The big WSL and WSL2 season preview: Women’s Football Weekly

24:33I think he's still learning the league. I think we're yet to see really what he's about. So, yeah, a good first test for Ever, Ollard and Manchester United. Yeah, well, let's talk about London City Lionesses next, shall we? Because, you know, we could do an entire pod on the lack of investment into Manchester United and the politics behind that club, couldn't we? But, I mean, there's certainly no lack of investment at London City Lionesses, as we've been seeing some of the fantastic signings that they've brought into the league. Alexia Puteas, Mappy Leon, Kari Diatu, Diani as well, Rosa Kofargi from Arsenal.

25:09Oh, my goodness, there's so many. Mary Earps, additionally, you know, they are going to be challengers, I feel, Susie, this season. They've taken all the headlines with those headline signings. Didn't even mention Nicole Anjomi as well. Do you actually think that they can mount a significant challenge at the top of the table this time round? Who knows? I don't have a clue. I mean, like, they are, I think I put in the team preview, in the Guardian written preview, that they're a complete enigma. Like, I've got no idea what they're going to look like, no idea what they're going to play like. When you have that many players churned over and that many players coming in, the idea that you can gel them enough to mount a serious title challenge feels a stretch.

25:58You know, we've seen teams have that kind of level of turnover before when they were kind of sort of finishing fourth or fifth. I think of Villa several seasons ago, Everton several seasons ago. And they really, really struggled when they sort of had a big churn. That said, the quality of players they're signing and the level of players they're signing, you think might offset any kind of like disruption that that would cause because we are talking about you know kind of top tier internationals hugely experienced in European competition but all from very different teams or with very different styles of play like it's a lot to ask for any manager to bring that together and make it click really really really quickly the benefit of a long pre-season is going to help but I you I don't know.

26:51My head says yes and no. My head says, are you fencing already? How can you not fence it on London City Lionesses of all the teams to fence it on? They are, as last season, a complete unknown. Does that mean that there's more or less pressure on Ida Maestro than Soph in that case? I mean, with that amount of investment you would expect that there is from the ownership, but from the fans,

27:22Emma Sanders:is there that much pressure? I think inevitably there's going to be pressure. When you see what happened to Jocelyn Pressure last season after, you know, he did pretty well with them in their first season in the WSL, three months in even, he was gone. So there's going to be pressure on Ida Meister and he's going to feel that from the first whistle. I am not going to fence it. I don't think they're going to break into top three. I think they might struggle to get top four, but I think this is going to be a lesson in building foundations in a league. And when you look at the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal, Man City, they've had years.

27:56They're years ahead of almost everyone else in this league in terms of building squads and building the foundations behind the squads.

28:02Emma Sanders:And everyone is playing catch up at the moment. And that's not to say it isn't competitive. I do think on any given day, any team in this division can cause a problem for Chelsea or Arsenal in a 90-minute period. It's about the consistency that comes with it next. And it's what sets those three above everyone else. So I do think London City will struggle to gel a bit, despite the eclectic range of stars that they have within their squad. There is definitely quality there. There is definitely potential there. But I think it's going to take them a little bit of time. and the amount of turnover from last season.

28:35Emma Sanders:I just think that worries me because you're not building those foundations quite as much. What about Spurs, Emma? It was quite an impressive first season under Martin Ho. They've done some good business as well in the window. Are they going to continue to knock on the door of the top three? Yeah, I think so. I think they're going to finish fourth this year, putting it out there. I think it's been a very impressive summer. For me, they've had the best transfer window of every club. and I'm saying that at a time when Alexia Futeis has joined London City but I think Tottenham have had the best window.

29:09Their attacking options really excite me. I think they've made some really, really interesting signings there and they haven't just gone out and got kind of big names. They've got very good names and very good players but ones that really suit, I think, the way that Martin wants to play. So I think it's been a very thoughtful recruitment period. I think we saw signs of the cultural shift, obviously, last season under Martin in terms of that belief. And I think just believing that they are a big club. I think that's been not there in the women's side. I think, you know, we've kind of always spoken about them as still quite a new sort of professional club that's kind of built their way up through the WSL.

