This though seems as good a time as any to write a 'mid-season' review of how the teams have faired in the league. Who have been my stand out signings so far. Which emerging players have done well. Lastly, I'll pick my team of the season so far.
Part One - The Clubs
Just 4 league games played, and it was just 1 or 2 played per club before attention switched to the Continental Cup group stages for 3 games before returning to league action so it hasn't been easy for any single club to pick up momentum and take advantage of a good spell of form, having the break fall when it has is almost like starting all over again come June 28/29th when the season resumes. So here is the WSL 1 league table as thing's stand after 4 matches played...
| FAWSL 1 League Table | |||||||||
| Pos | Team | Pl | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
1
|
Birmingham City Ladies |
4
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
5
|
2
|
3
|
8
|
2
|
Bristol Academy
|
4
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
5
|
3
|
2
|
7
|
3
| Notts County Ladies |
4
|
1
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
1
|
2
|
6
|
4
|
Liverpool Ladies
|
4
|
1
|
3
|
0
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
6
|
5
|
Manchester City Women |
4
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
3
|
3
|
0
|
6
|
6
|
Chelsea Ladies |
4
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
5
|
7
|
Everton Ladies |
4
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
5
|
-4
|
2
|
8
|
Arsenal Ladies
|
4
|
0
|
1
|
3
|
1
|
6
|
-5
|
1
|
The table is very tight with just 3pts separating Birmingham City Ladies at the top down to Chelsea Ladies in 6th
Birmingham City Ladies
A few peoples favourites to be occupying the bottom slot.. not be on top of the pile. Was always confident the club had too much quality to be in a relegation battle. Birmingham have started their WSL campaign really well no doubt helped by their fantastic run in Europe which saw them reach the semi-finals of the Champions League. Have 8pts having won 2 and drawn the other 2 matches. Although they had lost some experienced players over the winter, but still retained a solid core and have invested in some good young players such as Aoife Mannion & Meaghan Sargeant.
David Parker and his management team have used this 'downing' of there teams chances to their advantage. Have played the matches I've seen so far at a high tempo, not letting the opposition settle on the ball, close down quickly then get the ball forwards, have arguably the strongest midfield trio in the league. Attacking options all over the pitch so far the young squad is doing the business.
Bristol Academy
Another team with attacking options all over the pitch Bristol were another team some feared for, however they go into the break sitting in 2nd spot, right where they finished last season. Do have one of the most settled squads despite losing manager Mark Sampson to England. Siobhan Chamberlain leaving for Arsenal was a loss. The club though kept the team together as they brought in Dave Edmondson to lead the management team.
Goalkeeper Mary Earps was drafted in from Birmingham, Sophie Ingle from Chelsea but largely it's the same group that did so well last season. That togetherness and experience will stand them in good stead a hard side to break down. Have a more patient build up than some teams but with individual players such as Natasha Harding & Laura Del Rio that can finish well and set up a great final ball.
Notts County Ladies
A great start by the recently rebranded team. The team that has seen the most change over the close season, moving counties and virtually replacing the entire squad the club have been ambitious, have brought alot of players in, quite late in the transfer period too. The question would be, how quickly would they gel. Seems not very long at all have started the season well undefeated in the league with 1 victory and 3 draws.
Have been rocked by the long term injuries to England striker Ellen White and New Zealand full back Anna Green. The injury to White though has meant Jess Clarke being the one to lead the line and her early season form has been outstanding with 9 goals scored and a recall to the England squad.
Notts County are another high tempo, quick to close you down side that are very dangerous on the counter attack whilst at the back being very hard to break down.
Liverpool Ladies
The defending WSL Champion's are level on points with Notts County with a similar record of 1 victory and 3 draws. Perhaps not the start Matt Beard would have wanted, however with no team breaking away from the pack the team will be happy enough going into the break. My tip a title winners, based on the fact they had a settled squad and had made some quality additions in the likes of Gemma Davison, Martha Harris & Lucy Staniforth.
Their squad though has been restricted particulary in midfield due to long term injuries sustained by Staniforth and Nicole Rosler, whilst Kate Longhurst and Katie Zelem have missed games through injury at the start too which has left the squad looking a little thin. Natasha Dowie is scoring the goals and the team has a solid spine that is hard to get through. Will get players back after the break and look to push on.
Manchester City Women
I was concerned for Manchester City despite all the money and the PR surrounding the new WSL franchise. I felt they hadn't signed enough quality to compete with the established teams, have some very good individuals, again it was a case of how quickly would they gel. Their start to the season was poor with sucessive opening defeats, aswell as defeats in the Continental Cup. Finally though they got that all important 1st win in the Continental Cup against Everton Ladies at the Etihad stadium and haven't looked back since.
Have gone on a run of form picking up 2 wins in the league that have seen them move onto 6pts along side Notts County and Liverpool. Seemed early on they were trying too hard to make thing's happen feel they are playing Jill Scott a little too high up the pitch need her back in middle along side Betsy Hassant make them harder to break down. Karen Bardsley too has returned in goal having missed the start through injury in goal.
Chelsea Ladies
Another team that had brought in a host of experienced players Chelsea were tipped as potential title challengers. Are in 6th place on 5pts but bearing in mind how tight the league is coach Emma Hayes won't be too worried. Like Notts County there are alot of new faces in the starting line up, that gel factor will take a few matches to settle. Korean Ji So-Yun looks to be a very good signing.
With the players signed there is added pressure to do well climb the league but with so many teams changing personel around them it hasn't clicked quite yet. Once they get a settled line up it is potentally a very attack minded side full of goals. Do look vulnerable to the counter attack however, have strong squad to call upon.
Everton Ladies
Like Birmingham, Everton have been tipped for relegation, but just as David Parker has done coach Andy Spence has used this to fire up his team. Has worked brilliantly in the FA Cup as they have reached the final itself. In the league they have just 2pts from 4 played. Have lost experienced players over successive transfer periods.
Have always been a team to invest in youth however and have good connections locally are relying on their homegrown talent coming through and doing the business. Have brought in youth too in England U17 international Gabrielle George and goalkeeper Megan Walsh. Will rely on the pacy Nikate Parris to score the goals, have proven they can compete with everyone, will need to be hard to break down when the season resumes.
Arsenal Ladies
Bottom team in this summary and bottom team in the league as far as predictions go.. no one would have gotten thus one right. Everton's opponents in this season FA Cup final, it is the clubs league form that has been out of sorts losing 3 league games in a row unheard of and has resulted in the too early resignation of manager Shelley Kerr. The introduction of the WSL has seen a shift in the women's footballing world. Arsenal are no longer the dominant force the team players want to go to.
Had lost a large number of experienced players over the winter, hard to replace. Kerr I thought had done well in bringing in the experienced players she had. That biggy though getting them to gel, having two vastly experienced goalkeepers on the books was a stange one, that does need to be a settled position. Jordan Nobbs missing from the midfield through injury hasn't helped either. The FA Cup final aside Arsenal looked to be sitting back too deep and then not breaking quick enough with the ball, were not overwhelming teams like the Arsenal of old. Have the quality to turn it around no doubt the transitional period is still there for whoever takes over, the club will need the position filled quickly.
Been fantastic for the neutral with no result being easy to call, no team is getting turned over in a match, results on the whole have had to be earnt. It's going to take a while to settle down after the break I can't see a team breaking away. Maybe the reality of relegation has caused teams to look over their shoulders a little too much, mustn't get beat before we think about winning a match? A point won't help much in that regards got to go for all three.
Who do you think will win the title now?
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