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Daily Women's Football Beyond the Pitch Episode 125: Sonny B's Chelsea, WSL and WCL action
5 Plays1 day ago
Join Catherine and Paige for a discussion about Sonny B's Chelsea winning against City, and other WSL games - a bad day at the office for Villa and Liverpool, and jubilation for Man United and Arsenal. We finish off by predicting the Lionesses lineup.
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Transcript
Introduction and New Co-host
00:00:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome to Beyond the Pitch, a daily women's football podcast brought to you by the Global Sports Podcast Network.
Casual Chat and Upcoming Announcements
00:00:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Today it's brought to you by me, I'm Catherine, and for the very first time I'm joined by Paige.
00:00:20
Paige
Hello, nice to officially, officially meet you.
00:00:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes, nice to meet you too. How are you today?
00:00:27
Paige
I'm good. It's not raining. And it kind of seems brighter than it was yesterday.
00:00:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:00:32
Paige
So I'm taking it. It's ah is a win for me.
00:00:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
And squad announcement day?
00:00:38
Paige
it It is not too far away either.
Overview: WSL, Champions League, and England Squad
00:00:41
Paige
A couple of hours.
00:00:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, ah we'll touch on that later. So today's podcast, we'll be talking about the weekend's WSL action. Look ahead to the midweek Champions League fixtures and make our predictions for the England squad that is being announced today.
00:00:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
um so first of all, just a quick run through of the results on the weekend. Everton beat Crystal Palace 3-0. Arsenal beat Liverpool 4-0. Man Utd beat Villa 4-0.
00:01:08
Paige
through.
00:01:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Leicester beat Brighton 3-2. And for the leg three of the Chelsea and City quadrilogy, resulted in a 2-1 win for Chelsea, which makes it 2-1 to Chelsea out of the four.
Match Analysis: Arsenal vs Liverpool
00:01:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
um So which games did did you watch any of the games? ah Which ones do you want to pick out?
00:01:31
Paige
Yeah, I actually, um I'm a Liverpool fan and actually attended the Arsenal-Liverpool game for my sins. I was joined by Arsenal fans and Spurs fan.
00:01:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh dear.
00:01:42
Paige
So to be fair, it was probably an even balance of... of like banter really I guess because my Spurs friend has really nothing to celebrate in the men's or the women's my ah obviously my Arsenal friends have a a little bit to celebrate from the women's perspective but not much to celebrate from the men's and I'm kind of
00:01:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:02:07
Paige
able to kind of maybe celebrate a little bit of both recently.
00:02:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
you
00:02:11
Paige
Obviously, I think and't the game as a whole, Liverpool just looked outclassed. ah That central area kind of was dominated and I just felt that we just didn't really get a hold of the game at any any point really. um Obviously some of the goals a bit scrappy, a bit o goal own goalie but I think that there was never really an opportunity for Liverpool to sort of capitalise on anything that they created because I think it was quite minimal.
00:02:44
Paige
um But yeah, I think maybe the new manager has just sort of hit a little bit of a brick wall, you know, when that kind of momentum builds, doesn't it?
00:02:55
Paige
And you kind of pick up a couple really great results and you think that you're building in and then you go to a place like the Emirates, which for Arsenal, you know, they always seem to do really well. And I'm sure we'll touch on on the potential of them doing an even better midweek.
00:03:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah,
00:03:09
Paige
But um Yeah, I just felt that we were we were just, they were much the better team and they capitalised completely on our lack of anything. i know that's probably really harsh to say, but I just think we kind of lost that fight a little bit. And I think the scoreline was pretty heavily reflected in the performance as a whole, really.
00:03:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah I kind of felt like I'm not going to bring this up because I don't want to talk about it, but I'm a United fan.
00:03:39
Paige
Okay, yeah, let the less said about that, the better. yeah
00:03:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
but i yeah But I think that, yeah, it felt like they'd put everything into that United game. And I wonder if Arsenal saw that and kind of came up to a bit of an answer for Olivia Smith.
00:03:56
Paige
Yeah, I mean, the answer being Katie McCabe and their little beef spat, which was...
00:03:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Kind neutralised...
00:04:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:04:02
Paige
I love to see it because i think I think Katie lives off of that, doesn't she? that's That's her game. And I think when a player kind of gives it back a little bit, which is what I actually think Olivia did and was kind of like, nah, do you know what?
00:04:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
He does.
00:04:13
Paige
you're You're not getting the little handshake to say I'm sorry because you actually did mean it.
