Football Daily - Women's Football Weekly: Arsenal dominate derby & Chloe Kelly returns!

Episode Date: February 18, 2025

Ellen White, Jen Beattie and Ben Haines reflect on the last weekend of the WSL before the international break. Ellen gives an insight into what makes Bunny Shaw such a prolific striker and what a huge player she is for Manchester City. It was a massive weekend for Arsenal in the North London derby who smashed Spurs at the Emirates and also welcomed back Chloe Kelly for her second debut at the club. The team take a look at the likes of Aston Villa and Brighton who have been struggling recently and where it’s going wrong for them. Plus Jen and Ellen talk England with Chloe Kelly being called into the England squad to replace injured Beth Mead. 00:20 Intro 05:00 Man City & Bunny Shaw 15:10 Brighton & Aston Villa struggles 20:30 North London derby 30:15 Chloe Kelly return & England squad 36:00 New away kits launched!BBC Sounds / 5 Live commentaries this week: Tues 18 Feb 2000 Bayern Munich v Celtic in the Champions League. Wed 19 Feb 2000 Real Madrid v Manchester City in the Champions League. Fri 21 Feb 1945 Portugal v England in the Women's Nations League. Sat 22 Feb 1500 Arsenal v West Ham United in the Premier League. Sat 22 Feb 1730 Aston Villa v Chelsea in the Premier League on 5 Sports Extra. Sun 23 Feb 1400 Newcastle v Nottingham Forest in the Premier League. Sun 23 Feb 1630 Manchester City v Liverpool in the Premier League

BBC Sounds music radio podcasts. On the Football Daily, the Women's Football Weekly with Ben Haynes, Ellen White and Jen Beattie. Welcome to the Women's Football Weekly last weekend of the WSL before the international break and firstly a massive thank you to everyone who got in touch around our Arsenal special last week. We really appreciate you reaching out and we do read all of your responses, so do please keep them coming. Sadly, this week we've all dispersed again. We've all gone our separate ways.

So, Ellen's back up north, Jen's back overseas and I'm back in London. It's quite sad not to be with you guys. That was great fun, our school trip, wasn't it? It was fun having the band back together, wasn't it? It was cool. That was wicked. I really, really enjoyed it. It was lovely having you back over, Jen, as well. And do you know what's really nice? Is that because you two are both sort of ex-arsenal, the way that players beam when they see you two is really, really lovely. You could tell Lottor and Alessia got a lot from that as well. I mean, it was more us beaming now.

To be able to beam bark at it. I'm pretty sure it was the other way around. But no, it was so nice doing it all together and beam bark at Arsenal and catching up with everyone's always fun. I hope Lotte won't mind me saying this, but there was a moment at the end of the interview we had some shirts hanging up in the change room and Jen sort of said, oh I really like that shirt Lota and Lota just goes here you go, just decided to give it to you.

She's such, honestly she is one of the best people I've ever met and it's funny because when you leave a club or retire right even with all the kits coming out for the Euros and seeing all the kits but when you leave a team, whenever they have new kits coming out, I'm always like, oh, I really like that kit. You know, wish I could have worn that. And I'm like, I love a black kit. Like an all black kit has always been my favorite, whether it's been a club that's done it or anything.

So when I saw that black kit hanging up, I was like, oh, I made that kit, so nice. Not dropping hints whatsoever, but the lovely lot straight away So when I saw that black kit hanging up, I was like, oh mate, that kit's so nice. Not dropping hints whatsoever, but the lovely lot straight away would just like take it off the handrail and was like, oh here you go mate, I was buzzing. I love it. It does mean taking it out of her wages. How wonderfully generous of her as well.

She's the best. The absolute best. And we were there ahead of the North London Derby. Ellen, you were there this weekend, absolutely best. And we were there ahead of the North London Derby. Ellen, you were there this weekend, freezing cold. And I was also at a pitch I'd done some work elsewhere this weekend. And it was only when I watched Ellen on the BBC coverage that I thought, how pathetic I looked in comparison to you. It's like zero degrees out.

