PSG, Watford and why Jovana Damnjanović is so important for Bayern Munich - your women's football roundup
Just like that, the end of the year is upon us, with this being the final newsletter of 2023 before it joins the majority of women’s leagues in taking a short break over the Christmas and New Year period. However, that does not mean that the action on the field has been slowing down, with there still being plenty to discuss around the world.
As always, the newsletter will bring you everything you need to stay up to date with the very latest in the women’s game, with the usual selection of analysis points, external reading and listening material included to ensure that you can catch up with what you may have missed in whichever way you prefer to.
3 key talking points….
PSG needed a big week and got one
To those who have been keeping an eye on France this season, it will have become apparent that PSG have not been at their best and have struggled to really show a true reflection of their capabilities.
There have been a number of reasons for this, chief of which has been the squad changes that they have needed to make due to key players like Kadidiatou Diani moving on and other vital components of the team, such as star striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto, still coming back from long injury absences. As a result, they have not been able to settle on a shape and system so far, which has led to mixed performances and a general lack of rhythm in their play.
In the early weeks, they could get away with that due to there still being time for them to find their way and to turn things around, but the season is now at roughly the halfway stage and the time has come for them to really show what they can do as they try to stay in with a chance of lifting silverware at the end of the campaign.
In short, their matches against Roma and Paris FC last week felt like season-defining moments, and the fact that they defeated both ensured that they ended their wait for a Champions League group stage win and stayed within touching distance of Division 1 leaders Lyon, with them now 11 points behind their rivals (although with two games in hand).
“We gave ourselves objectives at the start of the season. It's a competition that we dream of playing. It will be a crucial match but it's up to us not to put too much pressure on ourselves. We have this opportunity and it's up to us to seize it.”
PSG captain Grace Geyoro, speaking to Le Parisien in a press conference before last week’s match against Roma.
Neither performance was especially pretty, with both consisting of dogged determination and pure grit with and without the ball, but that didn’t matter in many ways. Instead, what counted was that it was six points from six available, and it showed how PSG, despite their early issues, should not be ruled out of anything just yet.
Why Watford’s attack could be their saving grace
Watford have been a mixed bag in the Championship this season, with there being so many hopes when they won the National League play-off match (the final one) that they could stave off the threat of relegation and start to lay down some roots in the second tier, but they instead find themselves propping up the rest of the league and in prime position to slide back down to the third tier.
It has not all been bad though, with genuine positives in their play that they can be pleased about, most notably in the attacking side of things as they have been a force to be reckoned with whenever they are in possession. This was shown most prominently at the weekend, when they stormed to a 3-0 lead against London City Lionesses and seemed to catch their opponents out, and some of their offensive play at other stages of the season has been really promising as the likes of Carly Johns, Michelle Agyemang and Bianca Baptiste have all offered a genuine threat.
https://twitter.com/BarclaysWC/status/1737492030538821772
However, the defensive side of things has been frankly inept at times, with them conceding plenty of really poor goals through simple mistakes and not working as a unit as soon as they lose the ball, and that is why they are in the position that they are in. Again, their start against London City was really positive, but they ended up with a draw due to them giving the ball away far too cheaply, and it was undoubtedly too points dropped rather than one gained.
For a deeper look at Watford’s strengths and issues this season, have a look at my recent article for Total Football Analysis here:
For that reason, any hope of Watford staying up is likely to rely on their ability to outscore their opponents in each game, because keeping clean sheets and being tough to beat is clearly not something that they can do. It is a lot to ask of the forward players to do this, but they have the ability to manage those demands and it will simply be a case of picking up where they have left off in that regard when the league resumes in the new year.
Jovana Damnjanović could be Bayern Munich’s secret weapon
One of the countries in which the women’s top flight has been more closely contested so far is Germany, with there being just one point separating current Bundesliga leaders Wolfsburg and their closest competitors and regular rivals Bayern Munich.
However, with Wolfsburg blowing a little hot and cold in terms of performance levels this season, Bayern will know that there is still a chance of them overtaking Wolfsburg and successfully defending their title, and one player who could be critical to that happening is Jovana Damnjanović, with there being little doubt that the Serbia international is the unsung hero of their campaign so far.
https://twitter.com/DAZNFootball/status/1727753079196451021
What has been really impressive in her performances this season is that she has needed to change her role and to adapt to new responsibilities, with her more commonly a striker but used by Bayern this season as an attacking midfielder, lining up behind Lea Schüller and working with her to create chances inside the final third. She has also taken a direct role in her team’s ability to shift the ball around the field and to be a threat in transition whenever they are looking to move up the pitch, and it is those things that have often gone unnoticed.
“When people are believing in you and you believe in your team, I think everything is possible.”
Jovana Damnjanović , speaking to GOAL’s Ameé Ruszkai in March 2022.
Even when Bayern have off days, which they did at the weekend when they travelled to promoted Nürnberg, Damnjanović has continued to stand out and to show the qualities that she can offer on the field, and she will definitely be one to watch in the second half of the campaign as Bayern try to both defend their Bundesliga title and to go deep into the Champions League.
Read all about it….
Aitana Bonmatí by those who know her - there is little doubting who the star of the European women’s game is at the moment, but not much is known about Aitana Bonmatí’s backstory and upbringing and how she got to where she is today. In this article by Spanish journalist and her former teammate Maria Garrido for BBC Sport, she provides a fascinating insight into one of the biggest names in the game at this moment in time.
Michelle Kang buys London City Lionesses - something that may have escaped notice this week is that Championship side London City Lionesses have been taken over by American businesswoman Michelle Kang, who already owns Washington Spirit and has a majority share in Lyon. This article by Sarah Shephard for The Athletic details what her arrival at Princes Park could mean for the team moving forward.
The Dutch company helping players to improve their games - something different for you to read this week is this piece by Rich Laverty on his own Substack page, Women’s Football Chronicles, which details how Tactalyse is using tactical analysis in one-to-one sessions with men’s and women’s players to help them improve their games. It is a really good read and an excellent insight into something that not many realise is going on.
Lend me your ears….
Behind the scenes at Spurs: the story behind their transformation - something completely different for this week’s podcast, with The Athletic’s Full Time Europe podcast going for an all-access visit to Tottenham Hotspur’s women’s setup and experiencing everything that makes them what they are today, showing why they have turned a page after last season’s issues and how they are trying to bring the women’s, men’s and academy teams together more in the present and the future. A really interesting listen.
That’s all for now - back next year!!