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Beyond the Pitch Episode 79 : WSL last weekend, Women and Girls Forum and Seria A recap
4 Plays5 days ago
Join Nat and Cate as they dive into the WSL weekend which saw Chelsea powerhouse taking a halt, the Middlesex FA Women and Girls Forum and a recap of the SERIE A which also will take a break until January.
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Transcript
Podcast Introduction
00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello, hello and welcome to Beyond the Patch, daily women football podcast brought to you by the Global Sports Podcast Network.
Host Banter: The 'Pagina' Nickname
00:00:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Today you have the original Italians in the house, because as we all know, Paige pretends to be one of us, but Unsuccessfully so far. We love you though. Anyway, that's me, Kate, and Natty's with me.
00:00:36
Nat
Hello, hi guys.
00:00:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, have you not heard about me and Paige declaring we are both Italian and her new name is Pagina?
00:00:44
Nat
I must have missed that man.
00:00:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, you have to listen every time I, every time I, I podcast with her, that's, ah that's what she likes, you know, the Italians.
00:00:54
Nat
Interesting.
00:00:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Anyway, yeah, yeah, yeah. Because she's got, she's got her nonna, her grandma is Italian.
00:00:56
Nat
interesting
00:00:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
So that's fine. She can, she can claim ah the fame is fine. OK, so
00:01:04
Nat
Okay.
Episode Overview
00:01:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
our three topics for today are the WSL results of the weekend that just passed by the last weekend of the year as well for the WSL.
00:01:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we're going to see everybody back in January. The Middlesex Women and Girls Football Forum that happened at the beginning of December and seems it was really interesting.
00:01:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then we're moving into Italy, actually, for the last game for 2024. Well, we're going to have a quick chat about both Serie A and Serie B. Very exciting game happened at the weekend. ah Very interesting result and a very good way to, let's say, close the first half of the season. Anyway, from my point of view. ah But let's start from the first topic. So our WSL Very, very interesting weekend. So a weekend where we didn't see as many goals as we do sometimes. If we consider the fact that on Wednesday, both the champion league's game, but also the women's cup league games had so many goals, they were a bit stingy this weekend. But,
Chelsea's Tactical Struggles
00:02:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
but this is the first game that Chelsea is not winning.
00:02:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
of the season. So that's quite a big thing and it's quite a big thing for um for for for for for the but for for the whole WSL anyway. ah Very interesting. I didn't see the game but Catherine, our co-host, was mentioning in our group chat that she watched it all And basically Lester got a very, very, very strong gridlock at the back. And maybe they found a little secret of how not beating Chelsea, yeah, but how not to let them play around and score the amount of goals that have been scored before. What do you think?
00:03:04
Nat
Well, I saw the second half of the game because it wasn't around before. I think Chelsea, to me, look a little bit tired, ah even though they have always this strong bench. They look tired. Impressive the goal. I really like the first goal of Leicester. I saw the highlight of that.
00:03:26
Nat
um So very very nice to see Lester going ahead. um And yeah, they played a little bit of, they played a lot of defense, but I have to say I didn't see the usual aggressive Chelsea that lately with Bompa Stor we have seen. um And I wonder that if it's ah there is a little bit of tiredness due to the Champions League and everything. So at the end of you know end of ah the first half of the season. So I don't know. They look a little bit tired to me. um
Tottenham vs Brighton Highlights
00:04:01
Nat
But I think the other interesting game that happened Friday was definitely Tottenham, Brighton against Tottenham. And I really liked the fact that I saw ah and Bethany England um coming back ah very strongly. So I really liked that. But you did you see the game?
00:04:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, I am fortunately, I was very, very, very ill. um I've been very ill for the past three or four days and I just crashed in bed. So I was following here and there between my k naps and not the chatters.
00:04:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
I am part of the proud Lilly Whites. So they were obviously chatting about the game, et cetera. Apparently it was a fantastic atmosphere as well.
00:04:52
Nat
Oh. Oh, nice.
00:04:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
which was really nice. I know there was quite a lot of us that traveled down to to watch the game, which was, again, it was also really, really nice. ah But, yeah, no, i didn't I didn't have the opportunity.
00:05:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
I actually, unfortunately, I didn't have the opportunity to watch any of the game this weekend, which is a shame.
00:05:12
Nat
Oh, no,
00:05:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
I know. It's a shame because then, you know, the first day get differs the game back is ah on the 11th of January, if I'm not wrong, right? 17 sorry 17 my bed
00:05:23
Nat
no it was a shame. It was.
