The Lionesses have been the talk of the league this summer as they tempted a slew of world-class talents to Bromley, with plenty of pressure on Eder Maestre to string it together and deliver a top-three finish.
asserted
they → tempt → finish
The early readings were encouraging, as an own-goal from Julia Zigiotti and a clever flick from Danielle van de Donk sent United home empty-handed, save for Simi Awujo’s last-gasp consolation.
Make no mistake, though.
asserted
goal → send → mistake
Is Alexia Putellas all she’s cracked up to be?
asserted
she → crack → ?
One would not expect a player as decorated as the veteran Spaniard to allow such a billing to get the better of her, but this move to Bromley is arguably biggest challenge of her career.
asserted
move → expect → career
And in the far-from-imposing surrounds of Hayes Lane, watched by what the club claimed was a sell-out crowd largely drawn to watch her, Putellas was subdued.
asserted
Putellas → impose → her
Starting in the No10, the Lionesses’ hesitance to play through the middle of the park limited her involvement.
asserted
hesitance → start → involvement
She managed 34 touches of the ball in the first half, but made few memorable contributions.
asserted
She → manage → contributions
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Speaking pre-match, Eder Maestre had discussed her importance as a link between midfield and front line, a conduit from possession to chances.
asserted
Maestre → read → chances
It leaves Maestre with an urgent item right at the top of his to-do list, highlighted in bold.
asserted
It → leave → bold
Eva Olid tenure learns scale of task at hand
Eva Olid’s tenure as Man United manager is still in its nascency - Marc Skinner’s departure and her appointment came within five weeks of the season opener.
asserted
departure → learn → opener
The dark clouds continued to hang low over day one of the season.
asserted
clouds → continue → season
She promised to ‘make the impossible possible’, as she did at Hearts, but could not put a timeframe on delivering that promise.
uncertain
she → promise → promise
Plainly, Friday came too soon.
asserted
Friday → come → ?
United were on the back foot for much of the opening exchanges as they struggled to contend with their hosts’ lively press.
asserted
they → open → press
Come half-time, they had not managed a shot and trailed thanks to the Zigiotti own-goal, the product of hopeless defending under pressure from Alanna Kennedy.
asserted
they → Come → Kennedy
There was slight improvement in the second half, most notably at the introduction of the lively winger Monica Jusu Bah, but the issues were endemic.
asserted
issues → be → winger
Their first attempt of the evening did not come till the 79th minute, and the chance was created by a wild swing-and-a-miss from Ella Toone.
asserted
chance → come → Toone
Things will get no easier, with Chelsea and Arsenal the next two clubs on the fixture list.
asserted
Chelsea → get → list
From day one, Olid has a point to prove.
asserted
Olid → have → point
She can at least take comfort in Awujo’s equaliser with the last kick of the game.
asserted
She → take → game
Maestre facing same old problem as Kang watches on
Eder Maestre, the London City head coach plucked from Real Sociedad, formerly in the backroom at UD Tenerife, is far from the biggest man at London City, but he does have plenty of influence.
asserted
he → face → influence
Speaking pre-match, Maestre deployed the usual grand promises of a manager in need of a statement.
asserted
Maestre → speak → statement
He called for high-possession, fast-paced football replete with plenty of chances.
asserted
He → call → chances
With the club’s billionaire patron Michele Kang watching on from the director’s box, this was not the time to slip up.
asserted
this → watch → box
Mary Earps, said to have picked up an injury during an error-strewn pre-season, was left on the bench.
asserted
Earps → say → bench
The bottom line today is the Lionesses came out on top.
asserted
Lionesses → come → top
The very problems Maestre set out to solve continued to frustrate - high possession, plenty of chances, only one scrappy goal to show for it.
asserted
Maestre → set → it
He will take comfort, though, in the knowledge that he has laid strong foundations.
asserted
he → take → foundations
His high press effectively disarmed a talented United side, and his defence showed no signs of bowing through spells of high pressure, save for that unfortunate late lapse in concentration.
asserted
defence → disarm → concentration
The Aporia
