Chelsea slip up as Manchester City inch closer to WSL title – Women’s Football Weekly

19:45Faye Carruthers:To literally answer your question, yes, they can. They can do it, but it's going to be very, very tight now. They're going to have to get something from, particularly the game against Brighton at home. When you're playing a team who's not in the upper echelons of the league at home, you've got to try and get something. Villa was an opportunity for that. they can't be waiting to rely on the Everton game right at the end of the season to pick up some really important points. So they're going to have to try and get set against Brighton and or London City probably against both. But we need the context of Leicester's relatively tiny budget in this league.

20:22Faye Carruthers:They've still got a decent-ish points return for that so far. Everyone's probably been a little bit caught out by Liverpool's excellent resurgence since the January transfer window They went with Liverpool, recruited really well. Yeah, at the moment, it looks like Leicester will be in the playoff. It probably is the 12th best squad in the league, isn't it? So can they squeeze out of it with a good win somewhere? And if not, can they be as ready as possible for the playoff game? But listen, there'll be twists. We saw how badly West Ham defended at the weekend as well. I think West Ham are also struggling.

20:55Faye Carruthers:Liverpool fans won't count their chickens yet, but maybe we are now looking at just two contenders for the bottom spot. They have got a game in hand over West Ham and Liverpool, and they're only three points behind West Ham. But I think there's a game in hand away against Arsenal. Yeah, I think so. But Brighton have also got a game to play as well. So maybe there's a Brighton-Arsenal game, I think, and then a Leicester-Arsenal game. I think that's how it works. But the goal difference as well. They're both on very, very similar goal difference, West Ham and Leicester. So it could potentially go down to the wire, that one.

21:25Minus 26 for Leicester, minus 25 for West Ham. every goal counts as well in this run-in additionally. Just to end this, Soph, we'll just focus on Aston Villa, who had struggled really early in the league, but it's been a really positive couple of weeks for Natalia Arroyo. How did she turn things around in this game? Aston Villa are a bit of a conundrum, aren't they?

21:45Tom Garry:When I watch them, I go, there's a really good team inside there somewhere and they're just trying to figure out how to find it. This season is like her first full season in the league, So I think she's still been adjusting to it and building a team in her image. I think they need to be commended for the amount of youngsters that they've brought in and the fact that they are keeping an eye on developing young players. Lucia Kendall's back, and that's made a massive difference in the last two games. I think the way that she controls the midfield area, she's been a revelation this season, got herself into the England squad.

22:17Tom Garry:And I just need to give credit to Kirsty Hansen as well, because I think she'll fly under the radar because of who she plays for and because of where Aston Villa are in the league. She is the second top scorer in the WSL. She has 10 goals to her name in the league. She is so understated in the way that she talks about herself. She always gives credit to her teammates and always looks a bit kind of baffled that the spotlight is on her. But I think she does the basic elements of the game really well. And she's been moving around. So she normally plays out on the wing, but she's been playing more central because of the absence of Rachel Daly, which has been a massive miss, I think, for Aston Villa as well since the turn of the year.

22:54Tom Garry:and she's really taken on that kind of leadership mantle. She is one of the more senior players in the squad now. She can shoot from anywhere and I just need to give her her kudos because I think she's in team of the year for me and I know that will be unfashionable because of where Villa are in the league but I just think her performances have been second to none. You had vociferous nodding from everybody on the panel as you mentioned Kirsty Hansen's name. Right, that's it for part one of the Guardian Women's Football Weekly and part two we're going to look at the rest of the WSL action and catch up on Japan's Asian Cup victory.

23:28Chicago, 2011.

23:29Jamie Spangher:A cop is murdered. Police and prosecutors swear they have the trigger man. He swears he didn't do it. How far will each side go to prove they're right? Like it's just one bombshell after another. You know, you're like, what? The story of a PlayStation, a brain-eating amoeba, and the relentless pursuit of justice. Off-Duty. Out now. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

24:00Jamie Spangher:You got questions about Chicago? Me too. I'm Erin Allen, host of the Curious City Podcast, where each week I answer your questions about the region. From mysteries like, is this building haunted? To questions like, what happens to birds that get stuck inside O 'Hare Airport? We get into the answers every Wednesday. Then on Thursdays, come back for a deeper dive where we pull a thread from Wednesday's questions to uncover even more surprising and hidden layers. Listen to Curious City wherever you get your podcasts.

