They've been so sensational this season, haven't they, Chelsea?

Yeah, I mean, if I was Opta, I'd be putting them at 99.999% to win the league, to be honest.

I think they're in incredible form.

And also, I do think it's kind of like, Sonia's finally got you know the squad that she wanted and I think you know not to draw parallels but I think you know when you uh change a squad a lot and you've got new managers in and things things do take time to settle and sometimes that can be a season or two seasons and um if you look at sort of when she was managing at Lyon you know she had goal scorers across the pitch like in one season, you'd have sort of 18, 19 goal scorers.

And then her first few seasons at Chelsea, she kind of had, you know, maybe there'd be like 12 or 13 goal scorers in the WSL over the course of the season.

Um, If you look at Chelsea this season, they've already had 13 goal scorers.

And by the way, in the WSL, that doesn't include Aaron Cuthbert, doesn't include Vika Kapteyn, and it doesn't include Kate McCabe.

Is that what it's felt like to you?

Izzy, you did a bit better than me, didn't you?

I did, but...

I'm actually fuming, like I'm actually really fuming.

And I know this is going to be champagne problems probably for a lot of people who are listening to the pod.

But I had, I think, five players who got over 10 points on my team.

Five players.

And I was convinced...

Izzy, how about you? Have you got your transfers lined up?

But do you think this is-- I mean, I guess it's a case of people taking a bit of a risk on it and bringing them in, but also a lot of people that are more risk-averse taking her out.

Yeah, I mean, I personally transferred Vivianne Endemann out.

Um, so I don't know.

I think for me she's sort of fallen off form a little bit towards the end of the last leg compared to the lofty heights that she had at the beginning of the first leg.

Um, so I kind of understand that one.

And I think with Lucy Bronze, you know, there's always, um, a bit of risk management with her because as we saw at the Euros, like, she'll play even with a broken leg basically.

So the fact that she's not gone, um, uh, to the England squad doesn't necessarily rule her out for too much, and I, I can understand people wanting to keep her in because she's a big asset and you don't wanna kind of lose that and then regret it later.

Um, Izzy, how about you? Where's your captaincy going?

Um, Izzy, how do you see this game going? Do you think Palace will continue their pretty impressive start to the WSL, or will Villa finally get a win?

Yeah, again, I think this is actually a really interesting one for Villa.

I think for them it, it almost feels a bit like a must-win.

Like you say, they're, they're on paper should be winning this, um, but they're winless so far in the WSL.

They haven't created a lot, and actually I think if it wasn't for the fact that they didn't have such a great keeper on their hands, they- their goal difference and, and potentially, you know, the outcomes of their games would be a lot different.

Um, I've been quite surprised in an unfortunate way of sort of just how I think the team has been quite disjointed.

I don't feel very sure of kind of their identity and where their goals are gonna come from.

Um, Izzy, how do you see this game going? Will Everton finally score a goal of their own in the WSL? Uh, will Hurtray get on the scoresheet again for Birmingham? Um, who, who do you think takes this one?

Um, but yeah, Izzy, I mean, Liverpool after the, the start they had last season, two games in they're unbeaten.

Yeah.

I'm, um, I'm really loving this Liverpool team.

Like, I think they're really fun to watch.

Um, they're playing with a lot of confidence and it, it's very sharp football as well, which is, I think possibly what they lacked last season.

Maybe they weren't so confident on the ball, bit indecisive but yeah, I mean, Bernabe was basically just running it up the left wing, passing it into Ceri Holland who would then whip it into the s- midfield quick one-two and then cross it back into the box.

So I think, um, they've really got a good rhythm now.

[laughs]

Izzy, have you copied me with any of those?

I've only gone with Ellie Carpenter.

I think...

I really like the prospect of her linking up with Melvin Mallard this season.

They obviously know each other from previous years at Lyon, and I think hopefully if they're both playing, they'll link up well and we can bag, like you say, some assists, points or even, you know, bonus sort of attacking contributions.

She's also playing on Saturday, so hence why I've got her in my back line.

I've also gone for Jade Riviere from United, just because I think she's a generally reliable player.

Izzy, how about you? Have you got for any big

Do either of you disagree?

No, I agree with you, Sam.

I think from the very small pieces of pre-season I've seen from Arsenal, it seems like they've working some things out, getting some bits together and I think they look really well prepared.

