After a long, but not-so-hot English summer dominated by the Women's World Cup in New Zealand and Australia, the Women's Super League is back, and so it's time for ESPN's preview of each team.
With transfer fees on the rise with the increased interest and investment in women's football, almost all WSL clubs (except for you, Manchester City) were notably active in the transfer window. And, despite it having been said for years, it feels like some of the gaps in the league are closing and we're actually shaping up for the most competitive season to-date.
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Last season, we had title and relegation races going down to the wire -- not a stark rarity on its own -- yet so much of the league was still broken up into mini-leagues. This season, however, promises to be different and despite the teams at the top adding more depth that you'd think would keep them clear of the chasing pack, that particular chasm has been bridged.
Heading into the new campaign, it feels like around six teams will be vying for those top three* spots that carry European qualification, and much of the league will be decided on who can outscore who with many teams claiming to preach a possession-heavy, high-pressing style.
(*Based on England's co-efficient, WSL is one of the few leagues to receive a third UWCL berth.)
Arsenal
Manager: Jonas Eidevall
Finish last season: Third
Predicted finish this season: Second
Key player: Kim Little
Heading into his third season with Arsenal, Jonas Eidevall's Gunners are one of the more known quantities and with no Women's Champions League to distract the north Londoners after their shock exit to Paris FC during qualifying, many expect them to push even harder for league success. However, there are some concerns, with a new-look defence that will take some time to gel as well as a lack of depth in central defence, with Laura Wienroither the latest to end up injured with a torn ACL last season.
Possessing more depth this time around, Arsenal will hope their injury concerns are finally behind them, but only time will tell how they cope with the increased load of back-to-back summers with major international tournaments. Falling short last season due to their increased commitments in Europe and mounting injuries, the Gunners slipped down to third, though I'd expect them to regain their familiar runners-up spot this season.
Aston Villa
Manager: Carla Ward
Finish last season: Fifth
Predicted finish this season: Third
Key player: Rachel Daly
The team who tried to upset the top four last season only to finish 10 points back, Villa's growth under Carla Ward was at its most effective as her front-line laid waste to most WSL defences, with "Wardball" very much on show in claret and blue.
As well as adding from further afield, with the recruitment of Dutch goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar and forward Ebony Salmon, two key pieces of business for Ward have been securing the services of defender Anna Patten and forward Kirsty Hanson, both of whom were only on loan at Villa (from Arsenal and Manchester United respectively) last season. Although the moves were expected, they're both still key for the stability of the team with Villa not lacking in any area of the pitch heading into the new season.
The question for the Villanesses will be how they perform against those who finished above them last season. Even though they received an unexpected trouncing at Old Trafford at the end of 2022, Villa showed their strength in the cups against both Man City, Chelsea and United; should they dig out a vein of consistency this season, they should be on course to break into that hallowed top four.
Brighton & Hove Albion
Manager: Melissa Phillips
Finish last season: 11th
Predicted finish this season: Fourth
Key player: Pauline Bremer
Having struggled through multiple managerial upheavals lasts season, it's time for the Seagulls to finally push ahead with their aim of finishing in the top third of the league -- a lofty goal held by the club since their promotion to the WSL in 2018. The idea of a clean slate is key for their fortunes, even though Melissa Phillips came in at the tail end of last season and had some mixed results en route to securing another season of top-flight football.
Since the end of last season, the club has recruited smartly with a clear plan in mind and although a player like midfielder Vicky Losada -- who should be known to the WSL faithful having had stints at both Arsenal and Man City -- is beyond her peak years, she remains one of the most intelligent players on the pitch. There's a similar degree of risk/reward with forward Pauline Bremer, who has struggled with multiple injuries since leaving Lyon, but can score with ease when fit. There is a degree of a gamble but should both stay available, they will be key for Phillips who is clearly building her squad with the bigger picture in mind.
Although a very different prospect to an Aston Villa or Man City on paper, Brighton could prove to be one of the surprise packages of the season.
Bristol City
Manager: Lauren Smith
Finish last season: Promoted from Championship
Predicted finish this season: 12th
Key player: Abi Harrison
A very different team to the one that was relegated at the end of the 2020-21 season, the Robins have grown and invested off the pitch despite their limitations. Indeed, Lauren Smith's installation as manager -- one that came with a sizable amount of work to simply field a starting XI at times -- the vibes have returned to the west country and there can be no question the once great team more than earned their promotion back to the top flight. That said, the season ahead for the Robins is likely to be strewn with obstacles that come with the increased competition and investment in the WSL and the squad, dotted with talent, will be pushed to the limits.
Just as we saw at the end of Bristol's last spell in WSL, having talented players will only get you so far if you can't get a foothold in games and one of the Robins' key issues when they were relegated was how often they found themselves pushed back, asked to defend rather that finding a way to get the ball to their attackers.
One team will have to go down and for this prediction, it's Bristol who have the unfortunate honour of claiming last place.
Chelsea
Manager: Emma Hayes
Finish last season: First
Predicted finish this season: First
Key player: Guro Reiten
Although they were less convincing in winning the title last season, Chelsea again showed that they can even do it on a cold night in Shkodër if needed. That said, a busy summer of adding strength in depth means they look renewed and refreshed for a long campaign.
Making up for key players they lost -- namely defender Magdalena Eriksson and forward Pernille Harder to Bayern Munich -- manager Emma Hayes has added depth across the pitch, from Catarina Macario and Mia Fishel in attack to Sjoeke Nüsken in midfield, Ashley Lawrence in defence and even Hannah Hampton as another goalkeeping option. The savvy coach has also continued to show her commitment to future seasons with the singings of defender Alejandra Bernabe (Real Sociedad), defender Brooke Aspin (Bristol City) and midfielder Wieke Kaptein (FC Twente), all of whom have been loaned back to their former clubs for the season to come.
Though they made a habit of grinding out results last season, Chelsea's increased options should help alleviate some of the strain as they try to compete across multiple competitions while balancing out international commitments. Once again, we're heading into a new WSL season asking: Can anyone stop the Blues?
Everton
Manager: Brian Sørensen
Finish last season: Sixth
Predicted finish this season: 11th
Key player: Martina Piemonte
There's nothing wrong or bad about the Everton squad: that's a major caveat here. Three or so years ago, the squad Sørensen has would have had little problem competing with the "chasing pack" in WSL. Even last season, through mixed results and performances, we saw the Toffees finish sixth. However, based more on the work and recruitment by Everton's competitors, the Merseyside club feel half a step behind, not least with long-time Blue, Gabby George, leaving for Manchester United at the tail end of the transfer window.
As we saw last season, Sørensen is a manager with a clear long-term vision in mind and an ethos for player development, but if the season unfolds in a competitive fashion and the fine margins make all the difference, Everton could find themselves slipping down the pecking order.
Leicester City
Manager: Willie Kirk
Finish last season: 10th
Predicted finish this season: Ninth
Key player: Sam Tierney
Much like Brighton, there is a sizable asterisk around Leicester's 2022-23 season: the first half was a forgettable struggle, while the second was a cohesion of ideas and smart squad additions that saw the Foxes pull off one of the greatest escapes in recent memory. Going into the new season, you sense some momentum as the team found their feet under Willie Kirk, who stepped in as head coach after the club parted ways with Lydia Bedford.