Football Daily - Women's Football Weekly: Arsenal shine in Champions League but Chelsea crash out

Episode Date: April 29, 2025

Ellen White, Jen Beattie and Ben Haines talk all things Champions League as Arsenal make it through to the final for the first time in 18 years. Jen and Ellen talk about former teammate and friend captain Kim Little and what makes her so good. On the flipside where did it all go so wrong for Chelsea as they went crashing out after defeat to Barcelona and is it a one sided rivalry? Plus the team chat the Championship as Crystal Palace head back down while it will go to the final day, either London City Lionesses or Birmingham City will make it to the WSL.00:20 Intro 01:36 Arsenal masterclass 06:40 Kim Little fan club 14:10 Renee Slegers tactics 17:50 Chelsea crash out 28:00 Palace relegation 32:30 Championship promotion raceBBC Sounds / 5 Live commentaries this week: Tue 20:00 - Arsenal v PSG in the UEFA Champions League Wed 20:15 - Man Utd v Chelsea in the Women’s Super League Thu 20:00 - Athletic Club v Man Utd in the UEFA Europa League Thu 20:00 - Tottenham v Bodø/Glimt in the UEFA Europa League

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tuning into the Inside Track, the Women's Football Weekly with Ben Haynes, Ellen White and Jen Beattie Hello everybody, welcome along to the Women's Football Weekly. Hello Jen, how are you? Great thank you Loving the sun, you walked to the studio today I did, it was a beautiful day, we're in our 20s. It's almost a factor of 30 times. Yeah, oh, 100%. Yeah.

Minimum. Minimum. Put the safety first. Sunblock. Elz, how are you? Injured at boxing this week? Just a little graze from boxing, but I'm enjoying it. All good, thank you.

Yeah, I was going to say, how are you finding it? Loving it. It's so good. Yeah. Bit of circuits and boxing. All good, yeah. And then the sun gives you loads of positivity So all good amazing stuff, right? I'm gonna do the most cheesy segue of all time Two sides in Titanic battles this week's themselves

Chelsea and Arsenal in Champions League action mixed fortunes there. We're gonna get stuck into that We are gonna talk a little bit about Chelsea potentially winning the title on Wednesday at the other end, Crystal Palace relegation confirmed with a demolition job really from West Ham. And then there's lots of excitement in the championship as well as that will go to the final day London City Lionesses or Birmingham City coming up to the WSL. So we'll touch on that. But we are going to start with an amazing result for Arsenal against Lyon. Possibly one of the greatest away Champions League performances that I think we've ever seen, A, from an Arsenal side but also from an English side. We sat last week and we spoke about the fact that

Arsenal would take a goal deficit into the game against Lyon. They came out and blew Lyon away. It was a phenomenal watch. You were there, Jen. Oh, it was incredible. I think, first and foremost, I think we all looked at French giants, right? Leon had all the history, eight Champions League titles. Everyone was kind of, and including the odds, were against Arsenal. But based on the first leg, I had all the optimism going into it. But I think they blew everyone out the park. They really dominated the game. Leon made so many uncharacteristic mistakes but Arsenal's play I thought was brilliant. They just looked so confident and I think that's been the key to their game this whole season but what

a result and it was genuinely unbelievable to be there, to be a part of it, to see the emotions at the end was incredible. So it was the way they played, the confidence in which they executed every tactical plan possible, it was class. We will definitely, definitely be leading into just how good Arsenal were. I just want to flip this over to the other side, Ellen, as well. Were you surprised by just how sharp Arsenal were from the start and just how slow Leon were. No, I wasn't surprised Arsenal coming out the blocks. I was surprised at the way Leon Came out the start of the game some really odd

mistakes that you don't necessarily see from that caliber of player and That team in general, but then you've got to credit Arsenal for the pressure They put on the tactics the pressure they put on, the tactics, the press. They were forcing those mistakes, and then they were capitalising on those mistakes as well, which I think was really important, because at times maybe in that first leg, they didn't quite capitalise on the mistakes or the opportunities they had in front of goal, but wow, did they take their chances and it was phenomenal. It was go a little bit further on that one because it wasn't just a press, was it? It was really selective.