And Ellen's just in thin jacket, no gloves, no scarf, no hat, completely firm in it. And then there I was in about 15 layers. Ben, I live up North now. You have to just deal with the cold weather and you've got to look around TV. I'm not saying you didn't look good. Well, you look fab.

I look like the Michelin man. It was pathetic. But to be fair, it was in my bones though. So I probably should have worn what you worn. How was it? It was good, it was really cool. Do you know what? I've never been actually to a North London Derby at the Emirates.

I've never played in one that's been as massive as it is obviously now, 56,000. And it is so, do you know what? It's really cool the way they, the community, the fan base and when that song comes on, it's proper cool and they have all their scarves up. It reminds me, I love German football as well and it reminds me of having a song and everyone kind of singing it the same. It was really kind of cool moment to kind of witness and then lots of goals to talk about. So Arsenal absolutely dominated. We're going to get into the North London Derby.

I just want to, before we do, can we just quickly touch on Chloe Kelly? Because obviously Jen and I weren't there, but everything online was talking about the reception that she got when she came on. What was it like in stadium? It wasn't just when she came on, when she went out to warm up,

Farrah went, watch this. And I looked over and she got off the bench, walked down and it just erupted. And then yeah, we could see she was getting ready to come on. And I think Black Stiniest came on first. And then it wasn't until they kind of went and making her second debut. And it honestly, it just went around the whole stage. It was really, it was an incredible moment. Like I got a bit goosebumps to be like, wow. So I think the fans are quite excited and she just looks so happy. Massive beaming smile on her face.

And I thought she looked busy. I thought she looked energized and happy out there. Imagine she'll feel already total vindication and total liberation as well with the way that the last week or so has progressed for her. And we've also seen that she's now been reintroduced to the England squad and Lotte Wabamoy will be pulling out of the England squad as well as Beth Mead who have withdrawn from injury. So Chloe Kelly comes in. We're going to do more in the England squad later on, but we'll start with Man City. So Man

City ended a run of successive home defeats in the WSL and have very much now kept themselves in touch with the top three in the Champions League qualification positions. They beat Liverpool by four goals to nil. Bunny Shaw scored twice in the first half and she celebrated the first goal with the Black Power salute. So her right fist raised and then her head bowed, and for those that weren't aware of the full story, she was the victim of racist abuse following City's last home league game, and that was the 4-3 league defeat to Arsenal on the 2nd of February. As a result of the abuse, she made herself unavailable to face Arsenal a few days later when they then played in the League Cup. So firstly, total solidarity with Bunny, once again, having

to show a strength of character that's far beyond what should factor into any player's mind when they're simply playing the game that they love. But also, once again, Ellen, she showed what just a tremendous football player she is as well, and a really powerful image that we saw at the weekend. Incredibly powerful image and yeah 100% agree with you. Full total solidarity and support for Bunny. No one should have to be subjected to that kind of abuse. And yeah I think firstly showing the mentality that she's shown, taking herself away from the game must have been a horrible moment of feeling but obviously you know she needed that time and then to come back and perform and do the thing that she loves. Phenomenal finishes by the way, just incredible. Shows

the type of person she is, type of player she is. And yeah, I think, I've just got real love for her, to be honest, because it's real strength of character to have to go through something like that and then go back on the football field, which is something that you love and just show everyone like I'm here, I'm here to stay. And yeah, just incredible person. I totally agree with Ellen.

I thought, you know, when I saw the image of, you know, her fist in the air and standing in solidarity with everyone, I just thought we need to speak more about it and help the kind of situation. And I think it's, you know, Ellen's totally right. The caliber of player is one thing, but character and strength to kind of one take away herself from the game of you know taking her time to recover after like having that abuse which none of us can relate to let's be honest none of us can you know put ourselves in her shoes but what we can do is speak more openly and help her in situations like this and everyone and I think we

do is speak more openly and help her in situations like this and everyone and I think we all kind of pride ourselves in the women's game about how progressive it is and then things like this happen and you realise no we're nowhere near as far forward as we think we can be and we should be and I think that's the real problem but it's strength of character to one, take yourself out of a situation and not travel with Man City when they played Arsenal away and then yeah the strength to go out and perform the way she did, celebrate the way she did, finish the goal unbelievable goals the way she did, just just unbelievable character and strength to do that and I think it's yeah a big a big reality check for everyone to kind of

know where the game is still at and another big conversation starter which is so disappointing that we need to do better as footballers and as fans and as people in the game in general to make this sport the most inclusive it can be for absolutely everyone. Jen, is that about, is your experience from a player's point of view that the women's game is an environment that is accepting and kind and we need to not allow complacency to creep in or is this coming to your mind at the moment that Maybe we overestimate where the game is at?

