Featured photo by Natalie, all rights reserved.
For Round 7 of the WSL, table topping Chelsea face a trip to strugglers Birmingham City in our focus game of the week.
It’s a matchup of last year’s 4th v 3rd teams but the table after six games tells a different story this campaign already. Chelsea sit top of the pile with 16 points, so far unbeaten this season while Birmingham languish in 10th with a sole victory and 3 points, however with one game in hand.
The hosts have struggled so far this campaign with a sole league victory at home to bottom of the league Liverpool. Kerrys Harrop and Lucy Staniforth were on the scoresheet as the West Midland side won 2-0, two game weeks ago. A continental cup defeat to Man City and a disappointing 3-0 deficit to Brighton last weekend before a midweek break for the Blues sets the tie at Solihull.
Chelsea hammered London neighbours Tottenham 5-1 midweek in the Continental Cup after a crucial 1-0 home league victory over Man United last weekend. Maren Mjelde netted from the spot for Emma Hayes side and with two goals for Beth England in midweek will put both players on fantasy manager radars.
TIME: 14:45 Sunday 24th November, Damson Park, Solihull.
Below we look into the key players for the two sides so far this campaign:
Birmingham City
STAR PLAYER – LUCY STANIFORTH (MF) – POINTS 45 (£50,000)
The England international is the highest scoring Birmingham player so far this season. She has only played three games though. With a huge haul of 25 points in Round 5, Staniforth was absent for last weekend’s defeat to Brighton.
STAR IN THE SHADOWS – KERYS HARROP (DF) – POINTS 36 (£22,500)
Another absentee last weekend, Blues fans will hope the high scoring defender will be back this weekend. The influential Captain scored 22 points in Round 5 as Birmingham dispatched Liverpool, 2-0 netting her first goal of the season. At the lowly price of £22,500, the defender could be considered but against the high scoring Chelsea may be a risk.
RISING STAR – HANNAH HAMPTON (GK) – POINTS 27 (£15,000)
The young goalkeeper has been a mainstay in the Birmingham goal this season. At only 19, Hampton is definitely one for the future. She scored 11 points in the 2-0 victory of Liverpool with her only clean sheet of the season. Hampton will have to be at her very best to keep the Chelsea attackers at bay although a high amount of saves (likely) will rack up a few points.
UNLIKELY TO PLAY*: NO KNOWN ABSENTEES
Chelsea
STAR PLAYER – GURO REITEN (MF) – POINTS 72 (£40,000)
Chelsea have a whole range of ‘stars’ so far this season. With seven players having scored over 50 points so far this campaign in six games, I’ve chosen to focus on the highest of those players. Norwegian international midfielder Guro Reiten joined the Blues this summer and has slotted straight at home. Reiten has scored double figures in four of the six gameweeks so far so is a must for managers challenging for fantasy success.
STAR IN THE SHADOWS – JONNA ANDERSSON (DF) – POINTS 58 (£45,000)
When it comes to Chelsea, they are a great team with a range of players offering different things. Goals from England and Kirby, creative chances from Ji and Mjelde, defensive power performances from Bright and Eriksson but Jonna Andersson always seems to be missing from conversations.
The Swedish international defender is a mainstay in the defence this season since the injury to Hannah Blundell in Round 1. Signing a new contract this week and resorting back to her lucky shirt number 25, Andresson will look to add to her 58 points so far, a steal for £45,000 in a team gunning for the title.
RISING STAR – ERIN CUTHBERT (FW) – POINTS 49 (£50,000)
Chelsea seem to have a solid group of players in their mid-twenties dotted with international experienced heads. With debuts for youngsters in the Continental Cup, breaking into the Chelsea league squad is a somewhat harder ordeal. Therefore the rising star falls again to Erin Cuthbert. The youngster carries experience like everyone else however featuring at this year’s World Cup with Scotland. At a price of £50,000, the regular starter is a chunk but everyone needs to remember, she is still only 21 years old! Cuthbert will need to cement her name on the teamsheet in upcoming games with the arrival of Sam Kerr in January.
UNLIKELY TO PLAY*: MARIA THORISDOTTIR (FOOT).
Written by Ben Waite (Follow on Twitter at @etiawneb for regular WSL updates!)
*Please note, all information we have may not be 100% accurate