Episode 3 The Women's Football Show

Good evening.

After an early break the WSL is back and it has been another dramatic

round of action that kicked off on Thursday when two of the title

contenders went head to head.

Arsenal against Chelsea, always heated.

She has got it.

The Arsenal defence horribly hesitant and she put Chelsea ahead.

Off the line and she is back in and Chelsea have got

what is surely the decider.

She scores for the second time this evening and Chelsea lead Arsenal

by 2-0 and this will be a mighty blow to Arsenal 's

title hopes already.

Disappointing for Arsenal, Chelsea will be hoping for a similar

result when the two sides meet again in the FA Cup final next month

but tonight our focus is on the weekend's WSL action,

plenty to do and discuss with my guests, Rachel

Brown-Finnis and Sue Smith.

We begin with Manchester City who hope to preserve their 100%

record against a Birmingham side who some have tipped

to struggle this season.

A real departure from their glory days just four years ago.

In May 2012, Birmingham twice came from behind against Chelsea before

holding their nerve in a penalty shoot out to win the women's FA Cup,

which epitomised the Blues' spirit and resilience in the process.

Since lifting the trophy, that resolve has been tested,

operating on a modest budget, youth now populates a squad

decimated by the departures of key personnel.

In stark contrast, Manchester City have invested heavily

but could Birmingham summon their fighting spirit

to overcome one of the title favourites?

Nigel is your commentator.

Last week 's agonising cup defeat to Chelsea brings

Manchester City 's title challenge into even sharper focus.

But Birmingham have been troublesome opponents in recent meetings,

with a small budget, David Parker will be relying

on the academy to develop potential stars and England under 17 striker

Ellie Brazil makes her debut, Jade Moore is deployed as one

of three central defenders.

Manchester City has one change which is enforced,

Toni Duggan is left out as a precaution, so Jennifer Beattie

starts her first game since returning from a title winning

loan in Melbourne, Australia.

Asllani has yet to score following her move from PSG.

Scott.

Now Asllani.

Linking up well with Bronze.

Here is Asllani again.

Manchester City taking early control here.

Parris.

That is neatly done.

Here is the Nikita Parris.

That is a disappointing end to a fine move.

And Nikita Parris will be disappointed not

to have at least hit the target from there.

Bronze.

Asllani has given room to turn, that will be dangerous for Birmingham.

Here is Bronze again.

An inviting cross and Parris is unable to supply the finish again.

Lucy Bronze given far too much room and Jess Carter may have just done

enough to put Parris off.

Manchester City dominant.

Here is Asllani again and the cross will come all the way

through to Demi Stokes.

A firm challenge and now Birmingham look to turn defence into attack

and here is the youngster, Ellie Brazil, she did well.

Now Wellings and the ball never quite sat down for her.

That is a promising moment for Birmingham.

The 16-year-old Ellie Brazil, heavily involved in the attack.

Charlie Wellings just unable to provide the finish.

It was goalless here last season but the result really dented

City 's title challenge and here is Carter for Birmingham.

Lawley, producing a fine save from Karen Bardsley

who was able to gather at the second attempt.

David Parker 's side will gain real encouragement from this.

Carter winding up the long throw.

And it has eventually gone behind off Beattie for a corner.

David Parker's side, more than matching Manchester City

at the moment.

Jo Potter with the corner.

And Karen Bardsley was flapping.

And there are appeals for handball there from Birmingham.

Jill Scott was saying that the ball seemed to strike her on the chest.

When you see it again, the hands were out.

And Manchester City are finding themselves in a real contest here.

They are having to work very hard to try and prise an opening,

here is Corboz.

And now Stokes.

Initially beyond Mannion and Carter, the backheel from Scott,

Parris off the woodwork but couldn't find the back of the net.

And Manchester City finally have the lead.

Daphne Corboz with her first of the season and it was a very

clever touch from Jill Scott to create the original

chance for Nikita Parris.

