Common opinion among the WSL fanbase is that the title race has already reached its conclusion, with defending champions Chelsea Women still unbeaten after 12 games and now sitting seven points clear at the summit.
However, while there may be some truth to that, there is still plenty for the other 11 sides in the top flight to compete for.
The race to join Sonia Bompastor’s side in next season’s Champions League and the battle to stay in the league are very much alive.
To that end, the winter transfer window has seen plenty of activity, with sides fighting to secure what they feel is needed to help them achieve their aims.
There have been headline-grabbing moves and low-key switches aplenty.
This tactical analysis will focus on three players who recently joined the English women’s top flight and who have the potential to become firm fan favourites.
Naomi Girma Scouting Report
The first player this scout report will focus on is undoubtedly the one to have commanded the most media attention of late.
It is no secret that Chelsea have been looking to add a centre-back to their ranks this month to compensate for Canada international Kadeisha Buchanan’s ACL injury.
The club's fanbase would have high hopes that it could acquire a major name to bolster an already star-studded lineup.
When Naomi Girma’s arrival from NWSL franchise San Diego Wave for £900,000 (the new world record for a transfer fee in the women’s game) was confirmed prior to their 1-0 win against Arsenal Women at the weekend, it felt like the perfect fit for the way they want to play under Bompastor.
The USA international’s game has gone from strength to strength since first emerging onto the scene back in 2022, and the fact that USWNT head coach Emma Hayes last year branded her as the best defender she has ever seen indicates just how well-regarded she has become on the field of play.
It is not surprising that Girma has received such high praise, given how much her game has evolved in her three years as a professional player.
Her talent was undeniable from the first moment that she stepped out onto the field for the Wave.
She was handed a start in their inaugural match in the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup, away at fellow newcomers Angel City, rapidly indicating why she could be a dependable figure for the side then led by now-Canada head coach Casey Stoney to have in their lineup.
Initially, it appeared as though her main contribution would be as a last-ditch defender, allowing others to push forward and join the attacks.
This was because, in the early stages of her career, it was common to see her sitting deeper than those around her and prioritising protection for her goal.
Although her game has changed and become more well-rounded since then, she has always excelled at this.
Last season, she won 55% of her aerial duels and 68.8% of her defensive battles.
The fact that this came during a campaign in which San Diego struggled for form made it all the more impressive.
This was one example of the know-how Girma showed in defending on the back foot and limiting the progress of opposing attacks.
As can be seen, Portland Thorns forward Sophia Smith has broken through the Wave’s rearguard and is now attempting to move towards the goal.
However, she has come up against her international teammate, and she is easily shepherded out of play for a San Diego throw-in.
What is interesting to note is her teammates' confidence in her.
Left-back Kristen McNabb turned from her high position but did not make too much of an effort to track back once Smith had broken free behind her.
This is a sign of the belief that Girma installs into those around her, which Chelsea will benefit from as the campaign goes on.
However, as mentioned, Girma is not only useful when her team is without the ball but also proves to be just as effective when playing out from the back.
This is where her wide range of passing comes into the equation, and it is this that both San Diego and the USWNT have come to depend on as time has gone by.
Girma thrives when she has the ball at her feet.
It is incredibly rare to see her lose that; instead, it is common to see her demonstrate strong awareness of her surroundings and pick out the right pass at the right time.
In this situation, during the recent 0-0 friendly between England and the USA, she has successfully intercepted the attempted pass by Manchester City Women playmaker Jess Park towards Arsenal striker Alessia Russo (something she averaged 4.41 times per game for San Diego last year).
She is now looking to move the ball into space.
It would have been easy for her to simply play a long ball up the field and hope that one of her teammates could get on the end of it, but that is not her style.
Instead, she here has the confidence to hold onto the ball under pressure and to then thread it out towards the far side of the field, where she had identified a gap that Angel City winger Alyssa Thompson could attack into.
On this occasion, it didn’t lead to anything, as Thompson was quickly closed down by England captain Leah Williamson, but Girma's intent was there.
The fact that 91.4% of her passes have found their intended targets shows that she is just as influential with the ball as she is without it.
Naomi Girma Progressive Passes Map In NWSL 2024
There is no doubt that this side of her game is what will have piqued Chelsea’s interest the most.
Their tactics under former Lyon Féminin coach Bompastor rely heavily upon the principle of using the wings and getting the full-backs high up the pitch, which then allows the wingers the freedom to cut inside and assist the central striker.
