Aston Villa Women

[Marka Ragnos]

I don’t think it has to be either/or. Getting the Villa name in front of people is part of the project, and all our players who engage the public help the cause. 

Lehmann is an excellent player who happens to have a high profile. I’m grateful she’s here. 

Edited September 4, 2023 by Marka Ragnos

[skarroki]

10 hours ago, Marka Ragnos said:

I don’t think it has to be either/or. Getting the Villa name in front of people is part of the project, and all our players who engage the public help the cause. 

Lehmann is an excellent player who happens to have a high profile. I’m grateful she’s here. 

It doesn't have to be either or but I do think you can tell how serious someone is taking the women's team when they bring up Lehmann instead of say Daly for example. 

I've had people genuinely discuss how well we did last season and how good some of Daly's goals were, Hampton being a good keeper etc. Which was refreshing. 

Then I've had "the ladies have that Lehmann don't they - phworrrr" kind of 'conversation' at which point it's difficult to explain to them she's a great player and a good brand ambassador because those things get batted back with the exact kind of archaic banter you'd expect.

[Marka Ragnos]

4 hours ago, skarroki said:

It doesn't have to be either or but I do think you can tell how serious someone is taking the women's team when they bring up Lehmann instead of say Daly for example. 

I've had people genuinely discuss how well we did last season and how good some of Daly's goals were, Hampton being a good keeper etc. Which was refreshing. 

Then I've had "the ladies have that Lehmann don't they - phworrrr" kind of 'conversation' at which point it's difficult to explain to them she's a great player and a good brand ambassador because those things get batted back with the exact kind of archaic banter you'd expect.

Good points. I admit I’m enjoying and learning more about women’s football as it becomes more widely accessible. It’s interesting to watch. Hannah Hampton is something of a role model in our family because my child has strabismus and multiple eye surgeries etc.

[useless]

Transfer window closes in nine days

Goalkeepers
van Domselaar, Leat, Poor
Central defeinders
Turner, Corsie, Patten, Parker
Fullbacks
Mayling, Pacheco
Midfielders
Staniforth, McLoughlin, Blindkilde, Nobbs, Dali,
Wingers
Lehmann, Hanson, Gregory
Strikers
Magill, Daly, Mullett

That's twenty players, but three of those are goalkeepers, and two of them including one of the keepers are seventeen year olds, in fact as it stands a quarter of them are twenty or under, and also bearing in mind that at any one time last season we usually had five or more players injured, so seems we're still a little short in terms of numbers, hopefully we can strengthen a little more in the coming days, if not have to hope injuries aren't as bad this time, maybe we've got some academy players that can play a part too, I know that Megan Shaw went to Spain.

[villaajax]

4 hours ago, useless said:

Transfer window closes in nine days

Goalkeepers
van Domselaar, Leat, Poor
Central defeinders
Turner, Corsie, Patten, Parker
Fullbacks
Mayling, Pacheco
Midfielders
Staniforth, McLoughlin, Blindkilde, Nobbs, Dali,
Wingers
Lehmann, Hanson, Gregory
Strikers
Magill, Daly, Mullett

That's twenty players, but three of those are goalkeepers, and two of them including one of the keepers are seventeen year olds, in fact as it stands a quarter of them are twenty or under, and also bearing in mind that at any one time last season we usually had five or more players injured, so seems we're still a little short in terms of numbers, hopefully we can strengthen a little more in the coming days, if not have to hope injuries aren't as bad this time, maybe we've got some academy players that can play a part too, I know that Megan Shaw went to Spain.

Should have signed Esme Brugts like I said
I think Ash Weerden at Ajax would be a great signing, although I'd hate to take away from Ajax considering they need as much help as they can get after letting half the team go.
 

9 hours ago, skarroki said:

Then I've had "the ladies have that Lehmann don't they - phworrrr" kind of 'conversation' at which point it's difficult to explain to them she's a great player and a good brand ambassador because those things get batted back with the exact kind of archaic banter you'd expect.

I must admit, I some times feel a little awkward being a man attending games by myself because I've heard other guys saying the same things. I even had one guy sitting a couple of seats away from me with his phone out recording Lehmann every time she ran past. He was purely there to record Lehmann running around.

[skarroki]

5 hours ago, villaajax said:

I must admit, I some times feel a little awkward being a man attending games by myself because I've heard other guys saying the same things. I even had one guy sitting a couple of seats away from me with his phone out recording Lehmann every time she ran past. He was purely there to record Lehmann running around.

