Hmm, yeah, it is. The FA was wanting the Premier League to take over the running of women's football in England, eventually. It doesn't seem the PL is very interested just now, outside of individual clubs. (Just remember tho, it's not dollars, it's pounds / 'quid' / probably Euros if the economy collapses)
Yes 1M pounds equals $1.24M. It will certainly help the teams with less money around. That's nearly 50k per team as it is to be shared to the FA WSL and FA WC teams.
There are some signings finally, transfer window opened 13 days ago and only Chelsea had signed players. Now two Australian players are coming in: 📝 #BristolCityWomen is delighted to announce the signing of Australian international Ella Mastrantonio from Western Sydney Wanderers ahead of the 2020/21 season. ✍️Full story 👇— Bristol City Women (@bristolcitywfc) June 30, 2020 🥁 Introducing our first summer signing (and it’s a big one)… @StephCatley 👋— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) July 2, 2020
A lot of Man Utd fans have been complaining about the lack of transfer activity compared to the big 3, but they've also complained about too much interest in Kelly and other supposedly non-top tier players. Well, Kelly has officially signed with City, so maybe she is better than Man Utd fans think she is. It will be interesting to see if she massively outperforms her xG again next season. Edit: And some people are seriously complaining about the Catley signing. I don't get that at all. A top notch LB who can also fill in at LCB.
Catley is top class. And there is a reason fans are fans and not in the business. Their thoughts are not always very rational. Those who don't think Kelly is good, well I have been hearing for like 6 years now from the England youth set up that she would be one of the big star in the future. She is also quite arrogant in a way and it makes a difference over normal quality strikers.
Looks like a headline from the future, but it was 20 years ago Saturday, 1 July, 2000, 15:31 GMT (BBC.co.uk) Women's Premier League season review Having smelt the sweet aroma of success in being crowned Premiership champions for the 1998-1999 season, Croydon approached the new campaign in determined fashion and at the end of it claimed the ultimate reward. That was the earliest season review on the BBC site, afaik ... (Later I will try to somehow give them their own page, instead of bunging it on this thread, but I do find the old reports interesting.) Croydon, who became Charlton Athletic LFC in summer 2000, had gone 23 months unbeaten in the league and did the Double, as they were also the Women's FA Cup winners v Doncaster Belles, while the 3rd-place Arsenal won the League Cup. Women's FA Cup 2000 After 10 rounds of drama, heartache and elation it was Croydon who proved worthy winners of the first Women's FA Cup of the new millennium. - (BBC) ^ at Sheffield Utd's Bramall Lane, where the Euro 2022 semifinal will be. And Reading and Aston Villa got relegated (note, again, this is from the past, not the future) - full '99/'00 season info is on the womensoccer.com site. This was at the dawn of Arsenal's league domination in the 2000s when they won nearly every WPL title, and Croydon/Charlton never played in the Uefa Women's Cup - that started a year later, in 2001.
And in the modern times: A write-up on a Birmingham blog singles out the managerial appointment for criticism, but the problems go wider than that – many players and staff leaving, and a general sense of apathy there? ⬤ Blues Women: The Tejedor Mistake "Kerys Harrop and Rachel Williams announced their departure from Birmingham City Women this week" https://almajir.net/2020/07/04/blues-women-the-tejedor-mistake
An interesting short interview about a player who left her job a couple years ago to play professional football and being released this Summer was closed to have to get back to her old job. She was working in HR I believe "I didn't really want an office job so it's definitely a relief!"⚽ Wales international @MegsWynne on joining @bristolcitywfc pic.twitter.com/Ou6z6sF4pZ— BBC Sport Wales (@BBCSportWales) July 8, 2020
The Blues owner might be a little sketchy; at the least he doesn't seem to know what he's doing and the both the men's and women's teams are a mess. I doubt the situation is going to improve much going forward.
their renaming the Arsenal woso squad, AUSENAL after signing GK Lydia Williams yesterday. That gives them 3 Aussie players plus the coach, I kind of liked the current starting GK, Zinsberger, she always tried to make the saves look more spectacular than needed to be(sorta reminded me Hope Solo)
With the Staniforth acquisition, I honestly think United's midfield is quite/very good now. Staniforth, Ladd, and Groenen with Toone and Zelem (maybe James as well) off the bench. The question marks are on the front line and defense/keeper.