00:04:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah,
00:04:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah, yeah.
00:04:18
Paige
Yeah. So i think I like that side of the game and I like the side of, well, I say I like the side of Olivia Smith that shows that, but I'm cautious that she's a very young player that we've seen it with LJ a little bit, you know, that mentality of, you know, you're a baller, but like, can we control it?
00:04:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:04:38
Paige
Can we restrict it in your behavior a little bit more?
00:04:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:04:41
Paige
Because ultimately, you know, that could at some time go against us. And obviously we've seen that with LJ. um But I love that sort of that tenacity, that that bite back. um And I think probably more of the Liverpool squad probably needed that a little bit. I think we maybe gave them a little bit too much respect on their home ground. um And I must say the Arsenal fans, you know, they always turn out well. And I always think that they do a really great job of support and supporting the girls.
00:05:10
Paige
um And obviously yeah another great attendance ah number for them.
00:05:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:05:16
Paige
um So, yeah, ah from a Liverpool perspective, we were just well beaten.
Man Utd vs Villa: Performance Highlights
00:05:20
Paige
But I also just don't think we turned up. So it's something to consider, you know, when you go to those bigger stadiums. We need to make sure that we're still as present as we are in, you know, the the women's stadiums, let's say, the sort of smaller environments.
00:05:34
Paige
But yeah, how do you feel about your results?
00:05:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
i was really happy just on arsenal fans actually have a funny story so I went to Arsenal against Bayern Munich at Meadow Park in December.
00:05:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it's really funny because um the Bayern Munich fans were mainly men, which was it really interesting. And um the away section was kind of right near in the second half where Daphne van Domsla's goal was.
00:06:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
And so every time she touched the ball, they the male Bayern Munich fans were giving her a bit of banter and saying like, oh, you're your shit and doing this whole you know goalie thing, chant.
00:06:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then ah so there was a group of Arsenal fans, quite young girls, who every time this buy this group of Bayern Munich fans gave Van Domslaas some shit, they were going like, no, you're not, you're lovely.
00:06:30
Paige
ha right
00:06:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
which I just thought was very cute. um But yeah.
00:06:36
Paige
that's really the definition of women's football fans though I feel like in the men's game it's like you're just slating every single bit of it you know anyone's getting you know a new one rips and in the women's game it's like no you're beautiful you're so great you're amazing yeah you don't tell anything I know the banter levels are very different aren't they
00:06:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
i like
00:06:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes. Yeah.
00:06:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
You're
00:06:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
like, no, you're doing great. Don't listen to these men. Yeah.
00:06:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
her
00:07:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, yeah. um United beat Villa 4-0. I was very happy after that Liverpool disaster. On Mark Skinner's birthday, so happy happy birthday, Mark.
00:07:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Yeah, it was just...
00:07:16
Paige
and I'm sure he's listening. I'm sure that's how he spends his Wednesday.
00:07:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I'm sure he is. To be fair, he does know who I am now.
00:07:23
Paige
Really?
00:07:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I've been to a few of the press conferences and, yeah, he does know who I am.
00:07:28
Paige
ah there you go then. Plug.
00:07:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Are you happy listening?
00:07:31
Paige
Yeah, I think he is on his drive into the office, you know.
00:07:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
but No, we won't be.
00:07:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, exactly.
00:07:35
Paige
He's probably already there, isn't he, to be fair. Let's start him this day, I'd be surprised.
00:07:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, at the time of their press conferences, their press conferences are at 8.30. They're the earliest ones.
00:07:44
Paige
Oh, wow. So yeah, he's definitely in the office already, even if it's not press conference day.
00:07:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, definitely. But yeah, Villa just looked, ah I mean, lost. um And yeah, they just didn't have anything really about them.
00:08:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
um which for a team that includes Rachel Daly, Jordan Nobbs, Youth Internationals, it really, they shouldn't be looking this lost.
00:08:13
Paige
Yeah, they shouldn't be this low down the table. You know, I think...
00:08:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:08:17
Paige
like Like you say, you know you've mentioned some absolute worldies there. And
Game Injuries and Controversial Tackle
00:08:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:08:23
Paige
you know a lot of players I know have so much respect for the likes of Daly and Jordan Nobbs, especially Jordan Nobbs.
00:08:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah.
00:08:29
Paige
I feel that everyone always talks so highly of her. um But yeah, it just hasn't seemed to have clicked. And obviously, ah Missy Bo Kearns has gone to Villa as well. but from And from a Liverpool perspective, that in in in the initial...
