Chelsea have been named the champions of the 2019-20 Women’s Super League on Friday last week after the Football Association board voted to determine the tables based on points per game.
The football governing body had declared an end to the season on May 25, with 45 games still remaining in the WSL, adding that the determination of the victors, relegation candidates and European qualifiers will be decided on the basis of “sporting merit”.
Manchester City were a point ahead of Chelsea when the campaign was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic but had played one game more than the west London giants.
Both clubs will represent England in the Women’s Champions League next season.
Meanwhile, Liverpool, who were placed at the bottom of the standings with six points, have been relegated from the top tier, making way for Aston Villa, who were six points clear of Sheffield United at the top of the Championship, to be promoted.
With the season now put to rest, we have taken the liberty to compile a list of players who have made it to our WSL team of the season:
Goalkeeper: Ellie Roebuck (Manchester City)
While there were a series of goalkeepers who punched above their weight this season, there is perhaps no shot-stopper who was in better form in the Women’s Super League than Ellie Roebuck.
The 20-year-old star is a commanding presence between the sticks despite her age, and her stellar performances have helped Manchester City keep the best defensive record in the division.
The Sheffield-born goalkeeper registered 10 clean sheets this season, which is four better than any of her counterparts in the WSL and boasts of having one of the best save percentages in the league with 84 per cent.
Roebuck has indisputably secured her place as her club’s No.1, ahead of Karen Bardsley, and is well on her way to make a name for herself in the England national team, too.
Left-back: Magdalena Eriksson (Chelsea)
Magdalena Eriksson has established herself as an integral part of the Chelsea squad since she joined the club in 2017.
The Swedish left-back is known for her calm but determined demeanour on the pitch and was subsequently awarded the captain’s armband under Emma Hayes.
The 26-year-old defender boasts of a 64% successful tackle and aerial duels percentage and has been simply a rock in the Blues defence all season.
Eriksson is equally as dangerous in the attack and possesses an excellent left foot which has helped her score some of Chelsea’s best goals in the last few years. She has only registered one goal for the club this year but it is considered one of the most important goals of the season as it was an equaliser against then-league leaders, Manchester City.
Centre-back: Gemma Bonner (Manchester City)
Gemma Bonner, who is the second-most experienced player in the Women’s Super League with almost 150 appearances, has proven herself to be an excellent leader at Manchester City, where she has been dominating the proceedings at the heart of the defence alongside Steph Houghton in the last two seasons.
The former Liverpool captain boasts of a tackle success rate of 68% and has won 61% of her aerial battles this season, with her contributions crucial to maintaining Manchester City’s mean defensive record.
The 28-year-old defender is also considered a perennial goalscoring threat as her ability to find herself in the right positions from corners and her positional awareness have helped her score crucial goals for the Citizens, including winners in 1-0 wins over Liverpool and Bristol City.
Bonner controversially has only 11 caps for the England national team and Phil Neville has continually been the subject of scathing criticism after failing to include her in his squad multiple times.
Centre-back: Leah Williamson (Arsenal)
Initially starting as a midfielder, Leah Williamson has now established herself as one of the best central defenders in England following a remarkable season for Joe Montemurro’s Arsenal side.
The 23-year-old played a key role in the Gunners’ title-winning campaign last season and has further improved after joining the likes of Steph Houghton and Millie Bright in the England national team that made it to the semi-finals of the 2019 World Cup.
The England international has made the most passes in the Women’s Super League this season and has won 66 per cent of her tackles as well as 63 per cent of her aerial duels. She has made an average of 1.16 interceptions per game, which is the highest in the Arsenal squad and has not made a single error leading to an opposition shot on goal.
The Arsenal academy graduate has also registered two goals in all competitions for the club this season, scoring in the Gunners’ 11-1 win over Bristol City and in their Continental Cup final defeat to Chelsea.
Right-back: Maren Mjelde (Chelsea)
Maren Mjelde has been a pivotal figure for Chelsea as they lifted the Women’s Super League title this season and has displayed immense consistency despite being deployed in multiple positions in the course of the campaign.
Naturally a centre-back or central midfielder, the Norway international has been regularly utilised as a right-back this season and has been industrious in the role, often reminding Emma Hayes that she has a reliable and versatile player at her disposal.
The 30-year-old has created more chances than any other defensive player in the Women’s Super League this term and also boasts of a 62.5% tackle completion rate. Besides her defensive contributions, she is also dangerous on the other end of the pitch, having netted four goals for the Blues in the league.