24:41Welcome back to part two of the Guardian Women's Football Weekly. So back in the North West, going back to the fight for the Champions League spots, Manchester United returned to winning ways with the last gasp. 2-1 win over a resurgent Everton. Elizabeth Turland had put Mark Skinner's side ahead, but Inma Gabaro looked to have nicked a point back for the Toffees in the 90th minute. Still time, though, for United to respond. And Melvin Mallard did. The last kick of the game, in fact. 94th minute she took all three points back home for Manchester United. Well, she didn't take them home because they were at home, but you know what I mean.

25:20I slipped into football cliche then and then realised it was actually inaccurate. United had to dig deep this weekend. They had to be patient. They had that frustrating draw against West Ham in midweek, which was damaging for themselves. But how do you think that they handled the pressure of what felt like a must-win game at the weekend?

25:38Tom Garry:It was a must-win game in terms of their European hopes. They will be relieved because while I do think they were the better team, Everton have had this resurgence and when you concede a 90-minute equaliser, it's a bit nervy, isn't it? So to be able to respond like that in the manner they did and especially I think after the week they've had losing that cup final last Sunday and then also that midweek frustration, to be able to have that character, especially with this kind of week ahead against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, that gives them something to build on. I think it would have been really disconsolate if they'd drawn that game and dropped two points and then had to go into Old Trafford on Wednesday on the back of that so shows a lot of character I do think they could be a really attacking outlet with the players that they have and then just not quite finding it at the moment whether it's a setup or whether it's a defensive foundations that they are built on I know that's very very key to the way that Mark's gonna likes to play football but um they're just not quite there yet so it's going to be an interesting running because they're a bit up and down but I think getting three points was the most crucial thing and you forget about the performance at the end of that yeah well especially at this crucial part of the season the performance I really hesitate to say that it doesn't matter but because usually a decent performance brings all three points but really at this stage is just getting over the line and getting the points on the board uh word on Everton uh Tom how frustrated is Scott feeling gonna be I mean the defense totally switched off for Mallard's winner in the final minute I think they thought that they'd wrapped up the point and were, you know, happy enough with that to come back and just forgot that there's still time to play.

27:13Faye Carruthers:Yeah, perhaps a little bit of mental fatigue when you're in the 94th minute like that. And that's a big lesson for them. But when they step back, they'll probably reflect they've played relatively well and there's things they can take from the gameless and they've performed superbly in the last few weeks, really. There's some brilliant results and they can go into that Merseyside derby with terrific confidence despite that late sort of sucker punch. But Overall, the trends are positive for them, aren't they? So they just need to switch on a bit more that late. And you've done all the hard work, you've got yourself back into it.

27:44Faye Carruthers:You've got what could be a very, very valuable away point. It's a little bit frustrating for their supporters to see them switch off like that. Their season now, really, so much of it is on this upcoming weekend, the derby. And I think they're not going to go down now. Their wins recently have eradicated that risk. It's a fight for sixth, isn't it? very much it feels. I guess so, yeah. But that would actually be a really good season for them. Things weren't going quite the way they wanted. They changed the manager. They now need to kind of look behind the scenes, think about what they want next season to look like and be building for the summer.

28:19Faye Carruthers:So really, the vast majority of their happiness for national season now depends on whether they can beat their local rivals at the weekend. And then the challenge for them will be to not be on the beach for April and May because there's very little to play for apart from pride beyond that. So I'll be interested to see how motivated they can remain and how professional they can remain. I tell you what, it's such a quick turnaround again. Manchester United host Bayern Munich at Old Trafford in the Champions League quarterfinals this week. It's the first leg. Again, no point previewing too much, Jamie, but what are you expecting from that one?