They chose when to go. It wasn't just all outright. We go player to player, 11 up the pitch. It was really, really carefully handpicked. Yeah. And I think that's, you know, you've got a credit, Rennie Slagers for her tactics, but then the players as well to implementing that. And I think it's really challenging sometimes with the press.

It's like gung-ho, all or nothing. Do you go for 15 minutes, just go all out? You know, do you try and do five minutes and then back? But then, like you say, just picking when and where to do it and doing it so well with the right personnel. 18 years since they've been in a final in the Champions League. Wow, that's incredible history made as well. Yeah, and we must touch on the starts of the halves, Jen, because it wasn't just a fast

start in the first half. It was almost like they got in at half time and then had another rocket part of them and they went straight back out again in the second half. I know the second half was probably the most bizarre one because obviously I'm on commentary thinking right, what's Joel Montemarie going to be saying in the dressing room? What are the players going to doing? Will they make changes? I was really surprised to see Van der Donk not on the team. I thought she was brilliant in the first leg at home, especially if you're talking about Ellen, the press and Leon picking and choosing when to do it in the first leg. She was a big miss in the second leg, I think.

I feel like the more they needed to play up top. play up top. I feel like Hegerberg shouldn't have started, if I'm being perfectly honest. And then van der Donk should have been in midfield for that physicality, the legs. And she likes to put a tackle in. And Arsenal's midfield just ran all over them. Elso, are you saying De Mornay because of her leading the line, as in playing off the shoulder of the last defender, or because Hegerberg just doesn't have the legs to do it? A bit of both I would say. Being that focal point, running the Arsenal back line and just pushing them further and further up the pitch,

which would then leave more space for that midfield to get on the ball and then giving more space then for the likes of Tjewinga and also Diani to get more 1v1 battles and that space in behind. So I feel like them starting Hegerberg instead and putting De Morne in midfield I feel that helped Arsenal but then you obviously got to implement your game plan and be so switched on and be really on it as well. From 1 to 11 whoever started and came on I thought I feel like they just put in such a shift Arsenal and they were just so impressive. I think also, Ellen, looking at De Morne and the 10, for me, first and foremost, I don't think she's a 10. When you're playing in Champions League at that level, I'm watching, and Joe

Montemurro said it after the first leg, letting Arsenal have a bit of the ball and letting centre-backs, but Kim Little was picking up the ball from the opening few minutes and playing through the lines and I'm thinking the morning he just got a little bit caught ball watching was Kim Little would just check off her shoulder and get on the ball. And it's those moments that if Vanda Dunkson in the team, I don't think that happens as much. She was much more tactically aware of, you know, when to close space, when to close gaps. The morning he just got caught a little bit too up, higher up the pitch a lot of times and the ball just was playing through midfield. But spaces were there from back to front for Arsenal to play in their style of play and

get comfortable and I think that's one of the things that I think Leon will look back on and think we didn't show up. Let's talk Kim little then. Ellen, you must have been watching with such a smile on your face watching her performance. No, why would I say that? Oh, friends. Oh, football friends. I don't want to throw this word around a lot with players, but she is an absolute legend. She is the GOAT. She is unbelievable.

