The FA Women's Cup sponsored E.ON
Captains prepare
By Tony Leighton. - Saturday, 21 March, 2009
Arsenal prepare to take on rivals Everton in The FA Women's Cup.
Arsenal v Everton
The FA Women’s Cup sponsored by E.ON
Semi-Final
2pm, Sunday 22 March 2009
Woodside Park, Bishops Stortford FC
Winning clubs will receive £2,500 from The FA
FA Women’s Cup holders Arsenal will have an unfamiliar look to their line-up as they take on Everton, their strongest rivals, in Sunday’s Semi-Final at Bishops Stortford.
Since lifting the trophy for the third time in succession last season the Gunners have lost six England internationals, one through retirement but five having joined other clubs.
Kelly Smith, Karen Carney and Alex Scott have only this month moved to professional American teams, leaving big gaps to be filled.
And with the club’s England captain Faye White injured, Sunday’s line-up will probably contain only four players who started last year’s Final.
So will the country’s top team be an easier proposition for Everton, the side that last season beat them in The FA Tesco Women’s Premier League Cup Final?
Not so, insists the Arsenal stand-in captain Jayne Ludlow – and what’s more the Everton captain Fara Williams agrees with her opposite number.
“Any Arsenal team is a good team,” says Williams. “We know that and we won’t be fooled into thinking we’ll be playing against a weakened side on Sunday.
“Yes, they’ve lost big players, but they’ve brought in excellent replacements and every one of them will be out to prove a point in a massive game.”
Midfielder Ludlow, who also captains Wales, says: “Everybody’s expecting us to falter, but I’ve got every confidence in the squad we’ve now got.
“I’m looking at it as a new era, which we’ve experienced before when we had to re-build after losing the likes of Marianne Spacey, Angela Banks and Sian Williams.
“It’s a fresh start and I have to say the players who have come into the side over the last 12 months have fitted in very well.
“So although we know Sunday’s game is going to be a really tough one, we’ll go into it believing we can win it and then go on to win The Final.”
Having gained revenge for last term’s League Cup Final defeat by beating Everton en route to winning this season’s competition, Arsenal have every right to feel confident.
But Everton would love to break the stranglehold the Gunners have on The FA Cup, which they have won a record nine times.
Williams says: “Remembering the League Cup Final win last season still gives every Everton player a buzz and we want that in The FA Cup this year.
“This Semi-Final is our biggest game of the season so far, there’s no question about that – but we are absolutely determined to have an even bigger day at The Final.”