28:55I haven't really had my eye that much on Bayern Munich this season. Can Manchester United do it?

28:59Jamie Spangher:This is going to be a really exciting game for Manchester United. I think that we're getting to the stage of the season where this is where we're most worried about them because there's been so many questions over their depth. We were worried at the start of the season, can they keep up European nights but also manage the WSL, return to Europe? Obviously, they could win the Champions League and return to Europe, but I think we're not considering that as to be their main aim at this stage. So I think it's going to be a really interesting week and I think Mark Skinner has a real challenge because he's going to struggle with this intense block of fixtures, especially against a team like Bayern who are running away in Germany and they're in really, really good form and just scoring goals like there's no tomorrow.

29:36Jamie Spangher:I think it's a big benefit that United are at home first. I know you kind of want to be away first in the Champions League and bring it home, but I think they need to focus on a big performance at home at Old Trafford because you don't know what Bayern Munich can do to you away and I think you need to set the tone in this kind of game. So again, they're a little bit struck by injury, similar to Chelsea, not quite to the extent that they are, but I think that back four right now is a little bit makeshift and that's a real vulnerability when it comes to Bayern Munich, but I think there's a lot of exciting football to be played.

30:02Jamie Spangher:Of course, Lea Schuller's coming up against Bayern, which will be an interesting matchup as well. So I think for United, it's just put in a good defensive shift. We know that they can do that against top teams. They've done that against Arsenal. They've kept Chelsea to really low scorelines as well. So for Manchester United, it feels a bit like survive the week and see what you can do on the weekend and then in the following fixture. But a big game ahead. This is probably the Champions League tie that I'm most excited about, despite the London Derby coming up tonight. Tantalising quarterfinals for sure.

30:32Arsenal go into theirs with some momentum. They put five past West Ham to no reply at the Emirates. It was a hat trick for Chloe Kelly. Goals from Alessia Russo and Beth Mead, meaning that the Gunners got their ninth consecutive win in all competitions. Pretty comfortable day out all round, Soph. 16th league home game unbeaten in a row, which is some feat. What did you make of their performance?

30:55Tom Garry:Really good. I think the way They kicked off with a goal, early goal, and both halves actually really set the tone for them. I think they would have been frustrated after the first half to be only 1-0 up. They had the chances to be 3-4, 5-0 up, I think. They were running rampant over West Ham. They look to have a real good attacking flow at the moment. They look really confident. Whoever comes in, whether it's Chloe Kelly, Beth Mead, Alessi Russo, Stina Blackstenius, everyone's brimming with confidence, and they're having a lot of fun out there, and they can really stretch their plate. and I think it was really interesting to see how what Renee Slaggers did in the second half as well she brought on Beth Mead and Katie McCabe and brought them both into the midfield so she's trying things out you know and I think that's really important to use those moments in these games when you're comfortable and you're like way up to be able to do that with trusted players and try them in different positions because I think always with the Arsenal fans and talking about Arsenal your big question is about what happens if Kim Little or Mariona Caldente get an injury and I think they're just trying to game plan a little bit if that happens just so they have we've seen Beth Mead in the summer for England she played the sixth she played the sixth eight and ten for England in the summer she's getting those experiences and those positions which aren't her natural positions Katie McCabe the same and they're two very consistent players who can come in and do the job so I think it wasn't just about the win for Arsenal it was about trying different things ahead of a really busy run into the season.

32:21Tom Garry:But I think they really love this time of year. You can see the kind of spark in Renee Slager's eyes. She loves the business end of the season. Yeah, she does. That versatility, though, is really, really important nowadays. Chloe Kelly's had such a disrupted season through injury. But actually, this is her second 90-minute game in a row, Jamie. And after that hat-trick, Renee Slager said she's the best version of Chloe Kelly at the moment. I mean, that's perfect timing, isn't it, for Arsenal?