00:08:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah,
00:08:42
Paige
so of the initial um delivery of that, everyone was kind of like, oh, that's a positive move.
00:08:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah, yeah.
00:08:49
Paige
And now I'm thinking, actually, i actually think Liverpool could do with a player like her.
00:08:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:08:55
Paige
i think that and she would have so success in this new sort of form, new shape that Liverpool are bringing, which is kind of disappointing because obviously she's really well thought of
00:09:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:09:07
Paige
across Merseyside in terms of you know what she's done for the women's game, being ah a a local.
00:09:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:09:11
Paige
and It's just sad to now see her fight in a relegation battle, basically. and So yeah, I'm sure you know from a Villa perspective, To be fair, the statistics suggest it probably wasn't as imbalanced.
00:09:27
Paige
The possession was pretty evenly split.
00:09:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:09:29
Paige
Shots on target, OK, maybe that's slightly off. But 11 shots to 19 from United, it's not like a complete whitewash.
00:09:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:09:37
Paige
The scoreline obviously suggests different, and I'm sure you know from watching can say the same. But, yeah, I don't know what's really happened to Villa.
00:09:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, i I don't know either. ah Just a couple of other things to point out. A couple of injuries from Man United. So Anna Samba came on at half time, 20 minutes later was subbed off due to injury, which is really upsetting. She's such a promising young player.
00:10:03
Paige
Yeah.
00:10:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
So Lynn Bezette, there was a bit of a horror challenge from Dan Turner, which I'd don't think Dan Turner, this is not hate on you if you're listening, ah but it should have been a red card.
00:10:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah I mean, you're talking about an injury that could rule Bizet out for the Euros for Norway. um And it's, yeah, it was a horror tackle.
00:10:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
i i think it was a yellow because it didn't, I'm not sure what the intention was, but it was a
Champions League: Chelsea's Prospects
00:10:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
borderline for me. it It should have been red given you know, what happened to Bazette afterwards.
00:10:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, ah it's always horrible to see a player walking down the tunnel crying.
00:10:45
Paige
Yeah, that's never a good sign either, is a
00:10:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah No. ah The trio of Jade Riviere, Salim Bazette and Elizabeth Turland, unstoppable for United at the moment, apart from against Liverpool.
00:10:56
Paige
thing
00:10:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
um And just Grace Clinton, that goal is just stunning. did you Have you seen that goal?
00:11:04
Paige
it? have seen, you know, the little shorts that they do of it. Yeah, yeah, it was naughty.
00:11:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
um I mean, what a wonder goal. um United have actually put a clip out comparing it to a goal from Wayne Rooney. And yeah, it was just, it's a stunning goal. I am so happy for Grace Clinton, which is amazing.
00:11:21
Paige
Yeah, she's a she's highly rated in my books and I'm sure obviously we'll talk about England in a in a few, but yeah, naughty finish.
00:11:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:11:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah For a second topic, let's talk about the Champions League action. So on Wednesday, Bayern Munich travelled to Lyon, hoping to overturn their 2-0 deficit. Wolfsburg travelled to Barcelona with little hope for advancing there because Barca beat them 4-1 in Germany.
00:11:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it's advantage City as they scored twice at the Joey to stun Chelsea. But can Chelsea turn it around at Stamford Bridge? That's my question to you.
00:11:59
Paige
So I called a a Chelsea Barca final. So I'm a little bit like, what's going on? But um to be honest, I've been saying this to to a few friends recently. I think if both the Arsenal and the the Chelsea games go in the favour of Arsenal and Chelsea, I think, and I hope that they kind of do, because I think that the...
00:12:25
Paige
they could be such sort of pinnacle moments for the entire game in this country. To do that on a massive scale, obviously we've done the Euros, but like from a domestic perspective, there's, I think only Arsenal have ever turned around like a two goal deficit, right? But of all the English clubs and you you just kind of want them to do well. Like I just want to see a really big like turn up and like,
00:12:55
Paige
just a whole switch around and I think that I think that can Arsenal do it? I don't know um I think Chelsea probably can I think that that's not too far out of their reach and I think that they'll probably recognise they already have recognised but quite quickly like the impact that this could have on their season you know it could be a drop in form and you don't know what that kind of holds but I think
00:13:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:13:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah,
00:13:26
Paige
I think that we could see over the next couple days, like some games, I don't, ah you're are you a fan of men's football or is it solely women's?
