Aston Villa
The 2019/20 Women’s Championship winners, Aston Villa head into their debut Women’s Super League campaign. After an unbeaten season, Villa will be looking to make safe in the top tier this year.
Manager Gemma Davies is the youngest boss in the league having only just turned 28 years old. She has made a huge impression so far on the game with Villa and will be looking to make her mark in the WSL. She was named Manager of the Year for the Championship last season.
It was an impressive season for the side that will play their home games at Walsall’s Bescot Stadium with a host of stand-out stars. Top scorer Mel Johnson has moved on to Sheffield United, with the second highest scoring player and club-acclaimed ‘super-sub’, Shania Hayles staying with the side for their maiden campaign. Goalkeeper Sian Rogers won the golden glove for most clean sheets so will provide strong competition for new arrival, Lisa Weiss.
Elsewhere on the transfer front, the newbies have been busy. Midfielders Ramona Petzelberger and Chloe Arthur arrived from SGS Essen and Birmingham respectively while defender Anita Asante joined from WSL champions, Chelsea. Asante and Arthur will bring top-flight experience to the side, with existing players Emma Follis, Emily Syme and Nat Haigh a few with previous WSL game time.
Caro Siems, Stine Larsen and Diana Silva also arrive at the club and alongside Petzelberger will hope to adapt to a first season in England. Silva and Larsen are strikers with history of goals, and both possess international caps for Portugal and Denmark respectively.
Below we take a look at four players that could have a large influence on the season and for ShePlays managers to consider for differing reasons:
Star of the Show: Emma Follis – MF – £20,000
The Villa midfielder led the side to promotion from the heart of the side. She scored six goals in a joint highest 14 appearances as the Villains won the Championship title without losing a game. Only the departed Mel Johnson and young striker Shania Hayles netted more goals for the side during the shortened campaign. The 28-year-old started her career with the claret and blue before moving to Reading and on to Birmingham City. Her invaluable experience of the top-flight coupled with the knowledge of her current club could prove vital for the WSL newbies. A price of £20,000 can be very tempting for a sides leading midfielder.
(WSL) Star of the Show: Chloe Arthur – MF – £40,000 – 64 points during the 2019/20 WSL campaign
Midfielder Chloe Arthur crossed the city joining Villa from Birmingham in the summer. She recorded 64 points for the Blues and will be looking to cement a spot in the Villa midfield. At £40,000 it’s a premium price for a newly promoted sides player, so other midfield options could be worth an eye.
New Arrival: Diana Silva – FW – £25,000
An eye-catching arrival at the new side as they confirmed the summer signing of Portuguese international forward, Diana Silva from Sporting. Silva boasts an outstanding goalscoring record with 90 goals in 104 appearances for the Lisbon based side, a record Villa will be hoping is replicated in the WSL. At £25,000, Silva is very much worth the risk although a tough start at home to Manchester City may put ShePlays managers off.
Kid on the Block: Jodie Hutton – DF – £15,000 – 19 years old
Although only 19 years old, Jodie Hutton has already made a name for herself at her childhood club. A graduate of the Villa academy, Hutton is naturally a striker but last spent the duration of last season at full back. With the arrivals of Diana Silva and Stine Larsen, play time up front may be limited so Hutton could feature again in defence. For the minimum price of £15,000, Hutton is worth a punt with either an attacking performance from defence or the slight chance of a striker display while new signings adapt to England. The bonus system is likely to benefit the youngster with her style of play, especially with the defensive position during this year’s ShePlays competition.
Read more about Hutton’s career so far here
Note, the above graphic is unlikely to denote the Aston Villa lineup on the opening day. It is just a piece of personal opinion.
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