Thanks for continuing to keep us updated on the women. I do read and appreciate all your posts on this topic. I'm also glad you've had a great trip over there. The Bournemouth game would have been amazing in itself, but it looks and sounds like all the other matches you've been to have been excellent as well.
If you're already having withdrawal from Arsenal footy during interlull, and wanna check out the gals, they kickoff leg 1 of UWCL at 1:45pm ET today... My hunch is that this will be a sizable ask for them to get a result in Munchen today. But you never know... the way we dismantled Chelsea a few weeks ago, anything is possible!
HT: 1-0 Sounds like the ladies started well but Bayern slowly took control, scoring about 5 minutes before the half. If the gals can hold on and at least keep it to that I'd call it a result leaving hope for the return leg.
I've been keeping an eye on things... sort of. 1T was close but Bayern shaded it, including the 1-0 lead. 2T has been much more about Arsenal. It's now 72' and in the last 5-10 mins we've gone very very close. The latest was a goalmouth scramble where there was a clear illegal backpass to the GK 3 yards from goal, which didn't get caught by the refs and sadly isn't a candidate for VAR review because it's an indirect FK infraction. If we can't equalize we will take some belief from this leg into the 2nd leg. BUT if we let them score again that might just be curtains for our hopes. Tricky balance right now. p.s. Bayern are being cheating, time-wasting clowns right now. At least one of them was just carded for it.
FT BAY 1-0 ARS The way we really owned 2T we shoulda equalized. But with only a 0-1 deficit to overcome we've given ourselves a chance for next week's return leg. Not what we wanted. They tried to get more. So I think they can take home some positives. But we absolutely need to be more clinical if we're going to level this up and then win it.
Bummer outcome but by all accounts a fine display considering the circumstances. Team should take heart from this for upcoming matches.
I managed to forget about a NLD today. Apparently I'm not quite worthy yet. Just watched highlights instead. Anyway we traveled to Spuds (Orient actually) and ended up whooping them 5-1. Never really in doubt I guess, but we took an hour before truly deciding the game. A few players were rested ahead of the big CL 2nd leg vs Bayern. And our newly signed stab-in-the-dark CF cover, veteran Jodie Taylor got her first 10 mins for Arsenal (first in 6 years anyway... the definition of an itinerant footballer... 18 stints in 21 years)
And in addition to missing the NLD live, I also missed the other results from the weekend. And since Yanited won and Citeh beat Chelsea, the top of the table has been both reordered and tightened, so it's potentially a 4-way race for the title. And we have our fate in our hands... if we win all our matches (big ask) then we win the whole thing. But I suppose you could say that for some/all of the others as well. Anyway, it may hinge largely on whether the best manager in the league slips up again, while apparently distracted by the CL. Hmm, sound familiar?
While Beth Mead consoles herself in being just told she's not figuring into England's plans for WC'23, you gotta figure she'll be screaming for her teammates tonite... 3pm ET KO
It’s absolutely pissing down rain at the Grove, but that’s not bothering our gals. After losing super captain Little to injury at 9’ (which could have a big impact to the run-in), it meant that Williamson moved up to MF. And she was then part of a sumptuous first goal. Slick, crisp first-time passes then a golazo by Maanum. Worthy of the Selecao. Then we kept the pressure on and got a more conventional but still confident second goal by Blacksteinius. We probably can’t keep up this intensity for two halves, so maybe one more goal then shut up shop? At 32’ it’s 2-0 (2-1 AGG)
HT ARS 2-0 BAY It really should be 3-0, 4-0 or more. We had 2 point blank shots that were saved somehow and a cross/shot that came off the bar. Hope those misses don't come back to haunt us.
Indeed. But I liked the passing that led to it even more! 5-10 mins to go and we're looking a tad weary. And playing with fire with only a 1-goal lead on AGG. Foord missed a sitter, and we've had a few other chances. Meanwhile Bayern look slightly dangerous on the break. ALTHOUGH they've yet to register a SOG!
FT ARS 2-0 BAY (2-1 AGG) Very impressive win to reach the Semis (against PSG/Wolfburg). We played with urgency, confidence and flair... right from the get go. And our first goal (see above) was one of the prettiest you'll see all year. However, we may pay for the carnage tonight. Two worrisome looking injuries to key players, on an extremely thin squad to begin with. Little walked off but I expect she'll miss a game or more. McCabe was helped off with major grimacing... mighta broken something in her foot? Anyway, even without 3 of our vital stars, we've won the League Cup and made it back to the CL Semis for the first time in 10 years. WELL DONE LADIES!
Gals playing Citeh right now. At home. HT 0-1. On P+. Lots of players going down with late season injuries. Foord out with Hammie. But miraculously McCabe started after leaving last game on crutches?
...and after a really poor start from what I was reading. Nice. Several of the OT crew are at this match, as they were yesterday for Leeds.
Indeed. Yet another must-win steely comeback by an Arsenal team. McCabe threw off her crutches and scored a golazo winner. Our squad continues to thin, losing Foord hopefully not too long but if hammie? We’re gonna finish this season as walking wounded, leaning on 2nd team and emergency signings. Kudos to the gals and to Jonas! Ps. In 2nd place, 3pts behind leaders Yanited with 1 game in hand, but a worse GD.
Well, here's we go again. Yanited vs Arsenal in the league. Kicks off in 1 minute on P+ Yet another must win or at least must draw for an Arsenal club flirting with a title. But compared to the boys, there's slightly lower expectations and stress level me thinks. But I bet the players might not agree.
Or maybe don't waste your time? It's 37' and zero SOG's for either club, we already lost Williamson to an innocuous but serious looking leg injury (hammie?) and now Maanum has been on the ground having her groin tested... she's gonna give it a go but it's a risk. If we lose her too, we'll be without our top 5 most important players for the remaining games. No one would blame Jonas if he called time ont the season... though that's not in his nature. Edit: And at 51' with the last kick of the half, the ultimate sucker-punch counter-attack, Russo puts Yanited up 1-0, a player we futilely tried to sign in Jan. And assisted by Parris, a player we let go then. Bad to worse.
FT MNU 1-0 ARS. Well that was poor. A terribly played match overall. We tried to threaten at the end, with our keeper trying her hand a golazo volley with the final kick. We were already the walking wounded and it got worse. That's our title hopes done... now it's probably gonna be a struggle to hold off Citeh for the 3rd place and UCL. One last thing. If Yanited are pushing on to win the league, you certainly wouldn't know if from their home support tonight. They couldn't even fill a 12000 stadium and made very little noise. Next up for us is UCL Semi leg 1 at Wolfsburg at the odd time of Sunday 9:30am ET. Expectations are suitably low.
Injuries catching up to the ladies' side, unfortunately. Especially since it was arguably the 3 most important players out. Alas.
Four by my count: Mead, Miedema, Little, and now Williamson. And although Maanum was able to play through her issue today, if she goes out, that's the five best players we own.
Two matches from now it's leg 2 of the Semi against Wolfsburg, back home. Just heard Stillman say that they've sold 55,000? tickets and he's thinking we'll get to 60,000. That's amazing! He went on to say that 10 years ago we played the same exact fixture at Meadow Park and attracted maybe 300. Now that said, tickets are super cheap, so 60K sold doesn't mean 60K butts in seats. But even if that latter number is 40-50K that could be quite some atmosphere. As long as there's still something to play for in the tie, given our injury woes.