Stringer Out To Make Mark On Blue Girls

Abbey Stringer insists she wants to “make her mark on the team” now she has settled into life at Everton Ladies.

The England Under-23s midfielder joined the Blue Girls from Birmingham City over the summer and made her debut against Durham in the Continental Cup.

She has since been a regular in the squad as Everton picked up a victory over Reading and a point against reigning WSL champions Chelsea last week.

It was in the 0-0 draw with the latter that Stringer, 23, produced her most eye-catching performance and the Nuneaton-born youngster hopes to carry on in that vein.

“Against Birmingham, I know I didn’t perform well,” she admitted. “I came away quite disappointed and in the next game [against Reading] I didn’t play. But I was picked for the Chelsea game and I just thought to myself that I needed to keep my spot. I felt I did well and we got a good result.

“I do feel like I am getting better. Obviously, when you come to a new club it is all new and maybe you might try a bit too hard because you are trying to impress. But I feel like I have found my feet a little bit and the more games I have, the better I will be.

“It takes time to gel with a new team. You need to get to know everyone’s strengths and weaknesses.

“I just want to put my mark on the team and perform.”

Toffees Head Coach Andy Spence has tinkered with his formation this season, playing with two sitting midfielders and two central attackers supporting a main striker.

Stringer has been working hard on the training pitch to adapt to the responsibilities Spence wants from his holding midfield players, and knows she will have to stay on top of her game with the likes of Dominique Bruinenberg, Angharad James and Meg Finnigan all vying for places in the Blue Girls’ engine room.

“I fit better as one of the two defensive midfielders,” she added. “I like to get on the ball and make things happen but I know I don’t need to get too far up the pitch. With us playing two ‘fours’, it has been better for me.

“There is plenty of competition for places, especially in midfield. That is usually an area where it can be chopped and changed. As a midfielder, you need to make sure you are right in training and perform on a matchday.

“It is all about the squad and players have done well, whether they have been in the team or have come into it or on as a substitute. Personally, when I came on against Manchester City I thought I put my stamp on the side.

“It is a team game, of course, and it is not all about yourself, but obviously you always want to play.”