Wolves, Leicester's new Japanese duo and why Jane Ross could be Rangers' secret weapon - your women's football roundup
There may still be a few leagues yet to return from their winter breaks, but that does not mean that there has been a shortage of action in the women’s game over the last week, with plenty to admire in all four corners of the globe, both in league and cup.
As ever, this newsletter will provide you with everything that you need to know about the latest goings-on from on and off the field, with the usual selection of analysis points and reading and listening material for you to look through at your leisure to bring you right up to date.
3 key talking points….
Wolves demonstrate that they are ready to step up
There weren’t many upsets in the FA Cup fourth round at the weekend, with the majority of ties going the way that they should have done on paper and most of those left in the competition now either in the WSL or the Championship.
However, there was one tie where an upset was recorded, with National League South side Wolverhampton Wanderers getting the better of second tier Reading to seal their place in the next round, and it was not an undeserved victory.
What was particularly impressive about Wolves’ performance was the way that they went about securing it, with them having a clear identity on the field and every player seemingly knowing what they needed to do and where they needed to be at every stage of the game.
https://twitter.com/WolvesWomen/status/1747607452261228850
As a result, their play really flowed and looked exciting, with them using the width well and constructing plenty of one-touch passing sequences around the field, and forward Tammi George was one player who really stood out as the match went on due to her ability to cut inside in order to both create and take shots on goal.
"We know how key she is to the way we play, she is a big part of our style of football.
Credit to her for everything that she is doing to make herself better and improve.
You know what you're going to get out of her. She's a Wolves girl and loves the club.”
Wolves manager Dan McNamara, speaking in January 2022 about Tammi George, quoted in the Shropshire star.
There is no doubt that they were aided by a Reading side who looked disorganised and unsure of their own game plan at times, with the contrast between the two teams clear to see in almost every way, but nothing should be taken away from the third tier side as they thoroughly deserved to extend their stay in the competition (they will host Brighton and Hove Albion in the next round).
Wolves are unlikely to secure promotion to the Championship this season, with them currently sitting fifth in their division and 15 points behind runaway leaders Newcastle United (although they do have games in hand on every team above them).
However, the fact that they came close to going up last season and the calibre of this performance shows that they are a team who would be capable of troubling those in the division above them, and it could only be a matter of time before they do make the step up.
Leicester’s new Japanese duo show their quality
Last summer, Leicester City were undoubtedly one of the more ambitious sides in the WSL when it came to their transfer activity, with the likes of Jutta Rantala, Janice Cayman and Deanne Rose amongst their incomings, and their early results showed that they could be dark horses for a place in the top half of the table.
However, following that early promise, things have plateaued somewhat and they have picked up a few disappointing results here and there as teams have learnt how to contain them, with them now sitting eighth in the WSL as a result after just two wins in their opening 10 matches.
They are still clear of the drop zone and should have enough to avoid being sucked into that battle, but there is no doubt that they entered January in need of a boost ahead of the resumption of their league campaign.
The addition of Japanese duo Saori Takarada and Yuka Momiki from Swedish side Linköping may well have given them just that, with both starting the weekend’s FA Cup tie at third tier Derby County and providing a clear indication of what they could bring to the table, with Takarada playing in the midfield and helping to progress the ball up the pitch whilst Momiki sat just off the striker and provided a number of goalscoring opportunities.
https://twitter.com/CanchaSakura/status/1746578479070539936
If there were any question marks over whether they would settle in as quickly as January signings need to, then this match will go some way to answering them, and it looks very much like manager Willie Kirk has worked his magic once again in the market as he looks to enhance his current options. Momiki was the one who perhaps stood out more due to the two assists that she picked up, but both players played well and will have given their fans plenty of hope for the remainder of the campaign.
Jane Ross could be Rangers’ secret weapon in the SWPL 1 title race
After the disappointment of last season, when they missed out on the SWPL 1 title and a place in this season’s Champions League, Rangers have this season been focused on growing under new head coach Jo Potter and decreasing the gap that emerged last time out between them and the summit.
To do that, Potter has freshened things up by handing opportunities to several younger talents, and many have taken their chances and have become reliable first team regulars. However, despite that, the player who arguably cannot be left out at this moment in time is actually at the other end of the age scale, with 34-year-old Jane Ross showing why she is still a key player for the club despite being nearer to the end of her career than the start of it.
For a in-depth look at how Jo Potter has reinvigorated Rangers this season, have a look at my article for Total Football Analysis here:
Having been injured for so much of the last season, there were some who perhaps wondered if Ross would be able to reclaim her place in the Rangers setup, but her performances in recent weeks have shown that she can still contribute to Potter’s project. Against Dundee United at the weekend, she was undoubtedly the one that they would have struggled to be so dominant without, with her scoring five times and providing two assists, and it was a thoroughly deserved tally after the quality of her overall performance.
https://twitter.com/RangersWFC/status/1746886467677258033
Rangers are in pole position for the top flight title as things stand and look almost unbeatable at this moment in time. All they need to do is to keep their heads down and to remain focused on their own matches, with Potter speaking after the game about the need for them to stay on track and to not allow uncontrollable factors to slip into their minds.
“You don't want to get too far ahead sometimes. It is difficult not too when you are sat in the position that we are in.
It is a really good learning curve for us to take some pressure, and to sit at the top of that table and be proud of where we are at. Know that the work that we have put in and the hard work that we have done day in day out has gone towards that.
It is very much deserved. We need to be proud of where we are at but we know that we are nowhere near done yet and we really want to kick on. We really want to keep improving and giving good performances week in week out.”
Rangers head coach Jo Potter, speaking to RangersTV earlier this month.
The experience that Ross brings will be vital to that focus being retained, and the fact that she can still play a part on the field as well as off it is yet another reason for Rangers fans to be positive as the end of the campaign draws ever nearer.
Read all about it….
A reflection on Gemma Graingers’ Wales reign - amongst the news breaking in the last week was the fact that Wales are at the beginning of another managerial search, with Gemma Grainger leaving in the week to take over the Norway national team. Her time with the Welsh squad has been mixed and there will be a range of opinions on her time in charge, with this article on the BBC Sport website detailing the highs and lows of her time at the helm.
Arsenal’s attacking fluidity - following a tough start to the campaign, Arsenal have really started to find their feet in recent weeks and months and now look like a force to be reckoned with. Central to their improvement has been their ability to find the right combinations in the final third, as Art de Roché details for The Athletic here.
An interview with Vlatko Andonovski - following the disappointment of the USWNT’s display at last year’s World Cup and Vlatko Andonovski’s subsequent departure as head coach, he decided to take some time away from the game as he looked to find out what he wanted to do next. However, when it became apparent that he would be in with a chance of landing the Kansas City Current job, he couldn’t turn it down and is now raring to go in his new position, as this wide-ranging interview with Steph Yang, again for The Athletic.
Lend me your ears….
2024 starting strong - as with a few leagues, there are some podcasts yet to get going again after taking a break over the festive period, and this week saw the first episode of 2024 of The Women’s Soccer Show released. Topics include the major transfer dealings, the return of the WSL, results from around the world and a look at some of the stories that emerged from last week’s NWSL Draft.
That’s all for now - back next week!!