Thursday, August 16
Premier League Preview

The Womens' National Premier League gets underway this Sunday although with most of the early games being cancelled because of the upcoming World Cup it will be a while before the competition is up and running in earnest.

Nevertheless Football England brings you a preview of the teams competing in this years' top division and analyses their prospects.

Arsenal

Won everything last season and few would bet against them repeating the feat this time around, domestically at least.

The Gunners don't appear to have dipped into the pool of players created by Charlton's apparent demise but they scarcely need to, indeed it would hardly do them any favours if they did widen the gap between themselves and the rest.

Although Charlton's troubles have allowed some of the other teams to strengthen the sum of these parts are not likely to produce a team capable of challenging Arsenal even as strongly as the Addicks managed last season.

Having Faye White back from injury more than makes up for any transfer inactivity and makes Arsenal stronger still through the middle and increases their options in other positions.

Hopefully somebody somewhere will take points off the Gunners this season but I fully expect them to run away with the title again and don't be surprised by another clean sweep of trophies.

Blackburn Rovers

2006/07 was Blackburn's first ever season in the top flight and they did magnificently to finish 6th, winning 10 games out of 22, as well as reaching the FA Cup semi finals.

Can they do as well this time around? It will be difficult and the loss of their outstanding goalkeeper Kay Hawke to Lincoln City (not in the National Premier League but with more money than most) is likely to be keenly felt.

Hawke was excellent throughout last term and helped turn a capable defence into a truly formidable barrier. Rovers will be hoping to be as solid again so Hawke's successor has a lot to live up to.

Up front the club relied heavily on Katie Anderton who was superb but it will be asking a lot for the striker to match her goals tally this time around.

The club have several promising forwards and if one or more of them can emerge during the coming season then the club should be able to stay clear of relegation trouble although they may be a good deal nearer than last time.

Birmingham City

Birmingham were a little disappointing last season although they finished reasonably well to claim 8th position. They have secured a couple of new faces from Charlton (Michelle Hickmott and Faye Cardin) as well as Milly Durrant from Donny Belles.

These players will add depth to the squad and provide competition for places but are unlikely to significantly improve the first team as straight replacements for any of last seasons' players.

Any real improvement in performances is likely to depend on the progress of some of the existing players with outstanding potential. Heather Scheuber and Danni Bird are players who could really flourish this year and the squad as a whole looks to have scope for improvement.

I for one expect to see an improvement.

Bristol Academy

Finished 4th last season which was an excellent achievement and reached another FA Cup semi final. Like Blackburn they have also lost their goalkeeper, Siobhan Chamberlain, and may well struggle to adequately replace her.

If they can then there seems little danger of the team being involved at the wrong end of the table although they will probably drop a couple of places from last season.

No reals stars in this squad but a good, competitive bunch who always provide tough opposition, especially on their own patch.

Cardiff City

Cardiff looked odds on for relegation during the second half of last season before saving themselves with a late win at Doncaster but look destined to struggle again this time around.

If Charlton collapse to the degree Fulham did last season then they may salvage safety again but will be hard pushed to keep two of the other sides below them.

Have a fine keeper in Rhian Nokes and a lively striker in Gwennan Harries but need a lot more from the players in between if they are to improve on last seasons' effort.

There is talent there, however, and the squad is young so there is no reason why the club can't do better. The most important thing for Cardiff to address is there defensive organisation. If they make themselves harder to beat they are always capable of nicking a goal or two.

Charlton Athletic

It's tragic really but Charlton, who have given so much to and invested so much in womens football, may not even exist come the start of this season.

If they are saved at the last minute it is impossible to tell what kind of a side they will be able to field.

Everyone is still hoping but this is definitely a case of wait and see.

Chelsea

Optimism will be high within this club after they snatched the two best players from the rubble at Charlton (Casey Stoney and Eni Aluko) as well as taking England's second choice goalkeeper (Siobhan Chamberlain) from Bristol Academy.

These signings should help a young and highly promising squad become a force although it is hard to see them getting anywhere near Arsenal just yet.

Stoney should be a particularly important signing although the squad still looks a little brittle in the midfield department.

Success in a cup competition is not out of the question especially as the combination of Aluko and Ellen White up front looks especially exciting.

Doncaster Belles

The Belles finished 9th last season, well clear of relegation, but this was a disappointing and slightly alarming effort.

After a good start the Belles faded badly and while their promising youngsters failed to really progress their experienced players began to look a little tired.

Significant improvement is required this season if this famous club is going to cement its' place at the top of the English game.

Several young players have been added to the squad and between them and existing players such as Carla Cantrell and Emily Heckler one or two, at least, need to really breakthrough as first team stars. Vicky Exley and Pauline Hamill can't do it forever.