To make that work, the centre-backs and defensive midfielders need to be adept at launching attacks from deeper areas and finding runners up the pitch.
This graphic indicates how Girma can offer that to her new employers.
Notably, she drifted into the midfield at times for San Diego last season and sent balls directly into the goal area, with 73.7% of her passes to the final third finding their intended targets.
Therefore, Chelsea are getting a player who can not only work hard at the back to make them as secure as possible inside their own third, but who can also contribute to their chance creation rate when they have possession.
On paper, at least, she is a very exciting addition to their ranks and could be vital in helping them compete on all four fronts as the campaign progresses.
Kerolin Scouting Report
This analysis will look at the second new WSL arrival is another star of the global game.
Kerolin has proven to be a key part of Arthur Elias’ tactics.
Brazil have firmly re-established themselves as a team to be feared on the world stage, helping to lead the line at the top of the pitch and providing a constant test for opposing defensive lines.
Like Girma, she played in the NWSL last season but left North Carolina Courage at the end of it.
This month, she signed a three-and-a-half-year deal with Manchester City.
Her signing will bolster a forward line at the Joie Stadium that has been the subject of media attention this month.
Some feel that competition for Jamaica captain Khadija “Bunny” Shaw should be sought, and others feel that another wide attacker is badly needed as speculation over the future of England star Chloe Kelly refuses to dissipate.
When watching Kerolin play, it is clear that she brings both and will be a good fit for head coach Gareth Taylor’s tactics.
Although she only played six matches last season for her now-former side due to an ACL injury that kept her out of the first half of the campaign, Kerolin demonstrated during her short time on the field why she is so highly regarded by so many.
One thing that was constantly apparent was that she had not lost her ability to turn on the afterburners at any given moment during a match.
She constantly got the better of opponents in 1-v-1 battles and made herself a tough player to contain.
This was one occasion when the effect was evident.
With her up against Bay FC left-back Alyssa Malonson on the far side of the field, it was clear that she had the option of either taking the ball towards the goal line and looking for a cross into the middle or of cutting back inside and testing her luck in front of goal.
In this case, she chose the former.
While Abby Dahlkemper cleared the delivery aerially, this moment tested Bay’s resolve and indicated just how dangerous Kerolin is when she gets into these situations.
With so much of Manchester City’s play built around their use of the wings and occasions when Taylor deploys Lauren Hemp on the right and Kelly or another on the left (meaning that they naturally cut inside more), having a player who can both stay wide and drift infield with equal ability will be vital if he is to successfully lead his side to another top-three finish.
However, Courage did not get the most out of Kerolin by using her as a winger; instead, she got the most out of her whenever she was tasked with leading the line.
Although she does not score many goals—she scored one in her six matches last season and six and nine in 2022 and 2023, respectively—she can keep opponents on their toes and has proven adaptable to different game plans.
That was shown clearly during her time in Cary, with North Carolina head coach Sean Nahas always looking for the tactical tweaks he could make to give his team an edge over their opponents.
In 2023, this meant using Kerolin as a decoy runner.
She was tasked with making clever angled runs, taking defenders out of the way, and clearing gaps for others around her to attack.
It proved highly effective, so it was no surprise that the same ideas were implemented once she returned to action last season.
As can be seen, Kerolin is positioning herself on the shoulder of the Chicago Red Stars (now known simply as the Chicago Stars) backline.
Her aim is to keep Hannah Anderson, Cari Roccaro, and Finland international Natalia Kuikka's attention firmly focused on her.
It worked out, leaving a sizeable amount of territory open between them and the other Chicago players.
This allowed Olivia Wingate and Canada midfielder Victoria Pickett to push up the field, giving North Carolina a strong chance of retaining their forward momentum.
This is not the only way Courage sought to use her qualities, though.
She was also asked to hold the ball up and sometimes allow others to make runs ahead of her.
In these instances, her passing range stood out.
Last season, 80.6% of her passes found their intended targets, which highlights how this, too, is a strength in her game.
Kerolin Touch Map In NWSL 2024
This level of versatility is what Manchester City perhaps don’t have in their ranks at this moment in time, with Shaw a proven goalscorer but also someone who tends to drop back when she can to get on the ball in deeper areas.
That is never a bad thing, but it does mean that Manchester City can sometimes look a little blunt in the final third.
Therefore, having a different profile of player who can alternate with her in that role will not be a bad thing to have in their ranks.
Kerolin's variety is highlighted clearly when looking at her touch map for North Carolina last season.
As can be seen, she is capable of pushing up the field and getting on the ball further back and can play in all three channels equally well.
