Spurs in seventh heaven, Arsenal rescue a point and late goals galore: Women’s Football Weekly

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1:29Hello, I'm Faye Carruthers and welcome to the Guardian Women's Football Weekly. Late goal drama galore in the WSL this weekend is becoming a bit of a theme. Arsenal rescued themselves a point in the 95th minute against Manchester United. Two goals after 90 minutes pushed Manchester City over the line at home to Liverpool. Aston Villa denied Brighton a win, scoring at the end of normal time. And Everton move up to fifth after West Ham scored an own goal in the 94th minute. We'll go through all the games from the weekend. Look ahead to the league phase of the Champions League. Plus, we'll take your questions.

2:02And that's today's Guardian Women's Football Weekly.

2:12Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Susie Rack celebrated a big birthday on Saturday. And just a moment ago, we were watching her inside the Game Boy that she had designed for it. She was going to do the whole pod from it. It was a brilliant 80s themed wonder party. Susie, how are you doing? Have you recovered? It was good fun. And I would have loved to have done the whole pod from behind my Game Boy but the only way I could get it rigged up was by balancing the laptop artistically on a bucket on top of the windowsill to get it to the right height. and I don't think producers would have appreciated the lack of microphone.

2:55Maybe not, but I would have really appreciated the effort of it. I usually start by saying what a panel today, but I started saying happy birthday, but what a panel today because Emma Sanders, who turned up to the 80s-themed birthday party, not in fancy dress, which is a disgrace, bearing in mind I hate fancy dress and even I put a T 'Pow t-shirt on, but it's lovely to see you lovely to see you I know I feel bad I am a big fancy dress person actually and like I feel like Susie knows this it's just for the listeners I was coming straight from the Emirates because I'm such a professional that I wanted to go to the game to ensure that I could deliver you with the most knowledge on the Guardian pod so that's why I didn't turn up to Susie's party in fancy dress I know others went and also got dressed up that's a massive slight on producer Sophie and a partner, Rachel, who did get changed in the toilets into full-on Mario and Luigi outfits before rocking up to the party.

3:57But, you know. The difference is, Susie, is that they are legends and I'm not. I also got changed in the toilets. And by the way, producer Sophie was a very reluctant Mario. Her wife pushed her into doing it, but she looked absolutely incredible. They both did. and I think she was well and truly out of her comfort zone. Freddie Cardy, it is lovely to see you. I'm assuming you were at the Emirates. I, funnily enough, was in my own fancy dress. I was in a suit and a bow tie because I had an end-of-season cricket awards dinner. So I actually wasn't at the Emirates and then spent Sunday sort of hazily watching the WSL action and then catching up yesterday.

4:36So that's hopeless timing for me to come on, but hopefully I'm up to speed. Oh, you will be. And that's where we're starting, by the way. It was, in fact, one of the first things that I said to Susie as I walked in the door. She went, oh, Arsenal. She was wearing her 80s Arsenal top. The men had lost. And at that time, Arsenal women were also losing because Manchester United had gone a goal up in the 67th minute and looked set for their first win of the season after Giulia Ziguiotti had put them in front. But Smilla-Holmberg saved the day, saved Susie's blushes on her birthday, striking in the last minute of the match and extending Arsenal's unbeaten home record to 21 games.

5:19Mixed emotions all round, Susie. Another frustrating one for Arsenal. Again, just struggled to convert their chances, looked a bit predictable. Where do you think the problems are stemming from? I mean, there's many. The main one is just not being clinical in front of goal. They're creating chances, but they're not putting them away. and that's an issue that a few teams have had at various points in this season already. I mean, we saw obviously Chelsea struggle with that in their opening game, but then we saw a real angry response from them in the second game of the season. They really kind of put that to bed.

