Mikhail Chigorin wrote:Douglas Higginbottom wrote:bobby brows wrote:Well MCWFC saved my weekend. It took extra time but they added the Continental Cup to the trophy cabinet with a 1-0 win over Birmingham.
Lucy Bronze got the winner, not a great game but it's the trophy that matters. Champions League at home on Thursday night
I think the result is all that matters on this one. Definitely a hangover from winning the league last week against a Birmingham side determined to spoil the party and happy if the game went to penalties. Looked like it would too till the amazing Lucy Bronze looped that header in. Comfortable at the back where they all played well , mostly dominant in midfield but going into the final third we just weren't at it.
Too many times a panic ball was tried, our crossing was even worse than Navas and too many passes, including easyones, went astray because the movement was wrong or completely misread.
Thanks for that Mr H.
I've never seen the ladies' team play but they have conceded very few goals this season.
I don't know what their style of play is but do they keep it tight at the back and play on the break, or is it more expansive in the Pep way ?? Do we play with three, four or five at the back and do we play it long or use a short passing game, or a mixture of both as circumstances dictate ??
Apologies for so many questions, but can you tell us a little more, as getting a double at any level of football is a fine achievement.
We play a regular back 4 with 2 very attacking full backs. Demi Stokes on the left has a great engine to get up and down the wing and she is quick so rarely beaten by any winger. Lucy Bronze on the right has an even better engine and is such a powerful player with amazing bursts down the right which put real fear into any opposing team. My player of the year without doubt.
The 2 center backs are rocks. Steph Houghton , City and England captain, is very reliable but I would say even more so is her partner at the moment Jennie Beattie. Tall strong and powerful and actually pretty good with both feet. Behind them we have the England keeper Karen Bardsley who I would say is the best in the league.
So with that back 4 you have a great base to play from. The midfield 4 is more hard working than creative I would say. Keira Walsh at the base is only 19 but plays like a veteran. Reads the game so well and plays very simple albeit posyive passes to get the team moving forward. There is though great energy in the middle with Izzy Christiansen and Jill Scott who never give anything up and really keep the pressure on teams looking to win balls back.
The front 3 usually is Toni Duggan , Jane Ross and Nikita Parris. Although are pretty good and show loads of effort it's here we lack the extra quality needed. Duggan can score some great goals and at crucial times but lacks composure imo. Same goes for Parris who is the fastest we have and causes real problems with her running but crosses like Navas.
The football thay play is largely composed passing football and like Pep they like to have the lions share of the possession which they do most games but it's the final third where the quality isn't quite there. Hence it's usually narrow wins against the better teams but goals come easier against the lesser lights.
If Nick Cushing , the manager can sort out the final third part ( maybe another signing) we should stay at the top and who knows what we might be capable of in Europe