Even if Manchester City haven’t had the best start in their league campaign, all bets are off as Chelsea visit the Academy Stadium this weekend.
It’s the pick of the FA Cup semis, with both sides hoping their players return from recent international duties unscathed.
Jessie Fleming, now back in contention for a regular starting place in the Chelsea Women’s team, scored another penalty for Canada in a friendly victory over New Zealand as the Olympic champions power on.
What’s curious is that Fleming’s appearances for Chelsea lack the belief and confidence she shows for her national team.
Is she overawed by the quality of the forwards and midfielders playing around her at Kingsmeadow?
Pernille Harder was again on target for Denmark in an 8-0 demolition of Bosnia-Herzegovina, while Erin Cuthbert played a key role in an exciting 2-1 win for Scotland over Hungary.
England’s late victory over a dogged Northern Ireland team at Wembley gave Fran Kirby and Millie Bright starts in Sarina Wiegman’s national side. But it was only after a double Beth substitution – England and Mead – in the second half that the goals began flowing.
Wiegman has spent time at Kingsmeadow, in the VIP section of the main stand, quietly observing Kirby, England, Niamh Charles and Jess Carter.
Although neither Carter nor Charles was used from the bench at Wembley, both figure in her long-term plans, with the whisper at Kingsmeadow that Carter is being lined up as an eventual replacement for Bright – both at club and national level.
Sunday lunchtime’s match at Manchester, to earn a place in the delayed FA Cup final at Wembley on December 5, is live on BBC1.
The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and unless specifically stated are not necessarily those of Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
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