2020–21 FA WSL explained

Competition:FA WSL
Season:2020–21
Winners:Chelsea
4th title
Relegated:Bristol City
Continentalcup1:Champions League
Continentalcup1 Qualifiers:Chelsea
Manchester City
Arsenal
League Topscorer:Sam Kerr
(21 goals)
Biggest Home Win:Chelsea 9–0 Bristol City
(13 September 2020)
Biggest Away Win:
(12 September 2020)
Highest Scoring:West Ham United 1–9 Arsenal
(12 September 2020)
Matches:132
Total Goals:413
Longest Wins:12 matches
Manchester City
Longest Unbeaten:16 matches
Manchester City
Longest Winless:13 matches
Birmingham City
Longest Losses:5 matches
Bristol City
Prevseason:2019–20
Nextseason:2021–22

The 2020–21 FA WSL season (also known as the Barclays FA Women's Super League for sponsorship reasons) was the tenth edition of the FA Women's Super League (WSL) since it was formed in 2010.[1] It was the third season after the rebranding of the four highest levels in English women's football.

From the 2020–21 season, the FA WSL was given three Champions League places per season, increased from the previous two.[2]

Chelsea were the defending champions, having been awarded the 2019–20 title on a points-per-game basis following the curtailment of the season due to COVID-19 pandemic in England.[3] [4] They became the first team since Liverpool in 2014 to defend a WSL title.

Teams

Twelve teams contested the FA WSL this season. At the end of the previous season, Liverpool were relegated while Aston Villa were promoted.[5]

Team Location Ground Capacity data-sort-type=number2019–20 season
4,502 3rd
11,000
3,050 11th
6,134 9th
3,528 10th
4,850 1st
2,200 6th
7,000 2nd
12,0004th
24,1615th
6,5007th
6,078 8th

Stadium changes

Four teams changed home ground prior to the start of the season: Reading relocated from Adams Park in High Wycombe to the Madejski Stadium, home of the team's male affiliate since it was constructed in 1998.[6] Newly-promoted Aston Villa signed a two-year deal with Walsall to play their home games at Bescot Stadium, moving from the Trevor Brown Memorial Ground[7] and West Ham United signed a one-year deal with Dagenham & Redbridge F.C. to play at Victoria Road for the season having previously played at the club's Rush Green training ground stadium.[8] In a bid to enable increased attendances amid COVID-19 restrictions and social distancing measures, Bristol City announced they were moving from the 1,500 capacity Stoke Gifford Stadium in Filton which had been purpose-built by the club in 2011 ahead of the first WSL season, to Twerton Park, an 3,528 capacity stadium home to Bath City.[9] [10]

Personnel and kits

TeamManagerCaptainKit manufacturerShirt sponsor
Arsenal AdidasFly Emirates
Aston Villa (interim)KappaCazoo
Birmingham CityNikeBiffa
Brighton & Hove AlbionNikeAmerican Express
Bristol City (maternity cover)HummelYeo Valley
Chelsea NikeThree
EvertonHummelMegaFon
Manchester CityPumaEtihad Airways
Manchester UnitedAdidasChevrolet
Reading Kelly ChambersMacronYLD
Tottenham Hotspur Josie GreenNikeAIA
West Ham United UmbroBetway

Managerial changes

TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointment
Manchester City (interim)End of interim period2 February 2020Pre-season28 May 2020[11]
Birmingham City (interim)End of interim period3 March 202013 August 2020[12]
West Ham UnitedMutual consent[13] 19 November 20209th (interim)19 November 2020
Tottenham Hotspur
Juan Carlos Amorós		Sacked[14] 19 November 202011th19 November 2020[15]
West Ham United (interim)End of interim period23 December 202010th 23 December 2020[16]
Bristol City Maternity leave15 January 202112th (interim)15 January 2021[17]
Aston VillaRetained head coach role25 January 202111th (interim)25 January 2021[18]

League table

Season statistics

Top scorers

RankPlayerClubGoals[19]
1 Sam KerrChelsea21
2 Vivianne MiedemaArsenal18
3 Fran KirbyChelsea16
4 Caitlin FoordArsenal10
Chloe KellyManchester City
Ellen WhiteManchester City
7 Pernille HarderChelsea9
Ella TooneManchester United
9 Caroline WeirManchester City8
Inessa KaagmanBrighton & Hove Albion

Clean sheets

RankPlayerClubClean
sheets[20]
1 Ann-Katrin BergerChelsea12
2 Ellie RoebuckManchester City11
3 Mary EarpsManchester United10
4 Lydia WilliamsArsenal7
5 Sandy MacIverEverton6
Megan WalshBrighton & Hove Albion
Lisa WeißAston Villa
8 Hannah HamptonBirmingham City4
Manuela ZinsbergerArsenal
10 Courtney BrosnanWest Ham United3
Grace MoloneyReading

Awards

Monthly awards

MonthManager of the MonthPlayer of the MonthRef.
ManagerClubPlayerClub
September Hope PowellBrighton & Hove Albion Jill RoordArsenal[21]
October Carla WardBirmingham City Vivianne MiedemaArsenal[22]
November Casey StoneyManchester United Tobin HeathManchester United[23]
December Casey StoneyManchester United Leah GaltonManchester United[24]
January Emma HayesChelsea Fran KirbyChelsea[25]
February Hope PowellBrighton & Hove Albion Lucy BronzeManchester City[26]
March Joe MontemurroArsenal Lotte Wubben-MoyArsenal[27]
April Joe MontemurroArsenal Sam KerrChelsea[28] [29]