00:05:28
Nat
It was a shame because I know they had to stop the game at a certain point because somebody on and the stand wasn't feeling very well. um So the game was actually suspended for 15 minutes and then after the goals, so at the very almost at the very end of it. But I don't know about this person, I wish them luck. But I know that that it was a good game, as you said. I think Today, there is, again, the thing that, like, today was struck me the most is like, first of of all, Everton ah going ahead and winning against Manchester
Everton's Surprise Victory
00:06:05
Nat
City.
00:06:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely.
00:06:06
Nat
and
00:06:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
That was like, what?
00:06:08
Nat
that was a little bit of a shock.
00:06:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:06:11
Nat
and They were too, they were too new, so they were completely ahead. I think Manchester City is suffering definitely about Bethany, about, sorry, Banisho and Grimbouda absences, but also Aston Villa seems to come from death ah in the sense that since they fought, they for their manager. They are scoring and playing football. So that is another interesting one of the results of the day, I believe.
00:06:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Which one, sorry?
00:06:47
Nat
Aston Villa against the West Ham.
00:06:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, but also Arsenal, Liverpool.
00:06:54
Nat
Yeah, but that, Arsenal, again, Arsenal, we know since ah they left, since that they fired the manager, that they are kind of coming back. And even here in this case, because Aston Villa manager i had to leave, I think a couple of weeks ago, they've been winning and they seem the atmosphere is much better. So um that tells a lot how a manager can make a difference in some respect.
00:07:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, absolutely. But I think it's ah actually this. this I mean, since René took over, ah definitely we've seen a completely different Arsenal. That's very true. but I think Liverpool has been doing so well in the past few games. So this is going to be a loss that will really hurt them. But it's very, very good. A very, very good three points a away for Arsenal. Very important considering that you know Chelsea and City have been stopped for the weekend.
00:07:54
Nat
Indeed, indeed.
00:07:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
So in fact in fact,
Arsenal and Liverpool Performance
00:07:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Arsenal jumps up at third place, ah just one point behind the city. And I mean, Chelsea is still obviously up there, six points clear. But it's also interesting um you know to see how, but how do you say? it It kind of starts to feel a bit more like the Premier League happens sometimes. So the top four feels like they're kind of like starting to you know, make that step kind of like flying away a little bit and then you've got the other ones that are starting to stay a little bit at the back.
00:08:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
i'm Crystal Palace lost again and you know i you know I have a really soft spot. This is the third consecutive loss for them. um And it's, I don't know, it's it's a bit sad because I you know i really, really liked them as ah as a team and I was very happy to see them coming up in the WSL. I think it's nice to have them there. um But to me,
00:08:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, yes, Everton also, it was very much like, I don't think anyone was expecting that. Maybe a draw, maybe potentially, but definitely not a loss for Manchester City. But really for me, the most shocking result is Leicester City in the relegation area, in the relegation zone, let's say, you know, with four games loss before this one.
00:09:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then just putting a stop at Chelsea. And you're absolutely right in what you said about Chelsea before. Catherine mentioned exactly the same. She was just saying, you know, Leicester had an incredible
Chelsea's Fatigue Issues
00:09:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
defenses defensive And then Chelsea looked extremely tired. It's such a shame because they scored six goals on Wednesday in the Champions League. And then they failed to, you know, to to be able to kind of like do it in here. but Hopefully after the winter break, they will come back and, um you know, rested, ready for the new season. And we will see a really great second half of the season and really strong battle.
00:10:04
Nat
I think so. um I have to say that I think the the traveling also that I've been doing is not just a matter of performance in my opinion but also the traveling that you know the Champions League can title you two and there is no match in between in the sense that you play out on a 90 minutes a very competitive game then you had to travel there, you had to travel back, and then you're back to prepare for ah for another game, which is on a Saturday, so I think it was tight. but i see i think And also, we have we don't have to forget that even though we are going to get in the new year, maybe some of the fundamental players will come back
00:10:46
Nat
and I'm referring mainly to some cats so maybe and Lauren James so maybe there will be some more fuel on their side but today I was listening to the post-match interview to Alessi Russo for the Arsenal ah game and what struck me the most was that she's she she feels she's in the she's very happy. She's very happy to play football. she um I thought she's, yeah, she understands that it's good that they have a break, but she feels like in the fantastic form to play, she's enjoyed playing. And it's sort of refreshing to hear that a top player that is so used and committed and plays all the time, ah highlight how much she feels good and happy now.
