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perspective
You don’t need to be a close friend of know me for a long time to know that I’m a very positive person. I’m always erring on the side of optimism and I have to tell you that even after the result today, there are some positives I rescue. But before I get to that, let’s briefly chat about the game and NOT about the possible you know what injury on you know who.
When I saw the lineup my fears were confirmed. I wasn’t feeling good about it at all and the same time I had all the confidence in the world that I was wrong and had no idea what I was talking about. Jonas has a vision and I’m willing to give it time. I say this because I already learned my lesson with Arteta. At the same time, that vision is conditioned by which players he might have available, and at this point it’s just absurd. We have SO MANY important players missing. It just keeps getting worse and its safe to say that we are all super worried, scared and concerned.
The WSL title, although still somewhat possible, is no longer a realistic thing after yesterday but I have to tell you that with Leah’s injury (and what that could’ve done in the player’s minds) and Viv, Beth, Kim, Katie, Steph and Caitlin missing, we were still in the game.
I’m gonna say that again in a different way just for some perspective: 6 of our best players, who would start every match we’re missing (yes I know Steph came in late – and she should’ve taken that free kick at the death) and we were away from home, against the league leaders, full squad, and we only lost by a single goal.
It was rough to watch and I feel terrible for the girls but I am so dam proud of them. All things considered I thought it was a good display and my takeaways are positives… at least the ones I’m going to talk about today.
I thought Manu was great. Noelle on the left has been pretty solid. Lia did what she could and Rafa was monumental IMO.
We’re still in the CL, regardless of what your predictions might be or what you think can happen, we’re still in it!!
d ❤
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Man Utd Preview + Prediction
It seems like every single match is “the most important match of the season.” and to be fair, it makes perfect sense. That’s what happens when you are up there in the title run in, only a few points behind first place… and also when you are in the CL semis.
You could say that the most important match was the Conti Cup Final and the trophy we won that day proves it. Silverware is always important and that triumph can mean a lot down the line. I would buy that.
But the thing about that claim is that it depends on the competition, the importance the club gives it, what the goals are and, you guessed it, our own opinion. For some the WSL is more important than the CL. For others, the CL is the pinnacle of excellence. So, it really depends on many factors.
I want the girls to win the WSL, for sure and without a doubt. BUT, if I had to pick between that and winning the Champions League, then I would absolutely pick the latter. It just feels like this is a good chance to do it after so many years and build upon that legacy we have, yet I believe without Kim, Viv and Beth, its just too big of an ask.
The more realistic thing, if that can even be a thing, would be winning the WSL and in order to do so we MUST beat Man Utd. Said team has been on fire and has exceeded all expectations and then some. With some stellar players having their best seasons of their careers. They have the largest goal difference with +37 and yet we’re just 3 points behind them having played a game less.
If we beat them today we would be level on points. That’s without basically the whole season without Viv and Beth. That’s absolutely wild. Of course United deserve the accolades but let’s be serious yeah? We’re still in it.
United have some tough matches coming up: away at Villa, then an easy tie with Tottenham, the FA cup final vs Chelsea at Wembley followed by the Manchester derby at home… Liverpool on the last day of the season. Honestly, villa and certainly City aren’t easy games so hopefully they will drop points.
We also have some tough matches but the title would be in our hands and the matches vs Brighton and Everton, both away, could give us a chance to close the goal difference gap. And whenever I think about this I think of all those chances Pelova and Stina missed in recent matches… but that’s another story for another day.
I predict a 3-2 win over Utd which will be an amazing result to get the girls in a fired up mood going over to Wolfsburg for the Semi’s first leg. I don’t see this match NOT having goals with LWB most likely playing in the back while Leah plays up front. We shall see.
I do think that Earps has mistakes in her and I wouldn’t mind some sort of spilled shot and some quick reactions by some of our players. My prediction as far as who will be our player of the match I will actually say Leah Williamson. I have a feeling she’s gonna score 2.
As usual, all of this is based on only feelings and speculation. Hope I’m right.
d ❤
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kim signs!
Oh my word…
I didn’t expect this at all. Like, I hope she would sign and extension and I honestly thought we would be hearing about it over the summer, not anytime before the season ended. But holy crap what an emotional ride to go from waking up yesterday to the news of her being out for the season, to waking up today to her extension.
I have to be honest and I have been worried about her leaving. Not because I don’t think she’s playing well (I think she’s better than ever) but because she’s at a stage in her career where she might want change. She signed for us when she was 17!! And I would understand her move.
