Champions Cup and WSL talking points: Arsenal rule the world but tournament needs a rethink | OneFootball

Champions Cup needs a rethink

Arsenal are world champions. It’s a weird thing to say about the team fourth in the WSL, albeit with a game in hand, and who failed to qualify automatically for the Champions League quarter-finals and face a two-leg knockout phase playoff. However, the 3-2 defeat of the Copa Libertadores champions, Corinthians, by the Uefa Champions League holders secured their global title. If Arsenal had lost – and at times it felt as if they were trying to – it would have been quite the spectacle given how much the tournament favoured them. Arsenal were in season and match fit, unlike Gotham FC and Corinthians, and not only did Fifa stick the tournament in England, it placed it in London and the final in Arsenal’s ground. The Gunners were in their own beds and benefiting from the elite facilities at their training ground and the backing of their fans, while the three other sides (the Moroccan champions AS Far completed the quartet) had to travel long distances, stay in hotels and manage with inferior facilities. A rethink is needed if this tournament is going to be taken seriously, with timing and location top of the agenda. Suzanne Wrack

• Match report: Arsenal 3-2 Corinthians

Is a blame game beginning at Chelsea?

Sonia Bompastor hinted she was dissatisfied with Chelsea’s transfer business as she referenced a lack of “squad depth” in the wake of their crushing 5-1 loss at the runaway leaders, Manchester City. Asked whether she would have liked more players signed last summer, Bompastor said: “Without making too many comments on that, probably I would have liked to have been in a better place in terms of the last transfer window.” Her words appear to have triggered a predominantly negative reaction among Chelsea fans on social media as the fallout from the defending champions’ sobering defeat begins, with Chelsea 12 points behind the leaders after suffering consecutive WSL defeats for the first time since 2015 and looking bereft of confidence. Tom Garry

• Match report: Manchester City 5-1 Chelsea

Spurs produce comeback of growing maturity

Tottenham’s match against a resurgent West Ham fighting for their lives at the bottom had the hallmarks of a potential stumbling block. A hard-fought 2-1 win, however, was an illustration of the gritty side of this Martin Ho team, one determined not to suffer back-to-back defeats for the first time. “You need to understand adversity,” Ho had said when asked pre-match what it would take to close the gap to the top four, and his side certainly encountered that in Dagenham. Spurs were far from their best and could have been three down by the break as Shekiera Martinez exploited the visitors’ high full backs with her pace. They regrouped, however, stopped rushing the basics of their buildup and produced the kind of comeback that will do wonders for their growing maturity levels, thanks to sublime finishes from Matilda Vinberg and Olivia Holdt. Sophie Downey

Everton finally make Goodison feel like home

Everton’s long wait for a WSL win at Goodison Park is over. A week after being booed by their supporters, the team claimed a vital 2-1 victory over Aston Villa, inspired by Martina Fernández. The centre-back scored twice from set pieces, including an 89th-minute header that sealed victory. “We deserve it because we have worked hard all season,” Fernández said. “It is so special because it gives us the confidence to keep pushing hard.” After months of struggling, this felt like a breakthrough moment for a side trying to turn the historic stadium into a genuine home advantage. In a tight battle at the bottom, Everton will hope that this is the moment their season begins to shift. Réshma Rao

Godfrey’s cutting edge lifts London City

Freya Godfrey inspired London City Lionesses to their first league win under Eder Maestre, turning a game they had largely spent chasing onto a 2-1 victory. Brighton dominated possession and deservedly led through Kiko Seike’s outside-of-the-boot finish, but Godfrey proved decisive. Her dangerous cross forced Moeka Minami’s own goal before the winger struck on the counter, cutting inside and curling a superb finish into the top corner just before half-time. Grit, not control, defines Maestre’s start. London City managed only four shots, yet Godfrey’s quality punished Brighton’s wastefulness. “We are a fighting team,” said Maestre, admitting it was “maybe not the way that I prefer to win”. Godfrey echoed that resilience: “They were dominant most of the game, but we were able to ride out those moments.” Mitul Samji

Naalsund double fires United into second

Marc Skinner praised Lisa Naalsund after the midfielder’s ruthless double took Manchester United second with a 3-1 win over Liverpool. The 30-year-old broke the deadlock with a powerful strike into the roof of the net and restored United’s advantage from the edge of the box after Alice Bergstrom’s equaliser. Naalsund’s player-of-the-match performance came after a period in which she has had limited game time and gave Skinner something to think about. The head coach said: “Lisa has had to wait a while but I am so pleased for her because she gives everything all the time. The goals are incredible so congratulations to her on her performance, and the team.” Emillia Hawkins

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