Arsenal and Chelsea bounce back, Leicester's new gaffer, and Millie Bright retires from England!

0:04Welcome to Upfront, I'm Chloe Morgan and I'm Rachel O'Sullivan. Arsenal and Chelsea bounce back from Champions League disappointment and Leicester have a new manager. But things are looking pretty dire for West Ham and Liverpool down at the bottom of the table. Plus, Sassie Viggs will be announcing her first England squad since the Euros tomorrow. We discuss that and much, much more.

0:31You've bought your beautiful new Cardi from your mum. I'm glad that you mentioned it. Hi, ma 'am. Yes, this is your cardigan. I've borrowed it again. I'm saying that right down the camera because I know if I'm lucky enough that this gets clipped up, I'll get a comment from my ma 'am. It'll say, I recognise that cardigan. I also really love your cardigan. And it's, you know, when I said that thing about the curtains, ignore it because your cardigan's amazing. Moments of the weekend. Moving swiftly on. Let's move swiftly on because she hasn't forgotten. Do you know what I'm going to go with? I'm going to go with Daphne von Dompsolaar's save off.

1:04I love a goalkeeper moment at the weekend I know and I knew you'd like that but and you can talk to this a little bit more but I imagine for a goalkeeper you've been under pressure and everyone's talking about you but not for good reasons pulling off a stop like that especially when you're playing for a team like Arsenal who only seem to be able to score one goal and then you know not score anymore and then just invite the other team to come on back in and have a go yourself unbelievable save oh my god so such a good save absolutely unbelievable point blank point blank as well like she had absolutely no reaction time for that and like it was like fingertips like tipped that round the post and such a pivotal moment in the game because Arsenal had obviously left it squeaky bum time which we'll get on to they love a bit of squeaky bum time they hadn't had that much to do in the game but being called into action like that and 100 % like not had the best start in the Wednesday Champions League game but at the same time you've got to show that resilience mate like yeah let the haters hate and then come back even stronger but it's hard isn't it like mentally as well for a goalkeeper you make a mistake everyone can see the results for the mistakes you made.

2:03Yeah. 100%. And a couple of them as well. Yeah. And mentally you need to be really strong. I'm learning a lot about this from Rachel Brown Fitness, friend of the pod. Of course. Playing a bit of golf and she's very good at that side of things. She's like, I was a goalkeeper. Like, you hit a shit shot. It's just like, so what? There's another hole. Like, move on. Next hole. Can't dwell on the mistakes. And I was like, I'm taking that into my game. Trying to be a bit, you know, You really are stepping into your fourth decade quite gloriously. Thanks for that. Almost retiring. Hang on. I'm at the end of a decade, so.

2:32Well, Steppelin's your fourth one, though. I'm not 40 yet, though, so I don't actually think that makes... Your cardigan says otherwise. Actually, it is my fourth decade before I've actually gotten to 40. Glad you asked. My moment of the weekend is Keira Walsh's screamer. Oh, yeah. Oh, my God. I mean, we've seen so many contenders for goal of the month. Every single week, I feel like we're pinpointing another absolutely amazing screamer. This one, edge of the box. Go and see it if you haven't. Bizzier. Yeah. The way that she struck it was so beautiful and so crisp and so clean. There was just absolutely no chance.

3:04Went through an absolute seer body, just legs akimbo. You didn't know where it was going to go. And then bottom left-hand corner, just absolutely no chance. And it was the goal that they frigging needed because God knows it had been coming for quite a long time. But we're going to get stuck into that now, aren't we? Because I had the pleasure of doing co-coms for the Arsenal-Brighton game and you were at the Chelsea-Spurs game. We're going to discuss the Arsenal one first because, well, I get to choose basically. So, sozzles. Arsenal obviously got a huge, huge 1-0 win against Bryson to get their first win for a month.

3:34You could see the elation and kind of the relief from Renee Sleggers. You know, big, big game for her, big expectation. And I think this was kind of going to be the, Christ, you were going to start to heal, like the old fans in the background going, get her out. The form isn't good enough. You know, you've got the talent. You're not doing enough with it. And she's only been in the job less than a year. like give us some credit and what you did last year you know don't forget you think that would buy you a bit more time a little bit at least half a season emergency button now but I have to say even though they got the win not a hugely improved performance lots and lots of possession loads of possession I think about 10 or 15 20 minutes in the possession stats it cropped up 75 % Arsenal 25 % Brighton and it felt like there was just those first opening minutes I was like Christ this is an Arsenal reinvigorated I was like okay couple of really good chances olivia smith there was this lovely kind of like driven set piece him into the into the near corner and then it was like a cheeky little heel flick on and it caught olivia smith boom straight over the bar and i was like love what they've done love the ambition this is clearly something they've been working on in training because they did it about 17 times throughout the game brian were like we know what you're gonna do here but arsenal it's no big let's do it again it hasn't worked let's do it again hasn't worked let's do it again it's really hard to do co-coms when you're saying the same thing over and over again just like record a bit and then press play on the various buttons we could just clip those 10 seconds and just repeat it um but yeah it wasn't a great day out for Arsenal despite them obviously getting the kind of the the chains off their back a little bit yeah but I feel like that's a bit of a pattern we're seeing from Arsenal where they start games well they create chances they don't take them they sit off they get flat.

