WSL stories of the season: Signings, sackings and records all analysed

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The Women’s Super League title might be Chelsea’s again, but there were plenty more stories that contributed to an enthralling 2024-25 season. From signings to sackings, Sky Sports analyses the best of them.

Manager rotation

The season of sackings. Five managers were swapped out as the number of long-serving coaches in the division dwindled. March was the most extraordinary month, containing three sackings in quick succession.

Liverpool parted ways with Matt Beard, Crystal Palace announced the departure of Laura Kaminski, while Manchester City made the shock decision to axe Gareth Taylor days before the League Cup final, which City lost to Chelsea – questions over the bizarre timing remain unanswered.

Arsenal and Aston Villa opted to make changes much earlier in the campaign. Jonas Eidevall walked in October after a poor run of form made for frosty relations with Gunners fans – something he later called ‘a cloud’ over the heads of his players. Renee Slegers, Eidevall’s former No 2, has done a fine job of steadying the ship since stepping up.

Meanwhile, Robert de Pauw left Aston Villa in December after a pretty disastrous six-month spell, claiming just six points from their opening nine games this season. Manchester United’s Marc Skinner is now the longest-serving manager in the WSL.

Can anyone beat Chelsea?

Chelsea’s decade of dominance has continued in remarkable fashion. They won their sixth successive WSL title (and eighth overall) by beating Manchester United 1-0 in April – the earliest the league has been decided since 2018-19.

Having also claimed the League Cup this term, the Blues have now won 16 major trophies – all since 2015.

This season has been another exhibition of inevitability from the reigning champions. A reminder to all who suggested their crown might slip following the end of the Emma Hayes era that the established hierarchy is no less immovable.

The ‘Invincibles’ tag is still to play for, as Sonia Bompastor’s side aim to become the first team to go unbeaten across a 22-game campaign. No added incentive needed, but for some extra spice: beat Liverpool on Saturday, live on Sky Sports, and Chelsea would set a new WSL points record too (60).

Summer signings dazzle

There was plenty of smart business done by clubs last summer, but these five have particularly caught the eye.

• Mariona Caldentey (Arsenal)
• Shekiera Martinez (West Ham)
• Elisabeth Terland (Man Utd)
• Olivia Smith (Liverpool)
• Sandy Baltimore (Chelsea)

Of those named, Caldentey has got to be the headline act. And if you need convincing just watch her screamer in Arsenal’s recent European win over Lyon. Proper player.

The 29-year-old arrived from Barcelona with the reputation of a world-beater and has more than delivered on such esteem. Only Alessia Russo has been directly involved in more goals for Arsenal – and goals aren’t even the best part.

She excels in almost every creative category, a player that glides effortlessly across a football pitch and can hurt you from all angles. Play her as a winger, in the No 10 pocket, or a deep-lying midfielder – she can do the lot. Slegers rightly calls her “total football”.

What goes up must come down?

A year on from the joyous scenes of a momentous Championship winning season, Crystal Palace are back where they started.

Having only managed two wins – at least two less than any other side in the division – it’s no wonder. A return of 10 points from 21 games simply won’t cut it.

Palace are the third team to only manage a one-year stint in the WSL – which introduced relegation in 2014 – behind Doncaster Belles (2016) and Bristol City (2024).

Liverpool, who clinched the Championship title in 2022 and are now considered a stable top-flight outfit, might be considered a wise model to follow if Palace plan to pull off an immediate return.

Brighton the surprise act

Most seasons throw up a surprise act and this year’s has been Brighton.

They were tipped to be relegated ahead of a ball being kicked, with Opta making them favourites to go down (26.6 per cent). Fast forward to now and they are as good as assured of fifth place. Stick that in your supercomputer and smoke it!

Dario Vidosic joined as head coach from Melbourne City in the summer and has been somewhat of a revelation, while experienced campaigners Fran Kirby and Nikita Parris have both been a joy to watch in a team that favours expansive, possession-based football.

The year Manchester changed colour?

City have long been conquerers of Manchester. They are the club closest in major trophy count to Chelsea (seven) over the past decade, albeit some way off the supreme Blues overall.

But this has been an eventful year for all the wrong reasons. Injuries have ravaged their best talents – including Bunny Shaw, Lauren Hemp, Alex Greenwood, Viv Miedema and most recently Mary Fowler.

Nick Cushing was placed in interim charge in March following Taylor’s dismissal – the club citing performance-related reasons – but the move has not had the desired affect. An argument might be made for circumstances actually worsening.

They lost home and away in the Manchester derby for the first time in their history. They were dumped out of three separate competitions by Chelsea in the same 12-day period. And they have missed out on European qualification too.

Comparing this season at the same stage to last, City have the biggest negative differential between points won of any side (-12, 52 vs 40). A summer reset cannot come soon enough.

Progress in Europe

While the manner of Chelsea’s semi-final defeat to Barcelona – an 8-2 demolition job over two legs – may have taken the shine off things, it’s clear the gap in class between the WSL’s best and Europe’s elite is beginning to narrow.

This year’s final four contained two English sides for only the third time (also 2017-18 and 2022-23). Arsenal are of course finalists, swatting aside eight-time champions Lyon. It’s their first crack at European glory for 18 years.

Holders Barca, meanwhile, will compete in the showpiece game in Lisbon for a fifth year in a row and remain hot favourites. Still, Arsenal under Slegers are a different proposition – a much more complete team. And let’s not forget they have pedigree of their own.

Perhaps this is the year the WSL finally shows Europe its might.

Watch champions Chelsea vs Liverpool on the final day of the WSL season this Saturday, live on Sky Sports; all games kick-off at 12.30pm

This news was originally published on this post .

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