5:59So, yeah, we're not seeing that kind of fight from Arsenal in the same way, that kind of like frustration and anger and like grit to like go out there and really change the script and it's frustrating particularly after a few seasons of poor starts and drop points and you know the draws that started last season really really costing Arsenal and that you know unbeaten home record of 21 games is just great but if those if those draws cost you league titles what's like that's the most useless records to have going isn't it so uh yeah hugely frustrating I was very very glad that I had a party prep and then the party itself to distract me from the misery although my uh cousins Ezra and Nathaniel were at the uh men's game the Brighton men's game are my mum's side of the family is from Brighton my uncle is a Brighton fan the lads uh grew up in Hackney and Arsenal fans and they rocked up at my party having got back from Brighton absolutely furious and I was like trying to like block out all of the noise of the men's and the women's games with them arriving from the men's game the WSL press pack arriving from the women's game and yeah it was a lot of ducking and diving at my party to avoid talk of talk of football Yeah, yeah, you needed it.

7:25Not the day for it, was it? It's one of those days you want to hide under the duvet when your team's doing stuff like that. It's really interesting, Freddie, because René Slagas hasn't named the same setup yet this season. So Mariona Caldante and Alessia Russo, for example, shifting positions. Do you think that too much tinkering could actually be the cause of their lack of, or apparent lack of synergy? I think there are too many players who are not quite in their best role in terms of maximizing their potential so I was looking through the side yesterday you've got a right-footed left back you've got a converted left back to centre back you've got a converted attacking midfielder in centre midfield you've got two wingers who for me are on the wrong side and then you've got England's number nine playing in the 10 role for me that's just a little bit too much of having world-class players in the side and then not getting the best out of them so it's just a bit of a strange time at the moment for Rene Slagers because the word is predictable.

8:23The formation doesn't change. The substitutions were actually a bit less predictable. Whereas against Crystal Palace, I could have come up with them, which is worrying for Rene Slagers. It shows just how sort of much they have got into a rhythm. But this time Smilla-Holmberg comes on, that pays off. But if you're Chloe Kelly and you're Caitlin Ford, again, you're thinking, hang on a minute, why is this young right back coming on in my position in front of me? and again this is a young right back who spent pre-season playing some games at centre-back because Arsenal weren't quite sure if they were going to sign one.

8:53So there's just a little bit too much of mixing and matching rather than getting players for an actual role and an actual position and getting the best out of them. They need to decide, is Alessio Russo our best number nine or are we going to try something else? Why has Selina Churchi been brought in? I think Onabati is a great player but I'd like to know what Taylor Hines is for, a left-footed left back who's come in, not done a lot wrong and now can't seem to get any minutes. So there's just a little bit too much uncertainty at the moment. I don't think Rene knows her best team. And particularly the wingers really confuse me.

9:26I thought Sandberg and Medina were outstanding against Smith. And whether the players have that decision to swap over or whether the manager does, how none of them thought that they should just have five minutes on the opposite flank and trying something else out. So that's the worry at the moment. And then I also look at it and think, where are the personalities? You talk about being angry and you look at Chelsea and the people who are going to be in that dressing room saying, right, this is Chelsea Football Club, we need to turn this around. Who's that at Arsenal? I think Leah Williams in every game has been screaming at people, which is great.

9:54But who else is there in the dressing room having that sort of impact? So, yeah, there's a lot of questions. Kyrga tonight in the Champions League, I think they're going to make a lot of changes. And, you know, they really can't afford to drop points in this game, even though it's a different competition. Yeah, we'll talk about the Champions League in a bit. And, you know, Katie McCabe was that voice, wasn't she, previously? Let's dig into Manchester United, Emma, because they shipped seven goals in their first two games. And Ava Ollid would have been pleased to see them improve defensively in this match.

10:25This is what she had to say. It's been an intense week because there were a lot of emotions from players and staff. Nobody wants to lose 5-0. We grew as a team. The first day after losing 5-0 is not easy for anyone. We spoke and said we needed energy this week in a positive mindset. the focus was the defensive shape and trying to get them more confidence. What were the key improvements that you saw? The defensive shape, which is obviously what she wanted. So that's the simple answer. I think the first two games, I could have scored a hat-trick against Manchester United. That's how poor they were in terms of the way that they were set up structurally, the way that they were defending both individually and collectively.

