Chelsea Start Where They Left Off, Arsenal Hit Back For Big Win & Bagging A Hat-Trick On Debut

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0:39Hello everyone and welcome to Daily Brightness. The new WSL season has finally kicked off and what a weekend it was.

0:45Rach:Before we get into discussing the action from the weekend, Rachel, how are you? Anything new to share? No, nothing new really. I had a game yesterday, so I got the furthest one out of the way, first game of the season, so that's good. and I've had a big spring clean today, as I do on a Monday, and I played paddle for an hour and a half. I did see that. You had your lead shirt on as well. Love that. Winner. Winner. What about you? What have you been doing? Well, because we played on the Friday, we actually got the weekend off. I know, I did see that. Sonia been like, two days off. I was like...

1:16Rach:She was like, two. I was like... I was buzzing. Looking. No, it's really nice because obviously days off don't come very often. To be fair, you do need two days off to prepare for us this weekend. Yeah, I know. I said, Sonia, mate, we better have two days off because, you know what I mean, we need to really... No, don't. We do need to be ready. Every game is a big hard game. Don't worry about us. Watch out, Chelsea. I'm worried about you, though. I'll keep my eye on you. So, yeah, I actually had a really nice weekend in London. We stayed up London, went for nice food, had some family time, and then I've actually done my cleaning today.

1:54so it is a Monday thing isn't it right listen to what I did today I cleaned like my shower screen right yeah inside and outside it was glistening I thought yeah I'd eat my dinner off that yeah

2:06Rach:I quite like it though I find cleaning very therapeutic like it just calms my head like it's nice it's been yeah it's been really nice good game good win and then two days off little clean today and then yeah get ready for for you guys at the weekend let's do a WSL roundup because there were some tasty games. Everton got off to a fantastic start, 4-1 against Liverpool. Big derby for them. And their new signing absolutely balled out and claimed a hat-trick. Imagine, yeah, signing for Everton and then your first game of the season is away at Anfield and you just go and bag a hat-trick. Which, if anyone that knows football knows that big derbies, like derbies are like the game.

2:47Rach:Unreal. It's so important. The goal I should cut in and left foot, I was like, do you do that on your debut as well? I think Everton are going to be one to watch this season. I think they're quite stacked. They look a different team, you know. They look a different team and I think their signings have really took them up a notch. Definitely. Yeah, I was quite impressed with them. So, good start for them. Obviously, Arsenal 4-1 against London City. Lionesses, although they did take the lead. It's a weird one, that one, wasn't it? Because I watched that game. We'd just finished training and put it on the thing in the meal room.

3:17London City went 1-0 up. I was like, they're just not going to sustain this. Arsenal were just like Popping it and popping it And popping it And I was thinking Once they get one Like they just looked like They were like firing on all cylinders They just couldn't get it in To start with But I thought Olivia Smith Brilliant Absolutely brilliant That goal My God Chloe's goal And then Mido Go on Popping up with two assists In two minutes Go on Mido Damn you little beauty But yeah I think it was Obviously a good game for Arsenal But yeah Tough one for London City To go into isn't it No one's going to want To get Arsenal at the Emirates in the first game of the season.

3:51Rach:No, just on newly promoted as well. Yeah, exactly. That's a really hard first game. But it was a positive start for them. Good to get a goal and still played really well. And they look like they've got their sign into a decent and they look like they're going to be in a bit of an exciting team. I think they'll be a team that grow into the season. Absolutely, yeah. Getting new relationships, new connections. And I think their intentions are really, really good. So I do think they'll be ones to watch later down the line. I think they just need maybe a little bit of time to connect. Tottenham picked up a win as well against West Ham, but it seemed a tight game.

4:26Rach:I think it was a penalty, right? Yeah, Bev scored late on as well. It was like 86 minutes or something like that. Yeah, so another tight fixture. And then Man United with a clean sweep, 4-0 against Leicester. That was a good result for them, obviously. Jess Park making a debut, which is good to see always. Yeah, nice to see her playing. She should be playing. A player of her calibre, she should be on that pitch. and I think she's a fantastic addition for United. I think it's a really good move for her actually and I think she'll do really well. But buzzing for Tooney as well, obviously, you'll understand more than anyone what that meant to her scoring that goal.

