In his latest column for evertonfc.com, Willie Kirk explains why Sunday's clash with Reading is crucial for his team, details how the intense battle for a starting spot in his squad is key to the Blues' progress and reveals his confidence 2020 can be a successful year for Everton.
Sunday’s game against Reading has significance for a number of reasons. A win would guarantee us progression in the league table.
It would also go some way to righting the wrongs from when we played Reading back in October.
We lost 3-2 and the players were very really frustrated we conceded from three set-pieces.
That’s something we want to put right. We beat Reading the last time we played them at Southport back in April and we want to replicate that performance and climb the table.
We go into the game on the back of last weekend’s defeat against Manchester City. They are a very good team, of course, but we didn’t help ourselves by making individual errors, which cost us goals.
>>>GOODISON PARK WILL HOST ITS FIRST-EVER WSL MERSEYSIDE DERBY ON FEBRUARY 9. CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS*<<<
There are some scenarios during matches we need to be better in – learning not to give away cheap free-kicks, for example, or not making first or second contact from set-pieces. We need to improve our game-management.
Also, it’s important we continue to work together as a collective. I feel that parts of the City performance turned into a lot of individuals on the pitch in an Everton jersey, rather than a real team performance.
And the players must believe in themselves.
There’s a lot of top, top talent in his squad and they need to start realising how good they are.
FIERCE COMPETITION DRIVING STANDARDS
An important factor in our progress this season is the increased competitiveness for positions in the starting XI.
Last season there wasn’t a huge amount of competition, whereas this year hardly anyone’s place is safe.
Of course, we have got some very consistent performers – Gabby George, Lucy Graham and Dan Turner – who have played every WSL game.
But even those three know, if they drop their standards, then their placeS will be under threat.
At City last Saturday, we had three players who weren’t even in the squad because of injury – Izzy Christiansen, Chloe Kelly and Esme Morgan.
>>>GOODISON PARK WILL HOST ITS FIRST-EVER WSL MERSEYSIDE DERBY ON FEBRUARY 9. CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS*<<<
Looking at the gametime Chloe and Esme have had and Izzy’s stature as a player, you’d think those three would be there or thereabouts in the starting XI – so that’s even more competition.
If we want to be a big club, we need competition and the players have embraced that.
What I’ve said to the individuals who haven’t been starting is, I don’t want them waiting for someone to lose their place, I want players to win their place in the team.
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WHY 2020 CAN BE SPECIAL
The standard of the squad we’ve got is something to be excited about. We’ve had a good first half of the season and we’ve strengthened in the January transfer window.
The FA Cup starts next week when we host London Bees at Southport FC and we’re hungry to embark on a strong run in that competition.
We’ve got the huge match against Liverpool at Goodison coming up on 9 February, too. Hopefully we can get a big crowd of Evertonians supporting us at that game. That will only drive the players on as we aim to complete a derby double, having won at Anfield in November.
We are realistically pushing for a top-five position in the WSL and we want to see how far this squad can develop going into the summer, and then build even further going into next season.
We’ve got a lot to look forward to in 2020 and I’m confident it can be a successful year for our Club.
>>>GOODISON PARK WILL HOST ITS FIRST-EVER WSL MERSEYSIDE DERBY ON FEBRUARY 9. CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS*<<<
*Everton’s ongoing commitment to allowing Season Ticket, Lounge and Official Members free access to women’s games will continue for the fixture, although all Members will be required to claim a ticket and select their seat in advance.
Tickets for non-Members will be priced at £6 for adults and £3 for over-65s and juniors.
To secure a ticket for the women’s Merseyside derby, click here or call the Everton Fan Centre on 0151 556 1878.
Supporters can also buy tickets in person by visiting the Goodison Road box office or by calling into the Club's city centre ticket facility in Everton Two.
