Arsenal Ladies
so, Arsenal Ladies brought back the FA Cup on Saturday with a 2-0 win over Bristol.
11 FA Cup titles in 12 final appearances. Last season's 3-2 Extra time defeat to Everton threatened the end of an era, the end of Arsenal dominance of women's football in England. The girls bounced back to win the Premier League.
This season had promised to be difficult and challenging. The formation of the Women's Super League which saw the consolidation of talent into 8 teams narrowed the gap between Arsenal Ladies and the other teams even further, compounding the loss of key players such as Alex Scott, Kelly Smith, Karen Carney to the WPS in USA.
Personally, i was dealt a big blow when i learned that Gemma Davison had gone to the US as well. She, together with Kim Little represented the future of Arsenal Ladies.
Arsenal Ladies are currently second in the WSL, 4 points behind Birmingham with a game in hand. This alone shows that the situation has changed. Arsenal Ladies to win every game comfortably can no longer be expected.
The FA Cup was important, not just because the two finalists will represent England in next season's Champions' League, but it is also the first test of the mettle of this team.
They passed it. Bristol started brightly, but Arsenal recovered and after Kim Little put them ahead with a wonderful solo effort, jinking and twisting her way past 3 defenders ala Nasri, it was all Arsenal. Julie Fleeting added a header. 2-0 at half time, though it should have been more.
Bristol were more positive in the second half, and put more pressure on Arsenal. i was disappointed by the way Arsenal played in the second half. Some unconvincing defending served to put more pressure on themselves. They neither killed off nor controlled the game and that gave Bristol that glimmer of hope. Nevertheless, it was Arsenal who came closest to scoring. Substitute Jennifer Beattie's first touch of the game was a knockdown into the path of Little(who else) who forced a magnificent save from the Bristol keeper with her volley. Then substitute Danielle Carter showed remarkable pace to charge down the keeper's clearance of an overhit throughball (she started her run from her own half). the ball went to the touchline, and she didn't realise she had the time to control the ball, opting to head it into the side netting.
So, Katie Chapman lifted the trophy in place of the injured Ludlow and Faye White.
I like the way the team was set up to play in the first half. i am sure the girls weren't satisfied with their own performance in the second half.
i have been interested in the 4-2-1-3 for a while now. in fact, the first time i saw it was an Arsenal Ladies game last season.
the key difference between a 4-2-3-1 and this is the mentality, traits of the two winger-forwards. in a 4-2-1-3, they are able to go up and lead the line, play with their backs to goal or attack the penalty area.
i am quite satisfied with the front 4 that we have.
Ellen White is a no9 striker by nature, yet she can play on the flank. this new breed of forward is not new. Thierry Henry, fittingly, was probably the first striker who spends a lot of time roaming the flank. Ellen White reminds me of Lotta Schelin, probably the best example of this kind of forward in the women's game. The good news is that though Ellen White plays like she has been around forever, this is her first champions' League campaign, and she is only 22.
Rachel Yankey is a winger with an eye for goal.
Julie Fleeting is like a cross between Robin van Persie and Ruud van Niistelrooy. she is a very elegant player to watch and links up play intelligently. But she is also a poacher who gives you the impression that she can score from anywhere, anyhow. There were two shots that she took in the Final which made me sit up. One was an audacious overhead kick, and the other was a snap side volley. The speed of thought is amazing. I think she would have made a difference against Lyon. She did score one after coming on in the second leg, but it was already too late then. She just brings this touch of class to the team.
Kim Little. She was EVERYWHERE. given the free role. putting in crosses, playing in the passes, getting into the box, scoring the goals. She's a hell of a player, the only player who could match up to the guile of the Lyon players during those two games. And she's only 20.
So what i like is that you have two players on the flanks who can come into the centre and attack the space Fleeting will leave when she drops back or drifts wide to link up the play. And these two players are fast, strong and skillful enough that you can play the balls direct down the flank(maybe not so much down the flank per se, but the 2/3 width) for a direct approach or even a counterattack. Then you have Kim Little pulling the strings behind, popping up in the spaces.
Katie Chapman and Jordan Nobbs do the dirty work in midfield. but i know that both are capable of shooting from range. Nobbs is only 18 and in her first season with Arsenal, so give her a bit of time and see how she develops. but at the moment, things look promising.
my only gripe is the lack of depth. off the bench, for the attack, there are only two players who can come on: jennifer beattie, nominally a defender, but can play as target woman upfront and surprisingly spreads the ball well with her back to goal and danielle carter who is really quick and can cause problems with her pace.
One player i would have liked to have on the team, in addition to Gemma Davison, is Karen Carney, who came back from America and joined Birmingham, leading their charge up the table. I don't know if Arsenal tried to re-sign her, or decided that both parties should move on. i know that Arsenal still means alot to Carney, so it is a big shame.
It is good for women's football though, that it is more competitive. The neutrals and the other teams would be happy. That's the problem when you are the incumbent. everyone is gunning for you.
So one trophy won. To win the WSL, there can be no more slipups. I think the team should still be good enough to win the WSL. still. if they can remove the errors in defence and convert more of their chances. in any case, despite all the upheavals, Arsenal Ladies are still one of the top teams in the country. at least at the moment.
On the other hand, the run to the top 4 in this seaason's Champions' League was somehow flattering, given that the way it was achieved was more grit than class. Spirit is of course necessary, but the underlying quality has to be there, and that was exposed by Lyon in the semi-final.
it is clear that this team is in a stage of renewal. The young players like Ellen White, Gilly Flaherty, Steph Houghton, Jordan Nobbs and Danielle Carter need to step up to Kim Little's leve to guarantee future success, both domestic and european.