5:01Rach:It's so weird because it's like you create this little family when you go through grief and it's obviously, you know how hard September is for me as well because it's this week, four years since I lost my dad. That's gone so quick. where have those years gone? I know I don't know but I wish I could have them back it seemed like literally yesterday we played in that England game and I scored for you and for him and then you scored and it was like where has that time gone? like it's mad I know but so I think when I obviously knew that Tooney was going into that game with that on her shoulders but yeah to see her perform and do well and score goals is always exciting but it's just nice it's a really nice moment for her I'm really happy for her so yeah special Yeah, so let's talk about your game on Friday.

5:49I watched that. That was quite a nice opener. Obviously, Chelsea dominant as ever. I think it was really exciting to see Ellie Carpenter. I've not really properly seen her play, like bits of her, but since I played in America, she used to tear it up there, so I knew she was going to slot right in here.

6:07Rach:Honestly, I've just never seen someone get up the pitch like she does. She's just there instantly. She just absolutely dominated that right side. But I think for us it was a really, really good game. And you know more than anyone, the first game is always the hardest because you're fresh off the back of pre-season and you've not really got your rhythm yet or your flow. And finding that momentum quite early on is quite hard. But I think it was a really good game for us. And they had a couple of chances. But it's City. Of course they're going to have chances. They're a top team. Just like Villa on the weekend.

6:37Rach:Yeah, I know. I've got to nullify you, girl. Keep you out of the game. But you know what annoyed me on your game, right? So the commentator went, oh, Aggie Beaver Jones, she'll never get an easier finish. And I thought, that is absolute. Ball, it's not an easy finish. As a striker, that ball coming in. And it went on the floor. It's a great ball, right? It's a dream of a ball. But if you think that's an easy finish, I'm sorry. I think that's an absolute quality finish. She had to hit it exactly how she did for that to go in. I agree. Her movement was brilliant, to be fair. I think that's one part of her game that she's really improved is reading where to go.

7:12Rach:were like you said, fantastic bowling, but by no means a tap in like an easy... No, no, no, it really wound me up. I was like, that is not an easy finish so don't say that. Yeah. It was brilliant. It was brilliant from Ellie Carpenter, but I just thought Baggy's finish was tidy, spot on. And do you know what? Really happy to see Hermano score because she was absolutely everywhere. She don't stop running. Honestly, I blink and she's gone, she's at right back. I blink again, she's at left wing. I'm thinking, where? She's everywhere. She does not stop running, Micah. Doesn't stop running. And do you know what?

7:44Rach:She puts in so much effort. I think it was a deserved goal. Yeah, she's like a little ratty player that you don't really want to play against. You know what I mean? They're just everywhere. She played well, I thought. She had a really good game. Yeah, it was. It was a really good opening game for us. I think we were really happy with the performance and the result. And it's one of those annoyed to concede, as always, defend. I was so pissed. Niamh, she went, was that me? she looked at me and went did you head it I went nope then I think she went oh god but listen it happens it happens to the best of us doesn't it annoying as it is not to have a clean sheet I think that probably made the game look a little bit more even but I think we really dominated and yeah I think you played really well also it was good to see you back playing again and like with a smile on your face and you know what you put in a cross the other day right you probably remember it but you were like it came back out from a corner you're on like almost like right wing position oh yeah and you know what i thought to myself you've just literally like opened up and whipped it in your left foot like you probably could have put it in with your right but me and patsy were talking about the day and um she was like black i don't know how millie can just like she was like as i said back there's no way in hell i'm opening up to use my left foot there like i'm swinging my hips around it and using my right foot but i was like yeah like literally you so both footed i think it came back out though and then we have to defend the transition yeah but it was a good ball i just i remember thinking about that and i was like i know i knew exactly what patty was talking about because i was like i know i thought that to myself i was like how have you just put that like wielded ball in your left foot you can pat that in well i might be doing that again you never know and also next to talk about is your deadline day signing alissa thompson she's had obviously made a name for herself massively in the states did you see the picture of her in the airport yeah it's probably soccer donna never know no class signing yeah have you seen her play yet no to be honest only only international I've not seen many games I mean you see the highlights for like club and stuff but from the NWSL but mostly just with the national team yeah not seen too much of her just yet but she's in training with us now but obviously they've got to just bring her in slowly and you know make sure she builds up slowly but she's yeah a fantastic forward.

