I'm looking forward to finally seeing the Arsenal ladies live this season.

And straight after the match on BBC, at 14:30 over on Eurosport Arsenal's young starlet Francisco Merida will be starring for Spain in an u17 Championship game.

Fran just posted his goal he scored against France in their 1-2 win up on his myspace blog.

Can you give us a link to that?
I can't find it

Vic Akers insists his Arsenal side are not underestimating Charlton
in The FA Women's Cup Final,
despite beating them 9-2 in a recent league game.

"Anybody who knows me or knows this club will realise
that nothing is ever taken for granted," Akers explains.

"We respect all the teams we play
and we know that Charlton will be disappointed not to have won a trophy
so far this season and be looking to put that right.

"Yes we beat them 9-2 recently, but we were actually 2-0 down
in that game after 20 minutes before coming back to win.

"And every match is different.
This a cup final and a one-off game
with all the focus on getting the silverware at the end of it."

And Vikers says that although he is keen to help Arsenal lift another trophy,
he will be delighted if the game is a real classic whatever the scoreline.

"I hope that this match is a great advert for women's football
that everyone enjoys," he adds.

"I think both clubs will come out to play some good stuff
and it will be good for the fans and the millions watching on television
if we can put on a super game."

(From the FA site)

Faye White's Cup Final players to watch

Toni-Anne Wayne
"She has had time out of the game but now she is back and I know she is doing well for Charlton. In the league games against us she pulled off a number of very good saves and, with our strikeforce in such good form, she will need to be on form again on Monday. Toni-Anne is a good shot stopper. She is not the tallest but she's very athletic, and she's a good communicator with her defence."

Casey Stoney
"Casey has a lot of experience and a big influence at the back for Charlton. She plays left back for England but for her club she tends to play right back, although I think she is at her strongest in the centre. Casey is a good leader and very versatile. She's the Charlton captain and she takes control of the situations in defence. She is solid and consistent, and we know all about her because she played at Arsenal a number of years ago Charlton need Casey to play well on Monday because she is a real organiser at the back for them."

Katie Holtham
"Katie has captained England at Under-19 level. This is her first season at Charlton after moving from Bristol Academy, and Monday will be her first major final. She lives in Nottingham so there's a lot of interest in her ahead of the Cup Final because she's a local girl and will have a lot of family at the game. Katie is the engine in Charlton's midfield. She is a good tackler and very mobile. The midfield will be a vital area for Charlton because they will need to contain the likes of Kelly Smith. Kelly is raring to go after missing the Uefa Cup Final and Katie will need to stop her."

Eniola Aluko
"She is the obvious danger. She has lightning pace and is good in front of goal, and it's important that we deny her space to run into. Eni is an England international now and is probably the first-choice striker. She can terrorise international defences and she's a good finisher, so she won't be fazed by the occasion. In fact she scored twice in the League Cup Final against us last year so we know she can perform in the big games. Charlton are maybe not as strong this season so her role has changed slightly, she is now involved in a lot of build-up play. She is creative as well as prolific."

(Funny, she doesn't name shlj's favourite)

What a goal from Ludlow

Congratulations Arsenal!!!!!!!!!!!

well the result was never really in doubt despite going behind after just 3 mins against Charlton . Kelly Smith showing her `i`m the man` impression after scoring two great goals . Not often you can say she was not man of the match though , Jayne Ludlow scored an absolute belter in the top corner and was all over the place and was top class . So that is a quadruple for the Arsenal Ladies and apart from the Uefa Cup it has been a relatively easy job winning them all .

Seriously it's not possible that there is a team anywhere in the world
which has achieved more than Arsenal Ladies this season.
Congratulations Gunners, you're simply THE BEST

FA Cup Final:

Arsenal Ladies 4-1 Charlton Athletic

Goals by:

SuperLudlow x 2
SuperSmith x 2

A brace of braces

And that's our Ladies' 5ht or 6th title this season

We took a bus load of 40 to the match, and ended up on TV thanks to the cameraman doing lots of close ups. Great atmosphere though left with a bit of a headache with all those Eon sticks.

Does anyone have a copy of the game that they would be prepared to send to us as there are a lot of girls that want to see themselves on telly!?!

Chartlon scored and the crowd went wild, Arsenal scored and the crowd went wild. At the end stood next to Byrne and Yankey as they signed autographs and posed for photos. One of our players just missed out on a pair of Kelly Smith boots, more goalkeeping training methinks!

It was a good day out well organised by Forest.

Damn missed out on a pair of Kelly's Boots! they must be gutted! id do anything for a pair of her boots!
So funny how that player took Kelly down with a nasty tackle and she just gets up and scores from it! hahaha av it!
Great 2nd goal for Kelly too and lovely goal from Jayne!

Congrats Arsenal! well deserved!

6 th trophy

Fully deserved the win, although it should of been by more goals not that I'm being greedy or anything Thanks to the girls I've now got me winnings

Jayne Gemma Kelly missed a few sitters

Yeah that one right near the end where Scott (I think) passed to Ludlow right in front of goal and she just took ages to get her shot off - should have been a well deserved hat trick!

I wasn't impressed with Sanderson ignoring Carney when she was subbed, esp as she knocked into her as she went past. Though I think it wound Carney up in a good way which made her more aggressive in the game, I even saw her shout

And did anyone notice how unenthusiastic hope powell sounded whilst she was commentating. Any one would think she hates womens football!

Did she ignored Carney ? I did not see that, it was at the other end of the ground though. I hope I can watch it if someone recorded it.

I went to the game and had an excellent time I'd a good seat in the brian clough stand I met hope powell before the game got a photo with her and rachel brown and sue smith after and some of the Arsenal and charlton team. I also found out a letter I'd had complaining how female football fans are treated was published in fair game

Here's some pics I got in the game

is that one of Kelly Smith just before she scored ....

Yes it is faye looks scary on the first one

I like the girl on the left side of the pic she normally does not smile a lot !

I have my DVD of the game on order for tomorrow and will try and get up some screen shots. We were sat in the Main stand, and our group was parallel with the 6 and 18 yard box. If you get any photo's that include the crowd opposite be sure to post them.

I gave this one a watch and i have to say that the standard at the top level of Womens football (the league that Reading ladies compete in is at times very scrappy and each game descends into somewhat of a battle) certainly from what i have seen has improved enormously over the past few years. The football was free flowing and at times outstanding. Bit when the teams needed to knuckle down and make a challenge there was no shirking and the challenge was made. The likes of Yankey, Smith, Holtham, Dowie, Aluko, Sanderson and substitute Carney particularly impressed me. However the thing that worries me slightly about the current state of Womens football is the obvious dominance of one side. I mean the Final was 1st against 3rd..... Which would be the equivalent of a Manchester United V Liverpool final in the Mens game. Yet from the outset although they scored first, Charlton were always the clear underdogs of the occasion and it kind of showed the difference in class between the two sides. For me when each side in the Premier League begins to grow to aspire to the kind of standard the Arsenal Ladies are currently at, the game will be excellent. Obviously that will only be achieved with the help of greater awareness of the womens game. I.E more accessible internet sites with fixtures and kick off times and generally more publicity etc.

Anyway congratulations Arsenal Ladies all the same