Re-Predicting How The Women's Super League Table Will Finish
In this piece, I take a look back on my predictions from the beginning of this campaign and make my final predictions at this halfway stage of the WSL season.
Eleven games down and eleven games left to go. We are at the halfway stage of the Barclays Women’s Super League season, so I have decided to revisit my predictions which I made at the beginning of the campaign and see if there are any changes that I would make considering how this season has gone for some of the clubs.
I have looked at the table as it is currently and I have had a look at the run of fixtures all the teams have ahead of them over these coming months and come to the decision of where I think each team will finish.
Let me know what you think of my final predictions and also how you think the table could finish at the end of the season?
Arsenal
Current Position - 2nd
Original Prediction - 3rd
Things have obviously changed a bit from when they started to where they currently are now. Of course, they have a new manager in charge with Renée Slegers taking over her from Jonas Eidevall who resigned after the defeat to Chelsea.
Now I originally had them finishing third because for me it just didn’t feel like they had changed enough to be in with a shout of dethroning Chelsea even with their own change of management. Given how they started, it looked like things could have been a bit worse for the Gunners.
Seven WSL games and a 12-match unbeaten run in all competitions later and they are flying high having turned around their form to now find themselves in second place. They are still quite a distance away from the team above them though because of Chelsea’s near-prefect record. But Arsenal’s current form has me wondering if they’ve got it in them to close that gap of seven points, especially when they take on Chelsea in their next match.
Their crucial run-in for me is these next few games in terms of possibly cementing a top-three place, where they have Chelsea (as mentioned), then they’re away to Man City to start February before a North London derby with Tottenham. In-between those three and their last game of the season are all winnable fixtures for the Gunners, so I do think they’ll be in a good spot before that final-day match-up with Manchester United who are also aiming to be around the top three.
Final Prediction - 2nd
Aston Villa
Current Position - 8th
Original Prediction - 5th
Wishful thinking took over with this prediction for my team and it definitely hasn’t been what I thought could have happened if things did click under now-former manager Robert de Pauw. It was a poor first few games with no win in the WSL until a 3-2 victory over Crystal Palace back in November and largely a couple of disappointing results despite some okay performances meant Villa were around the bottom places.
Although in recent games, interim boss Shaun Goater has taken charge and the team has managed four points in the two WSL games he’s managed and it could have been six if they had held on against Everton. Now, in a turn of events, the club have appointed former Real Sociedad boss Natalia Arroyo as head coach. A good appointment on paper at what is a difficult time of the season to properly embed new ideas, so it will be interesting to see what she does with the team.
Villa now faces back-to-back league games against two of the big guns (Manchester City and Chelsea), but then it’s a run-in which could be pivotal in avoiding a relegation scrap as they face Leicester, Everton again and Crystal Palace. They have to aim for wins in these three games to assure themselves of not being in a relegation battle. If there’s one thing that Natalia Arroyo will have to do, it’s get the team performing and get some much-needed wins and those upcoming games might just be their best chance.
For me, I would like to think they can pick up the necessary wins but I also feel like there is still a bit more that is needed to finish higher in the table. Also, I feel like there needs to be some transfer activity in terms of incomings to help with that as well and strengthen the squad. I want to be optimistic and with an intriguing managerial appointment in now there is that slight feeling of optimism, but I still think others might just do better over the next eleven games.
Final Prediction - 9th
Brighton & Hove Albion
Current Position - 5th
Original Prediction - 7th
To the overachievers Brighton & Hove Albion then, who still hold that spot right now despite a bit of a dip in form with a few results not going their way. Especially when in that 2-1 defeat to Liverpool last Friday, who have struggled for the most part of this campaign.
It all started brilliantly with ten points from their opening five games, but since then they have lost three of their last five in the league which includes the Liverpool loss and defeats to Arsenal and Chelsea where they let in quite a few goals. But it is a sign of them just not being at that top level yet having not managed a win against any of those sides currently above them in the table.
Getting results back on track and going on a winning run again is what they should be targeting now if they are to keep their current position because of Tottenham and now potentially Liverpool chasing them down and with their next five league games providing a bit of a mixed bag in terms of the teams they face, getting results where they should be expected to is a minimum if they want their highest WSL finish.
I think they have got it in them to do so, however there are a couple of questions creeping in asking whether they can find that high level once again. The inconsistency has become a bit of a factor in how they have fallen away and that is to be expected I guess, but I should say as well. A couple of different results and maybe they’d be hot on Man City’s tails? That is still quite something.
Final Prediction - 5th
Chelsea
Current Position - 1st
Original Prediction - 1st
The all too familiar sentence, Chelsea are currently top of the Women’s Super League. I mean, I thought they would still be good, but I didn’t have them being as good as they have been and that is a credit to the amazing job that Sonia Bompastor has done at the club in her first few months in charge.
