ColumnMatt Beard: I'm so excited by the signings of Gemma Evans and Cornelia Kapocs
In his latest column, Liverpool FC Women manager Matt Beard welcomes new signings Gemma Evans and Cornelia Kapocs, and tells us what the pair can bring to help the team grow during 2024-25.
We said we were still looking to add to the squad during the window, and I’m absolutely delighted to have brought in Gemma Evans and Cornelia Kapocs.
After our capture of Canada international Olivia Smith, who has settled into her new surroundings really well, I’m excited by both players and we welcome them into the Liverpool family.
I was really pleased to bring Gemma in. If I look back on last season when we lost Jas Matthews and Taylor Hinds due to injury, it had a bit of an impact on that left-hand side, especially with the amount of goals and assists that came from that area. So I felt it was important to address that balance on the left.
Gemma is a talented player, she has got great experience playing in the WSL and international football with Wales. And with her personality as well, I think it’s a great fit for us.
Gemma is versatile and can also play left-back. Last season, we lost Taylor for a few months and Jas also had a difficult end to the season with injuries. We looked at it and felt it was something we needed to address.
This isn’t just a short-term signing, it’s a long-term signing as we feel with Gemma’s versatility down that left side – she is great driving out with the ball and she is a fantastic defender – she will be a really good addition to the group.
She is also a funny girl and she wears her heart on her sleeve. Interestingly enough, she is a Liverpool fan, so I think this is a good time for her and for her career. It’s a great move for her and for us as a group, so we are looking forward to having her here and her personality on and off the pitch.
Gemma will also add great competition for places, and that is important.
If I look at the success we had last season, it was down to the competition for places and on that left-hand side, left-footed players are at a premium.
Competition is so important because you have to earn the right to play and perform on the training pitch day in, day out. And if you do that then it translates to the game at the weekend.
I’m also hugely excited to bring Cornelia in. She is very different to what we’ve got up front – she can play wide and can play down the middle.
Her goalscoring record is fantastic, she got 18 goals last season, her movement is great and she is a very intelligent player. I think the fans can be excited at what she can bring to the table, and we are excited to have her here.
We are delighted she has chosen to come to Liverpool because there were a few other clubs after her.
If you look at our recruitment over the last two years, we wanted to address the average age of the squad – which I think we did. We’ve been monitoring Cornelia for over a year now. She has the same agent as Sofie Lundgaard, so we’ve just been monitoring her progress.
Scoring goals at times last season was an issue for us, and she can definitely finish, that’s for sure. She can score all types of goals. She reminds me of Sophie Roman Haug actually when she was at AS Roma and scoring different types of goals.
She is different to all of the players we have got here, so it just adds to the squad and tactical flexibility whether we play a front three or a front two. But she can definitely finish, that’s for sure.
We’ve got some tough decisions to make this season selection-wise and I think for us to kick on after last year we need to make sure we have that depth in the squad because you are going to get suspensions and injuries.
We need to progress the team, create that competition. And to have all these players now who can play in the front line, it’s a headache for me but it’s also fantastic for me.
It’s also fair to say we have got a Scandinavian influence now in the squad and it’s good that we have got Sophie Roman Haug and Sofie Lundgaard here because that will help Cornelia settle in.
When you bring players in from abroad, it’s important you have someone with the same culture, same background to relate to, especially in tough times. Because when you make a move abroad, you always have a period where there are going to be ups and downs.
I have been pleased with our pre-season so far. The girls are working hard and we have got some good challenges coming up against good teams, which will also help Gemma and Cornelia settle in on and off the pitch.
Thank you for your continued support.
YNWA,
Matt
Matt Beard was speaking to Liverpoolfc.com's Steve Hunter
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