Search Results

Hege Riise names her 18 strong Olympic squad that will head to Japan this summer. Team GB News Team GB Squad Announced Hege Riise names her 18 strong Olympic squad that will head to Japan this summer. Girls on the Ball 27 May 2021 By Charlotte Stacey Hege Riise has named her squad that will head to Tokyo to represent Team GB in the upcoming Olympics. The Norwegian has announced her eighteen player roster made up of players from the home nations. As expected, the Lionesses form the majority of the squad with fifteen of the chosen players hailing from England. Arsenal captain Kim Little and Manchester City midfielder Caroline Weir feature as the only two Scotland internationals, and Chelsea’s Sophie Ingle is the only Welsh player to have been called upon. Manchester City’s Ellie Roebuck, and OL Reign’s Karen Bardsley, have been selected as the two goalkeepers to go forward. Roebuck has played another impressive with City, keeping a total of thirteen clean sheets across all competitions. After over a year out due to injury, Bardsley joined NWSL side Reign on loan until the end of July in a bid to gather more game time. Bardsley played her first international fixture in over six hundred days in the Lionesses most recent friendly against Canada in April. Riise has opted for a familiar defensive structure selecting candidates solely from her acquainted English stock. Fullbacks Lucy Bronze and Demi Stokes have made the cut, as well as fellow City teammate and Lionesses skipper Steph Houghton. Houghton has recently recovered from an Achilles injury, yet with her wealth of expertise and calm leadership, the veteran was expected to named. Arsenal’s progressive defender Leah Williamson and Chelsea’s steadfast Millie Bright take the number of centre backs selected to three. Houston Dash captain Rachel Daly has also been given the nod and is predicted to take on a defensive role despite becoming Houston’s all time top goal scorer this week. Riise’s midfield options include Wales captain Sophie Ingle and City staple Keira Walsh, both of whom show great capability in anchoring the middle third. Everton’s Jill Scott offers vast international experience as well as an energetic spirit. Navigational wizard Kim Little and left footed wonder Caroline Weir finish off a well-rounded midfield. Upfront, City striker Ellen White leads line and will likely be flanked by teammate Lauren Hemp on the wing. Chelsea’s record goal scorer and player of the season Fran Kirby has rightly made the squad. The forward has played a remarkable season and will be looking to emulate this success in Tokyo. Manchester City’s Georgia Stanway will bring some much-needed grit; however, the youngster will likely find herself used all over the pitch due to her notable versatility. Ever present England forward Nikita Parris has also been selected to add an aggressive attacking spark to the mix. Team GB have been drawn in Group E and will face hosts Japan, Chile and Canada. Their campaign will kick off against Chile on 21st July, they will then play Japan on 24th July and finish the group stage against Canada on 27th July. Full squad: Karen, Bardsley, Ellie Roebuck, Lucy Bronze, Millie Bright, Rachel Daly, Steph Houghton, Demi Stokes, Leah Williamson, Sophie Ingle, Kim Little, Jill Scott, Keira Walsh, Caroline Weir, Lauren Hemp, Fran Kirby, Nikita Parris, Georgia Stanway, Ellen White Reserves: Sandy MacIver, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Niamh Charles, Ella Toone

Everything you need to know about the WSL. Women's Super League History The Women's Super League (WSL) is the highest tier of women's football in England. The League, run by the Football Association (FA) and sponsored by Barclays, currently consists of twelve professional teams. Brief History The FA WSL was first introduced in 2011 to replace the FA Women's Premier League National Division as the highest division of women's football. Initially, the league was played across the summer months. Of the sixteen teams that applied, eight teams were selected to take part in the WSL's inaugural season: Arsenal, Birmingham City, Bristol Academy, Chelsea, Doncaster Rovers Belles, Everton, Lincoln Ladies and Liverpool. In 2014, a second division, the FA WSL 2, was introduced featuring ten teams. Doncaster Rover Belles were relegated to the WSL 2 and Manchester City were awarded a place in the top division, the then named, WSL 1. In 2016 a team from the then FA Women's Premier League earned promotion