The Women's Rolling Football Thread season 2023-24

[DuncinToffee]

Calling all football fans to discuss all things related to the beautiful game

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I don't see why it's a good thing that the home nations don't want to compete as team GB in anything - the Olympics isn't a Fifa competition and the IOC don't recognise the separate nations. We will be pole-vaulting, swimming, shooting, etc as Team GB, so what's the issue? It's great experience for the non-England players and it will help to lift their teams up in the Fifa competitions.
And as has been noted, it's mad that England and Scotland are in the same group and Team GB qualification depends on England getting through!

That's the way it strikes me @BellaAmorosa . I was wondering if I were missing something.

I think it's just that there are some people who don't want to see any sort of UK team in any sport. I agree that it's better for the 4 individual constituent UK countries and the players themselves to get a chance to compete in the Olympics. The GB athletics team really seem to get this right as they compete as one team in the Olympics but are proud to represent their individual countries in the Commonwealth games. Better to use sport to bring people together, not to divide them!

Oh god did anyone watch that tonight?
Absolutely nerve shredding and a horrendous last 2 minutes

Well that was a rollercoaster

I think the IOC must look again at the qualifying pathway for the Olympic football competition. The whole thing has been a farce.

I don't think it is so bad not to go to the Olympics. The women need a break after club football. They had the World Cup last year so it will be good to have a year off.

Beth Mead played non-stop for Arsenal and then in the Euros which I am sure contributed to her ACL injury.

I think it is a shame, Team GB has a big pool of players to choose from so the main players could have had time off and other players been given a chance.

wrong thread so deleted my post

Yes, but so did England in the Euros but Beth Mead was played continuously.

Webben Moy is almost never played.

I also hope that the NL don't get through so that Palova has a rest.

Just what I was going to say, MustTry!

This would be just the right time - after the Fifpro survey - to get some rules in place about guaranteed holiday time. Two clear weeks mid-season and four clear weeks in the off season as well. No gathering early at international camps, no international money-spinning tours for clubs - just R&R for the players.

What drama last night! Must have been agony for the England players, waiting for the other match to finish. England showed commendable spirit.

I now understand why so few countries could qualify for the Olympics via the Nations' League - the football tournament is only a 12-team competition, and France have to be in it.

@BellaAmorosa Ok, that makes sense if there are only 12 teams from the whole world.

I think Belgium must have let the NL win last night when they realised that they had nothing to lose. Scotland obviously didn't do the same.

Well, I certainly wasn't expecting that. I wonder if Emma Hayes' new employers watched that.

We played so well from start to finish.

I was surprised to see that score, well done Arsenal and a record crowd!

The mens game was on which meant I only watched our second half and the winning goal. We have many injuries so that was a good win

Up the Toffees

I am so pleased for the crowd to see us play so well especially as we lost last time at the Emirates I think.

Yes, a very good day for Everton.

I only watched Arsenal v Chelsea on TV. It was a good game but great to see The Emirates so full. Great performance from Arsenal. I still enjoy seeing Russo score and was pleased she did so well today.

Yes, she gets so much more involved in the game now compared to when she first started.

Do you think that when Russo arrived Arsenal had so many injuries it was harder to get going?

I read an article about before the match, which like you MustTryHarderAndHarder praised Russo's all round game:

https://sportingher.com/russo-isnt-scoring-does-it-really-matter/

Thanks for that @nettie434 , that was a good article.

Well, Kerr hardly touched the ball today so she might have a better goal rate, but it is much harder to for her to score against the better teams as they can just crowd her out. I would much rather we had a versatile player like Russo will a lower goal rate because it means she can create goals for other players.

I also think that Russo played much better for us than she does for England whereas James played much better for England than she did against us.

Russo certainly did this today:

That being said, with a vital game coming up against Chelsea tomorrow for the Gunners in the WSL, now would be the perfect time for Alessia Russo to repay the faith shown in her by her manager by chipping in with a goal.

New to this thread. Was at Emirates today. Not sure what to think about Persil ads going round in the electronic boards! Daughter keen to go to the match v Man U in February now.

So pleased you saw such a good first game. We've been a few times and we have always won.

Do you mean that the Persil adverts are targeted at women? Well, any advertising revenue for the women's game is great and unfortunately it is a fact of life that most women do the washing because men do not step up. I would see it as a slight on men not doing their fair share!

Congratulations Everton, great win. (Bristol City and Brighton, good results.) Man U are ahead as I write, so I'm crossing my fingers for you, too, nettie

Arsenal were fab today. Cannot understand why Lauren James wasn't sent off - it was obviously a deliberate stamp. Anyhoo. Apart from being a bit frustrated about the missed chances towards the end, I was very proud and happy, most of all because we showed we've stopped fearing Chelsea. They're a great side and played uncharacteristically poorly, but we now believe and I think that played a part.

The match against ManU in the New Year will be brilliant - that fixture always full of drama.

When is someone going to take Lauren James in hand ?

She should have had a red today for the assault for which they gave her a yellow.
It was deliberately done, coldly and not in anyway could she claim it was accidental / late challenge or anything else.

Just shocking, but the FA will do nothing. Her club certainly should.
It's not an example I want my dc to see.

There are rumours that Casey Stoney will be brought in to take over from Emma Hayes at the end of the season. Stoney is a strong disciplinarian and knocked James into shape when she was in charge of her at ManU. So if that comes to pass, I am sure Stoney will take her in hand again. I agree that something needs to be done - it's a very unpleasant side to James' character which neither Chelsea or England should tolerate.