ColumnMatt Beard on big wins, LFC Women's development, Jenna Clark and more
In his latest column, Liverpool FC Women manager Matt Beard reflects on a memorable few days for the club with wins over Chelsea and Manchester United in the Barclays Women’s Super League.
It goes without saying that was a fantastic few days for the club, beating Chelsea and Manchester United. I’m absolutely delighted for the players and our fans.
The players have shown an amazing amount of resilience and resolve. If I look at both games, the first one against Chelsea was really exciting – end-to-end, two teams committed, Chelsea fighting for the title and us chasing Man United for the top four.
If you think, we also played over 110 minutes against Chelsea with all the added-on time. When you factor that in, it’s tough to go and do it all again against United but we did.
I thought we were absolutely in control of the game against United and comfortable. We should have won it by more than one goal.
I have to say, I was disappointed with the officials – I just felt my players weren’t protected and I was sent off as a result of that. I apologise to the players and the fans for that, especially with it being our last game at Prenton Park.
What a performance by the players, though. In the second half we were really dominant and we could have had a penalty as well. Teagan Micah made another big save for us and Mary Earps made some good saves for United to deny us.
What a way for us to finish at Prenton Park with six points against Chelsea and Man United. It just shows the mentality, the progress we have made and how exciting this group can be.
I have always said this is a young team that is growing. What people have to understand is to do it consistently week in, week out at any level is hard. When you sign young players, it tests you physically, it tests you mentally and you win games and you lose games. So from that side of things, it is tough.
These players on the back of this year, the experience they have got under their belts, they know what to expect for next season now and they can prepare themselves physically and mentally for it.
This is a fantastic young team that is only going to get better and we are only going to grow together. If you look at some of the passages of our play against United – whether we were playing it short or long – the understanding and everything that comes with it was fantastic, so I’m really pleased with that.
We have beaten two of the top teams in our country in the space of four days, having only had one game prior to that in four weeks. I think that is a testament to the group.
I was absolutely delighted for Jenna Clark to get her first goal for the club and being a Liverpool fan I can tell you she enjoyed that one!
Jenna said before the game in the programme it’s the longest she has been without a goal, so obviously those notes made sure it would happen on Sunday!
It has been some week for Marie Höbinger. She became the first player in WSL history to get a hat-trick of assists from corners against Chelsea and then provided the cross for Jenna’s goal.
She is a fantastic character. She has got such a humble side to her. Her hunger to improve and be the best that she can be is unbelievable.
You’ve also got to remember she is only 22 as well. I think her younger experiences, like leaving home when she was 13, has helped her develop into the person and player that she is. But what a future this girl has got.
Man United had eight international players on their bench and we were missing a few big players. I said to the players before the game we probably had more players in tracksuits than we had on the bench.
We had a lot of quality and experience missing, like our captain Niamh Fahey, Jasmine Matthews, Shanice van de Sanden, Rachael Laws and Missy Bo Kearns.
If I look at Mia Enderby’s performances in our last two games, she is playing beyond her years. The development of her this year not only as a player physically but tactically has been fantastic.
She is just infectious in her play and she must be a nightmare for a defender because they just don’t know what she is going to do. It’s great for us. She is like a street footballer and she has been magnificent these last two games for us.
We set a target of getting four points from these two games and we’ve managed to get six.
We want to finish the season on a high and we want to get another three points when we travel to Leicester City in a couple of weeks’ time in our final game of the season (May 18, kick-off 3pm BST at King Power Stadium).
We know that fourth spot is in our hands. We just need a point and obviously Man United have a tough game against Chelsea, especially with the way the results went at the weekend in the title race.
Knowing Emma Hayes as I do, Chelsea will want to put that Adobe Women’s FA Cup semi-final defeat right at Old Trafford as well and she will want to leave the WSL with the title.
It’s crazy how things can change in a moment, with Arsenal scoring two very late goals to beat Manchester City. It just goes to show you can’t take anything for granted.
But it was a great way for us to finish our time at Prenton Park and we will leave with some great memories.
We have loved playing at Prenton Park but this move next season to St Helens Stadium is the right move for us. We want to do more for our supporters on a matchday and this enables us to do that.
It allows the team and the club to grow more, so from that side this move is important.
We’ve made some great friends at Prenton Park and we are going to miss them dearly. But we are looking forward to recreating at St Helens what we had at Tranmere Rovers.
I want to say congratulations to our U21s, Simon O'Neill, Leandra Little and the staff who lifted the Liverpool County FA Senior Cup on Tuesday night over Mossley Hill Ladies.
It was a fantastic moment for them and great signs for the future. The youth is so important for this football club and I have given players opportunities in the squad this season, like Mia Leath who recently made her debut.
With us all together at the AXA Melwood Training Centre, it gives us the opportunity to look at these players, train with us and give them a chance.
Thank you for your continued support.
YNWA,
Matt
Matt Beard was speaking to Liverpoolfc.com's Steve Hunter