With the excitement of Euro 2022 now over, the focus of many women’s football fans has turned back to their domestic clubs, with new seasons set to commence within the next weeks. Plenty of teams have been active in the summer transfer window as they look to improve and develop their squads, and the WSL’s 12 sides have been no exception.
However, whilst big names have rightly attracted attention from fans and writers alike, there is one arrival in the English game that has gone slightly under the radar – young Norway forward Elisabeth Terland. The 21-year-old joined Brighton and Hove Albion Women earlier this month from current Toppserien (the top Norwegian women’s league) leaders Brann Kvinner, and is a very highly-rated player, having been included in UEFA’s 2022 list of “Ten Women’s Players To Watch” and having featured for her country during the recent tournament.
In order to see what she will bring to Hope Powell’s team, this tactical analysis will look in closer detail at her individual qualities, assessing where she might fit tactically into Brighton’s lineup. The scout report will also identify where she can continue to improve her game as the season progresses, with there being plenty of opportunities for her to develop as a player during her time in the WSL.
Spatial awareness
The first area of Elisabeth Terland’s game to focus on is her spatial awareness, looking specifically at how she identifies gaps around the field and uses them to link play up for her team. Given that Brighton’s tactics under former England boss Powell have generally revolved around keeping the ball on the ground where possible, this is one way in which the Norway international can fit in with her new team’s preferred way of playing.
When playing for her country, it has been common to see Terland in a front two, as was the case against Portugal in the Algarve Cup earlier this year. However, what is worth noting is that, when the team has the ball in these areas of the pitch, the front two split and becomes a target player and a playmaker, with one player staying back and one going forwards. In this case, with Celin Bizet Ildhusøy running forwards, Terland stays back and positions herself in between the six Portuguese players between the ball and the goal.
What this gives Norway is a way of building their attack with more accuracy and precision, as the alternative would be that Frida Maanum, in the blue circle, would need to pass directly into the space behind and risk the ball being either over or under hit. Therefore, Terland now has a crucial role in providing the link between them, and that is reflected in Arsenal Women midfielder Maanum passing to her first. As it turned out, that pass was overhit and Portugals right-back Catarina Amado was allowed to clear her lines, but the point still stands that Terland’s awareness to see where the gaps are makes her an important player for her team to have on the pitch.
