Scott Phelan is very much focused on improving his team’s performance as they prepare for their opening WSL home fixture at Goodison Park after Everton Women were decidedly below par in the opening-day defeat away at Crystal Palace.
The boss has also updated on the fitness of some of his squad, with club captain Meg Finnigan making real progress after her ACL injury, although new signings Noemie Mouchon, Jutta Rantala, Naomi Layzell, as well as a few others aren’t quite ready to play after ‘disruptive’
pre-seasons.
But Phelan, who was speaking to evertontv after the Palace game, is looking for the standards to be raised when they take to the hallowed turf of the Grand Old Lady, as the Blues look to bounce back against Charlton Athletic this Sunday.
“Football does change. The chances at the end [Crystal Palace game] you could see a bit of a reaction, and maybe one could have gone in,” he said.
“But even if we had have come away with a point there would still have been a lot to improve on, especially after this game.
“We are always happy to play at home and we are looking for a much improved performance next week and we need to get some points on the board.
“We want to compete in this league, and that was a blow, but if you are going to have a blow then best to get it out of the way and do better next week.”
The Opposition
A number of contract extensions and up to ten new players acquired during the pre-season, including WSL stalwart Ashleigh Neville, couldn’t prevent a heavy defeat in their first game at home to Liverpool.
Karen Hills’ side will be desperate for a win as the Addicks will want to prove they do belong at the top table, something an away scalp against Everton would go a long way to proving.
The Londoners will also be acutely aware of their hosts’ struggles at home last season, and will have absolutely nothing to lose – other than the game itself – when the arrive on Merseyside at the weekend.
Everton Women welcome Charlton Athletic on Sunday, 13 September, at 2pm BST (9am ET, 6am PT).
Tickets for the fixture can be purchased here.
WSL probe Palace
While Everton’s defeat to Crystal Palace last week will now be at the back of Phelan’s mind, the WSL have launched an investigation after the hosts breached a rule by using four substitution windows.
League regulations only allow a maximum of three substitution windows per team per match and the Eagles had already made changes in the 62nd, 83rd and 90th minutes, before Jo Potter brought on forward Kirsty Howat in the seventh of eight minutes of stoppage time.
The WSL has confirmed the investigation will involve both clubs and referee body Pro Ref, formerly the PGMOL, while it has been reported by The Athletic that the match officials have been stood down from the next round of fixtures.
Former player Ellen White and Tom Garry, a women’s football reporter for the Guardian, discussed the incident on the Women’s Football Weekly podcastwith Garry saying:
“If you field an ineligible player, there are three options that are stipulated in the rules.
“One is that you would be deducted the points gained from that match, which in this case would be three points. Another is that the match could be replayed in its entirety.
“The third option is very vague and open-ended, but is that any punishment almost at the discretion of a potential tribunal can be awarded. They could decide whatever they feel appropriate.”
