Lionesses legend Smith gives verdict on WSL title race, Arsenal and Lauren James
England and Arsenal legend Kelly Smith believes the WSL title race will go "down to the wire" this season as four teams fight it out for the championship.
This weekend sees all the title contenders in action across women's football weekend, with a huge clash between Man City and Chelsea on Sunday, while Arsenal have a North London derby meeting with Tottenham on Saturday. Elsewhere Man Utd host West Ham, while Liverpool and Everton kickstart the weekend with a Friday night Merseyside derby under the lights at Goodison Park.
The former Lioness is one of England's greatest players of all-time, scoring 46 goals while picking up 116 caps along the way and won the old Women's Premier League on five separate occasions with Arsenal. And Smith, who will be on punditry duty for Sky Sports across the weekend, believes that the best season in women's football could yet have a thrilling final twist.
"I'd have to agree this has been the best (WSL) season so far," Kelly told Mirror Football. "We've got four teams in the hunt for the title right now. In previous seasons at this point only one or two teams could win it.
"Personally I think it will go down to the last couple of games. The top sides still have to play each other, so it's amazing to watch and analyse. It is the most competitive season.
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"Last season also went to the wire, but I feel this is a step-up. We've also got a huge relegation battle. In previous seasons you knew by October or November who was likely to go down. Now we've got Tottenham getting brought into it, Reading and Leicester are scrapping and have a lot of fight.
"So at both ends of the table it's really exciting."
Arsenal and Chelsea are both amongst the teams in the WSL title raceAlthough it is a four-horse race for the league title, Smith stated that it won't only be the games between those teams that define the season. Man City have only gained one point from two games against Aston Villa this season, while last month Arsenal were held to a draw and West Ham and Man Utd dropped points against Everton.
"The top four teams now know if you're going to play a mid or bottom-table team," added Smith. "So you still have to be on top of your game," she added. "The league is so competitive now, you have to be up for it.
"It's still hard to call at this point, (who will win the title) it will be about who will keep their cool and experience in the last eight games."
Smith was part of the Arsenal side in 2006/07 that completed a clean sweep of trophies, winning the league title with an astonishing 22 wins from 22 games, but also FA and League Cup and the UEFA Cup, the forerunner to the Women's Champions League. The current Arsenal crop have already got one trophy in the bag after winning the Conti Cup against Chelsea earlier this month, but were beaten 1-0 by Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final this week.
Kelly Smith enjoyed huge success during her legendary stint at Arsenal (getty)They have had to deal with two huge injury blows this season - both Beth Mead and Viv Miedema are out for the rest of the campaign with ACL injuries. But Smith believes it is too early to rule her former club regaining the WSL crown, ahead of huge derby with Tottenham this Saturday.
"They are still in race," Smith added. "Even though the season has been disrupted by injuries to both Leah and Rafa Souza early on - they lost their two best centre-backs. Then they lost Viv and Beth who contribute too so many of their goals and assists.
"They struggled to adapt a little initially and Jonas said they needed a striker. That didn't happen and a lot of the fans were quite angry. There was a lot of pressure after that, but they seem to have found their feet now and so does Stina Blackstenius.
"Arsenal now look a lot more comfortable in the final third of play. And I think the Conti Cup was them clearing a major psychological hurdle, by beating Chelsea in such a big game. To win their first trophy in four years was huge, they are still right in the mix for the Champions League and the league as well.
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"As a fan I'd love to see them win the WSL, but it will be tough for them. Dropping points against West Ham has made things tough. But finishing third or second and a semi-final of the Champions League would represent progress."
Smith also gave her verdict on England's latest breakthrough star Lauren James. James, 21, was awarded the player of the tournament at the recent Arnold Clark Cup event won by the Lionesses and will look to cement her place in the team next month with games against Brazil and Australia. The Chelsea star's recent performances have drawn comparisons with Smith and she believes James has the potential to be the best player in the world.
Lauren James has been in red-hot form for Chelsea this season"I was at Arsenal still playing when Lauren came to train with us at 16," added Smith. "Even then you could see she was really, really talented. As a youngster coming through the ranks she was just a different level, strong, powerful, quick. I was sorry to see her leave Arsenal because I knew the potential she had.
"And we've seen with Emma Hayes, she has managed her minutes well and this season she has found her feet. Her levels are higher than ever before. She is the England player - along with Lauren Hemp I think - that can really unlock defences at the World Cup.
"She has everything. We saw that with her 50-yard pass to release Sam Kerr against Man Utd. You just want to get her on the ball as soon as you can - she has the X-factor.
"She has the potential to be the best player in the world if she wants it. Defensively she is still vulnerable at times and we saw that in the cup final recently. But she'll learn and grow with experience.
"Lauren is one of the England players who I think will be first on Sarina's team sheet this summer."
Watch all the action from the WSL on Women’s Football Weekend on Sky Showcase, Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Football & NOW.
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