They have been almost perfect with their run this season with points dropped in just one fixture against Leicester City of all teams in a 1-1 draw. Other than that it has been win after win for Chelsea and they sit seven points clear of their nearest challengers Arsenal, with that clash coming next and a win there might just be what affirms their place at the top. Although right now it’s really hard to see them being moved from there.
I suppose there is a question of how the squad will do when the schedule really gets crammed up now given domestic cup competition involvement, plus the Champions League as well where you would certainly put them in with a shout of going far in that. The squad depth is crazy and I say this again, this is a team without Sam Kerr, Mia Fishel, Kadeisha Buchanan and Lauren James although she’ll be back soon. It’s crazy.
Just when you think it can’t get more insane, they now look set to add Naomi Girma to the squad for a world record fee adding to their defensive options. An unbelievable abundance of talent is at Sonia Bompastor’s disposal and it feels like it would have to take quite the drop off plus one other team to be on incredible form to stop them winning their sixth WSL title in a row.
Final Prediction - 1st
Crystal Palace
Current Position - 12th
Original Prediction - 12th
It has been as tough as we thought it would have been for Crystal Palace currently sat bottom of the league with no win in the WSL since October when they beat Leicester away from home, which was on matchweek three. I will say though, they have given it a go at least.
The other teams that they have picked up points against have been Liverpool and Everton, two teams we would say who also struggled in the opening half of the campaign. They have had some bright moments, however results haven’t gone how they needed to as of late and I am wondering if they have enough fight come the end of the campaign.
Their next few games aren’t too promising either with Tottenham at home next and then Brighton, Man Utd, Liverpool and Aston Villa to follow. If they can keep themselves within a chance of survival near the end of the season they face West Ham and Leicester back-to-back. They are probably the two teams from which you would think they have a chance of getting points.
The chance of escaping relegation isn’t out of the question, but we do need to start seeing Palace get some vital points again which at least gives a bit more of a belief that they can compete. It’s the right kind of consistency they require right now to go their way. I want to believe they can stay in the league, but I think they might just fall short.
Final Prediction - 12th
Everton
Current Position - 9th
Original Prediction - 10th
The season hasn’t gone well for the most part with them having to wait for a November win in the Merseyside derby to actually pick up their first three points. Two WSL games later, they then managed their second victory after that surprise win over Man City before the winter break.
It was a win that came at a good time given things have changed a little now at Everton because of the new takeover from the Friedkin Group. It’s brought a bit of a positive energy about them now and with a busy transfer window from them, things could look a bit more brighter in the second half of this campaign.
With the squad improvements they have made, you would almost fancy them to get the wins that they could do with getting considering their next two are against teams below them West Ham and Leicester City. Six points from those games and they will have some nice breathing space between the last few places.
Saving a late equaliser against Villa most recently showed that they have some fight in them and personally I do back them to have a better second half of the season because of the signings they have made and improved the squad depth.
Final Prediction - 8th
Leicester City
Current Position - 11th
Original Prediction - 9th
It’s not how Amandine Miquel would have wanted the season to have gone so far really, Leicester sit in 11th place and are a team struggling to score goals having only scored in three of their eleven games this season in the WSL.
While that struggle is what has been their undoing, there has been one positive and that is that at least defensively they have looked fairly okay. They have only conceded more than one goal in just three games. So for me, there is at least a solid way of how they are trying to play against teams at the moment with their organised set-up. But I come back to the attacking problems and the injuries they have that as I have said are costing them at this stage.
In terms of the fixtures they have next, these are games where they might have a decent chance of picking up important points. It’s Liverpool this weekend, then Everton and Aston Villa to come. Also, their final two league games could be helpful if they still find themselves in a relegation fight. A match against Crystal Palace could be massive at that point of the season as well as facing West Ham on the final day.
I have said in a previous piece how it is the forward areas that need strengthening if Leicester do want to pull away from Crystal Palace at the bottom. Activity has been quiet from them on that front so I don’t think I see them pulling away. However, I do think if they can get some of their injured forwards back before the end of the season, then they will have enough to survive.
Final Prediction - 11th
Liverpool
Current Position - 7th
Original Prediction - 6th
Beating Brighton for their first home win in the league this season definitely started the new year off brightly for Liverpool and it was much needed after a disappointing run that they had been on in the first half of the campaign.
They are quite a way off from where they would want to be though. They have suffered with injuries too and have not been able to deal with the loss of important players such as Marie Höbinger and Sophie Roman Haug. The positive side of that though is those two could be returning soon. Another positive is some good performances from Olivia Smith, Mia Enderby and also other young players who came into the fold as of late such as Hannah Silcock and Zara Shaw.
Liverpool’s next two games provide a chance to get more points and chase down Brighton and Tottenham so that they can finish more or less where I personally expected them to. They actually play both of them back-to-back at the end of April as well before the next Merseyside derby on the penultimate weekend of the season.
