The Guardian's Women's Football Weekly - Chelsea win fifth WSL title in a row: Women’s Football Weekly

Episode Date: May 21, 2024

Faye Carruthers and Suzanne Wrack are joined by Marva Kreel and Rachel Brown-Finnis to discuss how Chelsea pipped Manchester City to the title after their rout of Manchester United

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starting at $19 per month at zensurance.com. Be protected. Be Zen. This is The Guardian. Hello, I'm Faye Carruthers and welcome to The Guardian Women's Football Weekly. Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened. The Barclays WSL season finale did not disappoint. What a title race we had.

Decided on goal difference with Chelsea lifting their fifth consecutive league title after a 6-0 win over Manchester United. City did their job but a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa wasn't enough to stop Emma Hayes winning her 16th piece of silverware as she left Chelsea on a high. We'll discuss Viv Miedema and Frank Kirby's fairytale endings, hand out some of our own end-of-season awards, as well as waxing lyrical

about the Lionesses under-17s. Plus, as always, we'll take your questions. And that's today's guardian women's football weekly women's football weekly is supported by google pixel the only phone engineered by google an official mobile phone of arsenal football club liverpool football club and the england teams google pixels working with the fa arsenal Arsenal FC and Liverpool FC to close the visibility gap between men's and women's football with the formation of Pixel FC, a collective of next generation creators and presenters dedicated to covering the women's game. They'll have

exclusive access to players, additional resources and content creation opportunities to give women's football the visibility it deserves. Search Google Store to find out more. What a panel we have today. Susie Rack, live from a service station, somewhere on a motorway, somewhere. Toddington Service is all of the highlights for me, post-WSL season. Well, listen, being a Luton girl, I know Toddington Service is of the highlights for me post WSL season

well listen being a Luton girl I know Toddington services very very well you're in a good one they've got an M&S and everything it's all relative isn't it it is, Marva Creel a win for Everton on the final day as well I know, completed it mate

and Everton men not worrying about relegation for one season, at least on the last day, which was very, very nice to have that stress off my back. Sorry, not to rub salt into the wound. That's not to be discussed. And I mean, this just never happens, does it? Double Everton, Rachel Brown-Finnis.

How are you doing? Hi, Faye. Sending it up in Liverpool, I am. I can see. It looks quite amazing. Costa del Liv up there. Costa del Crosby. Costa del Crosby. Brilliant. Now then, what a weekend we had.

Was it ever really in doubt? Is this the time where the Guardian Women's Football Weekly predictions were correct? OMG. Chelsea lifted their fifth consecutive Barclays WSL title on Saturday, marking the perfect end to Emma Hayes' tenure. There were celebratory scenes at Old Trafford and it ended up being a double celebration as well because with Lyon becoming French champions again,

Chelsea also now qualify directly for the group stages of next season's Champions League we did think it was going to be one of those to me to you to me to you kind of chuckle brothers style days there was speculation as well that the trophy was sitting halfway up the m6 not knowing its final destination with Chelsea at Old Trafford, Manchester City in Birmingham. And going into the final day, both sides were level on 52 points, with Chelsea just topping the table on a plus-two goal difference. But it just took two minutes for us all to realise that actually Chelsea were on a mission and the trophy would indeed be presented at Old Trafford and taken back to West London,

because it finished Manchester United nil, Chelsea six. They were two up, in fact, inside eight minutes. Mayra Ramirez scored after two and then Johanna Ritting-Canyard scored after eight. They added two more then before the break. Shukun Nushkan and Ramirez once again before Melanie Leopold's got another two minutes after the restart and Frank Kirby added the icing and probably the cherry on a very lovely cake late on her final goal in Chelsea Blue. I mean, it was a sensational start, Susie, and they just went for the jugular, didn't they really? What did you make of the game and of their performance ultimately?

It was just an electric start and Mayra Ramirez in particular, who M. Hayes said afterwards had only trained half a session the day before and you know was a doubt um and they sort of looked at each other in training and she said I'll be ready I'll be ready I'm I want to play kind of thing uh was absolutely unplayable um she's so like intelligent physically strong, just like an absolute powerhouse. In those opening minutes and getting that first goal, just full display of her talents. I think she ran the show for Chelsea in the first half. I didn't think she was amazing.

But yeah, staggeringly good performance. I thought Man United almost looked a little bit shell-shocked by how aggressive Chelsea were sort of pressing, really, really going for that win. But for me, the second Arsenal got that win in Manchester against City, you just never, ever felt like Chelsea were going to let that second chance pass by for me. We actually had a message from Jim Hearson on our email account, Women's Football Weekly,

at theguardian.com if you want to message us at all. He said, in a world where it feels that most forwards are nippy little people who can play across the front line, isn't Myra Ramirez a tremendous throwback of a number nine,

an absolute unit that will run through brick walls and defenders alike and it helps that she can find the back of the net as well, Marva. Yeah, but it's not even just a traditional number nine because that assist that she got and then her second goal, the technical ability to dribble past players as well. It's one thing to be a physical number nine

who can head in the box, but then to also have the sort of slight Lauren James ability of being able to glide past players just makes you a little bit scared of um next season actually and what she might be able to do but for her to step in obviously Sam Kerr out then Mia Fishel out coming halfway through the season into a different league like what she's done is just incredible and that that performance is honestly one of the best individual performances I've seen all season she just bullied that United back line. That one where she got past Turner, like, Turner will never want to see that back ever again.

