FourFourTwo's FA Women's Super League Season Preview 2016!

We caught up with a player from each team to talk hopes, dreams, expectations and predictions galore...

Arsenal Ladies

The 2015 Continental Cup winners go into the new season with a point to prove. League winners for nine consecutive seasons from 2004, they have fallen short in recent years despite being crowned champions for the first two seasons of the FA WSL.

“Our main aim is obviously to be winning trophies,” Arsenal midfielder Jordan Nobbs tells FFT. “We’ve failed to finish in the top two for the last two seasons, so that’s a must for us this season.”

The England vice-captain signed a new contract with Arsenal Ladies last month and will be a key player in the Gunners’ push for silverware – if she can avoid injury.

“On a personal note, I just want to stay fit and be a major part of us winning trophies. I know what I can do as a player but I need to be doing that on the pitch and showing what I can do.”

FFT prediction: 2nd

Birmingham City Ladies

Many people’s tip for relegation this season, Birmingham City Ladies enter the new campaign without talismanic midfielder Karen Carney.

Carney, who signed for champions Chelsea in December, became the first female ever to be inducted into Birmingham City's Hall of Fame in March 2015 – and her absence will undoubtedly be felt.

But new captain Emily Westwood, who was voted into position by her team-mates, told the Birmingham Mail that the Blues are aiming to prove people wrong despite their relegation favourites tag. With a mix of experience and youth, they may do just that.

“As a club we’re just going to take each game as it comes,” said defender Aoife Mannion.

“We’ll be going into each game trying to get as many points as possible. We’re hungry, we’re enthusiastic and we’ve got a positive attitude.

“Personally, my aims are to do the best I can. How you manage yourself and what your own aspirations are feed into how you affect the team. I’ll be trying to play the best I can and most of all, enjoy it.”

FFT prediction: 9th

Chelsea Ladies

“I'd be wrong if I said anyone else surely? You can't write off anyone in this league. It's going to be tough, but it's our trophy,” Chelsea's confident vice-captain Gilly Flaherty tells FFT.

League champions for the first time in their history last season, Chelsea Ladies also conquered in the FA Cup, winning the first final to be hosted at Wembley. Flaherty, not satisfied settling with that, wants more this season.

“Our aims as a club are to always compete in all four competitions we are involved in, and strive to win all four. We want to retain our trophies; we know it's going to be harder this year but we are prepared for the battle.”

The 24-year-old Flaherty was one half of the league’s tightest central defensive partnership alongside Niamh Fahey, which helped keen eight clean sheets in 14 league games in 2015. Not only that, she proved her worth at the other end by knocking in four goals – form she is keen to reproduce.

“I want to play every minute of every game for Chelsea,” says the former Gunner. “That's my own personal target. Also trying to get a few goals like I did last year would be ledge too!

“I want to be fit for club and country. With England, I want to be a part of the Euro qualifiers this season and stay within the 23 squad for every camp.”

FFT prediction: 1st

Doncaster Rovers Belles

Doncaster Rovers Belles are back where they belong. Controversially demoted (not relegated) to FAWSL 2 after finishing second from bottom in the first two WSL seasons, Belles were replaced by Manchester City Women in FA WSL 1 in 2014.

Controversy aside, Belles are back and looking to make their mark. New signing Natasha Dowie is confident and looking to capitalise if any team are naive enough to underestimate them.

“We’ve got big ambitions,” the former Liverpool striker reveals. “I think a lot of teams are going to underestimate us being newly promoted but you only need to look at Leicester in the Premier League and what Sunderland did in the WSL last season.

“We’ve got some really talented players in the team and we’ve kept most of the squad together from last year as well. We want to reach finals, cup finals – the FA Cup at Wembley would be unbelievable. I don’t sign for a team if I’m not wanting to win.”

Top scorer at every club she has been at, the two-time FA WSL winner is looking to continue that form in Doncaster.

“I’ve always been top scorer every year at whatever club I’ve been at, so I’d like to be top scorer again,” Dowie says. “Whether that’s just for Donny or in the league as well, that would be amazing.

“Hopefully that would have a knock-on effect. Maybe I can get back into the England squad. It’s every player’s dream to represent their country. England are doing so well at the minute... who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?”

FFT prediction: 6th

Liverpool Ladies

The 2013 and 2014 FA WSL winners endured a difficult campaign last time out, finishing a disappointing 7th. High-profile player departures, as well as manager Matt Beard departing for Boston Breakers, means it’s all change on Merseyside.

