Women’s Super League

FRAN ALONSO joked Natasha Flint’s prowess on the pitch made him suffer during his stint at the helm of Lewes Women.The Celtic Women’s boss made his remarks after the Scottish Women’s Premier League side signed the Leicester forward on loan.
Fran Alonso is backing Natasha Flint’s loan move to Celtic to be a successCredit: Kenny Ramsay
The Leicester City forward will be hoping to notch up more minutes having made five starts in the WSL for the Foxes this seasonCredit: Getty
Flint’s temporary move until the end of this season, confirmed before today’s 5pm deadline for WSL domestic transfers, ends weeks of speculation linking her to a Ghirls switch.
Her transfer comes in a season that has seen the forward make five starts in the nine WSL matches for the Foxes netting once across those games.
However the Salford-born forward, who began her senior career at Manchester City, finished as top scorer in the Women’s Championship during Leicester’s storming run in the 2020-21 season.
She netted 17 goals in 20 appearances during the Foxes’ charge to the Championship title and promotion to the WSL.
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And during a three-year Blackburn Rovers spell from 2017 to 2020, Flint bagged 70 goals in 60 appearances across all competitions.
Efforts include an equaliser against Lewes during a match that saw Rovers hammered 5-1 in August 2019 when the Spain-born head coach was still in charge of the Rooks.
Alonso, who has previously worked as an assistant to Mauricio Pochettino during his reign 2013-14 reign as Southampton boss, said:  “I’ve known her for a few years and I suffered a few times when she scored against my previous team.
“Tash is a gifted player with fantastic finishing ability, has great one-v-one skills and very good long-range shooting, so in terms of weapons, she brings a lot to the team.’
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“On top of that, she brings lots of experience at the highest level and I’m hoping the move to Celtic will add more silverware to her CV.”
Flint’s move to the SWPL title chasers comes in a month in which Leicester added Remy Siemsen to their attacking ranks the player joining from Australian side Sydney FC on January 12.
However the Australia striker is currently unavailable for Foxes duty having sustained an injury.
Flint could be in line to make her Celtic debut when her club who are second in the SWPL take on Aberdeen.
Alonso’s Celtic side are hoping to win the Scottish Women’s Premier League title for the first time in their club’s historyCredit: Kenny Ramsay
Alonso’s side are currently second in Scotland’s top tier and three points behind title rivals Glasgow City.
Celtic are chasing their first SWPL title win, having finished as runners-up on three occasions in the past 14 years.
Glasgow City have been the division’s most dominant force winning 15 league titles in the past 16 years. More

PHOEBE WARNER is enjoying life at West Brom after the “emotional rollercoaster” of seeing her former club survive a liquidation scare. Today the midfield gem, 22, hopes to help the Baggies pull off an FA Cup fourth round upset when they play Brighton.
Brighton hope to pick up their first win of the year when they face West Brom Women at Keys Park todayCredit: Alamy
Phoebe Warner believes her team’s clash with Albion will be a good test of their ability to go toe-to-toe with a top tier sideCredit: Twitter
In December 2021 Warner was recovering from an operation on an ankle injury she sustained in a training session during her spell at Coventry United Women.  
It was during that month the Women’s Championship battlers made headlines when they were on the cusp of collapse.
And in January they were rescued from voluntary liquidation by local businessman Lewis Taylor.  
Last summer Coventry heroically went on to win their fight to avoid relegation from the second tier before Turner sealed a switch to West Brom last July. 
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It was a move that saw her begin her second spell at the third tier side. 
Reflecting on that period Warner, who juggles her playing career with her job at youth charity Powered by CAN said: “It was especially hard for me. 
“I had just had ankle surgery and so (my ankle) was in a cast at the time and I was on crutches. 
“When my former team-mates were looking for other clubs, I wasn’t in a position to do that, because I couldn’t speak to clubs and train.
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“And then the club got taken over and it was like an emotional rollercoaster from then to the end (of the season) to that last game. 
“It was like a great escape that happened that year, which I think was just crazy when you look back on it.”
Fast forward to this term, a fully fit Warner has been in fine form for West Brom.
Her goal tally this season includes a hat-trick in an 8-0 FA Cup third round demolition of Lichfield last November. 
The midfielder, who began her football journey in Wolves Centre of Excellence at age 10, has been thriving under the management of head coach Jenny Sugarman. 