11 FA Cup titles in 12 final appearances. Last season's 3-2 Extra time defeat to Everton threatened the end of an era, the end of Arsenal dominance of women's football in England. The girls bounced back to win the Premier League.
This season had promised to be difficult and challenging. The formation of the Women's Super League which saw the consolidation of talent into 8 teams narrowed the gap between Arsenal Ladies and the other teams even further, compounding the loss of key players such as Alex Scott, Kelly Smith, Karen Carney to the WPS in USA.
Personally, i was dealt a big blow when i learned that Gemma Davison had gone to the US as well. She, together with Kim Little represented the future of Arsenal Ladies.
Arsenal Ladies are currently second in the WSL, 4 points behind Birmingham with a game in hand. This alone shows that the situation has changed. Arsenal Ladies to win every game comfortably can no longer be expected.
The FA Cup was important, not just because the two finalists will represent England in next season's Champions' League, but it is also the first test of the mettle of this team.
They passed it. Bristol started brightly, but Arsenal recovered and after Kim Little put them ahead with a wonderful solo effort, jinking and twisting her way past 3 defenders ala Nasri, it was all Arsenal. Julie Fleeting added a header. 2-0 at half time, though it should have been more.
Bristol were more positive in the second half, and put more pressure on Arsenal. i was disappointed by the way Arsenal played in the second half. Some unconvincing defending served to put more pressure on themselves. They neither killed off nor controlled the game and that gave Bristol that glimmer of hope. Nevertheless, it was Arsenal who came closest to scoring. Substitute Jennifer Beattie's first touch of the game was a knockdown into the path of Little(who else) who forced a magnificent save from the Bristol keeper with her volley. Then substitute Danielle Carter showed remarkable pace to charge down the keeper's clearance of an overhit throughball (she started her run from her own half). the ball went to the touchline, and she didn't realise she had the time to control the ball, opting to head it into the side netting.
So, Katie Chapman lifted the trophy in place of the injured Ludlow and Faye White.
I like the way the team was set up to play in the first half. i am sure the girls weren't satisfied with their own performance in the second half.
i have been interested in the 4-2-1-3 for a while now. in fact, the first time i saw it was an Arsenal Ladies game last season.
the key difference between a 4-2-3-1 and this is the mentality, traits of the two winger-forwards. in a 4-2-1-3, they are able to go up and lead the line, play with their backs to goal or attack the penalty area.
i am quite satisfied with the front 4 that we have.
Ellen White is a no9 striker by nature, yet she can play on the flank. this new breed of forward is not new. Thierry Henry, fittingly, was probably the first striker who spends a lot of time roaming the flank. Ellen White reminds me of Lotta Schelin, probably the best example of this kind of forward in the women's game. The good news is that though Ellen White plays like she has been around forever, this is her first champions' League campaign, and she is only 22.
Rachel Yankey is a winger with an eye for goal.
Julie Fleeting is like a cross between Robin van Persie and Ruud van Niistelrooy. she is a very elegant player to watch and links up play intelligently. But she is also a poacher who gives you the impression that she can score from anywhere, anyhow. There were two shots that she took in the Final which made me sit up. One was an audacious overhead kick, and the other was a snap side volley. The speed of thought is amazing. I think she would have made a difference against Lyon. She did score one after coming on in the second leg, but it was already too late then. She just brings this touch of class to the team.
Kim Little. She was EVERYWHERE. given the free role. putting in crosses, playing in the passes, getting into the box, scoring the goals. She's a hell of a player, the only player who could match up to the guile of the Lyon players during those two games. And she's only 20.
So what i like is that you have two players on the flanks who can come into the centre and attack the space Fleeting will leave when she drops back or drifts wide to link up the play. And these two players are fast, strong and skillful enough that you can play the balls direct down the flank(maybe not so much down the flank per se, but the 2/3 width) for a direct approach or even a counterattack. Then you have Kim Little pulling the strings behind, popping up in the spaces.
Katie Chapman and Jordan Nobbs do the dirty work in midfield. but i know that both are capable of shooting from range. Nobbs is only 18 and in her first season with Arsenal, so give her a bit of time and see how she develops. but at the moment, things look promising.
my only gripe is the lack of depth. off the bench, for the attack, there are only two players who can come on: jennifer beattie, nominally a defender, but can play as target woman upfront and surprisingly spreads the ball well with her back to goal and danielle carter who is really quick and can cause problems with her pace.
One player i would have liked to have on the team, in addition to Gemma Davison, is Karen Carney, who came back from America and joined Birmingham, leading their charge up the table. I don't know if Arsenal tried to re-sign her, or decided that both parties should move on. i know that Arsenal still means alot to Carney, so it is a big shame.
It is good for women's football though, that it is more competitive. The neutrals and the other teams would be happy. That's the problem when you are the incumbent. everyone is gunning for you.
So one trophy won. To win the WSL, there can be no more slipups. I think the team should still be good enough to win the WSL. still. if they can remove the errors in defence and convert more of their chances. in any case, despite all the upheavals, Arsenal Ladies are still one of the top teams in the country. at least at the moment.
On the other hand, the run to the top 4 in this seaason's Champions' League was somehow flattering, given that the way it was achieved was more grit than class. Spirit is of course necessary, but the underlying quality has to be there, and that was exposed by Lyon in the semi-final.
it is clear that this team is in a stage of renewal. The young players like Ellen White, Gilly Flaherty, Steph Houghton, Jordan Nobbs and Danielle Carter need to step up to Kim Little's leve to guarantee future success, both domestic and european.
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