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Emily Keogh
Women’s Super League (WSL) is back after the international break and most of the teams have already played six games. But what have we learned from those games, and what do the stats tell us that this could be an issue for teams over the next few months?
armory There is a risk of falling further down the table
arsenal won uefa women’s champions league (UWCL) last season but didn’t come close to stopping chelsea in the WSL, and would love to win their first domestic title since 2019. But, currently, they sit fifth (W3, D2, L1) – five points behind leaders Chelsea – and have already dropped seven points from their six matches, one more than unbeaten Chelsea during last season.
beth mead Leading in terms of assists (3), while marionna caldenti tops the charts for shot-creation tasks (31) and chances created (17), but it is Stina Blackstenius Who has the highest goal+assist average with 1.57 per 90 minutes, despite the fact that he has only managed 170 minutes. Indeed, the team’s overall goalscoring output has been much lower than last season, when they managed to score 4+ goals in eight consecutive home matches. The aggressive nature and ruthlessness that once defined him is clearly absent in this campaign.
striker alessia russoThe front’s performance has also highlighted part of the problem. As the graphic above shows, Rousseau [No. 23, obscured by No. 12] There is a tendency to drop deep, and although he ranks eighth in the league for total shots (16), he fails to crack the top 10 for shots on goal (5), underscoring the team’s ineffectiveness in front of goal. And a lack of clinical finishing has cost them valuable points so far.
Had Arsenal’s defensive structure been stronger some of these issues in attack may have been less damaging. However, they are currently missing from the main center Leah WilliamsonWhose composure, leadership and ability to deliver long balls over the top has been sorely missed. The Gunners have made the second fewest tackles (88), just one more than liverpool Who have played one game less with the lowest success rate (38.9%) and fewest clearances (63).
£1 million with summer arrival olivia smith Potentially out for some time after injury sustained on international duty Canada and goalkeeper daphne van domselaar withdraw from Netherlands‘Camp, things could go from bad to worse for Arsenal with two derbies to be played in London after their away clashes against Chelsea and Spurs. leicester cityOnly two points separate them from recently promoted London City in sixth place, and if they don’t turn things around they could find themselves in mid-table.
Man City’s lack of Champions League football could help them
Manchester CityHis only points this season came in an opening day defeat to Chelsea, which was also new manager André Zieglertz’s first game in charge. Since then, they have been in good form and showing clear signs of improvement and cohesion under the new leadership.
Unlike last year, they are not competing in the UWCL – having finished third in the table. Manchester United – and this absence could prove beneficial domestically, allowing them to focus fully on the league campaign without the added stress of midweek fixtures.
Indeed, last season amid a series of UWCL commitments and injuries, they finished fourth in W13, D4, L5. The year before that – when they were not involved in the Champions League – their domestic record was far stronger: W18, D1, L3, and they finished level on points at the top with Chelsea, but missed out on the title due to a lower goal difference.
This season, City look to return to that level of consistency; With five wins from six matches, they are just one point behind the defending six-time champions. Their expected goals (xG) number is 15.58, the highest in the league, and they have also scored the most goals (17).
And, with the Manchester derby coming up, City will look to gain an advantage over United, who will be distracted by two high-stakes fixtures against the UWCL. Paris Saint Germain And VfL WolfsburgIt’s a promising start that shows they can be serious title contenders once again.
Spurs impress in defense after fast start
Tottenham Hotspur Just one win away from equaling their win total from last season (5), they have won four of their opening six matches. It has been a strong start that highlights clear progress and improvement on the pitch under new manager Martin Ho.
Last season, under Robert Villahman, they finished 11th after a difficult campaign in which they conceded 44 goals, the second highest total behind Crystal Palace. Offensively, they only managed to score 26 goals, and their record of W5, D5, L12 reflected a side struggling for both consistency and balance.
However, the turnaround this season has been impressive. Despite allowing the most shots (94), Spurs have conceded only seven goals and their defensive discipline has been a key factor in their rise up the table. guard Claire Hunt Has been an excellent performer at the back, currently leading the WSL in both blocks (16) and clearances (41); while the goalkeeper Liz Cope She has also been exceptional, keeping three clean sheets – a tally which ties her joint top Fallon Tullis-Joyce And hannah hampton,
Tellingly, Cope only had to save 11 of those 94 shots, which shows how an improved defensive unit has laid the foundation for the team’s early success.
Brighton’s attack will be affected after Agyemang’s injury
Michelle Agyemang‘s ACL injury is a big blow brighton and hove albion’s aggressive ambitions and losing such an influential attacking presence would seriously hamper their further progress.
Brighton’s attacking performances have been very weak so far, with only six goals scored in six games. Although the team has shown composure and control in possession, the majority of the game has been confined to their own half (as shown by their heatmap). This indicates a strong focus on defensive structure and discipline, but this has come at the expense of creativity and attacking threat.
goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozi Has kept two clean sheets and boasts an impressive 85.7% save percentage. But, having saved 24 of 32 shots on target, he is the third-most tested goalkeeper in the competition so far, having faced a total of 80 shots, and without his reliability between the posts the team would have been as low as seventh.
Greater imagination and sharpness is urgently needed to ease the pressure at the back if Brighton are to start converting possession in the final third into genuine scoring opportunities, although the absence of Agyemang will make that task more difficult.
With their attacking depth now depleted, there will be pressure on the remaining forwards to step up. Kiko Seike Has shown flashes of consistency as a goal scorer, but few others have proven themselves capable of performing well on a regular basis.
Point-less West Ham and Liverpool in trouble
west ham united Boss Ryan Skinner is currently struggling with eight consecutive defeats – a worrying trend considering he was previously sacked by Spurs after suffering nine consecutive defeats – and his position could soon become untenable if results do not improve quickly. Meanwhile, Liverpool’s Gareth Taylor has also struggled, losing all five of his games so far, having only joined the club in the summer.
Both managers find themselves in difficult situations and, in some ways, their shared struggles may provide a small sense of solidarity as they attempt to stabilize their respective teams. Both teams have scored only two goals each, but West Ham’s 17 goals put them in the danger zone due to a minus-15 goal difference, and they have allowed a league-high 2.8 goals per game and also made the most tackles (143).
Liverpool have played only five games to West Ham’s six, but their situation has been made worse by ACL injuries to two of their star forwards. Mary Hobinger And Sophie Roman HoggWhich has significantly weakened their attacking options and made their upcoming fixtures against Spurs, Brighton and Chelsea even more challenging. They currently have the second-worst xG in the league (3.35) and that doesn’t look to be changing any time soon.
Taylor will likely get some playing time, as he was only hired in the summer. But the next few games could be decisive for Skinner. If his team fails to pick up points against Manchester City – which seems unlikely – or Leicester or evertonHe could face dismissal until the next international break.