10:02I was thinking about this the other day. I was looking at your bench and I was like, right, how on earth? Like, honestly, like it's insane. Your bench is so deep. Like obviously Sam Kerr's now back. Been out of what, like nearly two years? Yeah, nearly two years. That's obviously what an absolute like dream of someone. It's like a whole new signing, isn't it? Having Sam Kerr coming back.

10:24Rach:It is. She's done so well, bless her. It's been a tough journey and hard to see teammates go through that. So to see her back, like, warming up and available to players, yeah, I think it's a massive bonus for us. She's also a forward that gives us something so different to what we've got. I think she gives you things that not many others can. Got a bit of a luxury there, haven't you, your squad? Yeah, amazing to have her back. But, yeah, brilliant signing for us. Yeah, now it's like, poof, competition is pretty high. Massive. Obviously gutted for Myra, picking up an injury and getting surgery.

11:01Rach:So really good for her. But I think when you're competing on all fronts, we have to have a squad of that depth. We've got to have competition and people ready to step in when needed. Anyway, less of me. You know I don't like talking about me. Up the villa. Talk us through your game. Picked up a point against Brighton. There's been a lot of movement in their team. What are they? How was your game? It wasn't the most pleasant game of football, to say the least. Like I didn't really enjoy the game. I think it was pretty much the epitome of a start of the season, first game back. Yeah. They're really good.

11:36I rate them a lot. They had some really good players there. They've signed a Japanese centre-back. She is absolutely brilliant. I think she was absolutely quality for them. But yeah, they're a really good side. And I think, do you know what? I think for us, away from her against Brighton is never an easy game. That is not an easy ground to go to, by the way.

11:54Rach:It's not one of my favourites, I must admit. Yeah, so I think positive, really. I know there's obviously a lot of things that we'll look back on tomorrow and analyse and be disappointed with. Well, it's only the first game of the season and some teams lost. That's what I mean. Equally, a point away from home against a tough side is happy days for me. Let's take that, build on that and beat Chelsea.

12:18Rach:You nearly scored it first half though. Oh, no. Literally, I thought, this is sailing in. It's sailing in top corner. And then, you know, when it just lifts at the end, I was like yeah I was fuming I was absolutely fuming we hit the bar twice because Lynn Wilms one of our new signings a Dutch girl she took a free kick late on absolutely same thing thought it was going straight in she a midfielder no she's she played she played centre back for us on yesterday and honestly she hit this top corner and I was like oh my god it's going in it's going in and then it hit the bar and I was like why why is this happening to us but yeah good that we didn't get three but at the same time yeah you've got to take the positives in these situations I think there's been large parts of last season where we would have lost that game at the end and the point on the board it's so important to start like in a positive way exactly and you can build on it like I said it's a marathon not a sprint there's a long long season and so many games to play so just don't do too good at the weekend if I could just ask you not to really build on it for them that would be fantastic Serena was in the crowd I know I didn't actually see Serena I think she was in the crowd at a lot of games, to be fair.

13:29Rach:I saw her on TV all weekend. Do players notice? Like, do players actually look? Because I've had it before where some players go, oh, Serena's here, and then others, like, just don't even notice at all. I only knew she was there yesterday because our Dutch players, because obviously England's new assistant was the Dutch assistant, right? Yeah. Yeah, so they were like, oh, Serena and such and such, I don't know his name, is in the crowd. But I didn't actually see her, to be fair. I think, like, back when I was in the England squad, if I saw Serena it gave me a bit of like oh yeah right going to put on a good display today or like not pressure but it was a bit like but then again at the same time I was a bit like well she's going to see every game so I don't know I think people are different aren't they some people put a lot of pressure on themselves to perform for their national team coach and then it makes it worse How did our favourite from the summer get on?

