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?

at No comments
Labels: ,

Women's game merchandise, should more be available?


It is no secret that we have seen a lot of growth in the women's game since the 2022 Euro's here in the UK however, it feels like more could be done by clubs to ensure that they are capitalising on the growth, getting everyone involved and bringing some vital funds for the women's teams. One of the ways you feel they could capitalize on this is by bringing out women's specific merchandise and make the things they already sell more accessible not hidden away. Imagine if it was easier for fans to get their favourite player on the back of their shirt with the WSL granted most top flight clubs are getting better at this however, it still feels like there is a bit further to push it with the kits being easier to find and easier to buy at all sizes.

Our nephew is 4 years old and was desperate for a Jordan Nobbs & Mary Earps shirt but you just can't get them at that size with the WSL printing, we are meant to be inspiring a young generation not keeping them from celebrating their favourite players in such a great way. When you are at a game and look around there is a big chunk of the fan base around our nephews age and they have plain shirts or male players on their shirts, this could be down to the factthe lettering for the WSL isn't small enough for those smaller sized shirts but surely they can start making them soon, they will definitely get rid of the name sets via printing of the shirts so it is not like they would be wasting too much money and they would be helping the younger generation show their love for their favourite female players. In the end we went through a 3rd party for the nephews Nobbs shirt and it came with the Premier League name set, surely the WSL would prefer money going back to their league via more name set sales. There is definitely a demand for the shirts as you just have to look around at games to see all the women's names on shirts to see that they would sell at all ages and it would be great to see the younger fans have the chance to get more involved with showing their love for those female players.

Manchester United seem to be doing a bit more to allow fans to buy merchandise for the women's team as when we went Old Trafford for the West Ham match we called into the shop first and we saw a few posters of the women's team, mugs with a few players on and even some t-shirts. It is safe to say we definitely didn't expect to see those items but it made a nice change and I am hoping that the range grows more in the not so distant future and that it is something all clubs at a variety of levels start to bring to their club stores as it will give the fans chance to show their support with more than just a shirt. Granted Manchester United seem to be adding more women's related items to their site however, it can be hard to navigate at times hidden in with a sea of men's merchandise, fingers crossed as the game continues to grow teams will start to have a dedicated women's team section with everything in one place so fans aren't having to endlessly scroll to find what they are wanting to purchase. A bit on the menu or a section to click on from the home page to a one stop shop would definitely help fans purchase more women's merchandise and help promote the women's game like they want to. 

When we went to the Manchester derby at the Etihad earlier this season the scarf sellers outside were selling scarves with the men's team on them but there was nothing for the women's teams who were actually playing that day. We did ask them though if they were ever planning on adding ones for the women's team and just a few weeks later at Leigh Sports Village we managed to get a scarf with the United women's team on it which was brilliant. Not long after though there were more and more scarves becoming available and we now own a full team scarf, a Russo one, a Toone one, a Earps one and even a Galton one it is safe to say the collection is coming along nicely and hopefully over time more will become available of our favourites so we can add them to the collection. 

The women's game might be growing in terms of women taking part in playing the game and fans entering the stadium to watch games however, it still feels like there is a long way to go in terms of growing the game in all areas to bring in more funds for clubs at all levels and it just seems like they are forgetting about what could be the easiest part for them... women's team merchandise, we all know merchandise sells and can bring in revenue for the clubs so why not make the most of it and use it as a way for fans to show off their love of the women's games whilst giving clubs a bit of extra advertising whilst they are wearing or using the women's merchandise they purchase. It definitely feels like there is a long way to go with this but let's hope the small steps we are currently seeing is all the beginning of putting the wheels in motion and getting more merchandise to us fans, I know I would definitely end up spending a fortune on it would you? 

Would you love to see more women's team specific merchandise available to purchase or are you happy with how things currently are? 

at No comments
Labels: , ,

HFFC Belles big run of games gets underway with 3 points


 After 5 weeks off (which definitely felt longer) the HFFC Belles finally returned to league action in a big match which saw them take on 3rd place Clifford Women's, a win would see the Belles leapfrog their opponents and claim 3rd place. It is safe to say the Belles kept this in mind throughout the 50 minutes of the game as their determination paid off and they left the pitch with 3 points and that 3rd place spot thanks to a 1-0 victory. 


You could definitely tell the Belles hadn't had a game for a few weeks as they started off a lot slower than usual and took a while to get themselves into the game, Clifford were a lot quicker to react in the opening moment of the game and at times the Belles fitness levels were showing before half time. Clifford came agonizingly close to taking the lead due to this however, luckily for the Belles Leah was on the line to keep the ball out of the goal. That was about it for the first half though with nothing major happening for either side. You could tell that the Belles were frustrated coming off from the first half, but that is the good thing about the Belles, they regroup and come out stronger in the 2nd half if things haven't gone to plan.

