Womens super league

Here, the PA news agency picks five players to look out for in the WSL as the new campaign gets underway.

Alessia Russo (Arsenal)

First training session with The Arsenal.

Welcome, @alessiarusso7 pic.twitter.com/wuKmtbwSxl

— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) August 29, 2023

Arsenal tried and failed – with a rumoured world-record bid – to reach an agreement with Manchester United to sign England forward Russo during the January transfer window, but the Gunners finally landed their coveted target on a free transfer in July.

Russo hit 10 goals in the WSL last season as United finished runners-up to champions Chelsea and was boss Sarina Wiegman’s first-choice centre forward for the World Cup, where she netted three times for the runners-up.

With Beth Mead and Vivianne Miedema also set for imminent returns from their respective anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, head coach Jonas Eidevall will boast an intimidating wealth of options in attack.

Hinata Miyazawa (Manchester United)

Say hello to our newest Red: Hinata Miyazawa #MUWomen

— Manchester United Women (@ManUtdWomen) September 6, 2023

While Brazil international Geyse, a Champions League winner last season with Barcelona, will likely be seen as the most direct replacement for Russo, boss Marc Skinner will also be buoyed by the arrival of Japan international Miyazawa from WE League side MyNavi Sendai.

Versatile Miyazawa’s five goals in four games at the World Cup were good enough to secure her the tournament’s Golden Boot, and her breakthrough performance also landed the 23-year-old nominations for both the Ballon d’Or and FIFA Best Women’s Player of 2023.

With United playing more matches this season after securing a Champions League berth for the first time, Miyazawa adds pivotal depth to Skinner’s squad.

Mary Fowler (Manchester City)

While Fowler is not a new face at Manchester City, where she signed a four-year deal last June, the forward may find herself under a much brighter spotlight this season after helping Australia reach a first-ever semi-final in a Women’s World Cup.

Fowler was instrumental in ensuring the Matildas secured safe passage out of the group stage even without prolific striker and skipper Sam Kerr, who returned for the knockouts following a calf injury.

The 20-year-old netted in Australia’s 4-0 group stage victory over Canada, teed up Caitlin Foord with a brilliant through ball in her side’s last-16 victory over Denmark and scored a perfect penalty against France in a nervy quarter-final shootout – the longest in Women’s World Cup history – to solidify her status as one to watch.

Catarina Macario (Chelsea)

A smile to make you smile! pic.twitter.com/6f6tWEiKJO

— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) August 8, 2023

Macario became one of the many victims of the ACL injury crisis plaguing women’s football whilst playing for Lyon in June 2022 and has yet to return to action – but that did not stop WSL title-holders Chelsea from signing the 23-year-old to a three-year deal in July.

Though still in the early stages of her career, the American forward, who joins the Blues after two seasons with Lyon, has already accomplished something her decorated new boss Emma Hayes has not: winning a Champions League trophy.

Macario, who can play as a central striker or an attacking midfielder, scored 23 goals in 33 games for Lyon in 2021/22 and could prove a key component of Hayes’ European plans once deemed fit to return.

Daphne van Domselaar (Aston Villa)

Aston Villa boss Carla Ward was in search of a new goalkeeper after former first choice Hannah Hampton, whose contract had expired, also joined Hayes’ ranks over the summer.

Villa, who finished fifth last season, have signalled their intent to take on the league’s top sides with a busy transfer window and were delighted after beating big European challengers to secure the services of Netherlands goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar from FC Twente for the next three years.

The three-time Eredivisie Vrouwen winner, who joins Villa from FC Twente, was also the Netherlands’ first-choice shot-stopper at the World Cup.

JAMES Roby has two certainties in his mind – this is definitely it and it will not be 550 and out.

St Helens’ legendary hooker is bringing the curtain down on a 20-season career that has brought him six Super League titles, four Challenge Cup and two World Club challenges.

To fans, he is Cristiano Ronaldo combined with Lionel Messi – with the longevity of James Milner and Ryan Giggs.

His spell at the top would make him a legend in any sport and there are calls for him to follow predecessor Kieron Cunningham by having a statue outside Saints’ stadium.

Not bad for a man not recognised as a player ahead of his debut.

“I had trouble getting on the car park,” Roby said of his debut on March 19, 2004 at Saints’ old Knowsley Road ground.

“To be fair, I’d only trained with the first team twice, I was just an academy player who was so excited to get one the field and even be in the changing rooms with the idols I went to watch on the terraces.

“I had trouble for a number of weeks. I had a really rubbish old Mini – I loved it but no-one else did – so they were probably looking at me thinking, ‘This guy’s calling our bluff here.’”

Saturday’s play-off eliminator with Warrington – a club record-extending 550 ^th appearance – will be his final home match. Lose and Saints’ four-year reign as champions is over with Roby’s career done.

