useless Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 It's not about what we need, there will be an overhaul because we will have no choice, it's something that's definitely going to happen, the only way around it is if we give new deals to our current players that are out of contract in the summer, but that in itself will require a budget as the main issue in women's football, isn't transfer fees, but wages as there is a wage cap related to revenue, so whether we give new deals to our current players, or replace them with new players, it's going to cost around the same Off the top of my head I think it's Leat, Turner, Corsie, Staniforth, Taylor (end of loan) McCloughlin, Nobbs, and Magill that are out of contract in the summer, that's basically more than a third of the squad, four of them first team regulars when fit, and our squad is small to begin with I don't think January told us much, other than the club had given up on this season, or that they didn't think it was worth spending to try and rescue it, but it's not definite proof that they're not going to back the women's team in the summer, they should have done more, even just a few more loan signings as stop-gaps, but January for many reasons isn't ideal time to be revamping squad, for the most part better to wait until summer when we will have more money to spend, and will be easier to get our first choices, also glad the club didn't panic and just buy anyone with the Blindkilde money just for the sake of it, again wait until the summer when it can be spent more wisely What I suspect will happen is that we will sign at least five or more new players, which is actually quite normal in the WSL, as there's always a big turnaround, and we might also possibly offer new deals some of the players coming to the end of their contracts, and we will probably be left with a squad that in theory can challenge for top six or five, and whether we do or not will probably depend a lot on luck with injuries Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recircle Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 On 03/03/2024 at 16:21, Villanbee said: Liverpool looked much more organised than us. They defended well when they needed to and did the basics well. Coaching. And not just at the back. Look at their first goal from the free kick. I've only seen brief highlights, but looking at how Villa apparently set up, playing Corsie as the linchpin of a middle three facing a Liverpool array of two forwards supported by a line of five, including two of the best up-and-coming progressive midfielders in Höbinger and Nagano, seemed to be inviting trouble (I know needs must, and guess if sod's law hadn't ruled her out of the reckoning, Miri Taylor might've been tried in there). Blindkilde Brown is a significant loss and Villa ought to be looking to get a midfielder for next season who can develop the ball. Mentioning Nagano, the Japan internationals who've been popping up in the WSL are starting to make a real impression: Man City's Hasegawa is the clear pick and on another level, but Nagano as well as Hayashi and Shimizu for West Ham (the latter mostly works as a right wing back but also seems adept at playing more centrally) have stood out. They all seem to possess cool heads, good close control ability and have a good eye for seeing and playing a raking pass (see Hayashi's pass that led to the assist for West Ham's equaliser against Man Utd last Sunday). If I were part of Villa's scouting dept, I'd be looking at recordings of WE League games, as well as games from other leagues featuring Japan internationals; Villa are fairly stocked in physical presence department (Hanson, Parker, Maritz, Taylor), offsetting that with some vision and calm industry in the middle could be the way to go. (Last year's World Cup group stage match between Spain and Japan is worth another watch. Given the opposition, Japan probably turned in the best team performance of the competition.) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
useless Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 (edited) We really didn't have any choice whatsoever but to play the midfield three we did against Liverpool, there were literally no other options Probably also worth remembering that Corsie, Nobbs, and Dali, actually played a lot of games last season as a midfield three and did well, all our success last season, and our recent improved form, we played with one DM and two attacking midfielders, we've beat much better teams than Liverpool doing so, we tried a more conservative midfield earlier in the season and it didn't work, with current squad our best form of defense is attack Our squad is going to be even more depleted for the game tomorrow, as well as Staniforth and Parker obviously being out, Leon is away with Canada playing in a semi-final for them, Taylor, Gregory, and Maritz are cup tied, and Ward has said today that two of the players that started against Liverpool are major doubts at least Daly will be back Three of our four midfielders, McLoughlin, Staniforth, and Nobbs will be out of contract in the summer, in addition to us already having lost Blindkilde, so it's an area we will have to strengthen, hopefully McLoughlin is given a new deal, I genuinely don't think she's far off Blindkilde level, would be strange to let her go, don't know why she wasn't given more of a chance this season, she already proved she's good enough for the WSL back when she was sixteen and frankly looked one of our best players Edited March 6 by useless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turvontour Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 Is the match tonight televised? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
useless Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 It's on BBC Iplayer 19:15 kick-off Arsenal is a tough game at the best of times, but with the players we have missing, and there's potentially more according to Ward at her press conference yesterday, it's going to be tougher than ever Looking at our squad we've only got sixteen players available once you exclude, Leon who is away on international duty, all those cup-tied, and the players who are out for the season, in addition to those we have two other major doubts, so it could be just fourteen players available, and three of those are goalkeepers Could say nothing to lose really, just give it a go and see what happens 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