11:07it was like they kind of just lost all sort of memory of how to do the basics in football because they were trying too much to do all these other things and these changes and obviously adapt to Eva Arla's new style. And I think her message, obviously, which she alluded to their post-match, but she said this quite strongly pre-match, was we need to kind of keep what we have, which is this core identity of we are hard to beat, we are defensively solid. and they showed that consistently under Mark Skinner. We know that they sort of turned into a team that very rarely shipped sort of more than two or three goals unless they came up against Chelsea, really.

11:48So they kind of went back to that. We didn't see any of this kind of new attacking style under Ava Ollid because I think it got to the point where they were that bad in the first two games that the players themselves sort of turned around and had a conversation, which Mayor Letizia revealed to us that they basically were like, look, we need to kind of go back to what we know a little bit because they'd lost all confidence from those heavy defeats and understandably, because it really wasn't a Manchester United that we're used to seeing. So that was the main thing for me. It was just that defensive shape.

12:24I think you can kind of look into a few other bits and try and kind of overanalyze, but I think it was just, they were passing to each other. they were defending in a unit they looked structured, they were doubling up on Olivia Smith like Freddie said earlier, Anna Sandberg and Andrea Medina completely agree, had unbelievable games, I think bringing in Simia Wuju in midfield really helped, they just had more I suppose like firepower and a bit more legs in midfield as well she was winning all of the duels I thought she was probably the best player in that midfield section out of either team yeah they just looked more solid and I think Fallon Toulouse-Joyce as well kind of looked back to her old self in goal a much better United performance Yeah it was an interesting call though that she made Susie leaving Ella Toon out of the starting line-up for tactical reasons what did you make of that?

13:18Was that the right call? I mean on the basis of the performance and the result and Simi Wujo's performance in particular you would say yes you know when you've had I think back-to-back defeats and the manner of those defeats and being played off the park, that can be difficult to take. I think heads can drop. I think Ella Toon can wear her frustration on her sleeve a little bit sometimes as well. And sometimes a change can help as much as anything. We know how talented she is. She's super, super brilliant in the number 10 role and has played that role superbly for Man United. But sometimes you just need a little bit of a shift And I thought there was real balance to that midfield in a way that we've not maybe seen in recent weeks.

14:10And that freshness kind of helped. It also makes them a little bit less predictable. You know, people know how Toon plays. And yeah, so it shared the load a little bit, I think, across that midfield. Removes that focal point a little bit when she is, you know, kind of so sim... I was going to say symptomatic. Symbolic. Oh, symptomatic. Talismatic is what I mean Tasmanic I'm not okay I'm not okay I can tell you're not okay When she's so talismanic in that team she can become a little bit of a focal point too and that just spreads the load as well so I think change is sometimes good regardless of whether a player is in form or not to a certain extent sometimes you just need a little bit of a shift of momentum and you know it's unlucky for her that she misses out but I think the team performed really, really well and very deserving of the point and yeah, I mean in a way it's great because she has to fight to get back into the team to a certain extent and that is what people want competition in theory.

15:16Yeah, without a doubt. Manchester City saw off a stubborn Liverpool in added time. They made it three wins from three. It was level at two all on 90 minutes but an unfortunate own goal from Grace Fisk and a finish from Lauren Hemp kept Andre Jurglerts' side top of the table. Was this one of those kind of cliched performances, Freddie, if you like, that kind of shows exactly what champions do? Liverpool gave them a pretty stern test, but they found a way to win. Yeah, absolutely. Lauren Hemp, outstanding. Really, really impressive. I like the look of Vamsa at left-back as some are signing. I think Arsenal fans would have been looking at that and thinking, oh, a left-footed left-back.

15:54I didn't think any of those were available. and then Manchester City. Quite a quiet transfer window, but for me that often can be quite a good sign when a team wins the league and goes, you know what, we don't have to do loads here. We can just pick up a couple of signings and move along nicely. And yeah, they did well. I think fair play to Liverpool. Gareth Taylor was always going to go there and have some plans up his sleeve and cause some problems. I felt for Kiara Keating, I think you could tell just how determined she was to get something on her former club and there's a couple of errors in there.

