Laura Hunter, a columnist for Sky Sports, breaks down the most compelling storylines emerging from the opening round of the Women's Super League, offering readers a deeper look at the narratives shaping the women's game today. Michele Kang rolled out a glamorous welcome on the pitch in Bromley for the London City Lionesses’ first match of the season, a game played under the floodlights with Sky Sports cameras capturing every moment.
The event attracted a packed stadium, and Kang herself was among the enthusiastic supporters cheering from the stands. Unsurprisingly, all eyes were on Alexia Putellas.
The two‑time Ballon d’Or winner commands a level of attention that few players ever receive. Yet, from a purely footballing perspective, the night’s most influential performers were Delphis Cascarino and Danielle van de Donk. Neither player was part of the club’s high‑profile summer acquisitions, but both proved to be the most decisive figures on the field.
London City delivered a performance that felt more cohesive and complete than many of the displays they managed last season, and even more impressive than the sum of their individual talents would have suggested. Putellas was solid, though not yet dazzling. Adjusting to a new environment takes time, and the on‑field chemistry often needs a period of mutual adaptation. This has always been the case for La Reina; her teammates must learn to operate on her wavelength, while she learns how to best exploit the strengths of those around her.
What is crystal clear is that the Spanish superstar will serve as the central pillar of Eder Maestre’s tactical blueprint. Of the eight clear‑cut chances London City manufactured, Putellas finished two, while Cascarino was directly involved in four.
The relentless hype surrounding Putellas is likely to persist throughout the campaign, with her standards providing the backbone and spirit for a squad that is still finding its identity. On the surface, Maestre’s side appeared to gel quickly. Of course, tougher challenges lie ahead, but the opening fixture presented a perfect contrast: a rising London City side versus a Manchester United team that seemed to be slipping into a period of decline. London City barely paused to acknowledge the opposition before asserting dominance.
Kang’s influence has already permeated Bromley, and as long as the results keep pace with the ambition, her name will dominate WSL conversation. The magnetism of Putellas is undeniable, as is the allure of Cascarino. Even Mary Earps, who did not play on Friday, remained a major draw for fans. Yet, while purchasing top‑class players is relatively straightforward, forging a consistently performing unit from those pieces is a far more complex undertaking.
Moving on to Manchester City, week one saw Khadija "Bunny" Shaw reaffirm her reputation as arguably the league’s most lethal striker. Her eleven attempts produced two goals in City’s victory over Birmingham. The win was not a showcase of tactical experimentation, but the efficiency was impressive.
Both goals came from set‑piece situations – corner kicks delivered from the left side – and Shaw’s movement was almost identical for each, with the second header requiring a far more challenging angle to find the net. She executed both with an ease that belied the difficulty. City’s proficiency from corners is well‑documented; they netted fifteen times from corner kicks last season, a record for any team, and they were the only side to score from a set‑piece over the opening weekend. In the previous campaign, they found the back of the net from a set‑play in all but seven matches, underscoring the importance of dead‑ball situations in their arsenal.
However, the most striking observation from City’s performance was the lopsided nature of their open‑play attacks. The majority of the creative thrust was funneled through Lauren Hemp. Loading the left flank is not a novel concept, but relying on a single outlet to such an extent can become predictable and limit the team’s attacking diversity. Hemp is a superb conduit – she possesses blistering pace and exceptional crossing accuracy, which is why City’s centre‑backs often look left when building from the back.
Gracie Prior linked up with Hemp eleven times against Birmingham, a pattern that opponents will quickly note and attempt to neutralise. To evolve, City may need to use Hemp’s reputation as a decoy, drawing defenders toward her and then exploiting the spaces that open up elsewhere. Head coach Andree Jeglertz has repeatedly expressed a desire for the team to develop fresh, inventive ways of creating scoring opportunities.
He advocates for central rotations that leverage the ball‑playing abilities of Japanese midfielder Yui Hasegawa, encouraging the squad to tap into her expansive passing range more frequently. The potential return of Vivianne Miedema from injury could also add a new dimension to City’s attack, though the exact timing of her comeback remains uncertain. In the meantime, the team can continue to diversify its approach, mixing up patterns of play to become even more versatile.
Such adaptability could transform a very good side into an almost unbeatable one. Chelsea, meanwhile, entered the new season with a familiar issue: a creative midfield that lacks a reliable finisher.
Lauren James cannot be expected to shoulder the entire goal‑scoring burden alone. Since Sonia Bompastor took the helm, the Blues have struggled to convert the abundance of chances they create into goals.
Statistically, Chelsea’s 1‑1 draw with Aston Villa was a paradox. The team generated a wealth of final‑third entries, crafting five clear‑cut opportunities and missing four of them.
James, playing both as a winger and a forward, produced the joint‑most chances for teammates (four) while also taking the highest number of shots herself (eleven). Aggie Beever‑Jones posted the highest expected‑goals figure for the match, yet debutant goalkeeper Akane Okuma matched both of her attempts on target, neither of which proved overly demanding.
A key deficiency remains the speed at which Chelsea transition into the box. This sluggishness allows retreating defenders to recover and block shots – Aston Villa recorded six blocks, and Okuma made an impressive nine saves. Bompastor summed it up succinctly: "We have to speed up the game." Chelsea’s 35 shots represent the most they have ever taken in a league match that they failed to win.
Bompastor added, "If you analyse the statistics, you would say it's crazy that we didn't win." The club’s pipeline of attackers appears thin relative to the challenges they face. While they anticipate the return of talents such as Melvine Malard and Mayra Ramírez, they need immediate firepower to compete at the highest level. Overall, the opening week of the WSL has delivered a mixture of dominant performances, emerging storylines, and clear areas for improvement across the league. As the season unfolds, the ability of teams to adapt, innovate, and integrate their star signings will determine who rises to the top and who will be left chasing the pace.