00:13:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
yes yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:13:35
Paige
Okay, so you think about ah like turnarounds that we've had, right? Some of the biggest ones in history, let's say Liverpool, AC Milan, Champions League final.
00:13:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:13:44
Paige
But then you also think about the Spurs game when the and the Liverpool-Barca game and just how like instrumental they were to like club culture within the UK.
00:13:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:13:56
Paige
And then it transcends, obviously, across to Europe. And I just think that the women's game could really do with something like that, where it's like a proper exciting game.
00:14:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:14:03
Paige
There's a mad turnaround. There's goals from both sides, but like it goes to the depth. And I think it would be so exciting to kind of have that rather than Real Madrid just go... you know, or another two goals and the game's done.
00:14:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:15
Paige
I don't think the Arsenal fans deserve that. I don't think, I don't think the game deserves that in England. And I would love to see Arsenal do it. I'd love to see Chelsea do it just to kind of, i don't know, just ramp up that energy about women's football and especially women's football in the Champions League for English teams.
00:14:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah i I have to admit, I have a bet on Chelsea ah to do it. I just think this is a team who, at the end of the season last year, they needed goals to surpass City on goal difference to win the league.
00:14:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
And they beat United 6-0. And United didn't actually play that badly on the day. It was just City were... ah sorry, Chelsea were just incredible. I just think when they know, and I think this is where, like we'll talk about England in a minute, but a lot of the a lot of Chelsea are England players.
00:15:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
When they know they have to, they really turn up. And I can just see Chelsea coming out of the blocks and just racing and yeah, doing it.
00:15:11
Paige
and
00:15:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Having said that, the one thing that I think would stop that is an early City goal. I think an early City goal could change could change everything and would kind of, yeah, perhaps put the kibosh on that.
00:15:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
But i I still think Chelsea will do it.
00:15:33
Paige
I think if any manager can, you'd probably think it's
00:15:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's a funny bee.
00:15:39
Paige
It's Sonny B, right? And I think... Yeah, I think... I think they could... i think when you look at when you look at the line-ups, and obviously the situation that happened with City this weekend, and i just think...
00:16:01
Paige
i yeah I think it could be... One, it's going to be a really good game. Either way, I honestly think it will be a really good game.
00:16:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:16:06
Paige
I'll be interested to see the ah sort of game plan from a City perspective. and Do they have it in them to just kind of sit and sort of absorb that pressure?
00:16:17
Paige
um ah
00:16:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:18
Paige
don't know that they... Is that really their style?
00:16:23
Paige
Or... I don't know. It's going to be an interesting game. um ah Honestly, I think it will be probably one of the most interesting of sort of the, what did you call it earlier?
00:16:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, for sure.
00:16:34
Paige
Quadrilogy.
00:16:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, the quadrilogy.
00:16:36
Paige
Yeah.
00:16:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:16:38
Paige
I think it will be one of the more interesting ones. Um,
00:16:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
I also think that we talk a lot about kind of dominance, um how dominant Chelsea have been the recent years. If they do win and turn this around, they would have won three out of the four against arguably the second best squad, perhaps tied with Arsenal, but arguably the second best squad in England.
00:17:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
And what does that show about that dominance? Like, yeah, it is true. it is there. um If they can... Yeah, if they beat City three times out of the four, it I think it does say something as well about their dominance.
England Squad Speculations and Injuries
00:17:22
Paige
Yeah, it it does. There's nothing sort of, I can't sort of say anything more than that, honestly. But yeah, I even think like when I look at just the two lineups, you know, player for player, like it.
00:17:38
Paige
I don't even think it should be a 2-0 game as it is. do you know what I mean? like When you just look at it, it's stacked.
00:17:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:17:43
Paige
And you're you're right, a lot of, obviously, these players are you know key England players, not even you know fringe players. they're all
00:17:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah.
00:17:51
Paige
you know They are Lucy Browns, Millie Bright, Keira Walsh, Lauren James. like
00:17:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:17:55
Paige
Hannah Hampton is even in the mix from that perspective. They're all your key lionesses. And then you've got all of these sort of backup players or new kind of coming through players, ABJ, you've got Niamh Charles, like all of these players who are like still in and around the mix of starting line-up for for Serena.
00:18:14
Paige
And obviously, like you said, we will talk about that more, but like you've got to think that there has to be something.