Both. I think we overestimate where the game is at because I think ignorance to maybe what some people still go through and then I honestly think it's harsher punishment needs to be on people on social media or at games. Harsher punishment. If you are racially abusing someone, that full stop shouldn't be accepted and clubs need to do more. The FA needs to do more to harsher punishment on people that are doing that. They need to be reprimanded for causing trauma upon people ultimately.

So there's two sides to that story. I think we can keep saying it's progressive and that's what we're all trying to do, but ultimately what are the facts? You know, the facts are people are still being racially abused at games and that is not acceptable. And I think harsher punishment needs to be done. More needs to be done at games to catch it and stop it

in the moment and online as well. Everything just needs to be done. More needs to be done at games to catch it and stop it in the moment and online as well everything just needs to be better. So there's two sides to it. I think we all think it needs to be progressive but what are the facts? What are we actually doing behind the scenes to stop it? Because ultimately we're still enabling that atmosphere. You know as whether you're part of a club or part of an FA, there's still an element that it still happens. It's not stopped. So we all need to do better within that. We saw on the flip side of this one, Ellen, just what a

wonderful pro Bunyshaw is and what an incredible player. So 88 goals in just 102 appearances for the club. 11 goals already this season And that's three more than second highest scorer Alessia Russo, and she's played two fewer games She is relentless in terms of the way that she goes about pursuing scoring goals She just keeps getting better and better each season keeps honing in on how prolific she is she's obviously working hard, training hard and obviously she's building a great relationship with the likes of kind of Mary Fowler as well and Fagino on the other side. But yeah, just incredible strength of character

and it just shows the type of person, player that she can again raise her levels almost another level which is just phenomenal to what she's going through. So yeah, a special player, special person and yeah, I think Man City really kind of need her as well if they are to continue to push into the Champions League spots as well this season. Just on the technical side, Ellen, what is she doing in the box that sets her apart? Just if you look at the goals that she scored this weekend, there's not many players around the league that can score goals like that. And I wonder how much of it is down to game intelligence and buying a yard and how much of it is down to the hard work that she puts

in in the gym and when she's training to ensure that she actually couldn't force a yard for herself as well. If you look at both the goals, I think quite a bit comes from gym work, being able to be quite agile and move your limbs the way she is, because that first goal, she was able to kind of cut across the ball quite quickly,

and with a degree of angle that I don't think I would be able to do to be able to cut it across the keeper like she does but then also for the second goal to be able to control the ball with an outstretched leg like that but then able to swivel her hips and move and then strike it into the goal as well. So it's like a bit in the gym, I'd say obviously she analyses her game a lot as well but then also she's training hard so her finishes and what she'll be doing in training are not just passing it in and striking it, she'll be getting quite unorthodox kind of finishes where she's getting the ball kind of thrown at her and she's just

having to finish quite ad hoc I suppose and just having to deal with what she's got which is essentially training as you play. So she's quite phenomenal at that and she's built in a way that is quite challenging for defenders to get round but she uses her strength so well to be able to manoeuvre her hips like that so when I used to play up front with her I was like how are you scoring these goals, it's ridiculous, but she just keeps getting better and better. If I'm watching those goals as well it's when a player's got the full control of a ball facing the net, then you're thinking, right, I'm in trouble. But with both of those goals for Bunny Shaw, one of them she's going away from goal and

the angle is so awkward for her to cut back. So if I'm a defender, I'm showing her away from goal, I'm kind of doing half of my job, that's kind of your first priority, get them away from goal, sure, outside of the net. But for her to take her touch away from goal and then be able to cut it back across with her left foot to hit a bottom court, you're thinking, that's an unbelievable, she didn't even look at the goal,