But all credit to her. Yeah, it was an incredible performance. They just didn't know how to cope with her at all, did they? And, you know, actually, Rachel, we shouldn't really ever count out an Emma Hayes side. When you look at the figures in the space of three games, they overturned a goal difference deficit of minus seven to win the league with a plus seven goal difference, which is just quite incredible, really. What does it show about the mentality of her squad? It's the mentality, it's the belief, the togetherness of that squad and also the strategic implementation that Emma Hayes brought. Once they were out of the Champions League and once they just had the league to focus on, which wasn't a huge amount of time,

in the games that they had left, she calculated exactly what they needed to do, who they were going to do it against and it was almost like an alphabetical formula was applied. The girls knew exactly what they needed to do, who was going to be doing it, and they just got tick, tick, tick in the last three games of the season. They were so efficient. Like he was saying, Mario Ramirez was unbelievable. Millie Turner just had the best weekend of her life at Wembley

and been almost flawless in her defensive capabilities in the FA Cup final. And looks like she could have been 10 years old and playing one of her first matches. That's how juvenile that Myra Ramirez made her. She just bullied her. And not just, you know, I'm not picking on Milly Turner because I think she's had a fabulous season, but a little bit of a subpar performance, maybe a literal or maybe metaphorical hangover

from the FA Cup final, Manchester United as a whole. And you take a world-class player, as we saw particularly in a World Cup, Mayra Ramirez was saps of the unbelievable. It was so exciting to have her brought to the Women's Super League this season by Emma Hayes and seemingly a masterstroke of genius which you know we kind of attest many of those to Emma Hayes and what she's done for Chelsea and for the Women's Super League as a whole.

Susie I know how much you love writing these kind of articles. How did Chelsea and Emma Hayes get the job done? We can read it in The Guardian if we want, or you can just tell us in a brief synopsis. When I sat down to write that, like, sort of how Chelsea did it piece, I was thinking, how am I going to write this piece again? Because I've had to do it year on year, like the same sort of piece at the end of the season, but still, like like it is different

every single time there is something particularly special about this season and all the narratives around it and then just the resilience of this Chelsea team obviously mentality is a big part but I think the answer to the question of how Chelsea did it is like the answer to that is as much the same answer as it is to how City didn't do it and how Arsenal didn't do it because like you know you look at Arsenal, you own a sideld's side has the best head-to-head record within the top three and then City go on this incredible unbeaten run of 14 games to match Arsenal's record 14 game run and still don't win a league so like for me it's the failure of those sides in sort of big moments. Arsenal against, you know, keeping consistency against the teams outside the top three.

And Titti, you know, dropping points in that game against Arsenal in the kind of like, what, 88th minute. And they're 1-0 up and then they lose 2-1. It's just, in a a sense gifted it to Chelsea Well just want to say yay to me and yay to Susie, I mean it doesn't happen very often but we both said that we thought that Chelsea were going to

win and that is what happened the other panellists have let us down and continued the Guardian Women's Football Weekly curse but Susie you and I for once come up trumps with our decision and patting us on the back. Listen, it was a fairytale ending in terms of the league for Emma Hayes, but it was also a fairytale ending for Fran Kirby.

She came on in the second half, ending her nine-year Chelsea career in real style, scoring one last time in a Chelsea shirt. And it was perhaps fittingly the last goal of the Emma Hayes era as well it was pretty special Marva. It was I was actually with Moyo who's obviously a United fan and I was saying that's really nice that Kirby's getting

the last goal of Emma Hayes' tenure but there was still about five minutes left and Moyo was like it might not be the last goal there's still a chance it's a seven or right but it was the last one um but yeah just as she came on I thought what a nice way to see it out you know five nil up about to win the title and then she goes and does that to just end it even more sweetly but it was just a great run from her it's vintage Fran Kirby it shows what she can do like to to run in behind so calmly slot that pass you had no doubts that she was going to finish it and it's just everything that she

deserves like she's just been such an iconic player not only for Chelsea but for the WSL and wherever she goes next you know what she's done for Chelsea and what she's done and even in this this last season obviously probably hasn't played as much as she wanted to and you know it's coming to the end of her career, but has still popped up in really important moments, has still been, you know, influential off the bench. And that's the thing with this Chelsea squad. They've just got so many players.

