Gareth Taylor’s Liverpool desperate to find positives against the WSL holders

After winning their first point of the season against Brighton & Hove Albion Women last Sunday, Liverpool FC Women look ahead to their fixture against Chelsea this weekend.

Head coach, Gareth Taylor addressed the media ahead of this tough clash against the reigning Barclays Women’s Super League Champions.

Team news

Regarding injuries for the Reds, Taylor confirmed that Lucy Parry and Gemma Bonner were both back in training this week. Parry being sidelined prior due to a minor injury, and Bonner suffering a head injury in training the previous week:

“We should be able to get them back for some kind of time if needed on the weekend.”

Taylor also mentioned Alejandra Bernabé is back in training with the squad. However, the Chelsea game is just too soon for the defender to return against her former club:

“Alejandra is still building up, but she’s training with the team, hopefully by next week we can start to consider her for the squad also.”

Zara Shaw was also mentioned, as her progress with her ACL rehabilitation is hoping to see her return to training in December:

“Zara Shaw is close to returning to the team, probably in December for training.”

As for Marie Höbinger and Sophie Roman Haug, Taylor confirmed that both are making positive steps, despite the long road to recovery ahead:

“Marie’s surgery went well last week. Sophie Roman Haug will have her surgery next week.”

Preparations and reflections

Taylor touched on the positives taken from the Reds’ performance against Brighton. He chooses to implement them this weekend, aiming for another encouraging performance from The Reds after their first win of the season was denied by Rosa Kafaji’s stoppage-time equaliser:

“The feeling after the game was a little bit deflated because we were really close to our first three points, first win of the season. But yeah, there were some real positives to take from it. Training has been good this week and we know we face a tough challenge but looking forward to that.”

Although there was a mention that the mood was flat after conceding late, Taylor quickly moved on to praising his team once more and focusing on the positives after their first point this season.

Building on that, Taylor then talked about how he would like to approach playing a higher table team again. Liverpool’s narrow 2-1 loss to his former club, Manchester City was a stepping stone for them in holding their own and with the league’s giants. Now, they are looking forward to a tough challenge against Sonia Bompastor’s Chelsea:

“Trying to identify the areas where we feel we could give them problems, give them issues…

What an achievement that will be if we’re able to take something from this game.”

Chelsea represents one of the toughest challenges in the WSL for a manager or player alike to face, and Taylor was full of respect for the London club’s depth and quality:

“Chelsea have two teams that could effectively finish in the top three. You have to give great credit to the club and what they’ve built.”

He then touched on the fact that this time facing Chelsea will be a different type of challenge than the likes of the ones at his time spent coaching Manchester City, and that adjusting to a leadership role in a lower league team is becoming more and more natural for him.

Fixture congestion frustrations

Building from the injury talk, Taylor was visibly frustrated with the post-international break schedule ahead for Liverpool, which includes three away days in three games to finish the first half of the season. This includes two London trips and a rearranged fixture of Aston Villa midweek:

“They talk about welfare for the players - I think it’s a joke. We have no time to prepare after the break. It’s already a tough achievement and then you add three games in six days away from home.”

With several fixtures within the space of a few weeks, Liverpool’s injury crisis could only increase. Taylor is now forced to bring younger academy players into the matchday squad, due to a crisis in squad depth.

But he did stress that the team would deal with this clash with “class and dignity.”

January window ambitions “we need goals”

Liverpool currently sit amongst the lowest goal scorers in the league, and Taylor conformed that attacking reinforcements are going to be worked on in January:

“The games not rocket science. When you’re one of the lowest scorers you’re down the bottom. The front five should all contribute goals.”

He is confident that the Liverpool side will be able to strengthen through the transfer window, but also stressed that the January market can be difficult to navigate and negotiate:

“It’s a small pool and you’re competing with big clubs for players but of course the intention is to help this team.”

Overall Liverpool are clear cut underdogs for the clash on Sunday, but Taylor sees reasons for optimism: improved fitness, competitive performances, growing individual performances and a squad that is working hard to turn performances into points.