New WSL season starts on Sunday, new thread. Hoping that, post World Cup frenzy, this thread will get some more traction than last season.
Twelve teams in the top league, with Chelsea as the reigning champions, and Bristol City the new kids on the block.
I’ll be supporting Arsenal (obviously) who finished third last season and got to the Champions League semi-final before being eliminated by Wolfsburg in dramatic fashion. This season got off to a bad start when the Gooners failed to qualify for this season’s Champions League proper, losing on penalties to Paris FC in the qualifying round.
Arsenal v Liverpool (2pm, Emirates Stadium)
Aston Villa v Manchester United (12.30pm, Villa Park, live on BBC2)
Bristol City v Leicester City (2pm, Ashton Gate)
Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur (5.30pm, Stamford Bridge, live on Sky Sports)
Everton v Brighton & Hove Albion (1pm, Walton Hall Park)
West Ham United v Manchester City (3pm, Chigwell Construction Stadium)
City will no doubt find a way to finish between 2nd and 3rd for the ninth time in ten years. Guess the Roord signing is exciting, but as much as they went on a great run after a dodgy start last season, I can’t help but think that Gareth Taylor is just a real damp squib of an appointment and they could get someone much more progressive in.
Be interesting to see if Villa can challenge for Europe and continue after the back of a good season last year. Difficult run of games to start, and the kit situation isn’t helping .
Sounds like some good signings and new keeper in van Domselaar. Hopefully plenty of goals from Daly again.
Yep some great saves in the England game. Anna Leat had some big moments last season so is two high quality keepers, assume Leat isn’t in contention with jet lag as NZ played Chile
On the team front Carla Ward has really turned things around for Villa, played an attacking style and scored more last season that the previous two seasons combined. So you should get some good games if you watch them
I have done some research (read the guardian team previews) and made my decision and I’m happy to announce that I will be supporting Aston Villa this season. Up the Wagons!
Instinctively feel that 5 titles in a row is a big ask, but one of the things I most like about women’s football is that I know very few players outside the WSL and so have no idea really to what degree Chelsea, Arsenal and United have strengthened (Roord is more a known quantity for City). Chelsea have certainly brought in exciting names but they are, for the most part, very young and Hayes tends to be pretty slow and gradual at working them in, so idk how much of them we’ll actually see.
Still, nice to go to Stamford Bridge tomorrow to watch a home team not be utterly pathetic.
last minute winners