It was during a stint at Aston Villa, a club Warner helped rise up to the Championship before their 2020 WSL promotion, that the player encountered Sugarman. 
She credits the coach with fostering self-belief in a third-tier Baggies side who are currently tenth in the Women’s National League North division. 
Warner adds: “For me Jenny is the perfect football manager because she instils confidence and belief in us.
“She was a major factor for me going to West Brom because she was also my coach at Villa. 
“And with Dave Lawrence our director of football and the people that work at West Brom, there’s a lot of ambition there. 
“I really believe that one day the club is going to be in the Women’s Super League and competing there because it has got a structure in place.”
WSL dreams aside, Warner and her team-mates will focus on the FA Cup task at hand when they go toe-to-toe with Brighton at their Keys Park home. 
Retired WSL heroine Ellen White is one of the players Warner has come against in a past FA Cup encounterCredit: PA:Empics Sport
At 2pm on Sunday they face an Albion side currently second from bottom in the WSL and finding their feet under their new boss Jens Scheuer. 
For Warner the Baggies’ match against the Seagulls brought back fond memories of the year the team took on a star-studded Birmingham side in the FA Cup’s fifth round.
Back in 2017 the midfielder, who was then 16, came on as a second-half substitute against a team featuring WSL aces such as Ann-Katrin Berger, Jess Carter and Euros winner Ellen White. 
Warner added: “I recalled seeing these players on the pitch and thinking ‘wow’, 
“The good thing about the FA Cup is that you do get to play against top players you idolised when you were younger.”
While West Brom will enter today’s match as underdogs, Warner and her team-mates intend to enjoy the contest and put on a show for their fans. 
Jens Scheuer will be aiming to guide Albion to their first win since he took charge of the team in DecemberCredit: Getty
The midfielder added: “It’s a huge game for us. It will be a great test because we know they’re going to be a quality opposition. 
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“This will be a good measure for us to look at them and see where we’re at. 
“And it’s the magic of the FA Cup that anything can happen and we’ll have a lot of belief. We just need to go out there and deliver.” More

FRIDA MAANUM’s red hot scoring run shows no sign of slowing as she helped fire Arsenal into the Conti Cup semis.The midfielder was a menace bagging a brace as Aston Villa were trounced 3-0 with the Gunners chasing a sixth league cup win.
Frida Maanum opened the scoring for Arsenal as they swept Aston Villa aside at Meadow ParkCredit: Getty
The Norway international was on target in both spells of the game for Jonas Eidevall’s sideCredit: Getty
Arsenal aim to book their place in the Women’s FA Cup fifth round by beating Leeds next following their league cup quarters winCredit: PA
And Maanum took her scoring tally to 10 goals in 14 games across all competitions this term.
Her stunning finishes in both halves were the icing on the cake of a clinical Arsenal display with Carla Ward’s side enduring a challenging night on the road. 
The clash at Meadow Park was given the green light after an afternoon pitch inspection following five match postponements across the top two women’s divisions last weekend. 
The encounter saw Hannah Hampton back in goal for the visitors.
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And Jordan Nobbs started against her old club following her January switch to Ward’s side. 
Villa held their own soaking up pressure with Hanson walloping a shot high over the bar in the 12th minute before their hosts broke the deadlock 17 minutes later.   
The opener came with Maanum dribbling into the box and firing home a left-footed shot.
Villa attempted to hit back immediately with Hanson holding off her marker to let fly from the edge of box forcing a save from Gunners goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo 
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And Kenza Dali blazed a shot high over the bar in the 35th minute before Kim Little’s ferocious strike prompted a stunning save from Hampton close to half-time. 
The hosts doubled their lead in the 50th minute with a Villa throw-in going awry.
And Foord capitalised winning possession to tee up Maanum’s top-corner finish.
The Australia striker got on the scoresheet with the Norway ace turning provider with Foord slotting home Arsenal’s third with half an hour remaining. 
Kathrine Kuhl and Victoria Pelova were given their Gunners debuts with the duo entering the fray in place of Leah Williamson and Stina Blackstenius.
Carla Ward’s side will look to bounce back from their loss with an FA Cup fourth round win against third tier women’s side AFC FyldeCredit: Getty
And Pelova came close to nabbing a dream debut goal following a neat exchange with Kuhl before a swift intervention from Hampton. 