Defensive midfielder: Sophie Ingle (Chelsea)
Sophie Ingle has been one of the Women’s Super League’s best performers this season and is widely viewed as the best holding midfielder in the division.
The Wales international has scored four goals in 15 appearances for Chelsea before the season was halted due to the coronavirus pandemic, with her volley against Arsenal back in January even prompting manager Emma Hayes to urge Phil Neville to build his Team GB around the midfielder.
The 28-year-old, who hails from Llandough, provides the foundation for both the attacking and defensive anatomies of Emma Hayes’ 4-4-2 formation this season. She is responsible for denying the opposition’s forward passing lines as well as putting pressure on the opposing midfield.
Ingle further commands a deeper and central space on the pitch which allows her to limit any counter-attacks from her opponents. Her positional rotations and intelligent movements have been crucial to maintaining a balance in the team set-up and are accountable for the fluid success of Hayes’ tactical approach this season.
Central midfielder: Caroline Weir (Manchester City)
Caroline Weir has been thriving in her central midfield role at Manchester City and has been instrumental to the club’s title push this season.
The Scotland international played a crucial role in the transition of possession from defence to attack as she seamlessly switches positions with Kate Walsh and efficiently distributes the ball to more advanced players.
She has won more possession back in the final third than any other player in the Women’s Super League, ranks fifth for interceptions and has won 62% of her tackles in the recently-concluded season.
Weir is capable of dominating both ends of the pitch and is undoubtedly one of the best midfielders in the game, who would walk into any starting eleven with ease.
Central midfielder: Guro Reiten (Chelsea)
Guro Reiten joined Chelsea ahead of the 2019-20 season and arrived at the club with a big reputation. The versatile left-footed Norwegian was known as one of the most creative midfielders in women’s football and has certainly proven her mettle in a single season with the Blues.
The former Lillestrom star, who was the Toppserien’s top-scorer for three seasons before her move to England, quickly developed a connection with her teammates and this is quite evident in the way her through balls and crosses are flawlessly executed on the pitch.
The 25-year-old registered five goals for the Women’s Super League champions this season and provided a record eight assists to finish the campaign as the joint-highest provider in the league.
In a squad full of well-known stars, Reiten is the unsung hero who consistently pulled the strings at the heart of the pitch as Chelsea won the WSL and the Continental Cup.
Right-wing: Beth England (Chelsea)
After spending the 2017-18 season on loan at Liverpool, Beth England had feared that her career at Chelsea was over and this feeling intensified when the club signed the highly-rated Sam Kerr in November last year.
However, when she returned to the west London outfit last season, she displayed a renewed version of herself and finished the season as the club’s top scorer with 22 goals in all competitions.
This season, England returned to the squad with new-found confidence and once again highlighted her importance in Emma Hayes set-up. She scored 14 goals in the Women’s Super League in the recently-concluded campaign, which includes the phenomenal 30-yard strike in the opening WSL game against Tottenham Hotspur last year, during which the Blues won 1-0 at Stamford Bridge.
Striker: Vivianne Miedema (Arsenal)
Vivianne Miedema has enjoyed a meteoric rise to the summit of women’s football and boasts of a terrific strike rate for club and country. She was the primary attacking force in the Arsenal squad this season and finished the campaign as the leading goalscorer in the Women’s Super League, with 16 goals in 14 games.
The 23-year-old striker boasts of a natural goalscoring instinct which, coupled with her game intelligence and quick feet, poses as a massive danger to opposition defences across the country. She is also much-loved for her attitude towards the game as she is more content being away from the limelight as opposed to being attracted to individual glory.
All these qualities were highlighted in her performance in the Gunners’ 11-1 win over Bristol City back in December, where she scored six goals and provided four assists, to break the record for the most goal involvements in a Women’s Super League match.
Left-wing: Lauren James (Manchester United)
The young Lauren James has established herself as one of the most important players at Manchester United as they concluded their debut Women’s Super League season with a fourth-place finish.
The 18-year-old forward leads the line for the Manchester giants but is skilled on both feet and is capable of taking on defenders on both wings with efficiency. She also possesses impressive decision-making skills for her age and boasts of a deceptive pace and technical ability.
James netted six goals in just nine starts for United this season and her influence in the team is only just beginning as she just signed her first professional contract with the club in December last year.
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