Women’s Super League

CHRISTEN PRESS and Tobin Heath have finally reacted to the bombshell news that their shirts outsold EVERY male star at Manchester United.
Shirts for the American superstars were so popular in the first three days of their release, that they even surpassed the likes of Paul Pogba, Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford.

Shirts for Christen Press (left) and Tobin Heath (right) were the club’s most popular of any player, male or femaleCredit: Getty Images – Getty

The American superstars arrived at the Red Devils last month, in a major coup for the Women’s Super League.

When the pair were asked in an interview with CNN if they expected their arrival in Manchester to spark a fan frenzy and their shirts to sell-out, Press said: “Certainly not.
“I mean I wasn’t thinking about it at all honestly until I read the news.
“But it is something I’m really proud of because especially in the United States we fight a battle everyday to prove our value and prove our worth,

“So things like jersey sales doing really well is actually really important for us because it proves to the pocket that this is something worth investing in.”
The pair have made a combined 306 appearances for their country and were both members of the 2015 and 2019 World Cup-winning squads.
Los Angeles-born Press opted for the number 24 shirt in homage to late basketball legend Kobe Bryant.
Heath usually dons the number 17 but it was taken by Ona Batlle so she chose 77.

Heath added: “Just as we are pioneers in our sport, because women’s football is very young in comparison, we are pioneers in this global equality that needs to exist,
“And an opportunity that needs to exist for all and that’s the message that people want to see and that people want to root for,
“People don’t just want to root for a team anymore, they want to root for something more.”
Other big-name US arrivals who have made a temporary switch to the WSL include Tottenham’s Alex Morgan and Manchester City’s Sam Mewis and Rose Lavelle.

Watch Vivianne Miedema hit her 50th WSL goal to become the league’s all-time record scorer More

CHELSEA star Sam Kerr has brutally shutdown an Arsenal fan claiming she is “jealous” of the Gunners and that she should have joined them over the Blues.
The Australian strike sensation, 27, coolly hit back at the North London supporter, given that Chelsea pipped Arsenal for the title last term.

Sam Kerr has savagely hit back at an Arsenal claiming she is “jealous” of the club Credit: Getty Images – Getty

Kerr wrote: “Nah all good mate” with a cheeky thumbs up to a fan saying she should have joined Arsenal instead of Chelsea on Instagram

Kerr brutally shutdown the Gunners supporter within seconds

The Chelsea star has been in scintillating form this term, already hitting three goals in just four WSL games.
And according to a recent exchange on the Instagram of her Australia teammate, Caitlin Foord, she takes no prisoners off the pitch either.
Gunners forward Foord, who arrived in North London in January, took to social media to post a snap of Arsenal’s collab with Adidas and Pharell Williams on the launch of a new kit.

The shirt is in homage to Arsenal’s famous bruised banana away shirt, worn for two years between 1991-93 by the likes of Ian Wright.

Kerr commented on the snap, saying: “Old school, new school”, to which a Gunners fan replied: “Don’t get jealous, should have come to Arsenal mate.”
But the Blues striker savagely KO’d the fan in just seconds, saying: “Nah all good mate” with a cheeky thumbs up emoji.
Kerr arrived in West London as part of a high-profile switch from Chicago Red Stars, in November last year.
The Perth-born ace’s two-year deal in West London is said to be worth nearly £1million – making her one of the highest earners in the women’s game.  

It’s no surprise that she has no regrets in regard to her transfer, given that the Blues went on to win the league in her first season at the club.
The high-flying West Londoners also equalled their longest ever unbeaten run of 25 top-flight games in a 3-1 blast of Manchester City in the league last time out – with Kerr finding the net.
Emma Hayes’ side also put City to the sword in the Community Shield at Wembley ahead of this term.
Kerr came under fire that day for failing to convert chances, and former England goalkeeper Rachel Brown-Finnis described the striker’s performance as “painfully bad”.
The Aussie ace revealed in an exclusive interview with SunSport that she quit “hostile” social media during that time.

Ex-Arsenal ace Mihoko Ishida was also a rockstar in Japan during her playing days More

FORMER Arsenal ace Mihoko Ishida has two loves – rock music and football.
In an interview with The Athletic, the 38-year-old has shed light on when she left the Gunners during the 2005-06 season to pursue her dreams of becoming a rock star in Japan.