Rugby league has changed on the field since Roby made his debut. So has how he approaches life – gone are the regular trips to the chip shop.

And seeing players play other sports for longer – Ronaldo is 38, Messi 36, Milner also 37 – will become a more regular occurrence.

“Across sport, you’ve got the general evolution of sports science. There have also been developments around care, the mental side and head injuries,” Roby added.

“So there’s a lot more help to aid a player in terms of their longevity. I’m proud I’ve done 20 seasons in such a gruelling sport as rugby league – anyone who does more than 10 has done well.

“I’ve been very lucky and numerous sports people are doing it when they’re older than me or a similar age. It’s the way things are going.

“I was a naturally sporty lad, so I took it for granted I could eat what I wanted and I probably did get away with it for a long period.

“I wouldn’t think twice about, ‘I can’t be bothered cooking, so I’ll just go to the chippy or pick something up,’ but the older I’ve got, the better I’ve got.”

Roby has delayed retirement once already – now thoughts of what to do next are in his mind, both in and out of rugby league.

And being recognised in his hometown, much like Cunningham, would appeal as he told SunSport: “I’d be very humbled and honoured.

“Keiron is an absolute legend. He paved the way and I sat patiently behind him for a number of years.

“He was the man and rightly so, he is statue is outside the stadium. If I’m considered in the bracket, it would be very nice for future generations of my family.

“I’m looking down a few avenues at the minute about what I do next.

“Part of me holds rugby league in high regard and it’s where my knowledge and experience is but there’s an equal part of me who’d like a fresh change. Something will be sorted before Christmas.

“I know I said I’d finish last year but this year has been a bit different. 100 per cent, I know this is my last season – I’m ready and content. It’s time to call it a day.

“And I’m not going around again, no chance.”

Jodie Taylor, one of the pivotal England players in the modern success story of the women’s national team, the Lionesses, has today announced her retirement after a 21-year senior career in which she played at 17 clubs in six countries.

The 37-year-old has ended her playing career after finishing the previous season on a short-term contract at Arsenal, the only one of her teams which she played for twice. She told me that “I pretty much knew that was going to be my last games and the end of my career. I had a strong sense and a gut feeling that’s how it was going to be. Arsenal is a club that I love so much. To have the opportunity to go back to the club, it just felt like the right place to end my playing days at.”

“I contemplated a little bit, continuing to play. The reality was it wouldn’t have been at Arsenal. It would have required moving again and other considerations which I just didn’t really want to do. Before I even got on a plane to London, I knew that this would most likely be my last few games.”

“It was kind of nice going into that. Most players don’t have the privilege to end playing on their own terms. A lot of things in football are out of your control a little bit, getting contracts renewed and getting selected for teams. Knowing that it was my choice, gives me peace, walking away from the game.”

So where next for Taylor, who made her debut for her local club Tranmere Rovers at the age of 15 and went on to play for clubs on three different continents. “I want to do it all! I just had some experience covering the World Cup with BeIN Sports. I shied away from the media and the pundity a little bit through by playing career – but I really enjoyed it. I definitely see value in being able to stay at that level and be able to critique the game. So I could definitely see myself doing a little media stuff if the opportunity arises.”

“Equally I want to want to be in football too, it’s my passion, my love. I finished my ‘A’ license, I’ve gone through all my coaching licenses while I was playing. I am also doing a Masters in Sports Directorship too. I am just trying to leave it as open as possible. Hopefully, I’ll get some opportunities to remain in the game.”

After completimg a four-year scholarship at Oregon State University, Taylor remained in the United States to play professionally despite being told by the England selectors that playing abroad would hinder her chances of playing for the national team. She returned to play for Birmingham City Ladies upon the launch of the Women’s Super League in 2011, winning the FA Women’s Cup in 2012, but she was continually overlooked by team manager Hope Powell. It took a change in coach for Taylor to be finally given her senior international debut in 2015, aged 28.

Taylor made up for lost time by becoming a talismanic forward for the England women’s team, scoring goals at three major tournaments, and crucially scoring two critical quarter-final goals in the 2015 Women’s World Cup and UEFA Women’s Euro 2017, the first of which, against Canada in Vancouver, helped the Lionesses reach a first World Cup semi-final, eventually finishing third at the tournament.

She told me, “I do think that Bronze Medal is the highlight of my career. I think that was such a pivotal moment. I was new to the squad. It was kind of like a mental block for the team to never make it past the quarter-final stage and that was a huge game, you’re playing the hosts in front of 50,000 Canadian fans. We were kind of the underdogs, we weren’t expected to win.”

“I actually tore my meniscus six weeks out. I had to get surgery six weeks out from the tournament. Fortunately, the coach stuck with me. That was my first start in the tournament (in the quarter-final), which I wasn’t expecting either. It was kind of like this whirlwind of events leading into it.”