This is a big season for Doncaster and most people will be hoping it is a good one for them.

Everton

The team most likely to challenge Arsenal in my opinion. Everton look to have the strength in every department to stay close to the Gunners except one. Jody Handley aside they look extremely weak in comparison to the awesome Gunners up front.

It is possible that Emily Westwood, who was used predominantly in defence last season, could be pushed forward and if she did establish herself in an attacking role then the club could really be in business.

They have two fine goalkeepers, a strong defence and outstanding talent in midfield. Hopefully they can mount a realistic challenge to Arsenal in at least one competition.

Leeds United

Along with Chelsea the team to have significantly strengthened during the close season. Leeds have snapped up two of the best young keepers in the country in Carly Telford (ex Sunderland) and Nicola Hobbs (ex Lincoln), grabbed midfielder Katie Holtham from the wreckage at Charlton and the versatile Steph Houghton also from Sunderland. (Houghton may be out for some time, however, after injuring herself in training with the England World Cup squad)

Leeds have a decent squad but I would only predict a finishing position of 4th. To improve on that the club will need an improved effort from their forwards. The combination of Sue Smith, Lucy Ward and Amanda Barr looks fine on paper but they delivered little in the closing stages of last season and rarely looked good enough to penetrate the better defences.

If they start firing bullets, however, the club could end up the closest to Arsenal.

Liverpool

The teams coming up are always the ones most likely to go down again and Liverpool will be grateful if Charlton's problems do mean that one of the relegation places is spoken for.

Liverpool look certain to find the going tough but have qualities which mean they should be able to prove themselves competitive. They have a good goalkeeper in Nicky Davies and a strong defensive partnership with Gayle Formston and Jo Traynor.

These three players will be crucial to the Reds' prospects.

It is unlikely that anyone in the Liverpool squad will emerge to score heavily as Anderton did for Blackburn last season so goals will need to be shared around. There is enough pace and energy between the attacking players to achieve this, however, and, sticking my neck out, I would take them to survive.

Watford

The other promoted club Watford look, on paper, the exact opposites of Liverpool. In Ellen Maggs and Helen Lander they have forwards who look capable of finding the net but whether they have the defence to restrict the opposition is another matter.

They have looked to address this problem by signing a couple of new keepers, Marie Hourihan from Fulham and Ebony Cabey-Gooden from Charlton, but goalies can only do so much.

Should be good enough not to get left behind but their games with Liverpool and Cardiff look to be absolutely vital.

In Brief

The title is staying at Arsenal and Everton, Chelsea and Leeds look to be in a class of their own behind the Gunners. I nap them to finish in the order given.

I can see Birmingham climbing to 5th ahead of Bristol Academy and Blackburn.

Doncaster Belles are hard to estimate. They will feel they can finish above the three sides just mentioned but the teams expected to struggle will be hoping to take points off them looking ahead.

You would expect them to finish between these two groups but they could just find themselves involved in a relegation scrap.

I take Liverpool to sneak above Watford and Cardiff who I really can't seperate.

That just leaves Charlton and I'm not even going to suggest a finishing position for them. It would be great if a sponsor turned up tomorrow and the club was still able to turn out a side recognisable from last seasons' squad. Even with the players we know to have joined other clubs there was a hell of a lot of talent still available to the Addicks.

Here's hoping.

Tuesday, August 21
Katie Goes Nap

Katie Anderton may have been overlooked by Hope Powell for the England World Cup squad but she is obviously not going to let that affect her performances for Blackburn Rovers.

The prolific Anderton ripped Cardiff City to shreds on the opening day of the Premier League season scoring five of Rovers' goals in a 6-0 win.

Anderton epitomised the Rovers performance and was simply too quick, committed and streetwise for Cardiff. Natalie Preston added Rovers other goal and possesses similar attributes. She will prove an excellent signing for Blackburn.

Cardiff had already lost all three of their UEFA Cup qualifying ties but had performed with a fair degree of credit in doing so. This was a worrying start to their league campaign, however. Somehow they will have to organise themselves defensively to give themselves a chance of collecting the points they will need for survival.

There were defeats for the two promoted clubs although both came close to taking something from their opening games.

Watford lost by the only goal at home to Birmingham City, Kerys Harrap grabbing the goal in the second half.

The game between Bristol Academy and Liverpool turned into a real thriller. Liverpool found the pace too hot to handle early on as Bristol swept into a three goal lead by the half hour.

Kerry Bartlett was on target either side of a Corinne Yorston effort and a comfortable win looked on the cards.

