Women's Team Thread 2023/2024
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JRockBlues
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Far too adventurous for Gareth Taylor.
Of everyone we've been linked with this definitely makes most sense. With Park's future seemingly at number 10 and Mary Fowler not being a winger, it figures that we'd be looking at someone to challenge Kelly out on the right (or upgrade on her if it's true she's thinking about leaving)
JRockBlues
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Looks like pre-season in Oz:
Starting to look like Keira Walsh will be joining Arsenal this summer. Will be gutted to see her at a rival club. We're lucky that Hasegawa's signing has meant her departure wasn't too damaging in the end, but she's exactly what Arsenal need. Walsh, Caldentey and a new keeper, plus a fully fit Mead for the whole season are going make them serious contenders next season. We can't afford to stand still this window.
And Laia Alexandri to Barca - gutted if both of these go through
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Yeah looks like Walsh's Arsenal move has the knock effect that Aleixandri leaves! Big loss. We'll need a world class replacement there. I've kind of been prepared for the fact that when you sign a young Catalonian they will be lured home if they look half decent so not entirely unexpected
We've been linked with Dom Janssen a bit this window which kind of makes sense if Laia is off.
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This will be a window which signals our intentions.
With all the departures we’re going to have to get some big replacements/additions if we are to move forward.
Think the window officially opens at the end of the month so we should start seeing more concrete links then. They've all been pretty decent links so far to be fair
Janssen - v experienced right sided CB and Dutch international. Replacement for Aleixandri?
Miedema - doesn't really need much introduction but gives us more options going forward and could take on goal scoring burden if Shaw is injured
Fijuno - very highly rated. Could potentially be an upgrade on Kelly
Shimizu - Right back so again makes sense if Aleixandri goes as she's sometimes used as cover there and Esme Morgan has also gone.
Also expect to see Blinkilde Brown properly integrated into the first team this season so she'll be like a new signing. And Tara O'Hanlon might be around the squad a bit more too
Yeah this isn't good. Tbh it even makes it feel like Alexandrii was only ever a temporary signing. Barca have just gone 'well if Walsh is going we'll sign Alexandrii', which makes us look a bit 2nd class. She'd be a major loss.
I agree a major loss given her age and quality - I was worried when we hadn't extended her contract teams would be calling. With a year left I guess we will get a fee but if we don't replace her with equal quality we may end up with Alana alongside Alex more and that doesn't fill me with confidence especially against pace.
Other teams are loading up and we must move quickly - I wonder if losing Nils may have delayed some of the deals he was working on.
Re: Walsh it rarely works when a player goes back - Lucy Bronze was similar, great players but Lucy's second stint was not on the same level she was in her first and subsequent Barca performances. Besides if we build our midfield with Roord, Hasagawa & Blinkilde-Brown I think we are covered.
We must also try and keep Mary Fowler happy - for me I would hope that Kelly is the odd one out. If it's a choice between the two for game time I know which way I would go!
I think Barca have actually agreed to sell Walsh so as to free up budget for Aleixandri as she's their prime target. Their women's team is in a weird situation financially. They are a rare case in that they are entirely self sustaining and turning over a profit without the men's team contributing. However, their profit is being redirected to the men's team to help them comply with FFP or whatever the equivalent is in Spain, so I think they're trying to get their wage bill down and generate transfer fees where they can. It's odd that investment in one's women's team doesn't count against FFP spend, but profit generated by the women's team can be moved out to meet FFP obligations.
blue whippet
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I am very disappointed to hear both of these and hope they aren't true. No wonder Nelson was off!
Losing Aleixandri for the 'privilege' of seeing Keira Walsh in an Arsenal shirt is beyond a kick in the teeth.
It's criminal if she's coming to the WSL and we're not seriously trying to get her back - she's far better than Bronze was when she came back, a natural fit for the team, and none of the youngsters (no matter how talented) are close to her.
It's criminal if she's coming to the WSL and we're not seriously trying to get her back - she's far better than Bronze was when she came back, a natural fit for the team, and none of the youngsters (no matter how talented) are close to her.
blue whippet
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I can't see her coming back whilst we have Taylor in charge.
Who do we drop to make room for Walsh though? Hasegawa has been excellent and seems really settled at City. We should be aiming to have a world class player in every starting position and we already have one in Walsh's position. As much as I love her, there are other positions we ought to strengthening first rather than bringing her back just because we can.
It will be interesting to see what kind of level she's at if she comes back though. At international level teams have started to nullify her and England haven't really found an answer to that yet. And whilst winning a CL and playing with better players and coaches will have had big benefits for her in Spain, she's been playing under very little pressure over there. Barca just won the league again with +136 goal difference and they have the ball all of the time. WSL week to week is a lot more competitive. I think Stanway and Walsh have both gone backwards a little but in terms of their England contributions since moving abroad and playing in less competitive leagues.
News overnight seems to be now saying that the move might not happen after all but I think if it doesn't happen this season she'll go there on a free next. Arsenal are crying out for someone in her position and Leah Williamson is also one of her best mates. It's the right opportunity at the right time and I think the lure of playing in front of huge crowds every week is a big one too. As brilliant as she is, she isn't what we need most right now.
I think the most obvious idea would then be to play Walsh behind Roord and Hasegawa, freeing Yui up to be a bit more creative upfield.
That would obviously push Park out of the team though, although she could also get game time in the wings if needed.
It'd be a nice problem to have, we were thin on the ground towards the end of last season, but can't see it happening because of Taylor reasons.
JRockBlues
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Taylor would be more likely to play Walsh as a centre-back or full-back though. Thought she originally left to follow her partner not because of problems with the muppet (may have been a factor I suppose).
Yeah I don't think she comes back under Taylor regardless as i think the atmosphere around the club wasn't great when that group of players left and we're looking forwards now. I think what you suggest above would be a great side, but i'm not sure it's worth it. It squeezes Park out when, for me, she was a contender for best player in the league second half of last season. It also blocks Blinkilde Brown's path into the team when we've spent a lot on her and presumably did so because we had a plan for her. If it's true Miedema is coming in and wanting to play at 10 then we already have a bit of shuffling of the pack to do with Park and Roord once she's fit again. All a great problem to have.
This was my thinking, basically.
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