14:17Rach:Obviously she's gone back on loan to Brighton Michelle and did she start? Yeah she started last year when we played the last game of the season she played on the wing and I don't think that they got enough out of her there. So seeing a play like Central yesterday was nice. Well, not nice because she's against me, but no, I think she's going to be brilliant for them. Like going forward, they're a good side. Yeah. Really physical, really strong, like technically does really well on the ball, but I think we did well in limiting her chances. But yeah, she did well. I think she actually got the overall man of the match, but yeah, she's going to be great for them this year, I feel.

14:54Rach:Nice. Well, I think it's a positive start for Daily Brightness, to be quite honest, in the WSL. Yeah, do you know what I always think? I said this, I was like, when you would, I was like, right, that's one out of two for Daily Brightness. And then I've just got me to go now. Like, I literally think about that. I'm like, right, we bet we can win this weekend because I'm not going on the podcast with a loss. No, oh my God. It's actually so hard coming on the pod after, like, a bad game or a loss. You have to proper ramp yourself up. Have we been on the podcast yet after one of our games? I don't think we have, have we?

15:23Rach:Yeah, we did. Champions League for me. No, no, no. One of our games. Me against you. Oh, no. No. Oh, no. You might not see me. Oh, no. You might not see me on Monday or you might not see me, really. Who knows? Right, well, before we go to a break, just to clear up, me and Rachel will still be communicating this week before the big fixture. Just won't speak from Saturday. And, yeah, and just so that everyone knows because, obviously, last time you scored against us, people thought I was smiling and thought I was happy. So I just wanted to clear up that. My intentions are all Chelsea. When Rachel steps on that pitch, she is the enemy.

16:03Rach:She's never an enemy but we play with the same passion. We're still going to communicate. We're still going to talk but no, we don't share information. We don't even ask each other questions. I would never ask you anything. We would never do that. It baffles me that people think that because I'm like, that would be so unprofessional. I just don't care. like what you're doing we've never in all the years that we've never i don't i hate that stuff i hate that stuff hate that we literally text each other and like bestie can't wait to see you yeah that's that's all we say so i just wanted to clear that up we will be communicating just not about football because we don't actually speak about football believe it or not we talk about cleaning only on here coffee cups and where you got it from because i'm gonna go and buy it exactly well let's head for a little break we will be back soon for another agony ant legally we can't say drinking storm makes you smarter and more focused but with zero sugar 200 milligrams of caffeine and immunity support you're smarter and more focused for drinking storm storm good energy in good energy out energy for life this episode is brought to you by google Chrome.

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18:05Welcome back to Daily Brightness. We had such a lovely agony last week and we had a great time with that one, didn't we, Beste? day we did i loved it and it was a great response from all the listeners so we've got another one for you this week off the back of that so here it is hey girls i hope it's okay for me to ask this but i'm a fairly new gay girly and football has been such a big part of my life i've been in my current team for about two years and a while back this girl joined and honestly she completely threw me i never really thought of myself as gay before but there's something about her that just made everything click.

18:39Whenever I'm around her, I get so awkward, but I think we do flirt a bit. She's actually the reason I found the courage to come out about six months ago, which feels huge. The thing is, she's recently started talking to somebody else and I'm scared I'll miss my chance. So do you think I should go for it? If so, how do I even approach her without making it weird? Help a girly out. Let's see, just talk about when you came out the closet.

19:02Rach:Yeah, I never knew, honestly, all these years and I never knew all this time I was in a relationship with you perfect opportunity for you to come out now tell everyone about our relationship that we're not having god forbid i have a gay best friend or god forbid as a straight girlie i have a boy best friend because apparently that's not compatible it's not capable it is and secondly i think just before we get into that thank you for finding the courage to send a letter into us. Rach, what's your perspective on it? Well, for me, I don't even think it's about sexuality, to be honest. For me, go for it.