29:52And they're kind of seen as a challenger, but not really one that's up there with the big girls. Whereas it feels like now they are starting to change that sort of narrative themselves. And actually, when you go to the club and you go to the training ground, I don't know, it just feels different. People might think differently to me there, but I certainly feel a difference. It feels like they're kind of talking like they're one of the big clubs now, which is interesting. So I don't think we should temper our expectations. I think we should be expecting them to do well this season because all the foundations are there.

30:25the squad is there, the coach is there, the recruitment is there. They've got all the ingredients to go out there and do well. And yeah, I think if they don't, then I think it's fair game to criticise really and ask why. We touched on Brighton, Susie, at the top and their change of manager. It had looked like quite a stable summer. Not lost many players, added some good quality and experience with Leo Valti and Gabby George coming in. How much is this change perhaps going to affect their chances of climbing the table? What's a good season for them? What's a good season for them? I think that's really hard to say at the moment.

31:01Fenty of time. It is hard. She's got all the splinters this morning. You're giving me all the teams that are unknowns. No, it's like in theory on paper, the ingredients are there for a really successful season. But we're working with a manager who's not worked in the WSL before, albeit one who is promising and did really, really good stuff in Spain. It's a very, very different league. It's a very different level of competitiveness week on week. They've made some good signings. As you say, Gabby George and Leo Vulte, Emily Geramo from Hammerby as well, young Swedish midfielder, hugely promising player, loves to play with the ball at her feet and really fits the Dario Videsic style of Brighton football.

31:49So really interesting to see how many kind of changes are made to the way they play or how consistent it is sort of carrying on through with Dario's style and how different those styles look from Arturo Reis to Dario Vidičić. I just don't know. So an interesting one. I wonder if the surprise, a change of manager at this stage of the season and, you know, kind of how liked Dario was will knock the confidence of the group as a whole going into the start of the campaign with it all being a little bit less certain than it looked. and that's the fear for me is that they take a bit of confidence. They're not as big spending as most of the clubs above them in the table.

32:44Even the likes of Spurs and Everton and things turn over more than Brighton. So it's going to be interesting to see the extent to which they can punch above their weight again this season. So in that respect, when you're looking financially, I think they really are kind of punching above their weight if they're considered in and amongst the best of the rest outside the top three. It's going to be fascinating, isn't it? That's it for part one of the Guardian Women's Football Weekly. In part two, we'll continue to preview the season and we'll make some predictions. Susie's probably going to get some more splinters.

33:27Welcome back to part two of the Guardian Women's Football Weekly. Right, let's kick off with a brief look at the three new teams playing in the Barclays WSL. So Birmingham City, Crystal Palace and Charlton. Where shall we start? Birmingham, I think so. Particularly active in the transfer window. Difficult opening match, but some high turnover amongst the squad, which you would expect. How do you feel they're shaping up to compete?

33:52Emma Sanders:Yeah, I think Amy Merricks has gone with the rebuild the squad method to get them ready for the WSL. I think some really useful signings, I think the likes of Millie Turner and Lisa Nelson from Manchester United bring so much experience to the squad and so much, you know, now sort of playing in the WSL that that's invaluable. And I know Millie Turner's now been made her captain as well. And then she's gone to the opposite end of the spectrum as well with Chancel Effer-Effer, who's a really, really talented young French forward. She's 19 years old, not quite probably proven at the top level yet, but has all of the potential.

34:27Emma Sanders:so I think there's like a really nice blend there for her and they've got owners that are willing to back willing to invest willing to buy players and and help support the squad for this move so I think they're looking in a pretty good place I mean there's always unknowns because we've not seen them play together yet and they are starting again and it is a different proposition being in the WSL but one of them will survive one of these three teams will survive most definitely so I think they are looking on paper in a pretty good spot. What about Crystal Palace, Emma? Because, you know, they've obviously had recent experience of the top flight in it just a couple of seasons ago.