Her technical ability, her football intelligence, the way she's able just to have the balls like, well her feet are like a velcro, the ball just sticks to her. But then her runs, her timing of runs into the box as well, she had that great chance, was like four or five minutes in there and what got the corner from it obviously. Yeah I just feel like she's a phenomenal leader, she doesn't scream, she doesn't shout, she doesn't shout. She lets her football do the talking, it's her presence. And I just feel like these moments were made for her

and I'm so pleased for her that she's able to now be walking out as captain in a European final for Arsenal because she fully deserves it and she puts the hard yards in. She works so hard on and off the pitch and yeah, very proud and just so pleased that she had that play of the match performance as well. She's one of my best mates and you know what, the thing about Kim is having known her first hand, she works harder than anyone I've ever known in terms of being a professional footballer,

how disciplined she is and also I wanted to say how loyal she's been to Arsenal. I know she's gone and played elsewhere but she signed the year after they won it but she's come back and stayed and I think I'd go as far as saying she could be playing for anyone and has chosen to stay because she loves the club, she loves the people there. So to see her, having known that we've been knocked out at semi-finals together multiple times, getting to present the Player of the Match award was really special because she deserves it and I saw how emotional she was. I think everyone saw how emotional she was and a lot of people came out and said, you know, that because I remember that feeling when you're a youngster you do it for the seniors and it's Kim Little in that kind of position that deserves it.

She's worked so hard her entire career, 35 this summer, and still she's not past her prime. She's in her prime. She will be in her prime until she retires, until she chooses when to do that. So it was a credit to her. She fully deserves it. I was beyond happy for her and the whole team. How respected is she by that group? Ellen I'd go as far as saying she's one of the most respected because of what Ellen was saying as well Not just her talent not just how? Incredible she is as a footballer. She is the one of the best people you you'll ever meet

She's one of the best human beings. She's a calm. She leads by example She doesn't overly talk negative but she's solution-focused. She's not someone that's just going to talk negative about lots of people. She'll help anyone. She's always got time for a youngster, someone else, a senior player, a staff member. She's just the epitome of what a professional footballer should be. I can't talk highly enough about Kim Lyttle. Totally agree with everything Jen's saying. I don't think there's much more to say. She's just a phenomenal person and an unbelievable talent and Jen said she's just getting better

and better. I think, you know, it was frustrating when people were kind of questioning at the start of the season or during the season where she had some few niggles and was getting back fit and saying that maybe Cooney Cross needs to come into that midfield but no this this midfield her position is built for her and she just bosses that midfield with her intelligence her footballing ability her presence her talent her leadership qualities as well and she doesn't know how good she is either which makes her an even better person to be honest she would hate us talking about her right now I can just imagine

I literally text her I went you are amazing that is my that is the message and that was only text her because she is she's amazing I was on the flight back and bumped into a couple of fans and one of them came up to me and was like I think Kim Little should get a statue and I was just like, yeah 100% So this is our petition to get Kim Little a statue at the Emirates Fresh female? Yeah, I can't think of another one And she needs a statue One thing that jumped out of me as well, we spoke a little bit last week about what Leon

had on the bench in terms of like the match winning experience, the Champions League winning experience and I was rather sad and tragic and watched the last half an hour of the game back just to do Kim Littlecam to see how she basically managed things and marshalled things on the pitch. The experience that she showed just to calm things down and just to take the sting out of the game and not let it get frantic or chaotic or in any way become a basketball match. It was just such a, like you said Jen, leading by example. Yeah, and she was, for me anyway, and I'm sure loads of other people, she's the kind

of person that you look to during the match and be like, how do we solve this? What do you think of that? And she'd always be so calm and collected and I'll never forget her little hand gestures, you know, when you have the ball or a right back has the ball and I still see her do it now. She just does that. Explain what you're doing with your hands. You know when you just put your hands by your hips and you just, you know, gesture towards the ground to be like calm down, or don't give me the ball yet, just hold onto it a bit longer, you know, I'll find my time and space in a sec. Just those little bits of information.

And she does 100% lead by example. She's the epitome of a captain. And it's, you know, kudos to you for watching the game back because that's an interesting one, Kim Cam. But I just, it was after you had, after you had, we'd been chatting on our sort of WhatsApp group and all just waxing lyrical about how good she was. But I wanted to, when you watch the game first time round, it's such an exciting

thing, a semi-final that you are so focused on the outcome that you don't necessarily watch what people are doing in any given moment. I think the thing that I sent you guys was her standing by the referee with five or six Leon players around her and the way that she just managed the situation. Again, just little hand gestures, turning to Leon players, be like, okay, that's enough from you, thanks. Yeah, well, she'll never shout and scream, will she? She's just, it's all very, you know, regulated voice, knows exactly what she needs to say in any given...

