HEATH’S ON FIRE AS UNITED SIZZLE
SocKS around her shins, hugging the right touchline, tobin Heath looks like a throwback to English football as it was in the 1970s, not one of this league’s new American glitterati.
the focus on the game’s US arrivals has been disproportionate to their contribution so far. Sam Mewis hasn’t set the world alight at Manchester city, where rose Lavelle has barely played. Alex Morgan won’t appear for at least two weeks at tottenham, yesterday ay citing a ‘small setback’.
But Heath delivered the first st performance commensurate e with all the talk, revealing in n the process that opponents s will need to be a great eat t deal better prepared for her r than this.
Bigger clubs alone might t have the resources to o attract such players, though h there could be no excuse e for the time and space the e 32-year- old was given to dominate and win the game for Manchester United, who are still unbeaten and one of the division’s new forces.
She was free to assess the options as Katie Zelem arrived to take her pass and loop the ball which Leah Galton laid back for Alessia russo to score an opener. there was similar hospitality as Heath took a short ball from russo and powered a shot beyond Mackenzie Arnold three minutes later.
It helped casey Stoney’s side that West Ham were determined to play out from the back on every occasion, despite lacking a capacity to pass consistently under pressure. Manna from heaven for Zelem, the influential midfield technician.
United, like chelsea, have a capacity to mix it up and also go long. there’s also an excellent attacking balance about them, with centre forward russo capitalising on the width that Heath and Galton provide from the right and left flanks. A throwback to how United’s men’s team used to play.
russo, of Italian decent, is the one Phil neville and his England successor Sarina Wiegman have cause to be excited about. Bringing others into play, linking with Heath and scoring U United’ sitd’ technically th ill excellent l lt third with a run across goal to meet Galton’s cross with a strong header — the 21-year-old looks a ready-made successor to Ellen White in the international ranks.
She also sought refuge from the US chaos this summer, moving to the UK six months ahead of schedule having planned to complete her studies at the University of north carolina while playing for north carolina tar Heels.
‘We’ve been looking at her for a long time,’ Stoney said last night. ‘Her availability was one of the very, very few plus sides to what’s going on all around.’
United’s defence, plagued by injuries, can be punctured, as West Ham proved. Emily van Egmond beat Amy turner to a cross to bring things to 2-1. rachel Daly, her side’s most dangerous threat, arced a cross- shot from the right
which lo looped over Mary Earps for 3-2 3-2.
But t th the Americans ran things. It was exhibition football at times from Heath, running the ball under her studs, flicking it over her head with her heel and driving at Laura vetterlein. Heath’s World cup team-mate christen Press arrived from the bench on 76 minutes and rapidly netted United’s fourth — a fine volley from Lucy Staniforth’s free-kick.
the new stars have impacted on a number of levels. After Heath and Press arrived, United sold six times more women’s team-related merchandise than their previous monthly record.
But Stoney is more concerned about Arsenal, who annihilated tottenham yesterday and who will provide a more accurate barometer in two weeks’ time of whether United can claim a top-three spot this season.
‘It’s going to be a very big test for us,’ Stoney reflected. ‘they’re an exceptional team.’