Women's Super League: How Arsenal, Aston Villa, Brighton & Chelsea will fare

The new Women’s Super League season is just around the corner.

Last year, the title race went right down to the wire as Chelsea clinched top spot ahead of Arsenal on the final day of the season.

Meanwhile, Birmingham were relegated from the division for the first time, having been a founding member of the WSL.

This will be the 12th edition of the league since its inception in 2010 and will feature Liverpool for the first time since the 2019/20 season.

Ahead of the new campaign, GiveMeSport Women have previewed each of the 12 teams competing and predicted the final league table.

First up, we’ve taken a look at Arsenal, Aston Villa, Brighton and Chelsea:

KINGSTON UPON THAMES, ENGLAND - MAY 08: Sam Kerr of Chelsea lifts the Barclays FA Women's Super League trophy with her team mates following the Barclays FA Women's Super League match between Chelsea Women and Manchester United Women at Kingsmeadow on May 08, 2022 in Kingston upon Thames, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

Arsenal

Manager: Jonas Eidevall

Last season’s finish: 2nd

WSL titles: Three

Star players: Leah Williamson, Beth Mead, Vivianne Miedema

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After captaining England to Euro 2022 glory, Williamson will attempt to inspire the Gunners to a first league triumph since 2019.

Mead was named the Euro 2022 Player of the Tournament last month, while Miedema is the WSL’s all-time leading goalscorer.

The two formed a formidable partnership last season –– scoring 25 goals between them.

Beth Mead celebrates for Arsenal — LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 04: Beth Mead of Arsenal applauds the fans after the Barclays FA Women's Super League match between Arsenal Women and Tottenham Hotspur Women at Emirates Stadium on May 04, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

Transfers: In - Kaylan Marckese (Køge), Lina Hurtig (Juventus) Out - Anna Pattern (Aston Villa), Fran Stenson (Birmingham), Simone Boye Sørensen (Hammarby), Hermione Cull (London City Lionesses), Nikita Parris (Man United), Kim Little (OL Reign on loan), Lydia Williams (PSG), Tobin Heath (free), Viktoria Schnaderback (free), Halle Houssein (West Ham), Lisa Evans (West Ham), Alex Hennessy (West Ham), Keira Flannery (West Ham)

Predicted finish: 2nd

Arsenal were top of the league for the majority of the season but a draw against relegated side Birmingham proved to be costly, and Eidevall’s side finished one point behind Chelsea.

The addition of Hurtig up front looks to be an astute bit of business, and the Swedish star could link up well with compatriot Stina Blackstenius, who arrived last year.

However, the Gunners don’t appear to have strengthened in other areas and will be relying on the likes of Mead and Miedema to deliver again.

They’ll certainly be up there come the end of the season, but we feel the end result may prove to be the same as before.

SOLNA, SWEDEN - JUNE 28: Lina Hurtig of Sweden celebrates after scoring the 2-1 goal during the Women's International Friendly match between Sweden and Brazil at Friends Arena on June 28, 2022 in Solna, Sweden. (Photo by David Lidstrom/Getty Images)

Chelsea

Manager: Emma Hayes

Last season’s finish: 1st

WSL titles: Six

Star players: Sam Kerr, Pernille Harder, Millie Bright

Kerr has won the WSL’s Golden Boot for the past two seasons and is deservedly in contention to win this year’s Women’s Ballon d’Or.

Similarly, England hero Bright is also nominated for the Ballon d’Or and is a commanding presence in the centre of defence.

Harder remains the most expensive player ever in women’s football and is a two-time UEFA Women’s Player of the Year.

KINGSTON UPON THAMES, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 21: Sam Kerr of Chelsea runs with the ball during the Barclays FA Women's Super League match between Chelsea Women and Birmingham City Women at Kingsmeadow on November 21, 2021 in Kingston upon Thames, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Transfers: In - Eve Perisset (Bordeaux), Kadeisha Buchanan (Lyon), Katerina Svitkova (West Ham), Lucy Watson (Sheffield United), Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (BK Hacken) Out - Jorja Fox (Brighton), Poppy Soper (Charlton), Lucy Watson (Charlton), Aggie Beever-Jones (Everton), Jonna Anderson (Hammarby), Grace Palmer (Lewes), Emma Thompson (Lewes), Ji So-yun (Suwon FC), Drew Spence (Spurs)

Predicted finish: 1st

Chelsea have won the WSL three times in a row and we’re predicting them to win a fourth successive title.

Hayes has strengthened her squad massively with the addition of Buchanan in defence, while the core of last season’s team also remains.

If Kerr stays fit and the likes of Harder and Kirby fire on all cylinders then the Blues will be nearly impossible to stop.

Throw in the likes of Lauren James, who is a future star in waiting and Chelsea have a plethora of forward options to pick from.

Aston Villa

Manager: Carla Ward

Last season’s finish: 9th

WSL titles: None

Star players: Rachel Daly, Hannah Hampton

Hampton’s performances for Villa in goal last season were good enough to earn her a spot in Sarina Wiegman’s England squad for Euro 2022.

The 21-year-old still has bags of potential and is only going to get better.

Hampton’s England teammate Rachel Daly has also joined the side from the Houston Dash. She has plenty of international experience and can play in a variety of positions.

Transfers: In - Simone Magill (Everton), Danielle Turner (Everton), Natasha Harding (Reading), Anna Leat (West Ham), Kenza Dali (Everton), Rachel Daly (Houston Dash), Anna Pattern (Arsenal on loan) Out - Jodie Hutton (Bristol City), Shania Hayles (Bristol City), Sian Rogers (Charlton), Elisha N’Dow (Charlton), Chloe Arthur (Crystal Palace), Marisa Ewers (retired), Anita Asante (retired), Sophie Haywood (Sheffield United), Natalie Haigh (free)

Predicted finish: 7th

Having finished ninth last year, Villa have brought in plenty of experienced WSL faces, including Dali, Harding and Magill.

The team struggled somewhat for goals last year and may not be able to crack the top half just yet, but we expect them to build on last season’s showing.

Brighton

Manager: Hope Powell

Last season’s finish: 7th

WSL titles: None

Star players: Kayleigh Green, Elizabeth Terland

Green finished as Brighton’s joint top scorer last season and the Seagulls will hope she can provide even more goals this year, with Inessa Kaagman now gone.

Powell will also be hoping youngster Elizabeth Terland can find her feet early on. The striker has six goals in 17 appearances for the Norwegian national team and has plenty of talent.

Transfers: In - Veatriki Sarri - (Birmingham), Elizabeth Terland (Brann), Poppy Pattinson (Everton), Park Ye-eun (Gyeongju KHNP), Rebekah Stott (Melbourne City), Jorja Fox (Chelsea on loan), Out - Inessa Kaagman (PSV), Danique Kerkdijk (Twente), Danielle Bowman (retired), Emma Koivisto (Liverpool), Ellie Brazil (Spurs), Aileen Whelan (Leicester), Emily Simpkins (Charlton), Maya Le Tissier (Man United), Felicity Gibbons (Crystal Palace), Faith Nokulthula (Blackburn), Frankie Angel (Lewes)