Blue Girls Agonisingly Close to Title
It was a season filled with hope but ultimately despair for Manchester City Women. The Blue girls came agonisingly close to wrenching the WSL title from Chelsea’s grasp, but fell at the final hurdle. Despite winning 2-1 at Aston Villa on the final day of the season, Chelsea’s 6-0 win at Manchester United clinched the title on goal difference.
There wasn’t much optimism around at the start of the season after the team had failed to finish in the top three, missing out to Arsenal and United with the Blues settling for fourth. Hayley Raso was the latest to depart the club and, with Jill Roord as their only summer signing, there was a feeling that more of the same would come from Taylor’s side.
How wrong could we be?
The Blues won three of their opening four matches, beating West Ham 2-0 on the opening day. A controversial opening home game at the newly-named Joie Stadium against Chelsea gave a different perspective of the Blues and a glimpse of what was to come. Leading 1-0, City had Alex Greenwood and Lauren Hemp sent off, yet still went for the win against the champions. Guro Reiten levelled deep into injury time but, despite being down to nine, City more than held their own against the Londoners.
A win at Everton in the League Cup was followed by two further victories - 5-0 at home to Bristol City and 1-0 at a rejuvenated Leicester. A dreadful error by new number 1 Khiara Keating gifted Arsenal a 2-1 win at the beginning on November. Keating had replaced Ellie Roebuck between the sticks and also managed to keep sandy MacIver out of the side, with both relegated to the bench.
Taylor stuck with Keating as the Blues won 4-3 at Liverpool in the League Cup, but a shock 1-0 defeat at home to Brighton left the faithful wondering where the season was heading. That turned out to be their last league defeat until May. City picked themselves up, dusted off and began turning on the style.
An impressive 3-1 win at Old Trafford painted Manchester blue once more and they followed that up by thrashing Tottenham 7-0 at the Joie Stadium. Sandwiched in between was a disappointing penalty shoot-out defeat to Leicester in the League Cup. The Blues fought back from 2-0 down to level, but lost the subsequent shoot-out 4-3 as the Foxes demonstrated their improved status.
Two wins in December at home to Aston Villa (2-1) and at Everton (4-1) moved City into second place in the table, with Bunny Shaw grabbing her second hattrick of the season against the Toffees to put her top of the WSL goalscoring chart with ten already.
City returned to action a month later and hit Durham for 4 in their FA Cup tie, before Shaw hit another treble as City beat Liverpool 5-1 at the Joie Stadium. A 2-1 League Cup derby win over United and a 2-0 victory at Spurs gave the first possibility that this could be the season that City pick up some major silverware. However, they would have to do it without their new influential midfielder Roord, who suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury that would rule her out for the remainder of the season.
Those dreams began to turn into reality in February as City marched on. A 2-0 home win over Leicester in the league was followed with two crucial cup victories. A third win over Spurs, this time 1-0 in the League Cup was followed by an impressive showing at Arsenal, ending in a 1-0 victory. However, the next match would firmly establish City as a genuine title contender.
Chelsea had enjoyed a long unbeaten run at Kingsmeadow, last tasting defeat in February 2021. But Bunny Shaw’s goal after 14 minutes settled the match, and being the first team in 33 matches to beat the champions on home soil.
Just two matches were played in March, with the Blues beating Everton 2-1, but suffering a League Cup defeat at home to Chelsea. That was one trophy lost but, as they moved into April, they had a golden opportunity to advance in the FA Cup.
Spurs were once again the opposition and City were on the brink of progressing when an error by Khiara Keating gifted Beth England a simple tap-in with virtually the last kick of the game. No further goals in extra-time meant a penalty shoot-out, which the Blues lost, again 4-3.
With just the league to play for, City targeted Chelsea’s superior goal difference. Two 4-1 away wins at Brighton and Liverpool were played either side of a 3-1 win at home to United, in which Jess Park shone, saw the Blues charge towards the title.
City hit another nine goals in April as they made a huge dent in that sought-after goal difference, with a 5-0 home win over West Ham being followed by 4-0 victory at Bristol City. Crucially, the Blues lost Shaw for the rest of the season during the win against West Ham and, while she wasn’t missed too much in Bristol, one match in May could have done with Shaw’s eye for goal.
The Blues needed just four points from their last two matches, starting at home to Arsenal. Lauren Hemp’s first half goal looked to have secured the win, but City couldn’t put the game to bed. And, in the final minutes of the match, City capitulated as Stina Blackstenius scored twice to leave City’s title hopes in the balance.
Chelsea won their game in hand handsomely against Bristol City, and the Blues were hoping for a miracle at Old Trafford as Chelsea faced United on the final day. City did their part, beating Villa 2-1, but United’s embarrassing 6-0 defeat sadly saw the title once again go to Chelsea.
It was so close yet so far for City, and no doubt Gareth Taylor will look for a new signing or two that will add depth to his squad and challenge again next season. It was also a disappointing way for Steph Houghton to bow out of football.
The City stalwart retired at the end of the season and it would have been a fitting end to see her lift the WSL trophy. But, it wasn’t mean to be, however, the Blues now have Champions League football to look forward to once again.
Source - bitterandblue.sbnation.com