Also, with the high possibility of Leah playing in the midfield soon, I worried that this could mean some shifts being made. BTW is is based only on feelings and speculation.
Here’s a quote of what she said when she renewed:
“I’m delighted to sign a new contract at Arsenal,” said Kim. “Thinking back to when I first joined at the age of 17, I’m so proud of the progress that we have made together.
“Arsenal has been such an important part of my life and over time this club has become my home. It continues to be a privilege to represent Arsenal and I’m still so motivated to move this club forward and to be a part of its success.”
You can also read the article here
290 appearances. What? That’s insanity.
We’re so lucky to have her as our captain and I can feel that next season is going to be magical and to be honest, I still think this season has something special in store.
d ❤
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KL OFTS FFS
For as long as I can remember, and my memory is terrible, the first thing I check online is anything and everything Arsenal related. Depending on the day, it can be lineups for an upcoming match, maybe transfer news or injury updates. Today was the latter and it wasn’t something I wanted to hear.
KIM LITTLE OUT FOR THE SEASON.
Bums me out for Kim, for the club, the fans and the rest of our season for obvious reasons. You don’t need me to tell you how good KL is, how important she is, etc etc etc. I actually had predicted she would be the player of the season.
My biggest worry is how her absence impacts the backline. I truly wish Jonas would have Lia, Frida and Kühl but we all know he’s gonna play Leah up there and have LWB partner Rafa.
This is not good for me. It gives me all levels of anxiety a la Rob Holding. There’s always a mistake bound to happen and I do not ever feel comfortable and I honestly can’t see this being a reasonable thing vs Man Utd, Chelsea and least of all Wolfburg! Oh and don’t even get me started vs Barcelona if that ever happens.
If the long term vision is to have the midfield trio be Lia, Leah and Little (and I’ll talk more about my ideal lineup for next year with current players only on a blog later this week), then Leah’s replacement at the back has to be miles better than we currently have on the bench.
Mind you, I much rather have Jen Beattie partner Rafa back there.
I guess Wednesday will prove to us what Jonas chooses to do and after the match I will most likely be proven incorrect, as I usually am.
BTW, here’s an episode I did on Kim back in September 2021.
d ❤
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International breaks are… good?
I used to always dread the disruption that international breaks cause on the flow of the season. That was until I started watching women’s football. Now, I quite like it.
I don’t know exactly how to justify it other that I’m just happy for them. I’m happy the game keeps growing and growing and so are the international competitions. I love the growth of the Euros, the World Cup, Copa America and events like the Finalissima are just awesome. (I know this last one isn’t anything other than glorified friendly but its still cool).
This dimension of feeling happiness for them is something that I don’t feel in the men’s game. Whenever the season is stopped because of qualifiers I get so bothered and those weeks feel like months. Its terrible to say this but I realized the breaks bother me because of ME and MY feelings and what I want. Which is silly. Why don’t I think about the players? the glory of representing their nations? I have no clue why I feel that way but it’s just how it is.
I love that I will get to watch players I love join other players I love that play in different leagues. It’s basically how I felt when I started watching the sport. The difference is that even though I support the oranjeleeuwinnen, I also want Ireland, England, Brazil, Switzerland, Australia, Austria, Scotland, Sweden and Norway to do well. Basically, I need and want every Arsenal player to do well, especially the dutch.
Anyway, I don’t really know what the point of this was other than to illustrate how I feel about there not being matches at the moment. I also do know that there would be matches had we qualified to the FA semis but we didn’t and that’s ok. 😉
Big match coming up vs Man Utd this week and I am personally very excited and super confident.
Bring it.
d ❤
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what is failure anyway?
One of the most predictable and tiresome narratives that we hear and read about is the idea that if we don’t win the WSL then our season is a failure. Not a single day goes by that I don’t see tweets about that, wether it relates to Arsenal or other teams, and I sure as hell hear something similar to this on talkSPORT and other outlets.
I couldn’t agree less. I mean, I totally understand why people consider not winning as failing, but that’s just not how I live nor is it how I define failure.
There’s a component of progress that has to be kept in mind and furthermore, it’s all a matter of opinion at the end of the day. A lot of it has to do with OUR expectations and OUR definition of winning, of success, of failure, of progress etc.
I’m on the camp that thinks that failing is when you don’t try. With that definition in mind there’s just no way that I could see the whole of our season being a failure if we don’t win the title.
How can it be? The girls already won a Conti Cup, they are about to play their first CL semi-final in years, they can still qualify for next season’s CL and mathematically they are still alive in the WSL title race.
