Hey @GunnerJacket! Thanks for steppin in (and nice to see you around of course) I couldn't watch this live and just now caught the highlights only, plus glanced at stats. Hard to get a great sense of how the match really was from that. But it seems like there were tearing us apart early going, but then we came back into it. A fantastic twinkle-toes solo effort for Foord for our goal. And we nearly equalized late when Stina hit the bar late on. From the few times I've seen her, Chelsea's Ramirez looks a real handful. Premature to say, but I wonder if she could be the WSL's equivalent to Haaland in the EPL. The crowd looked to be about 30-40K, not bad, but if we were really playing like we were in the last few seasons, it might've been even more. I hope there were some positives for the gals to take from this game, but the results (and at times performances) have been pretty sour too often this season.
I was trying to figure out how to watch this live, but I guess it worked out for me that I couldn’t. Sounds like Eidevall is toast.
They made changes within WSL this season (fully disconnected from FA?) and so I think you go to WSL channel on YouTube to stream live. It might not be every match available this way though IDK.
Seems that happened fairly rapidly (as did our decline this season) so no "big name" replacement lined up immediately for Jonas. Interim HC will be Renee Slegers, who's been on our coaching staff for 1 year. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renee_Slegers Edit: Just heard Tim Stillman say Slegers has already done this rodeo, at Rosengard 3 years ago, where she succeeded Jonas when he left for Arsenal. She went on to lead them to the Swedish title for 2 consecutive years. So if a permanent replacement isn't imminent, maybe she'll be OK to keep us from imploding further?
Gals are playing Valerenga in UWCL right now. First game of the post-Jonas era. Definitely in the must-win category. Was gonna keep an eye on it live, but it's not on YouTube and the DAZN.com site, even after I made an account, won't play the stream... some error is flashed for a split-second that I can't read. Oh well, I guess I'll catch the highlights later. Goal by Fox put us up 1-0 at 2'. Looks like Renee only made one change to Jonas's last XI... interesting... or maybe not.
FT ARS 4-1 VAL Just before HT we let them get close (2-1) and then at the very end apparently we put our foots down. Still haven't seen a second of action. Disappointed in DAZN's coverage... when they showed stuff on YouTube it was fine and dandy. No more!
Highlights are now up: Random thoughts: We looked the more dominant side, as it should've been, regardless of who was the head coach on the night. Fox's goal should've been ruled out for handball immediately prior (no VAR). But congrats to her for finally breaking her duck at Arsenal. Codina looked poor, slow, clumsy. Saw 2 big mistakes, one of which lead to their goal. Russo scored right at the death. Can't really remember the last time she did that... certainly not in the league. She needs to catch fire or else it's gonna look like a shit signing of a (previously) "big player" Small crowd at the Grove... looked like 5K-ish. Not really surprising, with or without our poor recent form.
HT WHU 0-0 ARS Not watching with 100% attention but we pretty much bossed the half. Just nothing to show for it. Sound familiar? I may not be able to watch 2T. But if any of you do, it’s streaming on YouTube.
FT WHU 0-2 ARS Couldn't watch the last 30' because of a little family walk in the woods. And much like what's happened when @GunnerJacket has done likewise, we ended up doing the business in my absence. Phew! All I know is that we took two chances, which is more than you can say of 1T. Caldenty PK made it 1-0 at 71, and Kafaji 2-0 at 89'. IIRC, that’s a first club goal for the latter and first league goal for the former. Also, we made 4 substitutions at 58'. Wow, that seems like bold & decisive coaching (if slightly risky?) from Renee. Citeh earned all 3 pts, and Chelsea are likely to do likewise home to Spuds. But Yanited, Pool & Brighton all dropped 2 pts. So we improved our position slightly this weekend.
