Sometimes all it takes is three unfortunate letters to crash back to reality.
ACL. The injury has been the hot topic in women’s football.
It does not discriminate. World class stars to grassroots players have been sidelined for lengthy spells, and now Aberdeen Women have become the injury’s next victim.
On-loan goalkeeper Faye Kirby, 19, has returned to parent club Liverpool after sustaining the season-ending injury.
It is a real blow for the Dons, who started the season so well with Kirby having played her part in their early success.
Aberdeen won four of their opening six games – with Kirby keeping two clean sheets – before defeats to Hibernian and Celtic.
Having seen Aberdeen play eight out of the 11 SWPL teams this season, for me, Kirby was one of the best new additions to the league.
Her top-level ability – shot-stopping, distribution and communication, was so clear even at only 19 years old.
Under new manager Clint Lancaster, the Reds play attacking football and have been able to do so with the assurance of a solid backline and impressive goalkeeper.
The injury is not just a blow to the Dons, but of course, Kirby too.
The 19-year-old is a real promising talent, and even with this setback, I have no doubt I will still be boasting ‘I watched her play at Aberdeen‘ when she reaches her full potential, having already been tipped as a future England number one.
One injury should not define the Dons’ season – Kirby is not the sole reason why the Dons started the season well, but it is a warning sign.
What Aberdeen hasve done so far this season has worked – they have played some of the best football I have seen them play over the three seasons I have covered the Dons – but it has worked with the caveat of a very light squad.
The issue Lancaster is facing now is he no longer has key parts of the equation at his disposal.
Kirby is not the only injury concern, with midfielder Laura Holden also facing a spell on the sidelines.
It means two of Lancaster’s three summer-signings are now out of action, with the other, 18-year-old Hannah Insch, yet to see many minutes on the pitch.
Injuries are part and parcel of football, but Aberdeen cannot afford anymore – and that feels like an almost impossible eventuality with the state of the current squad.
You cannot fault the players’ effort.
They have clearly bought into Lancaster’s style of football, and that has reflected on the pitch, but with the manager having to rely on the same starting XI – what pressure, physical and mental, does that pile on the group?
The other issue is if someone like Eilidh Shore or Bayley Hutchison, or actually if any of the starting XI were to now get injured, who could replace them?
In Aberdeen’s most recent game, a 4-0 defeat to Celtic, five of Lancaster’s seven subs were 18 or younger.
Two of those players had never been involved in a SWPL match-day squad before.
There are bodies to fill the bench, but are they ready to for the step up to the top-flight? Maybe, but it’s a risky, if currently necessary strategy.
Getting those early four wins on the board feels even more important now, as the Dons could face a tough few months until Lancaster can strengthen his squad in the next transfer window.
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