Here’s a team of the week for Matchday 11, comprising the games played on the 19th, 20th, and 21st of January 2024. New year, same Women’s Super League, and that couldn’t be better news.
GK: Hannah Hampton (Chelsea)
CB: Nathalie Björn (Chelsea)
CB: Alex Greenwood (Manchester City)
CB: Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal)
LM: Grace Clinton (Tottenham Hotspur)
CM: Victoria Pelova (Arsenal)
CM: Adriana Leon (Aston Villa)
RM: Chloe Kelly (Manchester City)
CAM: Lauren James (Chelsea)
ST: Khadija Shaw (Manchester City)
ST: Elisabeth Terland (Brighton & Hove Albion)
A tight first week back as we reach the halfway point of the season and while some names continue to crop up, others begin to crop up more regularly, but all are sure to have earned their place.
Hannah Hampton and defensive mate Nathalie Björn were cast into the spotlight in a big way against Manchester United, standing up to the task. Their comrade Lauren James did a bit more than stand, and with a bit of help from Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, broke down the defiant Mary Earps to streak away with victory. Courtney Brosnan was another goalkeeper standing her ground as best she could, but a powerful Arsenal side would soon put her and her team to the sword — more culture displayed from Victoria Pelova while Lotte Wubben-Moy held down the fort. Aston Villa are getting back into the swing of things and their victory against Leicester can owe a lot to a resolute defence (namely Sarah Mayling), while Adriana Leon can curse her luck that she somehow didn’t get out of there with a goal to her name, such was her electricity on the night. Spurs showed up big (going forward) as they held off a West Ham fightback (once again spearheaded by the ever-ferocious Riko Ueki), and with two goals and an assist, Grace Clinton is very swiftly becoming the figurehead of this newly minted Tottenham side. Brighton’s victory over Bristol City reminded everyone what a talisman Terland is for The Seagulls, while also managing to conjure up memories of Abi Harrison’s second division Golden Boot win not so long since — putting her at the top of the sheet could bear fruit once more. Finally, The Citizens dominated again. Taylor Hinds proved her worth for Liverpool once more, often being the best player for whichever section of the pitch she’s on, but when you’ve got Alex Greenwood fixing up a wall at the back, Chloe Kelly wreaking havoc outside the box, and Khadija Shaw being a mere formality inside the box, there’s only so much you can do.
Hat-tricks of different varieties make up the trio on call for Player Of The Week this time round. In a certain week of attackers, Shaw, James, and Clinton all shone out above the rest. The Citizen seemed ever-hungry, The Blue seemed calculated, and The Hotspur seemed disciplined. Though it’s hard to split them, given the nature of the game she was in and the ease with which she allowed it to wash over her, Lauren James is the Player Of The Week potentially on her way to Player Of The Season. As for Goal Of The Week, it’s between Hinds’ perfectly executed chip or Clinton’s well-crafted opener… And I reckon it’ll go to the latter, big up GC.
Keep it streets ahead,
C.L.R.