5:14They slow down. Arsenal look really good when they're playing quickly, high tempo, quick passes, fluid football and you see that in the opening kind of 15-20 minutes of games. You saw it against Lyon, arguably. They started the better team. Definitely. Created better chances but they always seem to be teetering if you know what I mean. Like they can so easily, feels like they can have the rug pulled from under them so quickly and they end up then reverting back to that slow, kind of static, predictable style. A little bit nervous. Yeah, 100%. And it's like, players are afraid to miss, afraid to have a shot, it seems.

5:47I think 38 touches inside the opposition box, 15 shots and only four of them on target. Like, you're in the spaces, you're getting into the positions to score the goals. And I've said this about other teams, like, what more can be done? And I agree, I think, you know, maybe some personnel changes will help freshening things up a little bit. you know getting the team to be intense for longer periods of the game or more effective if they're deciding to step off the press a little bit that they're more effective doing that and not just like being in a high press position but not engaging and then leaving open spaces because Brighton get in they have such a high line at the back Brighton can get in teams can get in we saw with Man City yeah it's just working out those issues because we're seeing them again and again in games but you think you're 15 minutes in you've just gone one nil up and like despite the chances that one nil was created as a bit of a fluky moment it was a deflection off of um olis lagas and i i felt so so sorry for a completely wrong-footed uh the goalkeeper so their only the only actual goal they scored wasn't technically even their goal or on target or on target and then you kind of look into the second half they've kind of like you said stepped off and i was thinking christ brighton are going to get back into this and kiko um i cannot rave about sake it enough i mean the amount of chances that she had i do think she could have done better i think she could have been a little bit more ruthless again in front of goal but like she was there she's the link-up player between her Kirby and Kamacha I thought was absolutely outstanding I think for me she was my player of the match like all day but it only takes one of those opportunities and I just why are you taking your foot off the gas teams are the most vulnerable the most weak after they've just conceded so go again create that buffer create that distance in that space between you and then settle into the game and start to enjoy it but what was worrying for me was that the game had fallen flat René Slugger's recognized that in the second half brought on Blackstinius you had Beth Meade's choose from you had Chloe Kelly coming on and you think okay the crowd was g'd up but Chloe Kelly only came on with I think it was like the 89th minute I know they had 14 13 minutes of extra time left to play but too late in the day for me but Blackstinius I thought she did well I thought she created chances but again at the same time balls being fired directly into the keeper and you're thinking just wide like what what what on earth how yeah and i how i think it is and i fear like i repeat myself when we talk about arsenal but that's the same issues keep happening is that like it's therapeutic getting out is it um is that mentally like everyone looks afraid around the box and it's this thing of scoring the perfect goal and all of this bs like just at the end of the day doesn't matter how pretty the goal is just put it in the back of the net nobody cares at the end of the day how you've scored the goals if you're coming away with three points and part of me feels like this was what they needed a win is a win is a win doesn't matter how they did it they got the win they got over the line like in terms of getting themselves back on track that's the first step it feels a bit like they're one game away from maybe finding their rhythm again in terms of scoring some of those goals in the opening 15 minutes you put two or three of them away suddenly the pressure's off and you can play that fluidity and you're not playing scared because that's what it becomes like.

8:52Maybe that's why they become flat. They're afraid to go forward in case they concede. I don't know, but perhaps that's a personnel thing. Perhaps they need to bring in some more creative players in the midfield to try and unlock that a little bit more. It's a hard one to absolutely put your finger on because it's just a pattern of play where you're like, why are you taking your foot off the gas? 100%. And I think had it not been for your moment of the weekend, the rising star Daphne van Domsala, obviously let's talk a little bit about the tough time that you had in Lyon a couple of really obvious mistakes there it kind of felt like we talk about this as goalkeepers where it's just those moments where you just want the ground to swallow you up you just want the burger van to run you over mid-game and you've got someone like Melchie de Mournay up front Ridiculous Lethal Ridiculous You just cannot be making mistakes like that which is why I think that's why I felt that that was like a moment of the weekend for me that was important for a player in that position with what she's gone through and that can hopefully be like a building block for her to kind of, you know, big herself up, get her shoulders up, like head up, kind of, I know what I'm doing, I'm good at this.

9:55You know, you get through a difficult run of play. I'm sure you can appreciate that as a goalkeeper. Like you have one bad game, suddenly it's two and suddenly it's hard to kind of believe in yourself again. Like a striker's drought, that kind of thing. Yeah, 100 % way. And you need that as a goalkeeper, right? So, you know, I feel like that save could do her. I know it's only one save, but I do think it can, you know, do the world good. Well, let's talk about why she had to make that save. Let's touch a little bit briefly on Brighton, who I think held a really good account of themselves. I think towards the back end of the first half, I think they started to actually put the game to Arsenal.

10:26I think they started to tailor off a little bit towards the back end of the first half. But then I don't know what Dario Videsic said. Probably same again, pretty much. But they came out with a lot more spirit, a lot more heart, a lot more determination. He spoke pre-match about the belief in the squad and how important it is going into a game like this, believing you can come away with something. because they had differing fortunes last season. I think they were beaten 4-0 at the Emirates. And then, of course, they beat Arsenal in the return leg towards the end of the season. And you can see the impact a result like that can have on a team who maybe four or five years ago, you would see teams look a little bit scared coming up against Arsenal.