35:04How's that going to serve them, do you think? Yeah, I think it'll be really helpful. I spoke to Amy Everett, obviously the captain, a week or so ago, and she was talking about that and just how much they've learned from that kind of experience. I think they know what to expect a lot more now than they did before. I think the squad is in a better shape now than it was before. It was a really, really young squad that had come through with Laura Kroninski last time. So I think they're in a much better position. I still think there's probably areas where they'll be heavily tested. And I think they'll need to do a little bit more work in January.

35:37But I think actually going into the season where they're at now, I think they're OK. I think they're probably a little bit behind Birmingham in terms of that squad sort of development phase. But I think they have a manager who's very good. I really, really like Jo Potter. I think she's a fantastic coach. and yeah, she's obviously got that experience of sort of the top level and I think she knows the league well anyway, just generally from kind of her time in the game, but also the people that she knows and the coaches that she's learned off. I think they've got a lot of reasons to be optimistic.

36:09If they can hit the ground running a little bit and build some momentum, I do think they're a squad that, you know, plays off momentum a little bit. I think it will also help that, you know, last season they started poorly and kind of had to find a way to overcome that. Like it wasn't a smooth WSL2 campaign for them. So I think that helps them mentally because, you know, they're not coming up as a squad that are used to winning every game and playing on the front foot all the time. I think they've had to do it the other way around. And I think that's important in the WSL as well. Yeah. What about Charlton, Susie?

36:43They've added some more experience to their ranks, kept a good part of the squad that got them promoted, which I always think is important. What do they need to do to give themselves a chance of surviving? I'm worried about Charlton just relative to what the other teams have done that have come up alongside them. As I just said, Birmingham Palace have done some really, really good business. Charlton have brought in players, but in terms of adding that WSL experience into the side, you've got Ash Neville coming in, who obviously is hugely experienced in WSL, but 33, coming towards the end of her career, most likely.

37:20obviously has worked with Karen Hills before, so will be, I'm sure, important in the dressing room and an important part of the squad and the team, but not that WSL-level quality that is really going to drive the level and standard of the team upper gear. And then the rest are coming from outside the league, bar Paula Partido on loan from London City Lionesses. It's just not looking hugely transformatory to me in a way that you sort of need to step up a gear in this league. So I worry about them in that context, in the context of what Palace and Birmingham have done. And obviously their drop-off in the WSL to last season will have knocked them a little bit as well.

38:02It was a bit of a disappointing end to the campaign despite scraping into WSL through the playoff pace. I know what you mean earlier, and I understand why you've got splinters in your bum because A, it's difficult to predict while the transfer window is still open, But B, you know, there were some teams last season that really underperformed, but knew that they would probably be getting away with it. And I do wonder, with just one relegation spot, whether that's going to kind of come into play a little bit this season as well. And the team that kind of doesn't invest as much and maybe isn't consistent could be in trouble.

38:39Let's talk about some of those teams that perhaps underperformed. Aston Villa being one of them, really frustrating for them last time out. They had a terribly leaky defence, didn't they? And of course, now they've lost Kirstie Hansen, who scored 44 % of their goals. Emma, how are they going to get on? I think they're going to struggle. I'm worried about Aston Villa. I think Kirstie Hansen is a significant loss for me. She's probably one of the signings of the window. I've said this for the last week quite strongly. I think Tottenham have pulled an absolute blinder there. And I think it's probably, well, what she brings to Tottenham is obviously amazing, but I think it's probably more hurtful to Villa.

39:18I think they're going to really, really struggle. I've not been overly impressed with their kind of recruitment the last 18 months or so. I'm just not quite sure the direction of where the club is trying to go and the squad they're trying to build. There has been a lot of turnover. There's been quite a bit of high spending with, I don't think, much reward from it. So it's felt a bit kind of scattergoat to me. Natalia is a really interesting coach. She's got very clear ideas and quite creative, but I'm not sure how much the squad are taking it on board. I think she's been there a while now. And yes, there's been improvements and there's been developments, but probably not at the speed at which both the club would want and I think the fans would want.

