Goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck believes Manchester City are raring to go and resume their title challenge following the Women’s Super League winter break.
Roebuck has been in imperious form between the sticks this season, helping City recover from a tough start to the campaign that saw them lose their opening two league fixtures and exit the Champions League. They ended 2022 unbeaten in 10 games across all competitions, with manager Gareth Taylor insisting they are still very much in the hunt for silverware.
City will be looking to extend their unbeaten run when their WSL campaign resumes with a trip to West Ham on Sunday and stay in touch with fellow title contenders Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United. And the Sheffield-born stopper, who is having one of her best campaigns to date, said the break has done them good, rather than interrupt their momentum.
“The Christmas break was really nice,” said Roebuck. “It was good to switch off because everyone who went to the Euros had quite a long summer. It was good to finally have a rest.
“But everyone has come back into training in really good shape and is ready to crack on. It is nice we’ve had the chance to build back-in over the last few weeks and pick up where we left off.
“Now we’re raring to go and keen to get that first game [against West Ham] back under our belts.”
And City’s number one, who will be looking to push Mary Earps for the England goalkeeper jersey in 2023, dismissed any worries over ring-rust ahead of their first game in over a month.
“We’ve had a good few weeks now back on the ball and getting a feel for it again,” Roebuck added.
“But I never go long without touching the ball anyway. Even over Christmas I was still playing football in the garden, like a big kid!
“The last game, the Manchester derby, seems a million years ago now, and the first few sessions back were tricky. But I’m excited for a game now, it’s going to be a good one and a tough challenge for us, I’m sure.”
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Although Roebuck is confident City can carry their good form from the end of 2022 into the New Year, she is wary of the increased competitiveness throughout the WSL. Sunday’s opponents West Ham sit only one place behind Gareth Taylor’s team in the table after a strong start to the season under Paul Konchesky. And Aston Villa, visitors to the Academy stadium a week later, stunned City 4-3 on the opening weekend of the season.
They have since improved their squad by bringing in England internationals Jordan Nobbs and Lucy Staniforth. And Roebuck believes the quality of their forthcoming opposition is a sign of how tough the league is, this season.
“They are definitely tougher games than they would have been two years ago,” she added. “But I think that is the way the league is going.
“The WSL is so much more even and with every game, you have to be right on the money. Otherwise you end up coming away with nothing like we did on the first day of the season.
“For us it will be full focus from the off and we’ll be on top of our preparation as we are for every opposition. We’ll go there raring with confidence and raring to go.
“But we aren’t under any illusions that it is an easy start back. We know both of our first two games are going to offer different challenges. Hopefully we can start with a positive result.”
