England: “That’s the level I expect from the team now” | OneFootball

While visibly frustrated by our defeat to Manchester City, Bethany England couldn’t have been prouder of the performance in the Barclays Women’s Super League on Sunday.

Our skipper put in another strong performance on the pitch at Brisbane Road as she deservedly got us on level terms just after the half hour mark, following Vivianne Miedema’s early opener for the visitors, to net her eighth goal of the campaign.

Looking to build on our brave performance, we continued to push for the lead after the break and carved out further opportunities – 13 shots in total – but it was the visitors who would strike next thanks to a wicked strike from Aoba Fujino.

Bethany came inches away from grabbing an equaliser with the last kick of the game, Ayaka Yamashita denying the forward on her goalline, but it wasn’t to be as our spirited display came unrewarded.

While our number nine was critical of not taking the opportunities, including herself, she spoke of pride for how her team-mates performed – and wants to use it as a platform moving forward.

Speaking to us afterwards, she said: “Even though we lost, I can stand here, hand on heart, and say how proud of the performance we put in.

“I thought we took the game to City and had so many chances, granted we should have taken them, myself included at the very end, but that’s the level I expect from the team now, the standard, the defensive discipline, the aggressiveness, the first to second balls.

“Obviously it’s disheartening as we don’t want to keep dropping points and we know they’re such a good side, but I felt like we really matched them, so I think that’s the most disappointing thing that we came away short when we could have got something out of the game.”

Bethany on the character showed to respond after the early opener…

“It was annoying as we were on top, we were in their half a lot and they had one chance and scored, but that’s the quality they hold, unfortunately. We have to, again, be better at preventing those crosses and goals coming in, but the character that was showed after the goal went in was next level and, genuinely, I’m so proud to stand here and say we gave everything in the game, it was just an unfortunate switch off moment that cost us.”

Bethany on failing to convert chances…

“100 per cent, I reckon I could count double figures of chances we created and that’s pleasing to see, obviously. We don’t want to be standing here saying we’re creating chances but we’re not scoring them, the next level is we have to be finishing them and granted you’re not always going to get many chances, but we did, and we definitely should have taken more against this team.”

On taking the positives for the final stretch of the season…

“There’s so much to take, that’s the standard of performance, the defensive discipline and work rate we should be having from minute one. Obviously, it can always be disjointed coming back from the international break, I couldn’t have asked for much more, from those on the pitch and those on the bench, those that didn’t make the squad, everyone that trained over the last few days made that performance possible.”