Man City 2023/24 WSL season preview: Summer transfers & league prediction
Manchester City had little time to dwell on their worst WSL season ever ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, with manager Gareth Taylor under significant pressure to reclaim their top three status and Champions League qualification.
Taylor was in hot water entering the 2022/23 season as City were eliminated in European qualifiers by Real Madrid and his side proceeded to have a horrible campaign, failing to earn a piece of silverware, reach a cup final or qualify for the Champions League.
Ahead of the new campaign, he finds himself in arguably more torrid waters given the narrative around the club’s lack of success.
Now City face a battle to return to the top of the table but in sealing the signatures of key players on long-term deals, a potential return to form should not be discounted.
Manchester City failed to deliver in the WSL last season, falling short of a top-three finish for the first time since 2014/15. Their cup runs also ended prematurely, exiting both the Conti Cup and FA Cup in the quarter-final stages by losing to Arsenal and Aston Villa respectively.
2022/23 was the only season barring the 2017/18 campaign that City failed to earn a piece of silverware since winning the league six years ago. However, the last campaign was the first where City weren’t even in contention for the title or be runners-up of a cup competition.
Having struggled to bounce back following the departures of Lucy Bronze, Caroline Weir, Keira Walsh and Georgia Stanway, the gaps left by those departures who set up new homes across Europe became increasingly noticeable.
Relying on Khajida ‚Bunny‘ Shaw in their goalscoring efforts, it became clear City’s game plan was falling short against similarly-placed teams whose progression started outshining theirs.
Exiting the Champions League in the qualifying rounds should have spurred the side on to conquer the WSL and regain their European place, but they fell flat. They start this campaign with only one focus; the WSL.
Star player
Khajida ‚Bunny‘ Shaw is a prolific goalscorer who just missed out on winning her inaugural Golden Boot in 2022/23, finishing two goals behind Rachel Daly. Shaw has proven how ruthless she is as one of the most clinical strikers in the league, netting 29 goals in 39 appearances since 2021.
The Jamaica international showed her class at the World Cup and returns to the league with a point to prove and an eagerness to do better than last season. Jotting up 55 goals in 41 games for Jamaica, Shaw is the Reggae Girlz’s all-time top scorer and itching to break the record of 22 goals in a single WSL season.
City’s main issue previously was finding someone else to net goals when Shaw was man-marked or dropping back to receive the ball. This season, a main consideration for Taylor will be ensuring Shaw can get on the end of all their opportunities to put them away. This will be their best chance at securing a finish in the top quarter.
One to watch
Jill Roord was City’s only new summer signing, joining from Wolfsburg after gaining a reputation as an expert finisher and versatile player in both midfield and attack. After a previous stint in the WSL with Arsenal, Roord knows the league well and will use her breadth of experience to propel City’s chances.
The Netherlands international has scored some impressive goals in her career while using her physicality to dominate in midfield. Roord looks like being the last puzzle piece in Taylor’s maestro midfield after Yui Hasegawa was introduced to the side last summer.
Taylor has been in charge of City since 2020 when he took over from Nick Cushing. The former Wales international has failed to deliver a WSL title and added only one piece of silverware, the 2021/22 Conti Cup trophy.
City fans feared they would be heading into this season without a manager after their worst campaign, but Taylor’s ability to rebuild has been tested before and he pulled the struggling side through.
This will be his biggest challenge yet in his fourth campaign with City, however, as Taylor not only needs to overturn the scores but win back the fans, too.
In
Out
City had an unexpectedly quiet window, leaving many to rule them out of contention for the title. Yet Taylor still boasts a stacked team filled with international talent and domestic genius.
City’s one area of concern last season was their midfield following key losses at the end of the 2021/22 season. Bringing Roord in bolsters the position Taylor wanted to fill after several new introductions last summer.
While Roord was the only incoming arrival, Taylor brought several young guns back from loan in the form of Jess Park, Julie Blakstad and Ruby Mace. With all three ready to take on new responsibilities, they will operate almost like new signings for City.
The retention of players is a key talking point for City’s future plans as they didn’t need to fill many gaps with only three outgoings. Securing the futures of Lionesses Alex Greenwood, Chloe Kelly and Laura Coombs will only aid City’s hope of regaining a place in the top three.
Lauren Hemp, an England star who enjoyed success playing in a front two alongside Alessia Russo at the World Cup, poses another question to Taylor. Should he trial a ruthless attack headed by Shaw and Hemp as dual strikers?
City have only won the WSL once back in 2016. Since then, they have won the FA Cup and Conti Cup three times each, but their last piece of silverware came in the 2021/22 season.
Entering the new campaign off the back of a trophy-less season, City can only build on the promise they showed at points last season. However, jumping from fourth to first in one season is a stretch for a side still in transitional.
With pressure building on Taylor after seasons filled more with disappointment than success, City need to prove they are still top contenders in the Women’s Super League now more than ever.