Welcome to The Counter Press, a brand new Sky Sports activities column during which Laura Hunter analyses the massive speaking factors from the newest Ladies’s Tremendous League matches, bringing you nearer to the important thing tales within the ladies’s recreation.
Tributes paid to Matt Beard
This weekend held extraordinarily unhappy information for the ladies’s soccer neighborhood following the sudden passing of one of many pioneers of the sport, Matt Beard, aged 47. The outpouring of affection that adopted spoke of a coach held within the highest regard, however extra affectionately highlighted the nice and cozy, real, smiley persona he was.
Among the many very many tributes paid by golf equipment he coached at within the UK and US – successful back-to-back WSL titles with Liverpool in 2013 and 2014 – have been gamers who revealed his profound influence on them and their careers. He’ll without end be remembered as a transformative presence and a real pal and ally of girls’s soccer on this nation and past.
Man Utd darkish horses?
Marc Skinner will inform you he enjoys it when Manchester United fly below the radar. He prefers they lurk within the shadows to keep away from being the group everyone seems to be speaking about. It takes the stress off.
After all Man Utd usually are not a membership that simply escape the glare of the highlight on both facet of the female-male divide. However noise does seem quieter when they’re doing nicely.
With United emboldened by notably optimistic beginnings to the WSL marketing campaign, this might have been the second to be adventurous towards title rivals Arsenal. And show correct intent. The sport may need completed 0-0, however that is precisely what they did.
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Highlights from Man Utd’s 0-0 draw with Arsenal
They confirmed higher endeavour, a top quality missing in conferences with top-four rivals in latest instances. Six factors throughout seven matches towards Chelsea, Arsenal and Man Metropolis at a fee of 0.86 factors per recreation for the reason that begin of final yr is hardly an inspiring document.
However right here, Skinner set as much as win, whereas well safeguarding towards dropping. Arsenal have been averaging 3.4 objectives per recreation below Renee Slegers – the perfect fee of any supervisor within the competitors’s historical past – in order that was the pragmatic play. Arsenal have been restricted to only one shot on track.
United triggered issues, too, posting the next xG worth (0.84), extra pictures on track (3) and extra huge possibilities (3) than their guests. Arsenal defender Katie Reid was the perfect participant on the pitch, a praise to United’s risk.
Outcomes towards the Gunners have been arduous to return by. The final time United beat them was April 2023 when Alessia Russo was nonetheless on the membership – by the way, she was the one to attain in a 1-0 win. However Sunday supplied extra in the best way of hope that United can compete at comparable ranges to these difficult for high honours.
Elisabeth Terland scored a hat-trick as Man Utd earned their place within the Champions League correct for the primary time
Skinner might be pleased with the tag of darkish horses for now. It retains discretion. Discuss will inevitably dial up if they’ll maintain tempo with the highest three till Christmas and past. The actual check will little question be a capability to harmonise their first inclusion within the Champions League correct with home duties, retaining gamers match and contemporary.
That balancing act is one thing totally new to Skinner and his squad.
Aggie has already arrived
Aggie Beever-Jones is incessantly billed as a star within the making. One would possibly argue, on latest proof, she is a ready-made champion.
The 22-year-old is barely the fourth participant in Chelsea’s historical past to attain in every of her first three video games of a brand new season – contemplating the membership’s illustrious roster, it’s spectacular stuff. Not even 100-goal Sam Kerr can boast that.
Chelsea below Sonia Bompastor have hardly ever blown groups away. Because the begin of final season, their most typical scoreline in league video games is 1-0, a outcome posted eight instances. Beever-Jones has acquired a particular knack for delivering in circumstances the place wonderful margins dictate.
She is chargeable for 9 factors for the reason that starting of final season, second solely to Bethany England’s 12 for Tottenham. Her significance is usually undersold.
Bompastor may need an overabundance of expertise within the hanging division – the membership parted with the perfect a part of £2m to herald Mayra Ramirez and Alyssa Thompson within the final two home windows – however she want look no additional than Chelsea’s personal academy grad for reliability when it issues.
Wingers shine in aggressive Brighton system
Brighton have been threatening to impose themselves for a few seasons now. Below Dario Vidosic they’ve discovered the steadiness they have been craving. When appointed final July, Vidosic grew to become Brighton’s fourth everlasting head coach in lower than two years.
I spoke to him 4 months into the job, after Brighton posted their best-ever begin to a WSL marketing campaign, and he emphasised the significance of staying “true to a certain way of playing”.
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Highlights of Brighton’s 4-1 win over West Ham
Such committal to a selected model of soccer has not at all times served Brighton’s factors tally – they began the brand new season with a goalless draw towards Aston Villa and defeat at Man Metropolis – however the plan was far more coherent in week three as they thumped West Ham 4-1. Brighton’s pacey wingers have been central to it.
Rosa Kafaji, on her first begin, was second solely in effectivity to Kiko Seike. They each scored, combining expertly for Seike’s strike. And with Fran Kirby prepared to place the ball in danger, inflicting uncertainty with each assault, they ran everywhere in the Hammers.
Sieke was standout, with extra touches within the opposition field (18) than another, and carried the ball equally nicely – all issues that can please Vidosic no finish. He desires his groups to be expansive and aggressive, telling me final yr how he fashions his “intense” teaching type on Ange Postecoglou and Roberto De Zerbi.
Brighton have posted the third-most touches within the opposition field of any facet (94), behind Man Metropolis and Arsenal. Their press has been equally co-ordinated, the third-best facet at recovering the ball within the ultimate third – once more trailing Metropolis and Arsenal.
They’ve scored three first-half objectives, a complete solely bettered by Man Utd’s 4, and would possibly depend themselves unfortunate to not have netted extra, hanging the woodwork greater than another facet thus far.
They spherical off September towards Everton after which journey to Tottenham and Arsenal in consecutive weeks. Every of these fixtures provides a chance to actually check how far alongside Brighton are of their evolution below Vidosic. Six factors needs to be the minimal requirement.
Learn the final Counter Press column
Final week’s column analysed Arsenal’s spectacular evolution below Renee Slegers, Sam Kerr’s triumphant return for Chelsea as she scored her a hundredth membership purpose and London Metropolis Lionesses’ begin.
