This weekend, the FAWSL returns from the winter break. The ladies will have had time to rest, recover, and get ready for the grind that is the second half of the season. The top of the table is extremely close and leaves no room for error in the quest for a league title. Leaders and defending champions Arsenal Women are ahead of Manchester City Women by three points. Chelsea Women trail a point further behind. However, they have a game in hand over their rivals.
In this returning matchday, each of the title contenders are tasked with tricky but winnable matches. The toughest could very well be waiting for Manchester City Women. Nick Cushing’s side travel to London to play Tottenham Hotspur Women on Sunday. The newly-promoted side have experienced an indifferent first half of the season. Sitting in seventh position heading into this match, they have been yet to add a win against one of the major teams in the top flight thus far. The North London side will be looking to fix that in this match.
In this tactical analysis preview, we will take an in-depth look at these two sides. We will assess the tactics they have used throughout the season, and how they will be looking to implement these on Sunday. Manchester City Women will come into the match as heavy favourites, but Tottenham Hotspur Women have the ability to make life difficult for the Manchester side, which we will look at in this analysis.
Manchester City Women wide threats
Manchester City Women have had an indifferent campaign so far. Second in the league, albeit a game in hand over Chelsea Women who trail by a point, but they were knocked out of the Champions League to Atletico Madrid for the second successive season. Cushing has been trying to find the right formula for his side, with a mixture of suspensions and injuries not allowing his side to find a proper rhythm. One of the biggest blows was the loss of right-back Aoife Mannion. The defender tore her ACL and will be out of action for the remainder of the season.
However, this unfortunate occurrence has brought a shining light into the City side. Janine Beckie has moved deeper into a wing-back type role and has thrived in the absence of Mannion. The Canadian born attacker has posed a constant threat moving forward and allows for more tactical variety in other areas of the pitch. City’s structure in possession is oftentimes very asymmetric with Becky occupying this role, as you can see above. She is normally given the entire right channel to work up and down in. Tessa Wullaert, who is normally the right-winger as City line up into the match, is given the freedom to roam across the pitch.
We will see the Belgian forward take up positions close to Ellen White, City’s number nine. She often acts as a secondary striker in these situations and connects the goal scorer to the playmakers City have throughout their side.