39:57So I think she's probably under a little bit of pressure this season to deliver. But I do worry about them. I'm sure we'll come on to talk about some of the other clubs around them, the likes of Liverpool and Everton, for example, and West Ham. And I think particularly Liverpool and West Ham have had very, very strong summers and very, very strong in terms of Liverpool's point of view. And I think Villa are sort of falling behind a little bit. Well, I'm going to ask you about Liverpool in a minute, but let's look at West Ham with Susie. Risa Guarino has actually made use of her first transfer window in charge to make a bit of an overhaul to the squad, which you could argue they needed.

40:35And they've actually brought in some strong attacking talent with the likes of Kelly Gargo and Ebony Salmon. But what can they do this season? Obviously, West Ham as a club had a lot of turmoil over the summer. The men's team relegated. That usually doesn't spell particularly positive things for the women's team. But where do you see this going? As Emma alluded to earlier, I think they've had a really good summer. Surprisingly so, especially early on when you kind of saw some of the players leaving. I was like, oh God, their kind of WSL future is over. Because, you know, you had Katrina Gorey leaving, Shakira Martinez going to Spurs, Shilin Storsky going, you know, like really important parts of their squad departing and not being a particularly attractive proposition for people to go there.

41:25But the business they've done has been really impressive. I mean, obviously, there's a few you mentioned, Kelly Gargo being really, really notable. The fact that they've been able to poach her from Everton is really a really bold statement, I would say. But then even keeping Estelle Cascarino after her loan spell from Juventus. Ebony Salmon added, as you say. Nadine Reissin from Eintracht Frankfurt, really great player. Lea Kadina coming in from Arsenal as a free agent. Katie Zellum, again, like an older player, but lots of WSL experience. I think there's the basis of a very, very good squad there now, or at least a very, very good first team.

42:06And it's really, really nice to see that Rita Guiano has been backed in this way in the summer and given a proper chance to give it a go. And I hope that they continue to do so in January as well. But yeah, I actually feel fairly good about where West Ham are at the moment. Has Everton been given the tools they need to try and move them up the table? So Scott Phelan, by the way, we know that Brian Sorensen left the club in February, I think it was. And Scott Phelan was named permanent manager over the summer. He was obviously in the role at the end of last season.

42:43Emma Sanders:What do you see their prospects as being? I think it's another one who's had a really interesting window. They've brought in some really good attacking talent. Holly McNamara is one of my ones to watch this season. She's had such a good A-League career. She's won the Golden Boot in the A-League for the last two years running. Brilliant young talent that's coming out of Australia. She's been part of the Australian national team as well. So I think she has a real potential. When you look at their forward line, you know, they've got Zara Kramzer, who came in on loan last season, has been made permanent.

43:10Emma Sanders:They've got Holly. They've got Hannah Kane. They've got Yuta Rantler from Leicester. Naomi Moucheron as well, who I think is a brilliant young talent. She just needs to be given time. And she came into the league two seasons ago and did her ACL almost immediately. So she's been having a really hard time getting into the league, but I think this could be her season to really shine. So they have done some good work. They brought in Naomi Lazell as well, alone from Manchester City, to kind of bolster that defensive area, which they've needed because Martina Fernandes has left. So I'm intrigued because I do think they have some really good quality within that squad to step it up a gear.

43:44Emma Sanders:I like the look of their front forward line. They're attacking players. So I want to see what they can do this season. Yeah, what about Liverpool, Emma? It was quite a difficult start to the last campaign under Gareth Taylor, but it actually looked like a different beast from the beginning of this year. How can they build on that improvement, do you think? I actually think there's a huge amount of excitement around Liverpool this season. Internally, I think they have very high expectations. I have heard some outside shouts that they would finish above Manchester United this season from people who have kind of been going through the data and the analysis.

44:20I'm really excited to see how they get on now because this feels like 75 % of the Gareth Taylor squad now we're sort of getting there and like you say from January onwards it was a completely different team and I think actually Gareth's work probably went under the radar I think he did a very very good job in the last six months of the season considering where Liverpool were and there was real real danger that they were in that bottom playoff spot 100 % before Christmas and actually come sort of March, April time, they were in an FA Cup semi-final and they were very comfortable. You know, there was kind of no danger of that happening.

