The Guardian's Women's Football Weekly - WSL title challengers flex their muscles – Women’s Football Weekly

Episode Date: November 28, 2023

Faye Carruthers is joined by Suzanne Wrack, Sophie Downey and Tim Stillman to round up all the action going into the international break

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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. Well, the WSL's top five had fun this weekend, didn't they? Seven! S-E-V-E-N, says the viddy printer. Bunny Shaw's first half hat-trick sets Manchester City rolling at the expense of Spurs. Five goals for Chelsea, who stay top. Four at Prenton Park without reply as Liverpool beat Brighton.

At three, it's Arsenal against West Ham. And just the two for Manchester United in a tough game against Bristol City. Who has the partridge in the pear tree? Or is that too early? We'll discuss all that. Look back at the FA Cup and forward to the international break. Plus, 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 and

official mobile phone of arsenal football club liverpool football club and the england teams google pixel is helping fans get closer to the game they love with access to fresh content and never-before-seen footage of their favourite players and teams. The new Pixel 8 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. What a panel we have today. Susie Rack, where is my Swiss chocolate?

I didn't actually get any Swiss chocolate which is a bit of a mistake like I better say that quietly because at the moment the family haven't noticed. I've noticed I mean look I've got myself a lino print from you already I'm after chocolate I feel like a bit of a leech at the minute Sophie Downey you're channeling your inner hatter wearing orange this morning thank you I I assume that was for me uh totally yes no it's just my favorite I'm not actually a bright color kind of person but today i am yeah there was too much for pause there i don't think it's for me in the slightest um tim stillman i know that my intro was a little bit christmas themed it wasn't intentional it was just that everybody scored numbers that went down and it was either that or it was the charts and

so i went for something that perhaps more people might understand than the old school Radio 1 charts but you have a Christmas tree already I don't think we can be friends anymore. I know it's definitely not my choice put it that way I grew up very much in a family where the Christmas tree went up the weekend before Christmas but we have a three-year-old at home cold wet weekends and if we're going to use santa as a kind of punitive measure to discipline her at the moment which i think all parents can kind of relate to then we might as well have the tree up oh god i'm so glad i'm not at that stage yet i can't be dealing although we did go to see santa at a fake lapland in gloucestershire this weekend, which was fun. We did that too, yep.

You get the best behaviour. You just get the best behaviour for a month with the threat of no presents. And it's just wonderful. I'll wait for that. I'm at two-year-old tantrum stage and hangry at all times. Right, another golf festival weekend for us to sink our teeth into.

We're going to start at the Joy Stadium. Just the seven goals for Manchester City as they thrash Tottenham including a quick-fire first-half hat-trick from Bunny Shaw.

Laura Coombs bagged a brace while Lauren Hemp and Jill Roard also added second-half goals in the demolition for Gareth Taylor's side.

I mean, look, it was a comprehensive end to Spurs six match on beat and run in the WSL Susie they were completely blown away in the end yeah I mean it was a pretty rough way to fold but I mean they're defensively absolutely crumbled I thought really really static just a disappointing performance they just couldn't handle the I was going to say the front three of City who are so potent, but it was really a front four

because Gerald was just playing so, so high. And there's something really, really formidable about, you know, the sort of pace of Hemp and Kelly combined with the physicality of Khadija Shaw and Gerald in the middle. I mean, any defence is going to struggle, but I was really, really disappointed with the sort of staticness of Spurs defending in that game.

Yeah, a bit of a humbling after quite a nice run, but you sort of hope that they can rectify it a little bit. I think it's maybe a little bit of a wake-up call that you can't always play the game you want to play particularly against the teams at the very very top. Yeah City equaled their record margin of victory in a WSL game they previously set it you'll remember with an 8-1 thrashing of Bristol City back in November 2020 but let's give some love to Bunny Shaw Sophie because it's her sixth hat trick in English football since she joined back in the summer of 2021.

And, you know, after the World Cup, I think it's fair to say she's not necessarily been at her best this season, but she kicked herself off this weekend. She did. And I think my favourite goal was actually the second goal where she just changed her movement before the run to make that space off the defender and just we know her finishing with her head right but like she just enabled herself to find that space to finish that ball I think it was um you know as we said she's not been in the best form I think she had that injury at the start of the season it's by her incredibly high standards as well because we all know what she did last year but she's coming good now and I think she's sitting joint top of the the scoring chance at the moment and it was just a display of really clinical finishing that in that first half as I said her heading ability is not in question but then also that third goal with the just that

you know the ability to just fire that ball into the back of the net and have no qualms about it that you there was there was only one way where it was going and it was going in the back of the net so I think it's credit to her and it really tore Spurs apart it was what 14 minutes I think it was something it was not a long time to score a hat-trick in and it just completely bewildered Spurs and sort of sent shockwaves through the whole team. Yeah she's got everything in her locker hasn't she but from a Spurs perspective Tim what exactly went so wrong for them because they've been brilliant this season so far under Robert Villaham as Susie said they very much play a certain style of football this season but you can't always do that no absolutely not and in this game all seven goals come from crosses and the thing is Man City, you know what they're going to do.