11:02Speaking of on time. I don't feel like teams have that kind of fear coming into Arsenal anymore. A lot of them, they've played at the Emirates before. They know what to expect from the fans and the crowd. And they can go in there with a bit more confidence. and based on Arsenal's recent performances, they know if they can stay in the game, there is a high likelihood they'll get an equaliser. But also, they have a little bit of a disadvantage with Michel Ajiman being out and Rose Kofaji because obviously they can't play against their parent teams. There was, again, an additional advantage. So it kind of feels like what they did was actually heightened by the fact that they were down a couple of their key players there.

11:33Some really kind of... I mean, I thought it was super, super serious when I first saw it. Maylis Mpom, his injury had to be dealt with in the second half, of course. She was knocked out by a ball. It was like a corner coming. Was it like Katie McCabe? Caitlin Ford, I think. Caitlin Ford. It was at force. She took a really big blow to the head at close range. Suffered a concussion. But she was up and about after the game, which is obviously really great news. All of our love here from up front. Right, let's get stuck into Chelsea then. You were at the game. Chelsea got their first win in three games as they beat Spurs 1-0 at Kingsmeadow.

12:06Obviously, we discussed my beautiful moment of the weekend. Kira Wall scoring that absolute banger. But it was the goal that made the difference, essentially. Yeah, how did you feel? How did you feel it went? Because it felt like Spurs did well to frustrate Chelsea. Yeah, they were very, and I know Chelsea fans will hate this, but it felt a little bit similar to the Arsenal game in that they were dominating, they had possession, they weren't really capitalising on the momentum, you know, creating opportunities, although a lot more opportunities and just not being clinical. but equally they were up against a very resolute, very disciplined defence.

12:40They had 68 touches in the opposition box. 27 shots here? Yeah, 27. Only four of those shots were on target. 12 shots off target. But then equally, you look at, you know, credit to Spurs, 11 blocks made, 12 interceptions, 31 tackles, 48 clearances. There's a fair bit of emergency defending going on there. Or is it very switched on, disciplined defending? And I think that's why credit to them. I know that Kira Walsh goal felt like that's where it was. It was going to come from somewhere. It had to be something magic. Do you know that kind of way? Because I think Chelsea just felt like they were knocking on the door, going, bloody hell, what do we have to do to get a goal?

13:14What can we do? Yeah, so, you know, something special was the thing that broke the deadlock. But I do think for Spurs, they were very, very disciplined in their defending. But then they created some chances, but it just never, the longer the game went on, you never really felt like, okay, where is it going to come from at the other end? Do you know what I mean? Especially towards the end and after Chelsea got on that goal. But, you know, I think for Spurs, I think, you know, doing the important thing that a lot of teams when they're trying to break through the top four don't do. And that is beating the teams in and around them.

13:42Yes, for sure. And they are doing that. And, you know, it is great to nick points or take results off the top four. But if you're then going and losing to the teams below you, it's actually not that great, really, is it? So I think for Spurs, the important thing is good performance against Chelsea. Yep. They didn't play great against Manchester City, obviously lost quite heavily. I think they've learned a lot from that and you're seeing that. But I think beating the teams in and around them is important. And I think despite losing 1-0, that defensive display will give them a lot of confidence in the way that they're playing, the style that they're playing and the fact that it works.

14:15So I think confidence for them in that respect. Definitely. I think, I mean, defensive display, but also I've got, I'm going to give another shout out to a goalkeeper. I thought Kopp was absolutely outstanding. I think some crucial, crucial saves there that kind of kept Spurs in and around the game and kind of like, I think kept that little bit of belief that they could do something with the game. Yeah, they were going to cause like a bit of a WSL upset. But yeah, I've got to say, you know, Chelsea were 100 % frustrated. Like you look at how the every which way there was crosses, there was directness, there was indirect, there was, you know, set pieces.

14:44It just felt like they were throwing the absolute kitchen sink at Spurs. And I think I thought because in those first opening minutes, Chelsea were really taking the game Spurs. And I was like, they're going to get this early goal. There's going to be Spurs. Yeah, Spurs heads down. Alyssa Thompson was causing absolute chaos. There was that one chance in that third minute where she sent Ash Neville absolutely sliding into the stands, which I thought was quite funny. I really enjoyed the battle between them two. Yeah, 100%. There was a challenge from Neville on Thompson. God love her. She ended up in her bum a couple of times where she looked at Ashley Neville like, how dare you tackle me?

15:18Dastacy. How dare you? Of you doing that. And then looking at the referee like, did you see that? This girl from Coventry causing me damage. I actually rate Ash Neville's performance. I thought she did well dealing with a very electric Alyssa Thompson. I'm going to give a shout out to Ash Neville. We used to play together at Spurs and it is amazing seeing her coming from literally the championship, playing at Coventry in Spurs, staying with the squad. This progress that I've seen them make now and then coming up against one of the biggest stars in the US coming over. That for me is such a trajectory in your career to still be playing at that level.

