Football in the UK & Ireland season 2018/19

here's the Arsenal vs Reading full game from 1/27/19


the Conti Cup semis between Man City vs Chelsea on facebook today

Conti Cup Semi Final, LIVE on Facebook! Chelsea... - The FA Women's Super League

 

Ragged, chippy game between Arsenal and Reading. Bad weather--cold and rainy--and a lot of fouls. Arsenal certainly has lost some of its early-season sharpness, owing to a ton of injuries, but the Gunners still had enough to put away a hard-working Reading side. Miedema scored her 16th goal, the most ever in a season.

 

remember Arsenal will play again today, about 1.30 central time, in the other Conti Cup semis vs Man U. Haven't seen a direct link, but I'm pretty sure it will be on this facebook page
The FA Women's Super League - Home

the winner will take on Man City, who beat Chelsea yesterday in the other semis

 

Interesting match between Arsenal and Manchester United. ManU is a pacy, hard-working team. They don't have the overall quality of Arsenal, but and high press and energy bothered Arsenal's back four in the first half. Indeed, they had the better run of play in the first 10 minutes or so, but Arsenal settled in and then scored on a beautiful long pass by D. Bloodworth to Miedema, who finished clinically, as she so often does, and Arsenal went in at the half 1-0.

Arsenal pretty much bossed the 2nd half, keeping the ball, making ManU chase, and Miedema scored again--gathering in a deflection in the box, taking a touch with her right foot and then firing the ball into the net with her left to give the Gunners a 2-0 lead. Arsenal had two or three other decent-good chances, including a header by Mead that did everything but go in the net, but the ManU defense held and then they scored off a deflection at the 83' mark to make the last 7 minutes more interesting. But the Gunners maintained control and took the victory. Miedema, Mead, Little, Bloodworth, who's moved into the midfield with Walti injured, and Van de Donk all played well for Arsenal, which isn't at its best with three starters out indefinitely, but there is still a lot of quality in the side, to be sure, and with a bit of luck could have won this match more easily. Bloodworth is a very versatile and talented player who can play midfield, outside back and centerback, and play them well, and so is a very valuable player indeed.

 

Figure I just mention; your fave, Arsenal, lost rather surprisingly, 0-3 , to Chelsea in the quarters of the FA Cup. Not sure what happened; my only ref guide, the soccerway website, gave very little info on the game. Bummer though since the finals which Arsenal,made into last year) been getting those 50K+ crowds.
Hasn't been the greatest weekend for Dutch players as Lieke Martins & Barca got shot down likewise over at the Spanish Cup

 

Emma Mitchell at left back seems to be a problem--she's getting beat a lot lately and I think lost the ball that resulted in Chelsea's first goal. I think Bloodworth would normally be in that spot but she's been playing midfield because of injuries.

 

found a replay on facebook ~~dare to watch, lol
sse women's fa cup - Facebook Search

 

Any livestreams of the Conti Cup final tomorrow--Arsenal vs. ManCity? I'll have to check around.

 

If you can get any live "broadcast" of BT Sport 1 (subscription channel), they've got the TV rights. BBC just has a radio/text commentary.

 

it's on facebook
For those outside of the UK and unable to watch... - The FA Women's Super League

but look who's missing in their starting lineup

 

watched the Conti Cup final, which was an unspectacular 0-0 after 120 min., only to have the live feed stop at the PK shootout, but final score has it Man City 4, Arsenal 2.

got to make you wonder; whats the point of having this particular cup since it didn't seem like both teams didn't want to give it their all/as well as a smallish crowd

 

Didn't want to give it their all? I think it is just the opposite--both teams very much wanted to win this match, and they are the two best teams in the league, so it is a big and natural rivalry as well, especially given that Arsenal beat ManCity last year to win this trophy. The fact that there were no goals in regulation doesn't mean they weren't playing hard--they clearly were.

I only got up in time to see the OT periods. It sounds like ManCity had more the better of play in regulation, but Arsenal played hard and had chances, too. Van Veenendal was said to be very good in goal for the Gunners today. Interesting that Montemurro did not start Miedema, who apparently has a tender ankle, and brought her in at the 67' minute mark or so. That could have been a boost to Arsenal late, but Miedema was marked tightly and they obviously weren't able to score.

ManCity took it on penalties. Bardsley saved shots by Williamson and Van de Donk, and should get credit for going the right way each time--but they were both rather poor shots, especially Williamson's, which didn't require the keeper to take more than a step in the right direction and it was waist high. I would like to see referee stop keeper's from messing with penalty shooters--it's bush league and should not be tolerated. Bardsley actually walked up and handed the ball to Little, and then before every Arsenal penalty shot was thumping her hands together to try and distract them. I don't like it--just go to your spot and stop with all the theatrics.

Despite her poor penalty, Williamson by all accounts had a brilliant defensive game. ManCity are talented throughout and good, but Arsensal were working with a thin lineup, as they have been for at least a month or longer. Without Nobbs and Walti, for starters, they just have no depth right now. I mean, Nobbs makes this a much different game, but credit to ManCity and the Shiek's money!

 

I felt the intensity level was nowhere near what we saw the previous week in the Munich/Wolfsburg matchup(and after all, were talking about 4 out of 6 of the best pro teams in Europe).
Both teams played with the usual underwhelming English style of just one striker/one player upfront. Both teams suffered from not being able to clear the ball from their danger zones(which unfortunately remains the classic weakness of woso)
Since Arsenal's injury problems is well documented, got to focus more on Man City, which got at least 10 English NT players on it, yet it was the unassuming Scot, Weir, that was named player of the game.
I don't think it bodes well for England(as well for Great Britain as upwards of 2/3rds of their players were in this game) for their chances of winning either the WC or Olympics if they play so un-spectacularly(but then could be eating my words by next week's SBC)

 

I thought the intensity level between Arsenal and ManCity was quite high. Whether it matched that of Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg, I can't say. (I found that BM-Wolfsburg match hard to watch because the field seemed small and there didn't seem enough room for the teams to spread out and find space. I don't know what the dimensions of that BM complex field are, but it sure //seemed// tight.) Both Arsenal and ManCity did high-press pretty effectively and there were struggles by both at times to get the ball out of their defensive third. It looked like a game in which two good teams played good defense and canceled each other out.

As for England's WC chances: they've got a chance, I think. There is a lot of talent on the squad, and experienced talent. The manager, Phil Neville, will have a lot of selection options, and so getting them right, playing well on the day and getting the ball in the back of the net in knockout games will be everything, as always.