Can the Gunners follow up last season’s stunning Champions League success by ending Chelsea’s WSL dominance?
Guardian writers’ predicted position: 1st (NB: this is not necessarily Suzanne Wrack’s prediction but the average of our writers’ tips)
Last season’s position: 2nd
Just how impactful can a stunning Champions League win be on the psychology of a team that has struggled to challenge domestically in recent years? We are about to find out. Arsenal’s battling run to Lisbon and subsequent victory over Barcelona ended a north London trophy drought, yet it has still been six years since the most decorated women’s team in England won a Women’s Super League title. Back-to-back League Cup wins in 2023 and 2024 ensured the cupboard was filled somewhat during that time, but those were widely viewed as not enough for a club with such an illustrious history, and certainly did not match up with the level of investment being pumped into the team.
Ending Chelsea’s dominance of the WSL is the focus of every team looking to challenge at the top and Arsenal are no different. For the latest challenge they boast players riding high on the crest of a trophy-laden wave, with five European champions for club and country in their squad following England’s triumph in Switzerland. The key is finding consistency across the four competitions that have eluded them in recent years. Renée Slegers’ squad has been strengthened, with the world-record fee paid for Olivia Smith a real statement of intent. It has, however, also suffered the blow of Leah Williamson being ruled out for the start of the campaign following a knee procedure.
