Inside track on West Ham | Kathryn Batte | OneFootball

We return to Barclays Women’s Super League action on Sunday (2pm UK) as West Ham United are the visitors to Brisbane Road.

Rehanne Skinner’s side have picked up two points in their first five games – with draws against Liverpool and Everton – while we’ll be looking to return to winning ways after the international break.

Ahead of our encounter this weekend, we had a chat with journalist Kathryn Batte to get a lowdown on the Irons…

How would you reflect on the opening games to their WSL campaign?

Kathryn: “Two draws and three defeats from their opening five games, given the teams they have faced, is not a bad set of results for West Ham. Those three defeats came against strong opposition in Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal.

“They showed resilience to come from behind to draw with Liverpool and home and while they will feel they should perhaps have beaten Everton, it could prove to be a useful point in the long run.”

Who are the key players to look out for this weekend?

Kathryn: “Katrina Gorry is a key player in West Ham’s midfield and the leader of their team. Gorry will look to link play between defence and attack and get her team playing forward. Spurs will have to stop her from dictating play.

“Riko Ueki is West Ham’s biggest goal threat. Ueki will likely lead the line and look to cause problems for Tottenham’s defence. The forward is strong in the air so Clare Hunt and Molly Bartrip to ensure she is not afforded time and space in the box.

“Shelina Zadorsky is a name that will be familiar to Tottenham fans, with Zadorsky having made the move to West Ham from Spurs in the summer. The defender will likely play on the left hand side, meaning she will have to try and keep Hayley Raso quiet.”

What impact has Rehanne Skinner had on West Ham?

Kathryn: “Skinner has looked to make West Ham a rigid, well organised team that are hard to play against. They have not leaked goals this season and put in a good defensive display against Arsenal before succumbing to a 2-0 defeat.

“It’s likely they will aim to stop Spurs from playing and use their strength at set-pieces or counter-attacks to their advantage. Skinner played a back five last time out so it will be intriguing to see if she sticks with that formation for this game.”

What are the expectations for this campaign?

Kathryn: “West Ham are not blessed with the biggest budget in the league so the overriding goal for the season will be to ensure they stay in the WSL and improve their points tally from last season. Early indications are that it will be a tight battle at the bottom of the table so they will be keen to try and pick up a point in this game.”