MANCHESTER, England, Sept 19 (Askume) – Chelsea won the Women’s Super League this season with a goal difference advantage, with runners-up Manchester City having nothing better to do than beating the champions.
The new season begins on Friday when Chelsea host Aston Villa, which is beginning life in the WSL without acclaimed head coach Emma Hayes, who is now in charge of Team USA.
There are plenty of intriguing storylines this season, chief among them whether anyone can snatch the title from the Blues, who have won seven of their last eight games under Hayes.
Chelsea, which is embarking on its run of six consecutive titles under former Lyon boss and France coach Sonia Bompast, is well-placed to make a smooth transition into the post-Hayes era, and expectations are equally high.
“I’m really no different from Emma,” Bompast told reporters at WSL Media Day earlier this month.
“Maybe my approach is different, my philosophy is different, but when you manage a big club like Lyon or Chelsea, your management has to be the same. What you expect from the players, what the players expect from you. The expectations are there, they are the same.
Known as a tough leader, Bompasteau had a perfect record at Chelsea’s Cobham training ground, leading Lyon to seven trophies in three seasons, including three league titles.
The Frenchwoman also guided Lyon to the 2022 Champions League – a trophy that Hayes failed to lift.
Gareth Taylor’s Manchester City have signed the WSL’s all-time top scorer Vivianne Miedema as they bid for their first title, adding the Dutch striker to a forward line-up that also includes last season’s Golden Boot winner Khadija Shaw.
“Some people are surprised at how well a player like him can perform in the game,” Taylor said of the former Arsenal and Bayern Munich player, who won the European Cup and domestic league titles.
“I’m really pleased to have Viv, she can be a bit froggy at times and can be a challenge but you have a very talented player and despite what she has done in the past I think this is the best for her and there is going to be a lot more from her in the future.
Manchester City begin their WSL campaign against Arsenal on Sunday.
Player movement
There have been numerous transfers during the busy transfer period, with Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal all being very active, even clubs who previously eschewed paying fees in favour of free agents coming on board.
FA Cup champions Manchester United have reshuffled their squad, adding Norwegian forwards Elisabeth Tran and Celine Bajet and Swedish defender Anna Sandberg, as well as French forward Melvine Melvin, who was on loan last season.
Brighton & Hove Albion remained active in the lead up to the 13 September deadline, signing winger Nikita Parisse from Manchester United, the last player to join the squad which also includes former England striker Fran Kirby and Chelsea.
After a strong performance last season, Liverpool’s offseason turnover may raise concerns among some fans, as seven players left the team and only three joined.
New arrivals Crystal Palace will hope to avoid the fate of Bristol City, who were relegated last season after one season in the top flight, and bringing in nine players could make it difficult for them to distinguish themselves from Championship sides.
However, one of the biggest storylines of the season will take place outside the top flight, with the London City Lions fielding a star-studded squad of international players in an attempt to gain promotion from the Championship to the top flight.
The team, owned by Michelle Kang – who also owns NWSL team Washington Spirit and French giants Olympique Lyonnais – has Swedish player Kosov Asllani among its list of high-profile players, leading together, any team that fails to progress will be deemed a failure.
