Before we get started, I am contractually obligated to remind all readers that it came home this summer. Yes, this is a pithy English attempt to remind the world that for the first time, in a very long time, we won a football thing, but it’s also key context to remember as we head into the new Women’s Super League (WSL) season.
Just as America’s National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) enjoyed a World Cup bounce following the U.S. Women National Team’s triumph in France in 2019, most are expecting (or hoping) that the WSL can capitalise on the intense interest driven by the Lionesses over the 2022 Euros. Indeed, there was a global hope following the 2019 tournament that women’s football had finally arrived, with huge television numbers reported across the world throughout the tournament. However, the pandemic put paid to the sport really picking up any serious forward momentum with leagues truncated and played behind closed doors.
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Although COVID-19 is still a factor, it has taken the backseat for many, meaning stadiums are once again open and fans are eager to catch up on the football they missed at the start of the decade. Once again, women’s football looks set to benefit with teams all around England reporting huge upswings in ticket and season-ticket sales, in clear correlation with the good-time feeling produced by England lofting the Euros trophy at Wembley on the 31 July.
With a squad almost entirely overhauled from their second- (and third-) tier days, the club continue to mix experience with the youth that head coach, Rehanne Skinner and assistant coach, Vicky Jepson are so adept at developing. Whilst the Lilywhites have strengthened across the pitch during the off-season, it’s in the forward areas where they’ve brought in talented Norwegian youngster Celin Bizet Ildhusøy and Polish international Nikola Karczewska that look to be the most exciting. It could be enough to see them make the jump to fourth.
Key player(s): DF Molly Bartrip, MF Angharad James
There will always be unknowns heading into new seasons. For many, that will mean a new signing, but it’s rare that we mean a manager — not least one undertaking their first senior role. An assistant to out-going Hammers manager from last season, Ollie Harder, Paul Konchesky is a name that will already be familiar to fan’s of men’s football, specifically London teams of the 2000s (or so). But as we head into the new season, there is only a finite amount we know of Konchesky as a coach.
We do know, however that West Ham have lost some key players over the summer, like captain Gilly Flaherty (now at Liverpool) and midfielder Yui Hasegawa (now at Man City). But so too have the Irons strengthened, and have brought in a glut of diverse players, who, if they can settle well will add bags of quality to the London team. As it is, I’m expecting the quality of players like Viviane Asseyi, Honoka Hayashi and Lisa Evans to shine through when the ball gets rolling.
Key player: MF Dagný Brynjarsdóttir
The blockbuster games to watch
My general advice when it comes to picking out matches to watch, even if you know nothing of the league or the teams, is to try to avoid top vs. bottom. Sometimes wonderfully unexpected things happen, but too often you find yourself watching something one-sided that could fall into the “women vs. girls” category. Luckily this season, the table looks likely to be split into several mini-leagues which should bring about some good quality matches each week.
Over the first week, for instance, I would be inclined to direct you towards West Ham vs. Everton (Sept. 18). For the second week, the first Women’s Football Weekend — weekends that coincide with men’s FIFA windows that the FA use to showcase the women’s game with derbies and top of the table clashes — each and every match could be a classic, not just Chelsea vs. Man City (Nov. 6).
Overall, the derbies (Arsenal vs. Spurs on Sept. 24, Everton vs. Liverpool on Sept. 25, Man City vs. Man United on Dec. 11, etc.) should be marked on your calendar as well, of course, as the matches that will invariably be billed as title deciders, so any version of Arsenal vs. Chelsea vs. Man City. But look out for the next rung down, the Spurs vs. Man United vs. Everton, or the Aston Villa vs. Brighton vs. West Ham type game.