00:18:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:18:19
Paige
And I think Ramirez, for me, I said at the start of the season, I think I was on a pod with Kate and I said like, I really enjoyed watching her. um during the world cup yeah and I thought she was going to be a real standout for Chelsea this year and a real standout for the WSL I think you know she has and I think she started probably a lot better than she's sort of played in recent weeks and stuff um I expected more goal output from her um
00:18:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
I love Myra Ramirez. She's brilliant.
00:18:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:18:50
Paige
But I also recognise, you know, first season in the league, it's it's not an easy league to walk into. It's a complete change from, you know, from from most leagues. So... Yeah, i'm and I'm excited for the game.
00:19:05
Paige
I think it's going to be really good. And I am intrigued whether City can hold, because I think a two goal lead is, and it's not a convincing two goals, like that 88th minute goal was, you know, late on in the day.
00:19:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:16
Paige
and But I think it's ah it's a difficult scoreline, especially when you're going then away from home to try and hold on to.
00:19:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. My bet is it's 2-2 on aggregate at full time. They're going to extra time. Chelsea win it in extra time.
00:19:31
Paige
Okay.
00:19:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's my bet.
00:19:33
Paige
Okay. We shall see. We shall see. You got Ramirez on the score?
00:19:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, absolutely.
00:19:39
Paige
said
00:19:41
Paige
Here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform. Zencastr came out the clear winner. With 4K video recording from your phone and AI editing that automatically removes all of those ums and ahs, it's super easy to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently.
00:19:59
Paige
If you're ready to tell your a story, check out the link in the show description to learn more about Zencastr.
00:20:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
So we've mentioned England a few times. We've mentioned Sonny B. What do we think? Sorry, I'm really loving nicknames for managers the moment. What do we think Sazzy Weeks, which that is stolen from Maisie Adam and Susie Ruffles podcast.
00:20:16
Paige
home
00:20:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
um But yeah, what do we think Sazzy Weeks is going to be up to today? Oh,
00:20:26
Paige
not gonna lie don't know if i'm a fan of sazzy weeks it's it's it's a stretch sazzy for serena i don't know don't know
00:20:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, you mean the nickname? I thought you meant a person.
00:20:40
Paige
No, no, no.
00:20:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's why I was like...
00:20:43
Paige
Yeah, no, no no That doesn't need to be the headline for this podcast, by the way.
00:20:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, Sazie.
00:20:48
Paige
but
00:20:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, we can we can think about that.
00:20:49
Paige
Sassy Peaks, the nickname. Sorry, I was dwelling on the nickname.
00:20:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
We can think about that.
00:20:53
Paige
Yeah.
00:20:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
What about...
00:20:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:20:57
Paige
Sorry. Yeah,
00:21:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that's ah it's a tricky one. We'll get back to...
00:21:02
Paige
yeah. ah Circle back, circle back.
00:21:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, and let's open that up to if any listeners have suggestions for a Sazzy Bweegs-esque nickname.
00:21:05
Paige
Yeah.
00:21:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
I like Sonny B, because that's like Sonny D, Sonny B.
00:21:15
Paige
Yeah.
00:21:18
Paige
Or Savvy B, which everyone loves Savvy
00:21:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Anyway, yes, the England squad is going to be announced today. ah who do you do you think there are going to be any surprises in the squad?
00:21:34
Paige
I'm going to kind of go with no
00:21:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
o
00:21:36
Paige
I think with all the injuries that we've got, ah just think... I mean, maybe we actually that that kind of, I kind of shut myself down after I said no, no surprises and then followed it with all the injuries that we've had.
00:21:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Injuries that we've got.
00:21:52
Paige
Yeah. I think, you know, you'll have your your core group who, like I said, there are players missing from that. Hemp, Greenwood, Georgia Stanway's still out.
00:22:03
Paige
That are your your real core kind of starters within that. And those that you have everything crossed will kind of make a miraculous recovery
00:22:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:22:15
Paige
in time for the Euros, but like not just, hey, we're back. Can we play? Like, nah, we need you to be coming in fit because we don't want to have to manage.
00:22:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:22:23
Paige
it Well, we want to manage game time, obviously, but like I want us to do well at this Euros, as I'm sure we all do.
00:22:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:22:29
Paige
But yeah,
00:22:33
Paige
I don't know. I think maybe maybe players like Jess Park might get more of a ah sort of central starting position based on the injuries. I'd quite like to see that. um I'd love, obviously, we kind of mentioned Grace Clinton already.
00:22:46
Paige
I'd love to see her really like
00:22:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Gracie.
