Noelle Maritz has completed her move from Arsenal to WSL rivals Aston Villa after three and a half years in North London. Maritz, who largely played at right-back but was also a very capable left-back, joined the club from Wolfsburg in the summer of 2020.
Maritz was an integral part of the team that won the Conti Cup last season, starring in the final against Chelsea. In total, she made 92 appearances for the club, scoring two goals – both of which came against Crystal Palace in the FA Cup Fifth Round in January 2021. The California born Swiss international was a Champions League winner at Wolfsburg and has joined Villa on a two-and-a-half year deal with an option for an extra year.
Maritz’s departure creates space in the squad for USWNT full-back Emily Fox, who is expected to arrive from North Carolina Courage during this transfer window. Gio and Kathrine Kuhl are likely to go out on loan too.
I think that’s a big, big shame. She’s an excellent player, really underrated at Arsenal !
Thankyou NOELLE . Once a Gunner always a Gunner
The Eidevall “I just need ONE more upgrade” hustle continues…..
It seems peculiar to criticise the manager for upgrading the squad!
Then long may it continue. This squad is much deeper and, I believe, a lot better than the squad he inherited from Joe. As far as a “hustle”, I don’t see one bit of grift in Jonas. The guy and his staff seem to understand what they want from the roster and have taken steps to build it our for short and long term. You may not agree with his ideas, fine, but to insult him as a some sort of grifter is a bit pathetic.
It is unfair on Jonas but society today appears to want instant gratification and have insufficient patience to look to the long game of sustainable success. To some, unless Viv plays every minute of every game as an out and out No9 with every forward ball going to her the coach is obviously clueless!
Spot on again, Peter!
I don’t understand this transfer. Wienroither won’t be back playing until March at the earliest. Fox (when she joins) will be unavailable during the CONCACAF W Gold Cup in late February and early March. If either Catley or McCabe is injured, we are in trouble. It’d be better for Fox to take Kuhl’s place in the squad and we should have kept Maritz until the summer.
Noelle had already lost her place to McCabe at RB and we don’t have many games in the second half of the season in any case. Noelle nearly left last January but Arsenal weren’t prepared to lose her so player wishes come into it too.
Fox is well on the way to becoming a world class fullback. I think Maritz is a very good player, but Fox is a clear upgrade. She is coming now because she is out of contract, so we get her on free and someone had to go. Next season I think they look to move McCabe more into attacking roles. Assuming Wienroither is recovered, that gives a nice threesome of Catley, Fox and Laura to cover the fullbacks with McCabe, as always the swiss army knife of positional options, adding depth there as well as needed.
Fully agree, except I don’t think even Katie would appreciate the “Swiss” analogy!
Best wishes to Noelle. Solid defender, can play all across the back line (for Switzerland, at least) but has been caught out by pace a little too often more recently. Good transfer for her. (Prays fervently that Katie McCabe and Steph Catley stay fit…)
This must mean that the Fox arrival is imminent.
You would hope that the ink is just drying on Emily’s contract before they announce her arrival otherwise you’d have to say Noelle’s departure is a little premature. She always a conundrum to me; when she pushed forward she looked good but always appeared to be too conservative with her first thought as the ball approached her was to play it square or backwards when she could collect the ball on the run and progress up the touchline. Maybe in the back of her mind was that she isn’t the quickest and could easily get caught out of position if… Read more »
I think the ink is truly dry and that she is in Portugal at the moment. Think then it will be announced when they get back.
JMO