They put in more crosses than any other team in the league. This was actually very reminiscent. City beat Bristol City, I think, earlier in the season at home. 5-0 and all five goals were from crosses. All seven of these from crosses, either from Kajida Shaw or Laura Coombs came on and Gilles Rourde kind of attacking those wide deliveries. And you know Manchester City are going to do that.

And there's really only two ways around it. You either try to stop the crosses coming in, or I was kind of surprised Spurs didn't play with three centre-backs. They had Zdorsky on the bench, who I think came on when it was already 5-0. I'm really surprised they didn't play with three centre-halves to try to compete for those crosses a bit better because it's not a surprise. This is what Manchester City do

and if you let them do it, they will do this all day long. So, yeah, and to be fair, the Spurs manager, he did hold his hands up afterwards and say he takes responsibility for that. And I think this won't be a tricky one for the analysts, as Spurs put it that way, when they go through the goals they conceded. No, definitely not. It leaves City three points behind Arsenal, so six points behind Chelsea.

Is that too far a gap, Susie, or are Manchester City reasserting their title credentials? I mean, obviously, technically, it's not too far of a gap historically it is too much of a gap that said you know we're so early in the season still there's so many games still to play there's so many of the sort of top three top four still to meet that you know a six point turnaround isn't that hard when it's Chelsea that have the lead over you then that's the uh the bigger issue yeah I mean we've talked a lot about the fact that no team has won the league and lost more than two games and that Man City have already lost two games this season so that you know I mean

they have to have a perfect end run to win the league if that statistic holds up again I mean it could be the season potentially where for the first time we see that not happen but based on Chelsea's form it's really really hard to see a six-point gap being turned around that that easily I think whether if Chelsea go into the latter stages of the Champions League then we may see things a little bit differently um it might not be quite such a walk in the park as it has been for them so far this season you know if it get a few injuries and that squad starts to be stretching it all things might look a little bit different but for now it's yes I mean it's not impossible by any stretch of the imagination but yeah this league is notoriously difficult when it comes to gaps yeah it is Manchester City host Aston Villa

on Saturday after the international break Tottenham welcome Manchester United to Brisbane Road on the Sunday and as you say Chelsea when they're in this kind of imperious form are very difficult to catch they beat Leicester by five goals to two at the weekend showing once again why they're favourites to retain their WSL crown. Kings Meadow as well. I mean I think that's extended their home run now to 20 is that right which is quite incredible. Lauren James up to her usual tricks being absolutely brilliant. Aghabiva Jones as well on the score sheet yet again and Sam Kerr bagging another after her midweek Champions League exploits. We'll discuss her a little bit later.

But the scoreline doesn't tell the whole story, really, because we went into the halftime break with Chelsea only 3-2 up, actually, having raced into a 2-0 lead after just five minutes. Leicester struck back with goals from Jutta Rantala and Sam Tierney, but it was Lauren James who put the game beyond Willie Kirk's side just before the hour mark. It was an audacious chip from her, her sixth goal of the campaign, and then Beaver Jones added the fifth in the dying moments. But actually, Leicester recovered quite admirably from their nightmare start, Sophie, but really it was never in doubt for Emma Hayes' side.

I don't know. In that first half, I was slightly worried. Not after the first five minutes, obviously. I did sit down in my seat and go, oh, this is not good. This is going to be a problem. Yeah, just the way that Chelsea broke through them and came out of the blocks and Lauren James, you know, just capitalising on that mistake from Sam Tierney was really worrying. But then Leicester showed the maturity that they didn't show against Arsenal a couple of weeks ago. Janina Leipzig went down, I think about 20 minutes in, 15 minutes in.

It was when Fran Kirby shot at goal. She decided to go down, get some treatment on. And that was, you know, the learning that the maturity. Yes, it wasn't. She wasn't actually injured. But, you know, it gave Willie Kirk a chance to get them in in into the huddle have a word with them and since that point in the first half they were a different team and they got their goal back in really good style through the middle this time it's normally coming from the wings for them and they really

showed their resilience and yes chelsea are always dangerous but they just kept toe to toe with them in the end of that first half and emma hayes when i spoke to her afterwards talked about the fact that chelsea had only won 30 of their jewels in that first half now against a team like Leicester who are based on their one-on-one jewels and they're sort of that kind of aspect of the game you can't be doing that otherwise you're asking for trouble I think in the second half the problem with Leicester and maybe the likes of Tottenham and these teams that are trying to push up at the moment is they're not doing it for 90 minutes. They can get a really good half out of themselves.

