For the second week in a row, the Liverpool FC Women have recorded a point in the WSL. While a point against Brighton last week brought a sense of relief after being winless in seven prior matches, taking
a point against Chelsea on Sunday felt like a huge step forward. Gareth Taylor’s side conceded early but stayed composed and never looked overwhelmed against a side looking to stay unbeaten in their 34th consecutive match. A lightning counter gave Liverpool an equalizer, and the Reds stayed solid through the second half, and even almost snuck away with a late winner. Below, we take a look at some winners and losers on the night, and attempt to disentangle narrative from fact.
Winners
Beata Olsson
The Swedish striker again found the back of the net, showcasing her speed as she ran away from defenders on the counter before calmly slotting the ball past the goalkeeper in a 1v1 situation. Olsson has now has goals in three consecutive matches, giving Liverpool some sorely needed end product at the top of the pitch. Olsson was also a bundle of energy in the press and helped force several turnovers, including making two tackles herself.
Fuka Nagano
The Japan international was sensational against Chelsea. Her ability to read the game helped her to almost always be in the right position to nick a pass or make a necessary block, especially late in the match as Chelsea pushed hard for a winner. Fuka had 5 interceptions and 4 clearances in the match, as well as a blocked shot. She also showed quick feet and quick thinking to receive or win a ball in traffic and turn out of pressure before playing a pass. She had two completed dribbles and the second highest passing percentage in the squad.
Lily Woodham
The diminutive left back was a bundle of energy on both ends of the pitch. She won a ball in her own box before combining with Beata Olsson, ultimately sending the striker clear with a fantastic through ball that resulted in the goal, and Woodham’s second assist of the season. Woodham completed 2 dribbles herself while progressing the ball forward down the left flank, and almost found a late winner for the Reds with a good shot from the top of the box that went just wide. She also led the squad with 4 tackles to go along with 2 interceptions and 3 clearances. Woodham did a very nice job to limit Chelsea’s attack down the right hand side of their attack.
Team Defense
While Liverpool conceded an early wonderstrike to Alyssa Thompson, the Reds did well to limit the overall chances for Chelsea throughout the match. Liverpool held Chelsea to under half of the average xG per match due to good compact shape in the box and some timely challenges and blocks. Faye Kirby only faced a single shot on target for the entire day.
Losers
Mia Enderby
The young attacker continually shows flashes of something great, but frequently follows that up with a poor touch or a poor decision. Enderby had 5 poor touches that led to turnovers, as well as being dispossessed another time. Several of the poor touches came after beating an initial player but then pushing the ball way too far in front of herself. She also ran down a few blind alleys after eschewing an early pass.
Impact Subs
Chelsea made five subs in the second half as they looked to find a way to a win. Gareth Taylor made no subs for Liverpool, even with his side showing signs of flagging. As Liverpool lost the legs to keep their press up, they dropped deeper and presented Chelsea with a couple of their best opportunities of the match.
Staying Out of the Basement
Despite the strong performance from the Reds to take a point off of a very good side, Liverpool ended up the weekend in the relegation spot. West Ham won emphatically over Everton, giving the Hammers a two point lead over Liverpool in the table.
From the Manager
“I said previously that Chelsea have two teams that they could put out in the WSL and would probably be in the top three. I think what we’ve done today is pretty remarkable. Of course, on any given day you can also win that game and games can go your way, but we’ve had to work tremendously hard today to get something from the game. It’s nice the girls get a little bit of reward for that.”
Gareth Taylor
What Happens Next
Liverpool will head on the road next Saturday to face Sheffield United in the FA Women’s League Cup. Liverpool currently lead their group and a win will see them through to the knockout rounds. There will be an international break after the cup match, with the Reds returning to WSL play in December with a match against Arsenal at the Emirates.