It's just weird behaviour but if I get on my soapbox about it I'll be redirected to off-topic 

These are the top 3 comments on the picture they used after the 3-3 draw. To give you context, Lehmann is facing away from the camera. 

[Farlz]

 

Some achievement. We are blessed. 

 

**

Van Domselaar as well, can't forget 

Edited September 6, 2023 by Farlz

[Farlz]

17 hours ago, skarroki said:

It's just weird behaviour but if I get on my soapbox about it I'll be redirected to off-topic 

These are the top 3 comments on the picture they used after the 3-3 draw. To give you context, Lehmann is facing away from the camera. 

Probably says a lot really that the only woman with her own thread on this forum is Lehmann. 

Edited September 6, 2023 by Farlz

[wishywashy]

32 minutes ago, Farlz said:

 

Some achievement. We are blessed. 

 

**

Van Domselaar as well, can't forget 

More women's Ballon D'or nominees than Chelsea. Might as well give us the title now.

[MWARLEY2]

So our male and female goalkeepers have both been nominated for the Ballon D'or. 

[colhint]

Really pleased for Rachel, her best mate for the last decade, Millie Bright, has also been nominated.

[STO]

Nominated for the Ballon D'Or and yet completely misused by the England Manager in a world cup final.  It's one of the reasons we lost it as yet again, like Southshite, they have their favourites.  Go on Rachel, go and win it.  Good luck to Emi too. 

[OutByEaster?]

They've opened the Upper Trinity for the Man Utd game - if we can sell it out, there's every chance we'll have a bigger attendance than small heath mens team will a couple of days later.

If that doesn't encourage you to go, I can't help you.

 

[ender4]

9 hours ago, OutByEaster? said:

They've opened the Upper Trinity for the Man Utd game - if we can sell it out, there's every chance we'll have a bigger attendance than small heath mens team will a couple of says later.

Unlikely, but I’d love it!

[Farlz]

 

[wishywashy]

4 minutes ago, Farlz said:

 

The last forward we signed from Houston Dash hasn't done too poorly. Welcome (back) Ebony!

[Tayls]

21 minutes ago, Farlz said:

 

Welcome back?? Something fishy about this one 

[useless]

On 03/12/2022 at 15:27, useless said:

Ebony Salmon is someone I've wondered that we might go for, especially after she left Bristol City a few seasons back, her profile has risen since then after doing well in the US and is now an England international, so would be more difficult to get now, but us getting her doesn't feel impossible, she actually came through our youth team and started her first team career with us as well.

✓ Great signing, bringing in some top young players this summer, our attack looking really strong now

[useless]

She can play through the middle or out wide, super fast as she trained as a sprinter as a youngster, I think her route into the team as it stands will probably be on that right hand side, but is also a top striker, so now if Daly has to miss any games we will still miss her obviously but now have another top player who can play through the middle and score goals.

Carla Ward loaned her from Man Utd when she was manager of Sheffield United in the Championship, during which time she scored seven goals in nine appearances, she would have only been eighteen at the time, Speaking of youngsters going on loan, I wouldn't be surprised if this meant Georgia Mullett going out on loan.

Five lionesses in the squad now, with a few others unlucky not to have had a call up, and a few youngsters that have a good chance of a call up in the future

We play Bristol City on Sunday, so Salmon could be facing her old club

[wishywashy]

6 minutes ago, useless said:

She can play through the middle or out wide, super fast as she trained as a sprinter as a youngster, I think her route into the team as it stands will probably be on that right hand side, but is also a top striker, so now if Daly has to miss any games we will still miss her obviously but now have another top player who can play through the middle and score goals.

Carla Ward loaned her from Man Utd when she was manager of Sheffield United in the Championship, during which time she scored seven goals in nine appearances, she would have only been eighteen at the time, Speaking of youngsters going on loan, I wouldn't be surprised if this meant Georgia Mullett going out on loan.

Thanks for the great insight as always, useless!

The prior Carla Ward connection is very interesting, especially given the clear success in such a short timespan. Dash fans are saying that she was very misused in 2023 after a bright start: a lot of anger towards their management and are sad to see her go.

Lehmann was always going to be the one who'd lose out if an attacking player was signed, was a bit surprised when she renewed her contract. I assume she's agreed to be more of a rotational option: she'd probably start for any team below us but she isn't quite at the level of her fellow attackers (not many players are).

I had a tiny concern heading into the window that if we didn't manage to get the loanees back that the spine of the team would start to look a bit old. Obviously now Villa have nailed down  Hanson + Patten & signed Parker + Salmon, so that concern has been complety unfounded. Ewers has done some incredible work since coming in as Head of Recruitment, and subsequently General Manager.