15:51And she's steady. and her haircut has been unchanged for like multiple decades I rate I remember like the hairspray before the game my god it used to like absolutely unbelievable I rate it put on a performance like that and still perfect yeah 100 % it won't move it's solid it's like a bike helmet I absolutely fucking rate it and we used to talk to her about it all the time in the change rooms as well so 2-1-0 for Arsenal and Chelsea duplicate results for these two but very different ways of achieving it well yeah And also like both feeling like they needed to stem the, and this is the wrong word to use, the rotter.

16:27You know, because people are saying, oh my God, Chelsea haven't won in two games. Arsenal was whatever, four or whatever it was. But it is that idea of, you know, just getting back to your winning ways again, particularly for Chelsea. And yes, similar in terms of results and just wanting to get the win whatever way possible. I do wonder if the tinkering is frustrating Chelsea fans I think a little bit and I think they just like a run of games where Chelsea just look dominant or scoring the goals that you expect them to score that they look like they're going to score just to kind of settle the nerves a little bit but you know you also have to talk about full time I saw their walking wounded which you kind of forget I think because they've got such quality you know Ramirez LJ Germa Buchanan just a small name and to be honest the reason I noticed was the girls just look really fucking cool walking across the pitch they look like the next big girl band or something they just look really cool and you know I think for Chelsea to have Charles back Lucy Bronze back will be key first appearance since the famous leg fracture yeah and I do wonder if Sonia was just maybe tinkering a bit as the season starts the difference with Chelsea is I mean more often than not they can do that and still win I appreciate they've had two draws and maybe the FC Twinto one would be the most irritating for Chelsea fans because that should have been a game that they won.

17:48Yeah, 100%. So, yeah, I think getting the win against Spurs and maybe seeing them settle a bit more in terms of squad selection, but I don't think they'll care about the scoreline. They just care about the three points and it gives them more confidence and, you know, to carry on. Well, a cheeky little question in from Shalvi on Instagram. We absolutely love you, Shalvi. I feel like you constantly send us in some questions and I really, really rate it. So please keep them up. Are all the top teams underperforming due to the fixture congestion? Arsenal's was a pre-existing issue before the fixture congestion kind of came in.

18:19I don't think that's to blame. I think not being able to put the ball in the back of the net is Arsenal's issue. I would slightly disagree because when Rene came in, Arsenal were banging in goals. They had that run of form where they kept scoring four or more goals at home. But they still had the same fixtures. Well, a couple of weeks ago, Rene Slagers had the most average goals scored under a manager in the WSL or something like that. but yes come the back of the Champions League semi-finals they fell off a cliff because they just decided to go to Lisbon early I don't know and then pulled out that unbelievable performance so yes I agree in that the problems are the same for Arsenal that's not new like we've seen this before what it is that's going to get them out of it I don't know but I do think Soph and I were talking about this you know are there players that were played well in the Euros that are playing well now not that many I think like, you know, players that went far in the Euros and I do think it could be an element of...

19:18Are we Kelly doing well? She's not even playing that much though. No, but like, yeah, I suppose... This is my point. I don't think she's like found. So there could be an element of fixture congestion. It could be an element of coming off the back of the Euros. I'm fascinated by the mental side of coming out of a major tournament, whether you do well or whether you don't, and then trying to gear yourself back up for another season. you're starting at the start of the season maybe there's an element and it felt like and I've said this to a few people Arsenal feels a bit like after England won the Euros in 2022 where they had this incredible high and now they're like I'll just go back to these kind of not meaningless games but games where like you don't have that same you know jeopardy and excitement around it and it's like I think it's fascinating how players come off the back of a major tournament rollercoaster of emotions and then it's like you know finishing an unbelievable race and then cool here's the marathon now can you just start that again and it's so it's for me it must be a mental thing as well as a physical thing well you got i think 100 like i mean think about leah williamson being injured lucy bronze is coming back lj being injured like you say chloe kelly's like not playing as many minutes like in terms of like full matches michelle adjaman's doing quite well like but again like she didn't play as many minutes in the euros so i suppose do you know who is doing well in the dozy i mean coming off the back of a big summer and then coming into a new league and there was a an article put out about I think I can't remember who she was speaking to but how she's kind of struggling being away and in a new country and how that's been really difficult for her but you know you wouldn't tell that from her performances on the pitch she's throwing herself into games literally absolutely been one of the standout signings of the season so far in terms of the impact they're having on the squad they've they've joined um but yeah so that I don't think that the excuse can you know be applied to many but um I do just think it's an interesting dynamic.

21:08I think we've seen it before off the back of major tournaments where players come back and you're like, you're not playing very well. Do better. There's a lot of reasons behind it. I think it is quite an interesting one. That's a really like considered thought out response, mate. Really rate that. I shouldn't just go crazy and start naming conspiracy stuff like we often see from people. I do prefer that approach. Sack the manager! I do prefer that approach. You're not good anymore! Yeah, no, you always need logic and reason. Sometimes I like it, sometimes I don't. Before we go to a break, Friday marked World Mental Health Day.