44:56So it was quite a turnaround, given everything that both the squad, but also that the staff in particular had to deal with last season. So the club backed him in January. The players that he got in January, he then made into a better team. They've now backed him in the summer. And yeah, I think, you know, look at players like Vivian Enderman. And I think there is huge excitement around her and what she can do. And judging by the performances in pre-season, they've been very, very strong. I think it was a 7-1 win that they had on Sunday or yesterday as well. So I think there's full of confidence going into the new season.

45:33And let's not forget that they had some big players out with ACL injuries last season as well. So you've got the likes of Sophie Roman-Haug and Marie Hobinger, who is obviously a key player, one of the vice captains now this season. They're coming back. So it looks like a much fuller squad, but also a squad that has dramatically improved in quality. So where they're going to finish, I don't know. But certainly in terms of the way that they play and the performance level, I think it's going to be pretty high. Yeah, I agree with you. And listen, we have come to that time. For those of you new to the pod, buckle up.

46:10for those who have listened to us for a while now you will know we are renowned for our absolutely terrible predictions um we rarely get it right in fact why are you even listening to us where where is our where is our women's football knowledge notoriously difficult to predict and we do get some things right but we do tend to highlight the fact that we get a lot wrong so quick fire predictions I'm going to go round in a circle Soph just because you are to the left of my screen we're going to go clockwise you can't see what my screen is Soph, me, M, Susie okay who's winning the league Soph? Arsenal Arsenal Arsenal Man City the only Arsenal fan on the pod goes for Man City because she knows you know why you know why it's tactical Cool.

47:04Okay, who's going down, Soph? Charlton. Oh! Before the transfer window, I was going to say West Ham. Quick fire, Faye, quick fire. I know, I'm sorry. Ah! Charlton. Charlton. Charlton, Palace for the playoff spot. Okay. Who's going to prove the best signing, Soph? George Stanway. Kirsty Hansen for me. Oh, it's a close one. I'm going to go Vivian Enderman. I was going to say either Kirsty Hansen or George Samway. I think Kirsty Hansen. I love that.

47:39Emma Sanders:By the way, I love the fact that none of us... Can I put in a shout out for Bethany England? I think she'll keep Palace up. Yeah, nice. And none of us went for Puteus. But can she do it on a Friday night in Bromley? Well, we'll find out on Friday. Who's going to finish top scorer, Soph? Bunny Shaw. Bunny Shaw. Bunny Shaw. And who's your dark horse, Soph? West Ham. I don't know if they're dark horses really anymore, but I'm going to say Spurs. I'm between West Ham and Liverpool, but I think I'll go West Ham. I decided Spurs weren't dark horses anymore. I'm going to say Liverpool. Okie dokie. Right, listen, you can all throw these back at us at the end of the season.

48:21We will note them down this time and we'll go over them as the season progresses. Just a quick word on the Barclays WSL2 and we will do more of a preview next week. I know that the opening weekend will have gone, but with 14 teams in the WSL, it means our time is limited, I'm afraid. But Barclays WSL 2 does kick off this weekend. A reminder of the two newly promoted sides, so Watford and Burnley, they kick things off at Vicarage Road Friday night. And then on Sunday, Durham hosts Southampton, Ipswich Town take on Nottingham Forest, Sheffield United host Leicester, Sunderland play Bristol City and Newcastle United open against Wolves.

49:05I promise we will go through it. It is just that there is zero time to fit everything into the pod as always because we do need to speak about the FA Women's National League changes because there was news last week that the FA board had approved a package of reforms for the FA Women's National League from the 2027-28 season. So these include clubs receiving central funding for the first time, the introduction of academies, enhancements to the loan market to encourage loans from the professional game to tiers three and four, and then probably the most contentious of the bunch, the fact that four professional game academy sides, so basically those belonging to WSL teams, are going to compete in the league, but they just won't have eligibility for promotion.