she knew exactly where it was. And I think that's always the key finish specialist that don't even have time to get their head up. It's almost like a Vivienne Miedema in that sense. You know, just unbelievable finishers that just have that instinct of where the net is, where the keeper is, how to get it in the net. And then yeah, the second one again, I often wonder, she would be obviously a living aside,

she's a nightmare to play against anyway, but by the side, she must be in training, unbelievable. Just the ball must drop out of feet and before you blink it must be in the net and just a nightmare to be playing against in training because she just has that instinct and the second one's the prime example, takes it out the air, spin and it's back in the net. Again as a defender you can get as close as that as possible but that's so hard to defend if a player just takes it quickly as well that you don't even have time to get closer and time to get a tackle in.

So unbelievable finisher. What a few seasons she's having, like one of the best, if not the best in the league. Yeah, absolutely soul destroyed thinking you've done your job and you've got touched tight and you're like, yep, we're good here. Oh, it's in the net. Cool. Really, really tough one to take for Liverpool as well because they had big opportunities, they had chances at 0-0 and just couldn't take advantage of it and I think once that first goal goes in so much changes in terms of momentum. Let's have a little look at the bottom half of the table. We haven't spoken about this for a couple of pods now, but the way that it stands at the moment, Crystal Palace in 12th, Aston Villa have dropped to 11th, Leicester City in 10th,

Everton in 9th and then a really good win for West Ham this weekend has seen them climb the table and get up to 8th on 14 points. How important was that win Ellen for West Ham over Brighton and how tough is that to take for Brighton who are having a bit of a tough time at the moment? and how tough is that to take for Brighton who are having a bit of a tough time at the moment? Yeah, it was a great win for West Ham. It's weird with Brighton because they sit fifth. It's a weird one but they obviously haven't won in six. But yeah, I think fair play to West Ham. They've won out of the last three games, they've won two games which has obviously then given them six points so they've bumped up the table pretty well. So I feel like they'll

pretty much feel quite secure. So I think for them it's all about that consistency and obviously they've they've had some new players coming in and just building those relationships up really those connections but they seem to be full of confidence and it's a great win against obviously at the moment quite a heavily unconfident Brighton side and they've taken advantage of it. Yeah we should point out as well King of Shea making goal for West Ham just making save after save after save and I think Jen to some extent we have spoken about this before about needing to take your chances like we just mentioned with Liverpool you've got to take your chance when you're a side that is fighting for your life take advantage of your moments and then ideally

your keeper has an absolute stormer like that, but to make the amount of saves that she did, that can be potentially the difference between being in the relegation fight and being comfortable as Ellen was saying. 100%. I think it's all over the pitch, but ultimately you need your keeper to step up in big moments no matter what end of the table you're in, I'll be honest. But 100%, if your keeper is making save after save and still keeping you in the game, it literally is that.

You have to take your chances at the other end. And again, it doesn't really matter who you're playing. I think chances are so key because in this league, you might not get many 100%. And I think we saw that with Liverpool, you know, could have been in the game early on but completely agree. Your keeper is key moments in the game, keeps you in it and you know as a defender as well, as a centre-back, if my keeper is making you know tons of saves I'm thinking right what we doing here, are we overplaying we should we change our tactics because something's not going right but they managed to stay in the game and ultimately

get a result which was used to them and you know but yeah 100% goalkeepers is a huge position on the pitch to keep you in the game. If we just look across at Aston Villa what is happening with them at the moment Ella I mean such a talented squad You look around and think it's one of the stronger squads in the division, should be higher up the table. Where are they currently going wrong? That's a great question. Obviously they've got a new manager come in, not scoring enough goals.

And it's a really weird one because I was there when they played Chelsea. Defensively, they were really sound. They were on it across the whole pitch. It looked like they had built connections, even though the manager had only been in for two or three days. But I feel like Leicester just took advantage on the opportunities they had and they just kind of ran a bit of a mock against Aston Villa Leicester. I can't understand it because for the last couple of seasons I've been like, I think Villa might be pushing the top four here. I think, you know, with the squad they've got, it looks like they've got experience, youth.