And that's kind of how she is as a person, right, Ellen? She's very articulate, very good in heated moments, knowing when to use certain words to calm people down. I always used to say, similar to Kelly Smith, they don't talk a lot but when they do, everyone listens because they've got something really important to say. I was just going to say a little story about how me and Kim are the polar opposites in a game. It was like the quarterfinals of the Olympics in Tokyo against Australia and I was just, I just lost my head at her, just absolutely screaming. I don't know what I was telling her and then she goes, okay Ellen, thanks. And I was like,

no say something, scream at me! She's like, alright cool. She's like, okay, no problem. And I was just like, oh, I've just, and then I was like running around the pitch going, sorry Kim, I'm so sorry, I'm sorry Kim, I'm so sorry. I shouted, I'm sorry Kim, I'm so sorry. But she's just like, even just someone just screaming at her face, she's just like, okay. And I was just like, oh, I've messed up there. I shouldn't have shouted.

That is such a, that is, I think that's a gift in itself to be one of those people that you actually, you really want them to not think poorly of you. I think that's such a special thing. We must touch on Rene Steggs as well. Joe Montemuro got a lot of the attention last week just in terms of how he played things tactically and Renée Slaghe's got it spot on in the second leg. Yeah, I mean, I even loved her pre-match conference talking about mentality, concentration, confidence,

composure, all of those things that I said before we're used to seeing the Lyon side, we saw that with Arsenal. The press, she got it right, I thought her midfield positionally-wise were unbelievable. The back forward knew when to stay connected and to keep on that forward press and when to drop and protect the space in behind. But I thought everything went right and it's unbelievable to think it was Jonas Eideveld in charge at the start of the season and what an awful start they had to then be in a Champions League final. So it's credit to her. I think they obviously had a seven day prep as well, a whole week turnaround from the first game, but I think confidence wise, I think they knew they can go and do it and they did it. They absolutely executed everything perfectly.

And a little thought for Chloe Kelly as well, Ellen, considering that in January we were talking so much about what her future might hold. What a moment that is for her. Reni Slager's putting Chloe Kelly into that starting line-up as well. Her deliveries, her energy and obviously Beth started the first game, but I feel like that depth of squad really kind of helped them as well. yes it's incredible turnaround you can see how happy healthy she's just enjoying football and it's a great system for her but yeah I can't believe that she would have thought you know January time that she'd be going into the Champions League final with Arsenal so it's phenomenal

for her and obviously the club as well. So as good as it would have been to see two English teams in the final, in terms of it being a spectacle and an opportunity for two brilliant fan bases to go ahead to head as well as two brilliant teams, Barcelona and Arsenal are going to be an amazing watch when we get to Lisbon. We've spoken a lot about the hard work that Arsenal have done in order to galvanise that fan base. Barcelona similarly have got an incredibly loyal following. What will that

do for the occasion in your eyes Jen? Oh it's massive. I think especially from players you know, from a player's perspective you've always, you've got you've played at home and you've played away throughout you know semis and quarters and now you're playing at a neutral ground. So it's all about who can bring the bigger fan base and really make it feel like a home game. But what an opportunity for fans to get there and you're spot on. The fan base that both of these clubs have built are probably the biggest in the women's game I would argue, saying Lyon is definitely up there as well. So it'll be awesome to see the travelling fans and really making a day of it and, you know, giving the teams the

biggest support that they've been doing all season and for years. Playing at a neutral ground is always interesting because it's, you know, both fans and how many tickets can you get your hands on and, you know, how many can you make a weekend of it and really travel and it'll be an awesome side for both teams. Yeah, last year at Estadio San Mames in Bilbao, obviously it naturally would feel like a home game for Barcelona being in Spain, but the way that they travelled was unbelievable.

