Wsl Talking Points: Miedema Proves Doubters Wrong And Chelsea Stumble Again

Liverpool guidelines patient to contradict Chelsea

When Alyssa Thompson fired successful a superb ninth-minute opener, Chelsea looked connected people for different regular win. However, Liverpool’s defence held patient and nan Reds levelled successful nan 33rd infinitesimal and held retired until half-time. The Chelsea manager, Sonia Bompastor, introduced further attacking options successful nan 2nd half, including Lauren James and Aggie Beever-Jones, but a coagulated protect show from Liverpool ensured Chelsea were incapable to find a victor arsenic nan hosts earned their 2nd constituent of nan season. Although nan consequence did mean Chelsea group a grounds of 34 successive unbeaten WSL games, intelligibly each is not good pinch nan defending champions. Last play they had 27 points aft 9 games and led nan way, this run they person 8 less and are 3 points down Manchester City. Réshma Rao

Beata Olsson scores Liverpool’s equaliser successful nan tie pinch Chelsea. Photograph: Nick Taylor/LiFC/Getty Images

Miedema’s value shines bright

With 79 minutes connected nan timepiece and Manchester City 3-0 up, Vivianne Miedema would person been forgiven for taking her ft disconnected nan gas. However, this is not nan Dutch player’s mindset and she produced a quintessential infinitesimal of quality. Winning possession pinch a perfectly timed sliding situation connected Julia Zigiotti Olme, she sewage to her feet to unleash a cutting done shot for Bunny Shaw. It was a move that summed up nan 29-year-old’s rich | vein of shape arsenic she pulled nan strings successful down nan Jamaican forward. When Miedema signed for City, galore wondered really she and Shaw could play successful nan aforesaid squad but some are showing precisely what they tin execute together erstwhile afloat fit. Miedema created nan astir chances (four) against Manchester United connected Saturday while having opportunities of her ain and was unlucky to person been denied a extremity by nan woodwork. Sophie Downey

Can Arsenal find a measurement retired of their slump?

There are concerns for Arsenal aft back-to-back draws successful nan WSL and relinquishing a 2-0 lead against Bayern Munich connected Wednesday for 2 defeats successful 3 games successful nan Champions League, but nan salient rumor successful a frustrating 0-0 tie pinch northbound London rivals Tottenham was that they conscionable did not look for illustration scoring. Despite their dominance, peculiarly successful nan 2nd half, they had nary noteworthy chances. Renée Slegers’s broadside had 13 shots and 4 connected target but nan Spurs goalkeeper Lize Kop remained mostly untested. Slegers remarked connected nan struggle afterwards. “We create momentum, truthful I’m happy pinch that and we person a batch of situations successful and astir their box, but we request to capitalise erstwhile we person momentum,” she said. “The finishes aren’t truthful easy from those moments we get successful nan box, truthful that’s decidedly thing we want to look at.” A squad creating chances but not converting has acold less problems than a squad that is failing to create large opportunities and Arsenal request a reversal of luck successful this area, sharpish, pinch Real Madrid up next. Suzanne Wrack

• Match report: Tottenham 0-0 Arsenal

Spurs’ Matilda Vinberg during nan goalless tie successful Sunday’s northbound London derby. Photograph: Matthew Childs/Action Images/Reuters

Foxes group unwanted grounds successful Brighton defeat

Leicester group an unwanted grounds during their travel to Brighton connected Sunday. Going into nan crippled astatine nan Amex Stadium, nan Foxes had gone 20 games connected nan roadworthy without a win, making love backmost to January past year. That full extended to 21 winless games aft a 4-1 nonaccomplishment to nan Seagulls – surpassing nan erstwhile grounds for nan longest play without a WSL triumph group by Yeovil Town betwixt April 2017 and February 2019. “We’re still learning, we’re still developing,” said nan Leicester manager, Rick Passmoor. “What you saw is existent bully advancement wrong nan first 25 minutes successful position of successful possession, unlocking nan defence, creating chances … It’s bully to spot really we play pinch our volition and intent and past it’s nan objective finishing to guarantee we tin measurement guardant because goals do alteration games, truthful it would’ve been a existent plus.” Emillia Hawkins

Tysiak shines arsenic West Ham yet ignite

Rehanne Skinner yet saw her broadside declare their first convention triumph of nan season, beating Everton 3-1 to extremity a nine-game hold and assistance West Ham retired of nan relegation playoff place. It came pinch nan power and ruthlessness they person lacked, built connected keeping attacks alive, winning 2nd balls and unsettling an Everton broadside stretched by injuries. Amber Tysiak group nan tone, her superb sliding situation to contradict Ornella Vignola successful nan 18th infinitesimal underpinned a commanding show later capped by a towering header from Viviane Asseyi’s corner. Shekiera Martinez continued her prolific goalscoring shape this year, pinch Skinner saying: “When she’s only focusing connected scoring goals, she’s excellent. She causes goalkeepers and defenders a batch of problems.” Everton, without Kelly Gago, ne'er settled. For West Ham, astatine last, lift-off. Mitul Samji

Lionesses oculus Champions League places

London City Lionesses piled nan unit connected nan WSL apical 5 pinch a comfortable 3-1 triumph complete Aston Villa. The promoted broadside endured a difficult commencement to life successful nan apical section but person gradually been picking up immoderate bully results successful caller weeks. Their latest triumph – courtesy of goals from Saki Kumagai and Isobel Goodwin – saw them move wrong 1 constituent of Arsenal and Tottenham aft nan 2 northbound London sides held each different to a goalless draw. With Manchester United and Chelsea besides failing to triumph their respective games, London City now find themselves closing successful connected nan league’s apical dogs. Kumagai said: “I americium truthful happy and a immense 3 points for us. It was possibly not nan cleanable crippled for america but [with] our mentality we could ore to nan extremity of nan game. We expect much and much and we want to compete for nan Champions League.” EH