To their credit Liverpool threw on an attacking substitute in Jade Thomas and she pulled them back into contention on the stroke of half time. Thomas grabbed her second after the break and then Jo Traynor levelled the scores midway through the half.

Now both sides went in search of a winner which came in the dying seconds and went to Academy with Bartlett completing her hat trick.

Ultimately then a disappointing start for Liverpool but their performance certainly offers hope for the season ahead.

The action also got under way in the North and South sections of the Premier League.

In the north relegated Sunderland threw away a two goal lead to only draw at Manchester City. Saran Danby got both goals for the Wearsiders but Levi Walmsley and Lindsay Savage ensured City earned a share of the spoils.

Promotion favourites Lincoln City enjoyed an emphatic 5-1 win at Tranmere Rovers. The game was level at half time but a goal straight after the restart by Sophie Barker put the Imps on their way and by the end both Stacey Aisthorpe and Jodie Snelson had grabbed a couple each.

In the south a Stacey Sowden brace gave Barnet a 2-1 win at Brighton while Helen Bass also got a couple in newly promoted Colchester United's 4-2 win at Crystal Palace.

Keynsham Town and Portsmouth, two teams with promotion aspirations, shared a 1-1 draw. Kayleigh Sage had Keynsham ahead only for Gemma Hillier to equalise.

Friday, August 24
Charlton Saved

The Charlton Athletic womens football team will continue after sufficient sponsorship was found to allow the team to continue under the umbrella of the Charlton Community Trust.

This is news everyone interested in womens' football was hoping to hear although it remains to be seen what kind of a side the club will now be able to put out.

No doubt there will now be players who have left the club to act as back up somewhere else who could have stepped into the Addicks first team. Hopefully the club can prove competitive and re-establish themselves as a leading team.

Football England wish everyone involved with the club the best of luck.

Elsewhere the draw for the 2nd group stage of the UEFA Cup brought differing fortunes for England's two representatives. Arsenal, the holders, could not have asked for a kinder draw whereas Everton have a difficult task ahead of them.

Arsenal will host their four team group which also includes Bardolino Verona of Italy, Alma KTZU of Kazakhstan and SV Neulengbach of Austria. The Gunners look certain to progress.

Everton must travel to Belgium for their group which consists of the host team Rapide Wezemaal, Valur Reykjavik of Iceland and two times winners 1.FFC Frankfurt of Germany.

This represents a much tougher challenge although it is one Mo Marley's team will pass if they play to their full potential.

These groups take place in the middle of October and hopefully we will have two sides progressing through to the knockout stages.

Friday, August 31
Last Weeks' Round Up

Better late than never, perhaps.

Last weekend saw the England womens' team play their last warm up game before the World Cup begins. Despite slipping to a 1-0 defeat against host nation China the performance provided several positives and Hope Powell's side will head for the tournament in good heart.

England had their chances and were aggrieved to see an Eni Aluko effort ruled out for offside. Chances for Karen Carney and Sue Smith also went begging although they could blame nobody else for those.

They also had to shoulder responsibility for the only goal. Rachel Brown got into a tangle with Mary Phillip and spilled the ball into the path of a grateful opponent.

Such mistakes will be equally hard to redress in the competition itself and England will be hoping they have got theirs out of the way beforehand.

Despite the huge improvement in England's results and world standing during the last few years they still find it hard to score against the best sides so cannot afford to concede cheaply if they are to make an impression in the tournament.

There still seems to be no thought of an attacking plan B either. My feeling is that if the first choice attacking options haven't scored then it is pointless simply bringing on like for like substitutions and retaining the same formation.

On the domestic front Watford got their first points in the National Premier League with an exciting 3-2 win over Blackburn Rovers.

Having lost narrowly to Birmingham City in their opening game Watford were boosted by the return of Helen Lander and Ellen Maggs and the difference these two potent attackers made was massive.

The game was open from the start and it was no surprise when the teams exchanged goals around the quarter hour mark. Natalie Brewer put Rovers ahead with a thumping header but Maggs released Lander to equalise almost immediately with an assured finish.

Blackburn regained the initiative on the stroke of half time through a Karen Burke strike but Watford hit back after the break through Maggs and clinched victory with an Ashlee Hincks penalty following a foul on Lander by the Blackburn keeper Michelle Jones.

The visitors pushed hard for an equaliser they probably deserved but Watford held on and were thankful to their own keeper Marie Hourihan as much as their exciting forward combination by the end of the game.

In the Northern section there was a clear statement of intent from Lincoln City who blitzed newly relegated Sunderland 5-1 with two goals each for Jodie Snelson and Stacey Aisthorpe while in the South two goals from Brooke Chaplen gave Portsmouth a fine 2-1 win over Fulham.