2019-20 WSL and other stuff

[Janik]

So, anyone watch the big game of the day, then? As in the Manchester derby? I missed it, but am watching the near full length replay thingy.

Lovely goal to win it from Weir. One of those 25 yard thunderbolts that are still rising as they hit the net. She could hardly have hit it more sweetly. Also a really good save from City's young 'keeper, Roebuck, to deny Ross in the first half. Her weight was all going the wrong way and yet she still managed not only to reach the ball but get a strong hand to it to push it away.

City won then, but for me the big take away from the game was that United were pretty well equal to them, though more in the first half than the second. Which as a newly promoted side, albeit one with a load of investment, against one of the established big guns felt significant. They probably won't win the league, but could win a cup.

Oh and 31,000+ paid to watch it. That is a rather important stat. Though Chelsea-Spurs tomorrow will mean it's a record attendance for ~24 hours only.

[ursus arctos]

Barcelona beat Real Madrid 9-1

This seems to have caused Madrid to go back to using the name of the club they took over in the match reports

[Janik]

Worrying. They need to spend some money (not very much against their men's spending) to buy an instateam. Didn't anyone tell them that? Atletico will probably do something similar to them, an' all.
Where was the game, ursus? And what was the crowd?

Back to the rather more even contest in Manchester, it should be noted that United's 'keeper, Earps, was playing through injury at the time of the goal. But I don't think that mattered. She wasn't getting there under any circumstances.

Also the way Groenen nearly equalised? What a bizarre goal that would have been.

[ursus arctos]

The new Johan Cruyff Stadium that is replacing the Mini Estadi in Barcelona. Attendance reported as 5,000.

[Janik]

It's supposed to be a sell out at Stamford Bridge, but there are loads of spare seats at kick-off but people coming down the gangways. Disorganisation?

A pity if people have missed the start as Bethanie England has just smacked one into the top corner from 25 yards to make it 1-0 to Chelsea. Another class goal. Give the girl the stage...

[Janik]

Not really TV as it's only on the BBC website/red button. I thought it was going to be BBC 1. Ah well...

[Janik]

Spurs could be down to 10. Late, lunging straight leg studs up tackle by Schillaci that lands on the opponents ankle = yellow. The commentators had it as 'orange'. Looked a red to me...

[Janik]

Despite Chelsea's general dominance, it's still only 1-0. Spurs haven't carried any threat... until just now when Berger made a good cut out save to a ball fired across the six yard box and her defender was first to the loose ball to hack clear.

[ursus arctos]

Reports that 15,000 people with tickets didn't show up at Stamford Bridge

[Janik]

Yeah, crowd announced as ~24,000. Did they do some kind of tie-in that gave higher priority to Men's games or something? Whatever the cause it's rather deflating. That was 2 out of 5 tickets not bothered with. The club probably also has unused food, programmes, etc.

Game finished 1-0. Bit of a damp squib really. The opening fifteen minutes of Arsenal-West Ham (in front of a normal sized crowd at Boreham Wood) has been more lively. Arsenal have just taken the lead with a lovely outside-of-the-boot finish by Beth Mead but West Ham are very much in the match.

[Janik]

2-0 to the Arse. Good game this. But unfortunately I'm off out now.

[Nocturnal Submission]

Yeah, crowd announced as ~24,000. Did they do some kind of tie-in that gave higher priority to Men's games or something? Whatever the cause it's rather deflating. That was 2 out of 5 tickets not bothered with. The club probably also has unused food, programmes, etc.

Game finished 1-0. Bit of a damp squib really. The opening fifteen minutes of Arsenal-West Ham (in front of a normal sized crowd at Boreham Wood) has been more lively. Arsenal have just taken the lead with a lovely outside-of-the-boot finish by Beth Mead but West Ham are very much in the match.

Yes, disappointing that. The club kept on asking ticket holders to inform the club if they weren't planning to go to the game so a 40% cry off on a gorgeous day is pisspoor.

In an extravagant gesture I took a photo of Emmeline Pankhurst's grave on the way to the ground. Is linking the women's suffrage movement to a football game a bit naff?

