29 September 2023 , 09:07
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Firstly: no. Another Chelsea title romp is not the unanimous prediction for the upcoming Women's Super League season.
The WSL season is nearly upon us, so we've sounded out our various women's football experts on what the upcoming campaign has in store, from league winners and top goal-scorer to biggest disappointment and that oh so loveable plucky surprise package.
Arsenal are the main opposition for Chelsea in terms of storming the league, while it's a Manchester slugging it for third. That said, Aston Villa have been tipped for some disrupting so watch this space, etc.
Everything else? Read on for a collection of predictions and previews ahead of the new season, and don't forget to leave your own in the comments section.
Beth Lindop
Women’s Super League champions : Chelsea - Call me boring but I can’t envision anyone pipping Chelsea to the WSL title this term. Emma Hayes’ side are bidding to top the table for a fifth successive season and, after a strong summer transfer window, they look in very good shape to do so.
Arsenal put foot in it with Caicedo transfer with summer move in jeopardy
Rest of top three : Manchester City, Manchester United - I’m backing Manchester City to be the Blues’ closest challengers, with Gareth Taylor’s side likely to have a bit of a chip on their shoulder after narrowly missing out on Champions League qualification last time out. Manchester United will have another strong campaign, although the distraction of Champions League football may hamper their domestic dominance. Still, I think they’ll have enough in the tank to get third, meaning Arsenal drop out of the European spots.
Leah Williamson is unlikely to return until 2024 (PA)Relegated : West Ham - West Ham haven’t really pulled up any trees over the past few seasons and their persistent mediocrity could be their undoing this term.
Surprise package : Liverpool - It’s been a big summer for Liverpool. They’ve brought in seven new players, made a club-record signing in Norway’s Sophie Roman Haug and moved into a state of the art new training facility at Melwood. With that in mind, I think they could cause a few upsets and pip Aston Villa to fifth place this season.
Biggest disappointment : Arsenal - The Gunners have brought in some top players but with Brazilian defender Rafaelle Souza having left the club in the summer and Leah Williamson unlikely to return until 2024, I fear their vulnerability at the back could let them down.
Top scorer : Bunny Shaw - City’s impressive collective form will be underpinned by the goalscoring exploits of Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw, who I’m backing to scoop both the Golden Boot and the Player of the Year gong this term.
Player of the year : Bunny Shaw - As above.
Best new signing : Hinata Miyazawa - The World Cup Golden Boot Winner travels to Manchester in excellent form and I’m backing her to have a stellar season for Marc Skinner’s side.
Golden Glove : Mary Earps - Earps is the best in the world and I don’t see anyone stopping her from retaining the Golden Glove this term.
Megan Feringa
Women's Super League champions: Chelsea – Five on the bounce is too tantalising of a once-inconceivable prospect for Emma Hayes not to achieve it.
Rest of top three: Man City, Arsenal – City might have only recruited one new face in Jill Roord but if you tuned into the Women's World Cup, then you know the quality of personnel that manager Gareth Taylor has at hand. Arsenal look weak defensively but the attack will see them through.
Transfer news live - Fernandez flying in for Chelsea and Man Utd land Sabitzer
Relegated:West Ham – Manager Rehanne Skinner hasn't done much in the transfer window (three outfield signings) and she's insisting on playing possession-based, front-foot football. Stay tuned.
Rachel Daly could get amongst the goals again this season (Kieran McManus/REX/Shutterstock)Surprise package: Catarina Macario – The former Lyon forward opted against returning to the USWNT set-up for the Women's World Cup to focus on her first season at Chelsea. She's an exciting player but the ceiling for how exciting remains to be seen.
Biggest disappointments: No Beth England until January. After her super human second-half-of-the-season salvation, Tottenham will have to navigate another October to December without her. Also England's opportunity to stake a claim for the Golden Boot is pretty much dashed, which is sad for everyone.
Top scorer: Rachel Daly – Carla Ward recruited Ebony Salmon and kept Daly. The goals will flow at Aston Villa. Watch this space.
Player of the year: Guro Reiten (Chelsea)
Best new signing: Ashley Lawrence – Experienced, versatile and disciplined, Chelsea have had their eye on the defender for some time and pounced upon the expiration of her contract at PSG.
Golden Glove: Daphne van Domselaar (Aston Villa)
Felix Keith
Women’s Super League champions: Chelsea – Emma Hayes is a genius and a fifth straight title is incoming.
Rest of top three: Arsenal, Man City – The Gunners and City are both without European football this season, which could make things interesting at the top.
Relegated: Bristol City – newly promoted but, crucially like Leicester, without the Premier League funding of their opposition.
Surprise package:Brighton – like the men’s team, they’re on the rise after an eye-catching summer transfer window.
Biggest disappointments: Beth Mead and Vivianne Miedema – the Arsenal duo are on the comeback from ACL injuries and that evil injury has the nasty habit of robbing stars of their form. Patience will be needed and that could bring disappointment.
Top scorer:Alessia Russo (Arsenal)
Player of the year:Lauren James (Chelsea)
Best new signing: Jill Roord (Man City)
Golden Glove:Mary Earps (Man Utd)
Mary Earps has stayed with Manchester United amid interest from Arsenal (Colin Poultney/ProSports/REX/Shutterstock)Hannah Pinnock
Women’s Super League champions : Chelsea - it’s just so hard to see anybody catching them up. They seem to get better every season.