Rock ‘n’ roll footballer Mihoko Ishida behind the mic at a gig in 2011Credit: Getty Images – Getty

Ishida with her old Arsenal teammates, including Alex Scott (bottom left) and Ellen White (second from right, middle row) after a gig in 2011Credit: Getty Images – Getty

The former player was attending Musashigaoka College, just north of Tokyo, when she visited England to play against Arsenal, as part of a partnership with the club.

The North Londoners were so impressed with her during the game that they snapped her up with an offer straight after the final whistle.
Ishida dropped everything and moved to England to live with a host family, despite not speaking a word of the language.

The Japanese star was like a fish out of water, but quickly mastered the language and became close pals with her teammates during Arsenal’s title and FA Cup winning season.
She was rubbing shoulders with the likes of North London legend, Alex Scott, as well as the current Wales boss, Jayne Ludlow.
Ishida revealed to The Athletic: “After Arsenal won the game, people would just go into a pub and they sang and drank.
“It’s kind of different in Japan. People get excited about their favourite teams winning, but they may not go crazy.

“They don’t sing loudly. In England, it was so normal to do that stuff. Music was everywhere. The culture kind of made me more into music.”
Ishida had always been torn between lacing up her boots or picking up the mic.

Ishida is no ordinary pop-star, having played for Arsenal before getting behind the micCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Arsenal aces Yvonne Tracy, Ciara Grant and Emma Byrne having a chin-wag with Ishida after her gig in Tokyo, 2011Credit: Getty Images – Getty

But her Gunners teammates and English tutor sounded the drum and taught her it was ok to juggle both.
She held a small concert with a pal while in London and before the season ended she returned to Japan to kickstart her career under the stage lights.
Ishida made her name singing at radio stations, before landing several small record deals.
The first CD she rented at school was by rock legends Bon Jovi and she enjoyed a brief stint in a high-school band when she was 17.
The Japanese singer is now a full-time football coach, leaving little time to get behind the mic.
But she will always treasure the time she reunited with her old Arsenal teammates and performed for them when they visited Japan.
The squad embarked on an 11-day tour of the country at the end of 2011 to raise funds for the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami relief effort.
Ishida even ended up inviting, Wales icon Jayne Ludlow, up on stage for a duet.
Former Gunners star and current West Ham captain, Gilly Flaherty, was at the gig.
She said: “It was interesting! It was in a downstairs basement bit of this club in the city.
“Mihoko was at Arsenal a while ago. She sang some songs, they laid on food for us and there was a free bar.
“Luds got up there and was singing. It was lovely to go there. It was like a mini-concert. I thought the music was decent.
“She sang some old songs with Luds which we all knew and then she sang some of her own songs.
“She is massive out there and it was really nice of her to have her own private gig with us.”

Watch Vivianne Miedema hit her 50th WSL goal to become the league’s all-time record scorer More

England Women have had to AXE their away fixture against Germany on Tuesday, due to a positive Covid-19 test from a member of the Lionesses’ backroom staff. 
The squad pulled out of the match amid concerns for the safety and welfare of the players and staff.

England women have had to pull out of their friendly with Germany due to a positive Covid-19 test from a member of the backroom staffCredit: PA:Press Association

The current coronavirus protocol by the German government requires that any individual who tests positive whilst in the country must self-isolate for 14 days.  
The FA ultimately did not want to risk that this may happen to a player or member of the England staff. 
England boss Phil Neville said: “While we all wanted to play Tuesday’s game, this was absolutely the right course of action.
“I thank Germany’s staff for their understanding and our FA colleagues for their support.

“I know the fans were hoping to see us play again but I am sure they will understand the decision.
“We have still had a good week of training and are looking forward to getting together next month before our match against Norway in Sheffield.”
The remainder of England Women’s October camp at St. George’s Park has been cancelled and the players are set to return to their clubs today.
The FA’s chief executive Mark Bullingham added: “This has been a difficult but necessary decision. 