[Janik]

Ah yes, heard of her. A legend for Suffragete City. Started as a captain and leader at the heart of things, late career move out to the right wing. ;-)

Returning to the Stamford Bridge crowd, on reflection this is a failure of expectation management. ~24,500 is not 40,000+ but it is nearly five times more than had watched any game up to the end of last season (and even that record was set on the penultimate weekend of 2018-19). Given that, from memory, Chelsea only averaged ~1,500 last season, there was quite possibly more spectators watching them today than attended all their domestic (i.e. WSL, FA Cup, Continental Cup) games last season combined.
It may also be inside the top 25 attendances of all time for Women's Football in England because, if I remember correctly, that 40,000+ crowd for Dick, Kerr Ladies was more the exception than the rule and their attendances had a variability similar to, well, the WSL this weekend. Recent FA Cup finals since the move to Wembley have had bigger gates, as have England Internationals at the same venue and also in the North-West at Euro 2005, Great Britain matches in the 2012 Olympics plus the gold medal match (~80,000 for USA-Japan), at least some games 100 years ago and Man City-Man United. Can't think of many others that had 20,000+ there off the top of my head.

[Janik]

Hey, Snake, Kev pointed out the lack of a dedicated thread for the Women's domestic game this season. Seeing as this one has only been on that topic so far, we could re-purpose it for that. A new title of '2019-20 WSL and other stuff' would work...

[Nocturnal Submission]

Ah yes, heard of her. A legend for Suffragete City. Started as a captain and leader at the heart of things, late career move out to the right wing. ;-)

Returning to the Stamford Bridge crowd, on reflection this is a failure of expectation management. ~24,500 is not 40,000+ but it is nearly five times more than had watched any game up to the end of last season (and even that record was set on the penultimate weekend of 2018-19). Given that, from memory, Chelsea only averaged ~1,500 last season, there was quite possibly more spectators watching them today than attended all their domestic (i.e. WSL, FA Cup, Continental Cup) games last season combined.
It may also be inside the top 25 attendances of all time for Women's Football in England because, if I remember correctly, that 40,000+ crowd for Dick, Kerr Ladies was more the exception than the rule and their attendances had a variability similar to, well, the WSL this weekend. Recent FA Cup finals since the move to Wembley have had bigger gates, as have England Internationals at the same venue and also in the North-West at Euro 2005, Great Britain matches in the 2012 Olympics plus the gold medal match (~80,000 for USA-Japan), at least some games 100 years ago and Man City-Man United. Can't think of many others that had 20,000+ there off the top of my head.

Yes, I mean the atmosphere was very good, the game was decent, the sun shined and I'm sure that some of the spectators are now thinking about taking in a game or two at Kingsmeadow. I certainly am and my wife seemed quite impressed with what she saw too.

A little bit of crowd-size context here, though you covered it pretty well: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49628715

[Satchmo Distel]

Barcelona beat Real Madrid 9-1

This seems to have caused Madrid to go back to using the name of the club they took over in the match reports

Merger is not officially completed until 1 July 2020 apparently so that's the excuse.

[ursus arctos]

Curious given that Real Madrid were reportedly funding signings for this season . . .

[Satchmo Distel]

Officially this season is a "transitory collaboration":

https://www.espn.com/soccer/real-mad...-team-for-2020

https://en.as.com/en/2019/09/07/foot...90_074354.html

Unofficially, I think Real Madrid are withholding the brand until the team becomes competitive, so the reports and league table only give the old name as you note.

[Janik]

Repeat the plea for Snake to change the name of this thread to make it the rolling thread on the British domestic women's game.

Anyway, this new look Man United side look solid. Currently 0-0 with Arsenal three-quarters of the way through the match. Most of the play is in the Man U half, but the defence and 'keeper Mary Earps are having good games. And it's not inconceivable that the hosts will get one on the break.
Decent looking crowd in terms of numbers. Guess at ~3,000 or so. Not the same as the opening weekend, but still much above last year's average of ~850. There is also an 'opinionated' group who are chanting away (male voices).

[Janik]

If Arsenal are to pick their way through, Kim Little looks the most likely.

[Kevin S]

Just downloaded the FA Player app and registered (bit weird that they wanted my address tbh) but the stream is sound-only. Harrumph.

[Janik]

Arsenal finally their goal via a big deflection with 90 seconds to play (van der Donk the scorer). Miedema had hit the post about 30 seconds earlier.

[Janik]

Just downloaded the FA Player app and registered (bit weird that they wanted my address tbh) but the stream is sound-only. Harrumph.

Its on BT Sport 1. Though there is only two minutes of stoppage time left.

Did anyone start a Women's Champions League thread? Arsenal's result at Florentina last week was notable.

[Janik]

The ref has gone a little yellow card happy.

I overestimated the crowd a bit. It's 2,530 according to the BBC. Still very decent.

The game ended with Arsenal corner-flagging. Man United should take that as a mark of respect.

[Janik]

Based on a post match interview with Little and van de Donk, the Dutchwoman's nickname is DVD. Ha!