16:25And fair play, Liverpool kept pushing at the end, the space opens up and then Hemp goes and gets that late goal. But yeah, at half-time, it very much, you know, you thought fair play to Liverpool. Again, it's a sign of how far Liverpool have come, but that's just, it's a good result for City, really, going into the Champions League, give it, you know, top of the league at the moment because they had to overcome a real challenge there. Yeah, it was a challenge from Liverpool. We talked about it last week, Emma. What went well for Gareth Taylor's side? Yeah, I think they've looked really strong this season.

16:56And all of the talk in the summer was that Liverpool were going to be right up there this season in terms of competing. And they've absolutely delivered. Obviously, they've made some fantastic signings in the last two windows since Gareth Taylor's been in charge, really. That has dramatically improved the squad. There are obviously tactical shifts that have happened. But I think just simply having better players has made Liverpool better. But I think the way that they move the ball, they play out from the back is very, you know, Gareth Taylor, which is what we've been used to seeing as Manchester City teams.

17:31And for whatever fans thought about his time at City, it was, you know, pretty successful on the whole in terms of the way that they played. And he's just transferred that to Liverpool. I think individual players have improved. Grace Fisk looks an unbelievable player. and for me she absolutely has to be in that England squad. There's just absolutely no way you can leave her out. She's been outstanding in every single performance this season so far. And he has wingers that really play like wingers, different types of number nines as well, with Beata Olsen and Aureli Schillag sort of switching. They tend to kind of switch on the 60-minute mark and they're very, very different number nines.

18:15So lots of things there for Liverpool to trouble teams with. Yeah, and they did trouble Manchester City, Susie. Should City start to be worried about their defensive vulnerabilities? Because, you know, they've got the Champions League starting this week. Arsenal on the horizon as well. I think that's the big test. I mean, Arsenal are not going to trouble their back line based on present performances. So they don't need to worry about that game. But the Champions League, I think, is going to be the big test of the defensive fragility because they're going to come up against more organised defences as well and sturdier than what they faced in the opening three weeks of the WSL season.

18:54It will be a worry in that, you know, we're three games in and they've conceded four goals, right? Like the difference is they've also scored 11. So they are basically seemingly hoping to ride the season on you score, we'll score more, like as the vibe. It's working for them so far. Whether they can carry that mantra across the course of the season without ironing out any of those defensive fragilities, it's going to be tough. That said, the league is a different picture to the Champions League and I think the Champions League is where that could really prove costly. I think I've said it every single week, you can just never bet against their front line though.

19:42So, like, I just, regardless of how many they concede, I would just never, ever put money against a team that includes Bunny Shaw and Lauren Hemp in the form that they're in at the moment as well, in particular. Yeah. Oh, dear Tottenham and Crystal Palace. Wowie. Ahead of kick-off on Sunday afternoon, Palace were the only team not to have conceded in the Barclays WSL this season. They played catch-up after a rampant second-half performance from Spurs. Olivia Holt scored a hat-trick. Victoria Pilova scored her first two for the club. Also goals for Shakira Martinez and Amanda Nildon as well. There is context to this, if you've not seen it.

20:23There was a turning point in the game and it came very early, Freddie, didn't it, with Fuka Tsunoda sent off for a heavy challenge on Kutinka Tamberg in the seventh minute. What did you make of the decision? Hard one to tell, to be honest, because watching the game back, I never really got a great angle of it, just in terms of how the production came across. It was a strange one in that no one really appealed for it. And because Tamberg was down for quite a while, I think that, well, I know the commentators are not going to get in trouble, but she hadn't even worked out there was a red card because she didn't get the angle of it.

20:56It was just a bit of a strange decision all around. No one really appealed. Tsunoda just stood there and almost froze and couldn't quite believe it and then slowly walked off. But even still, I thought that it was a strange game to watch. Like I said, I was watching it back. knowing it was going to be 7-0. And I thought, when are the goals going to start? They've got to start soon if this is going to be 7-0. And even after about 70 minutes, Palace was still sort of sticking in there. And then suddenly, you know, Peyer Manjan after an outstanding game at the Emirates. It's not her best game. And then, but fair play to Palace for holding in it for so long.