They literally lined the streets for the coach arriving. There was a really impressive section of Lyon fans, but I think the stadium was like 75% Barca fans. I think of Arsenal as well, having consistently really high numbers in the Emirates and they all have, you know I was at Leon and you're only allowed certain allocation when it comes to those type of away games but I heard them and you could see them on their feet the entire game pretty much so it'll be awesome and what a moment again I said that 18 years have been since Arsenal have been in this position so I think any Arsenal

fan would be gutted if they miss out on it. Equally whilst we had delight for Arsenal we had despair for Chelsea so with Arsenal going through to the final Chelsea always going to be up against it against Barcelona having gone down 4-1 in that first leg away from home. They got off to a really strong start and then suddenly sucker punched and ultimately Barca ran out winning 8-2 on aggregate, 4-1 on the day at Stamford Bridge. Ellen, I wondered if tactically this one was a kind of paint by numbers almost for Barcelona? The only way to describe it for Chelsea is embarrassing, for one. And I think for Barcelona, they soaked up all that pressure.

I think they knew for the first 20, 25 minutes that Chelsea were going to come at them. And I think the difference with Arsenal and what Chelsea did is they picked their moments Arsenal, whereas Chelsea just tried to just go for it. And it wasn't really, I don't think there was like a true plan in it. And then it was just executing everything up the top, just wasn't there, not the right pass,

the finish wasn't good enough. And then when you allow someone like Bon Matty just to run the length of the pitch and just smash it into the back of the net I feel like you know your shoulders just go down you just think this is just an even harder task than what we ever thought of and I feel like you say it was just It was it was just it was just it felt like a walking apart for Barcelona from being perfectly honest And you know I've been there. I've been there with Man City and we played Barcelona away from home and got destroyed. 3-0. We got absolutely destroyed. We came back home and we're like this will never happen to us again.

We are not then losing again 3-0. So we changed it and we won but over obviously for the whole tie we didn't go through but we looked at each other and thought this cannot happen again. We cannot let them come to our home and destroy us again. We have to be smart. We have to press them in the right areas and we have to finish when we're given the right opportunity. And I just felt like it was Barcelona's to take and that they just destroyed them. I just feel like Chelsea were extremely naive and they looked quite tired if I'm being honest as well. Was it a difference in mentality or was it different in tactics from that going back

to the second like when you're saying you changed it? Both I would say. Mentality and also tactics. Slightly tweaked the personnel but then also the tactics. We sat off them a bit too much in that first one, they just destroyed us and we just couldn't get back into the game. And yeah, I think 3-0 was quite a good one to take home to be honest because it could have been a lot more. And then yeah, I think 3-0 was quite a good one to take home to be honest, because it could have been a lot more. And then yeah, we changed personnel and tactics and we just went for them. We went gung-ho and they hated it. We pressed them, we were physical, we absolutely attacked them basically. We still obviously lost the tie, but I feel like in yourself you can still go, well we gave everything and we won.

But I feel like you cannot go away from home and lose 4-1 and come home and lose 4-1 as well It's just that's not acceptable. I think when I look at that game most recently, you know at the weekend It's the goals that they concede in quick succession It happened on both legs, you know when they're two one down after 80 minutes And then a couple of goals goes in all of a sudden it's four that felt really similar I feel like Chelsea have been unbelievable in the league and look they're still going for a treble let's be honest. Sometimes I'm thinking right it's not a reflection on Chelsea it's more a reflection on how good Barcelona are but you cannot switch off for moments against them but I think it's also to

