Anyway being stuck in traffic for the best part of 4 hours I had plenty of time to work out the permutations for which FAWSL teams that might qualify for the semi-finals of the Continental Cup and thought I'd have a go at explaining it here. The 18 WSL teams from leagues 1 and 2 were split into 3 groups with 6 in each roughly in a regional format, with a northern, southern and london area based layout. The 3 group winners qualify for the semi-finals along with the best placed runner-up from the 3 groups.
Surprisingly with all teams completing 4 matches and just this weekends final round of group games to go no team has actually secured qualification and just 2 have avoided defeat both in Group Three, Notts County Ladies and Bristol Academy.
Let's break it down group by group.
GROUP ONE
| Continental Cup Group One | |||||||||
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | PTS |
1
|
Arsenal Ladies
|
4
|
3
|
0
|
1
|
13
|
2
|
11
|
9
|
2
|
Chelsea Ladies
|
4
|
3
|
0
|
1
|
12
|
5
|
7
|
9
|
3
|
Reading FC Women*
|
4
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
11
|
4
|
8
|
4*
|
4
|
Millwall Lionesses
|
4
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
6
|
-3
|
5
|
5
|
Watford Ladies
|
4
|
1
|
0
|
3
|
5
|
11
|
-6
|
3
|
6
|
London Bees
|
4
|
0
|
1
|
3
|
2
|
18
|
-16
|
1
|
*Reading FC Women deducted 3pts & removed from competiton (see update below).
After their poor start to the season which had seen them drop points against Reading FC Women in the Continental Cup before the break, Arsenal Ladies have returned to action and won 3 games on the spin, 2 in the Continental Cup taking the 3pts in a must win match against rivals Chelsea Ladies at the weekend and then demolishing London Bees 7-0 last night to go top of the group on goal difference.
Going into the final round of matches either Arsenal Ladies or Chelsea Ladies are guaranteed a semi-final spot. Arsenal Ladies travel to Millwall Lionesses. Chelsea Ladies host London Bees both on Sunday whilst Reading FC Women host Watford Ladies on Saturday evening.
Level on points if both win it will come down to goal difference 1st, then goals scored and then head to head record at the moment Arsenal Ladies are in pole position, both teams though are well placed to be in contention for best runner-up.
Reading FC Women can still claim top spot if both Arsenal Ladies and Chelsea Ladies were to lose and they beat Watford Ladies. However there is an issue here which clouds the issue Reading FC Women fielded an ineligible player in the previous round and the rules state the club should be removed from the competition. As of yet no word from the FAWSL regarding the matter so this isn't settled yet and what it means to everyone in Group One.
*UPDATE 11/07/14 - In regards to the above, the Reading FC Women situation has been cleared up as earlier today the FA put out a statement saying the club had been removed from the competition for fielding an ineligible player, lose the 3pts gained against London Bees at the weekend, fined £50 and their game against Watford Ladies is OFF tomorrow. Here is the FA's statement -http://www.thefa.com/news/governance/2014/jul/reading-women-removed-110714
GROUP TWO
| Continental Cup Group Two | |||||||||
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | PTS |
1
|
Manchester City Women
|
4
|
3
|
0
|
1
|
6
|
3
|
3
|
9
|
2
|
Liverpool Ladies
|
4
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
14
|
3
|
11
|
7
|
3
|
Everton Ladies
|
4
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
6
|
2
|
4
|
7
|
4
|
Doncaster Rovers
Belles
|
4
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
6
|
7
|
-1
|
6
|
5
|
Sunderland Ladies
|
4
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
5
|
8
|
-3
|
6
|
6
|
Durham Women
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
4
|
2
|
16
|
-14
|
0
|
No one has really wanted to win this group it seems with a very mixed bag of results teams taking points off each other and others struggling to get going going into the last weekend it is Manchester City Women who have their noses out in front and look in pole position to qualify as they travel to bottom team Durham Women on Sunday.
Liverpool Ladies welcome Doncaster Rovers Belles on Saturday evening knowing only win coupled with a Manchester City Women defeat will do to see them qualify.
Likewise Doncaster Rovers Belles can reach the semi's if they beat Liverpool Ladies and Manchester City Women lose need to overhaul the goal difference too though a 4 goal turn around in both matches.
Everton Ladies face Sunderland Ladies on Sunday needing the same as Liverpool Ladies a win then a Manchester City Women defeat to qualify for the semi-finals.
Even 5th place Sunderland Ladies can make the semi-finals they need the same as Doncaster Rovers Ladies however and have a larger goal difference to turn around.
As thing's stand this group looks the least likely to produce the best runner-up so that top spot will be everything.
GROUP THREE
| Continental Cup Group Three | |||||||||
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | PTS |
1
|
Notts County Ladies
|
4
|
3
|
1
|
0
|
12
|
1
|
11
|
10
|
2
|
Birmingham City
Ladies
|
4
|
3
|
0
|
1
|
6
|
3
|
3
|
9
|
3
|
Bristol Academy
|
4
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
12
|
4
|
8
|
8
|
4
|
Yeovil Town Ladies
|
4
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
5
|
2
|
3
|
7
|
5
|
Aston Villa Ladies
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
4
|
1
|
11
|
-10
|
0
|
6
|
Oxford United Women
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
4
|
2
|
17
|
-15
|
0
|
It's Notts County Ladies who lead the group going into the weekend where they face a trip to Yeovil Town Ladies on Saturday evening, a victory guarantees the semi-final spot. Yeovil Town Ladies though are not out of it a win, however they have to do so by 8 goals, more likely a Yeovil win would scupper Notts County Ladies chances of making the semi-final.
And that is exactly what Birmingham City Ladies and Bristol Academy will be hoping for as they meet on Sunday in Solihull. By then they will know what they have to do, for either a win would see them top the group if Notts County Ladies slipped up. Without that both are in with a chance of the best runners-up spot, a must win game however the draw would only suit Birmingham City Ladies but then that may still not be enough.
Aston Villa Ladies and Oxford United Women both without a point in the group play out the only game with nothing riding on qualification which is surprising as I thought there would be more going into the final round of matches.
There we have it then, clear as mud? My predictions for the semi-finals are Notts County Ladies, Manchester City Women, Arsenal Ladies & Chelsea Ladies.
On a personal note I would have liked to have seen the competition enter a quarter final stage at this point with 8 teams going through would have been a better build up for the fans but there's only so many fixtures that can be squeezed into a short playing season.
Hope that's cleared thing's hope you enjoy whatever tie you're going to see this weekend.
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