21:35Anna Rage, you spoke to Spurs Vice Captain Molly Bartrip. How was that, Mae? It was so, she was so good. And I've had so many, like, people feeding back about how positive it was, how good she spoke. I want to try and find a quote I got from Rianne Skinner specifically about her. Because I asked Rianne about Molly Bartrip because Molly speaks about her and, you know, what was kind of put in place when she was at Tottenham Hotspur when Rianne was at Tottenham I brought up the press conference I just said that like I'd had this amazing conversation with Molly she was super open and that Molly had spoken about Rianne when she was at Spurs and she said Molly was brilliant because she was prepared to be so transparent that was a game changer when someone is prepared to show that kind of vulnerability it definitely makes more people more people prepared to talk about their own situations it means people share and realize they have more support than they would have known if they hadn't have talked about it and I just think I think maybe we underestimate the power of someone sharing a story like that in such an honest way and I think it really does then help other people to say yeah I can have a conversation about that or you learn how to speak to people who might be suffering and the different ways you can support them and some of those kind of anecdotal stories she shared in the episode were amazing.

22:53So yeah, I was quite honoured to kind of sit and listen to her story. And it was really lovely to hear the feedback from people who listened to the pod. It was, yeah, very powerful. Well, I was glad to have missed it, mate. But I have obviously listened to it. It's absolutely gorgeous conversation. Definitely, definitely go and listen. It's the episode just before this one in your podcast app of choice. And remember to subscribe so that you never miss an episode from us. Coming up after this, Leicester City have a new manager. Let's go with the Man of America round.

23:40Let's get tucked into Leicester City. Managed to hold Aston Villa to a 0-0 draw in one of the four midday kickoffs on Sunday. Not 11.55, 12pm. Villa goalkeeper Sabrina D 'Angelo was voted player of the match. I can't believe this was put in. I just happened to put it in our WhatsApp chat yesterday and I was like, lads, she made like one save, I think. I think it's that. I think that was the... I think it might have been Villa's player of the match. They had so many frigging chances, especially in that first half. It kind of just felt like... And that, that, you doing that face is exactly... Describe it for our listeners.

24:14It's you putting your fingers to your forehead with a kind of exasperated expression of someone who is like listening to a toddler whine about food that they asked for. Like that's the only way that I can really describe what that face is. Ebony Salmon, Chastity Grant, repeatedly getting themselves in one-on-one situations. The Leicester defence was so compact, but also like they weren't tracking these runs at all. One shot and was like, oh, we've passed the whole Leicester defence in one pass. Literally that, so many opportunities to kind of get ahead. And yet every single opportunity, it was directly at the keeper or directly within her like range.

24:50So it was just like an outstretched palm or a little bit of a flick of the heel. Straight into her stomach. Or straight into her stomach. And she saved it, obviously. Yeah, really disappointing for Villa because there were so many opportunities to kind of just win the game. They will be so annoyed. Kicking themselves. Because it's something that has happened already. I'm bringing Maggie Murphy up. I'm saying, come on. Well, okay. I know it's not her job. No, I was going to say. No, I know it's not. Just to rant. Yeah, just to have a... Here's how I feel. Yeah, come on. I do think they'll be frustrated because they have experienced similar earlier on this season and you would hope they would have learned from that situation you look back at that Chelsea game and they had a number of opportunities to score and put the ball in the back of the net all day now arguably Hannah Hampton did have to pull off some good saves but Christ alive it was carbon copy rinse and repeat I think three times they had the same thing first with Chastity Grant then twice with Ebony Salmon where they just bypassed the entire Leicester defence, the long ball forward, beautifully weighted ball, every single time, 1v1 with the goalkeeper, straight to the goalkeeper, rinse and repeat.

25:54And you'd be pulling your hair out, wouldn't you, on the sideline? Because you're like, what, Natalia, what am I going to do? Get on down myself with my boots on? Like, you're literally, it's working, the plan is working, you're in, score a goal. And like, it's, you know, I think the BBC article was kind of, you know, frustrated by a dogged Leicester defence. And yeah, they have, they did defend well, but also that is down to Asta Villa. not putting the ball between the sticks. So 17 shots in total, eight shots on target, most of which were at the keeper. Five big chances were created. 100%. Five big chances and what you define as big chances.

26:28It just sums up though, like Aston Villa's start to the season. It's like they play and perform well, but the end result does not reflect what's happening in the game. They don't concede a lot. Yep. They don't feck and score a lot either. And that's the problem. That's coming. That is coming. Hold your horses. Come on. Come on, Villa. Come on. I think, but that's the thing, right? When you look back later in the season and you look at like, where might we... Yeah, where, not just not won or lost necessarily, but where might we have kind of been two or three places up the table. You look at games like that, where you're like, we dominated.

26:58We didn't just dominate. We actually created really good quality chances and it just comes down to individual... Well, I think looking at the tables, Aston Villa at eighth currently was six points. Another two points, obviously, would have catapulted them up to seventh in place of Brighton. and they still have a game in hand as well. So I think these are the moments, like you said, you've got to capitalise on because this is your difference between like finishing ninth and finishing sixth and fifth. Yeah, so come on. Come on, lads, you've got this. Come on, rally round. We're rooting for you. We were all rooting for you.

27:31Villa's opponents Leicester are, of course, down in the mix as well. And this was Rick Parsmore's first game in permanent charge. The club announced his appointment on Friday. Parsmore has been Leicester's interim manager since the club sacked Amandine Mikel just 10 days before the start of the season. That came as a bit of a shock to everyone. Just a bit. Yeah, I mean, yeah, that was, everyone was like, I don't really know what's going on here. I think you've definitely seen an improved Leicester and I've been surprised at how they're performing. I'd like to credit Amandine Mikel with the foundations that were built under her, especially defensively.