00:22:49
Paige
It's my midfield.
00:22:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:22:51
Paige
Like, let me let me do bits, especially with Georgia out. Let me, like, step into that. Not as a direct replacement by any means, because they're they're still very different players, but, like, someone else to kind of take that midfield by the scruff of the neck, because I think it's stale. I genuinely think that.
00:23:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:23:07
Paige
I think that Walsh-Stamway kind of partnership is a little bit overplayed, that it's too predictable.
00:23:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:13
Paige
And I think we sort of experienced that in the Germany game in the first half of that.
00:23:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:23:17
Paige
that it was just a bit blah. Like, it needs a bit of mixing up, a little bit of a change. And I think with Stanway being out, Sazzy B, Serena's going to have to find what that looks like.
00:23:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's,
00:23:29
Paige
Sazzy B, Sazzy Wee. See, I don't like it.
00:23:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah.
00:23:32
Paige
It doesn't flow.
00:23:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:33
Paige
It doesn't roll off the tongue. I don't like it.
00:23:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, it doesn't. Well, we'll think of another one. And listeners, we're open to suggestions.
00:23:37
Paige
Yeah.
00:23:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
I do agree. I think it's an, um I have a few unpopular opinions about England.
00:23:44
Paige
Go on.
00:23:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
One of mine is that I actually think Jess Naz could be important there in the USA game. i think people criticise her being included in the squad because they judge her based on goals. But I don't think she's and number nine. I don't think that's her main,
00:24:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
job for England. She's incredibly pacey, which we need because our attack isn't that pacey. And at the US game, she was causing real issues kind of running down the wing with that pace. She tracks back, gets in helps out the defence a lot.
00:24:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
um I actually think she could be quite an important kind of figure there. And what was my other unpopular opinion? I did have another unpopular opinion.
00:24:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
I can't remember what it was. Oh, Esme Morgan. I think we'll see Esme coming back in. ah I have a drinking game. Well, it's not a drinking game. It's just a game that I love playing on Squad Announcement Day.
00:24:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
I look at the number amount of people who say, how is Esme Morgan getting in? She's barely playing for City.
00:24:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
And like, yak, she moved to Washington Spirit last year and she's been playing every game under Jonathan Giraldes, who I adore. And I think he's, ah he's improving. He's well, she's improving under him so much.
00:25:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
um And she's very versatile. So she can play kind of across that back line. That was my other unpopular opinion.
00:25:11
Paige
Okay.
00:25:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
um um So do you have any unpopular opinions on England?
00:25:17
Paige
um i mean I don't actually think they're probably unpopular. I've already kind of mentioned the Lauren James situation and I just think, I think someone needs to kind of get her in her headlock and be like, girl, like, please don't throw away your entire potential.
00:25:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
so
00:25:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:25:35
Paige
not potential because, well, actually, I still think it is potential because she hasn't we haven't seen the Lauren James that I think that we know we've got. Like, i I don't think we've seen what we know that she's capable of on a big enough stage. I think she always comes as Lauren James, LJ, LJ. But, like, she needs to put a pin in, like, her, like, attitude. And I think it's going to have a real negative sort of impact on her just wider...
00:26:07
Paige
reputation. So I just think, I think Sonya needs to get her in a headlock and like do this on her head and just
Celebrations and Wrap-Up
00:26:13
Paige
be like, look girl, fix up.
00:26:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
he to be fair i do think she has improved massively with sonny b yeah
00:26:20
Paige
she's had to, right? yeah don't fit I think Sonya was maybe the person to do this to her head.
00:26:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah yeah to say gonna
00:26:26
Paige
A little scrub on the head, but like, fix up.
00:26:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
attempt to French accent, but to say Lauren, what are you doing?
00:26:33
Paige
You're wrong.
00:26:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, Lauren.
00:26:37
Paige
You too?
00:26:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah ah Just to finish off a couple of shout outs to things happening elsewhere in the pyramid. Bournemouth were promoted, Notts Forest won the National League Cup and my local Winchester City Flyers won their League Cup semi final against Schoeling and they're into the final of the Southern Region League Cup.
00:26:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Woohoo! Of the Flyers.
00:26:59
Paige
that
00:27:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, it's been lovely chatting. um Nice to meet you again.
00:27:05
Paige
you too
00:27:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah That's all we have time for today. So thank you. And we look forward to welcoming you to the next episode of Beyond the Pitch.
00:27:14
Paige
Have a good one.