Everton's Brosnan sets sights on stopping Chelsea after fairytale year
Sports
Women's Super League champions Chelsea are the next visitors to Everton's Walton Hall Park stadium
(Reuters) - As a goalkeeper in England's top flight who has just played in her first World Cup, Everton's Courtney Brosnan is used to facing the sharpest strikers in the world and on Sunday she will again come up against some of the best in the business.
Women's Super League champions Chelsea are the next visitors to Everton's Walton Hall Park stadium and will come armed with their formidable attack featuring the likes of Sam Kerr, Lauren James and Fran Kirby.
Brosnan has enjoyed one of the best years of her career and Sunday's opponents will provide another stern test of her skills.
But the star names on the Chelsea team sheet will carry no extra fear for the 28-year-old Irish shot-stopper - and anyway, once battle commences they all blur into one.
"I think it probably happens a bit too fast," Brosnan told Reuters when asked if she has time to think about world-class strikers bearing down on her goal during games.
"I feel like, during the game, you're so focused on the action and the ball, we're not really thinking about who is on the ball, if that makes sense."
Chelsea have strong finances that give them an advantage in the WSL, but clubs like Everton don't use that as an excuse.
"The quality that Chelsea have and the budgets they have, I think you can't really look at that too much once the season gets going," Brosnan said.
"All you can control is how you're playing and the team performance, so I think we try to focus more on our ability and what we do have, instead of saying, 'oh, maybe we don't have as much money', or things like that."
Chelsea top the standings on 13 points from five games while Everton are 10th in the 12-team league on four points, and the opening weeks of the post-World Cup season have been extremely competitive.
GROWING QUALITY
"With the interest and obviously the quality of the league growing, and bringing in better and better players across all the different teams, I think that just makes the league so much stronger," Brosnan said.
"I think you can see that this year, especially with how tight it is even though it's early in the season, but I think every game is competitive, and people can get points and get results from anybody that they play."
Brosnan's analysis is borne out by the fact that Liverpool and Leicester City, both of whom struggled last term, have got off to flying starts, while the big clubs have unexpectedly dropped points.
A penalty save in Ireland's playoff against Scotland cemented the place of the American-born keeper in the hearts of Irish fans, and her shot-stopping ability and willingness to dominate the penalty area at set-pieces have made her a favourite on Merseyside too.
"I think I'm quite confident when it comes to crosses and things like that. Set pieces and corners... it's just an opportunity for me or for goalkeepers to give their team a bit of relief, and it's a high-pressure moment," she said.
"So to have a goalkeeper that can come out and clear crosses and obviously relieve that pressure, I feel like it's massive in the modern game."
Brosnan is immensely proud of her role in helping Ireland reach the World Cup, and she hopes to play her part in qualifying for more major tournaments, but first she has to perform at club level.
"We know it will be a really tough test on Sunday and a big challenge," she said.
"But we're obviously up for it and really looking forward to that challenge and to competing against one of the best teams in the world."