I just don’t get why so many people are being so negative and doom & gloom. We didn’t win a title last year. We didn’t make the semis of the CL, etc… there’s definitely progress being made.
We also need to be much more open to what the club’s intentions are, what their aims are and see what their goals are. If the board, the coaching staff and players see eye to eye and all want a cup trophy this year, and that’s their benchmark, who are we to say that a. that isn’t good enough. or b. if we don’t win other things its also a failure.
Who are we? Well, we’re fans, and we all have an idea or an opinion. I’m not saying that you’re wrong if you think not winning the WSL equals failing… I’m just saying that there might be different ways to looking at it, with a more positive outlook that, if nothing else, might make you feel less stressed and anxious.
But… you do you, boo.
d ❤
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CULTURE > Commerce
I had a totally different post planned but I really can’t not talk about this. In case you haven’t read about it or seen AWFC’s post, it goes something like this:
During the 2012-2013 Champions League, Arsenal hosted Wolfsburg at Borehamwood for the semi-finals. Back then, the total attendance was 1,460 people. Fast forward 10, almost to the day, and the same fixture will now be watched by over 40 THOUSAND PEOPLE at The Emirates.
Holy shit. That’s just incredible. That’s most of the stadium.
Without a doubt, the Lionesses winning the Euros has had a lot to do with the growth of the game but Arsenal Women fans have been showing up more and more and more and more for years. The engagement online and in person has gone through the roof.
Arsenal fans are consistent, constant, reliable and the OG women’s football fans. That’s just the reality 🥶
Beyond the players themselves, the media team has had a lot to do with it. It’s all connected and impossible to separate. The work they have done the past few years, their creativity, their posts, their interaction with fans. It makes you feel special.
What IS actually possible to separate is that unlike most clubs, AFC is about CULTURE, not COMMERCE. We are different… maybe?!
Of course there’s commerce in mind, I’m not that naive. We’re one of the richest teams on the planet. My point is that there are fundamental, non negotiable, pillars that we adhere by as a club and it makes me very proud. These things matter much more to me than actual trophies, if I may say so without getting canceled.
Arsenal Women are deeply in the DNA of the club and that is factually not the case with other clubs.
d ❤
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that was fun…
If you heard my latest podcast, you would’ve heard some personal news at the very end of the episode. For those of you that haven’t: HOW DARE YOU? No, but seriously, I had shared that as soon as I finished recording I had to pack, eat, shower and head to the airport for a wild trip ahead.
I had to change my flight last minute but I ended up leaving at 4am as my flight left at 6 on the dot. What flight? Well I headed to St. Louis to watch Ireland Women vs USWNT at CITIPARK, a brand new stadium.
Shortly after landing I went to say hello to Louise Quinn, as you all know, former Arsenal player. I had met Lou back in 2019 when she, Meado and DVD came to my show with the Jonas Brothers. Lovely quick chat and then I was off to meet my friend Pete aka Pete from Le Grove aka one of the best Arsenal blogs ever (here), and he also hosts The Arsenal Opinion Podcast.
We’ve been friends for a few years, he’s come to my gigs and I always try to see him whenever we’re in the same city. He is very knowledgeable on all things footy, Arsenal, branding and more. He hadn’t been to a women’s match and I brought him along.
Pre match we took a walk and went into this little pub and as I walked in, I knew it was gonna be a good day. There was a couple sitting at the bar, both wearing AFC black strips. The guy was sporting #10 – Smith Rowe and the queen, because that’s what she is, was wearing #9 – Mead. We greeted them and chatted for a bit. Lovely people.
Coincidently , Pete works for St. Louis Soccer Club so before getting to our seats I was able to get some details regarding the stadium, the culture they are building and much more.
Once seated it was just amazing. Loved the energy, loved watching the girls warm up. I have to say, it was pretty emotional. I don’t get to see matches often in real life. I guess I could if you count USWNT matches but honestly, as a naturalized American, I can tell you that I don’t care at all. I respect them and they are great but that’s it. Horan to me is DVD’s teammate. However, definitely a privilege watching her, Mewis Alex Morgan etc.
My point is that I was there for Ruesha, Louise and Katie McCabe.
The match was outstanding. One freakish goal from the USA was the difference. I personally thought the girls in green were incredible. KT was commanding and I could feel her energy from my seat. Ruesha had a great match, she was athletic, committed and very involved. Louise was her solid self. Calm and intelligent as ever.
