‘Ted Lasso’ Season 4, Episode 3 Recap: Can the Lady Greyhounds Field a Team?

‘Ted Lasso‘ is in its fourth season, focusing on the mission of establishing AFC Richmond’s first-ever women’s team. After the premiere centered on bringing Ted back to England and the second episode about assembling his coaching staff, the spotlight shifts to the players in this episode.

In episode three, titled “Richmond’s Got Talent,” the newly formed Lady Greyhounds face turmoil just days before their inaugural match. The episode kicks off with a shocking revelation: their only remaining striker announces her pregnancy, leaving the team without a single forward.

With a friendly match against Hayes & Yeading United FC approaching, Coach Alice Chilton humorously suggests an open tryout, and Ted decides to embrace the idea. This leads to a frantic search for talent, a wardrobe crisis, and the challenge of maintaining personal relationships, all while the team strives to prove its worth.

The tryout scenes are filled with comedic blunders, including an appearance from Dani Rojas’ sister, who brings enthusiasm but lacks soccer skills. However, two standout players emerge from the chaos. Lizzie, a center back and single mother, impresses the coaching staff with her organizational skills and quickly connects with Ted through her child.

The striker situation proves more complicated. Alice directs Ted to Gemma, a skilled forward who left soccer to pursue a law degree after a disagreement with Alice. Although Gemma is charmed by Ted’s pitch, she ultimately declines the offer, leaving unresolved tension between her and Alice as the season progresses.

Meanwhile, Keeley Jones faces her own challenges at the club. As the head of PR for the Lady Greyhounds, she deals with a catastrophic mix-up that leaves the team without kits just before the match, compounded by a critical internal report she was unaware of.

Roy Kent steps in to assist, enlisting his niece Phoebe and her friends to hand-stitch the uniforms. He also provides Keeley with a blunt, colorful rewrite of the report to lift her spirits. This subplot adds depth to the evolving dynamic between Roy and Keeley throughout the season.

Rebecca’s storyline is the most significant in this episode. She must persuade the CEO of Pinter & Sons not to withdraw the club’s sponsorship of the women’s team after a rocky press conference. She passionately argues that supporting the Lady Greyhounds is crucial for visibility for young girls and reshaping boys’ expectations of the sport.

However, this victory comes at a personal cost for Rebecca, as her efforts to secure the sponsorship lead to missing another date with her boyfriend, Matthijs. By the time she is finally available, Keeley’s crisis over the missing kits pulls her away once more.

As the episode concludes, the various crises resolve just in time. The tryouts yield enough players to form a team, Roy’s quick thinking saves the day with the kits, and Rebecca and Matthijs finally enjoy a proper date at their favorite restaurant, demonstrating patience for each other’s hectic schedules.

This quieter resolution contrasts with the episode’s frantic beginning, setting the stage for the Lady Greyhounds to take the field for their first match. With the roster still thin and unresolved tensions between Gemma and Alice, the show has plenty of room to explore as the team approaches its competitive debut.

‘Ted Lasso’ Season 4 continues to stream new episodes every Wednesday on Apple TV through October 7. What did you think of “Richmond’s Got Talent”? Share your thoughts on the Lady Greyhounds’ challenging journey to their first match in the comments.