Then real composure from Daphne Corboz.

And all of Birmingham 's hard work early on may now

count for nothing.

Come on, Birmingham!

Bronze.

City will now get the free kick for the challenge on Jane Ross.

Who has been in fine goal-scoring form recently.

Asllani.

And it was Beattie 's header, but it drifted wide.

Nick Cushing will want the second goal here.

And Beattie not too far away.

Houghton.

Now Bronze again, Parris, that is nicely done,

looking for Asllani, but Parris was caught

and the original challenge has led to a Manchester City free kick.

And Birmingham are beginning to look a bit weary.

Challenge from Mannion.

It is Steph Houghton and it is a fine save

from Sophie Baggaley.

And Steph Houghton was 28 years of age yesterday.

And she almost celebrated her birthday in fine style.

Well, Birmingham were set up to counterattack.

But now they need to push forward in the closing stages.

And they could be caught out at the other end.

Here is Corboz.

Just holding off Carter.

And Parris is away from the challenge of Harrop.

It is still Nikita Parris looking for Ross and that settles it!

Three successive wins to start the season for Manchester City,

three clean sheets as well.

Jane Ross with her fourth goal in four games.

Of the early evidence, this could turn out to be

a difficult campaign for Birmingham.

It was important that we came here and got the three points

especially after last season, we came away with the draw.

It is what we want to do and it is fantastic

we got three points.

In the first half we had the momentum, the possession

in the opposition's half.

We found it hard to get into the final third,

get opportunities for a goal.

In the second half it ebbed away.

Was it a frustrating game especially in the second half,

Birmingham were sitting back.

That is something we have to deal with and maybe last season this

would have been a draw.

We are learning to cope with what seems to affect ua

and hopefully we will continue to progress throughout the season.

You had a moment in that first goal, a nice back flick.

I do not know where that came from, it was a great passage of play.

Everyone knows how we play, we like to dominate the ball

and last season we want to improve in the final third in those

sorts of areas and this year we have been good,

that goal in particular, it is a real example of our style.

Lindsay Hooper with the questions.

It is the same old problem for Birmingham, they

cannot score goals.

They cannot.

A mixture of lack of experience, they have a lot of injuries to key

players but they started well.

I thought first half, they managed to press the ball well

and you can see here, it is good pressure,

not just one player pressing it is two and three.

They are higher up the field and when they win the ball

it is a good ball into space but it is that lack of quality.

This is a long ball forward but the two forwards in the first

half were really pressing the ball high up the field,

they were winning it and this is not a bad ball into the box.

It is that quality, that final execution or a shot and here again,

they get forward but there are more numbers getting forward.

The fullback bombs on, the midfield runners

and in the first half they were looking good and they put

Manchester City under pressure.

Not a bad effort at goal, this is the second half.

They are running at the play which is fantastic,

but that run infield, that is not doing anything,

she needs to stay wide, she needs to stretch the play.

Here, she came in in the second half, Manchester City,

excellent, shape, organisation and they win the ball back easy,

no options for Birmingham and it is not a great day

for Mr Parker in the rain.

Birmingham were awarded two penalties against Liverpool,

one was saved, one was missed.

Should they have been awarded one here?

I do not think so, we had to watch it numerous times and slowed it down

and I do not think it was.

When you are awarded a penalty, it has to be intentional

and as the ball comes in, Jill Scott, it does hit her arms

and doesn't slow down, she has her arms up,

but they are close to her body.

The ball does not change direction.

It will still hit her chest even if it grazes her arm.

It does not change the flight of the ball, no penalty.

Nick Cushing and Jill Scott said they won this game because of their

style of play, do you agree?

I do and it is something that Manchester City have been renowned

for, they have been working on it for the last couple of seasons,

they are renowned for quick passages of play, the way that they spread

the pitch and we see it and it is classic of Manchester City

in their two goals.