Like even the fact that Lauren James didn't play this game, it's just, it's ridiculous. Like no other team is not starting Lauren James, regardless of how injured she might be. But it just shows you the squad depth and Frank Ivey is such a good example of that. Yeah, she is. And that's the squad that Emma Hayes has assembled. It was her seventh WSL title, 12 years she's been at the club, a project really that she built from the ground up

and has been an era of more or less total dominance over English football. This is what Emma Hayes had to say after the game. I categorically cannot carry on. I don't have another drop to give it. I can't say it's my most enjoyable title, but it's definitely been the toughest. And for that reason, probably the sweetest. I'm just so relieved it's over.

What did you make of her words, Rach? Are we ever going to see another Emma Hayes grace the WSL stage? Will she ever come back is another question. Certainly not at the kind of fledgling stage that women's football has been at and then sort of the catalyst that she has been in this kind of, in this new era, women's Super League being set up. Since she's been in place at Chelsea, the women's Super League going fully professional and she's sort of

really spearheaded and being the blueprint for set up the blueprint really for from an infrastructure point of view at the club

what other teams would absolutely love to have what they would love to be like so she's come in at such a key time that she will forever be

the sort of a shining light of this particular era. I would love to have her back in the Women's Super League in the future, whether she will eventually come back and manage as a National League team, as far with regards to being a Lionesses manager sometime in the future. Clearly going to do the US Women's Nationals team job, aside from her having a depth and breadth of experience in this country particularly, but abroad from a domestic manager point of view.

She will also have this upcoming experience as an international manager to kind of have on her CV, should she wish to go into something like that. So, I mean, she's been unbelievable. She's also, outside of the Women's Super League, been a brilliant voice for women's football, representing women's football in football in general, and not just in this country, but certainly with the ears and eyes of the media of this country, I think has been influential in a positive light for everybody involved in football and also you know from

worldwide she's respected worldwide across the whole landscape of football not just women's but men's just collectively football she's regarded one of the best coaches in the world yep she certainly is can't wait to see what she can do although with a heavy heart with the USA I don't want her to have too much success but but it's difficult, isn't it? We've got Serena Beekman, I don't want that. I think we've got the best coach in the world. That is very, very true. A word on Manchester United, Susie.

I mean, they just didn't turn up, did they? We've spoken a lot about Mark Skinner on the pod over the last few weeks. He signed a new contract this week after that historic FA Cup win. But the result kind of put a bit of a dampener on the mood a little bit. He's kind of saying to the press that his team are developing. But how much are we actually seeing that? You know, particularly this season, trophy aside, what have they got to do in the summer? Oh, so much. I mean, it was such a bad performance.

I mean, it was staggeringly bad defensively, for one. Lack of organisation, like, lack of fight or desire. I don't think there's any doubt that they would have been up for this game, right? Like, it's Chelsea, it's Old Trafford, it's the final game of the season. They are going to parade that FA Cup trophy around that pitch at the end. Do they want a league trophy being handed over to their opponents on home turf? Obviously not. Like, they were up for that game.

I thought it was a really poor performance. I think there's a lot to do. There's huge question marks over the new contract for Mark Skinner, I think. The fact that this performance came a day after his new contract was announced doesn't look good optics-wise. You know, they need players. They need depth in their squad. But at the moment, with the way the team is run and managed, I think they're going to struggle to get players to come in.

Like, too many big players are coming and either not seen enough minutes or have underperformed. That's what I think could be theirs and Mark's downfall, is that if he cannot convince players that they have a chance coming into his set-up, he's going to struggle to recruit them and that's the thing they need the most. Yeah, it's going to be a really interesting off-season, isn't it?

And lots of expectation going into the new season for sure. There will be at Manchester City as well. Let's go back to the drama of Saturday afternoon, because in Birmingham, City took to the field at Villa Park in front of their fans, full of hope that they could wrestle the trophy out of Chelsea's grip and win the WSL for the first time in eight years. It finished Aston Villa 1, Manchester City 2.

It was their 18th win of the campaign, thanks to goals from Mary Fowler and Lauren Hemp. You were at Villa Park, Rach. What was the atmosphere like? How quickly did it then change as the news filtered through pretty early on of the Chelsea score? Yeah, it was great for three minutes. And then when Chelsea scored, both, you know,

Villa had had nothing to shout about really on the pitch and City fans suddenly were quieting down. And a few minutes later, you know, doubly bad news, another goal at Chelsea. So it was a bit flat for a while. And Manchester City didn't do a lot to rescue that, if I'm being honest. It was quite a flat performance. You talked about Chelsea and how they pressed from the front, were relentless in pressing Manchester United at the back. Didn't really see that from Manchester City.