So in the first 45 or the second 45, you're not yet seeing a full 90 minutes. And yes, they did drop away. They had the same kind of attacking spirit in the second half, Leicester. But to be honest, Lauren James' goal was brilliant. And then Aggie Beaver-J Jones scored in the 88th minute. So there wasn't like a complete and utter, you know, beating of them in that second half. They did maintain Chelsea in touching distance.

So I think it's positive for Leicester. I think Chelsea obviously deserved to win. They were really, really good and clinical when they needed to be. But yeah, Leicester are showing signs that they are not only progressing in terms of style but in terms of maturity as well because they're

learning from their mistakes of previous games Yeah they have grown in maturity actually that's a really good point

here's what Emma Hayes had to say after the game sometimes when you go up so early in a match

you can get complacent we switched off and gave away two cheap goals but it was a really good attacking display

and we were so threatening going forward. And they did look pretty ominous in attack, Tim, which we're used to now. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, Leicester, as Sophie alluded to, they turn games into shootouts, basically, because they really go player for player on you and it's quite difficult to deal with.

But, I mean, again, to Sophie's point about the end, the substitutes that because we saw a fairly similar game between Arsenal and Leicester, Leicester gave Arsenal a lot of problems obviously they went 2-0 up but you know the substitutes that Chelsea bring on, Beaver Jones, Ashley Lawrence, Nushkin, Jesse Fleming I mean that can make a big difference and I think that's why you see these kind of gaps as well but I mean Chelsea are just scoring goals for fun at the moment. And apparently Sam Kerr is only 80% fit, which really tells you something. You know, Fran Kirby back in this game.

Lauren James in the form of her life. Kanarid's playing really well as well. She's a player I think has been quite underrated this season. Beaver Jones just scoring off the bench in every game. They do just look utterly formidable going forward and I think probably more so than any other team because City, as much as when City get it right, they'll do what they've done this weekend.

They'll score seven, they'll score five. If you can work City out a bit, you stop those crosses coming in, they don't have a lot else. Whereas Chelsea just seem to have several different ways to score against you. And even if they can't find a way, then they've got Sam Kerr who will probably find a way eventually. So they definitely look really formidable. But if you're one of their challengers, you might focus on the fact that Leicester did open them up a few times. And perhaps defensively, they don't look bad defensively don't

get me wrong but you can probably get at them well the question mark is will they have Sam Kerr because one to watch news reached us on Monday night that she won't be featuring for Australia over the international break and will instead remain with Chelsea for treatment on a foot injury we'll of course monitor that closely, because there's that big trip to the Emirates on Sunday 10th December after the international break. And with that in mind, Susie Rack, PDX Gunner has asked us,

is Arsenal-Chelsea in two weeks the biggest WSL match in recent memory? Emma Hayes, near sellout at the Emirates, Sam Kerr's foot injury among the storylines. I mean, it's a tasty tie, right? But we've had plenty of big games that have delivered spectacles. Yeah, I mean, the potential of a sold-out Emirates, you know, if that happens and breaks the record again for this game, then that is obviously, you know, a little extra that we've not had before for a tie of this magnitude so yeah I mean huge Emma Hayes obviously like final bow away against Arsenal

title rivals yeah yeah why not okay let's go there yeah yeah let's say it is right okay so we've now got how what day is it today we've've got almost two weeks of major build-up to then watch a goalless draw. No, it won't be. That's what always happens when you over-hype, doesn't it? By the way, Leicester's winless run has been extended to six matches despite that brilliant start to the season. They're seventh in the table.

They've got Brighton up next. And by the way, 50,000 tickets already sold for the Emirates clash between Arsenal and Chelsea. So very much looking after that one. And it better be a humdinger after we've built it up like that. Speaking of Arsenal, they cruise to a 3-0 win over West Ham at Meadow Park. Frieda Marnham kicking things off after just two minutes before a moment 428 days in the making Beth Mead curling in beautifully

to double their advantage and adding another from close range four minutes before the break meaning the work was all done for Jonas Eidevall's side we will get the thoughts of the two Arsenal fans in a minute but let's go neutral first of all your measured assessment of this one please Sophie I think Arsenal had a really good first half they had I think one of the most complete performances in that first half that they probably put in this season and then West Ham did come back into it in the second half I do think like West Ham's performance you know Arsenal got that early goal through Frieda Mornum and then West Ham went straight down the other end and hit the post with that header from Asahi and so West Ham did

have the chances but again they're just lacking that clinical edge but I think in that first half Arsenal just stamped their mark on the game Bethmead did what she does we've seen that happen so many times from Bethmead in the past and it was kind of that first goal was kind of trademarked she was joking in post-match about how it was at her left foot and how that normally is for standing on. But it didn't seem to matter in this occasion. And just a really lovely moment, I think, for the whole Arsenal team. You could see how happy they were for her as soon as she got that goal. I think Tim and I were talking at Leicester a couple of weeks back and she had those big chances.