00:11:38
Nat
ah So I have the feeling that Arsenal might turn the page for real um with the new manager. who and well Well, okay, they won today, even though just for one. So it was a ti a tight game. um Yeah, so umm we'll see what happens.
00:11:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, and I want to upload ah United as well because um I did mention this last time in in my pod with Catherine. She is a United supporter. ah You know, after ah last week's declaration from the you know from one of the owners of saying about, well, at least what the press made this sound like, which was we don't really care about that. Our priorities are the men's team, et cetera. I just really love the fact that, you know, the girls, the women, the players, the athletes have gone out and say like, we don't care. We're just going to carry on winning.
00:12:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
which is gonna win which is gonna produce results and then you know a little bit like you know women did back in the days you won't be able to ignore us you can't put a bad on us you can't do days because we just showing you what we can do you can just ignore us forever.
00:12:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
and I just loved that so I've got so much respect of that instead of letting it kind of like affected and and and just not performing e etc it feels like it's been I don't know like a a small little personal revenge in a sort of way but anyway
00:13:04
Nat
Yeah, in a way, but also when the a transfer market is coming soon. um And that's what I feel like some of the players are looking for. So if they produce results, there's also a window for them for the next transfer market in January. And I have the feeling, always talking about Manchester is not the same team.
00:13:23
Nat
but CT I have clearly the feeling that Chloe Kelly is gonna go ah but that is probably for another part to discuss because Chloe Kelly was not the first sub today for Manchester City even though they were ah under the two goals ah from Everton so yeah so I think the results are there but yeah I'm not As I said, I'm not a fan with all respect with Catherine and all the Manchester United fans over there. I'm not a fan of Skinner and I'm not definitely a fan of ah what the owner of a lower minority of ah like he he's part of the ownership but he's not the majority of it doesn't own the majority of the club.
00:14:09
Nat
Every time he speaks about ah the club is not in a heart like the women's side of the club, he's not in a highway and also he missed all the important targets ah actually. the important games that the team has been played, like the champion, the cup ah last year. So yes, we'll see. I wish Manchester United the best, but I have to say probably some play. I wouldn't be surprised to see if during the transfer market in January, some of the key players would go.
00:14:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
then ah we will rejoin with that in January. And um so keep keep po listening.
00:15:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right. Yes. And second topic of the day is the Middlesex Women and Girls Football Forum. So this was something interesting when I
Middlesex Football Forum Discussion
00:15:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
thought it was really relevant when you told me you attended. I really like what it says on the description. So for context on anyone who's listening before, I'll ask you.
00:15:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
How was the live version and what did you think of it? ah This is the description. So it was an event that brought together key voices from across the counties, women, girls, game, ensuring that football landscape evolves to fully meet the needs of players, coaches and volunteering. So that's really good. How was it?
00:15:55
Nat
Well, Kat, it was really interesting, and no doubt on that. What is interesting is that there were um new faces of the um landscape ah of the Middlesex FA, like at my clubs that I have never seen before and I've heard of them ah prior but that day.
00:16:16
Nat
um Some clubs are new in the Middlesex FA, like I call, historically, and that's a ah preview, I come from the Middlesex FA because that's where I started volunteering in 2019. And since then, ah first with Arctunyans, then now with the QPR and also with Enfield Barrow, I'm involved ah with the Middlesex FA. So that's why ah ah it was interesting to be there.
00:16:46
Nat
um it was So there was had ah the there were clubs that are curious and want to make sure that when if they open to the girls and the women, they open in a good way. So they were there just to understand what what is the landscape now and what are the barriers and how can we make it work if we want to open to them. And there were other reality that wanted just to say, hey, it would be better if And we had four, so we were spread in different groups and we had working groups and we had four topics. um One was ah ah the pathway ah for um girls in football and if the landscape was clear, well what does it make it clear?
00:17:36
Nat
accessibility and one of the things that came all the time were facilities um and especially toilet. The status of toilet of the facilities is really bad for grassroots mainly um and thatbo and that will put ah that is off several girls and women to access to the club. Pitches availability.
00:18:03
Nat
It seems that ah there is a problem, not just in term of availability per se, but costs. Now that there are several um private owners, they they tend to um charge quite a lot of money, which is unachievable. And also the time slot sometimes is not possible for ah some of the women ah and young girls to access. And accessibility also in term of Where are those pitches? like is ah Most of them are very ah hard to ah get to with public transport or there is a hot dark hallway.