Obviously we know how much talent they've brought in over the summer, so I think they're in a really good position for this, like a lot more stable, a lot more sorted out on kind of where they're going.

But yeah, interesting.

And obviously, we have to speak about Leovolte coming back for her debut to be against Arsenal as well.

A team that she seems to hang out with more than actually her own teammates quite currently.

But how do you see this one going?

Izzy, is there anyone, or in fact, you've already told me off mic that there definitely is someone in there in particular that you want to talk about?

Yeah, I think, well, Hannah Kane, basically any Leicester player.

I think they've essentially robbed, they've raided the Leicester cabinet and they've taken some really, really good players.

I think Hannah Kane... potentially will really come into her own this season.

I think she's a great player going forward and putting crosses in the box and maybe at Leicester there was not necessarily anyone on the other end of those crosses to put it away.

But I think there's potential for some really nice link-ups and she kind of hopefully will take that place of Tony Payne that I think they'll really miss with Tony going.

Noemi Mouchon as well is another player who...

Izzy, I mentioned Ruby Mace in there and I know that she's someone that you in particular think is going to be having a good season.

Which of those signings do you think is going to be the most important for Spurs or who are you most excited for?

Oh my God, that feels like a minefield of a question because I think they've all been brought in for different reasons.

given that this is a pod for the stats and facts, I will make my choice based on the stats and facts.

And I'll say Alice Sombath, just because I think...

I mean, you look at her passing stats, it's exceptional.

She's making pretty much... 90% plus accurate passes like every single game she's playing in the Premier League feminine and I think she's probably maybe got something that Spurs were missing slightly last season which is obviously they needed a bit more of a bolster at the back for the times when there are injuries and a lot of players kind of having to fill in places where they wouldn't usually play so I think she provides a lot of stability there but she she's still like so young for someone who's been playing pretty regularly for Lyon um she's not getting played for France really uh and obviously there's a world cup coming at the end of this season so I think she's gonna have a real like fire in her belly to sort of prove herself um I don't think she's gonna kind of rest on her laurels like it was sort of big news like oh wow she's coming from Lyon and and what a top club and things like that but I think She's just as eager to prove herself as everyone is, probably excited to have her skills in the squad.

So I can imagine she's at least going to want to hit the ground running.

So this is looking at what do you think the floor is? So what is basically the worst that Spurs would do in 26, 27? What is the ceiling? So what is the best that Spurs will do next year? And what will a successful season look like?

I mean, is that a little bit disappointing? Do you think that it's only two?

I don't.

And the reason I say I don't is because I think you alluded to it before about the 100% home record.

I think they have definitely been one of the teams over the last few seasons that... have kind of really built a home at their ground and you know the joy stadium isn't small it's not as big as the etihad but it's not small and and i think that you know it's hard for teams like city when you have like the arsenals of the world who are in london with a you know bringing in more casual fans so an objectively larger pool of sort of people to come to the match and you know the players do feel at home at places like the emirates because you know they're a bit further along in that journey and i just don't think like city are um as far along as a team like that and i don't think it maybe makes sense when they have such a good record at the joy stadium to kind of push them in front of these huge crowds at the etihad which is you know hopefully they'd fill out but you don't kind of know and and I think it's kind of better for a reigning champion to have a packed stadium at home in a place they're comfortable with where they're going to sort of respond to the crowd a lot more than kind of um yeah like just try and go to a big stadium for the sake of it I think that needs to be the goal but I think or at least a sort of yeah maybe in future seasons but I think it makes sense for like yeah the big sort of the rivalries and the Arsenal game and things like that but I don't I don't actually think it's kind of necessary um and I and I think that about like other sort of teams in and around are the same with United even with Chelsea you know um I think there's a balance that needs to be struck

that does feel like something that's pretty important in gara taylor team so that's kind of maybe something to be on the lookout for next year um but moving on to transfers in um obviously neve charles signs from chelsea beth mead signs from arsenal two pretty high profile incomings Izzy I'll come to the Arsenal fan first about Beth Mead leaving what can she offer Manchester City Emma you take care of that girl

well yeah it's um i still think if you could even call beth mead underrated i still think this last season she was underrated like i i just think you know obviously she's Maybe like slightly on the older end, although she's my age, so I would argue she's a spring chicken.

But like, I just think she still has so much more to offer.

And perhaps, yeah, she's not part of the plan at Arsenal anymore, but I don't see any reason why she... she can't be at City and obviously the culture is a huge thing at City this season.