenal who have had great starts to the season. We even saw Manchester City pick up their first points of the season on their long awaited first home game of the season. So here are how the games went this weekend... 


Aston Villa vs West Ham United
Well I wish I had the chance to sit and watch this one on the FA Player as it seems like it had a bit of everything. There was a bit of pushing & shoving which resulted in a West Ham red card followed by 2 West Ham coaches receiving red cards. Arnold saved a Villa penalty which could have brought them back into the game, and after watching the replays it was a brilliant save from the West Ham 'keeper. The game saw West Ham pick up their second win of the season and Aston Villa lose their first game of the season but let's hope they can bounce back next weekend and continue with what has been a surprising start to the season for them. 

Manchester United vs Brighton 
We were lucky enough to go see this game live as we have Manchester United season tickets now and what a treat we were in store for. Before the game I said to Liam we could end up seeing a few goals but I didn't expect to see United score 4 and end the weekend at the top of the league. The game was brilliant and the players were working really well together. United have had a fantastic start to the season and their performance yesterday just proved that. Brighton had a few chances throughout the game but just couldn't find the back of the net, Earps didn't help them either as she pulled off some great saves. 

Everton vs Chelsea
It is safe to say Harder is back for Chelsea with her scoring two goals as they walked away from their game against Everton with a 3-1 win. Hayes might be away from the touchline whilst she recovers from surgery but it didn't stop Chelsea, Harder opened the scoring before Everton equalized through a Buchanan own goal. The game didn't stay level for long though as Harder converted a penalty that was awarded after Reiten was brought down. Charles finished off the scoring in extra time and sealed the victory for Chelsea. Everton are definitely doing much better than last season and Chelsea are slowly getting back into rhythm after their opening day defeat. 

Manchester City vs Leicester City 
Finally Manchester City have recorded their first win of the season with a 4-0 victory over league strugglers Leicester City, a team who are still trying to get their first points of the season. Shaw found the back of net twice during the game and Lauren Hemp & Yui Hasegawa also found themselves on the score sheet for Man City. This game was Man City's first home game after the season so what a way to mark it with the first win of the season. Hopefully this is a sign of things improving at Man City but I guess only time will tell.

Tottenham vs Liverpool 
Tottenham record their second victory of the season with a 1-0 victory over Liverpool. It was a Liverpool player who scored on the day though with Fahey scoring the only goal, just in the wrong goal. Liverpool are still to win another game this season after their opening day shock against Chelsea. Tottenham are slowly picking up the results needed and I am looking forward to seeing how they do against Man City at the weekend. Whereas Liverpool are up against Arsenal, can they pick up another shock result? 

Reading vs Arsenal
We managed to sit down and watch this game thanks to it being on Sky Sports, I will be honest I thought there would be more goals in this game than just the one as Arsenal walked away 1-0 winners. This game showed that Arsenal are looking a bit weaker at the back due to injuries, Reading were challenging the back line well and had a lot of chances which they just couldn't convert. Arsenal just didn't look as dominating as we are used to seeing and you could see on a lot of their players faces, they weren't happy with how the game was going. Arsenal are in for a busy period with a few big names out injured so it is going to be interesting to see how it plays out for them as they are chasing the top spot.

The competition has been great so far this season and it might only be early days but some teams are really standing out and showing us just what they are capable of such as Manchester United who are really showing us this season just what they capable of and how they can challenge for the top spot this time around. Last season was competitive but I think this season is going to be even better for us fans to watch with some very interesting games still to happen. 

What was your favourite game from this weekend? 

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