With the Women’s Super League now in full swing after five rounds of league action, we take a look at some of the players who have so far struggled to adapt to life in the WSL. We have full faith that they will be able to turnaround their fortunes and wish them the best for the season ahead.
(Players included are players that have never played in the WSL before this season and are just a select few. The price shown indicates their value on the ShePlays WSL fantasy league only)
Here goes….
Alex Morgan – Tottenham Hotspur – £80,000
A big signing on deadline for Tottenham and the world of women’s football but the hype has overshadowed the actual football. Morgan is yet to feature for Spurs having only registered one unused substitute appearance that came in the cup. She has been training with the senior squad but ‘a lack of match fitness’ has been used as the reason for no minutes. How are you going to increase match fitness without the opportunity to play in games?? With a contract only initially running through until December 2020, games are running out for Morgan to make any sort of impact at the North London club. On the pitch that is……
Her £80,000 ShePlays fantasy league price is certainly not worth the gamble.
Lydia Williams – Arsenal – £40,000
The Australian goalkeeper joined Arsenal at the start of the season with fans happy to see a replacement for the inconsistent Manuela Zinsberger. Well……with Williams immediately injured, Zinsberger has her chance to prove her worth and after a shaky start has found her best form. An injury for Williams did not help her cause but since returning she has failed to break into the side. Zinsberger has kept two clean sheets and saved a penalty while Williams is left to watch on the bench. With Arsenal’s growing injury concerns, it may be worth the Australian finding her shooting boots outfield….
The £40,000 ShePlays fantasy league value is yet to materialise for Williams with cheaper guaranteed starters a more enticing option to free up budget further across managers teams.
Rose Lavelle – Manchester City – £80,000
Controversial I know, but Lavelle sneaks into the list. A World Cup winner and one of the players of the tournament, everyone was excited to see Lavelle make the move to England. She made her first start of the WSL season against Reading last time out but seems to be quite a way behind her impressive national team colleague in Sam Mewis. Lavelle struggled with the physicality that the Royals brought to the game and had little impact in a struggling City side. The few chances she did have were spurned wide or wrong decisions were made. She then finished the game as a lone striker while City were searching for a goal, interesting tactics for a player that is only 5ft 3…..
I have no doubt that the best is yet to come from the American as she adjusts to the new environment, teammates and style of play. There were glimpses of the skill she possess, it’s just been a slower development to the WSL than Mewis, who has overshadowed her (in more ways than one!) at City so far.
Nora Heroum – Brighton & Hove Albion – £30,000
Brighton brought in Finnish midfielder Nora Heroum to help their search for a higher position in the WSL. Heroum has 72 Finland caps to her name and joined from Italian side Milan. Her experience could prove vital to Brighton but it is yet to work out for the midfielder. Handed the number 11 shirt, she is yet to make her first WSL start appearing only once off the bench in the Round 2 fixture with Man City. Against Arsenal, Heroum was the only outfielder on the bench to not be brought on. The upcoming Conti Cup game with Charlton could prove vital for Heroum after she played the full 90 in the last of the Seasiders group games.
Jessie Fleming – Chelsea – £30,000
Opportunity. That’s the key……., there hasn’t been one.
Another exciting prospect that is sure to make her mark in the professional game is Jessie Fleming. There was huge hype over the Canadian international when she was excluded from the NWSL draft and subsequently joined Chelsea. She has found it hard at the Blues though failing to make her first start for the side. Fleming has been left to feature from the bench having only registered 11 minutes on the pitch so far. She was included for the last minute of the Community Shield before being introduced for the final minutes of the 9-0 victory over Bristol where the game was already over. A changed side for the Conti Cup fixture with Everton still proved a miss for Fleming and the 22-year-old will need to look for regular minutes soon, with international competition a big problem at the Blues.
Lisa Weiss – Aston Villa – £25,000
The 32-year-old goalkeeper was brought in at Aston Villa to bring some much-needed experience to the newly promoted side. Young goalkeeper Sian Rogers was handed the faith on the opening day as Villa faced Manchester City but was at fault for both goals in the 2-0 defeat. This opened the opportunity for Weiss to stake her claim in the following games but looked as shaky as Rogers. A 3-1 defeat to Reading before a horror show against Everton have put Villa in a predicament in the goalkeeper department. The former Lyon ‘keeper will need to up her game if Villa have any chance of survival this year with goal difference looking likely to play a huge factor come the end of the season.
Alternatively, an article with six of the best players to settle into WSL life so far can be seen here.
Please not this piece is an opinion piece and have full faith that these players have the quality to change their fortunes around. I appreciate that they have worked harder than I ever could to get into the positions they are today and really hope to see the best out of them as they season continues.
West Ham’s Hawa Cissoko (£20,000) and Manchester United’s Ivana Fuso (£27,500) have not been considered due to injuries that have prevented them from being available for selection for the length of the campaign so far.