Women's Team Thread 2023/2024

[JRockBlues]

Aoba Fujino looks like a good addition to the squad.

Presumably, she’ll be playing off Bunny, and picking up her knock-downs, in similar fashion to Frannie and Wyn Davies all those years ago.

Absolutely psyched with this Fujino signing. We've made three really top notch signings this summer (Still hoping Shimizu can actually play this season!)

I think think we need some more cover in central defence but if we do bring anyone in there it will be more squad/back up type signings.

Fujino coming in surely means Chloe Kelly leaves. Love her to bits but i do think it might be the right time for her have a fresh start somewhere.

A good addition to the squad if not necessarily a position we needed to strengthen immediately. As mentioned above, we still need a central defender and also a keeper to replace Roebuck.

Would Kelly want the upheaval of a move coming straight after getting married?

 

[bumbleblue]

Aoba Fujino looks like a good addition to the squad.

Presumably, she’ll be playing off Bunny, and picking up her knock-downs, in similar fashion to Frannie and Wyn Davies all those years ago.

Enjoyed her interview too.

 

[Blackley_Blue]

Another couple of players lined up, not been given names, only positions.

Winger/Forward (I'm guessing it's Aoba Fujino but not 100% sure)

The other is a goalkeeper.

Keeper next - may also be from Japan / east Asia (but I might be well off with that).

Was told we have signed "two or three from Japan".

 

[born2bblu]

I was impressed by Fujino in the World Cup, and she was only 19. I knew she would eventually move to Europe and was hoping she ends up at City. I just noticed that she played in Japan’s first match against Spain in the Olympics, where she scored their only goal, then was not included in the team after that. Looks like they released her to finish the business with City. Not sure what else Gareth Taylor needs to finally start achieving instead of just being around the team smiling and acting like a headless chicken. On a different note, perhaps it is time for Chloe Kelly to move on. She used to be one of my favorites, but over the past one to two years she became more like a movie star than a footballer.

 

[better dead than red]

A good addition to the squad if not necessarily a position we needed to strengthen immediately. As mentioned above, we still need a central defender and also a keeper to replace Roebuck.

Would Kelly want the upheaval of a move coming straight after getting married?

I'd like to see Chloe get her form back. She's a dangerous player, to the opposition, on her day. And she is my daughter's favourite player on the women's team. Have to say, I like her myself.

Good point about her possibly not wanting to up and move so soon after getting married. I can't see her moving back to London unless it's for Chelsea or Arsenal. Maybe the red dippers? Her husband is from Liverpool. Wages won't figure in as much with some players. I'm sure she would require high wages but reportedly she earns over £1 million a year in endorsements and sponsorships.

 

[Mon Autre]

A good addition to the squad if not necessarily a position we needed to strengthen immediately. As mentioned above, we still need a central defender and also a keeper to replace Roebuck.

Would Kelly want the upheaval of a move coming straight after getting married?

Actually think the RW is one of the few positions where there was scope to strengthen the starting 11. Kelly can blow hot and cold and isn't one of those players that's responds that well to being dropped. She's not as versatile across the other forward positions as other players are either.

There's only really Ouahabi at LB where I think there's a slight weak link but I get the feeling they're going to take a look at O'Hanlon as her successor.

A new goalie will definitely come in and I agree we need more cover at the back. Aleixandri and Greenwood are as good a pairing as you'll find but with Morgan and Houghton leaving we need more cover.

In terms of marquee/players you expect to start though, I think we've bought well and we won't see any more

Kelly won't settle as a bench player and Fujino will be a starter. Think Kelly has had one eye on an exit for a while so will be.orepared for it.

 

[mattcity5]

Actually think the RW is one of the few positions where there was scope to strengthen the starting 11. Kelly can blow hot and cold and isn't one of those players that's responds that well to being dropped. She's not as versatile across the other forward positions as other players are either.

There's only really Ouahabi at LB where I think there's a slight weak link but I get the feeling they're going to take a look at O'Hanlon as her successor.

A new goalie will definitely come in and I agree we need more cover at the back. Aleixandri and Greenwood are as good a pairing as you'll find but with Morgan and Houghton leaving we need more cover.

In terms of marquee/players you expect to start though, I think we've bought well and we won't see any more

Kelly won't settle as a bench player and Fujino will be a starter. Think Kelly has had one eye on an exit for a while so will be.orepared for it.

Mary Fowler had just forced her way I to the team ahead of Kelly and is a quality young player. Wonder what the Fujino & Miedema signings means for her also.

 

[Mon Autre]

Mary Fowler had just forced her way I to the team ahead of Kelly and is a quality young player. Wonder what the Fujino & Miedema signings means for her also.