32:48Jamie Spangher:It's so exciting to watch Chloe Kelly when she's got a real mood about her. When she knows that she's in good form, you can tell that she really explodes. And I think, look, we saw it at the back end of the Euros. I think that she obviously made a massive impact off the bench for England. But I think that has seeped into her position that she's playing in this Arsenal team right now, because like Soph mentioned it, but the versatility in this squad right now is why they're thriving and they're really coming to these performances and putting in shifts against teams in the mid to bottom table that they never used to be able to get through and really, really struggled against.

33:18Jamie Spangher:Even under Rene Slagers, we started to see glimpses of that. And Chloe Kelly is a reason why Arsenal are beginning to break down these teams. Her ability to play on the left wing was something we saw from Serena Vigman in that Sweden game when she came on and got the two assists. That's something now that's really, really helping Arsenal because her and Olivia Smith's ability to switch is just, it's so, so exciting to watch. And I think these are two players that just bring exactly what Arsenal have missed over the last four, five, six seasons, is that kind of flair. But that also, I'll just do it myself attitude because I know that I've got the kind of individual skill to carry this team, but it feels like she knows her role in this Arsenal team right now.

33:51Jamie Spangher:Her versatility and her ability to just score off both feet. I think that left foot strike, that really far distance strike that she scored against West Ham on the weekend just shows she's not just a right-footed player. She's not that kind of run along the touchline, cross it in player that she was at Manchester City. At Arsenal, she has a completely different role. She's a really versatile, cut it in player, run to the byline. She can kind of do it all. And I think she's thriving under the freedom that Renee Slaggers is giving her. So a perfect timing for Arsenal because this is a player that thrives off form and thrives off confidence.

34:20Jamie Spangher:And she can do a lot for this team when she's feeling like that. Let's very quickly talk about West Ham. We talked about how important goal difference could potentially be, Tom. And West Ham really needed that. And actually, it's made it much closer now with Leicester. And Rita Guarino looked really frustrated towards the end. They completely fell apart in that second half. Can they learn anything from it?

34:43Faye Carruthers:Listen, it needs the caveat of how informed Arsenal were, but yeah, they defended really poorly. They have often defended really poorly, not just this season, but in several recent seasons. But then, you know, they've defended quite well last week. So they're kind of, that's frustrating for me to see them put in a really good defensive performance and get a good result last week. and then look so vulnerable defensively here. But, you know, there's a big gap in expenditure between Arsenal and West Ham. Yeah, we talked about it earlier that, you know, it's looking like them or Leicester, but they've got a bit like Leicester.

35:16Faye Carruthers:West Ham have got, they'll have opportunities. They've got some games where they could pick up the points that they need. And I think they've got Liverpool quite soon as well so that, you know, there are big games coming up for them and they'll feel that if they can be the better version of themselves, that they can stay out of trouble. similarly to what I said about Leicester if they do end up bottom West Ham it will be they've got that kind of get out of jail card of the playoff that you wouldn't normally have and I think that both of those teams will be relatively confident that they can still survive that you know it'll be tricky you'd be away from home against the WSL2 third place club you'll get home advantage in a one-legged game but West Ham do have weapons and they've got weapons coming back from the Asian Cup now as well of course the top goal scorer in the tournament, for example.

36:04Faye Carruthers:So they will feel that they can finish the season relatively well when they've got their reinforcements back. And I'd be slightly, even without the points gap, I'd be slightly more confident as a West Ham fan than a Leicester fan at the moment, looking at the run-in and with the players that they'll have. Let's just finish off talking about Arsenal. We looked at this game from a Chelsea perspective, Soph, but this Champions League quarterfinal first leg against Chelsea, they're without the three Matildas who were at the Asian Cup. Leo Williamson's also been ruled out as well. What are you expecting from an Arsenal point of view on this game?

36:40Tom Garry:I think they'll be coming into this full of confidence without being complacent. I think you could see that in the pre-match press conference yesterday. Renee Slag has always talked about being humble and that's literally the word that she is on her bingo card. She's very keen to keep their feet on the ground and make sure they don't get away from themselves despite their form or whatever. They need to do the basics right. And I think they'll be right back to that at the Emirates. But they'll be confident the Emirates is their fortress at the moment. They love playing there and they've got some really good results there.

