Packed tubes, half and half scarves on sale down Wembley High Street and people outside the stadium begging for tickets.
By Mark Donnelly
These are probably not usually associated with an England Women’s international. but is this a sign of how far women’s football has progressed in the UK? Most certainly, yes.
Whilst the poor weather conditions may have deterred many supporters with tickets, the 45,619 hardy souls who braved the torrential downpour will likely have come away encouraged by what they saw both on and off the field.
The event was meticulously planned and executed perfectly. The concourses were abuzz with friendly chatter and children clambering to get a photo with the various FA WSL mascots on show. It’s the subtle details like this that the young fans will remember and that will ultimately encourage them to pester their parents to attend another women’s game.
A memory which will likely stick with me from this game was the roar as the teams entered the field. That roar. The roar that signified that this was our time. The Lionesses had arrived.
On the field things didn’t run quite as smoothly from an English perspective, but Mark Sampson would likely agree that it was better to suffer this result now than in Canada next June. The intricate diamond midfield formation simply didn’t materialise, with the Lionesses unable to break through a stubborn German back line and then finding themselves short at the back as the visitors broke at speed. With the quality the Germans have up front, that was always going to be a risky approach to take.
There were, however, some glimpses of the play we’ve come to expect from the World Cup Qualifying campaign. Jordan Nobbs’ long range effort striking the bar within the first twenty seconds sparked the crowd into life. Jill Scott and Jodie Taylor’s late efforts also offered some promise and showed that there’s plenty for Sampson to build on ahead of next year’s tournament.
Was the lineup too attacking? Possibly. But now is the time for experimentation from England. It’s all well and good going out with all guns blazing against sides like Belarus and Montenegro, but they won’t be at the World Cup. Sampson’s approach was bold and will have given him plenty to think about in the next six months or so.
Player selection was a hot topic of debate and with plenty of domestic football left before Mark Sampson names his squad next year there’s still time for some of his ‘fringe’ players to stake a claim. Another impressive campaign from Gemma Davison, this time at Chelsea Ladies, could well see her in the manager’s plans, whilst Liverpool’s Natasha Dowie will look to re-find her 2013 goalscoring form and put herself in Sampson’s thoughts. Many would also argue that Lucy Bronze, partnered at centre back alongside new Manchester City teammate Steph Houghton at Wembley, would be better suited as a full back. There’s certainly plenty of selection dilemmas for Sampson and his staff, but that only goes to show the quality of the English talent available at the moment.
Perhaps the most talked about subject following the game was whether FA Women’s Cup finals or future England Women internationals should be held at Wembley. For me, it’s a no. To ensure that women’s football continues to grow throughout England, these key games need to be placed around the country. Fans in the North East who are curious about women’s football wouldn’t travel down to London to watch a game. If the game is brought to them however, they have more chance of attending. By going to these potential new fans and showing them elite women’s football, we can ensure the fan base continues to expand and develop.
So, the USA next? Bring them on.
Images – tgsphoto.co.uk
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Want to read previous blogs on this subject?
Blog 1 is HERE.
Blog 2 is HERE.
Blog 3 is HERE.
Blog 4 is HERE.
Blog 5 is HERE.
Blog 6 is HERE.
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