Therefore, she has all the makings of being a star signing for her new team and could prove to be the difference between them qualifying for next season’s Champions League and finishing agonisingly short.
Ria Öling Scouting Report
The final player that this scout report will examine is one whose arrival may well have flown under the radar but who is by no means an unknown player and who does have the quality needed to succeed in the WSL.
Finland international Ria Öling has been a key part of Rosengård Dam’s tactics since arriving at the Swedish giants back in 2021, and her versatility has always been apparent, with her capable of operating in the backline, as a wing-back or in a more advanced role.
She has also recently been a star of the Finnish national team, and her traits match the demands of head coach Marko Saloranta’s transition-orientated style of play.
It is that that Crystal Palace Women will hope to tap into now that she is on their books, as they strive to achieve the seemingly impossible and avoid an immediate return to the Women’s Championship.
Crystal Palace head coach Laura Kaminski will be particularly interested in Öling’s ability to connect plays by shifting the ball through gaps in opposing lines at speed.
Last time out, she registered an impressive 79.5% passing accuracy, which the WSL’s bottom side has based its tactics on since Kaminski was appointed in the summer of 2023.
Öling has always thrived at this, regardless of the position she has been deployed in.
This is one of the reasons that Rosengård appeared so fluid in their transitions as they stormed to the Damallsvenskan title last season and lost just one of their 26 league outings.
More often than not, she started as a wing-back or full-back in that campaign, but her attacking threat and ability to build passing sequences was still a constant feature of her play, and Rosengård depended heavily on that as each game went by.
In this case, she received a pass from Nigerian international Halimatu Ayind.
With her first touch, she instantly sent the ball back infield and towards the now-retired Caroline Seger, indicating the calmness on the ball that has become a key feature of her performances.
The key thing is that Öling doesn’t stand still at this point, with her instantly looking to get back on the ball and keep the move flowing.
To that end, she runs into the space that Linköping have left open behind them and hands Seger the perfect return ball option, which she takes.
Once that pass is made, Öling is in the perfect position to deliver the ball into the middle, with 48.5% of her crosses last season finding their intended targets.
On this occasion, it didn’t lead to anything as Linköping were able to reach the ball first.
Still, a similar situation led to Öling setting up recent Tottenham Hotspur Women recruit Olivia Holdt to turn the ball into the back of the net.
The Finland midfielder contributed nine assists throughout last season and scored five of her own, which shows that she is a player who can create chances and regularly test opponents.
She will, therefore, be critical if Crystal Palace are to avoid slipping through the trapdoor.
However, as mentioned at the beginning of this section, Öling is not only someone who can operate in wider areas.
Instead, she is just as capable of supporting the forward line and serving as the link between them and the rest of the team.
She frequents this role most often for Finland, with Saloranta always looking to make the most of her goal threat and creative passing.
This has been apparent on so many occasions lately, but it was especially prominent during their Euro 2025 qualifying play-off first stage tie against Montenegro.
The home team’s tactics tend to revolve around sitting back and protecting their goal, hitting their opponents on the counterattack.
Thus, it was common to see them leave vast amounts of space open that Finland could exploit.
As a result, it was not a constant feature of the match to see Öling not only get on the ball and set up chances for others but also move forward and try her luck in front of the goal.
She might not have scored on this occasion, but she can run beyond a striker drifting back and can sometimes a false nine at the time, which Palace will also benefit from as they seek to avoid relegation.
Ria Öling Heatmap In Damallsvenskan 2024
The fact that Öling covers so much ground and occupies so many positions is highlighted clearly when examining her national team's heatmap, providing the best reflection of what Crystal Palace have acquired.
As can be seen, there is very little of the pitch that she has not found herself in at one time or another, with so much of what Finland do coming down to players rotating positionally and operating almost telepathically.
That, coupled with her ability to play in different roles and to adapt to match circumstances when required, means that she could be one to watch as the season goes on and Crystal Palace seek to secure a second season in the top flight.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this tactical analysis has examined the winter transfer window in the WSL more closely, picking out three players who could significantly impact the league as they taste it for the first time and who fans could relish witnessing as each week passes.
As the scout report has indicated, all three have been signed to fill holes in their teams’ current options or to bolster what is already there, and each has the qualities needed to help them meet their aims.
It will now be a matter of waiting to see how quickly they all settle into their new surroundings, but there is no doubt that they can all have a say on how the league pans out during the remainder of the campaign.
It will certainly be worth watching them all for that reason.
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