The hosts saw out the game booking their semis place ahead of an FA Cup fourth round clash with fourth tier side Leeds Ladies on Sunday. 
A Conti Cup semis duel with last term’s contest winners Manchester City awaits the Gunners with West Ham set to take on Chelsea. More

JONAS EIDEVALL reckons long and short-term solutions are needed to stop frozen pitches disrupting women’s matches. And the Arsenal chief warned against undersoil heating taking priority over areas in need of attention within the sport.
Jonas Eidevall believes the women’s game needs to consider all areas of the sport that require investment besides undersoil heatingCredit: Getty
The Arsenal boss shared his thoughts three days after Brighton’s WSL duel with Arsenal was postponed due to a frozen pitchCredit: PA
Eidevall’s side are due to play Aston Villa this evening in the Conti Cup quarter-finals.
The fixture comes four days after their WSL clash with Brighton was postponed due to an icy pitch. 
The match was one of five games called off across the top tier and Women’s Championship because of frozen turfs following plummeting temperatures. 
Chelsea’s home duel with Liverpool at Kingsmeadow was one of the most high profile fixtures postponed.
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The game was halted six minutes after kick-off. 
And events at the match, which saw players slipping on icy parts of the pitch led to calls for undersoil heating at grounds used by women’s top tier sides. 
When asked for his thoughts on solutions, Eidevall said: “I don’t think that is quite as easy as having undersoil heating. 
“You have to look at it from all investment angles.
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“You need to prioritise and there are so many things we would like to invest in in the women’s game at the moment.
“When you see the cost for undersoil heating and compare it to the cost of having a proper academy system in order to develop more British players – it is not easy to see how you prioritise that money.
“In life in general, the easy thing is to try to fix the topic of the day.
“I completely agree with Emma (Hayes) what happened at the Chelsea game to play those minutes was really bad for the league.
“But when we look at it from a zoomed-out perspective, we need to really see what the priorities should be with investment.
“We can’t make it emotional and because this was a problem yesterday, that all money should go into that.
 “If you look historically in January, it is a troublesome month to play on grass pitches. We can’t change nature. 
“Maybe when games are scheduled there there should be an awareness that it’s problematic.
“I think the solution is the difference between long-term and short-term. 
“Short-term, it’s communication. Early communication saves fans money and time. 
“From a league perspective, it saves us from seeing pictures like we saw at Chelsea v Liverpool on Sunday, which is really bad advertising for the WSL.”
Arsenal are due to carry out a pitch inspection at 12 midday to assess whether their clash with Carla Ward’s Villa side will go ahead. 
The club says a decision on if the 7:45 pm game will take place will be made immediately after the inspection. 
Arsenal explored “the possibility” of the match being played at the Emirates but stated it would not be possible due to “essential pitch maintenance” work taking place at the ground. 
Villa boss Carla Ward stated she was hopeful the game would ahead. 
Her team, which now includes former Gunners midfielder Jordan Nobbs, have enjoyed a promising start to this year.
They defeated Tottenham 2-1 at home and nabbed a draw away at Manchester City in their first two WSL games this year. 
And Ward believes club trophy-winning experiences of players such as Nobbs and Rachel Daly will be beneficial for the mindset of her side. 
The Villa manager said: “We have senior players who have not got to (cup) finals before or semi finals, so it’s important to tap into those players, new and old, who have had those experiences. 
“We’ve got to really rely on them, but we’re growing and developing the right way. 
Carla Ward believes Aston Villa have a good opportunity to cause a Conti Cup upset against Arsenal this eveningCredit: PA
“We’re continuing to play the way that we want to play and making sure that we close gaps on these bigger teams. 
“It doesn’t happen overnight and anyone  who thinks it does is hugely mistaken.
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“We have to continue the process and it is a process, as boring as that sounds. 
“This game is a real opportunity to hopefully cause an upset and get ourselves into a semi-final of a cup (competition).” More

EMMA HAYES insists WSL chiefs and clubs should come together to find a solution to prevent the chaos of frozen pitches halting games.The Chelsea boss suggested an environmentally friendly option could be part of the answer to a problem that goes beyond events at the Blues ground on Sunday.