into the WSL 2, connecting the WSL to the the leagues lower down in the football pyramid. It was also announced in 2016 that the WSL would become a winter league as per tradition with English football. Prior to the 2018-2019 season, the WSL 1 became fully professional and was renamed as the FA Women's Super League. Teams had to re-apply to participate, form youth academies and offer players a minimum of 16 hour a week contracts. At this time, Sunderland were demoted to the third tier of the pyramid. Brighton and Hove Albion and West Ham United were moved into the WSL. The WSL 2 was renamed as the FA Women's Championship at this time. Ben Greatorex Ben Greatorex The league was then extended further before the 2019-2020 season with Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur gaining promotion from the Championship, taking the the total number of teams to twelve. The FA also launched the FA Player enabling access to live WSL games for free to audiences worldwide. Sky Sports and the BBC confirmed a landmark deal with the FA to broadcast the WSL in 2021. Both the Women's Super League and Women's Championship were 're-branded' in 2022 to the Barclays Women's Super League and Women's Championship, dropping the FA status. As of 2022 both leagues still consist of 12 teams and are run by the FA. Ben Greatorex

Latest squad announced for February's training camp. February Squad Announced Back Latest squad announced for February's training camp. via The FA Wednesday, 10 February 2021 By Charlotte Stacey Hege Riise has named a 20 strong squad for the Lionesses friendly against Northern Ireland later this month. This will mark the first time the Lionesses have played with Riise at the helm, acting as interim manager, and will also be the team’s first official fixture since the SheBelieves Cup in March 2020. Preparing for her first meeting with the squad and subsequent match, Riise explained her ambition to instil a lost confidence back into the squad, “that’s something we’re trying to work on with this group. We have to believe we can dictate every game and the team has to be connected. We want them to enjoy stepping on to the field for England and not to be anxious.” Confidence is seemingly a catching point with the English side. During Phil Neville’s tenure the Lionesses dropped from 3rd to 6th in the world rankings and Neville saw out his time with a cluster of lacklustre and disjointed performances. The Lionesses never fully recovered from their semi-final defeat in the 2019 World Cup, their road to recovery dampened by stubbornness and defensiveness radiating from Riise’s predecessor. A change of personnel is exactly what the national side need. Riise has opted for a balanced mix of experience and youth in her first selection. A sensible decision in gathering a somewhat familiar group together after a year long fixture hiatus, but the gradual introduction of talented youngsters shows great promise for the future. A smaller squad than generally chosen as of late, notable absentees include Chelsea goalkeeper Carly Telford, Manchester United’s Lucy Staniforth, Lauren James, Katie Zelem and Millie Turner, Everton’s Izzy Christiansen, Lyon forward Nikita Parris, Atletico Madrid’s Toni Duggan, Manchester City defenders Esme Morgan and Demi Stokes, Tottenham’s Abbie McManus and Arsenal winger Beth Mead. Addressing the decision not to include Mead, Riise said, ““the player report wasn’t that great”. Whilst this may seem a direct, it is important to consider that the bluntness of the comment may have been a little lost in translation. The postponement of several Arsenal matches will have not helped Mead’s case. Nevertheless, it should serve as a wake-up call not only to Mead, but to other regular picks that from now on places will be offered on merit, not by name. With that being said, it was perhaps surprising not to see Manchester United’s Leah Galton make the cut. Galton has been instrumental for the Red Devils, being present with both scoring and creating, so much so that she won the WSL’s Player of the Month in December. Similarly, Tottenham defender Ashleigh Neville misses out despite having the most tackles won of any English player in the domestic league so far. However, it must be measured that this is only Riise’s first appointment and that the Lionesses’ evolution is a long-term venture. It is perhaps sensible to bide time, to proceed with a thoughtful caution and avoid a rash revolution. The Lionesses will take on Northern Ireland on Tuesday 23rd February at St. George’s Park. Kick-off commences at 12:30pm (GMT) and the match will be svailable to watch on BBC iPLayer and the BBC Red Button. Full squad: Goalkeepers: Ellie Roebuck, Sandy MacIver, Hannah Hampton Defenders: Lucy Bronze, Steph Houghton, Millie Bright, Alex Greenwood, Rachel Daly, Lotte Wubben-Moy Midfielders: Keira Walsh, Leah Williamson, Jordan Nobbs, Jill Scott, Georgia Stanway, Ella Toone Forwards: Fran Kirby, Chloe Kelly, Lauren Hemp, Ellen White, Bethany England