Annual awards

AwardWinnerClub
Barclays FA WSL Player of the Season Fran Kirby[30] Chelsea
Barclays FA WSL Manager of the Season Emma HayesChelsea
PFA Players' Player of the Year Fran Kirby[31] Chelsea
PFA Young Player of the Year Lauren HempManchester City
FWA Footballer of the Year Fran Kirby[32] Chelsea
PFA Team of the Year[33]
Goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger (Chelsea)
Defenders Maren Mjelde (Chelsea) Leah Williamson (Arsenal) Magdalena Eriksson (Chelsea) Katie McCabe (Arsenal)
Midfielders Caroline Weir (Manchester City) Sam Mewis (Manchester City)
Forwards Chloe Kelly (Manchester City) Fran Kirby (Chelsea) Lauren Hemp (Manchester City) Sam Kerr (Chelsea)

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: The History of Women's Football. . The Football Association. 12 February 2020.
  2. Web site: Women's Super League to get extra Champions League spot from 2021 . . 4 December 2019 . 12 February 2020 .
  3. Web site: Statement: FA Barclays WSL and Women's Championship season ended . womenscompetitions.thefa.com.
  4. Web site: Chelsea handed Women's Super League title on points-per-game basis . The Guardian . 5 June 2020.
  5. News: Wrack . Suzanne . Chelsea handed Women's Super League title on points-per-game basis . 5 June 2020 . The Guardian . 5 June 2020 .
  6. News: Reading Women: Top-flight side to move to Madejski Stadium . 27 May 2020 . BBC Sport . 27 May 2020.
  7. News: Villa Women to play at Walsall FC from 2020/21 season . 12 June 2020 . Aston Villa . 12 June 2020.
  8. Web site: West Ham United women's team reveal new matchday home . www.whufc.com. West Ham United. 29 July 2020 . en.
  9. Web site: Leighton . Tony . Bristol Academy builds Britain's first women's stadium . The Guardian . en . 25 April 2010.
  10. Web site: New home for City Women. 2020-08-05. 2020-08-05. Bristol City. en.
  11. Web site: Manchester City Women appoint Gareth Taylor as manager . The Guardian . 28 May 2020.
  12. Web site: Carla Ward appointed Women's Head Coach . Birmingham City Football Club . 13 August 2020 . 13 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200913052600/https://www.bcfc.com/news/articles/2020/carla-ward-appointed-womens-head-coach/ . dead .
  13. Web site: Wrack . Suzanne . West Ham undertake WSL reshuffle as manager Matt Beard leaves . The Guardian . 19 November 2020.
  14. Web site: Karen Hills and Juan Amoros leave Club . Tottenham Hotspur.
  15. Web site: Rehanne Skinner appointed new Tottenham Hotspur Women Head Coach . Tottenham Hotspur.
  16. Web site: WSL side West Ham appoint Harder as boss . BBC Sport.
  17. Web site: Beard in temporary charge as Oxtoby cover . Bristol City.
  18. Web site: Marcus Bignot joins Aston Villa Women as Interim Manager . Aston Villa Football Club.
  19. Web site: The FA Women's Super League Top Scorers . BBC Sport. 9 May 2021.
  20. Web site: Women's Super League Goalkeeper Stats . FBref.com. 9 May 2021.
  21. Web site: Albion head coach wins manager of the month award . The Argus. 9 October 2020. Adam . Stenning .
  22. Web site: FA WSL reveal Player and Manager of the Month for October . OneFootball. Lewis. Ambrose. 9 November 2020.
  23. Web site: Casey Stoney and Tobin Heath win WSL awards for November . www.manutd.com. Manchester United. Sam. Carney. 11 December 2020.
  24. Web site: Galton and Stoney pick up December WSL awards . Manchester Evening News. Carrie. Dunn. 15 January 2021.
  25. Web site: Hayes and Kirby win manager and player of the month awards . Chelsea Football Club . 17 February 2021.
  26. Web site: Lucy Bronze & Hope Powell win WSL monthly awards for February . 90min.com. Jamie . Spencer . 12 March 2021.
  27. Web site: Ouzia . Malik . Arsenal pair Montemurro and Wubben-Moy sweep WSL March awards . London Evening Standard . 16 April 2021.
  28. Web site: Bunting . Josh . Arsenal boss Montemurro picks up second straight manager of the month award . Islington Gazette . 2021-05-09.
  29. Web site: Kerr scoops April's Player of the Month award . Chelsea FC.
  30. Web site: Ouzia . Malik . Chelsea star Kirby named WSL Player of the Season . www.standard.co.uk . 2021-05-24.
  31. Web site: Chelsea star Kirby wins women's PFA Players' Player of the Year as Hemp wins Young Player of the Year award . www.goal.com.
  32. Web site: Kirby named FWA women's player of year . BBC Sport.
  33. Web site: Chelsea players, including Fran Kirby and Sam Kerr, dominate PFA WSL Team of the Year . Sky Sports.

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