Team: Notts County
Manager: Rick Passmoor
Last Season: 5th (reached FA Women’s and Continental Cup Finals)
Key Transfers In: Maja Krantz (Linkopings), Natasha Flint (Manchester City), Megan Walsh (Everton)
YouTube: AMAZING SOLO GOAL | Natasha Flint Strike | Chelsea 2-1 MCWFC
Key Transfers Out: Desiree Scott (FC Kansas City), Alex Greenwood (Liverpool), Jess Sigsworth (Doncaster Belles)
Season Preview:
Notts County Ladies will be hoping to put right the habit of being ‘always the bridesmaid, never the bride’ that they attained in the 2015 season. The side playing out of Meadow lane, Nottingham, reached the finals of both domestic cup competitions in 2015, but sadly fell at the final hurdle on both occasions.
The 3-0 and 1-0 losses, to Arsenal and Chelsea respectively, were hard to take for ‘Pies fans, after seeing manager Rick Passmoor assemble such a strong squad.
Their eventual 5th place finish was also disappointing, as champions league football was a real possibility for the midlanders, however, with the astute acquisitions that have been made over the winter, optimism is high once again on the banks of the Trent.
Swedish international defender Maja Krantz joined from Linkopings, where she had won the domestic league once, and cup 4 times, in her 8 years at the club. Krantz was part of the side which defeated Liverpool ladies 4-2 in the 2014 Champions League, and will certainly help fill the gap left by Alex Greenwood’s departure, adding experience to the County defence.
Along with Krantz, England U23 internationals Natasha Flint and Megan Walsh add to the large pool of player with international experience that Notts will have at their disposal in 2016, both of them look like excellent prospects.
One thing the Pies fans will be looking forward to in 2016 is the return of England internationals Ellen White, who played a part in England’s brilliant 2015 World Cup campaign, and home town hero Sophie Bradley.
White, who signed from Arsenal ladies in late 2013, missed the entire 2014 season for Notts due to injury. Having made her return in March 2015, the forward then managed only 6 appearances for Notts in the remainder of the season.
Whereas defender, Bradley, has had an even worse time with injuries, the Nottingham born England player has spent the past 18 months side-lined by a serious knee injury. She is yet to play for Notts County since they reconstituted from Lincoln, both players look to be back in fighting shape ahead of the 2016 WSL season, and will add more depth to County’s, already quality, squad.
One thing that will remain to be seen is whether County boss, Rick Passmoor, will look to utilise their attacking talents more in the upcoming season, having favoured a more defensive counter attacking approach in campaigns gone by.
It’s been a criticism of County that a squad that contained England forwards Ellen White, Jess Clarke and Jess Sigsworth have played such a negative and physical style verses the bigger sides in the WSL. And, even with the loss of Sigsworth to the Doncaster Belles, this is something that may have to change if they are to fulfil the potential that the squad no doubt has, and qualify for a Champions League spot.
Player to Watch:
Jess Clarke
Clarke is County’s main weapon upfront, the 2014 WSL and Continental Cup top scorer has pace and can finish, a lot of what County achieve in 2016 could rest on her.
The Leeds native can play as a striker or winger, and has amassed almost 50 England caps in her 10-year career, scoring 11 goals, her most recent coming vs Finland in the 2015 Cyprus Cup. Now in the prime of her career, it’s a fair shout to say Clarke could have a big season for Notts.
Prediction:
3rd.
Notts have a squad full of quality, and it’s about time that quality lived up to its potential. Despite the loss of Scott and Greenwood, Notts still have a very talented line up, and with the new additions, it’s not an outlandish prediction to say the can even get a top two finish, and qualify for the 2017 Champions League.
Having said this however, the big spending Chelsea and Manchester City will be the favourites, and a 3rd place finish would represent a brilliant season for Notts, if they can escape from their recent rut of underachievement.
Daniel Gadsden @DJGadsden
