There may not have been a Premier London derby (PLDs) match in the men’s F.A. Premier League (FAPL) last weekend but there was a London derby in the Barclays F.A. Women’s Super League (WSL) when Arsenal Women entertained Chelsea Women on Sunday 15 November 2020. Before this match both teams were free-scoring, but there were only 2 goals in this one, both coming late on. First Arsenal’s Beth Mead scored from close range in the 86th minute only to see her team-mate Lotte Wubben-Moy deflect Chelsea’s Pernille Harder’s cross into her own goal on 90 minutes to end it 1-1.
Arsenal Women certainly are free-scoring with 3 players in the WSL’s top scorers: Miedemaon 10, Roord 6, and Foord 4. Sandwiched in between is Walker of Birmingham City Women with 5 goals. Those “Blues” are one of three WSL Clubs whose men are not in the FAPL, the other two being Bristol City Women and Reading Women. There were 2 other WSL derbies on Sunday 15 November with Birmingham City Women beating Aston Villa Women 0-1 in the first ever second-city WSL derby at Villa Park, and Manchester United Women drawing 2-2 with Manchester City Women.
There have also been 3 other London derbies in the WSL so far this season: Arsenal Women 6 v 1 Tottenham Hotspur Women on Sunday 18 October 2020; West Ham United Women1 v 9 Arsenal Women on Saturday 12 September; and Tottenham Hotspur Women 1 v 1 West Ham United Women. Despite this Arsenal Women are only second in the WSL on 16 points 1 behind leaders Manchester United Women, and 2 ahead of Chelsea Women. WestHam United Women are 9th with 4 points and Tottenham Hotspur Women a perilous 11thin this 12 teams league with 3 points from 3 draws and no player scoring more than 1 goal so far. With a third of the season gone they need the Alex Morgan effect soon! We shall keep you posted on all these teams.
Until next time, keep safe and remember “Hands, Face, Space”, Andrew at PLDs.