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Russo brings goals and versatility
Alessia Russo opened her account for the season in style, powering an effort from the edge of the box into the top corner and converting a second from the spot in Arsenal’s 5-1 defeat of West Ham. The England forward also provided the assist for Stina Blackstenius’s goal to put the visitors in front in the second half. Russo showed how effective she can be in the No 10 role as well, her goals and assist coming once she had dropped deeper after Blackstenius came on. “She is really good from those positions – that’s why we’ve been working with Less every now and then in that position,” said the head coach, Renée Slegers. “We have two really good 9s and sometimes we need a Russo player type in the 9 and sometimes we need the Blackstenius player type in the 9, and then we know that Less can do the 10 as well.” SW
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Match report: West Ham 1-5 Arsenal
Hasegawa revels in roaming role
Yui Hasegawa’s new role in Manchester City’s midfield paid off as she scored the winner in their comeback victory over Brighton. The 28-year-old has previously been deployed primarily in front of the back four and now is afforded much more licence to roam forward, which lead to her combining with Japan teammate Aoba Fujino to win Friday’s game with 16 minutes to go. Speaking about Hasegawa’s new position before the match, Manchester City’s head coach, Andrée Jeglertz, said: “She is very good in making herself available and she can see where there are spaces to use, [so] how can we also release her a little bit higher up, how can she be more of a threat, without taking away what she has done very well in the league [previously]? So this is a balance of giving a player a little bit more opportunity to go forward but not losing her identity.” TG
Second time lucky for Ho with Tandberg
Cathinka Tandberg delivered a goal and an assist on her first start for Tottenham as they won 2-0 at Goodison Park, and her head coach, Martin Ho, spoke of his delight at finally being able to work with her. The 21-year-old Norway striker arrived from the Swedish club Hammarby on deadline day and Ho revealed he had hoped to sign her at his former club. “I actually tried to get her to Brann and she said ‘no’, so it was good we got her over the line in this one,” he said. “She’s very creative and instinctive in the box, in and around the attacking third, but her finishing qualities are phenomenal. We see it in training every day. She’s someone I’ve tracked for a long time. When the opportunity came to bring her in, it was important for us because it gave us a different profile in that centre-forward position. It enables us to play with two forwards”. Tandberg combined well with Bethany England, who was deployed slightly deeper as a No 10, and the new duo looked in sync. TG
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Match report: Everton 0-2 Spurs
Kerr reaches century on her return
Sam Kerr had waited a long time for a goal. Her strike against BK Häcken, her 99th in a Chelsea shirt, was followed by a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament that would keep her on the sidelines for 20 months. At Villa Park on Sunday she made her long-awaited return and, as the board went up, it felt inevitable she would finally take her tally to 100. In fact it took 13 minutes – her finish made an edgy 2-1 lead against a spirited Aston Villa comfortable and the reaction from her teammates said it all. “When I signed for Chelsea I never thought I would score 100 goals,” she said. “To do it for such a massive club, and a club I love so dearly, is a massive achievement … [it] is something I will keep with me for ever.” SD
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Worries mount for Liverpool
Before kick-off, Leicester’s game at home to Liverpool felt important in the battle to avoid relegation. Liverpool’s 1-0 defeat will come as a heavy blow to them, therefore, and has done nothing to alleviate worries surrounding the team. Gareth Taylor will be understandably confused about how his side managed to lose. They dominated possession, created more chances and made two-thirds as many passes while also playing against 10 for more than half an hour. Their lack of quality in the final third, however, was on full show and Leicester took their one opportunity. Emily van Egmond’s goal was the Foxes’ only shot on target but earned Rick Passmoor’s team an early advantage in the fight at the bottom. SD
Prêcheur needs to fix leaky defence
Although many would envy the London City Lionesses head coach, Jocelyn Prêcheur, and the riches he has had at his disposal, he has an unenvious juggling act to perform. Overnight his team have become an eclectic mix of some of women’s football’s headline acts and sharp young talent but what this campaign is proving is that good things in football rarely happen overnight. Their first-half performance against Manchester United was good but they were left rueing their wastefulness in front of goal. What will be most worrying for Prêcheur, however, is how his side again capitulated, having developed a propensity to switch off in key moments. Two goals in three minutes just after the break helped the visitors run out comfortable 5-1 winners, leaving Prêcheur with more questions than answers about how to solidify a defence that has shipped nine goals in two matches. SD
