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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Suzanne Wrack and Tom Garry

WSL going into the winter break: all the teams rated after first 10 games

(clockwise from top left) Manchester United’s Phallon Tullis-Joyce, Chelsea’s Mayra Ramírez and Sjoeke Nüsken, Liverpool’s Taylor Hinds, Brighton’s Kiko Seike, Aston Villa’s Anna Patten
(clockwise from top left) Manchester United’s Phallon Tullis-Joyce, Chelsea’s Mayra Ramírez and Sjoeke Nüsken, Liverpool’s Taylor Hinds, Brighton’s Kiko Seike, Aston Villa’s Anna Patten. Composite: Getty Images

1 Chelsea (28pts)

Marking unbeaten Chelsea down a point may seem harsh and a kneejerk reaction to the 1-1 draw against Leicester that rounded off their WSL schedule for 2024. Sonia Bompastor’s side were poor in that game, accruing 81 touches in the opposition box but mustering one goal. However, had they won, a 10 out of 10 score would not have been a given. Why? Bompastor’s side have thrilled this season, sweeping teams aside, and the results have been consistent, but the performances less so. They have conceded goals to Arsenal, Tottenham, Brighton and Leicester but, even when they have kept a clean sheet, there have been signs of a defensive fragility that, on different days or against different opponents, could be punished. It may seem like scraping the barrel to find faults in an outstanding start to the season, but this is the level of scrutiny they will apply to themselves. SW 9/10

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