“Nothing is more important than the safety, health and wellbeing of the players and colleagues under our care. 
“We are very grateful to the DFB for their cooperation and understanding and look forward to the possibility of a future fixture in healthier and safer times.”

England players exhausted & upset after losing 2-1 to Sweden & finishing 4th in FIFA Women’s World Cup More

VIVIANNE MIEDEMA could only have dreamt as a youngster that she would one day storm past her childhood hero, Robin van Persie, as Holland’s all-time top scorer.
The Dutch star has enjoyed a meteoric rise in the game, lifting major trophies with Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Holland, before becoming the WSL’s record goal-scorer.

Vivianne Miedema won the WSL title with Arsenal in 2019Credit: Getty Images – Getty

Fans probably didn’t expect Miedema to become the league’s most prolific striker after she arrived in England from Bavaria as a fresh faced 20-year-old back in 2017.
But it has taken her just FOUR seasons to make history.
She became the top-flight’s record goal-scorer after hitting a hat-trick against Tottenham last time out, taking her tally to 52 goals in just 50 games.
The striker glided past former record-holder, Nikita Parris, who found the net 49 times in 110 matches for Manchester City and Everton.

When she reached the milestone she cracked a rare smile, having often been branded as “ice-cold” by fans for not being one to overly celebrate when she scores.
And at last year’s World Cup in France, Miedema gave fans another glimpse of her funner side.
She celebrated with a cheeky roly-poly after becoming her country’s all-time top scorer by taking her tally to 60 with two goals against Cameroon.
She said at the time: “It’s a special moment and I made a deal with my brother to make a roll on the pitch.

“Maybe that won’t happen again next time. No more gymnastics!”
She overtook Manon Melis’ 59 and was already dwarfing the men’s record holder and her idol Van Persie, with his 50 goals.
THE MAKING OF MIEDEMA
The strike sensation grew up in a family of football nuts, in Hoogeveen, a town in the north-east of the Netherlands.
Miedema, her father and younger brother Lars would make the 120-mile road trip to Rotterdam to watch their beloved Feyenoord play, when a young Van Persie was just starting out.

Vivianne Miedema met Robin Van Persie when he played for FeyenoordCredit: Instagram @ viviannemiedema

Miedema is close to her brother Lars, who plays for FC Den BoschCredit: Instagram @ viviannemiedema
But her wardrobe soon became filled with Arsenal shirts when her hero moved to the Gunners in 2004.
She told the What The Football podcast: “When I grew up he (Van Persie) was my idol,
“I overtook him as top goal scorer for the nation.
“It was amazing he actually sent me a video and all that it was really cool.
“He was just amazing, that’s the type of number nine I want to be.
“Im a Feyenoord fan in Holland but with Van Persie going to Arsenal I’ve actually been an Arsenal fan.
“I was an Arsenal fan when I was younger , I had all the shirts.”
Miedema now shares the Gunners’ training ground with the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Hector Bellerin.
She told SunSport: “Everyone knows I’ve always been a Van Persie fan he was a big hero here In England as well and so I love players like him.
“Obviously you look at the strikers, I love Lacazette. I love the way he wants to play and he wants to involve other people in his game,
“Aubamerang scores a goal almost every week. When Lacazette was injured he would always come in the gym and ask how we are doing.
“A couple of the girls have got a contact with Bellerin so it’s really open, he’s lovely with the girls and really nice.”
COUPLE GOALS
Viv and her long-term girlfriend, Lisa Evans, hit it off during their time together at Bayern Munich.
When recently asked by broadcaster, Shebahn Aherne, how they met, Viv joked: “It was all me, Oktoberfest works miracles, lets just keep it there!”
Scotland international, Lisa, replied: “I’m a light weight so wouldn’t be surprised!”
The pair lifted the 2015/16 Bundesliga trophy together and celebrated with Bayern men, who also won the title that year, on the Rathaus balcony in Munich city centre.
Miedema and Evans were dressed in traditional German dresses known as, dirndl, while rubbing shoulders with the likes of Franck Ribery, Thomas Muller and Arjen Robben.
The couple switched allegiances to Arsenal in the summer of 2017.
The North London stars have been joined at the hip ever since, and Miedema has even developed a trademark Scottish twang to her accent.
They recently brought a new place together and were shacked up in Evans’ parents house in Scotland over lockdown.

