Sinking outside the box: LCFC Women 1 Tottenham Hotspur 2 (18 September 2022)
Leicester City began a second consecutive season in the WSL with defeat on Filbert Way after Tottenham scored twice from outside the box, but there was plenty to be positive about for the hosts.
Lydia Bedford gave debuts to four players - Erin Simon started on the right of a back five, newly-appointed captain Aileen Whelan and former Tottenham skipper Josie Green lined up in midfield while Carrie Jones, on loan from Manchester United, began up front.
Kirstie Levell made her first start in goal since last November after recovering from long-term injury, with Jemma Purfield on the left of the back line alongside centre-backs Ashleigh Plumptre, Sam Tierney and Sophie Howard.
Molly Pike made up the midfield alongside the two debutants and Natasha Flint partnered Jones in attack.
From down town…
Leicester had arguably enjoyed the best of the opening half hour, showing no signs of being intimidated by a team that finished 5th in last season’s WSL. Whelan had the best chance of that period too, curling high and wide after a promising counter-attack. Bedford seemed to have drilled her team well, high pressing causing Tottenham problems at the back and making it a scrappy game in midfield.
The game swung away from Leicester in the final ten minutes of the first half. First Ashleigh Neville found the top corner from long distance, before Drew Spence was given too much space from a short free kick and her fizzing low drive went beyond Levell into the far corner.
The second goal was a real blow, coming two minutes into stoppage time, but a fine way for Jamaican international Spence to mark her debut after more than 200 league appearances for Chelsea, and her physicality in midfield was a headache for Bedford’s side all afternoon.
A ray of hope
In Jemma Purfield, Leicester possess a left-back who can be relied upon to deliver real quality into the box from wide areas. It was Purfield’s corner that Spence turned into her own net just shy of the hour mark and a comeback seemed possible.
Perhaps the only slight surprise in the starting eleven was the omission of Shannon O’Brien, Leicester’s most impressive attacker last season. O’Brien was introduced on the hour for Pike, with Whelan, who had previously been given licence to join the front two, moving to a slightly deeper midfield role.
A couple of mazy dribbles showcased O’Brien’s ability on the ball and Leicester briefly threatened to force a leveller with both full-backs getting forward well.
Bedford turned to a couple of defenders to add physicality to her attack, first using substitute CJ Bott before right-back Sophie Howard switched roles with Bott to try to give Leicester’s defenders a target to hit. Howard won the majority of her flick-ons but failed to find a team-mate.
In truth, Leicester looked light in attack overall with Flint struggling to impose herself on the game before her substitution and Jones perhaps more suited to a wide role. Perhaps the injured Jess Sigsworth was missed. At the other end of the pitch, two long-range strikes shouldn’t detract from some excellent defensive performances, particularly from the centre-back trio of Plumptre, Tierney and Howard.
Saying boo to a cockerel
Sadly, there was to be no equaliser and Spurs were happy to see out a game which deteriorated in quality in the final stages.
A combination of a few overly enthusiastic Leicester challenges and some pragmatic game management from the experienced Neville, which saw her become the target of booing by the home fans, seemed to appeal to the referee, who blew up at every opportunity.
Neville relished her pantomime villain status, grinning to the crowd as the match drew to a close.
Elsewhere in the WSL
To add to this defeat, there were three clear warning signs in the day’s other results.
Earlier in the day, Aston Villa beat Manchester City 4-3 at Villa Park with England international Rachel Daly scoring twice including the winner 15 minutes from the end. Any result against last season’s top four will make others sit up and take notice. Hopefully there will be some plans in place to deal with the threat of Daly and her team-mates - Leicester face Villa on Filbert Way next weekend.
West Ham, pinpointed by some as a potential relegation candidate, got off to a winning start with a 1-0 victory over Everton thanks to a Lisa Evans goal just before half time.
The final match of the day saw newly-promoted Liverpool pull off a shock 2-1 victory over champions Chelsea. Manager Matt Beard has set his sights higher than mere survival and this result puts down a marker to that effect. Three penalties decided the game, Fran Kirby’s early opener for the Blues followed by two second-half spot kicks scored by Katie Stengel for the home side.
Earlier in the weekend, Arsenal profited from an early Brighton red card to register a comfortable 4-0 home win and Manchester United saw off Reading by the same scoreline.