A quick guide to Durham who compete in the Women's Championship. Durham Website https://durhamwfc.co.uk/ Manager Lee Sanders Captain Sarah Wilson Squad Durham Durham 1/1 Number Player Position Nationality 1 Naoisha McAloon GK IRL 2 Georgia Robert DF ENG 3 Lauren Briggs MF ENG 4 Mollie Lambert MF ENG 5 Sarah Wilson DF ENG 6 Sarah Robson MF NIR 7 Beth Hepple MF ENG 8 Mollie Lambert MF ENG 9 Amy Andrews FW ENG 10 Rio Hardy FW ENG 11 Bridget Galloway FW ENG 12 Lily Crosswaite FW ENG 12 Lily Crosthwaite FW ENG 13 Anna King GK ENG 14 Becky Salicki DF ENG 15 Dee Bradley DF USA 16 Ellie Christon DF ENG 16 Ellie Christon DF ENG 17 Poppy Pritchard DF ENG 18 Grace Ayre DF ENG 19 Ella Wilson DF ENG 20 Saoirse Noonan FW IRL 21 Erin Nicholson MF ENG 22 Eleanor Ronan-Doyle FW IRL 23 Jess Clarke FW ENG 24 Abby Holmes DF ENG 30 Tatiana Saunders GK USA Ground Maiden Castle, Stockton Road, Durham, DH1 3SE

Sarina Wiegman announces Lionesses squad ahead of World Cup Qualifiers Movement in the Lionesses camp Back Sarina Wiegman announces Lionesses squad ahead of World Cup Qualifiers Girls on the Ball Thursday, 25 August 2022 Josh Bunting Arsenal midfielder Jordan Nobbs has been recalled to the England squad for next months World Cup qualification games with Austria and Luxembourg. The Gunners midfielder missed out on the Euro 2022 victory due to injury. The European champions need a point away to nearest group rivals Austria on Saturday 3 September or, failing that, a victory at home to Luxembourg at a sold-out Stoke City on Tuesday 6 September to confirm their spot in Australia and New Zealand next summer. Nobbs who has 67 senior caps for England is included alongside England captain Leah Williamson, Lotte Wubben-Moy and Beth Mead. Chloe Kelly and Fran Kirby will miss out through injury while two other notable absentees are Jill Scott and Ellen White after the experienced duo this week announced their retirement from football. Sarina Wiegman said: “ It only feels like yesterday since we were celebrating at Wembley, but we have to get straight back to business. We have a big target in front of us this month to book our place at the World Cup, and we have to set aside our amazing memories of this summer for the moment. We have lost four players in midfield and forward positions so I am pleased we can turn to experience in Katie Zelem and Jordan Nobbs along with two for the future in Lauren James and Ebony Salmon. “When we can, it is important to give opportunities to our promising younger players in this environment, and for them to experience what is expected in the senior set-up both on and off the pitch. This includes Sandy MacIver who just missed out on Euro 2022.” Wiegman added Nobbs was "really excited" to be a part of the squad again and would be keen to make an impression before next summer's World Cup. "She was very disappointed that she got injured and needed more time for the Euros," she told BBC Radio 5 Live. She worked hard over the summer and has had good preparation with Arsenal. I am very interested to see where she is at the moment and how she is coming back from the injury." The squad will begin their camp at St. George’s Park this Sunday evening (28 August). Alex Greenwood celebrates England's 5-1 win over the Netherlands Photo: Ryan Asman England squad: Goalkeepers: Mary Earps (Manchester United), Sandy MacIver, Ellie Roebuck (both Manchester City). Defenders: Millie Bright (Chelsea), Lucy Bronze (Barcelona), Jess Carter (Chelsea), Rachel Daly (Aston Villa), Alex Greenwood, Demi Stokes (both Manchester City), Lotte Wubben-Moy, Leah Williamson (both Arsenal). Midfielders: Jordan Nobbs (Arsenal), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), Ella Toone (Manchester United), Keira Walsh (Manchester City), Katie Zelem (Manchester United). Forwards: Bethany England (Chelsea), Lauren Hemp (Manchester City), Lauren James (Chelsea), Beth Mead (Arsenal), Nikita Parris, Alessia Russo (both Manchester United), Ebony Salmon (Houston Dash).