37:09Tom Garry:I think for the neutral as well, this game has everything. I'm so excited. We're not thinking about a spectacle at this stage of the competition, something that really could hook someone in and get them into the competition. This is it. And the two nights that we're going to have over the next two weeks are going to be very, very special. Yeah, safe to say that the final game of the weekend, which we're not going to analyse because there's nothing to analyse, would be the polar opposite of what we're expecting from Chelsea, Manchester United, because Brighton and Liverpool played out a goalless draw in Crawley on Sunday.

37:39Safe to say it wasn't a classic.

37:40Faye Carruthers:Genuinely, the highlights reel would start in the 90th minute. Genuinely, I watched it and it was actually a dramatically brilliant stoppage time. It was great. There were three chances, but I would include nothing from the previous 89. Unfortunately, those that were there will have had to have sat through that 89 minutes before they got that bit of excitement and many might have already gone home and then missed it. Anyway, sorry, Brighton and Liverpool fans. Let's talk about the Asian Cup instead. This is where Jamie Spanger just slowly sinks into her chair and wishes that this pod didn't come back in the 89th minute to bring a bit of drama.

38:17So the 2026 Asian Cup concluded in Sydney on Saturday. Japan ran out 1-0 winners, beating Australia to lift their first Asian Cup trophy since 2018. Massive success for Japan and Nielsen, who is quite the character. His press conferences have been a real breath of fresh air, haven't they? So how excited, Tom, should Nadashiko fans be following their performances at this tournament? And then obviously, hopefully taking that form for them into the World Cup next year.

38:44Faye Carruthers:Oh, they're a really good team. They've played some really nice football. They deservedly won the tournament. They were the best team in it all the way through. Can they win the World Cup? Why not? I don't think they will. I think it will be probably the United States, Spain, England or Brazil. But it's a very good team. It's a team full of upper echelon WSL footballers. I'm gutted for Jamie and I'm sorry to all Matilda's fans, but it's no surprise to me they won this tournament. I love the fact that you've also gone hard in, Tom Gary, with predictions for a World Cup, which is not kicking off for another 15, 16 months.

39:21That is bold. And I'm so sorry to do this to you, Jamie, but where does the result leave Australia? It felt like the kind of last opportunity for that older cohort of players who we know so well, Sam Kerr, Caitlin Ford, Alana Kennedy, etc., to lift silverware with their country.

39:40Jamie Spangher:Yeah, this was the hardest part of the final, I thought. And looking back on this entire tournament from the Matildas as a whole, it was rocky. It was not this massive success where they really deserved to be in the final. To be honest, the group stage was really difficult at times. I think Joe Montemurio obviously had a really short amount of time leading into this tournament to kind of instill any sort of philosophy into this team. And it was almost a bit of a half-baked. It's the same generation, but there's a couple of new stars. How do we integrate them into the team? So it felt like they suffered because of that.

40:07Jamie Spangher:But then they got to the final. And to be honest, it was by far their best performance of the entire tournament. And I think it's really, really hard when you're coming up against a team like Japan who were just absolutely unstoppable this entire tournament. And Japan was sitting back and they were defending, especially in the last 30 minutes. So that's why it's hard for the Matildas because you're looking at this tournament as a whole. And like you said, Faye, this was their last chance. And you can say maybe not, but this was their last chance to lift silverware, especially with this generation and maybe for a very long time.

40:34Jamie Spangher:So that's why it's difficult looking at this game because I think that Japan, it's a wonder goal that separates it on the occasion. And they were the better team in the tournament and the Matildas were far from it. But that final was devastating. And it's always harder when it feels like you deserve a little bit more. But if you're going to lose to anyone, I'm glad it's Japan. But in terms of where this leaves it, it's hard. And I think you could see the emotion on the players' faces when the final whistle went and Caitlin Ford, players like Steph Catley, they were devastated because I think that they know this.