They spent quite a bit of money on Nunes. It's just not quite worked. They haven't found a philosophy or a tactics that work for the profile of players that they've got. And it's just something's not quite right. And I'm not 100 percent sure what it is. And now they're sitting in 11th. And I was looking at their next fixtures, the next WSL ones against Everton and Palace, which is huge for them. And say they were

to lose them and say Palace were to pick up a few points. Like it, it really kind of opens the door for Palace to make, they think, well, we're not going, we could potentially not be going down here. It could be someone else. And it's, it's crazy. They, they, you know, I don't know what it is, but they need to find a tactic or a game plan that fits the profile of player they have. That's a huge responsibility for a manager though, right? I think as a player it's so unsettling when there's managerial change and I completely agree with what you're saying. That is really difficult for a club to find a system and a philosophy, but then I think surely that needs to filter down from from management

In order to give your players confidence of what's the plan going into it? You know if we're watching it thinking, you know, what what is the plan? What's because he's losing against Lester is not a position that Aston Villa want to be in whatsoever so I do think bigger conversations will be happening and in that dressing room and in those meeting rooms this week for sure because That's not a position that they want to be in. No disrespect to Leicester whatsoever but Aston Villa, the way we've been talking about them in previous seasons is not where they're at right now whatsoever. But I do think change of manager mid-season is really unsettling especially when they've not had a lot

of time to really get to know players and really hidden down their style of play but whatever happens it needs to happen quickly. The 72 Plus on the Football Daily. I'm Aaron Paul. And I'm Jobe Makhana. And on Wednesdays on the Football Daily, we bring you 72 Plus, the home of the EFL from Five Lives Sport. As we'll get stuck into the latest from the Football League and beyond.

We're punching well above our weight already. We're a part-time team in a full-time league. Hopefully we can stay in the league in that ASDA. We're in a great position at the moment and long may that continue. That's 72 Plus, the EFL podcast only on the Football Daily. Listen on BBC Sounds. On the Football Daily, the Women's Football Weekly with Ben Haynes, Ellen White and Jen Beattie. Let's go back across to the North London Derby. Arsenal's brilliant form continues. They ran out 5-0 winners against Spurs. Watching this game back, I couldn't help but think about that Mike Tyson quote, everyone's got a plan until they get punched in the mouth. And I just thought watching the way that the two sides approach the game,

you could see exactly what Spurs wanted to do. You could see exactly the way that they wanted to try and progress the ball and play out from the back. And so quickly Arsenal just jumped on top of them and said, no, not having that today. It was a weird one because for the first, I'd say five, ten minutes, I thought, oh, OK, go on then. Like they progressed up the pitch. I got a couple of free kicks for all this could be interesting.

But, you know, put a bit of pressure on, you know, under the Emirates and then just I don't know, say, but the wheels fell off basically. And Arsenal just got another level. They pressed them really high. They were making poor decisions. They had quite a few chances before they actually scored. Kop kept them in the game, but it was just poor decision making, poor action, no kind of awareness of what's around, not kind of looking behind your shoulders. There was one where Bartra just played it blindly behind him, Ford nipped in and then Kop had to kind of make a save and it was kind of like, oh, blimey that, you

know, maybe we need to play it a bit longer. You've got Jess Nas, you've got Beth Ingram, put it in behind the Arsenal defence, make them run, make them move. And they just couldn't, they just kept playing the same way. And then obviously Arsenal intercepted after Rasso obviously got that ball dinked into her, she couldn't control it, lovely cross from Cooney Cross and then Heda, I feel a bit sorry for Russo because I would have claimed that as well and then it kind of just progressed from there really, so yeah really disappointed from Tottenham but I think Arsenal just went

up a gear, up a gear, up a gear and just looked in absolute cruise control by the end. Overplaying is an interesting one because watching those opening minutes I felt the exact same. They had two or three build-ups, talking about Spurs here, two or three build-ups that completely got from one end to the pitch and you're thinking, look, okay, your plan's totally working here. Arsenal are going to play with 1-10, which allows Tottenham to build up with two sixes on either side and they just popped out straight away. And I thought, right, but we'll talk about overplaying, right?

