ColumnMatt Beard on Villa Park win, Nagano fitness update and Chelsea challenge

I was really pleased with our performance on Sunday, and it was a deserved three points for us at Aston Villa.

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There were so many positives to come out of the day, the first-half performance, getting that second goal, and also the resilience and the adjustment to their shape change at half-time.

To concede so early into the second half was obviously frustrating but I think as a team we dealt with their threat fantastically well after that and we restricted them to set-plays and shots from distance.

I think they had one opportunity when Lawsy [Rachael Laws] made a good save but there were lots of positives.

It was great to see Fisky [Grace Fisk] back starting and I thought Leanne [Kiernan] led the line well so there were lots of pleasing things to come out of the game.

Fisky is such a calm player for us. Her personality on the pitch is there for all to see, if you look at that cross for the second goal, that was world-class.

She was our Player of the Season and the accolades that she got from the fans and her teammates, we have missed her this first part of the season 100 per cent. It’s just the quality she has.

The thing with Leanne is she can do all types of things and she can stretch the opposition with her runs in behind.

It’s interesting that a lot of teams are so worried about playing against Olivia Smith that it just gives the other forward a bit of freedom.

Smithy said to me at half-time, ‘What can I do?’ I just said you will have to be a bit unselfish and move people out of the way to create opportunities for others and then get in for the second phase.

Herby [Marie Höbinger] and Ceri Holland were fantastic in midfield. Herby was lucky to play because she was ill so to get through 90 minutes was fantastic, the same with Ceri who deserves a medal for getting through the game after playing 120 minutes for Wales.

I also thought Hannah Silcock did a really good job in midfield for us when she came on.

Gemma Bonner was excellent at the back and that was one of her best performances this season with and without the ball. The recovery she made to stop Gabi Nunes was just world-class.

We know Gemma is an unbelievable defender, an unbelievable character and I think she has stood up and been a big player for us so far.

Gemma Evans was excellent when she came on as well and she didn’t deserve to be on the bench, to be fair, the same with Kappy [Cornelia Kapocs] because her performances have been good.

Like always, we pick a team we feel can win the game that we are playing but Gemma had played 90 and 120 minutes for Wales during the international break and we just felt we didn’t want to take any risk with her.

It was some week for Taylor after making her debut for Jamaica then scoring twice at Villa Park.

I was talking with Taylor when we walked over to clap our fans at the end. She was disappointed when I took her off against Crystal Palace then went away with Jamaica, a completely different mindset.

We had a couple of text exchanges when she was away to see how the camp was going. I’m just so proud of her because she is such a lovely girl and she is a talented player, and I’m hoping the international scene will give her that extra lift that she needs.

Taylor was outstanding against Villa, that second goal was tough technique but what a finish it was!

Fuka Nagano had to come off against Villa but we are hopeful she will be available for Sunday when we host Chelsea at St Helens Stadium.

She had a hole in the ankle which opened up. We’ve got it cleaned up and it’s a bruise, but it was so sore. She tried to play on, but we are hopeful she will be fine.

We are back at home on Sunday when we welcome Chelsea to St Helens (kick-off 12.30pm GMT) and we know on our day we are capable of beating any side.

We watched Chelsea’s win at Everton on the bus on our way back from Villa Park and I thought it was probably one of their best performances with the ball.

Three of the five goals were errors from Everton so you’ve got to make sure you don’t make those errors when you play Chelsea because you will get punished.

If you look back to last season when we lost at Stamford Bridge it wasn’t a 5-1 game but we made two or three individual errors that made it a 5-1 game, so we’ve got to make sure we are switched on.

With Emma Hayes departing in the summer, Chelsea brought in Sonia Bompastor and what a job she has done. Chelsea have made a great appointment in Sonia and they will be there or thereabouts this year.

We know this is going to be a tough test as they have got such a world-class side, but as I always say, we know we can beat anyone on our day.

We have proved that because we’ve beaten Chelsea the last two home league games, so we can take confidence from that, make sure we are prepared and give the best account of ourselves.

Thank you for your continued support.

YNWA,

Matt

Matt Beard was speaking to Liverpoolfc.com's Steve Hunter

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