Seems like this is the best forum topic to put this: Blow for Manchester City as Vivianne Miedema has surgery on left knee | Manchester City Women | The Guardian
Hmm. Sorry for Viv, but not too surprised. Her recovery with us, compared to her partner Beth Mead's recovery (maybe also Weinroither's), was slower and more concerning. Not sure why we wanted to part company (I have a few other theories) but maybe we give mgmt credit for reading the tea leaves with Viv's recovery & durability? p.s. This might just give us a tiny bit of help in reviving our season and title hunt, which took a huge hit, because of our piss-poor first 5 games.
My interest has been flagging a bit TBH, but just in case any of us want to try to catch their next match, it is: At Man Utd, 7:30am ET (I guess on WSL's Youtube channel??) Edit: nope it’s on ESPN+ Edit: on SUNDAY, I forgot to write. Otherwise it would’ve been in clear conflict with the boys. Must win. Pretty much every game going forward is that, given how we started the season. Only injury I heard of is Lotte Wuben-Moy
HT MNU 0-0 ARS actually, they just started 2T. I’m pretty tight cagey affair so far. But we look like we could go ahead. 3 points are fairly critical.
63’ et voila… 1-0 to the Arsenal. Russo gets her first league goal. At Leigh Sports Village, a ground that served her well in the past. Nice cutback assist by Fox, who’s blossomed into such a good two-sided player in the psst year or so, for club and country.
82’ after being completely, dominated the whole half, Yanited get 1 corner and 2 new subs make it 1-1.
FT MNU 1-1 ARS Walti inches from game winner with final kick of match. But the young Yank keeper Tullis-Joyce just tipped it over. Oh well, at least they showed more than our boys did yesterday. Edit: actually it wasn’t the keeper, but the goalscorer Mallard who, with an almost identical header, but this time it thwarted a goal. Thus POTM candidate for her 2 vital contributions.
For anyone interested... AWFC vs Brighton Friday 8 November 2024 2pm ET (TOMORROW) @AshburtonGrove Indicative of how poorly our start to this season has been, we trail Brighton by 4 points after 6 games. We're in 5th and they're in 3rd. 21K+ seats sold, not bad. We need to play as well as we did last time, but this time put the ball in the net... more than once probably. Streaming on Youtube... https://www.youtube.com/live/5ay1qrD7VLw
HT AWFC 3-0 BHA Wow that was a pleasant surprise! and just what the doctor ordered. I missed the first 15 mins and Mead’s opening goal, but caught the next two, especially Maanum’s worldie from 25yds to the far top corner. Coulda/shoulda been 5-0 if not for the woodwork and their keeper.
Just caught the highlights. Mead’s goal wasn’t too shabby either. And really great to see her and Frida back to their dangerous, marauding, goal scoring escapades. They were so so important for us in recent years… could really use them to ignite again. My only concern so far is that our 2023 “marquee” signing striker still can’t seem to score for us. Maybe she’ll bag one in 2T which could give her confidence a big boost. Edit: TBF she had a big game at Yanited, scoring our only goal. But that’s a rarity. Today at 55’ Russo moved back to #10 role when Stina replaced her at CF. If she can’t get her goal production up, she/we may have to shift our thinking of her to be more in line with the #10 she wears. Also Caldenty was left out of the squad… hoping that’s nothing other than a minor illness.
FT ARS 5-0 BHA Hurtig added a 4th. Another rare goal scorer. And another signing that hasn't really worked out. Maybe Stegers or a new permanent coach can somehow get a tune out of some of our underperformers. And just to round it out, Russo did finally get a goal!... our 5th... a well taken PK. And speaking of Renee, I've watched a few of her pressers and like what I hear. If I were the Sporting Director I might give her another block of games to see what she can do. Oh yeah, we don't have an SD right now... I guess that might fall to Clare Wheatley for the time being? I heard Nick Cushing (currently NYCFC, formerly MCFC Women) was being considered but he's taken his name out of the hat? Another shoutout to our interim coach... kudos for using all 5 subs before 80'... something Mikel could do a bit more of methinks. Especially when you're up 3-0. Tonight was by far the biggest, most positive performance by the gals, at least in the WSL. Have a nice celebratory dinner, sleep well, enjoy a day off, then move on and try to climb up the table!