talk about Chelsea they're just they haven't been in this position at all in the league. Who in the league have really tested them to that level? No, they've absolutely steamrolled it. Wins back to back for consecutive games that no one's done for that amount of time, that record. And I feel like they just got put in a really uncomfortable position. But it's the goals that they concede in quick succession that's a frustrating one watching. You're thinking you're miles better than this. Yeah, let's touch on those then. So, Bonmatti scores on 25. And I do think there's a frustrating one watching you're thinking you're miles better than this. Yeah let's touch on those then. So Bonmatti scores on 25 and I do think there's a little bit of an asterisk there that you touched on Ellen in that just a bit of game management maybe just when you

see her getting away with the way the pitch is laid out at that point you almost have to just bring her down and ensure that she doesn't go through on goal. I think you just take a yellow card for the team there. I think you see what's happening. You know, everyone's chasing back. There's so much space. I think, yeah, Niamh Charles, she just has to take the yellow card because they're scrambling and, you know, they have other fullbacks on the bench as well. So I think you can't risk it in that moment. You just have to take her down because Millie's taken a little while to come over, I'm not a goalkeeper, it's a great strike from obviously Bonmatti but don't know whether Hannah could have maybe done a little bit better,

I'm not sure, but it's a very good goal. It's a really clean strike isn't it? I mean if we look at the first leg, Pina scores on the 70th minute and then Paredes gets a goal on the 82nd, 12 minutes separating that sort of brace that takes the tie really away from Chelsea. In the second leg, Jen, it's 41st minute from Piray and then 43rd minute from Pina and suddenly, we spoke a little bit last week about how when Lyon scored against Arsenal you felt that sucker punch, almost like someone had the wind taken out of them. It absolutely felt like that this time around with Chelsea. Yeah, and I'm wondering if it was a Chelsea... Obviously you never know what's said in a dressing room going into a game, but I know for sure if I'm in that Chelsea team, I think

we can't concede at all, or it just becomes an absolute even bigger mountain to climb. So the fact that they did in the first half, I'm wondering if that becomes a bit of, well okay, can we come back from this at all? Do heads go down? Are you starting to question things? These are the things that I would wonder if that was in any of the Chelsea. I'd like to think not, but when you concede in quick succession of that, that's just a lapse of concentrate. Of course, Barcelona are incredible. The players on the pitch watching them, like you have to give them the credit. Their passing, weight of passes, finishing is world class. It is. And that's why they're in the position they're in. So it's a case of Chelsea, okay, lapse

of concentration, but unbelievable play from Barcelona. I wonder with this kind of rivalry between Chelsea and Barcelona. Whether it is actually a rivalry, I was sort of thinking about this the other day and I was thinking about that Don Draper quote from Mad Men, I don't know if you've ever seen it, but basically this guy says to the lead character Mad Men, he's like, I feel sorry for you and then the character says back, I don't think about you at all and I wonder whether with this rivalry, this is a rivalry at the moment that Chelsea feel, and maybe Barcelona have reached a place, Ellen, where they go, we don't see Chelsea

as our equals, we think of ourselves as ahead of them. I think Barca think themselves as the best, which is not in an arrogant way. They are the best at the moment. They hold the trophy. Can I just go back on what Jen said about, so we're saying that Chelsea aren't necessarily challenged in our league, in the WSL. Are Leon and Barca challenged in their league? Probably not, maybe two games a year. Their mentality to get themselves up to that level every Champions League game, yes obviously Barca did lose in the group to Man City, but they win when it matters. So that mentality and to be able to get over that hurdle so seamlessly out of your league

to then raise your level so high in the Champions League I think is phenomenal and I feel like it's taken Chelsea quite a long time to be able to do that and we talk about how amazing they are in the league and they have been and like you say it's not a failure. They could still potentially go on to win the treble but we've spoken so much about the quadruple haven't we all season that this one's eluded them for so long but I feel like they just need some more time and I feel like Arsenal have rode this Champions League very well. They've come all the way from the qualifying stages which is phenomenal which is actually unheard of and they've just been like a juggernaut through the Champions League and know and have realised what to do and how to win games and how to raise their intensity. I just feel like Chelsea haven't been able to manage that and Barca

have just wiped the floor with them and been like, yeah, you're not one of our rivals. We just destroy you every single time. And that's quite a hard hurdle for Chelsea to get over. And it's only going to become a bigger and bigger hurdle as well. Psychologically it's going to be very difficult to try and come back from this should Chelsea play Barca again next year. Yeah but I do think we all we always kind of said is it one season too soon for them? Or you know are they quite there?