And we were saying kind of, you know, in two weeks time, those are going in. And they started going in two weeks' time, those are going in. And they started going in two weeks' time. So really happy for her. I thought Karikuni Cross was absolutely insanely good. She is showing exactly why Jonas Eidevall has brought her to Arsenal and the ability that she has in that midfield area. We all knew it in the World Cup, but it was just about her, I guess, settling in, getting to full fitness, coming from the Swedish league as well just needing to adapt a bit so I think she's showing

exactly what she can do. Getting scary aren't they Arsenal? Beth Mead just growing and finding her touch and her form again Tim which is just brilliant to see. Yeah absolutely and you can see with the first goal as well Jonas Eidevall said after the game, you know, you get a gut feeling sometimes. And he said, I saw her winning the ball back quickly, taking shots on her left foot. And he said, yeah, that's the real Beth Mead were his exact words. And you see it in the first goal, right? The ball's played out to her. Freda Mornham's actually on for a pass, but Beth Mead's a big player. She finished second in the Ballon d'Or she's

taken that on her left foot and I spoke to her a couple of weeks ago actually when she'd started her first game in the Conte Cup against Bristol and I kind of said I felt like the Arsenal attack looked like it moved quicker with you on the pitch and she was talking about how she's basically just always shouting at the players to give her the ball and play it first time don't take a touch give me the ball and play it first time, don't take a touch, give me the ball, play it through. And just some of that personality that's really, I'm a big player here, give me the ball, I'm going to go and score, I'm going to go and make something. And Arsenal's attack had missed that without her. But she was a big part of this game plan as well, because West Ham play with 11 right footers, including their left

sided centre back and their left-back. And Arsenal just had a plan to swarm them in that area. Kirstie Smith and Sissoko make them uncomfortable on the left side. Win the ball back, take them on. And that's where the first two goals come from. Like Sophie said, that's not quite the story of the game. West Ham, they have some really good attackers. Aweke and Asahi.

Brilliant, brilliant brilliant attackers I really do think they're going to cause some teams problems this season but I just think Rhian Skinner she came in late in the summer I just think she needs a little bit more time and they need to add a couple of players they didn't even have a goalkeeper on the bench on Sunday. No Vivian Asahi's header hit the post in the first half she She rattled the woodwork again just after half-time. And Rhian Skinner was quite measured, actually, with what she had to say. They're probably the best footballing side in this league. So to minimise what they do, even if it's just for 45 minutes, is a massive step.

But it's still five straight defeats for the Hammers. And they're bottom of the table, level on points with Bristol City. Not bottom of the table physically because of goal difference, but level on points with Bristol City. Not bottom of the table physically because of goal difference, but level on points with Bristol City. Tough times for Rhian Skinner. I need to give you some Opta stats, though. They're so clever, these people at Opta, aren't they? 100-plus, Beth Mead has become the second player

to reach 100 goals and assists in the Barclays Women's Super League after Vivian Miedema. Miedema has 112, 78 goals and 34 assists, and Mead have 57 goals and 43 assists. I mean, that is power couple dreams right there, isn't it? Susie, I do remember you sitting in your chair on our preview pod, literally doing a little shoulder dance with all the signings coming into Arsenal.

Then that shoulder dance just kind of like retreated its way back and you went back to sit down in the corner after Arsenal start to the season. But are those excitement levels building? Are you getting up to bust some moves as the season goes on and they get more confident? I mean, it's enjoyable, right? It's nice seeing your team play football that is nice to watch, is the main thing.