Emma Hayes says preventing frozen pitches from disrupting fixtures is a matter for the WSL as a whole to considerCredit: PA
Hayes’ Chelsea side are due to face Tottenham away in a Conti Cup quarter-final fixture on Wednesday eveningCredit: Reuters
Tottenham say an inspection of their pitch will take place on Wednesday afternoon to determine if the game will go ahead
Hayes, whose players are due to visit Brisbane Road tomorrow evening for a Conti Cup quarters duel with Tottenham, was speaking two days after the postponement of her team’s WSL clash with Liverpool. 
The Blues’ match at Kingsmeadow was one of three top tier games shelved due to icy pitches and player safety concerns.
Tottenham’s duel with Leicester was also postponed along with Brighton’s Sunday night game against Arsenal. 
Spurs confirmed a pitch check will be conducted on Wednesday afternoon at the ground they share with League Two men’s side Leyton Orient. 
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In an update shared via their web site, the club said: “The pitch inspection will take place at 2:00 pm on Wednesday.
“A final decision on whether the match can be played will be made shortly after.
“We will communicate the outcome of the inspection with supporters as soon as the match official has made the decision via the club website and social media channels.”
Hayes, 46, has been in conversation with Chelsea’s owners in regard to frozen turf issues which saw the Blues’ clash against Liverpool called off after six minutes. 
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She said: “I’ve spoken with our owners about it and they share the same vision and the same ideas that I do around the women’s game.
“This isn’t about Chelsea, this is about women’s football being in a place where we’re working hard to build a fan base, build a business and to build all of those things.
“This is about ensuring every match happens and maybe that’s something the league as a whole has to consider. 
That’s about a consultation with the FA and clubs to ensure that those fixtures happen. It should be  non-negotiable.
“Cancelling games has a detrimental impact on our sport.
“Whatever it takes to ensure that fans who are travelling up and down the country are not having a game cancelled six minutes in, is something we should all work towards.
“Undersoil heating – which someone quite rightly pointed out – is not exactly environmentally friendly.  
“An environmentally friendly option for football pitches in an ideal world, so that we can play in the top division, is what I think we should expect.
“Let’s hope we can work towards that.”
Arsenal say a pitch inspection is due to be carried out at their Meadow Park home at midday Wednesday before their league cup duel with Aston Villa on Thursday night. 
The club stated a decision on whether the game would go ahead will be taken immediately after the inspection. 
A pitch inspection will take place at lunchtime on Wednesday at the ground Arsenal share with Boreham Wood before their Conti Cup match against Aston VillaCredit: PA
However Arsenal said that it would not be possible for the match to be moved to the Emirates due to “essential pitch maintenance” work. 
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When asked what contingency could be put in place in the event of a WSL side having a frozen pitch and no access to their men’s team ground, Hayes added: “Maybe we reschedule winter games in stadiums that we know have undersoil heating for example.
“Maybe that could be the next step.  More

WOMEN’S football stars and fans criticised the shambolic scenario of Chelsea having their WSL game against Liverpool halted after six minutes due to a frozen pitch.A Blues supporters group say they intend to contact the club about undersoil heating at the home of the women’s side. 
Chelsea Women’s Supporters Group intend approach officials at the club in regard to undersoil heating KingsmeadowCredit: Getty
The Blues’ Sunday lunchtime duel with Liverpool was suspended following concerns for players safety on the frosty turfCredit: PA
Pitch covers and blowers had been deployed prior kick-off in a bid to improve surface conditions ahead of the gameCredit: Getty
The high profile duel between Emma Hayes’ Blues and Matt Beard’s Reds became the second of three WSL fixtures kiboshed by frosty turf conditions. 
And sixth tier women’s side Brentford saw their game against Whyteleafe called off ten minutes into the second half due to icy turf.
Match goers at Chelsea’s Kingsmeadow ground and WSL followers on social media expressed amazement at the 12:30pm fixture being suspended minutes into the game.
The game was officially given the green light to ahead by referee Neil Hair.
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Events unfolded live on BBC Two with the game being aired on the channel.
Players in the starting eleven for Chelsea and Liverpool and WSL fans took to social media platforms to share their dismay at the debacle.
Many called for better treatment and respect for Women’s Super League games. 
Via her Twitter account Chelsea ace Katerina Svitkova wrote: “There is still a lot to do in women’s football. 
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“It is very sad that in this league this still can happen. We need better, we deserved better.”