A clean run through the World Cup Qualifying games sees the Lionesses straight through to next years tournament Lionesses beat Austria 2-0 to qualify for World Cup Back A clean run through the World Cup Qualifying games sees the Lionesses straight through to next years tournament Girls on the Ball Sunday, 4 September 2022 By Paul Donegan England reached the 2023 World Cup finals with a 2-0 win over Austria. In their first match since becoming European champions, England scored a goal in each half with Alessia Russo and Nikita Parris getting on the scoresheet. Austria named the same starting line-up that lost to Germany in the Euro’s quarter-finals. Sarina Wiegman made three changes from the starting eleven that won the Euro’s final with Alex Greenwood, Ella Toone and Russo coming in for Rachel Daly, Fran Kirby (injured) and Ellen White (retired). England took the lead in the 7th minute when Greenwood’s cross was headed back by Lauren Hemp, and via a slight deflection off Toone, it found Russo who finished with a low effort into the corner of the net. Russo had a chance to make it 2-0 two minutes later but sent her header straight into Manuela Zinsberger’s hands. A couple of minutes later, England almost got themselves into some trouble when trying to play out from the back and gave the ball away but Julia Hickelsberger-Fuller shot over. In the 17th minute, Georgia Stanway shot well over from about 25 yards out. Austria came back into it as the first half went on but didn’t really threaten Mary Earps. England were causing some of their own problems again when trying to play the ball out with Austria pressing them. Just before half time, a low dangerous cross from Lucy Bronze was cleared by the Austria defence before Russo could get to the ball. Austria had the first chance of the second half when Hickelsberger-Fuller again pressed Earps whilst England were trying to play out and saw the ball go just wide of the post. England then created chances of their own with Lucy Bronze seeing her shot saved in the 49th minute, and Toone sent her shot just wide from the edge of the area a minute later. The Lionesses continued to have opportunities with Stanway seeing her shot saved by Zinsberger’s foot, and then she shot wide from 20 yards out in the 55th minute as England went looking for a second. In the 59th minute, Beth Mead flicked the ball past an Austrian defender then sent a cross in that Russo met with her head but the ball finished up in the goalkeepers hands. Austria forced Earps to make a good save in the 60th minute when Laura Feiersinger sent a shot towards goal from about 20 yards that the England keeper pushed over. England did make it 2-0 in the 69th minute when Stanway’s lovely through ball found Parris in the area and she finished into the top corner. Austria had a chance to get back into the game almost straight away when Feiersinger’s cross went right across the goal but no one could get a touch on it. Another nice through ball in the 77th minute, this time from Keira Walsh, found Parris and after a good first touch she shot wide, maybe with the help of a deflection but a goal kick was given. Lauren James came on to make her senior England debut in the 79th minute. Austria had a few attacks in the final 10 minutes but England defended these well. There was a chance for England in the 90th minute but Parris was just unable to get onto James’ pass. The final effort of the match went to Austria but the shot was caught by Earps. England now have a record of 9 out 9 wins, 70 goals scored and none conceded. The Lionesses finish their qualifying campaign on Tuesday at home to Luxembourg whilst Austria, who will be in the play-offs, face North Macedonia. Line ups Austria: Zinsberger, Wienroither, Wenninger (c), Georgieva, Hanshaw, Puntigam, Hickelsberger-Fuller (Naschenweng 69’), Zadrazil, Feiersinger (Hobinger 88’), Dunst (Kolb 88’), Billa (Wienerroither 79’) Unused Substitutes: Kresche, El Sherif, Klein, Degen, Schasching, Schiechtl, Kirchberger, Eder, England: Earps, Bronze (Daly 84’), Bright, Williamson (c) (Carter 79’), Greenwood, Walsh, Stanway, Toone (James 79’), Mead (Parris 62’), Hemp, Russo (England 62’) Unused Substitutes : Roebuck, MacIver, Zelem, Wubben-Moy, Nobbs, Stokes, Salmon Goals: Russo 7’, Parris 69’ Referee – Iuliana Demetrescu (Romania)