That's worked a few times. You're going to need to change your plan. You can't do the same thing again against Arsenal for 90 minutes and it won't work. It might work for the first five, 10 minutes minutes but they'll switch on, which is what they did, press higher up the pitch. That's when balls start to be turned over and you're thinking, alright, okay, all of a sudden crosses are in the box, 1-2-0 down after X amount of minutes. I totally agree watching the first few minutes I thought, right, we're on for a game now.

Spurs are popping it about and building up right through the centre of the pitch with Arsenal. And I was like, oof, what are Arsenal going to do at this point? But they changed the press. They switched on to it. And obviously the game went on to go as far as it did. But I do think if you are going to build up the way Tottenham did, you can't do it the same thing for 90 minutes, playing through your midfield and playing through your sixes. You can't, because a top team like Arsenal are gonna switch onto it and that's what they did. Were you impressed though, Gem, with the way

that Arsenal, once they got on top, were just so ruthless? The way that they executed when they turned the ball over in those really threatening positions? Yeah, and I think that's what was so interesting and so amazing actually, talking to Alessia Russo last week was the confidence that she's in and the work that's been going on behind the scenes with Kelly Smith and those little one to one moments, because her finishing has just been brilliant.

She's on everything and I'm watching her movement and her timing of the movement in the box, Ellen I'm sure you've been watching it as well, you know, right between the centre backs, waiting for those right timing, and I think that's what's really been added to our game this year. Timing and movement in the box has just been brilliant, and I think that's a dream for any winger or, you know, Caitlin Ford or Caldente playing next to her, she's always alive and ready to kind of be on it in the box. But Arsenal in that final third have been ruthless. And I think that's what's been a joy to watch since obviously we talk about the start of the season and that bad start and the way that they've come on

throughout this year has just been great to watch. But they've been ruthless, free-flowing football, really taking advantage of any opportunity they get. We spoke a little bit earlier on about the way that Bunny Shaw will be able to almost force herself a yard in the box. With Alessia Russo she has this wonderful ability, Ellen, to pin a defender, like let a defender get as tight as they possibly can to her and then just just so definitely spin and get away from this It's a real gift and something I'm sure she works incredibly hard at but you can see what what an asset that is in a game like this when defenders want

To get that tight to her. She's so good at it Then she just kind of uses the outside of her foot to kind of roll around the defender And she did that a number of times. But then it's like, if you don't go tight and then you step off her, you've given her a yard already. So then it's like, which one do you do? I'm sure Jen might be able to help us a bit more with that one, but she's just, she's just so good at using her body.

But then she can kind of roll left and right, which is really impressive. And what we've seen as well since kind of Renée's come in is she's in front of goal now yay and she's in between the sticks and she is great obviously we have seen her play a little bit wider when Blastinius has played the nine but and she'll make the runs she's hard working you know she wants to she wants to run for the team but she's her most prolific when she's in front of goal with those tiny little movements.

You saw that when she scored that first goal. I really loved the second one she scored. The beautiful touch by Manum into Ford. Ford obviously sprinted down at her weight of pass, but then the way she just passed it into the back of the net, I think she just seems a lot calmer now, a lot more relaxed. And I think the way that Arsenal are playing now really suits Alessia Russo being in front of goal and just scoring lots of goals as well. I remember training with Les for one of the first times when she signed and just when you talk about her first touch and because I'm sure she won't mind me saying

right but she's not she's not necessarily known for her pace over like, right, runs in behind, but it's her first touch is always away from you as a defender. And I remember training against her thinking if she gets a first touch you can't get close to her. You almost have to get in front or you know, nick it before she does because she's so smart with exactly what you're saying, that touch on the outside to roll you or that touch back into the midfield to lay off someone else. You're not getting close to her. She's so smart with her first touch that as a defender, that's the hardest thing to defend against. But I remember when she joined in training and I was like, okay, that's pretty good. Can I get a ball, sir? Like that.

