By Jeremiah Ong
Almost a year to the day since Bristol City thrashed Ipswich Town 7-0 in a swashbuckling display at Ashton Gate, the Vixens travel to the JobServe Community Stadium on Sunday (November 8) to face an unbeaten Blues side in what promises to be a very different contest.
“That was a day we really turned it on at Ashton Gate. It was a tough day for Ipswich, but I thought we showed real quality and scored some unbelievable goals,” City head coach Charlotte Healy reflected on her side’s emphatic victory last November.
However, their subsequent visit to Colchester proved a much tougher experience, with the sides playing out a 1-1 draw in January.
“We went to Colchester for their home game, and we really struggled. It was probably our poorest performance of the season, if I am honest,” Healy admitted.
A Different Proposition This Season
The Tractor Girls have made an impressive start to the current campaign, collecting four wins and two draws from their opening six league fixtures to sit second in the table.
Healy believes their progress is a reflection of the work carried out over the past year, with significant investment transforming the squad.
“They built on where they finished last season. I thought they had a good second half of the season, obviously invested a lot in January and stayed up.
“They invested again in the summer. They brought, I think, 15 new players in, so there’s been a lot of change. They’re a completely unrecognisable side from what they were last year, and I think they’ve done well.”
The additions have strengthened Ipswich considerably, with Healy recognising the impact they have made already improving the side.
“The new players that have come in have helped move the needle for their squad, and they will be delighted with the results that they picked up so far,” she added.
City know they will need to be at their best to disrupt Ipswich’s unbeaten start, with three points potentially lifting the visitors into third place.
Healy has identified the hosts’ attacking threat as a particular concern, warning her players to remain alert to their pace and ability to punish opponents in transition.
“(They are a) real threat on the counter with the pace they have in the top line. They have a lot of goals from distance this year, so we have to be prepared for that. We’ve got to be ready for transitions.”
An Opportunity To Rotate The Squad
Bristol City return to Barclays Women’s Super League 2 action following consecutive defeats in the FA Women’s League Cup against Tottenham Hotspur on October 28 and Wolves on November 1.
Despite the disappointing results, the fixtures have provided Healy with an opportunity to rotate her squad, assess different options and give valuable minutes to players looking to establish themselves.
“We’ve used the League Cup games to rotate the squad and have a look at players and give players opportunities to play. I thought there were some really good bits in the games that we’ll take moving forward,” she explained.
One particular positive came in Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Wolves, with Emily Syme opening her account for the season.
Healy was pleased to see the midfielder get on the scoresheet, particularly after being deployed in a deeper role during the opening stages of the campaign.
“She’s such an important player for us, and I think she’s had to play a little deeper at times early on this season. She’s great higher up, in those pockets and playing off the front line, so I’m really pleased for her to get on the scoresheet.”
There was further encouragement with Welsh defender Ella Powell returning to training, providing a welcome boost to the squad ahead of the trip to Suffolk.
“Just having that personality back in the group has been a real lift for the group, so really good to have Ella back and looking forward to having her back on the pitch hopefully in the coming weeks,” Healy said.
However, compatriot Hayley Ladd remains sidelined after suffering a medial collateral ligament (MCL) sprain, with Healy confirming that the midfielder will be “out for a significant period”.
Although the City head coach believes it is still too early in the season to make predictions, picking up points against promotion rivals such as Ipswich will be important if her side are to maintain a sustained challenge.
That is particularly relevant after dropping points against Sunderland and Newcastle earlier in the campaign, two results Healy believes offered valuable lessons.
Reflecting on the defeat to Sunderland, she admitted: “We weren’t brave enough to get within the structure early enough. We didn’t play well, and we didn’t connect passes well enough.”
The Newcastle encounter was a different story, with City creating opportunities but ultimately falling short.
“Against Newcastle, it was a really competitive game, and we created chances but didn’t take them. They scored one off the post and won the game. That is how tight these games are.”
Since those early setbacks, Bristol City have gone unbeaten in their last four matches, recording three wins and a draw.
Healy is confident her players have taken valuable lessons from those opening defeats and will be looking to carry their improved form into Sunday’s meeting with the Tractor Girls.
Her message is clear: “Play our way and show our quality in this game.”