Thoughts on: Lucy Bronze Thoughts on: Lucy Bronze Bronze Back 13 September 2020 By Charlotte Stacey Gold. Silver. BRONZE. via Getty Images Being the only English player in history to win the Champions League three times, Lucy Bronze’s name is front and centre in this historical time in women’s football. Manchester City and England defender Lucy Bronze has gone from strength to strength over the past year. Her sheer talent and commitment to her cause has caught the attention of many, and has rightfully earned her the number two spot in The Guardian’s “100 best female footballers in the world”. Bronze is a spectacle to behold on a football pitch. Arguably the best right back in the world, Bronze possesses a fortitude and a downright grit that is perhaps not seen enough in the women’s game. Her physical presence alone is enough to worry even the most assured striker, and her pace ostensibly allows her to be in what seems to be two places at once. Bronze’s hankering to attack from the back has a tendency to keep not only her opposition, but her teammates on their toes, leading to the most remarkable pieces of quick gameplay. Her fast paced, and somewhat ‘risky’, play drives her forward, causing her to completely dominate the right side and threaten in dangerous positions. Bronze quite honestly is a machine; an absolute force to be reckoned with, and a player to be challenged at peril. Alex Grimm Yet, where her attack prevails, her defence does not suffer. Bronze has no problem with quite literally throwing herself into position to block a loose ball, or to tackle a counterattack. Her personal obligation to defending her goal, and ultimately her team, is clearly of the utmost importance, and is what sets her apart from others. Bronze is not afraid to push herself towards constant improvement, even in the most extreme of circumstances. Her ‘wonder goal’ in the World Cup showcased her ability to step up quickly when under pressure. The enormity of the moment did not seem to faze Bronze, and it was business as usual for the remaining minutes, serving as a reminder of her utter professionalism on a football pitch. But whilst she may be a ballsy character on the pitch, Bronze remains humble when the whistle blows. Unsurprisingly, Bronze has been nominated for, and won several awards this year, yet her modesty in achieving such feats demonstrates the heart of a true team player. Bronze often shies away from her individual wins, but there is importance in recognising your own successes, and Bronze should relish in celebrating her achievements. Whilst she did not seal the gold at the World Cup, there is plenty for Bronze to look forward to. With the Olympics and Euro’s fast approaching, Lionesses fans need not worry. Quite frankly, gold is good, but Bronze is better.

Get in touch with On Her Side! Contact Us Enter Your Name Enter Your Message Enter Your Email Submit Thanks for submitting! Get in touch! If you have anything you'd like to share or promote within the growing world of women's football, make sure you get in touch and we'll get back to you as soon as possible! We'd love to feature - Graphics Photographs Articles Your stories Opinions Match previews, reports and analysis Merchandise and products

Everything you need to know ahead of England's Nations League matches against Belgium England v Belgium: Nations League Preview Back Everything you need to know ahead of England's Nations League matches against Belgium FA | Lionesses Thursday, 26 October 2023 By Paul Donegan England face a double-header against Belgium in the UEFA Women’s Nations League A over the next week. They first meet at Leicester City’s King Power Stadium on Friday evening and then again in Leuven, Belgium on Tuesday when I am sure the Lionesses hope they won’t face any shocks or surprises or put on a horror show on Halloween. Last month, England got their Nations League campaign off to a mixed start with a 2-1 win over Scotland but then suffered a last-minute 1-2 defeat away to the Netherlands. They are currently third in the group. Belgium are top of the group and undefeated having beaten the Netherlands 2-1 at home and then drew 1-1 against Scotland at Hampden Park when they conceded a stoppage time equaliser. Sarina Wiegman named both Manchester City’s goalkeeper Khiara Keating and Tottenham Hotspur’s (on loan from Manchester United) attacking midfielder Grace Clinton in the senior Lionesses squad for the first time after they had great starts to the domestic season. When speaking to the media about them after the squad announcement, Wiegman said "I want to see how they relate to the other players in the squad and for them to show what they can do. They performed really well. We saw them also in the U23s. Now at the highest level they have shown performances. It's exciting for them and good to see for us too." Also recalled after injuries are Fran Kirby and Keira Walsh, with Kirby being named in the squad for the first time since February (though she withdrew then) and looking to make her first appearance for the national side in just over a year. Wiegman remarked "Of course it's very nice Fran is back on the pitch and she's fit and healthy" and