I just can't see Chelsea with the bit between the teams, with Emma Hayes going out, relinquishing anywhere in any competition. So I don't necessarily think it will be a particularly fruitful season for Arsenal. They've obviously got one of the best chances at upsetting that sort of retirement party. Retirement is the wrong word, given that she's not retiring, but you know, from Chelsea, like vibe in South London. But I really struggle to see anyone but Chelsea doing anything to take home any silverware. So yeah, I'm excited. it's nice to watch a football

team play nice football it's nice to see players score goals I was actually just think I'm really excited for the international break which is the first time probably since the World Cup I've actually been properly looking forward to one in part because of the form of you know that Beth has come back into of Lauren James James, of Hemp and Kelly. The idea of a forward line made up of those players and Alessia Russo as well, obviously, great assists too. Really, really nice and quite exciting. And I think this could be the time

where we sort of start to see England click again, potentially. So I'm quite excited for that. But yeah, from an Arsenal point of view, it's nice too. Yeah, we need to see them click. Crucial Nations League games coming up, which we'll look ahead to in part two. But finally, for part one, Bristol City 0, Manchester United 2. A bounce back for Mark Skinner's side after last week's Derby Day disappointments. They were made to wait to break the deadlock though by Bristol City.

It took until the 50th minute when Hinata Miyazawa's long-range effort took a big deflection off of Chloe Mustaki to wrong foot Olivia Clarke in the goal. And just five minutes later, two goals with Nikita Paris heading home from Ella Toon's cross. 14,138, a record crowd at Ashton Gate and for the first 45 minutes at least Tim it felt as if Bristol City played their role perfectly yeah absolutely Bristol City are no joke this season they're not I think a lot of people thought that they would just be the team and and we have seen this too often in WSL history that just sinks without a trace they've definitely not come to do that they are just be the team. And we have seen this too often in WSL history that just sinks without a trace. They've definitely not come to do that.

They are going to fight relegation, but they're going to fight it, I think. And, you know, they held Arsenal for a long time at Ashton Gate as well. And they're clearly doing really good things to get fans through the gates because I think a lot of us, myself included probably, were a bit guilty of thinking that the Bristol City Arsenal attendance

was mainly Arsenal, but they've done it again here, albeit with another big fan base in Manchester United. So they clearly haven't come to just make up the numbers and they're going to make a fight of this. So I think other than City away, where they did a bit of a Tottenham and just couldn't deal with the crosses in the box, they've been competitive in every game and I think they're going to take points from teams around them in the league as well so I do think you know with Bristol City West Ham we've probably got quite a good relegation fight which I think is really important for the league

but when you consider as well that Bristol City I, other than Leicester who are in the Championship, but Leicester, there's a very different context there because they've been a Premier League team for a long time. When you consider they're the only team really that doesn't have Premier League men's money behind them, I think they deserve an awful lot of credit. And they were very stubborn again in this game. And as you say, it took a lot for Manchester United to break them

down. And obviously they got that serious injury in the first half as well, which won't have helped them. Yeah, wishing all the very best to Brooke Aspin after she was stretched off. It was a far better second half from United, Sophie. 76% possession and 24 shots they had, and they made it eventually count. And it was actually, actually in terms of mentality maybe a much needed victory after a run of just two wins in their previous six games they had that confidence boosting victory over Liverpool midweek as well didn't they in the Conte Cup? Yeah I think they need to get back to winning ways especially against a team which they would expect to beat in Bristol City I entirely agree with Tim though though. I think Bristol City are no mean feat

and that they're going to be a tough challenge this season. And what Laurence Smith has done with that team in a relatively short space of time and relatively young compared to the rest of their opponents is incredible. But I think in Manchester United, you've seen some really positive signs in terms of Nikita Paris' form. She is on fire at the moment. She got another goal and you can tell she's got a big smile on her face. And that's when you know Paris' form. She's got that sort of bubbly external character that when she's enjoying

her football, you can really tell she's enjoying her football and she's having fun out there. And I thought another one to shout out was actually Ella Toon. She's come under a lot of criticism in recent weeks, I think, in terms of of her form and there's no doubt that her form dropped off you know in the last year massively but I think in the performances I guess West Ham that I saw and the second half especially against Bristol she's starting to come really back into life and she got her two assists but she was everywhere in that second half I remember she took a shot at goal and then she was suddenly on the right side of the pitch and then she was suddenly on the left side of the pitch.

She was literally doing a lot of the running and creating those spaces for herself in that kind of front area. And she should have had a goal, I think. I think it was a dubious offside. So that denied her that one. So I'm going to give her a big shout out because I think she's coming back into the kind of form that we want to see from her. I wanted to add something on Keats if I could.

I think playing up front with someone like Jaycee really, really suits her because there's much more fluid movement up there. The last couple of seasons she's played up with Rousseau, up with Blackstenius at Arsenal. I don't think that really suited her. But having that kind of interchange with a kind of more wiry forward like Jacy I think is really really suiting her very well. I love seeing her back in this kind of form and as you say playing with a smile on her face it makes such a difference. That's it for part one in part two we'll talk you through the rest of the WSL action celebrate the FA Cup and look ahead to the crunch Nations League ties just around the corner for the Lionesses.