That is exactly what happened in this game, after a good half time talk and a few changes to the system with fresh legs brought on & a few players switching positions the Belles were ready and raring to improve on their first half performance. The changes certainly seemed to work too as not long after the restart the Belles got their goal. A well worked pattern of play saw the ball land at Kacey's feet and there was no way she was going to miss slotting it past the Clifford 'keeper nicely. After the goal it is safe to say the Belles settled into the game a whole lot more and got themselves into the game with some great patterns of play which ended in some fantastic chances but unfortunately for the Belles they just couldn't add to the goal tally as the Clifford 'keeper was having an absolutely fantastic game and made some brilliant saves to keep the score line 1-0. Clifford had a few half chances in the second half but there was nothing too threatening due to some great defending and goalkeeping from the Belles.


The Belles really upped the tempo in the second half and started to play like the team we are so used to seeing, they were moving the ball around the pitch really well finding little pockets of space to feed the ball into and getting themselves into some great positions. It was really nice to see all this fall into place as it just goes to show what is worked on in training is paying off and being implemented into the game really well.

Player of the match for this game went to the fantastic Beth who had an absolutely brilliant game in central defence, clearing the ball out of danger well alongside commanding the back line to stop any threatening looking attacks from Clifford. Beth has really developed in her role over the course of the season and in this game she was a key piece to why the Belles kept a clean sheet, she is always in the right position and makes sure those around her are too. 

This 1-0 victory pushes the Belles into 3rd place just 7 points off the top spot with 2 games in hand on the current league leaders Monk Fryston. With just 4 games remaining for the season and 2 of those being against current second place Pontefract Cougars it is safe to say every game is a big game now and every point is a big one. If the Belles play as they did in the second half of this game against Clifford they could honestly be closing that gap at the top of the league and push for a higher than 3rd place finish. With the fight and determination the Belles have anything could be possible and we looking forward to seeing how those remaining games play out.

To say this is the Belles first season I think it is safe to say the team are surprising themselves with their capabilities week in week out and are more than determined to improve on their current league position as the end of season approaches.

Attention now turns to Sunday the 30th April where the Belles take on 2nd place Pontefract Cougars in yet another big match with 3 very valuable points up for grabs. Let's go Belles

at No comments
Labels:

Women's football weekend showcases some great football



Women's football certainly didn't disappoint over the course of the 3 days it was played across. We had the Merseyside derby and the North London derby whilst we also saw Brighton and Reading face each other in the hopes of picking up some vital points to get them away from that relegation zone. I have to say I don't think a single game disappointed over the course of the weekend and was a great way to show off the women's league whilst the men were on international break. We were lucky enough to be at the Manchester United game where they put 4 past West Ham to go back to the top of the league however, I think our game of the weekend has to be Manchester City vs Chelsea, I don't think many of us expected the game we saw and to see City go second in the table after a rough start is definitely a sign of things really clicking for the side. So here is a look at the games from this weekend...


Everton vs Liverpool 
The Merseyside derby held at Goodison Park kicked women's football weekend off and it certainly didn't disappoint. Granted we didn't get to watch this game due to other commitments however, watching back the highlights this game seemed to be the perfect derby game. Gabby George opened up the scoring with a fantastic strike which looked like it could have been a cross however, it found the back of the net which is all that matters. Stengel then drew Liverpool level with her 7th of the season showing us just what an asset she is for the Liverpool team. Both sides had goals ruled out Liverpool's for a foul on the 'keeper & Everton's for a handball so at the end of the night points were shared between the Merseyside clubs. 

Tottenham vs Arsenal
The North London derby once again confirmed that North London is red, with Arsenal putting 5 past Tottenham this time around. England managed to get a goal back for Spurs from the penalty spot to make the game 2-1 however, Arsenal just kept pressing on and the game ended 5-1. Foord once again managed to bag 2 goals against Spurs, she just seems to love scoring against them and Kim Little converted from the penalty spot. Blackstenius was the one who opener the scoring and Maanum closed the scoring. Arsenal are currently sitting outside the Champions League spots but they are showing those above them that they will be fighting until the final day to get themselves back in Europe next season.

Manchester United vs West Ham
We were lucky enough to be at this game and watching United at Old Trafford just feels fantastic. They definitely performed for the occassion too however, maybe not so much in the first half which felt a bit flat and to be honest a bit boring. They certainly stepped it up in the second half though and put 4 past West Ham to go back to the top of the league table. That is all I will say about this game though as I will have a match report going up about this one very soon. 

