Motherwell v Celtic FC Women – Team News, Match Officials, Where to Watch
Celtic FC Women have returned to their winning momentum by beating Hamilton, and now they are focused on securing another three points when they take on Motherwell in the Scottish Women's Premier League tonight at K Park. The team understands the importance of winning tonight's game as they aim to keep up in the title race. Currently, they stand six points behind The Rangers and must also keep an eye out for Glasgow City, who are also fighting for one of the two Champions League spots available to SWPL1 teams next season.
Celtic suffered a loss in the Sky Sports Cup at the hands of the top dogs, and then dropped three points to Glasgow City in their match at Petershill Park. However, they bounced back on Sunday and claimed a dominant 6-0 win against Hamilton in the Scottish Cup. That win secured them a spot in the quarter-finals, where they will play away against Montrose. Out of Celtic's recent five games, they've won against Ayr United and Montrose in addition to their recent victory over Hamilton.
We haven't played against Motherwell at K Park since August 2022, when our team included players such as Jacynta and Clarissa Larisey - we really miss those amazing players. They were always great to watch in Fran Alonso's team. However, a lot has happened since that time, including a change of manager. Nevertheless, previous games have gone well for Celtic.
This season, we encountered Motherwell at our home at Excelsior, situated in Airdrie, only once. Our team came out on top with a score of 6-0. It was a team effort with Amy Gallacher, Kit Loferski, Chloe Craig, and Tiree Burchill all scoring crucial goals to ensure our victory. Take a look at the highlights below:
Our previous meeting had many favorable outcomes that we can carry forward into this one. We managed to capture 21 shots, in comparison to Motherwell who didn't get any. Additionally, we held the majority of possession with 65% in our favor.
Motherwell's season hasn't been easy, with just one win in their last five games and only 16 points. Their home performance has been problematic, losing 56% of their matches, scoring an average of two goals but conceding more. This is supported by the statistic that only 33% of their home games have seen them keep a clean sheet. Their last five games saw them scoring three goals but conceding 17. However, Motherwell have also been facing tough opponents lately, which adds to their challenges.
However, it's important to note that Celtic has had great success in their away games, winning 78% of them and only allowing a few goals to be scored against them. Their defense is strong, as seen by their ability to keep clean sheets in 67% of their away games. Additionally, their offense is impressive with an average of 19 shots per game. Recently, they have also been performing well, scoring 24 goals and only conceding four in their last five games. Furthermore, they dominate possession in their games, holding onto the ball for an average of 67% of the SWPL season.
FootyStats provided all of the statistics mentioned. The percentages and averages only apply to matches competed in the Scottish Women’s Premier League and UEFA Women’s Champions League.
After securing her initial victory as Celtic manager, Elena Sadiku gave a brief overview of the upcoming game in an interview with Celtic TV. She expressed, "For me, it was crucial to see how we performed, and I'm happy to say it was a good display. This wasn't just from the starting lineup, but from the substitute players who entered the game. It was gratifying to witness."
The thing that pleased me the most about the performance was our behavior when we had possession. We managed to create numerous opportunities to score goals, and we also reacted well when we lost the ball by defending. Overall, I was quite content with most aspects of the game.
The footballers take pleasure in playing soccer matches and love showcasing their skills in front of their supporters. Hence, I believe that such opportunities become a great learning experience for them. Therefore, everyone is eagerly looking forward to the upcoming game.
There hasn't been a press conference with Elena Sadiku, so nobody has been able to ask her about her team's physical condition or any injuries. It seems like Shen Mengyu might be hurt because she hasn't been on the last two teams after playing against the Rangers in the Sky Sports Cup. Some supporters weren't pleased with her previous display, so it's possible she's lost favor. However, it's unlikely because she was being played in the wrong position during the match where Celtic's formation was off.
By the way, it's worth mentioning that Shen Mengyu's addition to Celtic's team could address the issue of lack of speed in their defence. This could enable Elena to consider using a back four, which she seems to favor.
It would be great if Tash Flint came back. We probably held her off for this specific game since we were supposed to easily defeat Hamilton over the weekend, and Elena might have anticipated that.
Considering this, I am putting forth my forecast for the team...
I felt pleased when I noticed that the team reverted to using three defenders instead of four. The previous method wasn't effective, as I described earlier. It's possible that we might use four defenders again later, but the team has gotten so used to three defenders that it can be difficult to adjust to a sudden change.
Fran Alonso talked on the Behind the Goals podcast about how he prefers playing 4-3-3, but due to the players in his squad, he had to switch to 3-5-2 formation. He believes that it's important to find a formation that best suits the players. To come to this conclusion, Fran reviewed every game from the previous season and analyzed the performances of each player individually.
By opting for a back three formation, it becomes easier for Sydney Cummings to join the team without having to leave behind Kelly Clark or Caitlin Hayes. Personally, I find it beneficial to have Celya Barclais and Chloe Craig operate as attacking full-backs, as they are proficient in providing ample support to their wingers.
I doubt Lucy Ashworth-Clifford, a well-known player, will make it in time for the next game. Nevertheless, it would be great to witness her skills even for a single half. I envisage her midfield teammate, Natalie Ross, playing in a defensive position, due to her impressive performance in the previous game where she scored three goals. The coach may encourage her to advance further into the field.
I was surprised to see that Amy Gallacher wasn't included in the starting lineup for the previous game. However, I do acknowledge that she might have required some rest. But this time, we cannot afford to leave her out as it is a crucial match for us, and she is our top scorer.
To me, I think Paula Partido and Murphy Agnew are great players on the side. I consider Agnew to be of high standard, and I desire to see her play more frequently so that she can perform excellently in a Celtic jersey.
The person in charge of refereeing the match tonight is Josh Hay. He will have two assistant referees, Ewan Pow and Christopher Irving, working with him. There won't be any VAR today, unlike yesterday's match at Ibrox. During that match, the person in charge of VAR was a supporter of Rangers, and they chose to not review two penalty requests from Aberdeen. It's unfair that VAR isn't available not only in the SWPL but also the Scottish Premiership.
The SWPL game against Motherwell will begin at 8:00 pm. They will be playing at K Park located in East Kilbride.
You won't be able to watch this game or purchase tickets beforehand. Instead, you can purchase tickets at the gate using either cash or card. If you miss the game, be sure to check out the highlights on Celtic TV tomorrow. We'll also share them on The Celtic Star.
Last Sunday, I didn't anticipate that the match would result in a high score as I thought that Elena might try some new tactics. However, if it's decided that we'll be using a back-three formation for the rest of the season, I believe that we will have a favorable victory today.
Motherwell has not achieved a victory since December 17th, and their last success was a messy 1-0 triumph against Dundee United. Therefore, I predict the outcome of their upcoming match against Celtic FC Women as Motherwell 0 - 5 Celtic FC Women. Additionally, I hope Celtic manages to secure a similar score at their match taking place tonight at Easter Road, resulting in a delightful double victory for the team.
Come on you Gunners, I'm getting goosebumps! Come on you Boys in Green, let's do this!
