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Thus, the Women’s Super League (WSL) season is almost halfway over as players head for a much-needed winter break.
It has been an exciting start to the campaign at both ends of the table, with Chelsea leading the title race and numerous clubs on the brink of an unwanted relegation battle. On the other hand, two clubs have already separated their coach and have not yet made permanent appointments.
With no WSL action until the end of January, 90 minutes We evaluate the first half of the campaign and select the five biggest talking points from across the league…
New season, same story. Chelsea lead the WSL title race and have already established themselves as firm favorites to win the coveted trophy at the end of the campaign.
Sonia Bompastor’s team is on track to win the club’s sixth consecutive game, as it has a comfortable six-point lead at the top of the standings with 10 games played. It is the biggest advantage any club has had in the winter break since the league was reformed several years ago.
It would take a big drop in the second half of the season for Chelsea to weaken in the title race, so those behind them will need to be in top form in January to keep the race alive.
Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal comfortably advanced to the knockout rounds of the UEFA Women’s Champions League when the group stage concluded in mid-December. The Gunners, who arguably had one of the toughest groups to compete in, overcame Italian giants Juventus to enter the last 16.
With all three English clubs battling it out in Europe in the second half of the season, it could have a significant impact on the WSL title race. Chelsea certainly have the squad depth to compete on all fronts, but the same cannot be said for their rivals, especially with injuries mounting.
Aside from the usual top four, Brighton have been the standout performers in the WSL so far this season. They have caused numerous problems against top teams and are currently just four points off fourth place.
The appointment of Dario Vidosic has proven to be a masterstroke by the south coast club, while their summer recruitment, which includes the likes of Nikita Parris and Fran Kirby, has been extremely fruitful.
It remains to be seen whether they can maintain such high levels for another four and a half months, but as far as the start goes, things couldn’t have gone much better for the Seagulls.
Layoff season came much earlier than expected this season, with former Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall the first managerial casualty of the campaign. While the north London club didn’t exactly sack him, a poor run of results led to the Swede stepping down from his duties in October.
Renee Slegers has turned Arsenal into a transformed team since taking over as caretaker, but it is not yet known what direction the club will take in the long term. Elsewhere, Aston Villa parted ways with Dutchman Robert de Pauw before the winter break, less than six months after appointing him to replace Carla Ward.
The Midlands club won their first game 3-1 under caretaker Shaun Goater, defeating West Ham at Villa Park. It is crucial that Villa get their next appointment right as they risk unearthing the foundations laid under Ward and his staff.
While the title race seems somewhat predictable, the same cannot be said for the relegation battle at the other end of the table. Typically, newly promoted teams emerge as firm favorites to be relegated again, but Crystal Palace have been able to keep pace with the teams in and around them in the table.
Just four points separate 12th and seventh place after 10 games, which realistically puts at least six teams in the relegation conversation. The table positions change in almost every game and things could get even more difficult depending on each club’s recruitment in January.
Unless a team falls completely and endures a terrible run of form, the battle for survival could spill over into the final game of the season and make for a thrilling end to the campaign.