00:18:45
Nat
and so like prevent girls and young women to access to them or to travel to them. So all those things have been highlighted. And funny enough, as a result of all this discussion, which I think it was a very prompt, a quick reaction on my personal opinion.
00:19:02
Nat
The Middlesex FA has already um a strategy for women's and girls at football for 2025 to 2028. I think they just launched a survey that um for everyone involved ah both as coaches, players ah or even parents about facilities in the Middlesex FA because they want to invest and really make it accessible for women because that is some some of the strong highlights of the working ah tables at the conference, at the forum, sorry.
00:19:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, it's very interesting what you say and it's, um but how how how do I say this in English in a proper way? There is something in Italian that makes more sense, but and we've heard this before many times, right? So every time there is a grassroots women and girls forum,
00:20:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
the especially of the ones that I heard around in, within and around London. These are some of the problems. so Availability of the pitch, decency of the pitch, ah they you know like standard of toilet and changing rooms, and number and availability of them also. Public transport, so where are them? Who is able to get to those areas?
00:20:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know, can you only drive in there? can and And what are the times, et cetera? So it's like, you know, if someone has both parents that work until quite late is a bit impossible. And also exactly what you were saying. So where are they located? So like, is the road well lit to get there? So if I'm walking on my own as a woman to come and play football, especially now that it's really, you know, dark at night, et cetera, do I feel safe enough when I leave?
00:21:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
or when i arrive for that matter for my route to go to the bar so or to the other public transport so i appreciate very much the fact that um the local fas uh keep on putting on these events and and they talk a lot about her And I really hope that the more we're moving forward, the more there will be something done and not just a lot of forums. I'm not saying it won't happen. but you know I hope that's not the kind of tone that comes through. i'm just I just love the fact that you know we keep on talking and talking about it and it's great.
00:21:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
because then more and more people are aware and and we still raise our voice, et cetera. But I really hope that we also start to see more and more actions about it. So they go alongside this type of forum. So we keep the forums and we keep on bringing these issues and and and talk about it and try to solve them, et cetera, but also start to implement things.
00:22:02
Nat
There is another thing that is very important. They want really to improve the level of competition that is dedicated for women and girls because of course there is participation and and there are levels of, you know, like if you want just to recreate football, why not? But what if you want really to build up a solid pathway and become more competitive? They were questioned about some leagues and how serious they were, how respectful they were of the game, and they think of it all.
00:22:33
Nat
in Personally, for the get for the leagues that I've been involved with, some leagues are quite serious and independently of the level, there are certain standards that have been granted by everyone involved and the league, I thought, involves like the head of the league, so the the the composition of the league and the head, like facilities and everything is part of the league per se.
00:22:57
Nat
They are quite strict in terms of behavior and the requests. There are some leagues that are like, yeah, whatever, especially for under 11. So and I'm not going to mention the league because I want to be professional. But just to say, it happened to me to play on square pitches where the width was ah the 11-a-side and the deep was a three-quarters of a pitch of 11-a-side.
00:23:25
Nat
um And I don't think that helps anyone involved in the game because that's not what it or I've been asked to play in seven so seven um seven aside pitch But in a 9v9 Context and I don't think those are the things that football Wants and those are not the things that develop players in a good way. So I'm glad that the committed sex affair, but I assume every county affair is looking into what is what are the leagues doing? What are the leagues that around this territory are doing to really develop footballers and football in a good way? And um um and that came up. And I didn't know, but do you know that there is actually an investigation officer within the county league of that you can actually report those stuff? I did i i didn't personally know it.
00:24:23
Nat
But it was good to hear that you can report those kinds of stuff as bad behavior in general, um because that was another question about safeguarding and bad behavior and the how to ensure good behavior from the public and the people involved in the game.
00:24:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Fantastic, very good too very good to hear and very good to know.
