Women’s FA Cup Quarter Final Arsenal v Notts County Sunday 3 May 2016 – Preview

by Andrew Crawshaw

One item of Ladies News, England international forward Jodie Taylor has joined the club from American side Portland Thorns.  She played a major part in the England World Cup success in 2015 scoring the opening goal against Canada which ensured our first ever semi-final appearance.

The Ladies season continues apace this coming Sunday afternoon with a 14:00 kickoff at Meadow Park Borehamwood and I have just printed out the tickets for myself and my Wife.

This is our second game in this competition following our win on penalties over Birmingham City on March 20th.  Unfortunately there isn’t a video of this match on Arsenal Player although I posted a Match Report.  The game finished one all after 90 minutes, extra time failed to end the deadlock and it went to penalties.  All five Arsenal players scored theirs, Wellings hit the post with hers for Birmingham so Arsenal prevailed 5 – 3

Since then we have played two games in the WSL

Arsenal (3) v Reading (1)

Here is a link to my preview and I posted comments as the game proceeded.  Arsenal were by far the better team and goals from Janssen, Carter and Oshoala were sufficient to get all three points.  Jade Boho-Sayo got one back for Reading.

Arsenal Team

van Veenendaal (GK), Corredera, Rose, Nobbs (66), Scott (80), Oshoala, Mitchell, Janssen, Williamson, Carter and Losada

Bench

Byrne (GK), Natalia (80), van de Donk (66), Smith, Stoney, McCabe and Williams (66)

Man City (2) v Arsenal (0)

This was effectively decided by the referee in the first fifteen minutes.  Oshoala was brought down outside the City penalty area by Steph Houghton in the opening minutes, there was a strong hint of a last player offence but the Arsenal protests were waved away (looking at the video on Arsenal player the referee’s decision is understandable but it is the kind of sending off that is normally awarded when committed by an Arsenal first team player), the resulting free kick almost demolished the woodwork but came back off the junction of right post and crossbar.

A few minutes later a hopeful long ball bounced over our last defender Rose and she fouled the onrushing City forward who was ahead of her.  Red card every day of the week I’m afraid.  Rose will have to learn from that.  Arsenal held on for most of the game but went behind in the 65th minute when our player covering right back failed to get the ball into touch, Duggan played in a good cross which was emphatically headed home by Ross.

Ten minutes from the end City were awarded a dubious penalty (for me the foul was outside the box or at least the City player’s feet were) but when your luck is out nothing goes for you.  Duggan with a good penalty to end the scoring.

Arsenal Team

Van Veenendaal (GK), Stoney (75), Nobbs, Scott, Oshoala (46), Mitchell, Williams, Rose (red card 15), van de Donk, Losada, Carter (18)

Subs

Byrne (GK), Henning, Pablos Sanchon, Williamson (18), Natalia (75), Janssen (46), McCabe

The game on Sunday is a repeat of last season’s Continental Cup Final which Arsenal won 3 – 1.  No doubt Notts will be fired up for this game as they felt that the referee decided that game in Arsenal’s favour by sending off Laura Basset in the 34th minute.  My thoughts from the ground and seeing it once in real time were :-

“In Min 34 came the incident that possibly turned the game, Laura Bassett came in from behind on Vicky Losada in, what caused me to say “that was an awful challenge” and was shown a straight red card.

To me the card looked entirely appropriate, only seeing it once and from the opposite side of the pitch.  The challenge looked to be reckless, from behind and quite possibly with studs showing.  That she got the ball with one foot was irrelevant as the challenge was bound to take out the player.  Needless to say the County supporters, players and staff were incensed and made much of it after the game.”

The game was certainly far closer than the scoreline suggested, County never gave up and showed real fight throughout (sometimes too much and a stricter referee could easily have found occasion to reduce their numbers further).

Possible Arsenal Team (4-3-2-1)

Van Veenendaal (GK)

Scott, Stoney Mitchell, Henning

Janssen, Nobbs, Corredera

Natalia, Carter

Oshoala

Subs (from)

Byrne (GK)

Sampson, Williams, Losada, Van de Donk, Smith, McCabe, Kelly, Taylor

Notts County reached the Quarter final with a 3 – 1 victory over Durham, a brace from Rachel Williams and one from Ellen White earning them the points.  Arsenal loanee Rachel Yankee played 83 minutes but I doubt she will be eligible for Sunday.

Possible Team

Turner, Buet, Bradley-Auckland, Clarke, Williams, White, Walsh, Hassal, Kranz, James, Whelan

Where and When

Kick-off is 14:00 on Sunday the game is at Borehamwood, Moor Park Ground and tickets are available to print out at home from Arsenal.com or on the gate.  Cost £6 adults, £3 (U16 and over 65) and £15 Family (2 adult and 2 children).  As I write this (Thursday afternoon) the weather forecast is for sunshine or sunny intervals so looks like being a good afternoon.

Points to look out for

1. Expect this to be a full on cup tie with no quarter given by either side.
2. The referee and assistants will have to be alert from the start to ensure that the game is played in the right spirit.  They will need to set out appropriate boundaries early on and stick to them.  I would expect to see a number of cards.
3. The main threats from County are likely to come from their England pair of Williams and White but they will work hard as a team and look to deny us time and space on the ball.
4. Player for Player I think Arsenal have the stronger squad and we should win the game but it will be close probably no more than a single goal deciding the outcome.

COYLG

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On the home page we have “Insult of the Day”, a comment from Lenin, and all the Arsenal anniversaries from this day in history.

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• Arsenal v Watford and a little bit about the one man war zone that is Costa.
• On our way to London; the 24 hours round trip to see a home match.

Danny Karbassiyoon’s book “The Arsenal Yankee” with a foreword by Arsene Wenger is now published.  You can buy the book…

• On line here for £14.95, plus delivery
• Or by phone on 01536 399 011 using a credit card.
• Or by Pay Pal to Jane@hamilton-house.com  Don’t forget to enter the title of the book and your delivery address on the Pay Pal site, and calculate the full amount including delivery, see below.
• Or by post to Hamilton House Mailings Ltd., Earlstrees Ct., Earlstrees Rd., Corby, Northants NN17 4HH with a cheque.

The book is also available on Kindle.