I really like Fowler but I don't think RW is her best position and wouldn't see her as a long term option there. It's tough for her as we're kind of stacked at number 10 but it works in her favour that (unlike Kelly) she can do a job in a couple of positions. I think she found herself playing on the right cos Kelly's form dropped off so badly and Park was doing so well at 10.

I think Fujino will become the starting RW and Fowler/Park will be cover there as well as being part of the rotation in the more central forward positions. The combination off forward players we have now really gives us scope to shuffle the pack when needed and makes us less dependent on Bunny for goals.

 

[mattcity5]

I really like Fowler but I don't think RW is her best position and wouldn't see her as a long term option there. It's tough for her as we're kind of stacked at number 10 but it works in her favour that (unlike Kelly) she can do a job in a couple of positions. I think she found herself playing on the right cos Kelly's form dropped off so badly and Park was doing so well at 10.

I think Fujino will become the starting RW and Fowler/Park will be cover there as well as being part of the rotation in the more central forward positions. The combination off forward players we have now really gives us scope to shuffle the pack when needed and makes us less dependent on Bunny for goals.

Definitely a lot more strength in depth now in the forward positions. A nice problem to have!

 

[Mon Autre]

Definitely a lot more strength in depth now in the forward positions. A nice problem to have!

Defintely. I haven't seen muchof Shimizu but i did also wonder if we'd try 3 at the back this season with her operating more as a wingback

 

[Mr HJ]

Looks like we are going for a squad that will just out score the opposition.

I agree with Mon Autre that Chloe Kelly would never settle for a squad player role. She kind of went backwards last year and once Bunny got injured I was hoping she would have stepped up with some goals and assists but didn't. A great player that probably needs a fresh challenge.

Love the signings so far - thanks to Nils as a parting gift maybe!

 

[JRockBlues]

New name for the squad featured in the training pics posted on the website. Defensive cover added perhaps in Gracie Prior.

Middle of the 3 pictured.

ETA: Just seen that she was on a dual registration between us and Burnley so maybe that's ending.

 

[Mon Autre]

Looks like Jill Roord is doing a lot of training with the first team now. I'm sure that can't mean she's due back imminently but it definitely looks like her recovery is going as well as it can.

 

[neilhb]

We're turning Japanese (credit to The Vapours)
3rd Japanese signing of the window - Ayaka Yamashita

Manchester City sign Japan goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita

Japan goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita signs for Manchester City on a three-year deal from INAC Kobe.

www.bbc.co.uk

Certainly give Ms Keating some competition.

 

[better dead than red]

We're turning Japanese (credit to The Vapours)
3rd Japanese signing of the window - Ayaka Yamashita

Manchester City sign Japan goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita

Japan goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita signs for Manchester City on a three-year deal from INAC Kobe.

www.bbc.co.uk

Certainly give Ms Keating some competition.

Japan has some quality players. Hopefully, they do well here for us.

I wonder how much of a part our Yui maybe played in bringing a couple of her fellow Japanese players to City? Was it City doing it to help her feel more comfortable in a completely different society or did she tell some of her friends how much she loves it here and what a good operation City have going? She seems like such a sweet and likeable woman.

 

[neilhb]

Japan has some quality players. Hopefully, they do well here for us.

I wonder how much of a part our Yui maybe played in bringing a couple of her fellow Japanese players to City? Was it City doing it to help her feel more comfortable in a completely different society or did she tell some of her friends how much she loves it here and what a good operation City have going? She seems like such a sweet and likeable woman.

No doubt Yui would have had an influence, she been in the UK several years, so will know the lifestyle etc. It will be interesting to see how the goalie and the forward do settle having not played outside Japan before. I was concerned about Yamashita's height, however it seems she's actually taller than Keating!

 

[JRockBlues]

Just a centre-half needed and we're all set.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Looks like Jill Roord is doing a lot of training with the first team now. I'm sure that can't mean she's due back imminently but it definitely looks like her recovery is going as well as it can.

Been about 9 months since she did it, which would be a normalish time to recover. Hopefully she’ll be right for the season starting.

 

[Mon Autre]

Been about 9 months since she did it, which would be a normalish time to recover. Hopefully she’ll be right for the season starting.

Feels like ages ago but was only end of Jan! Not even 7 yet. I always feel like you're looking at a year off for these things but she defo seems to progressing well. Would be great to have her back before xmas

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Feels like ages ago but was only end of Jan! Not even 7 yet. I always feel like you're looking at a year off for these things but she defo seems to progressing well. Would be great to have her back before xmas

6-12 months is the guideline for return to active sport. Guess it’ll depend on how she feels running on it and how quickly the muscles around it strengthen.

As you say, we may not see her til Xmas, but it could be any time really.