And then I'm thinking okay the players they brought in this year, it was Kira Walsh, Lucy Bronze, players from Barcelona that know exactly what it takes to get it. Naomi Germa coming in, I thought that was a big ask for her to put her in at a semi-final. What a jump to have barely played in the WSL this season to then go and play in a semi-final. The jump and scale of that game was just a lot. So I don't think we got the best out of her at all in that game. I'm still thinking of the players that were missing. You've still got Sam Kerr to come back from injury. You've still got Lauren James to come back from injury. Chelsea can still strengthen. And the way that they've bought in January, they'll be thinking as

a board, do we strengthen even more? Barcelona are the team to chase. They're the ones that outplayed us. So how do we bridge the gap so we might see more signings from them in summer, regardless of how the home of the EFL from Five Life Sport. As we'll get stuck into the latest from the Football League and beyond. I can't put a finger on why we weren't as energetic as we usually are. What they've got there is genuinely good people that really care about that football club and the fans have been huge in terms of the backing that they've given to this group. 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. Welcome to the Inside Track with me, Rick Edwards. This is the podcast that takes you inside Formula One and Red Bull Racing like never before. And I'm Matt Magindy and thanks to my exclusive access I'll be getting up close and personal with the Red Bull Racing team this season. This week we're focusing on that five second penalty for Max Verstappen. I don't see any

world in which you could say that, oh no, that was fine. And we're getting very excited about a sit down interview with the big dog team principal, Christian Horner. Experience Formula One like never before by tuning into the Inside Track, wherever you get your podcasts. There is the opportunity for Chelsea to get some consolation on Wednesday. They can secure the WSL title if they win at Man United and Arsenal fail to beat Aston Villa. At the moment, the way that it sits, Chelsea top of the table, 51 points having played 19. Arsenal played 19 as well there on 45 points in second, six points behind and then Man United back in third, two points behind Arsenal. At the other end of the table, confirmation that Palace

have been relegated back to the championship after a one season stop in the WSL. They were beaten by West Ham by seven goals to one West Ham who are absolutely flying at the moment. Ellen, I do just want to pick up there on what Palace might have done differently. I don't know whether there is anything that Palace could have done differently, but how hard is it for those sides that are coming up now to try and bridge the gap? I had so much hope for them. I really did when that gap was closing. Yeah, they started well, then that gap was closing. They were chasing Villa, obviously they beat Villa,

and then I thought if they could then get another three points on, bit more points on the board, it would put, you know, Villa and Leicester really kind of watching and looking over their shoulders. I just don't think they had enough experience in that squad just to get them over the line. And then, yeah, it's been a really tough season for them. I feel like at times they played some really nice football. I feel like they did put themselves up against some of the teams in the league. It's just such a hard challenge, isn't it it to stay in this league and to be able to go year after year. So yeah,

I'm obviously disappointed for them, but I feel like they would have learned collectively as a team and a squad what you need to now obviously win the championship again to come back up really. I think lack of experience is probably the key thing you said in that for sure. Having an inexperienced team coming into WSL is a tough place to start. Even having watching them at the start of the season, I took my hat off to them trying to play even against the top teams and they learn quickly. But even having watched the likes of West Ham lately getting a bit of flak for

you know potentially not playing games to win, playing games to draw and not lose and I think those are the kind of attributes that you never want to you know be part of as a team but ultimately to stay in a league sometimes you have to do that and that's maybe something they learned a little bit too late. It's one of those things as well that you look at a squad and you think potentially where might they Nick wins from, where might they nick goals from. And the teams around them have suddenly managed to find someone who's going to get them seven, eight goals.

