Lisa Evans Returns
Glasgow City have today announced that Lisa Evans has returned to the club after 12 years away. A huge statement from the club and a massive addition to the league, but how will she fit?
Picture the scene, a very tired How’s Your Touch open their email on a grey Monday morning, ready to start working at the day job. An unread email from Laura Montgomery appears, the clouds retreat revealing blue skies. The rumours confirmed, Lisa Evans is back.
109 Scotland caps (and still going), league titles with Bayern Munich and Arsenal, a WSL cult hero. Now she’s back in [orange and] black.
While writing our transfer special (which you can read here) we wrote off a return for Evans as “unrealistic”, now she signs a three year deal at the 16 time champions.
The returning icon spent four years at the club, winning four SWPL titles, two Scottish Cups, and two SWPL Cups before moving to German side Turbine Potsdam in 2012. Stints at Bayern Munich, Arsenal, and West Ham followed before her most recent short term spell with Bristol City. She returns having been a free agent following that spell with the Robins.
Speaking to Glasgow City on her return she said;
“Having started my journey in professional football with Glasgow City it was always something that I wanted to do, to come back and be part of it all again. I wanted to give back to the club everything that they have done for me.
I’ve had a great playing career in Germany and down south and I felt like I owed it in some way to come back and to help Glasgow City get success again.”
Former teammate, and now boss, Leanne Ross adding;
"With the ability to play full back, wing back or winger, Lisa’s quality, experience and versatility will be a major asset to the team for the season ahead. I am delighted Lisa has chosen to return to Glasgow City, I can’t wait to work with her once again and see the positive influence she can have on our players and environment. "
It is hard not to get caught up in the romanticism of a Scotland hero returning to the club that gave them their start, as well as the hype of an SWPL side winning the signature of a current Scotland international.
But, is she still good?
There will be many questioning various aspects of this move, we want to make it clear. This isn’t an ageing hero coming back because they can’t hack the bright lights anymore. Evans is still a strong influence in the attacking third at WSL level despite playing for clubs toward the bottom of the table. Last season she was one of the most dangerous passers on the right hand side, alongside the likes of Chloe Kelly, Beth Mead, and Guro Reiten.
West Ham and Bristol City struggled, a lot, but it was by no means down to a lack of output on her part. With 2.63 progressive carries (dribbling 10+ yards) and 4.75 crosses per 90 she was well into the 90th percentile in terms of attacking output you would expect from a quality full back. She has proven, once again, to be a fantastic asset for clubs at WSL level.
The creative machine that went to the Frauen Bundesliga in 2012 is still firing on all cylinders, with 1.44 key passes per 90 and 26 shot creating actions in her 18 appearances last season (again, for sides that were quite short on attacking output). At international level the trend continues. She’s started all four of the SWNT’s League B qualifiers, assisting twice and consistently providing an attacking outlet from the wide right of the pitch.
Her defensive stats may leave a little to be desired, but we’ll chalk some of that down to system issues with her teams struggling to defend as a unit. At City we expect her to take up her spot on the right wing, replacing the outgoing Lauren Davidson, where we know she can excel. Or, as part of a changing system as a right midfielder or wing back with licence to attack from wide areas.
This is a statement signing for City and the league as a whole. The SWPL is an attractive place to play for a full Scotland international, who is still only 32, and performing to a high level in a top league. Ergo, the SWPL is massive. We can’t wait to see her back in action this season.