It's a really geeky thing as well, but I love the fact that she puts a bit of spin on the ball, on that touch. So as it's fizzed into her, she's spinning the ball around the corner. So by the time that she's taking the second one, all of her momentum is going forward. And then she got great vision as well.

Just such an impressive performance. The other thing that I wanted to just quickly pick up on now is Arsenal's bench. The way that they were able to, when they were in front, and when they were in a great position at 60 minutes, able to go, no, let's not slow up now. Let's bring on four or five players that will come on and would impact the game for pretty much every team

in the world. but they came on and just picked up exactly where the starters had left the game. Yeah I would say maybe the last maybe year or two with us we've kind of looked to the bench and been like have they got that strength and depth obviously you know they've had injuries before but I feel like now they've got the likes of obviously now Kelly obviously Beth is obviously injured, so you could have brought her back Stinius, and then obviously Kim came on as well.

It's a pretty stacked bench, and it's quite frightening. Obviously, you're in a number of competitions as well, so to be able to have that strength and depth, to be able to keep that momentum intensity, or even kind of slow it down and control games as well, I think that is quite impressive and a great thing to have for them to now challenge kind of Chelsea as well up there. And obviously for them to get in the Champions League spots as well this season.

So I think it is it's an impressive asset to have moving forward with the amount of games that they've got coming up as well. And I think, you know, now kind of Beth's probably injured. Does it open the door for maybe Chloe Kelly to come in and showcase what she's about so and she obviously looks like she's got a lot of energy. Black Stenis, the one for me I think is the biggest threat coming off that bench. I thought she was brilliant first and foremost at Man City when they got that win away from home in the WSL and you know deserved their start and thought she did really well.

But for me as a again, I was trying, even as her teammate or playing against her, if you're 60 minutes hit and the game starts to open up and you've got Blaxton Eas coming off the bench, that's just an absolute nightmare for a centre back to come on and you know, she just changes the game. She runs in behind, she's always a threat for a back line and just when you think you might be getting a bit of control as an opposition in the game, if you see Blaxinias come off the bench you're thinking, this game's going to change, this game's going to open up. But 100% I think Arsenal's depth has definitely developed over the past couple of seasons and hoping Beth Meade's injury is not too

bad but definitely having Chloe Kelly off coming off the bench, Kim Little, Black Stinneas, all these big big names in the game was you know a huge asset for Arsenal. You barely even mention Kim Little anymore do you because her level is just so high that you're just like yeah Kim Little will just come on and be absolutely brilliant as per usual and Chloe Kelly getting her opportunity to come and get a brilliant reception. She's also now been included in the England squad which is announced for the Nations League Games against Portugal and Spain. So she was initially not part of the squad but with Beth Mead injured she comes in. Serena Vigman had said Ellen that she just felt Chloe hadn't played enough. I wonder whether the move and

just getting that little bit of time the other day just is enough for Serena to help validate okay we bring you right back in in light of the fact that Beth's injured. Yeah I'm just trying to think who else would you possibly bring in. I just can't really think off the top of my head. I think Chloe is proven that she can perform on the international stage. And I think Serena would have liked her to have more minutes, more training under her belt, more game time. And obviously it is a disappointment

for obviously Beth not being available, but it has opened the door for obviously Chloe to kind of go in and have an opportunity. But I can't really think who else at the moment is performing well enough for Serena to pick. So I think obviously she said before she's got credit in the bank and I think you know there's big games coming up and you know they've got a few days to train and you know it's an opportunity for her. And Nikita Paris back in as well Jen, massive for Nikita at a really crucial time because there's not too many camps left to go to to prove yourself on that level and I think it's I think it's fair

to say as well that the level that you'll play at in these games, particularly against Spain, will be the sort of level that you want to challenge yourself at and if you show the coach you can perform against Spain then you put yourself in a really good position. Mostly. I think I mean any opportunity is a big one regardless of who you're playing against, this close to a tournament but ultimately you have to challenge yourself against the top teams and prove it when you've been out of it for that amount of time right since November 2022 is the last time Paris was involved and you know that is quite a while to be out of international football and you know we all know how quickly the game develops and it speeds up. But 100%, you get given an opportunity at this point,

your eyes are on the Euros and you want to be there. And if she goes in and takes that, then Serena Wiegman definitely has a decision to make. But I think it's credit to Keats the way that she's been performing and deserves the call-up and takes the opportunity with players being injured and filling those roles but 100% time is of the essence at the minute and there's not a lot left but between now and the Euros and I think if you have any opportunity between now and then you're giving the absolute everything to get on the plane.