They looked lethargic. They looked a little off the pace. Mary Fowler's goal was absolutely brilliant and that was a huge lift in the stadium at the time. Wonderful bit of skill, the way she took it on one foot, swivelled and on full volley struck it home. So that was a technical bit of brilliance that started to lift the crowd. But you know after goal and goal and goal kept filtering through, we realized that maybe the jeopardy that could have been on that day on that final day was looking more and more unlikely but do you know what credit to Villa they they did play well and they've had a tough

season you know it was Carla Ward's farewell and and lots of um thousands of fans stayed afterwards to send her off. And also for Steph Orton, her final game of her career, a big send-off for her. So lots of things going on after the game. Unfortunately, the kind of atmosphere and the excitement didn't quite hit peak performance on the day on the pitch. Susie, look, Rach mentioned Carla Ward departing and actually I'm sure that the Villa players would have wanted to put in the kind of performance that they did, although ultimately it was defeat.

They played really well to send their manager off in a positive way. Three years she's been there. What impact has she had on the club? And kind of a couple more questions within that, because it feels a little bit worrying at the moment that so many managers are finding the tolls of the job really difficult, particularly female managers with children.

Emma Hayes has talked about it. You know, Jonathan Liu wrote a really interesting piece for The Guardian on it, if you want to go and read it. It's really fascinating. What can be done to help and keep the talent that we've got in the WSL yeah I hope Carla comes back into management pretty quick to be honest because she's got so much potential as a manager like if she's done so well in the role she's had so far with you know you know we're looking at Birmingham very very limited

resources there and then Aston Villa like I think it's been a little bit up and down and you know not always the easiest of times so you know I hope I hope it's it's a short-term thing and not a long-term thing I hope we see her back next season somewhere um but yeah I think it's a massive worry that managers female managers like are struggling to sustain motherhood with uh with their with their jobs um and i was actually chatting to johnny a little bit around the time he was writing that article on motherhood and management and uh and parenthood and management full stop right because like you look at managers men's game and it's it's celebrated how dedicated they are to what they do and how many sacrifices they make for their job and that they're all in and they watch the game 24-7 and they're available for their players at all hours and stuff.

And you think about what's behind them is that, you know, often they've got wives who, you know, they earn enough money that their wives can be, you know, at home, unpaid labour, running their entire households for them to allow them to do this thing that is so celebrated, but yet removes them from their family life so much. And, you know, it impacts the, you know, the bond and relationships they're able to have with their children. They're not able to go and do the school run and like go and watch, you the nativity at christmas and that kind of stuff because the the level of commitment involved in their job is is so so severe and yet we're asking

managers in the in the women's game men and women to do the same and to make that level of sacrifice and commitment without the financial backing and and support structure that comes from that being built around them how the hell does Emma Hayes do a weekly shop right you know like these are questions that that we should ask more um and challenge more and it shouldn't be the case that you have to like basically put your entire social and personal life to one side to be able to be a manager in football like that shouldn't be a thing we shouldn't celebrate that that's a horrible thing right like we shouldn't have people having to work themselves to the bone to be able to do their jobs work-life

balance makes you better at your job um so you know the idea that that's a good thing should not be celebrated in my opinion a lot more needs to be done to have a look at that in the men's and women's game it's not something we should be celebrating it's something which should be challenging questioning and saying how do we make this better i thought emma hayes made a brilliant point about potentially the future of co-managers uh being more common um and you know i think there's a you know a decent argument for that yeah I would agree and actually in life not just in football but I but particularly in football I I get it absolutely um right that's it for part one let us know your thoughts on that by the way in part two we'll look at the rest of the Barclays WSL action and we'll hand out some end of season awards Welcome back to part two of the Guardian Women's Football Weekly.

Let's do a brief run through, shall we, of the rest of the weekend's WSL results. Arsenal finished their campaign with a comprehensive 5-0 victory over Brighton. Alessia Russo scoring a brace while Viviana Miedema and Frida Mahnum were also on the score sheet. I mean, Susie, we've talked a lot about kind of ending on a high today. Miedema scoring with almost her first touch in her final game for Arsenal, assisted by Beth Mead. That's a Hollywood script that kind of writes itself, isn't it? Yeah.

I wish you weren't asking me this question. I've been trying to avoid every single video of the end of the match goodbyes and highlight clips and tweets about it being so fitting and beautiful that she scored with her first touch and blah blah blah because I'm trying to pretend it's not happening

which isn't going well for me but yeah like I mean hugely fitting such a wonderfully phenomenal player it shows whichever club which you know I think many believe to be City is gonna you know kind of have her back at her best age 27 I mean it's just like it's criminal that Arsenal have let her go you know in that context and uh yeah really interesting to see how she gets on wherever she does end up but yeah just end of an Really, really devastating for an Arsenal fan. End of an era of a player who is in their peak, so formidable, so clinical. The path for Beth Mead to find her as well was just absolutely sublime. And yeah, it's a hard one.

