Salute

Season Preview: Birmingham City

Birmingham City face a visit from Everton in their Barclays FA Women’s Super League opener on Sunday 8th September

As the 2019-20 season approaches, we’re taking a closer look at what to expect from each club – with Birmingham City next in line.

Manager Marta Tejedor will be the first to tell you that Blues face the coming season as a different unit than the one that finished fourth last year.

Tejedor helped the midlands outfit to a record points haul after replacing Marc Skinner in January but might struggle to replicate the form that made the possible in the absence of some star names.

World Cup bronze boot winner Ellen White has joined the ranks of Manchester City along with centre-back Aoife Mannion while Hayley Ladd has moved to Manchester United.

White scored more league goals for Blues than any other player last season despite missing more than half of their games while Charlie Wellings and Emma Follis have also departed meaning Tejedor will have to look elsewhere for goals this term.

The good news at Damson Park is that England midfielder Lucy Staniforth remains a Birmingham player and new recruits such as Brianna Visalli and Abbi Grant will be eager to prove their worth.

📝 @MartaTejedor: "We are resetting the team."



🗣️ "Every new player that has come into the squad has the potential to be a superstar."



Manager's season preview 👉 https://t.co/6qxrxRDON1 #BCFC pic.twitter.com/YdZ5HBeKE7 — Birmingham City Women (@BCFCwomen) August 21, 2019

2018-19 stats watch:

Finish: 4th

Top scorer: Ellen White (6)

Biggest victory: 3-0 (at home to West Ham)

Heaviest defeat: 1-3 (away at Arsenal)

Key Ins/Outs:

Ins: Adrienne Jordan, Lucy Whipp, Rebecca Holloway, Brianna Visalli, Abbi Grant

Outs: Paige Williams, Shania Hayles, Lucy Quinn, Aoife Mannion, Marisa Ewers, Hayley Ladd, Charlie Wellings, Meaghan Sargeant, Ellen White, Emma Follis

Player to watch: Lucy Staniforth

The former Sunderland captain perhaps didn’t get as much playing time as she would have hoped for during the World Cup but there is doubt about her quality.

Her performances last season for Blues have made her a permanent fixture in Phil Neville’s England plans and will no doubt form the linchpin of Tejedor’s plans this season.

If she can contribute goals alongside fellow midfielder Chloe Arthur then that might relieve some of the pressure on the striker that comes in.

What they said:

Kerys Harrop

“We have had a few changes this season and you can’t blame a few of the players for moving on because they had better offers,” said the skipper who was been with the club since she was nine.

“What I have realised over the last few seasons is that that is going to happen because there is more money and interest in our game now.

“We now have to move on because we have new players coming too and I can’t wait to see what they can bring to our team.

“As the captain I have a role to settle the team down because we have just rode the storm of a new manager coming and now it feels like we need to ride another one.

“With the sponsorship we have received it is going to be a massive year for us as players and I think it is time for us to step up and make a good impression on the fans too.”

Only one week to go!!! Excited to get back playing in the blue and white! 💙 https://t.co/GNYKdIChxm — Kerys Harrop (@KerysHarrop) August 31, 2019

Chloe Arthur

“Last season was difficult, because Marta Tejedor came in towards the end, so she didn’t really change much about the way we played,” said the former Celtic midfielder.

“It’s going to be different this season because she wants to bring in new ideas, but that’s a good thing because we are almost like a brand-new team. We need a manager to get us going.

“I say this every year but on a personal level, I definitely want to score more goals.

“I’ve not scored as many goals as I would have liked to so far, but I think performance-wise I am growing as a player and will only continue to improve.

“If you don’t score goals, you don’t get noticed as much, even if you do lots of hard work behind the scenes, so I want to show what I’m made of.”