Palace just don't seem to have that this season. If you look at the amount of goals scored as well, Crystal Palace scoring just, what is it, 15, 16 goals this season. It's just not enough to get you over the line. And sort of come back to that same discussion that we had last year, Ellen, when you come up, do you try and play with a philosophy and a style of football and do the same things that you did in the championship or do you try and survive? Yeah, I think it shows that, like Jen said, you have to get points, you have to pick up points,

you have to create a system where you're hard to beat defensively, but then it's about finding someone that will score you a number of goals. You've got to have a striker in there that can score you 10, 15, 20 goals, which they're hard to come by, especially if you're not creating enough chances. But you've got to create a philosophy that fits your squad and also fits the teams that you're playing up against. And you've got to create a philosophy that fits your squad and also fits the teams that you're playing up against. And you've got to try and pick up points. I know that's easier said than done,

but you can't play the same way you did in that championship. The caliber of teams is just so much better and they will just pick you off. They will absolutely destroy you. And we saw that against West Ham, the spaces, the goals. I just felt like, well, Martinez was absolutely unreal to be honest, but I just felt like, well, Martinez was absolutely unreal, to be honest, but I just feel like you've got to realise what league you're in and what you're doing and

I feel like you've just got to create a different philosophy and you've got to try and not concede as many but you've got to find a striker that can score you goals. Palace down then, we should touch on the championship. We've been left with the title decider there. Draws for London City, Lionesses and Birmingham last weekend meant that both still have a chance of going up on both sides. Meet at St Andrews on Sunday. London City Lionesses leading the way on 42 points. Birmingham City two points behind. Both not having had a defeat in the last six games. Really, really impressive form. Birmingham have to win if they want to go up. Otherwise London City Lionesses will be in the top flight. Just on this, Eleni, it's really fascinating considering that we're

talking on the bottom of the WSL and saying how frustrating it is year after year to not see this jeopardy. It's lovely to know that for sides looking to come up, it's going down to the wire. Yeah, it's wild, isn't it? I keep looking at the championship, I was watching it actually as it was happening and clicking on the BBC Sport website and London City Lioness were actually losing and then Birmingham were winning and it was like I was watching the table and it was really exciting to watch. So yeah it's going to be absolutely crazy that last day at St Andrews.

Hopefully all the fans turn out to watch that one because I'm really excited. I've got a little soft spot for Berman obviously playing for him, but it'll be amazing to see obviously if London City Lionesses were to come up as well. But I would also love to see maybe one or two like coming up rather than just that one. But yeah, it's a phenomenal final day and I'm really excited to kind of see how that one pans out. Also for society coming up to the championship,

it's Forest and Ipswich that make the jump. Sheffield United drop down to tier three, only one relegation place there in the championship this season because of Reading's withdrawal. Just a little reminder, on Wednesday evening, it's Aston Villa against Arsenal, six o'clock kickoff, and then it's Man United against Chelsea. That's 8.15. Potentially the title decided in the WSL on Wednesday evening.

And that is where we're going to leave it this week on the Women's Football Weekly. Thanks to Jen, thanks to Ellen. We'll be back next week and we'll be on live on 5 Live, 9.30. So come and get involved then. Up next on the Football Daily Feed, Kelly Cates will be here with all the reaction to the Champions League semi-final first leg Arsenal against PSG. Welcome to the Inside Track with me, Rick Edwards. This is the podcast that takes you inside Formula One and Red Bull Racing like never before. And I'm Matt Magindy and thanks to my exclusive

access I'll be getting up close and personal with the Red Bull Racing team this season. This week we're focusing on that five second penalty for Max Verstappen. I don't see any world in which you could say that, oh no, that was fine. And we're getting very excited about a sit down interview with the big dog team principal Christian Horner. Experience Formula One like never before by tuning into the Inside Track wherever you get your podcasts.