The ball is received in midfield, there are numbers and Birmingham did

it well in the first half, they got tight around

Manchester City and did not give them time on the ball.

This touch from Lucy Bronze takes her past four players

and opens up the pitch.

Two touches from Jill Scott and through Daphne Corboz

it is played out wide.

It opens the pitch, spreads them out and takes the Birmingham players

away from Manchester City and allows them to create space.

Well played from Jill Scott, lovely lay-off, it bounces

and Daphne Corboz slots the ball away, very cool and well deserved

for Manchester City.

Birmingham in the second half, really late on, they are tiring,

you can see the attitude.

Potter, she should be busting a gut to get pressure on the ball,

instead she is remonstrating with the referee and what this does

it means that Jess Carter, whose legs are fading,

chooses to close the ball down instead of chasing back

with Jane Ross who, we see in a few seconds time,

remains unmarked in the box.

A great cross from Nikita Parris, 20 yards on her, nods it into the goal.

Another clinical finish by Manchester City.

Looking at the statistics for Birmingham City's goal scoring, it's

not a surprise that they are struggling.

We know they haven't scored this season, last season they

only scored seven in 14.

If you remember 2012 when they won the

FA Cup they scored 31 goals in 14 and perhaps it's not

a surprise bearing in

mind the players and the quality of players who have left since then.

They have lost the lot of quality players, look at that list.

The likes of Isobel Christiansen, they

are all goal-scorers and players who will create out of nothing.

They scored numerous goals in the season and that will help,

that lack of experience that Birmingham have,

a lot of younger players isn't helping them this season.

Would you expect them to be the side to go this

season?

I said that last week and I don't want to keep pounding at

Birmingham but not scoring goals is a recipe for disaster.

OK, two more games to catch up on.

Starting at the Select Security Stadium in Widnes,

Liverpool and Sunderland were aiming to maintain

their unbeaten start to the season.

Robin Cowan reports.

Sunderland arrived at Liverpool looking to

bounce back from last weekend's humiliating

FA Cup semifinal defeat at the hands of Arsenal.

Started on the front foot, Beth Mead testing

Siobhan Chamberlain early on.

But just minutes later they were behind,

van de Sand and Liverpool have a player capable of unlocking

any defence and it was her effort that came back

off the post for Caroline Weir to turn home, giving

the Reds the advantage.

Sunderland shipped seven goals at Arsenal last week, looking

Sunderland shipped seven goals at Arsenal last week, looking

ominous again for the Black Cats when van de Sand's cross

unfortunately found its way out

into the net, off the back of Kayla Shuman, giving the

hosts a comfortable first-half lead.

The visitors did not capitulate, fighting their way back into the

game, Brooke Chaplen taking advantage of some

hesitant defending to pull a

goal back just before half-time.

Sunderland came out fighting at the start

of the second half.

Minutes after the restart, Liverpool again

failed to clear their lines allowing the former Everton midfielder to mop

up and grab a well-deserved equaliser.

Chaplen could and probably should have been awarded a penalty

after this challenge by Mandy Vandenberg only

to see her claims waved away by referee Peter Wright,

2-2 the final score.

For me, it was a penalty and I think it was

given as a penalty but obviously the ref has the last

say and we cannot argue with that unfortunately.

It was a penalty, 100%.

I thought at the sideline, I turned to my

assistant and said we have got away with one.

The girls are playing great, great character, resilience

to come back, and played some good football as well.

Very pleased, pleased for them and the way they

have shown great attitude and self belief.

Both Notts County and Reading were looking for their first

win of the 2016 campaign and it was the newly

promoted side who took the

lead at Meadow Lane, Helen Ward collecting

a wayward clearance from

Turner, her effort from distance evading Carly Telford.

Notts were gifted an opportunity to equalise

just after the 30 minute mark, keeper Grace Maloney failing to deal

with Whelan's cross, captain Kirsty McGee

inexplicably diverting the

ball with her hand to concede a penalty.