noted that she has been playing well for Chelsea since coming back after knee surgery that saw her miss the World Cup. The Lionesses manager also said it was nice to have Walsh back after a calf injury kept her out of the September games. In her news conference ahead of Friday’s game, Wiegman announced that Lauren James is not available for either game against Belgium after picking up a concussion injury in training and will return to Chelsea. Lotte Wubben-Moy is back on the pitch and will be assessed before the match, Wiegman also confirmed. The Belgian Red Flames long serving head coach Ives Serneels has named some familiar Women’s Super League names in their squad including Brighton & Hove Albion’s on loan from Chelsea goalkeeper Nicky Evrard, Everton’s Justine Vanhaevermaet, Yana Daniels of Liverpool and Leicester City’s Janice Cayman. Former Manchester City forward Tessa Wullaert is the sides captain and record goalscorer with 75 goals. The Lionesses and the Red Flames have met a couple of times over the last 18 months. In June 2022, England beat Belgium 3-0 in Wolverhampton in a pre-Euro friendly. The goals on that warm summer evening came from Chloe Kelly, Rachel Daly and an own goal from Evrard. In February this year, the two sides played each other in the Arnold Clark Cup in Bristol with the Lionesses winning 6-1 as they won that iconic cup again. Kelly and Leah Williamson scored twice that night with the other goals coming from Lucy Bronze and a Julie Biesmans own goal whilst Elena Dhont got Belgium’s late consolation one. Both matches will be shown live on ITV4/ITVX with Friday’s kicking off at 7:45pm (BST) and Tuesday’s at 7:30pm (GMT). There is radio coverage of both matches on TalkSport2 whilst Friday’s can also be heard on Radio 5 Sports Extra.

Thoughts on: Katie McCabe Thoughts on: Katie McCabe McCabe Back 7 May 2021 By Charlotte Stacey Katie McCabe: A Season to Remember Edward Payne As the domestic season draws to a close, awards season begins to hot up. The very best of the league displayed with all of its goal laden finishers, creative assistants and all-round impressive performers. Yet as supporters, we must be careful to not just tie these accolades to those with the largest influence across the fanbase. Of course, such players rightly deserve to reap the rewards of their efforts, however it is important to also recognise the work ethic of those who perhaps do not immediately spring to mind. Players who are so greatly impactful, resulting outcomes would simply be unachievable without their participance. A player much like Arsenal’s Katie McCabe. Katie McCabe has been nothing short of a miracle worker for the gunners thus far. With injuries plaguing Arsenal’s ranks from the offset, McCabe has once again spent the majority of her minutes in a slightly ‘unnatural’ fullback position. Yet being principally placed as a left back has packed with it a box full of positional delicacies that McCabe has quite conspicuously sunk her teeth in to. An amplified opportunity to challenge one on one, and a heightened commitment to supporting the backline as opponents root through the middle third, has meant that McCabe has to step up in exercising her defensive legs. In true McCabe style, she has done so with a spirited conviction that has kept Arsenal out of trouble on a fair few occasions. The Republic of Ireland captain, however, harbours an attacking grit that will not be shaken no matter where she is on the pitch. Yet, it must be noted that an instinctively progressive fullback can sometimes do more damage than it does good. Typically, you would not expect, nor necessarily want, one of your most prolific attacking outlets to stem from one so deeply lain. Essentially this bares the risk of leaving the centre-backs far too stretched in times of oppositional transition. Yet in this case, it has worked. This not only due to Arsenal’s controlled organisation and the fielding a disciplined holding midfielder, but also due to McCabe’s individual pitch side acumen. Edward Payne & Charlotte Stacey After dutifully carrying out her defensive responsibilities and ensuring her closest central defender is able to ‘cover’, there is nothing McCabe likes more than to motor up the wing full throttle. But she is wise with this. Simply, there is no use in dragging play out to a wide area unless there is the organisational means to do so and McCabe demonstrates a fine perception here. She is patient. Gradually pressing as part of a larger unit until either possessional play, or a quick transition, offers the opportune time to flood the wing with an fierce overlapping run. Once McCabe has found her way into the final third, she comes alive. Shirt in, head up, we’re in business. McCabe is able