Welcome to Full Time, The Athletic’s new women’s football column — a one-stop shop every Monday to discuss the big issues in the game in the UK and Europe.
The main story
Manchester City’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Sunday will go down in WSL history but for all the wrong reasons. It is the game with the most cards (11 yellows, including second bookings that led to two reds) issued in a WSL match — the previous record was seven.
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The turning point came in the 38th minute when referee Emily Heaslip handed Alex Greenwood a second yellow card for alleged time-wasting when taking a free kick. In the aftermath, City players Laia Aleixandri, Jill Roord and Chloe Kelly protested and were consequently cautioned for dissent.
"I'm so proud of the players." 🗣️🩵
🔵 1-1 🦁 #ManCity pic.twitter.com/2X3HeAatja
— Man City Women (@ManCityWomen) October 8, 2023
In previous seasons, WSL referees have been criticised for not being harsh enough but now it’s the opposite. In line with the Premier League and English Football League in the men’s game, WSL officials have been instructed to take a stricter approach to dissent and delaying the resumption of play.
Twenty-six seconds elapsed between the free kick concerned being awarded and Greenwood striking the ball, but although City were winning 1-0, the defender appeared to be evaluating her passing options as opposed to running down the clock. A warning would have sufficed. City manager Gareth Taylor said, “It seemed a weird time for us to be wasting time.”
GO DEEPER
Explaining Greenwood's 'most ridiculous red card'
WSL referees are clamping down on a range of offences; confronting officials, showing disrespect and invading the referee’s personal space. Lauren Hemp was first shown a yellow card for dissent and then got a second in the 81st minute for a foul on Lauren James. Hemp is the third City player to receive a red already this season, after Leila Ouahabi kicked out at Emma Harries in their WSL opener last weekend against West Ham United.
“It’s frustrating,” said Taylor. “Especially since we’ve seemed to have gone from here (high tolerance) to here (zero tolerance) all of a sudden on dishing out those yellow cards.”
These changes were communicated to clubs and players during pre-season. Given the manner in which yellow cards were being issued, it was inevitable a player would be sent off for a second booking involving dissent or delaying the restart of play — and that uproar would ensue.
After two rounds of matches, there have been four red cards across the WSL — already halfway to the total for the whole of last season (eight). On the WSL opening weekend, alongside Ouahabi, Aston Villa’s Kirsty Hanson also got a straight red for foul play (high leg). Both dismissals were appealed but not overturned.
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As in the Premier League, players shown straight red cards for violent conduct serve three-match suspensions. But given the WSL season consists of 22 games compared to the Premier League’s 38, WSL players dismissed in that way will miss a larger proportion of their team’s matches (13.6 per cent compared to 7.9 per cent), so the punishment feels even heavier.
Calls for consistency are common but with the officials instructed to maintain newer and higher standards, the WSL is experiencing a sea change of refereeing that has rattled the game.
What you might have missed
Bristol City’s tough return to the WSL continued with a 3-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, following their 4-2 loss to Leicester City last weekend.
Having re-entered the WSL this season after relegation to the Championship in 2021, City are already justifying the predictions of many who had concerns about whether they could stay afloat in the elite division given the increased competitiveness of the league over the past couple of years.
They narrowly secured promotion having earned one point more (48) than Birmingham City, winning 15 out of 22 matches.
The 2023-24 opening fixtures could not have been much kinder to a team making the step up, taking on Leicester, who finished 10th in the 12-team WSL last season, then Spurs, who were one place higher.
Jamie-Lee Napier, left, of Bristol City battles Spurs’ Jessica Naz (Shane Anthony Sinclair – The FA via Getty Images)But times have changed.
Leicester are top of the nascent WSL table and one of two teams (with Liverpool, who are second on goal difference) to take six points in their first two games while Spurs have found form, with new signings Martha Thomas and Olga Ahtinen making waves up top. The Londoners have registered more shots on target in their opening games than in any of their matches last season, barring an 8-0 anomaly win over Brighton & Hove Albion.
The fear is that Bristol City, as the only side in the competition without Premier League backing, aren’t equipped for this new era of WSL life.
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Their next two games are against Manchester City and Arsenal and it’s tough to escape the feeling they’re heading into the lions’ den.
Player of the weekend
We’ve got to give some love to the #GKUnion — and 19-year-old Khiara Keating.
After starting both of Manchester City’s opening games and being awarded the official player of the match award against Chelsea yesterday, Keating is carving out a name for herself in the WSL.
Keating has impressed for Manchester City (Matt McNulty – The FA/The FA via Getty Images)Despite Keating’s success, there is an elephant in the room: where is last season’s first-choice Ellie Roebuck?
Last season, Roebuck started 17 of City’s 22 games in the WSL. In their opener against West Ham a week ago, she was among the unused substitutes. On Sunday, Roebuck didn’t even make the team sheet, with Sandy MacIver on the bench instead.
Manager Gareth Taylor confirmed Roebuck was not left out of the squad due to suspension (having picked up a red card in the last game of the season) — she simply wasn’t selected and City have “three really good goalkeepers”.
Moment of the weekend
Let’s set the scene.
Arsenal are 2-1 down at Manchester United’s Leigh Sports Village stadium after Melvine Malard, a 76th-minute substitute, scores what looks to be the winner in the 81st minute. Head coach Jonas Eidevall is sweating — two losses on the bounce and a Champions League exit is far from the dream start he expected after signing a three-year contract extension last week.
Enter Canada international Cloe Lacasse, who replaced Noelle Maritz in the 86th minute. Moments later, the fourth official raises her board — a lifeline, confirming eight minutes of stoppage time.
Lacasse picks the ball up on the edge of the box, completes a dummy turn and launches a left-footed strike that smashes into the top left-hand corner — an outstretched Mary Earps had no chance. It was placement perfection and a timing triumph.
Ok it’s an absolute wonder goal from Cloe Lacasse 😍🇨🇦
— gunnerblog (@gunnerblog) October 6, 2023
What’s coming up…
This week sees Manchester United’s debut in the Champions League. They take on Paris Saint-Germain at home tomorrow (Tuesday) in the first leg of a tie to decide who makes the group stage. Despite United’s initial website faux pas, wrongly stating they didn’t have the rights to show this fixture, fear not — The Athletic jumped to the rescue, prompting the club to realise that they could indeed screen it. The fixture will be broadcast on MUTV.
GO DEEPER
Man Utd realise UWCL broadcast error, will show PSG game
On Sunday afternoon, Liverpool and Everton will go head to head at Anfield. The expectation is heavily on Liverpool this season after beating Arsenal and Aston Villa in their first two games.
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Arsenal make their second outing of the season at the Emirates the same day, taking on Aston Villa, who are hoping to unsettle the top-four status quo. All eyes are on Rachel Daly up top for the visitors and their goalkeeping icon Daphne van Domselaar.
(Top photo: Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Ima
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