I don't think I've felt like this since Henri left or Fabregas left the men's team. I've not felt like this since then. Oh, bless you. You'll get over it. It's fine. There'll be another replacement. I'm so harsh. I know.

I'm really sorry. It's over Henri and Fabregas. It's not coming, babe. Well, yeah, that's very true. Oh, dear. Producer Sophie has just written, the romance is dead. That's it. Mine and your romance, Susie, is done.

Listen, earlier on, Marva put onto Twitter, two toffees on the pod at the same time. It's an end of season miracle. Everton consolidated that eighth place finish with a 4-0 victory away to Bristol City. I'm going to ask both of you. I'll start with you, Marva. How do you reflect on the toffee season?

A bit up and down given I don't want to bring up bad predictions on the pod again but I would just like to flag that some people not naming names on this call might have predicted Everton to go down this season to which I said I don't think they will so just bringing that one up. But no, I think given the injuries that we've had this season, given, you know, the position

financially that the club is in, that we've had to sell some of our best players, sold sort of three of our back starting back five as the season's gone on. And given all of that, I do think we've come out quite well in it. I think this was our first comfortable win of the season's gone on. And given all of that, I do think we've come out quite well in it. I think this was our first comfortable win of the season, but, you know, better late than never. And it feels like having a few of those players back, especially Valle back, and being able to play players in their actual positions,

funnily enough, looks like we're a stronger team. So hopefully next season we can not only bring a few players in their actual positions, funnily enough, looks like we're a stronger team. So hopefully next season we can not only bring a few players in, but keep a few players, you know, off of injury and actually play. And we might get something a little bit more stable. I felt like last season we had something to build off and then we just sort of didn't do that. But maybe that was partly because the players we were really building off and the talent were low-knee players who have now gone to do brilliant things for their their clubs in Jess Park and now you'd be the Jones so building a team around the players that we do have and are there permanently we've got some really really exciting talent coming through so hopefully we'll see that next season and I don't ever want to talk about XG ever again

because that was all I was talking about this whole season, about underperforming the XG. So hopefully I never have to utter those letters again next season. Yeah, we can't be doing with XG on this pod. No, no, no, no, no. Rach, what did you think? Simply put, it could have been worse. You know, I think he finished, obviously, on a high.

As Marva said, loads of injuries. I think Brian Sorensen, having him sign a contract, I think he's good. I like what it seems to be building. It's just been hampered by endless injuries. But I am very positive about next season. And I'm excited to see who Everton sign. It's been turmoil for the club as a whole the whole season it's been it's been like a bit of a an ongoing kind of something just niggling that

year that little negative voice in your head has been if you're anything to do with Everton and it's just been hard work this season and so I understand that that's kind of that feeling almost that kind of grey clouds has sort of sat across the whole club. And that's what it's felt like. So I'm hoping that that grey cloud is lifted. Blue skies up ahead for Everton, hopefully. Listen, I was going to be mean and ask you how brilliant Liverpool

have been this season, but I'll ask Susie that instead. And I won't ask Susie about Spurs because there was another 4-0 victory at King Power Stadium. It was Liverpool, though, beating Leicester to secure that fourth spot. Leanne Kiernan registering a second-half hat-trick, having come on as a substitute. This is from Joakim on X, Susie.

Could Liverpool build on this for next season? Or is it just a one-off? I don't mind picking up Spurs. I love Robert Villarreal but you know Liverpool also uh brilliant absolute phenomenal season but I think like you know for anyone who's followed Matt Beer's career they know he's a fantastically good manager um I think his ability to scout a player from nowhere that you've never heard of is second to none and yeah that helps because you know when you you bring a player who you know kind of no one's never heard of is second to none. And yeah, that helps because, you know,

when you bring in a player who, you know, kind of no one's really heard of, it's quite easy to build a sense of loyalty there and get a team playing for you and playing together. You know, there's no egos there when you're building a team like that. And there's something really exciting about what he's doing at Liverpool.

I think the better he does, the more invested the club will become as well. I think it will provide some impetus to the club to stick with him and put a bit of money behind him. The fact that they tipped Manchester United to the post this season is going to be huge for them, I think. Can they maintain it? Yes, I think they can. I think they can I you know I think they can

seriously launch a challenge not necessarily break up the top three but like maintain fourth and be challenging for at the very least I think that's completely realistic prospect for them fascinating um Tottenham have also had a great season uh first season under Robert Villaham, 3-1 win over West Ham. To wrap things up, how are both sides going to approach the summer window, do you think, Rachel? I think Tottenham have had a great season. Clearly getting to the FA Cup final was a highlight and really just kind of edged out. I think the experience from Manchester United, having been there the season before, was the difference between the two sides,

managing a massive occasion. What Robert Villa has done is managed his players brilliantly. Having Vicky Jepsen there as the head coach and seemingly doing the majority of the coaching on the pitch, but Robert Villa having been that manager, I think they're two completely different skill sets that don't always come with one person. So when we talked about co-managing before,

