WSL at halfway: best of the season so far and moving the goalposts
Manchester City lead the Women's Super League at the halfway mark after a 10-game winning streak following an opening defeat to Chelsea. City sits six points clear at the top with 30 points from 11 games. Bunny Shaw is the league's top scorer with 12 goals. The team is noted for playing expansive football utilizing wide attackers, with key players including Hemp, Fujino, Kerolin, Casparij, and Miedema in a creative No.10 role. Newly signed 22-year-old Canadian centre-back Jade Rose has contributed defensive solidity, recording 42 clearances and steady defending. Other standout signings this season include Koga, Park, Carpenter, and Olsson. Tottenham's Martin Ho has been recognized as the best manager for significantly improving Spurs' performance beyond their last season's 20-point pace with half the season completed. Ho's success contrasts with Glenn Jeglertz's immediate impact after joining Manchester City from Denmark. Arsenal, by contrast, represent the biggest disappointment, lying eight points behind City with just one defeat and four draws, attributed to an aging squad, injuries, and dressing-room disharmony. A squad overhaul is suggested for January. Scheduling has been a major grievance this season, with noon kick-offs and clustered fixtures frustrating fans and broadcasters alike. Sky's viewing figures have suffered, such as only 71,000 viewers for the Arsenal–Chelsea match. The WSL plans to reconsider its scheduling in the summer. Hopes for the second half of the season include avoiding further ACL injuries after eight occurrences in the first half, potential reductions in unofficial tactical timeouts, and for Liverpool and/or Everton to secure a home league win to boost Merseyside morale. The current top five standings after 11 games are Manchester City (30 points), Chelsea (24), Arsenal (22), Manchester United (21), and Tottenham (20).