28:07I think that has become their bread and butter this season and it is a platform for Rick Passmore to build on because when they have to and if they have to and I think I asked Natalia about this and she said they're always such a difficult side to come up against and it was the same the previous season. I think it might have been a draw last season. I can't remember when she was there but she was like it was one of the worst games I've played I've been involved in. It was just we couldn't get a kind of foothold in the game. They just made it really, really difficult and what we've seen this season is there is a bit more of a willingness and a bravery to go forward and to be a bit more dangerous on the counter-attack.

28:43Their possession stats are creeping up because for a long time they had one of the lowest possession stats. I think it was like 37 % average possession last season or something like that. And still stayed up. You've got to give them credit. Yeah, and numerous times, well, you think you would, but no, you sacked the manager. Numerous times they've gotten over 40 % a couple of times this season. So there is definitely a bravery, more of a bravery about coming forward because I think they're comfortable defensively. And that is going to be a big thing for Rick Passmore to build on. And he's touched on the belief and the kind of grittiness and determination within the squad as well.

29:20So, yeah, I've been quietly surprised and impressed. Well, he did say that one of his main objectives is to improve Leicester's attack. Obviously, picking up the five points in six games so far, only scored three goals. But you kind of look at the run now that they've got until Christmas. And I know I've said the Christmas word. I'm sorry I apologise it is mid-October you can just imagine I don't wanna come on we're so close next game for them after the international break they've got Arsenal that's gonna be a really really tough fixture on the 2nd of November they then play West Ham in a kind of like bottom of the table not even quite a not even bottom of the table well it's quite an important fixture though for West Ham especially because the person who picks up those points is like a game clear essentially of the relegation zone.

30:09Well, the relegation playoff type five, but it kind of feels like those are the games that Leicester really need to get their teeth stuck into. Your Liverpools, your Evertons, your West Ham's. That game for me, that's the one that I'm going to be watching. You can get your top of the table battles all day, but give me a relegation... Rompers? That's horrible, isn't it? Yeah, I don't like that at all. I'm going to... Rumble. Rumble? I feel a bit queasy about that one. Yeah, it was gross. Anyway, we obviously thought this was going to be a season where less a struggle and they are, essentially. I wouldn't say five points out of six games isn't a struggle, but also not the worst.

30:46Still very much clear of your Liverpool and West Ham type situation yet to pick up. They have points on the board. Points, yeah. I mean, both of them have only scored two goals this season, but West Ham have conceded seven more goals than Liverpool have. West Ham lost 1-0 against London City. Oh my God. Fucking credit. Did you see the goal? To London City. Did you see the goal? Aslani. did you see it what would you if you were the manager on the sideline and you'd grown in the second half and you were creating chances and you had two shots cleared off the goal line and that's how you lose what would you do I'd just get I'd leave just turn around get out I've done it you know that meme of Viola Davis I think it's in how to get away with order I think it's that and she just looks up and she just takes her handbag and she just gets up and walks I'd be that I'd be like fuck Jesus can you imagine it was it was more of that look it was more of that head and that hand kind of pinching like the point in between your eyes just going like how has this happened

31:46exasperation I think is one word they are so frustratingly inconsistent across 90 minutes and from game to game and go on they had 12 shots 3 on target I just like they create no but it's when you look at the players that were and I think a lot of this is down to confidence and belief in the team. I think they're maybe quite low on that. I went and saw them play against Brighton in the Subway League Cup on Wednesday night for my sins. And they went 1-0 down to Brighton. They came back into it and they won 2-1. And I kind of thought, okay, this can be a building block now for them. You know, I know it's Subway League Cup, but they've beaten a WSL team.

32:29A team that would probably have beaten them if they'd played in the league previous week, for example. Actually, they did get beaten 4-1 by Brighton. So you might have thought like, okay, maybe the team realizes actually we can bloody challenge other WSL teams. We can score goals. And it just didn't feel like that. First half, they kind of, they allowed London City Lionesses to keep possession. They sat back kind of defensively. And what BBC said, I think this kind of sums it up a little bit. It said it marks the third consecutive match where the team have had a real cause for regret. Yeah, and I just think that's so true because there's been games where you're like, you're like, oh, okay, West Ham are looking good here.

33:10Why are there so many teams struggling to score goals, Chloe? It's frustrating because obviously I had the fortune of like commentating on some of the West Ham games at the end of last season. And I kind of see the form there at Ron. I see what Rhiann Skinner was trying to build in. You know how sometimes you watch the games on TV and you can't appreciate all the work that's going on off camera. And you see the movements being made. You see some of the spiciness in the players and the personalities coming through. and then all of a sudden you've got the situation in which like everything from last season is completely forgotten and wiped away and you come into the season with a completely different mentality and mindset.

33:40I don't really get that shift but also, I'm going to give a bit of credit to London City. Oh yeah, for sure, sorry. Not the kind of nicest way sometimes to like get your wins but at the end of the day, you've come into this league fresh as hell. Nine points. Unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable. I think it's interesting if you look... Three wins. Like 50 % win record in the WSL after six games is absolutely... phenomenal. I think Jocelyn Pressure said this, I don't think a team has come up from the championship and now WSL2 and being that well off after six games. But I was just going to say, like if you look at goals four, four teams have scored, are in the double figures.