McGee faced no further retribution from referee Anthony

Tankard, Clark confidently dispatched from 12 yards.

Having restored parity Notts found themselves

behind again, six minutes later, memories of Edmonton flooding back

for Laura Bassett after she inadvertently turned the corner

into her own net.

Rick Passmore's side improved in the second half, Rachel Yankey

picking out Jess Clarke whose deft lob rescued a point on what was

ultimately a frustrating afternoon for the lady 'Pies.

The basic thing today is about application, focus,

because from Notts County, we are in this together and we will

have to be better and one thing that these

players normally will do is

bounce back.

Both Notts County and Reading still awaiting their first

win of the new campaign but it's early days.

Manchester City leading Chelsea by three points at the top.

The champions with a game in hand.

Birmingham are bottom, yet to score or gain a point so far.

Notts County seventh place at the moment, so early

but just one point from two games for them.

You know the manager Rick Passmore really well, I know you're

a big fan of him, you think he's fantastic, why do

you think they haven't

quite clicked so far?

It's difficult for them, the first game against

Manchester City I thought they played really well and they were

unlucky to concede so late on, the 93rd minute.

Free kick.

Both Rick and his team were disappointed with

that, they wanted to bounce back against Reading and they didn't and

I think again, he will be disappointed with that result but he

is trying to implement a new regime, a new philosophy and I think that's

going to take time for his players to adapt to that.

Difficult, Rachel, when you have that killer blow after

the opening game of the season, you concede so late having put a shift

in right until then, you have so long until the next game and you

put so much emphasis on getting a result and you don't get it.

It is difficult and time is not something

really that Notts County have, the season is

dragged out at times but

then it is condensed at times and you cannot have five, six, seven

games to get it right so Rick's team have got

to get things moving on the

pitch, got to start converting those results

otherwise another season is

away from them and another mediocre, mid place

table finish is not what

they are looking for.

Exactly, the Liverpool Sunderland game, that

horrible injury to Shoma, it's one of those,

happened as a result of the

pitch...

Nobody anywhere near her.

It fuels the argument for 3G and 4G pitches,

from what we see there, it's typical of an ACL injury, a

noncontact injury, most ACL injuries there is no

one around you, it's a

strange landing, the studs get caught in the pitch,

I hope for her sake it's

not ACL but it looked that way.

We are waiting to hear, Lucy Staniforth

formerly of Liverpool, now Sunderland has done her ACL twice

and she tweeted about the pitch, it wasn't up

to scratch, something that

has been re-tweeted.

Is that fair, they are the only side in the top

division playing on that pitch.

They are and I think that's something that needs

to be addressed, for me personally, I don't know if it's my age but

training on a 3G pitch is not good for the joints

and ligaments and I think

the fact that a lot of players have had

injuries through that, I

think it's something that needs to be looked at for next season.

But you counter that, we have played the full

World Cup on 4G pitches and...

Exactly, it's certainly something that has been prevalent for the

likes of Liverpool.

Different qualities of artificial pitches,

aren't there, but we wish her all the best.

On a positive note, plenty of WSL players in attendance at the PFA

Awards last night, the ceremony took place

at London's Grosvenor House Hotel.

Sunderland's Beth Mead named Young Player of the Year before Man

City and England star Isabel Christiansen

was crowned Player of the Year.

I am feeling very humbled and proud right now.

I think every player in this room will probably

agree that there is no better feeling than being recognised by

fellow professionals so I am extremely

honoured and proud, in

amongst such a talented group of nominees, this means the absolute

world to me, so thank you.

CHEERING.

Well done, Izzy, fantastic award for

her.

How much do you think she deserves the award?

100%, she deserves it.

She was the difference for Man City in the second half of

the season last year and it's great, along with the award of the PFA

Player of the Year to get in the senior England squad which I am

hoping she will be able to go on and build caps.

You would expect her to be one of the stars for years to come

but what does she bring to Man City, injured

at the moment but also to

England?