I do think Matt Beard’s team have been underwhelming for the majority of this season. However, now this second half allows them to get things back on track and find some consistency to get some ground and end the season with a top-half finish.
Final Prediction - 6th
Manchester City
Current Position - 4th
Original Prediction - 2nd
After starting quite well enough, the last few games have seen Manchester City drop a level in terms of performances and because of that, results have taken a hit as well and ultimately with the form of Arsenal and Manchester United, they now sit outside of the top three.
Part of this can be put down to injuries suffered to some of their key players Lauren Hemp, Alex Greenwood and Khadija Shaw for example. These are players that they do rely on in terms of their style of play and also their creative output as well with Hemp and Shaw being so crucial to their attack. However, I think we have seen at times that maybe tactically there is a lack of a plan B. They have to figure out ways to rectify the issues that are in front of them currently.
Looking at the next fixtures obviously it’s Aston Villa at the weekend, then it’s a massive one against Arsenal followed by two more interesting match-ups against Liverpool and Tottenham. Facing Manchester United in their penultimate match of the season as well could prove to be a huge game if a Champions League place is on the line.
They aren’t in the title race anymore for me, because the points dropped feels insurmountable in terms of recovering and catching them, so making sure they finish in the top three is a must for them otherwise it’s a disappointing campaign from my point of view. I do think they have enough though once they at least get Khadija Shaw back which could be this weekend. I think missing Greenwood and Hemp for the foreseeable stops them finishing any higher than third though for me.
Final Prediction - 3rd
Manchester United
Current Position - 3rd
Original Prediction - 4th
It’s been an interesting one with Manchester United because this season you could say that we are still questioning a lot of their performances and yet the results have been really good leaving them in the top three currently as of the time of writing.
Their most recent win over rivals Man City would have been a real boost to their confidence especially in the manner of it as well where they did rather good tactically in beating them. Although then getting beat by them days later in the Subway Cup in a much poorer performance just adds to the doubt of whether they can finish in the top three. You see bright moments from them and also their defensive record has been a shining light but it’s everything else that often leaves questions sometimes.
It’s Brighton who they face on Sunday and then that is followed by a game against Tottenham after that. But the crucial period is actually when they face Chelsea, Man City and Arsenal in their final three games of the season. That is quite the end-of-season run-in, plus if they do well before then that can leave the possibility of playing in next season’s Champions League in their own hands.
One thing that I think is important is for them to get results against the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal, plus going back-to-back in wins against Man City as well, it feels vital for them to not drop points elsewhere as well. I feel from my standpoint though, my doubts about Marc Skinner and how the team plays in those other matches will be a factor in where they finish and I think they will miss out once again.
Final Prediction - 4th
Tottenham Hotspur
Current Position - 6th
Original Prediction - 8th
The second season under Robert Vilahamn has seen them have quite a few ups and downs and for me, they are there or thereabouts where I would have expected them although I had them a bit lower at the start of the season.
The downs of this season have come in part from having injuries to a few players like other teams have done, but also they had been conceding so many goals, especially with a few heavy losses to the bigger teams. On the upside, Beth England has done well on the goal-scoring front, a few opportunities have gone to younger players in the squad as well.
Mid-table Tottenham’s level at the moment given the level of consistency they have been at in terms of results and to finish higher they are going to have to get some wins in crucial games. It should start with a win this weekend vs Palace, but then it’s a run of league games against Man Utd, rivals Arsenal, Manchester City and Brighton. If you’re Spurs, then you will be hoping to try and achieve a win from one of those if top-half aspirations are what they want.
If they don’t get many points from that run of games as mentioned, then I can see them finishing possibly in the lower half of the league. I’d be surprised if they finish as low as eighth as I had predicted, so I’ll say they end in seventh.
Final Prediction - 7th
West Ham United
Current Position - 10th
Original Prediction - 11th
It’s been a season that was more or less expected from West Ham under Rehanne Skinner as they aren’t a team I feel that is above the level they are currently at. They are a team that has consistently been down the lower end of the table and that hasn’t changed this season.
I would say that one positive that they have had this season and this is also something which they have over the two teams below them in the WSL table right now. You would back their attackers to get them some important goals and help them win vital matches. Viviane Asseyi once again has done that at times, Riko Ueki as well and club captain Katrina Gorry too.
The current gap margin between them, Leicester and Crystal Palace isn’t that much. Three points separate them all, so West Ham could do with getting a result where they may not be expected to otherwise, they face a scenario in having to beat one of Leicester or Palace like they have done already, but this second round of matches against them are all towards the latter stages of the season.
I think they have enough to stay up. That is where I am at with West Ham, I would back them to get a result against Leicester and Palace at this moment because of that extra bit of quality they do possess. I say they finish in tenth above both of them.
Final Prediction - 10th