Emma Hayes mentioned that, that's something that for me makes complete sense. A great manager of people up alongside a great coach. But I think Robert Willeheim's been excellent for Spurs. He's certainly a leader. They're playing exciting football as well. And he's really kind of blending the new players, the players that he's certainly a leader in playing exciting football as well and he's really kind of blending the new players, the players

that he's brought in with the players who have been the bedrock of the Tottenham team for a number of years Rebecca Spencer has kind of been excellent, she made sort of a mistake in the final but has been excellent, Ashton Neville continues

to be absolutely remarkable for a club. I think they've got something that's moving in the right direction, Tottenham. So I think they'll be happy overall with the season. On the cusp of silverware was maybe something that they hadn't anticipated this season.

But the tough thing is always building on that for next season. Yeah, it's going to be really interesting. I feel like we're going to have such a competitive season next year. I can't wait to see some of the signings that are going to come into the WSL. But because the 2023-24 season has come to an end, we need to hand out some awards. So I feel like we're all going to pick the same player of the season.

Marva, who are you going for? I've gone for Bunny Shaw. Rachel? I've gone for Kiara Keating. Oh, okay. Suze? I'm going to keep it mixed up. I'm going to go for Lotta Wobber Moy. I think Bunny is going to sweep the awards, she should, but I think Lotta Wobber Moy has had a great season. I feel like we're just boring then Marva because I'm

with you, Bunny Shaw for me but I like the more out of the box thinking I have to say. Both Chiara Keating and Loss of Uwe Moya have had brilliant seasons. Goal of the season? Well Bunny Shaw was on my list as well for this. I think her goal against

Liverpool that one where it was just like a rocket was incredible. But shout out, can we do ones that aren't just WSL? Because the Conte Cup, there was a Chloe Kelly one against Liverpool that it just set up beautifully for her and she just volleyed it with her left foot,

which was just like, it was just so satisfying. So that one's up there for me as well. Adjudicator says we will allow. Rachel? Marvellous, because I'm going to follow in that same tone of a non-wsl goal ella tunes in the fa cup final sat out sat up beautifully and i do the well outside of the edge of the box it was very ella to unesk being able to curve it right foot into that top corner that was a thing of beauty suzy i've got an advantage here

because I had to do all my awards for the writers' awards in the paper. I've got Dan Turner v Man City. It was... I mean, Villa went on and lost for game 2-1, but the finish for the Villa goal was absolutely superb. It was lightly behind Dan Turner like it was no

look finish she sort of hooked it into the bottom corner it was like had pace on it it was it's just it's just absolutely beautiful I loved all of those goals but I I did go for Bunnyshaw's goal against Liverpool it was it was just absolutely brilliant. Game of the season. I feel like we might all be going for the same game of the season, although our two Evertonians are maybe not going to want to go for that. But let's see. I'm going for that incredible

4-3 victory for Liverpool. All the context, all the drama, all the fun, everything that we love about the WSL. Marva, which one are you going for? Well it kind of depends on if we're going for the best game in terms of quality or the best game in terms of just like nonsense. I love a nonsense game always.

The one for me that combines both of those in fact I've got two. One is the City Chelsea game with the 100 yellow cards because that was just like beautifully funny, but also like pressure at the end to get an equaliser against. I think they had eight players on the pitch because someone

was off at the time or like it was just ridiculous. So that one there, but also I think there was a West Ham Spurs game that was 4-3, I believe. And it was, and you got that great moment of the corner flag

um and the wind and Mewis trying to put the ball down it was like welcome to the WSL here's all the glamour of the WSL so those two are there for me but a special shout out for I think both Arsenal Chelsea games because quality wise Arsenal how well they played against Chelsea at home and then Chelsea how well they played against Arsenal at home I thought both of those were just like, in terms of quality, very, very high. So you've picked four games? I've picked four games.

I've picked four games. But my final decision, West Ham Spurs. There you go. Okay. Love it. Love it. Rach? I loved how it teed up the jeopardy towards the end of the season, which was the Manchester City-Arsenal game.

It wasn't the best in regards of quality, but from a broadcast point of view or from a neutral point of view, to have that kind of tee up what could be, you know, the evening time Chelsea then went 1-8-0, you're just like, oh my God, it's all come down to the last game of the season. So that was amazing as far as the context of the whole season.

But do you know what? I'm going FA Cup again. The semi-final, my United against Chelsea, was unbelievable. Like, for them to beat Chelsea for the first time ever at home,

for another, you know, packed out crowd, something they'd never done before, something they overturned compared to last season in the final. I felt like I'm a United fan that day. It was absolutely brilliant.

I was supposed to be working as well. Brilliant, brilliant. Susie? I'm all about the 4-3 to Liverpool as well. I think that was the moment, right? Like, Emma Hayes conceding the league afterwards. Don't get me wrong, I completely agree with Marva. Like, quality-wise, the defending in that game was absolutely appalling.

