The 2024/25 Women’s Super League season begins this weekend, with plenty of new players, managers and a newly-promoted side to be aware of.
Here’s a full run-down of the things you need to know before we host Manchester City at Emirates Stadium on Sunday:
SUMMER SIGNINGS
Our supporters will be looking forward to seeing the likes of Rosa Kafaji, Mariona Caldentey and Daphne van Domselaar in WSL action for the first time this season, but there have also been plenty of big moves elsewhere in the division.
Former Liverpool midfielder Missy Bo Kearns completed a switch to Aston Villa, while Lioness Fran Kirby has made the move from Chelsea to Brighton & Hove Albion.
As for Chelsea, they’ve bolstered their defensive ranks with the recruitment of Lucy Bronze. Title challengers Manchester City will be hoping former Gunner Vivianne Miedema can add to their attack.
IN THE DUGOUT
Emma Hayes’ departure from Chelsea was one of the biggest headlines of last season as she became the head coach of the United States women’s national team following 12 years with the Blues. She’s been replaced by Sonia Bompastor, who spent the last three years leading Lyon to seven trophies.
Taking over from Carla Ward following the end of the 2023/24 season, Robert de Pauw is the new head coach at Aston Villa, arriving from Bayer Leverkusen, and will make his top-flight managerial debut this weekend.
Brighton also have a new manager, Dario Vidosic, who joins the south coast side following two years in charge of Melbourne City Women.
There’s a new face in the dugout at Leicester City as well as Amandine Miquel takes charge of the Foxes following a lengthy spell as manager of Stade de Reims Feminines.
EAGLES FLYING HIGH
Last season’s Championship champions Crystal Palace are the only newly-promoted side in this season’s WSL for their maiden campaign in the top-flight.
Head coach Laura Kaminski has suggested that her side will have to be more flexible this year to experiment with a system based on the calibre of the opposition, while still being entertaining to watch.
We will have to wait until Sunday, March 30 for our trip to Selhurst Park, after Palace visit Mangata Pay UK Stadium in Borehamwood on Sunday, January 19.
CHANGES TO LAWS OF THE GAME
Denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity
When an outfield player denies the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball and a penalty kick is awarded, the player will be sent off.
However, when an outfield player denies the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by committing a handball offence whereby they make themselves unjustifiably bigger but without deliberate movement of the hand/arm to the ball and the referee awards a penalty kick, it will now result in a caution rather than a red card.
Penalty kick process – encroachment
A player’s position at a restart is determined by the position of their feet or any part of their body which is touching the ground, except as outlined in Law 11 (Offside).
The change for 2024/25 means that players who do not impact will not be penalised and, therefore, the same principle as goalkeeper encroachment will now apply to all players.
Ball in-play time
The exact time lost when certain game events occur will again be added. Events considered for this include goals and celebrations – a slight change for 2024/25 will see time added after an initial 30 seconds has elapsed. For example, if a goal and the subsequent celebration takes one minute, officials will add on 30 seconds at the end of the relevant half. Time lost for substitutions, injuries requiring treatment, penalties and red cards will also be included.
To support the accurate calculation of additional time, stadium clocks, scoreboards or giant screen timings will continue to run until the completion of each half, including any additional time at the end of the first or second half.
Multiball
New for the 2024/25 season, the use of the multiball system will be managed by the match officials under the Laws of the Game. There will be 10 match balls in use:
• One ball in play
• One ball with the fourth official
• Eight balls distributed around the pitch, placed on a cone (two behind each goal and two along each touchline)
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