It’s been a superb begin to the 2024/25 Girls’s Tremendous League (WSL) marketing campaign as Chelsea look to retain their title and Crystal Palace goal to cement their place within the high flight.
There’s been some blockbuster clashes, together with Arsenal’s 2-2 draw towards Manchester Metropolis on the Emirates on the opening weekend, Liverpool’s last-gasp 3-2 overcome Tottenham again in October and Chelsea’s 2-0 victory over their title rivals Metropolis.
Sonia Bompastor’s aspect prepared the ground on the high of the desk, whereas a number of golf equipment are nonetheless vulnerable to being dragged right into a relegation battle within the new yr. There’s additionally already been a managerial change as Jonas Eidevall vacated his place again in October and Arsenal are within the means of appointing his successor.
With that being mentioned, 90min have ranked probably the most improved WSL groups up to now this season…
It could sound loopy to recommend a staff which have received six of the final seven WSL titles has improved, however in some way Chelsea have. No one fairly knew precisely how they might get on this season following the departure of the long-serving Emma Hayes, and arrival of former Lyon boss Bompastor.
However, it’s honest to say they’re completely flying on this new period. Previous to the ultimate worldwide break of the yr, Chelsea had received each single one in every of their video games throughout all competitions and boasted an early 5 level lead on the high of the desk.
To place that into context, on the similar level final season, they’d dropped factors away at Manchester Metropolis within the WSL and away at Actual Madrid within the Champions League. In early December final yr, additionally they suffered a shock 4-1 defeat away at Arsenal within the league.
Chelsea’s formidable kind this season is testomony to the way in which Bompastor has settled on the London membership, and the calibre of participant they signed over the summer time. It’s price noting the present champions achieved their run of ends in the early months of this season with out the likes of Sam Kerr, Mia Fishel, Sophie Ingle and Niamh Charles, whereas additionally they misplaced Lauren James and Kadeisha Buchanan to harm.
Arsenal might not be the place they need to be within the WSL standings, however they make this listing because of the way in which they’ve turned issues round after a lacklustre begin to the marketing campaign. The Gunners made the highest three and certified for Champions League soccer in 2023/24, however had been nonetheless a way off their rivals in Metropolis and Chelsea.
The begin to the present season undoubtedly failed to satisfy expectations. Below Eidevall within the early weeks of the marketing campaign, they drew at house to Metropolis within the league, scraped previous Leicester Metropolis every week later, failed to interrupt the impasse at house to Everton, had been thrashed by Bayern Munich away within the Champions League, and had been then crushed by league leaders Chelsea on the Emirates.
The Chelsea outcome prompted a change within the dugout as Eidevall resigned from his place, and it’s honest to say Arsenal have been resurgent ever since beneath the stewardship of interim supervisor Renee Slegers. In her first seven video games in cost all through October and November, the north London membership remained unbeaten.
They overcame the likes of Valerenga and Juventus within the Champions League to spice up their hopes of qualifying for the knockout rounds, and so they received three of their 4 league video games towards West Ham, Brighton and Tottenham. They dropped factors away at Manchester United, however did safe a hard-fought 1-1 draw.
All might not be excellent at Arsenal, however they’ve comfortably turned issues round after such a poor begin. They’ve additionally achieved so in a brief house of time to considerably enhance their hopes of securing one other high three end this season.
Brighton have undoubtedly been the shock bundle this season beneath new supervisor Dario Vidosic. After ending ninth within the WSL standings final season, to begin December within the high three represents outstanding progress for the Seagulls.
They recruited extraordinarily properly over the summer time as they signed skilled figures in Fran Kirby and Nikita Parris. Kiko Seike’s arrival from Urawa Reds additionally helped ease the departure of Elisabeth Terland to Manchester United.
Their most vital defeats have come by the hands of Arsenal and Manchester Metropolis, however in any other case they’ve put collectively a really strong run of outcomes. If Brighton can preserve this manner within the second half of the marketing campaign, they’ll most actually be in line to complete because the ‘better of the remainder’ outdoors the same old high 4, doubtlessly even increased.
Given they had been among the many favourites to be relegated this season, it’s honest to say they’re one in every of – if not probably the most – improved groups this time period.