19:42Do you know what I mean? Whenever you're around her, you get awkward. That's a clear-cut sign that you like someone. Shoot your shot, girlie. Shoot your shot. Do not miss your opportunity. And I'm not going to say... Obviously, you've asked how to approach her without making it weird. I can't answer that because... Go for food or Or just like create a date scenario.

20:04Rach:Yeah, like just you two out of like the football environment, like go on like a date. I think, yeah, just put yourself forward, like back yourself. Like who cares if you make it a little bit weird? And if it doesn't come off, it's not meant to be. Exactly, I agree. You've kind of like nullified that that's not your person. And she's only recently started talking to someone else. So get your way back in there, slide in, shoot your shot. Shoot your shot, girly. I just think you know nice guys finish last can't sit back on the fence and just watch it happen she probably doesn't even know how you feel either so I think communicating is the biggest thing and just plan a little date night don't let her be the one that got away do you know what I mean yeah and you don't even have to say oh do you fancy going on a date just say do you fancy getting food tonight or do you fancy going to Topgolf or I don't know do something that she enjoys doing and then you can start a conversation and yeah I think if somebody If somebody makes you feel that way and you feel like it clicks, everything just clicked and everything felt right, then I think for me that's number one sign to go for it.

21:08Yeah. Yeah, go on a little date, like Millie said, like Topgolf or food or something fun, something light, something easy. Shoot your shot, girl.

21:18Rach:And I agree that it's nothing to do with sexuality. I think if someone makes you feel that way, then it don't matter whether they're male or female. If they make you feel that way, then there's a connection there, clearly 100 % and there's something to explore so just go for it and just be yourself that's all anyone can ever ask for so go for it girl we back you we have got our fingers crossed we can't wait for the next pod please let us know how that works out and I hope it works out for you and do you know what send this podcaster and say look this is what the girls have told me to do so I'm shooting my shot Daily Brightness told me to shoot my damn shot so I'm shooting it you shoot that cannon girl let it rip but that's an interesting one we've not really had like a relationship advice before have we not really sure I'm very good at relationship advice but hopefully I think I need to update my CV yeah well it was nice and light so yeah go for it girl shoot your shot and let us know how you get on please let us know right guys a brilliant episode today we hope you enjoyed the agony and but to wrap up as you know we always do our gratitude.

22:30Rach:So Rach, what is your gratitude this week? I think, to be honest, the season's starting again. It's been a long old pre-season. I'm bored of pre-season and I was ready for the season to start. So it was nice just getting on the bus, getting in the hotel, being back with the girls, you know, ready to fight, start for a new season, new team, exciting. I'm really grateful for my teammates and starting the new season. Oh, that's a really nice one. I'd echo that massively. what am I grateful for oh I tell you what I'm grateful for my soda stream oh I used to have one of them got rid of it do you know when you're just really thirsty and you need that fizz you need that little bit of fizz and if you go to the range you can get the proper flavours from like passion fruit I used to make Pepsi Max in there did you?

23:16I'm actually grateful for my new coffee machine because John Crownshaw didn't sort me out with my Ninja one so I had to buy it but Ninja coffee machine honest to god worth every penny expensive but worth every penny and that on my instagram today bestie that cold brew cold phone made that myself bestie that coffee cup i need it yeah i'll get you

23:37Rach:well i won't be putting iced coffee in because i don't drink coffee anymore but i will put a cup of tea in it yeah it's really nice so i'm also grateful for that but yeah i've been really thirsty lately i don't know why and yeah same it's just been did it last week did i show you my did i show you're my big cut yeah your big Stanley yeah that's see we're doing well here well done look at all the maturing healthy girlies knowing how to stay hydrated by the age of 32 wish I was 32 anyway so that is it for Daily Brightness as always get in touch on socials at Daily Brightness we'll be back on Thursday with a Q &A episode to get your questions into make sure you're following and if you've not subscribed I'm going to keep saying it until you all click the damn button thank you to everyone that already does and we will see you very very soon, goodbye from me goodbye from me