Welcome back to part two of the Guardian Women's Football Weekly. Two final WSL ties for us to wrap up. Liverpool continued their impressive start to the season with a thumping 4-0 win over Brighton at Prenton Park. They took the lead just before the half-hour mark through the club's record appearance maker, Gemma Bonner, who was presented with a special shirt and a plaque in a ceremony before kick-off. Shanice van der Sanden made it two before Kerry Holland nodded home and Sophie Roman-Horg added a fourth in injury time

as Matt Beardside got back to winning ways following last week's 5-1 defeat at Chelsea. How did you see this one, Susie? I mean, it felt like a disappointing afternoon for Brighton. They started well, but Liverpool were just too powerful, really. Yeah, I mean, it was quite, I was going to say nice, but, you know, I've got nothing against either of these teams. Yeah, to see Liverpool sort of get back to the form that kick-started their season a little bit you know they came in really flying and then it petered away a bit but it's nice to see them sort of get that back a little bit particularly against the bright side they've been really really good so far and really well organized i thought uh sophie roman hogg was exceptional and it was what two assists and the goal really comprehensive performance you know what they

need to have a player doing to be kind of getting big results like this nice to see Gemma Bonner become their all-time appearance maker like creator like I don't know what you say a butcher and the candlestick maker the appearance maker exactly and get a goal in it and then obviously Shanice van der Sanden having just had a baby scoring two like or her partner just having had a baby two is quite a nice way to round it up but yeah like I think Matt Beard's doing an excellent job I'm really liking watching them at the moment disappointing for Brighton like you say because they have kind of shown signs of real real promise under Melissa Phillips but nice to see Liverpool get back to the sort of early

season form that that was doing them so well and that will only give some confidence that it's not sort of like serial decline from that start that they're on but instead is a little bit more up and down and they've got a chance in any game that they come up against I'd love to go to Matt Beard and say Susie Rack says your 4-0 victory over Brighton was nice he said something like that I think post-match didn't he I'm really pleased or something like that like something really like tepid of an answer that's's, yeah, it was wonderful. Wonderful. Brilliant.

Sensational. Last but not least, it was Everton picking up a precious three points in the battle down near the bottom with Aston Villa. They took the lead through an own goal from Anna Patton, but just a minute and 39 seconds later, Villa responded immediately through Rachel Daly. Then Natalie Bjorn coolly converted a penalty in the 74th minute to give Brian Sorensen's side just their second win of the season. I mean, look, it was another disappointing performance all in all from Villa, Tim,

but a massive victory for Everton after such a tough run of late. Yeah, definitely. And Villa just really seemed to be struggling a little bit with how to keep the back door shut. They were a really fun team last year, lots of great attacking players, and they've been experimenting with some things, trying to put some defenders in midfield, like Lucy Parker. I think they play Rachel Corsi in midfield here.

I think Carla Ward's really just trying to make them a little bit tighter defensively, and it's not really coming off. But for Everton, huge, because it's not really coming off but for Everton huge because it's not just the results as well we had the news that Nicolene Sorensen's going to retire at the halfway point of this season and that's going to be a massive blow because she's a really really big player and obviously for them they had this model last year where they took players on loan from bigger clubs which kind of looked like quite a smart move but the problem with that is they all go back and you're left to rebuild again.

And I do think they're going to have to do some business in January, not least because of Sorensen. I don't know how much money they've got to do that, but huge victory for them, not least because, like I said, Bristol City haven't come to just take that relegation spot without challenge. So there's real danger of them falling into that. So for them to get this kind of victory, I think is really, really huge

and something to build on for them. Yeah, it moves them up to eighth in the table, four points clear of the relegation place. Villa though, two points worse off and two places back in 10th, which is two above Bristol City and West Ham, Bristol City in that bottom relegation place. In the championship, well, there was no championship, but there's still some news around

because we're in a mid-season breakthrough until the 17th of December for the second tier. But off the field, some big news coming out of Lewis. A deal for American investor group Mercury 13 to invest in the fan-owned club has fallen through. It would have resulted in the group taking a co-ownership role having promised 100 million pounds 100 million dollars should I say of investment across women's football in Europe and Latin America. Lewis said the club's foundational principles diverged considerably from Mercury 13's operating priorities. CEO Maggie Murphy said,