34:18So that means like eight teams have not scored more than seven goals across six games. That is so few. We've played six games and the max eight teams have scored are seven goals. London City Lionesses have, they've got a minus seven goal difference. Like, that is on par with, like, the teams, the two teams at the bottom of the table, and yet still mid-table. So, like, conceding goals isn't really impacting them, to be honest. It's, like, they're still winning games. I don't even know how that works out, to be honest. I just find the lack of goals really interesting. There's quite a few teams where you're just, like, put in the back of the net.

34:54You're in the box. Shoot! I'm not frustrated for you. Shoot! Something that is going to cause you a lot more frustration. before we go for a break we did wonder last week whether Man United's Progress with Unity Stadium or Liverpool's totally wicked stadium deserve the honour of worst stadium name in the WSL just to flag for all of our listeners being the good cop that I am Progress with Unity is actually a Wigan Council initiative really lovely cause it's a lovely initiative initiative note the word initiative not stadium name really really lovely and I think it's more to like raise awareness of like the lovely stuff that they're doing for the lovely people of Wigan is it?

35:26because we had to go and research that Rachel Torrance to Pieces. How good is that working? Let us know in the comments how you feel about that. On the other hand, chose Totally Wicked, which is a vape brand. So we all know who's going to come out of this cancelled and not cancelled. Coming up after this, the Lionesses return. I didn't even realise that this was a debate. A bright spark. That's true. Nice.

35:52Well, breaking news. Breaking news in the studio. It is literally breaking. Sassy Beegs announces her first squad since England won the Euros tomorrow morning. We are waiting with bated breath for that. But before we even get stuck into who could and couldn't be in the squad. We definitely know who's not going to be in it. We 100 % do. Millie Bright has announced her retirement from international football. Looking back on her England career, Bright said, The reality of the last decade wearing the three lines has surpassed even my wildest expectations and dreams. It's been beyond special for me and I wish it could last forever.

36:25However, in football, all good things must come to an end. For me personally, it's a decision I've taken to ensure I can commit fully to my club football, given the 37 ,000 fixtures that Chelsea play every season. Oh my God, she paid 300th fixture for Chelsea this weekend. Yeah, she did. That's unreal. She's been around for multiple decades, almost as long as you've been alive. And she's still younger than me. Anyway, carry on with her quote. And give Chelsea everything they need from me. I always want to leave places in a better place than you found it. So what better time to step aside and let the next generation of Lionesses come through after what they've achieved this summer?

36:59How do you match the success of Millie Bright? A Euros win and captaining your country to a World Cup final. Yeah, not bad. That's not bad, is it? You can't like that. It's almost like unbeatable. I think just a flag. I think everyone knows how amazing Millie Bright is and how much she's done for the Lionesses and how much of an OG she's been in the game. But just to put it in perspective, nine years, 88 caps started all six games at the Euro 2022. And obviously, like you said, Rach, Captain England to the World Cup final in 2023. Sorry, we also forgot her greatest achievement. Go on. Arnold Clarke Cup golden boot winner.

37:32Oh, Christ. How could we forget? How could we forget? Now that we've said that, you definitely can't top it. No, there's nothing you can do with that. But that's big news. That's really, really big news. I mean, obviously, like, you know, before this Euros, we had the news that, you know, Millie Bright was stepping away from the squad. We kind of thought it was a bit of a temporary thing. You know, we saw loads of things in her socials about, you know, undergoing like knee surgery. and we sort of put two and two together and anticipated that she just wanted to step back, recover, reset. It had obviously been a massive season for Chelsea fighting on all fronts.

38:00But yeah, now it's permanent. And we've lost another OG. Mary Earp's gone, Fran Kirby gone, Leah Williamson's missing a leg. Lucy Bronze has only just recovered from getting her other leg back. And now, Brighty. Brighty's hanging out the old international boots. That's not just like losing a quality defender, a quality player, but also a leader. like that's a big a big loss in that department as well so it really feels like a real era yeah yeah yeah this year for sure that is incredible career and amazing memories brilliant like when she stepped into the captain role um yeah she's a huge part of the success that England have had um over the last couple of years so to think of an England squad without her feels a bit weird but um you know great thing is she's still playing for Chelsea 300 games for Chelsea this weekend which is an absolutely like almost incomprehensible number of games to play for one club given i remember when she played for doncaster bells like jesus um so i've probably seen all 300 of those games um but yeah incredible and i'm i'm glad she's still at chelsea still involved in all the big domestic competitions um and yeah it's a big surprise that she's gone i think i also rate the fact that she's kind of alluding to the fact she's taking this decision to kind of make sure that she finishes her seasons at Chelsea to come and I don't think we're anywhere near kind of like seeing the end of Midi Bra at club level I think she's one and truly still in the thick of like the peak of her career um but also like she's getting on she is 32 years old and I think sometimes you've got to not cut your losses but I think like you know focus on the club football and do that to the best of your ability and get those 350 caps I think I think for a football player for an athlete of any sort to be able to have control over these moments um is not something you always have you're not always lucky enough to be able to control when something like this happens and i think it's a real um not lucky but i think it's a really nice thing for an athlete to be able to decide on their own terms um when to hang up their boots or when to metaphorically or literally um for their country so you know not everyone gets that option so yeah i'm glad that she's been able to make that decision herself and taking time to come to that decision herself as well.