Not all change is bad, though, and the addition of two World Cup bronze medalists to the squad (Alex Greenwood and Siobhan Chamberlain) brings significant experience to an already impressive backline.

“We’ve got a very new squad,” Reds newbie Chamberlain told FFT. “We’ve got nine new players so it will be important that we gel quickly and start playing well together. That will affect how well we can do this season. 

“It’s a short season – there aren’t many games – so it’s important to get some good results early on to get some momentum going.

“Personally, it’s important for me to be back playing. I haven’t played a lot in the last couple of years. I want to perform to the best of my ability and push on from there.”

FFT prediction: 7th

Manchester City Women

It’s been a case of slow, steady but definite progression for Manchester City Women over the last two seasons.

In their debut season in the top flight, Nick Cushing's side collected their first ever piece of silverware, the Continental Cup, after a 1-0 victory over Arsenal Ladies in the final.

Last season, City finished 2nd in the FA WSL, earning a spot in the 2016 Champions League. With Karen Bardsley, Steph Houghton, Jill Scott and Toni Duggan, City have a solid spine to build around.

One player looking to break her way into the first team this season is 16-year-old Georgia Stanway.

“I’d like to play more games, maybe be a regular starter in the first team. There’s a lot to play for and I think we’ve got the right set of girls, we’ve got the right mentality in the team.”

Stanway made her first-team debut in 2015 and just days after chatting to FourFourTwo, scored this belter against Liverpool in the SSE Women's FA Cup fifth round.

FFT prediction: 3rd

Notts County Ladies

Finalists in the two domestic cups and a 5th-place finish in the league was a decent return for Notts County Ladies last season – and one Carly Telford is keen to replicate.

“We made great strides last year,” says the England international. “Two cup finals and finishing mid-table was good for us. We’ve just got to build on that. Making two finals is a big ask but it’s not something we can’t achieve, and that consistency of making finals needs to turn to actually winning them.

“In the league, we are realistic – we know we are in amongst it but also that Chelsea, Arsenal and Man City have bought very well this year and have got a lot of talent. We have a very good spine and some very good youngsters.”

Telford, who has just launched the first-ever goalkeeping gloves designed specifically for women with Precision Goalkeeping, is also aiming to make strides on the international stage this season.

“I’ve been in and among the England team for a long time now – I think it’s time for me to start stepping up and show what I’m about,” she tells FFT. “I’ve had two good seasons but I really want to start taking things to the next level and making sure I’m doing everything I can to fulfil my potential. I want to be looked at as the best goalkeeper in this league, in this country, and I want to do it as quick as I can.”

FFT prediction: 4th

Reading Women

Promoted as champions from FA WSL 2, Reading are ready and raring to go in the top tier.

Though without pocket rocket Fran Kirby, who made the switch to Chelsea midway through last season, the Royals are quietly confident they can more than hold their own according to forward Melissa Fletcher.

“We want to make a name for ourselves this season,” says the Royals attacker. “It’s our first one in the top league, but we’re not going to rule ourselves out of achieving anything at this stage.”

Amber Stobbs, new to the FA WSL having studied and played in America for the last five years, is also looking forward to the challenge of the ever-developing women’s game in England: “It’s the first time I’ve played in England in six or seven years so I want to make a name for myself but I’m more of a team player. I want to make sure I’m performing well and helping my team as much as I can.

“It’s very different here; more technical and the speed of play is probably faster in a football way. In America it’s faster in an athletic way.

“The English game has got more physical and more athletic than it was when I was a youngster playing here. In America, you can get by not being that technical. In this league, I don’t think you can. It’s more of a football league.”

FFT prediction: 8th

Sunderland AFC Ladies

Sunderland took the league by storm in 2015, going from strength to strength after winning their opening fixture 2-1 away to league champions Liverpool.

Key to their success was young striker, Beth Mead. The 20-year-old Teesside University student bagged 12 goals in 14 league matches – a tally she’d like to surpass this season.

“I would like to score more goals, even though I didn’t think I’d get anywhere near what I did last season,” Mead admits. “I want to prove a point again – I don’t want to be a one-season wonder.”

The Black Cats will be looking to build on 2015’s showing and perhaps exceed expectations again.

“We want to finish higher, maybe in the Champions League – it’s not impossible,” Mead beams enthusiastically. “We want to improve on everything we did. As a team and as individuals, I think everyone wants to develop and take the club further."

FFT prediction: 5th

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