21:29Again, it didn't feel like a 7-0 game, but Olivia Holt was outstanding. Yeah, taking it, it's interesting, Emma, because obviously they lost 7-0. So it's very difficult to talk about how brilliant they've been defensively, but they did make it really difficult for Spurs in the first half. So if we take that last 45 minutes out of it, how impressed have you been by their defensive solidity in the early stages of the season? Yeah, very impressed. I thought Birmingham City would actually be the one that would settle quickest out of those promoted teams. But Palace look very much, you know, at home in the WSL because we've seen in previous seasons there's been such a gap, hasn't there, between those teams coming up.

22:08But I think certainly those two, I'm sure we'll come and talk about Charlton later, who I think, you know, are struggling a little bit. But certainly Palace and Birmingham look like they're not out of place really in the WSL. And I think my worry for Palace was that they wouldn't quite have as strong of a sort of defensive structure. And maybe, you know, they might have to just rely on trying to outscore the opposition, which is really difficult in the WSL with the attacking quality that is there. But they've been really, really impressive. And I really like Jo Potter. I think she's a fantastic manager.

22:41I think she's playing a big role already in the early stages, just because the way that she's setting her team up and the game plans have kind of been perfect. And as Freddie says, it's very little that you can do when you go down to 10 players after seven minutes. And there's already that sort of bit of a gap anyway in terms of the quality between the players. So to be able to kind of set the team up in a way where they can at least put in a good hour's performance, I still think that will help them moving forward because they would have learned a lot from that kind of hour. But I think that'd be fine, Palace.

23:17I've seen more than enough now to make me think that there's a really good squad there. If they can add to that a little bit in January, I think they'll be absolutely fine. Yeah. Olivia Holt was front and centre of everything good that Spurs did. Susie, have you been surprised how little game time she's had so far this season? And what did you make of Tottenham after the break? Yes and no. Also, I love that we've not got Chris Poweros on this week. She'll be gutted that she's not on to chat about this game. It was, for me, yes, you know, you think Olivia Holt is going to play and start because she, you know, was in great form last season and, you know, really, really potent player.

24:02But I think it's a testament to the depth that Spurs have been able to build in their squads, that they can rotate players like that and rest them and kind of mix it up based on opposition and what the needs of the team are week by week. It's not like they've not had decent forwards in the two games previous in that you had Tamberg leading the line in both of those games with Spence behind in the last game and Galtzett behind Tamberg in the opening game. So I think it's a testament to the depth they've built and the competitiveness they've built within the squad, that you have a player like that come into the fold and really make a statement and, you know, kind of demand the starting place.

24:51And I think that is what is quite exciting about this squad at the moment is that they've got that depth that you just think is lacking in a few squads that are doing very, very well. the likes of Liverpool and stuff who you think can have a really, really good season but I think they're just lacking, they're a few steps behind Spurs in building a squad that has the depth that can do them really, really well in all competitions. Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. Finally for this part let's look at Chelsea because they saw off a stubborn Birmingham City at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. Goals from Lexi Potter and Melvin Mallard.

25:26They dominated as predicted Freddie but perhaps again similar to Arsenal, like that clinical edge again. What did you make of their performance? Yeah, I thought credit to Birmingham City, to be fair. Another promoted side who's come up and you know, it's just, it's so much nicer having a few more promoted teams to look at and see how they all approach things slightly differently rather than just one who were all sort of dead set on going down. I thought, yeah, strange one with Chelsea, really good in the first half and then just quieter in the second. No Lauren James, obviously a bit of a blow.

25:57No Aggie Beaver-Jones when I was on the bench the week before anyway. Nuscombe was sort of in and out of the game up front. I thought Chelsea's threat came from out wide. Carpenter and Baltimore were outstanding. They've got a lot of options there in that they can bring Katie McCabe on as well. But I thought Birmingham looked really defensively well organised. They had a couple of half chances and maybe never really threatened goal. But yeah, they certainly got on top of the midfield at times. Lexi Potter gets the opening goal and then her and Kira Walsh are almost quite well subdued and Chelsea just not able to create too much.