Vivianne Miedema met long-term partner Lisa Evans at Bayern Munich, where they lifted the 2015/16 Bundesliga trophy together

Viv and Lisa Evans have been heroes at Arsenal since 2017Credit: Instagram @ viviannemiedema

TROPHY CABINET
The Holland striker quickly became a hero at Arsenal, helping them to their first top-flight trophy in SEVEN years in 2019, as the WSL top-scorer that season.
Miedema’s scintillating form led her to be named the PFA Player of the Year alongside Virgil Van Dijk that year.
The Dutch pair made history after becoming the first players from the same country to win the award in the same year.
Miedema has become an icon in her country and is mobbed by fans even when she’s just stopping in the pub for a low key pint with her pals.
The striker was also nominated for the Ballon d’Or in 2019 after finding the net a record 22 times in the league that campaign.
Fans claimed she was “robbed” after USA superstar Megan Rapinoe clinched the award.

Vivianne Miedema and Virgil Van Dijk were the first players from the same country to win PFA Player of the Year in the same yearCredit: PA:Press Association
But Miedema isn’t one for awards ceremonies in glitzy locations.
She told SunSport at the time: “I don’t really follow any of these things on Twitter, so it was probably one of the girls in the team who texted me like ‘oh congratulations’.
“I’m just focused on what we do as a team and then obviously if something individual comes up, it is quite special,
“But I’m just not really bothered or completely over the moon about it.”
By the age of 23 she had won three league titles in two different countries, lifted a European trophy in 2017 and reached a World Cup final last year.
Miedema’s mouth-watering form over the years has led to fans piling on serious pressure.
The Arsenal legend admitted on the What The Football podcast: “In the Covid period not having the football pressure was actually really nice.
“You didn’t have that feeling like oh I need to perform on a Sunday morning.
“I was like worrying if I was going to eat black pudding or square sausage for breakfast instead of like ‘oh I need to turn up for this game!'”

Watch Vivianne Miedema kick a ball over her head and perfectly into a basketball hoop More

CARLY TELFORD joked she has become the “grandma” of the Lionesses after dropping a huge hint that she will retire from international football, after next year’s Tokyo Olympics.
The England and Chelsea goalkeeper, 33, revealed the youngsters have been giving her stick for her age in training, as the squad prepare to take on Germany in a friendly on Tuesday.

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Carly Telford, 33, hinted she may retire after the Tokyo Olympics next yearCredit: Rex Features

She said: “They’re not shy in reminding me how old I am. But I can still keep up with them just about.
“But I love it. It’s so nice, it’s a breath of fresh air to work with different goalkeepers.
“I’m now officially the grandma of the group. We’ve actually been able to develop, over the past few years, an amazing group of young goalkeepers.
“I think my role is to keep driving the standards and setting the Lionesses standards that I’ve always held.

“It’s helping them understand what it’s like to be a Lioness goalkeeper,
“And trying to make them understand that they don’t have to try and do anything different than just be who they are.
“And making sure that I’m still ahead of them, just a little bit!”
Telford made her international debut at age 20 in 2007, when Hope Powell was at the helm.

The Durham-born stopper admitted she had planned to hang up her boots after next year’s home Euros, before they were postponed to 2022 amid the coronavirus crisis.
She added: “I’m going to be very honest, my goal was to go to the Olympics, which was meant to happen this year, do the home Euros, and then I was probably going to retire.
“I wanted to enjoy my life at 34 years of age and go into the next phase of my career.
“I want to go to the Olympics still. I still want to go to the Euros but I do realise that my age and things may change.
“I don’t know what my club situation will be either.
“So, for now it’s the short sighted game going to the Olympics and then we will see what the future holds.”
The veteran Lioness has been helping youngsters like Manchester City’s Ellie Roebuck, 21, and Everton’s Sandy Maciver, 22, burst onto the scene.
Nowadays, stoppers in the women’s game are supported with full-time training by a specific goalkeeping coach.
But Telford was lucky as a kid to get just 20 minutes, twice a week, with the manager to help her sharpen up her skills between the sticks.

