Women’s football

EMMA HAYES warns Chelsea fans need to be patient when it comes to hopes of seeing Sam Kerr and Fran Kirby starting together this term. The prolific duo are yet to feature in Hayes’ first XI this season with the Blues boss carefully managing their returns.
Sam Kerr came off the bench for Chelsea in their WSL clash with Manchester City last time outCredit: Getty
In recent Kerr and Fran Kirby have developed a prolific attacking partnership for ChelseaCredit: Getty
West Ham will be the Blues’ next opponents in their first WSL game at Kingsmeadow this termCredit: Getty
Kerr, who has bagged 86 goals in 110 Chelsea games, was a second-half substitute during the title-holders’ dramatic draw with Manchester City last Sunday.
It was the Blues’ striker’s first top-flight appearance since her return to fitness from a calf injury sustained on World Cup duty with Australia. 
Hayes, whose team hosts West Ham at Kingsmeadow on Saturday, said: “Yes – Sam played games in the World Cup on the back end.
“But she didn’t train that entire period. 
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“She then had a couple of weeks break then had the same injury, so she’s only had one week’s training. We have to be mindful of that. 
“Sam has had her first full training week and is available for selection. 
“But you have got to make decisions on what’s right for Sam in the long term, and not just immediate decisions.
“That’s because the crowd will remember and want to see certain partnerships together. 
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“As football managers, I don’t think people really realise sometimes you’re managing so many other things that may not always allow you to put players and combinations of players together. 
“We’re getting closer to it and we’re another week closer, so I’m happy for that reason.
 “I think for the players, they’re just getting back into the rhythm of being there.
“Coaches always want training weeks, so I’d much rather be in that position, but players always want games.”
Kerr and Kirby have formed a lethal attacking partnership in recent seasons
In their first year together during the Blues’ 2020-21 campaign, the team-mates scored and assisted 13 times as a duo. 
Their prolific displays played a key part in Chelsea claiming the second of four consecutive WSL titles they have won since 2019. 
However the second half of last term saw Kirby sidelined from knee injury sustained in March during a Conti Cup duel with West Ham.
Hayes, whose team have one win and one draw, added: “With Fran Kirby – yes, she’s had a pre-season.
“But she has missed a large chunk of last season, so we’re building particularly Fran into the season.  
“This is the first week we’ve had Sam being able to train with the team in its entirety and had Fran at the same time, and Lauren at the same time. 
“I think this week, we’ve looked much more like ourselves.”
Chelsea’s Saturday evening clash with West Ham will see them play at Kingsmeadow for the first time this term.
Their previous home game – held at Stamford Bridge – saw them seal a 2-1 win against Tottenham with James and summer-signing Mia Fischel both netting in front of 
On how the Kingsmeadow and Stamford Bridge atmospheres compare, Hayes said: “I’m a bit old school so I love Kingsmeadow.
“I like the feeling of the crowd on top of you. 
“I like the banter you get from the away fans, I enjoy all of that. It makes me chuckle during a game. 
“But from where I sit (at Kingsmeadow) I can see this section of our longest-serving, most ardent fans singing their tunes. 
“And you can’t hear that in the biggest stadiums but I for sure can hear it at Kingsmeadow.  I love being there. It’s our other home.”
Saturday’s game will see Chelsea face Rehanne Skinner’s Irons without the services of Fischel and Guro Reiten with both currently crocked.
West Ham have won two of their last three games across all competitions under their new boss Rehanne SkinnerCredit: PA
And Hayes is expecting a tough encounter seventh-placed West Ham side facing Chelsea for the first time under Skinner. 
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The Blues boss added: “West Ham have all the qualities to do well, particularly because of the way the front two work. 
“We think they’ve done really well in pre-season and in their first two games from what we’ve analysed. We certainly don’t underestimate them.” More

