ColumnMatt Beard's Christmas message to supporters, fitness update and hopes for 2025

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While it was frustrating not to get anything out of the Arsenal game, there are definitely positives to take for us.

We said we were going to go toe-to-toe with them and obviously they are a great side. I thought we started brightly and put them under a lot of pressure, and at 0-0 I felt we should have had a penalty when Gemma Bonner was fouled in the box.

I thought we created the better chances and then we conceded from a set-play, which was sloppy by our standards, especially as we are so good at defending and attacking set-plays.

I thought we started the second half really well and then when we didn’t get that goal, Arsenal made a few changes and got a foothold back in the game. We then made some changes and we pushed them right to the last whistle.

You could see the relief on their faces at the end of the game and I think it speaks volumes for the performance the girls put in.

I was proud of the effort of the performance, obviously disappointed with the result because you know I don’t like losing football matches, but it’s a big positive performance to end the year in the sense of the commitment, the desire, because that was questioned the week before against Manchester United.

Jasmine Matthews made some great challenges for us on the day and a fully fit Jas is a fantastic talent.

I remember when I was at Bristol City and I lost her for the season, that was the final nail in our coffin really because she is that good. She is a fantastic talent, so good with the ball and so good with her one-v-one defending.

I thought everyone did well against Arsenal, the substitutes I brought on as well and Yana [Daniels] did well when she came on.

We know where we are now coming into this break and we know what we have to do in the second half of the season.

As always, our ambition is to try to improve on what we did last year, but that is going to be tough now for sure. If you look at the league table now compared to last year, there is a massive gap.

We were in on Tuesday and Wednesday this week and now the players and staff are off for Christmas. We are back in on December 31.

We all need a break now. I think everyone is physically and mentally ready for a break because it has been such a slog.

The medical staff have been working tirelessly with the injuries that we’ve had and we’ve been working tirelessly looking at how to deal with that and using different systems because of the hand we have been dealt with over the course of this season.

It has been tough. To only have three midfielders and three forwards available last week has been really tough and the midfield area is where we need to address in January.

From our end, if I have a fully fit squad to choose from I think we are OK. But if we don’t then results are put at risk.

I know the depth of the squad is challenging for us but, as I always say, we can only work with what we’ve got.

I know we could be in a better position and the injuries to key players haven’t helped. So, we have to make sure in 2025 we don’t repeat those same injury issues we have had in the first half of the season – we need to get that right.

I think if we get that right then we have got a good chance of having a good second half of the season and try to get into that top six, which I think is a realistic target.

We need to make sure everyone goes away and comes back fresh and recovered and we can hit the ground running in 2025.

Sophie Roman Haug is back running now, so we should have her. Leanne Kiernan and Marie Höbinger should be fit. Lucy Parry is back out on the field with Unders [Chris Underwood, sports therapist]. We are getting people back.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all our supporters a fantastic Christmas and a happy and healthy one with friends and family.

We hear you home and away each game and we appreciate every one of you. Thank you for your brilliant support in 2024 and we hope to make you proud in 2025.

Thank you for your continued support, as always.

YNWA,

Matt

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

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