00:24:44
Nat
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Nat
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Nat
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00:25:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
years in Castor last but not least in the last we only have five or six minutes left so we'll just give a quick overview but then maybe I can
Juventus and Serie A Update
00:25:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
talk a bit more if if I'm doing another one this week or even next week anyway because now everybody's on a break so we'll have more time to go in depth into that but final day of football for Italy as well for the women uh Syria and Syria be both and a really great last day so what a way to finish the league well let's say the the first part of the season where the two top teams so Fiorentina and Juventus went head-to-head straight ah it was really great I mean to to finish in that type of way and Juventus came out as a winner
00:26:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
important massive win for Juventus that goes straight up at the top of the table, maintains the top of the table, but now on its own and really great victory because they went to Fiorentina home and won a away. So that's a very, very, very important one. And another one that I wanted to mention that I know you will speak about your favorite team anyway, but another one I wanted to mention is Como winning the way in ah in general well not with general with Sam Doria but still the the city is that and another a great important victory because again they won they took three points at home away and what a great great time Como is having you know since Mercury 13 took over
00:26:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Just a whole different team, really pushing the narrative, creating results, playing great football as well, beautiful football to watch. So yeah, very, very, very good.
00:27:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Your turn.
00:27:11
Nat
But my turn, my turn, my soft spot for Roma. So Roma got completely battered during the week in the
Roma's Resilience
00:27:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes.
00:27:21
Nat
Champions League.
00:27:22
Nat
And I don't want to talk about that because I saw them suffering. But I would say it was a given. They tried. This just got battered completely.
00:27:35
Nat
And yesterday, when I saw Napoli winning 1-0, I was like, oh my God, they got into this tunnel of depression. And I'm like, no chance. Also because Napoli has not been very strong this season. So I was really like, no, my days.
00:27:51
Nat
They are liing looking at their feet now and crying, right? But they came back and they came back to ah to one, um which was great. I think they needed it, especially after being out from champions the champions. Not the greatest form of Roma, I would say. But my sources, and let's put it that, they at the start of the season, they told me that it was the Juventus year.
00:28:18
Nat
Now, you know what I think about Juventus. I respect Juventus, not my favorite team at all. But ah it seems that my sources were right and understand football more than my passion of Roma.
00:28:31
Nat
So well done Juventus for today. It wasn't an easy game, but they they they got it home like they walk on it.
00:28:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:28:38
Nat
So well done to them.
00:28:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. But also, I mean, it's not just like a one nil victory where you're like, well, you know, the game was like super mega balance and they just got away with one goal.
00:28:44
Nat
No, exactly.
00:28:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
This is a three nil. This is a big statement.
00:28:52
Nat
But Fiorentina has been a little bit up and down this year. I don't know. Either they win, a solid win, or they lose completely and badly. So I don't know. I'm i'm a little bit puzzled about Fiorentina.
00:29:03
Nat
I'm even surprised that Fiorentina is where it is in the table, to be honest. But...
00:29:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, but they are. And sometimes, time no, I'm just saying, I'm just saying, but they are.
00:29:11
Nat
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Honor to them.
00:29:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
And sometimes it's like that. Sometimes it's not the team that they are the most consistent. So they play the best football or something.
00:29:20
Nat
Yeah.
00:29:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Sometimes it's just all the factors just fall one into another. I mean, uh, what was the game that I've just, what, what was the game on?
00:29:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Was it Wednesday? I don't remember. Oh, I don't remember that I was chatting to someone and I was just saying, oh no, actually the Chelsea game, the Chelsea game with Leicester, I didn't look at the result before looking at the start.
00:29:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
I just opened the page and looked at the start. And you look at the start and you would never think that Chelsea didn't win. Like you you wouldn't. It's something like 73% of like bold possession and just like really high start.
00:30:01
Nat
Mm hmm.
00:30:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
So Fiorentina doesn't have great stats, but they've managed to deliver many victories, just randomly or lack or I don't know, just like ah one ah ah after the other. But that is very, very, very good. But I also agree with you. I am very happy to see ah Roma winning. I have a soft spot for Napoli as well. It's a place I spent a lot of times, etc. And it's still a place where I think women are seen you know as girly girl and in a little bit of functional to men so I'd love to see the women team succeed and definitely I want them to stay up in this area but I also felt the same I was like wow how's Roma going to recover from this because that wasn't just you know a loss that was a
00:30:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, they were battered and well done for them.
00:30:56
Nat
Yeah.
00:30:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well done to them to just really kind of, let's say, do you know what? Okay, that happened. Bam. Let's bring it on and let's go. ah But yeah, I mean, I wanted to have a chat about the CDB as well, but we really have no more time.
00:31:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
So maybe in the next episode. So thank you very much. That's all we have
Episode Conclusion and Teaser
00:31:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
time for today. Thank you again for joining ah myself and Nat. And we look forward to welcoming you to the next episode of be Beyond the Pitch.
00:31:24
Nat
Bye.