City’s Resurgence: From Disappointment to Dominance in the WSL

omidbasir- The 2024-25 season has been a turbulent journey for Manchester City’s women’s team. Initially, the season began on a positive note under head coach Gareth Taylor, featuring an impressive unbeaten streak of eight matches, including seven victories and a notable win against Barcelona in the Champions League.

However, injuries soon decimated the squad’s ability to compete across four tournaments, leading to a challenging period marked by four losses in six WSL matches. This downturn effectively curtailed what had appeared to be a serious title challenge before the winter break.

In March, Taylor departed from his role just days prior to the League Cup final, and interim coach Nick Cushing struggled to galvanize the team. Under his leadership, City lost four of his first six matches, including the cup final, a Champions League quarter-final, and a Manchester derby in the FA Cup. A subsequent draw at Old Trafford condemned City to a finish outside of the European spots—an outcome the club had sought to avoid by changing coaches. What began as a promising season ended in disappointment.

However, a silver lining emerged from this setback, one that has illuminated the current season. With no European commitments, City’s schedule is notably less demanding compared to their major WSL rivals. While the club would have preferred to compete in the Champions League knockout stages alongside United, Arsenal, and Chelsea, the nine-point lead they have established at the top of the table serves as a gratifying consolation.

“We really must aim for first place,” asserted Yui Hasegawa, City’s pivotal midfielder, in a pre-season statement to GOAL, emphasizing the advantages of a lighter schedule. “We can focus on the domestic league, so I think the chances of winning the title are probably the highest.” Her remarks have proven to be prophetic thus far.

Injuries have still plagued the team this season, with key players such as Alex Greenwood, Lauren Hemp, Kerolin, Grace Clinton, and Sydney Lohmann missing significant time, while Mary Fowler remains sidelined with an ACL injury from last season.

The absence of a fourth competition, however, has provided City with essential breathing room. This change has allowed key players to rest and recover more effectively, and the squad’s depth has improved compared to last year. The addition of U.S. international Sam Coffey, an exceptional holding midfielder, during the January transfer window has further bolstered the team’s chances as the season progresses.

Credit is due to the players who have stepped up to fill the gaps left by injuries, ensuring the team’s performance has remained strong. Jade Rose, a young player with limited senior experience, has made a significant impact in her inaugural season at City, demonstrating composure in defense despite Greenwood’s absence. Similarly, Laura Blindkilde Brown has excelled in midfield, mitigating the losses of Lohmann and Clinton, while Iman Beney has showcased her talent on the wing during Hemp’s recovery, further establishing her reputation as one of Europe’s most promising teenagers.

Identifying a player who has not played a vital role in this outstanding season is a challenge. This collective effort—beyond just the standout performances from the prolific Khadija Shaw, the creative Vivianne Miedema, the relentless right-back Kerstin Casparij, and the consistently impressive Hasegawa—has been crucial to the high-energy football that new head coach Andree Jeglertz has introduced.

“We have seen so many times this year that the players who have come on have injected an extra gear into the team,” Jeglertz noted recently. “We often say everyone counts, and we’ve demonstrated that through our game plan and the contributions from our substitutes.”

Jeglertz deserves recognition for his adept management of player rotations and substitutions. The Swede has effectively balanced refreshing the squad and providing rest without compromising on-field cohesion, a demanding task in itself.

For comparison, one need only look at Chelsea, City’s opponents this Sunday, to understand the complexities of managing a large and talented squad. Head coach Sonia Bompastor has the advantage of a world-class lineup, yet maintaining team cohesion, rhythm, and ensuring adequate rest for individual players has proven challenging. Chelsea’s recent underwhelming performances in the WSL reflect this struggle.

Currently, Chelsea finds themselves nine points adrift from City, a stark contrast to last season when they were leading the league by a significant margin. Despite a decline in performance, especially in attack, Chelsea poses a serious threat to City, having beaten them twice this season and in their last four encounters. However, regardless of the outcome in Manchester, the title appears to be City’s to lose. No team has ever built such a substantial lead at the top of the WSL without ultimately claiming the trophy, and at this point, City looks unlikely to falter.