40:13Yeah, I think that would have come after a period of reflection in amongst the Euros and everything and I think she probably would have had multiple conversations with Sassie Riggs about it and the rest of the squad and I think, you know, absolutely massive credit to her from us at the Upfront team. Congratulations on an absolutely outstanding career. Guard of honour we will be doing as we leave the podcast. What, do it now? Guard of honour. We'll put your hand up quickly so it doesn't look so weird. Quickly. No, it doesn't look. Now we've done a guard of honour and if you'd been a bit quicker about it it wouldn't have looked so freaking weird Chloe you need to clip that up before I put my hand out that's cancellable, that's two things today please don't clip that I'm really not bothered about it I don't feel offended or like I'm offended what it does do obviously is focus our attentions on who could be in the squad obviously Sazie Viggs had to make all kinds of decisions leading up to the Euros that didn't include Millie Bright so I suppose it's not like she's Millie Bright was in the squad and she now has to choose what gap to fill.

41:09Yeah, it's less like finding out six weeks before a major tournament. Yeah, that kind of vibe. You know, great placement. England obviously had the two friendlies in this international break against Brazil and Australia. That's going to be so frigging spicy. Literally. Do we think there are any new faces that have forced their way into Sazie Vig's squad or even her starting 11? Maybe not starting 11, but given these are friendlies, I feel like there's an opportunity to bring some youngsters into the squad and the set up and see what it's like. I've written a whole load of names down Katie Reid oh fuck's sake that was going to be mine I think Ruby Mace Laura Blinkiller-Brown could be in there Missy Bo Kearns potentially I would have said Maisie Simons but I think she pulled up in the game the Brighton game maybe not Katie Reid was definitely up there for me I think I've definitely seen her like growing confidence I know there was that first game that she had and she made a little bit of a mistake and I know like everyone was like oh okay that was the only one though literally that but it was like the resilience and the bounce back from that and the way that she was playing out from the back in terms of the Brighton game at the weekend.

42:09She was cool. She was calm, confident. Every so often she took off off the pitch. 100%. She had that physicality to her. Yeah. We kind of pipped her as the next Leah Williamson. It kind of felt a little bit like that. And another rogue name I've written down, but might not because under-19s have qualification, I think, at the same time. Rachel Maltby, 18 years old, has been playing for Aston Villa. Left back, left wing back. And I think, you know, there's not a lot of depth in the full-back position for England. And why not get some faces in? now just give them an idea what the setup is like but of course it does uh depend on under 19s because she's probably needed more there now um but yeah i just wrote a whole load of names down is he goodwin yeah nice any one of those to be fair i mean sassy riggs has got a got a work cut out for her i think um what i would flag and what i have for the last couple of podcasts i mean jess park 100 obviously being chosen i don't think there's any doubt that jess park's gonna be dropped um but at the same time that combination that she now has with ella toon i think is only going to bolster like that position and who she's going to choose for that midfield because like the the connectedness of them two at the moment i think is on form i'd love to see that international level i love it mark skinner has said he feels like jess park's presence has elevated ella to ella tunes like even better and she's like risen into it like yeah that'd be lovely to see in an england setup obviously she only played 45 minutes at the euros but now i feel like there's a really great opportunity for her to like make her mark and like cement that partnership as like something that's more solid for the Euros.

43:35And she just scored a brace at the weekend and she didn't even play the whole game. Look, these talented youngsters. It's silly. Exciting times. But hopefully we do see some new faces because this is what these friendlies should be used for, in my opinion. So don't go in if they don't win everything because realistically, this should be hopefully an experimental kind of time. The average age of the Lionesses squad is going to be like 20 at best. like Aggie Beaver Jones also like got to give a massive massive mention to her the way that she started this season obviously in Myra Ramirez's absence has kind of given her a bit of a a platform to kind of showcase what she can do and what she can do is absolute worldy goals like the consistency of her form is absolutely crazy like it's not just like a flukey little one-off goal here and there and kind of like finding her feet like she is absolutely banging in goals for fun and enjoying her football so much like you know that when she gets on the ball she's going to create chances she's going to create those opportunities and she's going to want to find the back of the net and I think that's the Chelsea way and it's something that we're not even seeing at Arsenal like even with the most experienced strikers that they have but at her age doing that it's pure gold absolutely pure gold she's lethal in the box but let us know like the natural way it comes to her in the box is quite fascinating 100 % but let us know if you're listening I want like an experimental line up I'd like to see some experimental starting 11s just for fun okay Like if you were to fit in some new players, like who would you sprinkle in there?

45:03Oh, nice. Okay. All right. Yeah. Give us at least four newbies. Yeah. Well, we will wait and see tomorrow morning what Sazie Viggs has up her sleeves. Thank you so much for listening to Upfront. I know you can't write those rhymes. You can find us on Instagram and x slash Twitter. I'm at morgy underscore 89. Rach is at girls on the ball and we are at Upfront underscore pod. You can also find us on YouTube at Upfront pod. See you next. Wait.

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