The 2020/2021 FA Women’s Continental League Cup gets underway later today with 22 clubs from the Barclays FA Women’s Super League and FA Women’s Championship contesting the opening round of group matches.
Ahead of the start of the competition, we have analysed each of the six groups. Here are our thoughts on Group F, a group which looks more open than most with Bristol City being joined by three FA Women’s Championship sides in Crystal Palace, Lewes and London Bees.
Bristol City’s top tier status will make them the favourites for qualification from Group F but they could have a real battle to do so. The Vixens are in poor form, although their 3-1 defeat to Arsenal last weekend offered some positives going forward. Tanya Oxtoby’s side will be battling relegation to the FA Women’s Championship this season and it will be fascinating to see how they measure up against their three second tier opponents. There are certainly some big challenges ahead in the group for The Vixens and it could be that they are beaten to top spot.
Crystal Palace are a club who have began investing really well in their women’s team this summer. Manager Dean Davenport has brought in players with top flight experience and that bodes very well for the future with Palace being stronger than they have ever been before. The likes of Cherelle Khassal and Coral-Jade Haines will chip in with goals while Bianca Baptiste is lightening quick and can also finish. Palace are a team with future potential and despite not setting the world alight during the early stages of the season, results will come and they will be noticed. Davenport’s side could cause the shock of the group stage for sure.
Lewes are another club who could be ones to watch out for in Group F. Manager Simon Parker has put together a squad which has a really nice blend of youth and international experience and The Rookettes are churning out the results in the early weeks of the new campaign. Lewes are resolute at the back and seem to have a greater attacking edge than they had last season, although they could still improve the ‘goals for’ tally. Parker’s side should come out of the group stage with lots of credit, just like they did last year, but it may be a case that a lack of goals might cost them a place in the last eight.
Lee Burch’s young London Bees side are still finding their feet in this season’s FA Women’s Championship and they will be disappointed with their results so far, particularly against two clubs in Coventry United and Crystal Palace who they will want to be finishing above in the league table. It is hard to see The Bees advancing from the group stage in this season’s FA Women’s Continental League Cup, although if they are to find some form, anything is possible in this wide open group.
Gameday One Fixtures
Bristol City v London Bees
Lewes v Crystal Palace
Predicted group winner: Crystal Palace