These Irish queens are historic. They are going to the World Cup and I’m so proud of every single one of them. To add a little color, we had Niall Quinn sat a couple of seats in front of us and that was so cool!
After the match I had some dinner and went to the Airport and got back to LA basically 25 hours later.
I might support the Oranjeleeuwinnen but these girls have a very special place in my heart, forever.
d ❤
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Bravo, LIA!
A few days ago, in the middle of the international break, we heard news coming directly from Lia regarding her decision to step away from her national team and her club, to focus on her mental health. I won’t get into details because I don’t have any lol. But I did want to talk about how important this is, how brave this decision is and how I love the support she has gotten.
We all know how important mental health is. We also know how hard it can be to understand complex feelings as well as anxiety, depression and much more. It’s not easy. Sometimes the way to work on those things, to get the help we need and / or to overcome things has to do with time. Literally taking the time to do that, but often we don’t have that time… we have to work, we have families, etc.
Speaking up and expressing that you need a break is nothing short of brave. The fact that both country and club support her decision is outstanding and I’m proud of her for saying what she said and how she said it. I’m also proud of women’s football and how we have seen a few examples of these mental health breaks taken by a few players.
This is something you don’t see on the men’s side. I can’t remember the last time this was even close to being a conversation in real time. What I mean by that is that we hear men talk usually well after they retired, how X period in their lives was rough. As if it would show weakness. Ironically it would be the opposite.
Imagine the toxic dialogue something like this would awaken on social media if Toni Kroos asked for something similar. It would break the damn internet. Yet, on this side… the good side… the women’s football side, those breaks are encouraged, respected and well received.
One of the many reasons why women are the answer.
d ❤
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Borehamwood is my highbury
You have probably been a AWFC supporter for a long time. Easily longer than I have been one, I would bet. My educated guess is also that you probably have attended A LOT of matches at Borehamwood, at The Emirates or at Wembley. I say it’s an educated guess because I can see the location of my readers and 99% of you are in the UK or The Netherlands.
Whenever I think of “going to a match” I’m overwhelmed with a sense of gratitude and joy for those of you that can actually go. I’ve been spoiled as a professional musician and a music fan here in Los Angeles, where I have been able to watch some legendary and unique shows in some unreal venues. It’s magical, it’s mesmerizing and depending of how in tune I am with my memory, I can remember so many details of so many shows.
But as far as women’s football, it’s just not easy to go across the ocean and watch a match. There’s so much money involved, work that we need to shuffle, cost of opportunity, unplanned expenses, food, lodging, the armoury… you name it. For us that are lucky enough to make the trip, we have to plan it so much in advance. However, as a musician it is impossible to plan. We thrive on the unpredictability of our lives, of our industry and our bank account status.
I look at people in the stands, at the lunch box, sorta tucked away in the parking lot and I just say to myself: these people are so privileged and I’m so happy they are there.
We have heard people say over and over that they don’t regret anything. That attitude is so revered and seen often as this standard that we all have to adhere to, but i don’t agree with that sentiment all the time. I absolutely have regrets and quite frankly, my biggest regret in football terms is never going to Highbury when I could’ve. I have a hard time emotioanlly whenever I think about that and I feel like I cannot forgive myself. Sounds harsh but I feel that way. That regret though, pushed me to try to, as my wife always says: “not miss the events.”
A couple of years ago I decided to make a pilgrimage and planned a very involved trip to the FA Cup final vs Chelsea, and I was going to go the CL match vs Barcelona, one of the men’s games and one last match at Borehamwood. I planned it all, and when I say “I” i mean MY WIFE planned it all. I was all set. So exciting…
I get on the plane, crying of joy. When I land, i turn my cell phone on and i get a message asking me if I wanted to perform with Miley Cyrus. Needless to say, I took the gig. I was able to watch the final at Wembley and it was such an incredible experience. Beyond the result, the amount of joy I felt was unlike anything i had ever felt. Yet, my mind and heart were all over the place due to the job offer. It was a lot. And honestly, i don’t think i have processed it yet.
All this to say that I will try by best to not make Borehamwood into the Highbury that never was, but to enjoy it tenfold and cherish it.
But I consider myself lucky… I can travel, I can more or less afford a trip but there are SOOOOOOOO many people that can’t. Maybe distance is the issue… There are insanely big fans out there like @argsenal or @spanishawfc among many others that live very, very far away who love the club so much and know much more about it that I could ever do.
So, next time you go there and watch the girls play, think about how incredibly cool that is. You’re living our dream. Cherish it.
d ❤
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A very subjective look into AWFC 