useless Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 Leat, Mayling Patten, Turner, Pacheco, Corsie, Nobbs, Dali, Lehmann, Hanson, Daly, Subs: Poor, Sallaway, MacPhail, Magill, Salmon, Mullett van Domselaar obvously a big miss, but when Leat comes in she normally plays well, the rest of the starting eleven doesn't actually look that bad, the front three is the forward line that did well last season, it's our best midfield even with everyone fit, other than Corsie, but she played DM last season before we signed Staniforth, and did well, and has been improved there lately, and the back four is okay too, again played in a lot of games where we've done well. Still going to be a very difficult game of course Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farlz Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 2-0 already, all over. Could be a rough one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thejoker Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 This is going to get messy. Double figures? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villanbee Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 What can be said that hasn't been said over and over again this season? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wishywashy Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 Eep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferguson1 Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 3-0 embarrassing. Just can’t defend correctly and basically standing off them. Game over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lichfield Dean Posted March 6 VT Supporter Share Posted March 6 Don't suppose Mrs Emery can do football management can she? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villanbee Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 Embarrassing. I'm turning it off now. They just don't have a clue what they are doing. Such a shame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
useless Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 The annoying thing is the starting eleven really isn't that bad, other than Leat instead of Hampton, and Corsie instead of Staniforth, it's essentially the starting eleven that did so well last season, and Leat was actually very good when she came in, and Corsie did well in midfield before January Of course Arsenal were strong favorites, and always capable of beating us by a big scoreline, even with all our players available, but the for the match to be over so soon really isn't good enough Also annoying because before the Liverpool game things were starting look up again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wishywashy Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 Hanson injured. Aaaaaaaaaaa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recircle Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 (edited) 29 minutes ago, useless said: Also annoying because before the Liverpool game things were starting look up again Somewhat. The win against Spurs was encouraging, but they rode their luck in the win against Leicester (only Van Domselaar and a scrambled goal-line clearance at one point prevented the draw), and drawing against adrift-at-the-bottom Bristol City doesn't inspire much confidence. This current season is becoming painful to endure. Edited March 6 by Recircle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattVillaPortsmouth Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 Prob (realistically) the best shot at getting to a final and having a chance to win something and we look like it’s our first game. I totally get the big 4 are 9/10 going to win, but the margin is not as big as people make out but you have zero chance without effort, you have to put that it no matter your skill set. oh and the Arsenal fans although loud are bloody annoying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
useless Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 We were by far the better team against Leicester and should have scored more, and would have done if it wasn't for some brilliant saves from their keeper, they only came into the game late on when we tired, it would have been unjust if we lost that game, should have been won by halftime, and we absolutely battered Bristol City, we had 36 shots to their four, disappointing but it was just one of those games Last two results, LIverpool and Arsenal are disappoiting, but lets not pretend we weren't in good form beforehand, we had only lost one of the last five, we had been fourth in the form guide since November, and Ward had just been nominated for manager of the month and Nobbs for player of the month, things were going well, even now all isn't lost in the league as top six is still possible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leeroy Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 Ward is doing terribly, taken the team backwards after a positive season last season, no doubt @useless will continue to defend her though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
useless Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 (edited) She's just been nominated for manager of the month, before Liverpool we were one of the form teams in the league No doubt the usual suspects complete ignore this thread when we're doing well, and then only post when we have a bad result or two She's taking the team backwards? we're on course to have our second best season ever, and it was her who gave us our best season ever last season in the first place Also people are naive if they think any other manager could do any better, not talking about tonight, as no excuse for that, but in general, we've hardly got any players available Edited March 6 by useless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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