Arsenal Ladies open up their Women’s Super League season on Thursday evening as they head to the East Midlands, in an identical 2014 WSL opening matchup, against Notts County Ladies.
The Gunners are underway competitively for the year as around 10 days ago they made the short trip to WSL2 side, Millwall Lionesses, in the Women's FA Cup fifth round. After previously beating their hosts 3-0 in a pre-season tie, the North Londoners made light work of the Lionesses on the opening of their FA Cup defence.
A hat-trick from Danielle Carter and further strikes from Jordan Nobbs, Lianne Sanderson, Natalia Pablos Sanchon and Carla Humphrey, gave Pablo Martinez Losa’s side a commanding 7-0 win over their lower-tier opponents.
As the Gunners get set to kick-off in the league this season, Notts County opened up their WSL campaign at their home Meadow Lane last Sunday, as they hosted Arsenal’s London rivals Chelsea Ladies.
In a fairly tight encounter, Rick Passmoor’s new-look Magpies went down 2-1 to the Blues, as Chelsea striker Gemma Davison struck twice, either side of former-blues striker Rachel Williams’ header for County.
Having started their season’s in contrasting fashion, both sides have been boosted with the news earlier in the week, that five players have been called up for England Women’s duty ahead of their clash against China on April 9th.
Goalkeeper Siobhan Chamberlain, defenders Alex Scott and Casey Stoney, England vice-captain midfielder, Nobbs, and striker Sanderson have all been called up from the Gunners squad. For the Magpies, ‘keeper Carly Telford, defenders Alex Greenwood and Laura Bassett, striker Jess Clarke and former Gunner Ellen White, have made it in to Mark Sampson’s national squad.
All five of Notts County’s English call-ups should be in line to start on Thursday evening, after starting against Chelsea on Sunday, and it will be a welcome reunion for forward White against her former employers, as she looks to put her injury-ravaged campaign of last season behind her.
Likewise for the Gunners, their recently called England quintet are in line to start at Meadow Lane, as Sanderson prepares for a second Arsenal debut and first taste of WSL action, following her spell abroad for the past five years.
Elsewhere for the Magpies, striker Williams will hope to add to her WSL tally after getting off the mark last time out, against her former London rivals, whilst the Gunners could hand WSL debuts to central defender Jemma Rose, Spanish midfielder Vicky Losada and fellow Spaniard Sanchon.
The last time the two sides met at Meadow Lane almost a year ago, England striker Clarke gave the hosts a first-half lead, only for a Scott strike in the second to level matters for the Gunners and take a share of the spoils, with a 1-1 draw.
Thursday evening’s tie, which is live on BT Sport, could be a tight affair, as two further encounters between the two teams last season ended in draws, although one being in the WSL Continental Cup semi-final, which resulted in the Gunners sealing a final berth with victory in extra-time.
Arsenal boss Losa will be aiming for a quick start to the league campaign, following their sluggish opening to the 2014 campaign, although Notts County manager Passmoor has assembled an impressive new-look side for the season ahead; all of which could result in an entertaining encounter in front of the live TV camera’s come Thursday evening.