“I think more of what it meant for the team to be able to break past that quarter-final match. Mentally it just took the team to another level, moving forward. It was a huge game, and a huge tournament for women’s football and it was great to be a part of it.”

Having played 90 minutes in the quarter-final, Taylor was subsequently substituted after an hour of the semi-final against Japan, with the score tied at 1-1. She admits to me she might not have played in the final had England made it. “No, I wasn’t fit! It was made very clear by the medical staff to only play 60 minutes maximum. It was kind of day-to-day whether my knee would swell up. That’s why I came off in that game. It would have given me a chance of playing in the final.”

Two years later, Taylor was first-choice striker as England reached another semi-final. She finished as the tournament’s top scorer, the first English player to achieve the feat in the 21st century and the first-ever woman. “Every forward would tell you, they want to win a Golden Boot at a tournament. Going into that tournment, I always focused on processes, it wasn’t about these lofty goals, it was about finishing every chance that you get, being clinical in front of goal, doing the right things.”

“Me especially, as a forward I rely on team-mates. I’m not the type of player who’s going to pick up the ball on the halfway line, take on six players and score a rocket, it’s not my game. I’m very much relying on the quality of good service. Fortunately in that tournament, I had great service, that’s why I’ll always say that Golden Boot came from the team, not from me.”

By the next Euro, Taylor had been supplanted in the England side by Ellen White , who would go on to become the Lionesses’ all-time top goalscorer. Arsenal’s Beth Mead matched Taylor by also scoring five goals and succeeding her in winning the tournament’s Golden Boot award. Taylor admits to me that watching her nation win the European Championship on home soil while playing in the United States was a bittersweet experience.

“Yeah, a little bit, it was a bit weird. That was my first tournament not being there. The reality in football, it’s such a conveyor belt, especially with the national team. I was in mid-season (in the NWSL), I watched as many games as I could, with the time difference and when we didn’t have training. I’m friends with Beth, we were room-mates at the 2019 World Cup so it was great to see her progression breaking into the Lionesses as I was on my way out. It was great to see honestly, I’m really happy for them.”

Watching the game and adulation bestowed on her successors in the national team, does the retiring Taylor wish she was starting not ending her career now? “Of course. I’d rather have the attention and money that the game has now. You hope that the players now will look back when they’re sitting here in my shoes in fifteen years that they’ll say the same things.”

“At the same time, I had some unique experiences because of where the game was at. When I first started playing and got serious about football, it was still never a profession, you still had to work or study and I’ve always had that mindset. I’ve had some crazy, crazy experiences because of that and I’ve got to travel the world. I’m proud of what I’ve achieved considering of where the game was at. We only trained once or twice a week during those pivotal years. I’m excited to see it grow and to be a part of that, albeit not on the pitch.”

FOOTBALL fans across the world are thrilled to see the WSL finally return – and Arsenal host Liverpool on a frantic first day.

The Gunners will be determined to put a stop to Chelsea ‘s incredible run after seeing the Blues lift the title for a third consecutive year last season.

It also meant that it has been four years since the most decorated women’s team in English secured league success.

However, Arsenal put a slight blip in Chelsea’s 2022/23 season by coming from behind to win the FA WSL Cup.

And they’ll be hoping for the same result against a Liverpool side who they have beaten 13 times in a row.

When is Arsenal vs Liverpool?

• Arsenal’s opening WSL encounter against Liverpool will take place on Sunday, October 1.
• It is scheduled to get underway at 2pm BST.
• Emirates Stadium is the allocated arena for this huge match and it can host approximately 60,000 roaring fans.
• Goals from Stina Blackstenius and Caitlin Foord saw the Gunners beat Liverpool 2-0 when the sides last met in March.

What TV channel is it on and can it be live streamed?

• Arsenal vs Liverpool will be broadcast LIVE on The FA Player.
• Fans can stream the action via The FA Player app or the official website.
• Alternatively, follow SunSport’s live blog for the entire game including pre-match and post-match reaction.

Can I watch it for FREE?

Yes!

The FA Player is a free service.

What is the team news?

Jonas Eidevall will be forced to start the season without Laura Wienroither, Leah Williamson and Henry Timi Davies who are all nursing ACL injuries.

Lotte Wubben-Moy (muscular) and Mika Biereth (knee) are also expected to miss the opener against Liverpool.

And the Gunners boss has recently been hit with more bad news that Teyah Goldie is out for the entire season with an ACL issue.

However, Dutch superstar Vivianne Miedema is in line for her first start since December 15, 2022.

Meanwhile, Liverpool manager Matt Beard has revealed that captain Niamh Farley (calf) and Mia Enderby (shoulder) will both undergo scans ahead of this epic match.

The Reds gaffer also confirmed that they are awaiting fitness updates for forwards Leanne Kierman, Shanice van de Sanden and Melissa Lawley.