41:02Jamie Spangher:And it's a really hard situation for the Tillys going forward because there's this massive new fan base now and you kind of have to remind people, hey, it's not going to be like this forever. But there's some young players that I was really excited by. I think Caitlin Torpy had a sensational final and semifinal. And Winona Heatley, I think, is a player that deserves to be starting for the Matildas. and I'm really glad that she's playing in Europe and had some Champions League minutes this season. Obviously, Mary Fowler and Kyra Kuni Cross, we know quite well, but there's some really fresh youth in this team going forward and it's exciting.

41:30Jamie Spangher:Players that didn't get to play, someone like Charlie Rule has been brilliant for Brighton all WSL season. So yeah, it's a bittersweet ending. Japan are just a team that you respect and their players are incredible and they play a brand of football that I think is so good to see in women's football and they're just a pleasure to watch. So congratulations to them, but I am still a little sour. Yeah, well, a humble in defeat, and you certainly didn't come across as sour in the slightest. Joe Montemuro spoke afterwards about what they need to do to continue progressing. From a technical perspective, we need to mould that with our physicality and our mentalities.

42:02We need to find that balance. And I think we'll be in good stead. We need to understand where we are technically, and how we compete technically. Our mentality is good. Our physicality is good. We need to understand those things. And they're the areas I'm trying to introduce. so maybe pick up and go again at the World Cup. They will be going to the World Cup alongside the Philippines and North Korea who confirm their places in the tournament in Brazil next summer. Good additions, Soph, do you think?

42:30Tom Garry:Yeah, it's always good to have... I think for the Philippines, it's their second World Cup in a row so to back that first World Cup up with a second one is really important in terms of the development. I know there's some maybe consternation around the team or around the Federation in terms of the support that they give the women's team. But the fact that they've got to another tournament, they've got some really good memories from 2023 in Australia when they beat New Zealand as well. So while they dropped out at the group stage in that tournament, they had that win to kind of build on and the foundations.

42:59Tom Garry:And it's going to be interesting to see what they can do as they prepare for the next 16 months and to go into that World Cup next year. North Korea, I spoke about them last week. I would recommend anyone going to read up on their story and kind of their return to senior football. Obviously a big unknown in terms of how things operate in North Korea, but certainly at youth level have been really, really strong in recent years. And this is their return to senior football and the big stage. So to get to a World Cup is huge for them in terms of their kind of, not just their world ranking, but their stature and kind of what they want to do in the game, I think.

43:32Tom Garry:And for the two losers that are playing games, there's still another chance, right? The Chinese Taipei and Uzbekistan go into the Inter-Confederation playoff. and they still have an opportunity to get to the World Cup if they come through that. So big chances, big opportunities for these teams to make history and to kind of really step on their development. And that's what, you know, getting to major tournaments is about and why, you know, FIFA were so keen to expand the tournament to more teams. Yeah, it's important. Just a last quick one on the overall impact of the Asian Cup, Jamie. What have been your best memories of the tournament and what does it need to do to continue to develop as a competition in its own right?

44:10Jamie Spangher:Yeah, I think I've had a few good memories from this tournament. One of them was I was actually away during the South Korea group stage game and I was in the camps. I was camping. I was in a campsite and there was a couple of people around that were watching like the AFL, which is the Aussie Rules League, and they were on their phones, but we were watching the Matildas. And I think someone kind of came over. I was walking to the bathroom area and they were like, are you watching Collingwood? And I was like, no, no, no, I'm watching the Matildas. And he was like, oh, that's way better. I need to get that on my phone.

44:36Jamie Spangher:So it's been really nice. And I was obviously up in Sydney and it's really nice to see like a nation embrace the women's national team as their team and I think a lot of people and journalists and fans speak about this but I've truly like I watch a lot of football in a lot of countries I've never been to a country where the national team as is the women's team like it's not the Socceroos it's the Matildas and the whole country it's it's really quite it makes you quite emotional to see what the impact they've made on this country and how Australia's really embraced them um the Asia Cup in general I think it was a really good opportunity that Australia were the hosts coming off the back of the 2023 World Cup because we know that was a big success.