Like, that Chelsea conceded three from like set pieces is absolutely mental um so from that point of view you know terrible game but in terms of best match to like watch where your mind is just being blown every 30 seconds it has to be that game for quality the Chelsea Arsenal games three more awards to give out. Most improved player, Marva? I'll give it to... Ooh.

Lola Wibben-Moy is up there for me. I think... I've got about five. I can't lie. But I'll skip all my others and I'm going to instead go for Turland

because I think she deserves it of what she's done for that team. She has been absolutely brilliant for Brighton, hasn't she, Elizabeth Turland? Rachel? Well, we all sort of knew what Grace Clinton could do, but she's been sort of club-hopping a little bit. But to see her and the influence that she's had at Tottenham this season, it feels like a breakthrough season for Grace Clinton. So I'm going to go with Grace Clinton. Yeah, Grace Clinton was my choice as well.

Susie? Yeah. See, now I'm thinking I should put Bunny Shaw for best player because the more he can be most improved, that feels like a sensible thing to do. But no, I'll go Grace Clinton as well because I've loved watching her. It's been just wonderful, wonderful torch. And I hope

we get to see her on the pitch regularly next season, regardless of where she is. Yeah, I agree. Shout out to Jess Park as well, who's had a really good season and just keeps getting better and better. Funniest moment. Marva.

I feel like surely we all have the same here. Stockgate for me has to be up there. But also on a personal one, the Merseyside Derby where I was given it the big and in front of my family as we were all watching it on the FA player and then it immediately at halftime cuts to my interview with Missy Bo Kearns and we're joking about that was a great one for me where I had to just go oh was that me no I don't think so I don't think so so that was great in front of my whole family. Brilliant.

Rach? Yeah, well, I watched Fury against Usyk the other night, but it was nothing compared to Eidevald against Hayes on the touchline after that match. So that for me now in the whole context of how actually lightweight that was is actually the funniest moment of the season. Susie? Got gay all the way.

The jokes. The DJ that had to step in because of the delay. It was the best atmosphere at Stamford Bridge with that 20, 30 minute delay or whatever it was. Absolutely jumping. And then the puns during the rounds were just elite. Absolutely elite. So yeah, it's So Sockgate Sockgate was just brilliant it was it was just a headline maker's dream wasn't it Sockgate not a dream for those involved and the logistical nightmare and the fact that the broadcasters had to keep keep going the poor Sky Sports team having to fill beforehand.

So many, so many things. Producer Sophie has also mentioned Stina Blackstenius' goal against Aston Villa, which was also, indeed, absolutely hilarious. I've got another funny one. Is Sam Kerr at the end of the

game on the weekend thanking Stina Black-Stenian. Oh, yes. That was bold. Biggest priority for the league next year. It's not an award, it's a wish list. But let's keep the wish list short. Marva? I think it's just growing the competitiveness.

We've seen it this season, but just that thing of anyone being able to take points off anyone. Whoever wins the league, losing more games than just two games. And yeah, just it being a little bit more unpredictable because of how competitive it is, which I think is, it's going in that direction. RBF? Building on the surpassing of 1 million attendance rate, which happened at the end of April.

That has to be last season and it has to build for next season and second thing as a former player that acl prevention research happening now excellent excellent suzy i want every club playing multiple games at their main stadiums like the bar has been set and it's not just about oh you know we might not fill it it's the fact that it's the level of respect it shows you have for your women's team right like and how can you expect fans to want to go and watch a team that you don't value enough to put into your main stadium if you don't value it they won't value it so they've got to be at least like two three games a season in the big stadiums and I'm looking at West Ham screaming give me anything yeah I think I think

getting the marketing right is is really key just want to focus a little bit on England's under 17s heartbreak for them in the Euro 2024 final they They suffered a 4-0 defeat to Spain, but despite the result, it was a historic competition for Natalie Henderson's side. They made the final for the first time, and it also means that they qualify for this year's Under-17 World Cup, which is huge. Producer Sophie's been in Sweden covering the young lionesses. Lovely to have you on as always, Soph. What did you make of their performance and what does it mean for the future of English football? It's quite exciting, isn't it?

