3 weeks ago
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Photo by Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Matt Beard says injuries and a thin squad are to blame for a 2024-25 season that has fallen well short of expectations.
After the promise and progress of the 2023-24 season that saw Liverpool Women finish fourth in the Women’s Super League before a summer of investment and retooling meant to help them bridge the gap to the top three, 2024-25 has been a disappointment.
For a time, the talk was about how best to get things on track after a stumbling start. Following their latest setback, a 4-0 hammering at the hands of Manchester United, Matt Beard’s Reds look far closer to a relegation fight than a fight for the European places.
Nine points after nine games is all the Reds have managed, leaving them four clear of last-place Crystal Palace—and a whopping 18 points back of leaders Chelsea. Given last year’s success, it’s not where anyone expected them to be at this stage in the season.
“It’s a disappointing afternoon for us,” Beard reflected following Sunday’s defeat, with the manager pointing to a lengthy injury list and a thin squad as the main reasons he believes that his side haven’t lived up to the expectations set by last season’s success.
“We’ve got to make a few decisions. We’re not going to get anyone back this week. We have one of the smaller squads in the division and can only work with the budget we’ve got. It’s important we stay together, try to get ourselves out of what we’re in at the moment.”
It’s fair to suggest Liverpool’s margin for error on the women’s side is smaller than for traditional top sides like Chelsea, Arsenal, and Manchester City they looked on the verge of being able to compete with last season. Even accepting that, it’s been a tough season.
Any hopes that things would come together an a top three push might still be possible seem entirely dashed by the latest loss. Now the goal is to simply survive the season and salvage a little bit of positivity; something that can be built on for the future.