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Carly Telford lifted the She Believes Cup with the Lionesses in 2019Credit: Rex Features

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Telford has been helping young Man City keeper, Ellie Roebuck (far right), in the England training campsCredit: PA:Press Association
She recalled: “I think the demands of a goalkeeper have changed throughout my tenure.
“I’d like to think that now that a lot of the top tier clubs are investing heavily in that department, and the FA have as well.
“What I had at their age was Tuesday, Thursday nights, 20 minutes, if I was lucky.
“It might’ve been the head coach or someone just kicking or volleying a couple of balls at me.
“Then I was just chucked into a session and you crack on and then you performed at the weekend.
“If you were good you got selected for England, if you weren’t, you didn’t. To see the girls’ progress now is huge and I would love to be their age.”

Watch Katie McCabe send Arsenal fans into meltdown with incredible free-kick against Tottenham More

NIKITA PARRIS admitted winning a major tournament is the only way forward for England women, as FA chiefs pile on the pressure.
On Monday, the Lionesses were told anything other than lifting a trophy at either the home Euros next year or the 2023 World Cup would be deemed as a “failure” by Baroness Sue Campbell, head of the women’s game.

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Nikita Parris (right) says anything other than a major trophy is “not good enough”

The England stars fought back tears after suffering a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to the USA in the semi-finals of the World Cup last year.
They crashed out at the same stage of the 2015 tournament, as well as Euro 2017.
Parris said: “I believe England need to have that pressure of having to win a major tournament.
“I think in the past we’ve said that we’ll go in it to win BUT – there’s always been a but.

“As Sue clearly stated it’s about winning a major tournament for England now and nothing less will be good enough.
“I was truly disappointed in the World Cup when we lost against America because I really thought that was our time.
“But now we have to build on the momentum of getting to semi-finals and not quite having enough to get to the final to win – and now that’s not good enough.
“Now we have to train and get our mind-set right because winning a major tournament is the only way forward for England.”

Parris lifted the Champions League trophy with European top dogs Lyon this year after arriving from Manchester City last summer.

And she fears the English top-flight will suffer if the Lionesses aren’t successful in their home Euros next year.
As the Lionesses prepare to take on two-time World Cup winners Germany in Wiesbaden on Tuesday, the striker added: “The home Euros are an unbelievable time to really push on women’s football in England.
“The Women’s Super League is a great advertisement for clubs and players worldwide to really look at the league and see where it’s going.
“It’s a fantastic league. Even me being abroad and watching as many games,  I think that the league has really pushed on.
“But in order for England to really reach those heights in the eyes of those who are at the very top of women’s football, we have to win a major tournament.”

Watch Katie McCabe send Arsenal fans into meltdown with incredible free-kick against Tottenham More

ARSENAL fans were left drooling after Katie McCabe buried an incredible free-kick in the North London derby.
It took just four minutes for the Ireland skipper to show her set-piece prowess against Tottenham.

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Katie McCabe struck the ball after a short run upCredit: Twitter @ArsenalWFC

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The Arsenal ace sent it dipping and curling beyond the Spurs wallCredit: Twitter @ArsenalWFC

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Tottenham stopper Becky Spencer barely moved an inchCredit: Twitter @ArsenalWFC

A free-kick from the far right of the pitch was launched over the wall before bending and dipping into the far corner.
The motionless goalkeeper, Becky Spencer, couldn’t help but watch the ball ping off the post and fly into the net.
It’s no surprise the clip is doing the rounds on social media and has sent Gunners fans into meltdown.
Twitter user KayPea wrote: “Absolute pin-point precision.

Another fan described the Ireland skipper as “Xhaka-esque”.
Stuart Punnett added: “Beautiful goal, absolute class!”

McCabe set Vivianne Miedema up for her second goal with another clever free-kick before the break.
Miedema broke the all-time WSL scoring record against Spurs on Sunday, as she took her tally up to 52 goals in just 50 games.

Australian star Caitlin Foord also found the net twice at Borehamwood before Lucia Leon headed home a late consolation for Tottenham.
The Gunners ran out 6-1 winners, continuing their perfect start to the top-flight ahead of the international break.

Watch Vivianne Miedema kick a ball over her head and perfectly into a basketball hoop More