She is one of the engines of Man City, brings quality, her

sort of finishing prowess is second bar none, she is a box to box player

and we see, it's the timing of her run,

she is jogging and then a

change of pace takes her away from the Sunderland defender,

really sort of cool finish, she is in the right

place at the right time which tends to be just

inside that 18-yard box.

Or just on the outside in that case but we see this, probably the

best pick of the bunch, beautiful, top right-hand corner.

Getting towards the finished article, she

has found her home at Man City.

A talented lass, isn't she, but how good is it for

the game in this country, it wasn't one of the Lionesses from the World

Cup that won it?

It is and when you are nominated by your peers, fellow

professionals, that always makes it a little bit more special.

Beth Mead getting the Young Player of the

Year, highly talented, scored bags of goals,

12 in 14 games in the

league last season, no surprise?

Prolific.

I think that's the word that encapsulates what she is, she

has done that at every single level, not yet been given her opportunity

at international level but we see what she did last season.

An all-round goal-scorer and you see,

in the box, the right place, great header,

not good with her head just but she stretches defences, cool and

calm finishing when she gets there and again, showing her pace.

She gets forward and in front of goal, she

is cool and calm, plays it to the bottom and fantastic feet,

beating 3-4 defenders and rifles it in the

top corner.

Good strength against Niamh Fahey, stays on her feet,

passing into the net.

Fantastic, she fully deserves the award.

She is nearly 21 years old but hasn't

received that England cap as yet, been in the squad, but not

tried, why do you think

that is?

Not entirely sure, clinical finisher, pace

in behind, strength on

the ball, I don't really understand why she has not been called up by

England, certainly not been given that first cap because she has been

prolific, strong, and she has been amazing in the league so far.

OK, let's look at the PFA Team of the

Year.

We know it was won by Izzy Christiansen,

is there anybody there or not there that you think perhaps

could have been there?

Some very good players in there and all

well-deserved.

We spoke earlier, we said maybe Gemma Davidson, good season

last season, Claire Rafferty had a good World Cup...

A couple, but I think they have pretty much got it

spot on.

Anybody else for you?

No, I think Claire Rafferty from a defensive perspective, I had to put

that in there, has shone for the Lionesses as well

as her club, last season.

Well done to everybody, you couldn't vote

for the PFA Player of the

Year but you can get involved with this year's BBC World Service

Footballer of the Year award.

The short list of nominees was revealed

yesterday, here they are...

The World Player of the Year, Carli Lloyd, voted.

The World Player of the Year in the FIFA awards.

You can vote via text or online for all the details, head

over to the BBC Sport website.

Finally this week we head to the Hive where Bristol City were looking

to build momentum in their bid to gain promotion from WSL 2, facing

London Bees.

Patience proved a virtue for Bristol City against

plucky London Bees side on Sunday afternoon,

taking over an hour for

the Vixens to break the Bees resistance, Arthur's cross

finding its way in fortuitously by the assistance of the far post.

And within four minutes the lead was doubled,

the short corner routine allowing Jodie Brett to find a way

into the box, the cross turned home by substitute Paige Sawyer.

The victory was wrapped up with 15 minutes to

play, Brett avoiding contact with Farrow's through ball

allowing Olivia Ferguson to race through from an

onside position to finish past Harris and seal a 3-0

win for the visitors.

That win for Bristol City moves them up to third,

level with Everton who overcame Watford 3-0.

Both sides sitting two points behind early

leaders Durham who made it three out of three at the weekend.

It's FA Girls' Football Week and 25,000 5-16

-year-olds taking part, so good luck to all of you.

That's just about all we have time for tonight, back next

Monday night at the usual time of 11:15pm and we will have extended

highlights of Notts County versus Liverpool.

Thanks to Rachel and Sue, great to see you again.

Still early days in the WSL 1 season but only

Man City and Chelsea have 100% records.

Goodbye for now.

MUSIC.