Manchester City vs Chelsea
Even though we were at United I think the City vs Chelsea game might have been my favourite this weekend with the two big teams coming up against each other at a key part in the fight for European football this season. City hadn't beat Chelsea since 2017 but that changed at the weekend as two fantastic goals saw them beat the current league holders who just seemed off pace all game. Chelsea were definitely missing Bright during this game and City's fantastic performance saw Chelsea make early changes to try get back into the game but it just never looked like happening for them. The win saw City jump into second place and Chelsea drop to third however, with a game in hand they have the chance to get the top spot back but this season anything can happen and it is nice seeing teams hold their own against them. 

Aston Villa vs Leicester 
Aston Villa really didn't hold back as they faced league strugglers Leicester and ended up putting 5 past the team fighting to avoid relegation. Of course Daly was on the score sheet once again with a double whilst Lehmann also found the back of the net twice. The scoring was opened by Dali in just the 6th minute and Villa showed no signs of easing off during the game. Villa have really surprised me this season as they have put in some fantastic performances whilst really pushing to move up the table. Ward has really invested in a team with a lot of potential and no doubt we will see more strong results from them before the end of the season.

Reading vs Brighton
This was always going to be a big game with the two teams being close to being dragged into a relegation battle if Leicester start picking up points anytime soon, it is certainly close down at the bottom of the table and a win would really have helped either side however, it wasn't meant to be and the points were shared. Brighton took a two goal lead thanks to Sarri's double in the first half however, they couldn't hold on to the lead and a Harries double for Reading in the second half drew the score line level. These teams really need to start picking up points soon though as it will only take a few Leicester wins for them to be seriously fighting for survival. 

 So there you have it that is how women's football weekend finished and with some brilliant score lines and exciting games of football lets hope it has helped increase the women's game audience. The competition is really heating up at both ends of the table so it is going to be interesting to see some of the results next week as we head towards yet another international break. Now is it the first of April yet? I am ready for more WSL action.

at No comments
Labels:

Things are starting to fall into place for the Halifax Friendly FC Belles

 

After a few weeks away from league action the Halifax Friendly FC Belles returned with a bang with a comfortable win against league strugglers Rothwell Juniors Women White, the lack of league action didn't seem to faze the Belles and their fine form in their first game continued with a big of a goal-fest on their behalf. Sunday saw their highest scoring league game this season with them putting 5 past Rothwell with a nice mix of goalscorers getting in on the action. 

The game was a chance for the coaches to experiment a little with their formation opting for a 3-1-3-1 formation, something new but something that the team adapted to with ease and those players in a change of role adapted really well and settled in nicely to their new responsibilities and in some cases had their best game of the season so far, I know I definitely felt like I had my best game in my new role and feel like I could settle into it nicely as I actually preferred it to being on the wing and it showed some strengths in my game that I never knew I had. The new formation gave the defence the help they needed and often lacked in previous games but everyone put a shift in, held their shape and all that hard work in training is really paying off and we are seeing just what we are capable of after a few technical session that have taught us how to move the ball around better and how to hold our shape to make it harder for the opposition to breakthrough on goal. Granted Rothwell had a few chances but nothing too threatening and nowhere near as many as they would have had in previous weeks.

We saw just what we could do in the new formation by the fact we were moving the ball round much better rather than previously as when we were on the ball we knew where the options were for us to pass to and we were using the space on the pitch really well, something we are trying to get used to and have worked on in training a few times, but it all just seemed to come together in Sunday's game as there were less of just hitting the ball and panicking and more sitting with the ball and calmly considering our next move which really helped us break down their midfield and defence and at times really frustrated them. 

Granted we did start the game a little slower than we would all have liked but again we were settling in to the new positions and getting a feel for the smaller pitch again after playing on bigger ones our past few games. Once we did settle down though it all just fell into place and every time we had the ball we looked a threat and took a chance on goal. We are definitely seeing our confidence in front of goal grow too which again was highlighted in Sunday's game, shots were taken from a variety of distances and were taken properly rather than hit and hope like they used to be, this ended with 5 brilliantly struck goals and it could very easily have been a higher scoreline if it wasn't for a few post hits and very close calls which unfortunately fell the wrong side of the goal.

It is safe to say that Sunday's game was one of the best I have seen from us this season so far with everything starting to come together that we have been working on over the past few weeks in training and you can't fault any players performance on the day with everyone having a solid game and showing the improvement they have made since the start of the season, to say this is our first season together with some of the results we have been getting it is going to be interesting to see what the remainder of this season and next season is going to hold for us... as all these things start to fall into place we are just getting stronger and stronger so we could see games getting better and better week in week out.

With the end of the season fast approaching it really is all to play for, the Belles are currently sat in 4th in the league just 4 points off 3rd place with 3 games in hand on them. With how games have gone recently though a strong run of results and we could very easily finish in 3rd place, if not higher which would be a huge achievement for our first season. I guess only time will tell for that though and all I can say is I am excited to see what the remainder of the season holds. 

Now is it game day again yet?

at No comments
Labels:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)