45:10Jamie Spangher:And I think if you bring the Asian Cup to a country where there was an established international major tournament success, you've got the fan base there and you've also got the eyes on it. And I think it was a good, the AFC made a good decision to do that. Going forward, though, it showed a lot of people that there are teams beyond Japan and Australia. Like there are a lot of teams in this competition. Obviously, China are the Asian Cup champions. They basically hold the biggest stake in this tournament. But that's another team that I don't think we as like Western society and also European football fans watch enough of these players.

45:41Jamie Spangher:And I think China, teams like South Korea, North Korea, there's been a lot of eyes and a lot of really good stories out of it. So I think it was a good decision to kind of have the most eyes as possible. But now we can go forward into a future where the AFC hosting countries and get eyes on football, make their development, make their federations stronger. So, yeah, really, really exciting tournament. And yeah, long may that continue. Absolutely. Right, just one email to finish on actually. Graham Colbeck has sent us an email at Women's Football Weekly at theguardian.com. Hi there Faye, Susie, Soph and everybody else.

46:13As the WSL title is pretty well wrapped up, it's worth a look down the pyramid. The changes made to relegation and promotion to enlarge the WSL are really having an impact. You often talk about investment in the women's teams or perhaps more accurately, the lack of investment often. Liverpool spring to mind. So it's interesting to see the investments being made down the pyramid to make the most of these opportunities. My local team, AFC Bournemouth, have just given a three-year contract to Helen Blizzard as their first full-time manager and have invested strongly in the squad through transfers and dual registrations and loans.

46:44Ipswich have also brought a lot of loanees to the squad to stay in WSL too. The fourth tier is also being led by a number of teams associated with professional men's clubs. So there's always a danger about priorities, but it's clear that the enhanced promotion chances have set some of these priorities. So I really hope we don't fall back to one up, one down after this expansion phase. And we should absolutely celebrate teams like Moneyfields, Bold Miss St. Michael's, Cheadletown Stingers and Rugby Borough, who are all flying in tier four without the financial muscle of a professional men's team.

47:15Cheers all. See you at the FA Women's National League Cup final at Loftus Road, Graham in Bournemouth. Yes, I will be there. I'm very much looking forward to it. Thank you, Graham. And very good luck to AFC Bournemouth and of course to Plymouth Argyle as well for the Women's National League Cup final. I look forward to seeing you all there. I think it's going to be a brilliant occasion. Right. It's been a brilliant occasion the last hour or so chatting to all of you. Thank you very much, Jamie. It's lovely to see you. I thought you were very, very humble in defeat. So well done. We'll catch up soon.

47:47Thanks as ever, guys. Pleasure as always. Tom Gary, I'm coming for you. if my bed building results in divorce papers being filed. OK.

47:57Faye Carruthers:Please, I hope it goes well. I really do. Yeah, me too. Soph, lovely to see you as always. Great to see you too. Lovely to have you with us as well. Keep having your say. Send in your questions via X or email us at women'sfootballweekly at theguardian.com. This is also your regular reminder to sign up for our bi-weekly women's football newsletter. All you need to do is search Moving the Goalposts, sign up. The Guardian Women's Football Weekly is produced by Sophie Downey and Holly Fisher. Music composition was by Laura Iredale. Our executive producer is Danielle Stephens.

48:38Tom Garry:This is The Guardian.

48:47Jamie Spangher:You got questions about Chicago? Me too. I'm Erin Allen, host of the Curious City podcast, where each week I answer your questions about the region. From mysteries like, is this building haunted? To questions like, what happens to birds that get stuck inside O 'Hare Airport? We get into the answers every Wednesday. Then on Thursdays, come back for a deeper dive where we pull a thread from Wednesday's questions to uncover even more surprising and hidden layers. Listen to Curious City wherever you get your podcasts.