Lewis FC is a club that's always had community and social impact at its core. Through our discussions, we found that while we shared a common belief in the future growth prospects of women's football, the structure needed to make this specific opportunity work would be too disruptive to other values that we hold dear. We're committed as always to identifying other opportunities for investment

that can help us realise our full potential on and off the pitch. We remain a club with the vision, heart and passion that we know can impact the wider football ecosystem for the better. We spoke about this a couple of weeks ago, Susie, didn't we, after the vote earlier this month, which saw 67.8% of those who voted in favour of moving forward with Mercury 13's proposal. That's now off the table. What do you make of it all? Confused. Because, you know, on the basis of the Lewis statement, which says that, you know, basically the commitment was only to the women's team

and not to the men's and it undermines their equality pledge and all that kind of stuff. Why didn't that come up in the earlier discussions before they sort of forced the club into a very divisive vote that really split things and you know challenged the ethos of the whole setup and you know fan ownership and what it means and and you know how important that is you know it was all sort of thrown into the air and into like you know a lot of debate and discussion which makes me feel like there's more to it because like I think if they had known from the offset that you know it was only ever going to be an investment in the women's side then surely they wouldn't have gone ahead with it in in the manner that they did so like

that makes me think there's more to the situation than than meets the eye that maybe there was there's something else that's gone on there Mercury 13 have shown interest in you know a number of different clubs and teams and a number of different leagues so who knows exactly what's gone on but it doesn't sit right because lewis are not a stupid club and i don't think they would have pushed the ownership to a vote of that manner without having been led to believe that like investment in the club as a whole was on the table and not just in the women's side that I can't see that having been a thing personally so I feel like there's

more there I feel like there's more to come out it's a shame from a point of view as obviously investment in a struggling club is always a good thing to a certain extent like it's nice to see a bit of security for the players and staff in a club like that but at the same time you know it really really challenged the ownership model that has proved to be their USP and set them apart and has allowed them to campaign in the way that they have. And all of that would have been at risk had they accepted this investment and become slightly beholden to this very, very globalised body.

So in that sense, I don't think it's bad that we're not one fan-owned club down but it's you know it's not nice for players perhaps who had been hoping for a little bit more job security and money coming in you know enough to live on perhaps or go professional um that maybe isn't there anymore that's not a nice side as a swing to that but yeah interesting and confused yeah i concur now also on monday the family of maddie kusak who tragically died in september at the age of 27 have said that sheffield united have agreed to a full external inquiry into the events leading up to the midfielder's death in a statement via the maddie kusak foundation on social media her family said kusak's spirit had been broken in the months before her death. In a statement via the Maddy Cusack Foundation on social media, her family said

Cusack's spirit had been broken in the months before her death. It's a really emotional statement, you can go and read it online. An inquest into Cusack's death was opened last month and adjourned. The medical cause hasn't yet been established, but police didn't treat her death as suspicious. We'll of course continue to keep an eye on this one and we send our love to Maddy's family, friends and teammates. This feels like a gear change, so I make huge apologies for that. But we're going to go back to football and the draw for the third round of the FA Cup, which has been made after this weekend's second round ties.

We've got some tasty match-ups to look forward to as well. Six-tier Darwin have been drawn against second-tier neighbours Blackburn Rovers. That sounds fun. They're the lowest-ranked remaining side in the competition after seeing our fourth-division Leeds United in a dramatic penalty shootout. Commiserations, though, to Dulwich Hamlet and Salon Andy Hickman, who suffered late heartbreak at Billericay Town, with Maddy Biggs scoring an injury-time winner for the hosts in a 2-1 victory.

We also need to give a shout out to Six Tier Southampton, the team not affiliated with the men's team. They beat Brentford 4-3 after reserve goalkeeper Leah Etheridge came on as an emergency outfield substitute to score an extra time winner. There's a brilliant video on their Twitter page of those celebrations, which I highly recommend you go and see. That was a first round tie, by the way,

because the initial match had to be postponed. They face Maidenhead in round two, and then the winner of that will go on to host Watford in round three. So not confusing at all. The 12 teams from the championship then join in this round with WSL clubs joining in round four. All the fixtures will be played on Sunday, the 10th of December. Big shout out to my Luton Town ladies as well.

Five-three winners over Enfield Town. They will play either Bristol Rovers or Keensham, I believe, in the third round. So big love to the Hatters. There was some brilliant drama the whole weekend, Sophie. Shaping up quite nicely. Yeah, these early stages of the FA Cup were always pretty fun to see. And as you say, a big shout out to Darwin. I got surprised by that result.