Rest of top three: Arsenal & Manchester City - Arsenal recruited well over the summer and Gareth Taylor has kept a very good City side together, with the addition of Jill Roord.
Relegated: West Ham - One of the bigger WSL teams could struggle this season and West Ham’s squad is on the thinner side. January window could be make or break (as it was for Leicester last season)
Surprise package: Brighton have a fantastic manager and their recruitment has been top tier. They mean business.
Biggest disappointment: I think the remaining WSL representation of Man United and Chelsea will struggle to win the Champions League this year. The Barcelona dominance will continue.
Top scorer: Rachel Daly. Villa have even more fire power now and if she can stay fit all season, she’ll be on the scoresheet in most games.
Player of the year: Lauren James (Chelsea)
Best new signing: Kyra Cooney-Cross (Arsenal)
Golden Glove: Manuela Zinsberger (Arsenal)
Lauren James is likely to feature more heavily for Chelsea this season (Bettina Weissensteiner/SPP/REX/Shutterstock)Tom Blow
Women’s Super League champions: Chelsea - Emma Hayes' side have won four consecutive titles and it'd be foolish not to back them again. This isn't a forgone conclusion, mind you.
Rest of top three: Arsenal, Manchester United - The Gunners have strengthened with the addition of Alessia Russo, and the return of injured pair Vivianne Miedema and Beth Mead will be a huge boost. Although Man Utd have lost Russo and Spain's Ona Batlle, the signing World Cup Golden Boot winner Hinata Miyazawa is a statement of intent.
Relegated: Bristol City - Brighton and Leicester will also be looking over their shoulders after a disappointing 2022/23 campaign.
Surprise package: Aston Villa - Losing Hannah Hampton to Chelsea is a blow, but the signing of Ebony Salmon from Houston Dash will excite fans. A top-three finish is unlikely, but not impossible.
Biggest disappointment:Liverpool - A club with such resources should be aiming to finish in the top three, but they'll be lucky to break into the top six.
Top scorer: Rachel Daly - There's no reason why she can't score another 22 league goals this time around. Should be England's No.9.
Player of the year: Lauren James - The Chelsea star showed her class in the World Cup (bar that stamp) and should become a superstar over the coming years.
Best new signing: Ebony Salmon - Excited to see how she'll get on at Villa.
Golden Glove: Mary Earps - I'll always back the goalkeeping GOAT.
Mark Jones
Women’s Super League champions: Chelsea - no-one seems to be able to stop them, and Emma Hayes is a genius who just keeps winning.
Rest of top three : Man Utd, Man City
Relegated : Bristol City
Surprise package : Liverpool used last season to solidify after coming up and the move into Melwood is great news for the club.
Biggest disappointment: That Arsenal are already out of the Champions League is a big enough disappointment in itself, and I fear that blow plus injuries could make a dent in their league form.
Top scorer: Rachel Daly (Aston Villa) - Her movement in the box is superb, especially considering she used to be a left-back.
Player of the year: Lauren James (Chelsea) - those World Cup performances were electrifying and she'll built on those this season.
Best new signing: Alessia Russo (Arsenal)
Golden Glove: Mary Earps (Man Utd)
Another title could beckon for Emma Hayes and Chelsea (PA)Tom Victor
Women’s Super League champions: Arsenal
Rest of top three : Chelsea, Man City
Relegated : Bristol City
Surprise package : Brighton should look like a different side to the one which struggled for much of last season
Biggest disappointment: Man Utd's challenge of replacing Alessia Russo has been well documented, but Ona Batlle's exit could be even tougher to recover from
Top scorer: Khadija Shaw (Man City)
Player of the year: The stage is set for Beth Mead to return from injury with a bang, providing she isn't rushed back, and Arsenal's European disappointment could be a blessing in disguise
Best new signing: Alessia Russo (Arsenal)
Golden Glove: Zecira Musovic (Chelsea)
Louise Wilkes
Women’s Super League champions: Arsenal - I’m going rogue. Jonas Eidevall’s sole focus will be domestically since being booted out of the Champions League. The return of Beth Mead and Vivanne Miedema for January- ish will give the Gunners a new zest for life.
Rest of top three : Chelsea, Manchester United - Well it’s Chelsea … and so many United changes in the summer make this side unpredictable and dangerous.
Relegated : Leicester City - Will suffer at the hands of their male counterparts' lack of support. Will inevitably fall through the gaps, unable to compete monetarily, just like Reading last year.
Surprise package : Manchester United - How Marc Skinner convinced Geyse to up and leave the best club in the world is astonishing. There’s so much depth on his roster now. Last season United seemed to rely on Alessia Russo for the answer in tough games - which she brought - but now that responsibility can fall on several shoulders. Can’t wait to see how much more threatening United can be on the attack.
Biggest disappointment: Top player transferring out of the WSL. Ona Batlle, Hayley Raso, Vilde Boe Risa, and Rafaelle Souza to name a few. Their absence will be felt severely.
Top scorer: Khadija Bunny Shaw (Man City) - She was so close last season and I think Jamaica’s World Cup run has given her a boost, plus capitalising on Jill Roord’s service to the forward line. Shaw will be unstoppable.
Player of the year: Mary Earps (Man United) is there anything she can’t do?
Best new signing: Jill Roord (Man City)
Golden Glove: Mary Earps (Man United)