to successfully continue to operate wide or to cut inside with a slick dribble towards the box. Yet, possibly the most remarkable indicator of McCabe’s skill is her ability to seamlessly plant the ball to an exact location with a single touch. With a masterful left foot, it can often times appear that her successor is charged to the current of her pinpoint pass. This ability to create further evidenced by the stack of statistics in favour of her sharp eye to create. McCabe will end the season with the highest number of assists, plus the highest number of key passes and crosses into the penalty area. And so, one must rather strongly argue McCabe’s case to be broadly recognised for her performances throughout the season. Although the more official voting may not reflect this, there is little doubt that McCabe should very much be a heavy contender for “player of the season”. Looking forward, Arsenal are set to incur managerial changes, and possibly others, over the coming weeks. However, one retains a genuinely positive belief in their cohort and the retention of standards. The gunners will be fine; they’ve got Katie McCabe.

Information on every team that competes in the Barclays Women's Super League, the top division of women's football in England. Barclays Women's Super League The Women's Super League (WSL) is the top flight of women's football in England. It consists of twelve professional teams with one relegation spot each season. Click on the badges below to find out more about each team.

Thoughts on: Leah Williamson Thoughts on: Leah Williamson Williamson Back 12 September 2020 By Charlotte Stacey She is The Arsenal via Getty Images With a growing number of international senior caps under her belt, and a season even the most experienced player would be proud of, Arsenal and England defender Leah Williamson is knocking on the door of something special. Leah Williamson is a rare find. Always looking comfortable due to her wealth of practice in a starting eleven, Williamson plays with a poise and consistency that is seldom seen in a player of a young age. An absolute visionary, only in her early twenties, Williamson is able to read a game with a sense and maturity far beyond her years. Williamson's significance on the field is plain to see. Whether it is a quick one-two, a placed long ball or an essential block, Williamson seems to always be one step ahead. Her capacity to anticipate a play, for both her own side, and her opposition, is rather remarkable. It is this foresight that makes her so influential, and watching her play in person only heightens the observation of her cardinal importance on the pitch. Whilst on the surface she may not appear the most physically intimidating centre back, Williamson should certainly not be underestimated. Brave in her decision making, Williamson is savvy with a slide tackle; always well timed and tactful. Her ability to predict an opposing pass often results in her making interceptions at the most crucial of times, and she is more than reliable with a clearance. Williamson is a staple in the Gunners defence, and is undoubtedly well on her way to reaching the same feat with the Lionesses. Girls on the Ball and Charlotte Stacey Steadfast in her approach, from the back, Williamson comfortably instigates play with a momentum in which she sees fit. Yet, she is quick to get things moving when the opportunity arises. Using her experience as a midfielder, Williamson is able to press forward, and in doing so, dispels threats to her own half all the while causing problems to the opposition in theirs. Fiercely loyal to her club, Williamson will stand her ground in an unfair ruling. Yet she is controlled in her protest, always careful not to worsen a dispute to detriment of her teammates. For Williamson, the welfare of her team is paramount. Not one to pass the buck, Williamson notes her responsibility when things perhaps do not go as planned. Yet, ever modest when the final whistle blows she is dignified in both victory and defeat. Whatever the outcome may have been, Williamson dutifully recognises, and draws upon, both the positive and negatives to further develop her game. In times of reflection, Williamson is brutally realistic in what is achievable and what is not, yet she is always positive in moving forward. What is clear, is that Williamson encompasses the mindset, will power and sportsmanship of the finest professional, and is a true asset to both her club and country. With all the attributes and the temperament of a natural leader, whether it is for Arsenal or England, a future captaincy is surely on the cards. Williamson should have every confidence in herself to carry the honour. World, take note of Leah Williamson, for the best is yet to come.