You didn't expect that. So it's great when you see these kind of lower down teams, I guess, or developing teams coming through and taking their chance in these competitions. And it's only going to get bigger in the third round as well. You know, there's a lot of ties in there especially with the championship teams coming in seeing Portsmouth against Southampton that's going to be tasty so yeah it's going to be a fun competition this year I think and that's the magic of the cup right I know it's a cliche but anything can happen so it's a it's a knockout tie so we'll see what happens. Yeah exciting it also feels like a bit

of a knockout tie in terms of the Nations League which it effectively is really for the Lionesses because we've got the internationals coming up and on Friday, England welcome the Netherlands to Wembley before Tuesday's trip to Hampden Park to face Scotland. The last two Nations League group games for Serena Wiegmann's side

and they know that progress to the final four is out of their hands pretty much they sit third in the group behind the Dutch and Belgium they have to top group A to have any chance of qualifying for the 2024 Olympic Games on behalf of Team GB but they're going to have to rely on results going their way elsewhere how do you think things are shaping up Tim Susie said earlier she was excited how do you feel yeah well we've got the really weird prospect of Scotland playing against England and Scotland obviously their players would qualify for Team GB as well so Scotland maybe need to lose for some of their players to play in the Olympics which which will be very odd. But I think Serena might look at this break as a bit of, OK, it's out of our hands. And I think England, maybe even before

the World Cup, they're kind of caught between a couple of systems. Obviously, they've got both their first choice centre-backs going to be missing now in Millie Bright and Leah Williamson. I wouldn't be surprised. Obviously, they'll go for the results, but I wouldn't be surprised if Serena treats this as a bit of a, okay, it's not in our hands, maybe we're going to get the summer off, let's try some things here. Because one of the things about the Nations League is actually you lose that year of friendlies that you used to get, where teams would try different things. And you can see it with Netherlands as well. Netherlands, they're not moving on from certain players who've been around for quite a long time. And a lot of that is because it's good.

All the game's competitive now, but for coaches, they've kind of lost that year of friendlies they used to get at this point of the international cycle. So injuries will force that a little bit, particularly in defence for England. But I wouldn't be surprised if Serena just tries to sort some things out, not least whether this England team is going to be a back three or a back four, because they've gone backwards and forwards between those two formations

and what they're doing in the full-back positions and how do we get Niamh Charles and Lucy Bronze into the same team. So I think there might be, if not some experimentation in terms of you know playing loads of players who don't usually play but just kind of defining some principles and if they don't make it to the Olympics using that time to really perhaps transition to what the next iteration of Serena Vigman's England looks like. I never thought we'd call Serena Vigman the tinker man I never thought we'd do that but maybe Tim's right tinker man I never thought we'd do that but maybe Tim's right there Susie but what do we need to see from the Lionesses that we maybe haven't

so far in this competition goals I mean that's unfair because they have score goals but like just being far more clinical with the number of chances they're getting, because it's not lining up even close. And it's been a little bit of a worry. And obviously with those defensive concerns, with no Millie Bright now as well, you need to be converting your chances up the other end to really lift the pressure off what will be a bit of a rookie back line. So yeah, goals would be nice. And, you know, players like Lauren James or Ella Toon in the 10

really stepping up and, you know, sort of taking a hold of some of these games would be really, really important as well. Yeah, it really is. A big shout out to the legend that is Mary Earps. It's been announced on Tuesday morning, as we record, that she's been voted BBC Women's Footballer of the Year. Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmati came second in the voting while Chelsea forward Sam Kerr finished third. Can't really argue with that, Sophie. No, I mean, I would have put Bonmati up there. So you can argue with that. I was going to say, in my head, I was going, yes, you can. Yes,

you can. As much as I love Mary Earps. I know, I was just thinking, well I mean it's the BBC so they're obviously going to try and give it to an England player if they can. I think whenever Bomati is out for an award I'm into that. So I think she's been the best player in the world and quite rightly has been recognised with that, with the FIFA awards and stuff like that, or the Ballon d'Or. That would be my debate with it,

but there's no question that Mary is a worthy winner. She is the best goalkeeper in the world right now, I would say, and I think also what she's done off the pitch in terms of the pushing for the shirts and that kind of equality side of things in terms of her marketing as a goalkeeper. But also, I think I've said it before,

everywhere I go where Mary plays, there is a chance of Mary Earps following her. And I've never seen that with a goalkeeper to that level before. The amount of, like, she's kind of become this kind of cult hero, I think, with fans from every single team. And obviously Lioness is a fan, so I think that's quite special as well, for a goalkeeper to garner that much support

and have the kind of character to be able to do that. I think that's quite special as well for a goalkeeper to garner that much support and had the kind of character to be able to do that. I think it's quite special. Yes, I agree with you 100 percent. Well done, Merps. Right. It's been an absolute pleasure, everybody. Tim, see you soon. My pleasure as always. Thank you. Susie Rack, always a delight.

I want some chocolate next time you go to Switzerland, please. Sophie, always lovely to see you. See you soon. See you soon. Right, there may be no WSL next weekend, but we'll be back with you on Tuesday to round up all the international action and other news and talking points from across the women's game.

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