Yeah and just on the injuries front, it's really strange. And I can't remember the last time that we spoke about an England camp or an England selection that didn't have the caveat of, well, of course this won't be Serena's fully fit squad or her starting 11 or her strongest 11, but are we at a point now where maybe it's just who can be fit at the right time? Because I don't think she's had her strongest squad for possibly getting on for five camps now, the last five international breaks. Yeah, it's probably, it's obviously frustrating. No one wants to be injured.

Obviously she would love to pick from every player that's fit and that she's had for a number of years or who is on form, but you know, some, obviously the players missing are on hemp, Georgia Stamway, obviously Beth Mead, Alex Greenwood, you know, they're potential kind of starting players for England, but I think it gives an opportunity for people now to be like, I need to stamp my authority

of whether I'm going to be on the plane or even starting 11. So I don't think it's a bad thing in that sense because she hasn't used her bench a hell of a lot I would say. So this maybe gives an opportunity to be like who can I really trust? Who can come on and make a big impact for me? Who can I see on the international stage against Portugal, against Spain, who will make a big impact for me? Who can I see on the international stage against Portugal against Spain who will make a big impact who understands international football? Who can put themselves up against the best of the best and I think this is a huge opportunity for her to see that I'm probably not gonna see the start in 11 that she'll start at the Euros whether these players are gonna get fit or not But she needs to now

Just see people playing international football and know what kind of formation she wants to play as well. So it'd be really interesting these two games because I've absolutely no idea what's going to happen. Yeah, I'm fascinated to see what lineups are put out and whether there is another experimental lineup whether she tries the three again, whether it's back to back four. It will be fascinating when that team sheet drops for the first game about an hour before kickoff and we see where she's going on this camp. It will be really, really interesting to see. Should mention the other home nations also in Nations League action Wales have Italy then Sweden, Scotland play Austria and Netherlands, Northern Ireland

face Poland and Bosnia and Herzegovina just to finish up. Some of the away shirts for the Euros have come out and we mentioned kits a little bit earlier on. Jen is there anything that you've got your eye on? Have you seen any of these kits drop and thought oh I'd have a bit of that? I mean when you see the pink Scotland kit I was like oh come on like should we get back out there just for the shirt? Oh it's so, like pink and yellow. Can I, what were those sweets at? Can you remember that were like pink and yellow? Or have I just made that up on the spot?

Are they squashies or drumstick things? What's it? Rhubarb and crumble? Oh yeah, rhubarb and custard. You're like, rhubarb and custard, yeah sorry, crumble? Weird. Oh, that's not right. Yeah, but also I, like aside from the Scotland, I've always loved the Sweden kit. I don't know why I just love that blue and yellow. Yeah.

I love it mate. No mate, that Italy kit is sick. Have you seen it? The Wales kit is nice as well. That green is so nice. Mate, Italy, that's green. To be fair, that Scotland kit, do you know, I think that looks so cool. The Italy kit looks like Ben's background right now. Nah, it looks so nice. Oh no, I don't love that one. Any part of you triggered, Ellen, by the fact that Spain have got the winner from the World Cup final silhouetted on the back of their shirt?

No, I'm not really bothered by that to be honest. We'll just beat him. We've won the Euros, all right. We'll just go back to be honest. We'll just beat him. We've won the Euros. All right. We'll just go back to that winners. They are gorgeous aren't they? Some absolute winners in there. And that is where we'll leave it for this week. Thanks so much to Ellen.

Thanks so much to Jen. Gutted not to be in the same room, but hopefully again soon on the next episode of the Football Daily, it's the Champions League debrief with Kelly Cates.