WSL talking points: Man City and Arsenal need more in title race after sub-par displays | Football news

Man City must avoid another WSL title mistake

Manchester City secured their first win of the 2024/25 season, but they will have to pay for their missed chances on another day.

Gareth Taylor’s side fired a total of 23 attempts at the Brighton and Hove Albion goal, eight of which were on target.

That may sound like an attack, but the reality of the situation is that City were tame in front of goal.

Lauren Hemp, Aoba Fujino, Vivianne Miedema and goalscorer Khadija Shaw, who was uncharacteristically wasteful in the penalty area, all had good chances to increase the score but failed to provoke Brighton goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley into any meaningful action.

Without a moment of instinctive finishing from Shaw, City would likely have been limited to just one point again.

Having an edge in the final third ultimately decided last season’s WSL title race, with Chelsea finishing first thanks to their superior goal difference. City must take their chances if they want to avoid the same heartbreak in the future.
Patrick Rowe

A win is a win, but more is needed from Arsenal

It was hard work for Arsenal at Leicester.

Jonas Eidevall’s team struggled to break down the well-organised hosts before Alessia Russo pounced on Catherine Bott’s error and produced a quality moment to tee up Norway international Frida Maanum for the winner ten minutes after half-time.

The Gunners were lucky to come away with all three points against the Foxes. The visitors were indebted to their debuting Dutch goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar, who produced a good save in the closing stages to deny Foxes captain Janice Cayman, as evidenced by their Champions League performance in midweek.

“We had to live up to our expectations today,” said boss Jonas Eidevall. “If you want to win the competition, you mainly do it with dominant performances. But sometimes you have to find other ways to win in a season.”

Arsenal certainly did that. The Gunners will know they have to improve if they want to win the WSL title from Chelsea this season, but winning can become a habit and crossing the line at Leicester will keep Arsenal moving forward.
Oliver Yew

Everton are showing signs of life after hammering Brighton

Man Utd came away with an unsurprising three points from Walton Hall Park on Sunday, but that in itself did not tell the full story of a resurgent Everton performance against Marc Skinner’s side.

The Toffees were masters of their own demise after gifting Grace Clinton an opener inside four minutes and looked ripe for another attack after a 4-0 defeat at Brighton on the opening weekend.

But instead they regrouped, kept their heads high and should have equalized shortly afterwards when Inma Gabarro was denied on the line from a corner.

They were forced off soon afterwards, which hampered their rhythm, but they maintained their form and concentration to frustrate the Man Utd side, who had gone nine over in their last two WSL meetings.

A 1-0 defeat that leaves them in second place in the division, without a point, is no one’s dream scenario, but it was a measure of the response from Everton, whose fate will not be decided by games like this – nor will they be decided by next Sunday’s matches. trip to Arsenal.

But if they can keep up this determination against the likes of West Ham, who visit the North West a week later, things will look brighter soon enough.
Ron Walker