Absolutely. I mean, I think the Spain result was always going to be tricky. You know, Spain, we all know what they can do at all levels of the game and how good they are with their kind of development. And it was always going to be the biggest hurdle to come up against. But I think when you look at the Young line lessers throughout the season in competitive games they've won 10 and lost one of them I mean that's quite ridiculous for for a season of you know

success and and I think the other point is that there's so much diverse talent coming through not just in terms of like ethnicity which is growing but also in terms of where players are coming from in terms of you know they're coming from boys football mixed football from etcs from arsenal academies whereas i think before it always used to come maybe from the arsenal academy and there wasn't that kind of diversity and kind of education of these football players and i think that can only serve them going forward and going into senior football there's such a long road ahead of them but i think the potential is there I'm very very excited that's for sure oh you've made me very excited about it as well brilliant stuff um thank you Sophie appreciate that um Celtic by the way we need to wrap up what happened in the Scottish Women's

Premier League they've won it for the first time Celticic. Elena Sadiku's side had been on a 14-game unbeaten run, but they still needed a 90th-minute strike from Amy Gallagher to pit Rangers to the trophy. Absolute drama on the final day. Marva Maka has asked on X what you thought of the SWPL final day drama. Yeah, it was almost like their Aguero moment in that one. It was, they needed to win and they scored the last, it was a 90 minute or 89 minute winner.

Just took it around the player, slotted it home nicely. But it's really nice to see the kind of the competitiveness in that league growing as well. A bit of back and forth. No offence to Scottish Premier League fans, but sometimes that's not always the case in the men's side of things. So to see it go down to the last day

and in the women's one is really nice to see. Yeah, most definitely. And yeah, looking forward to a really competitive season next year as well. Congratulations to Celtic. Huge congratulations as well to friend of the pod, Salon Andy Hickman, whose Dulwich Hamlet team secured promotion to the FA Women's National League yesterday.

After a night of celebrations, I can't wait to hear what her voice sounds like. They did look absolutely epic. She sent us this voice note on their achievements. Hello, wonderful Guardian Women's Football weekly panel and listeners. It's Salon here. I've lost my voice. I've lost my Dulwich Hamlet bucket hat. And I've lost my league winner's medal.

But I've gained a lot of memories and promotion to the FA Women's National League. So swings and roundabouts, really. Yesterday was one of the most special days ever. We did it. We did it. We won the league. We won London South East Women's Regional Football League or whatever long name it is.

And we will be going into the FA Women's National League next year. It was incredibly special. And I'm just so grateful to have achieved that with this team. We've won the league three points clear. Yeah, I'm off to get a tattoo with the rest of the team to mark one incredibly special season it has been.

And we are so excited to be playing in Tier 4 next season. But yeah, a massive thank you to everyone who has watched or supported us or come to a game or tweeted about us,

anything this season. It's such a privilege. Wonderful stuff, Ceylon. Hopefully we'll speak to Ceylon in the next couple of weeks as well when she can actually remember what happened during her celebrations. Finally, one other little piece of business to note. The 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup is heading to Brazil. It's the first time a South American country is going to host the tournament

after the FIFA Council voted for it last week. Any thoughts on that? Cannot wait. It's interesting, isn't it? Because I think that it could be really impactful culturally in Brazil. Like the, you know, respect for women's football and the level of misogyny in society generally isn't amazing. But football has an ability to cut through barriers like that.

And a World Cup on home soil, I know she's retired, but make more of the face of it. Like the Colombian fans that travelled to Australia, the Argentinian fans that travelled, like it could be really impactful. It's shifting attitudes from the bottom up, which like I don't necessarily think would happen everywhere. But I think in Brazil there is a potential for that in a really positive way. Yeah, I agree with you you i'm quite excited um and uh i mean it was looking very rio de janeiro where rachel brown finis was when we started talking to the tour on the pod she's now taking the sunglasses off and the jumper is on and costa del crosby is now back to just crosby

it's been lovely to see you rach thank you fay and i can't wait for brazil i mean we're all going to be uh thinking a world cup without marta well sorry she's back she'll be there for that one absolutely in a totally different form uh marva always brilliant to see you up the toffees up the toffees women's only Susie Rack I will see you soon see you soon hopefully around at England camp

because the feed never ends see you later and have a fantastic time out in Bilbao with producer Sophie

next week we'll be talking about Barcelona against Lyon the Women's Champions League final Saturday 4.45 kick off if you want to watch it, by the way.

It's on TNT Sports 2. And Sophie and Susie will be out in Bilbao and will send us a voice note for next week's pod of their actual on-the-whistle thoughts. By the way, keep having your say by sending in your questions via X or emailing us at womensfootballweeklyattheguardian.com. And as ever, a reminder to sign up for our bi-weekly women's football newsletter. All you need to do is search Moving the Goalposts sign up.

In Tuesday's edition, Magdalena Eriksen looks back at her first season in Germany. And on Thursday, Alex Ibaseta speaks to Barcelona manager Jonathan Geraldes ahead of the Champions League final. The Guardian Women's Football Weekly is produced by Sophie Downey and Joshan Chana. Music composition was by Laura Iredale. Our executive producer is Salamat. Women's Football Weekly is supported by Google Pixel. Thank you. and Pixel 8 Pro are fast and secure, with the most advanced Pixel cameras yet. And Google AI powers amazing features for photos and video, so you can get even closer to the game. Search Google Store to find out more.

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