Agreed a great midfield three of Ladd, Staniforth and Groenen. I don't think Casey will get big players though, I read a line when she said they were not there yet for marquee signing. Although Groenen was a big big one imo.
The silly season has finally started, here are the new signings team by team: Chelsea: Melanie Leupolz ( Germany, Niamh Charles Man City: Chloe Kelly, Lucy Bronze, Alex Greenwood Arsenal: Stephanie Catley ( Australia), Malin Gut ( Switzerland), Lydia Williams ( Australia), Noelle Martiz ( Switzerland) Man Utd: Lucy Staniforth Reading: nil so far but four players have been signed Tottenham: nil so far Everton: Poppy Pattinson, Ingrid Moe Wold ( Norway) West Ham : Mackenzie Arnold ( Australia), Mayumi Pacheco + 1 French and 1 Czech player Brighton: Katie Startup Bristol: Megan Wynne ( Wales), Jemma Purfield Birmingham: nil so far Aston Villa: Chloe Arthur (Scotland), Anita Asante
if only all their players are healthy, I fancy Arsenal's chances more; remember they signed Catlyn Foord right about when covid-19 started. So here could be their new starting lineup GK.................................. Williams Roord..........Williamson..........Beattie............Cately ......Nobbs.....................Little...........van de Donk ......Foord......................Miedema...............Mead Man City might have the most of the English NT players, but the Lioness have only won 3 of their last 11 games
Roord doesn't play outside back. Evans would probably play right back if Foord starts up front, or maybe Maier. Evans is also going to play up front opposite Mead quite a bit--she is good. I think she and Foord could split time at forward, roughly. Walti and Roord will get their minutes in the midfield, and then McCabe will be in the mix at left back and left forward with Catley and Mead. The new signee, Martiz, the new signing from the Swiss NT, has also got a lot of outside back experience, though I'm not sure which side she typically plays. Arsenal now have a lot of quality depth and I'm sure players will be rotated quite a bit. I expect Zinsberger to retain her position as No. 1 keeper. It will not be easy for Montemurro to keep everyone happy.
Yeah, it’s not the right spot for Roord, maybe go with an 3-back & set her up as an DM? In a league known for its physicality, Rood’s sort of the law & order man that makes sure her team doesn’t get pushed around much(so you would really want her to start) It’s my understanding that they revised the rules & now will allow 3 new signees to play in the upcoming CL. If so, it give them an edge over PSG who’s so far have had a rather weak recruitment season. Only thing is that while PSG has several friendlies planned been & practicing for weeks together, not sure if Arsenal’s even back on the training field!
With that personnel, either a 3-4-3 diamond with van de Donk and Nobbs as shuttlers and all the width coming from Foord and Mead or a 3-5-2 with van de Donk and Mead as unnatural wingbacks. Allowing new players to play in this past season's UWCL is a bit weird considering that won't be allowed on the men's side, but someone mentioned the reason for the change is because contracts are a lot shorter in women's football.
Yeah, I think you want a designated DM in that midfield against the better sides (Man City, Chelsea, Man United, and maybe Reading/Everton).
Yes Arsenal have more options as the bench players should not spent too much time on the treatment room unlike the last two seasons. A team Zinsberger; Evans, Williamson, Beattie, Catley; Wälti, Little, Nobbs; Van De Donk, Miedema, Mead B team Williams; Maier, x, Schnaderbeck, Maritz; Gut, Roord, x; x, Foord, McCabe x can be one of the Academy player like Filis or Mace. There might be an extra signing for the Gunners as well. Montemurro does a lot of rotation so many players will get sufficient game time. Especially as a lot of them can play in up to 4 positions. Beattie actually has played in the 10 outfield positions at Arsenal in her first spell at the club
Ona Batlle is finally confirmed as a Man Utd Women player after quite a while of just waiting for the official confirmation. FBref's xA and KP stats for United's full backs weren't exactly great for full backs in the modern game, and that was backed up by the eye test. From what I've read, Batlle is a purchase that shows United knew that offense from full back was a weakness area that needed to be addressed.