BETH MEAD has given Arsenal a huge boost with the forward back in full training for the first time since her return to fitness from a serious knee injury. The WSL ace, 28, was put through her paces earlier today with her team-mates before their Emirates duel with Aston Villa.
Beth Mead did some training with her team-mates earlier this term and is now back in full sessionsCredit: Getty
The WSL star, who helped Arsenal win the league in 2019, is nearing a return to action for Jonas Eidevall’s sideCredit: Getty
The Gunners fans’ favourite took part in a behind-closed-doors training match with Arsenal’s women’s youth players on Wednesday. 
Her last appearance for Jonas Eidevall’s team was last November during their 3-2 loss to Manchester United in the league at the Emirates.
Back then the Euros Golden Boot winner ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament.
The injury saw her sidelined for the rest of last season with the WSL star missing also this summer’s World Cup.
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Mead’s return to full training comes at a time of mixed results for the Gunners so far this term.
Eidevall’s side, who finished third in the WSL season, have picked up one point from their first two top-flight games.
The league cup holders fell to a surprise 1-0 season-opening loss to Liverpool before going on to earn a point on the road against Manchester United last Friday. 
The WSL giants also fell to a surprise loss to Paris FC in the Women’s Champions League.
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The Gunners, who reached the contest semis this year, were knocked out of the tournament’s qualifiers after losing a penalty shootout. 
During the season before her knee injury, Mead notched up 11 goals and eight assists in 20 WSL games. 
And her stunning displays on the international stage help England win the Women’s Euros for the first time last summer.
The forward finished as the tournament’s top scorer bagging six goals.
This Sunday will see Mead’s side chase their first win of the season when they host Villa, who they have beaten four times in six WSL encounters.  
Rachel Daly and her Aston Villa pals will take on Arsenal at the Emirates with both teams chasing their first wins this seasonCredit: Getty
So far the club have sold more than 32,500 tickets for the fixture which kicks off at 2:00 pm at the Emirates on October 15.
The last meeting between the rivals ended in a 2-0 away loss for the Gunners on the final day of last season. 
However this term Villa are yet to pick up a point after losing to Manchester United and Liverpool in their season-opening matches. More

ENGLAND defender Alex Greenwood was sent off for time wasting during Manchester City’s WSL clash with Chelsea this afternoon.The 30-year-old was penalised while taking a free kick in the 39th minute of the match.
Alex Greenwood was sent off for time wasting against ChelseaCredit: PA
Chloe Kelly was left furious about the decisionCredit: Reuters
With the ball just inside Man City’s half, Greenwood took around 25 seconds to find the pass.
But just as she went to take the kick, referee Emily Heaslip blew her whistle before giving the England Lioness a second yellow.
Greenwood, who stood still in disbelief, did not receive a warning prior to her dismissal.
And her team-mates were left furious as a result, with Laia Aleixandri, Jill Roord and Chloe Kelly booked for dissent.
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England legend Ian Wright took to social media to criticise the “embarrassing” officiating.
He tweeted: “Embarrassing. They keep telling us about laws of the game but where is common sense! Why would she be wasting time??? Kmt.”
Euro 2022 Golden Boot winner and Arsenal star Beth Mead agreed, adding: “Awful decision, never time wasting.”
Meanwhile, WSL legend Casey Stoney branded the decision “ridiculous” and a “joke”, writing: “Possibly the most ridiculous red card I’ve ever seen. How to ruin a game @BarclaysWSL. Absolute joke!!!!!”
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Man City were leading the match against holding WSL Champions Chelsea 1-0 when they went down to 10 players.
Kelly opened the scoring in spectacular style just seven minutes into the clash with an excellent strike from 25-yards out.
England Lioness Lauren Hemp was sent off in the late stages after picking up a second yellow card.
The first was for dissent, while the second followed a challenge on Lauren James.
Chelsea went on to level the score in the sixth minute of added time through Guro Reiten.
After the match, Man City boss Gareth Taylor claimed that Greenwood’s red card was a “gamechanger”.
Speaking to BBC Sport, he said: “The gamechanger is Alex’s [Greenwood] red card. It changes everything.
“It is frustrating, particularly when we seemed to have gone from here to here [one extreme to another] on dishing out those yellow cards.
“It is a difficult one to take because the players were magnificent defending the box against some really physical, direct players. Then with Alanna [Kennedy] off the pitch we think Khiara [Keating] has pulled off the save at the vital moment [before Chelsea scored].
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“I’m so proud of the players. We were tremendous last week. This week was a different game. I spoke to Emma [Hayes] at the end and neither of us enjoyed that because those few decisions were a spoiler.
“All we want to see is consistency. If that is going to happen in a game like that, then we need to see that applied across every game.”
City went down to nine players at the end of the match after Lauren Hemp was sent offCredit: Reuters More