Blues winger Erin Cuthbert, whose team will face Liverpool at home this Sunday in the FA Cup, tweeted: “So, so sorry to all our fans who turned up today and braved the cold weather. 
“This shouldn’t be happening and we will demand more for our game. 
“Angry and frustrated but we will be ready for Wednesday.”
Cuthbert’s club-mate and Blues goalkeeper Zecira Musovic described the situation as “a major joke” 
Musovic tweeted: “Who needs 90 minutes when you can get it all in 8’.
“End to end action, some ice skating in the middle from Niamh (Fahey), ref calling the two skippers for a serious chat and the other coach going crazy for it being too dangerous.
“That was a major joke, unacceptable. Do better.”
In an Instagram post, centre-back Kadeisha Buchanan wrote: “It’s mind boggling that there are games/training (sessions) being cancelled because of frozen pitches throughout the league. 
“We play in a cold country, we should have heated pitches too. 
“Where are our ratings as women footballers?”
And her Blues colleague and vice-skipper Millie Bright added: “On every front today (Sunday) was unacceptable!!
“We demand more for our game.. DO BETTER.”
Brighton’s Sunday evening WSL game against Arsenal was called off ahead of the fixture’s 6:45 pm startCredit: PA
The postponement sparked debate on the need for undersoil heating at grounds hosting women’s top tier games. 
And a Blues’ fan group intends to discuss the issue with their club which is the eighth richest in the world according Deloitte’s latest Football League money rankings. 
Chelsea Women’s Supporters Group told SunSport: “We have been very lucky with the pitch at Kingsmeadow 
“Since the team has been playing there we’ve only had one or two games postponed so we have never called for it (undersoil heating) in the past. 
“We will now have a conversation with the club that this should be in place at Kingsmeadow.”
After the match’s suspension, Blues skipper Magda Eriksson told reporters: “The players were trying to mentally prepare for the game as we would. 
“We were just following what we’ve been told and trying to get on with it. 
“It was quite obvious once the whistle blew it wasn’t possible to play the game and obviously should have been dealt with in a better way.”
Liverpool striker Katie Stengel appeared to question why Stamford Bridge was not chosen as the ground for the fixture with the home of the Blues’ Prem players not in use today.
The Reds ace quote tweeted a post from Vivianne Miedema in which the Arsenal forward called for the deployment of undersoil heating at grounds.
In her tweet, which followed an earlier post of footage of players losing their balance on the turf at Kingsmeadow, Stengel wrote: “I heard Stamford Bridge was wide open today.”
In a statement the FA said matchday referee Hair gave the fixture the go-ahead after a 09:30 pitch inspection
A second check before kick-off also followed with the use of a pitch cover and heaters. 
Liverpool boss Matt Beard questioned why the game was not called off before kick-off with many Reds fans having undertaken long journeys down to LondonCredit: Getty
However it is thought a number of players flagged edges of the pitch were slippery with some seen losing their balance after the game commenced before being postponed. 
A Women’s Super League spokesperson said: “We worked hard with the clubs and the match officials to safely play the Barclay’s Women’s Super League fixture between Chelsea and Liverpool as scheduled. 
“Following inspections before the match, the pitch was deemed to be playable by the matchday referee. 
“However, shortly after kick off, the referee made the decision to abandon the match in order to protect the safety of the players, which is paramount. 
“We sincerely apologise to all fans who travelled to the match. The fixture will be rescheduled in due course.”
Hayes publicly apologised to Blues and Reds fans who flocked to the game 
Whilst stating the timing of the call-off was wrong she said the decision to postpone was the right one for the safety of players. 
Hayes was asked by BBC Sport guest pundit Hope Powell whether undersoil heating is needed at matches.
The Blues chief said: “We’ve made progress, investment has gone into the quality of the grass and surfaces across the league.
“Next step is undersoil heating. No game in the women’s game at this top level should be cancelled, end of subject. 
Emma Hayes said player safety was important and flagged the need for undersoil heating following the suspension Chelsea’s match against LiverpoolCredit: Reuters
“We need undersoil heating l everywhere. We don’t live in Barbados.”
Brighton postponed their Sunday evening duel with Arsenal two hours and 34 minutes before their 6:45 pm kick-off. 
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And Tottenham’s Sunday clash with rock Leicester became the first Women’s Super League encounter to be called off this weekend.
Spurs announced the postponement on Saturday night.  More