49:49So the FA say the reforms are designed to strengthen the women's football pyramid, raise standards across the league and improve the development pathway for young players. But it certainly sparks plenty of debate across the game. Can you explain why the FA's made the decision, first of all, and why it's caused controversy? Yeah, it's obviously a very interesting development. I think the FA have been in consultation with clubs at the top of the WSL. Sonia Bonpasso has been very outspoken about this at Chelsea and the need to develop English youth talent. I think they're worried about the homegrown quota and the number of foreign players that are coming into the top league in particular, but obviously the WSL 2 now as well.

50:30So they see the third tier and the fourth tier as a really good opportunity to develop youth players. So the FA's thinking is if we can develop our youth system across the country, that will have good knock-on effects down the pyramid and it will expand the quality throughout the leagues. so I think that's the kind of the FA's thinking behind it. The reason why it's controversial is that National League clubs feel that they haven't been involved in this decision-making process. There was 52 clubs that said that they signed a letter back in June. This would have been the two-thirds majority that they needed to hold a special general meeting which basically would have forced the FA to have listened to their views and to have those strong consultations but the FA then went off and inspected that number and came back and decided that actually not all 52 clubs had signed an agreement to sign that letter and therefore pulled out of that and the majority was then not met so those conversations in that special general meeting never happened and then since then the FA have made that decision so that's a very very quick surface level roundup of probably what has been an 18 month disagreement between clubs and the FA So there's a lot of anger around the way the decision has been made.

51:42And I think actually that's where probably more controversy comes from, is actually the way it's been handled as opposed to the decision itself. But I do think there's a concern that it will affect the loan system and young players in National League teams as well. They're worried that kind of these changes benefit the top and maybe not all of the pyramid. In terms of, you know, I suppose going forward, I wonder if there will be a bit of a trial period from the FA and they'll see how things go but I'm I'm a little bit on the fence on this like I really feel for the national league clubs I think the consultation or lack of I think was was really really poor by the FA but actually in terms of the changes that have come in I'm intrigued to see what happens I think it's one of those things that you probably won't won't see the benefit or the lack of benefit of until kind of four or five years time.

52:32So I think we've just got to kind of let it have a go now. The decision's been made and see what comes of it. There are guardrails in place and there's an annual review attached as well. So if it doesn't work, there's mechanism to say so. And it's just four at the moment. So, you know, but let's look at the positives. Central funding is new money. That's excellent news and I understand regarding the consultation process. I mean, that is slightly contested as well, is my understanding of it. But, you know, let's see, because, you know, we all want change and we all want positive change and we all want a system that benefits everybody ultimately.

53:17So let's see whether this works and give it a chance. Listen, and I know we just didn't give the Barkley's WSL2 a chance there. And I feel awful about that, but you'd have been listening to a one hour, 15 minute pod, I think. So we will focus on the WSL2 next week. I promise you that. Any fans of those clubs who feel we haven't given you a fair go, but hopefully you are revved and excited for the beginning of the season. I know I am. Everything's kicking off on Friday and next week's pod, of course, we'll be talking about how terrible our predictions are, how some of the new signings have been flops and how people that we've not even discussed have hit the ground running.

53:56So it's been a pleasure as always. Soph, see you soon. See you soon. Do you know what? And we didn't even mention that Soph lost her laptop to some rum. You and I always talk about rum on the pod. And it's been a bit of a hazard for Soph. And we're not even to blame. I know. She just sort of was like, yeah, she had a meeting with rum. it's broken and it's in the Czech Republic getting fixed or something. And I was like, wow, okay, great. What a story, Sue. I thought she was talking about you, Em. I feel like I had a meeting with Rum in Dallas and was broken and could have easily been left in Dallas over the summer.

54:35But lovely to see you, Em, anyway. You too, bye. Suzy Rack, see you soon. See you later. Have your say. By the way, we also didn't get through any questions as we usually do as well, but send them over to us after this opening weekend via X, or you can email us, which is the best place to do it, at womensfootballweeklyattheguardian.com. You can also sign up for our bi-weekly women's football newsletter. All you need to do is search Moving the Goalposts Sign Up. The Guardian Women's Football Weekly is produced by Sophie Downey and Tayo Papula. Music composition was by Laura Iredale. And our executive producer is Joel Grove.

55:18Emma Sanders:This is The Guardian.