8 Underrated FA WSL Players to Watch This Season
Englands’s Women’s Super League is full of talented and popular faces, but like on every team, some players don’t get all the attention. There are 12 teams in the league, which just kicked off earlier this fall. From players that you’ve never heard of before to players that deserve more recognition, here’s a look at some of the underrated players in the FA WSL to keep an eye out for this season.
Melanie Leupolz – Chelsea
Chelsea is a team stacked with big-name players like Sam Kerr and Fran Kirby, so others like Leupolz are often overlooked. Chelsea’s midfielder is a fairly new player as she signed with the club in March of 2020. She came over to Chelsea from Bayern Munich, where she spent six years and was the club’s captain for two years. She’s also been on the senior German national team since 2013.
Last season she made 34 appearances, scored nine goals, and had an 82% passing accuracy. This season she’s got one assist in one start for the Blues.
Hayley Ladd – Manchester United
The next underrated FA WSL player is Hayley Ladd. Ladd is a former defender turned defensive midfielder who has a ton of professional experience. Most recently, she spent time with Birmingham City before joining Manchester United in 2019. So far, she’s made 32 appearances for the club, and in 2019, she was named the Manchester United Women’s Player of the Year.
Sarah Mayling – Aston Villa
Mayling spent the last four seasons with Birmingham City before returning to Aston Villa. What makes her so special as a player is that she’s so young, at 24, and she’s extremely versatile. There aren’t many spots on the field where the English international can’t play. She’s listed as a fullback currently but can play up top as a forward as well. So far, for the 2021-22 season, she has two starts and a goal.
Kim Little – Arsenal
Arsenal is another team with a handful of superstar players, such as Vivianne Miedema, Tobin Heath, and Beth Mead. But. Kim Little is a player that is so fun to watch. She’s the captain at Arsenal, is incredibly skilled on the ball, and has terrific service into the attack. She’s such a threat in the offensive half; she’s got the ability to serve it up or score it herself. Little rejoined Arsenal in 2017 and is currently third on the club’s all-time scoring list. Last season he had 16 appearances, five goals, and two assists.
The Scottish international recently retired from international play, but she was part of the Great Britain team at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Mary Earps – Manchester United
Mary Earps is another one of our underrated FA WSL players. Earps was a crucial part in Manchester United finishing in fourth place last season. The keeper only conceded 20 goals, which is the fourth-fewest during the 2020-21 season. She finished the season with 51 saves in 22 appearances. So far this season, Manchester United is off to a 2-0 start and has only conceded once. The English international was also part of England’s 2019 Women’s World Cup team.
Shelina Zadorsky – Tottenham
Zadorsky first joined Tottenham in 2020 on loan before signing a permanent transfer contract. She’s become a key piece to this Hotspurs team and has also worn the captain’s armband this season. She’s been a massive boost to their backline and has started the season off strong. The Canadian international is a key reason why Tottenham has started the season off 2-0.
Additionally, she has over 60 appearances for Canada on the international stage and is a 2020 Olympic gold medalist.
Inessa Kaagman – Brighton and Hove Albion
Kaagman joined Brighton from Everton in 2020. She had an impressive first season with the club, scoring a team-high of nine goals. She’s on pace for another big season, having started with two goals and an assist in the first two games.
At only 25, she’s had an impressive career so far as she’s also a part of the Netherlands national team.
Izzy Christiansen – Everton
Our last FA WSL player is Izzy Christiansen. Christiansen returned to England last season after spending two seasons in France with Olympique Lyon. She tied for a team-high of six goals last season and also added six assists as a key piece to the Everton offense. She has played every minute in the first two games this season.
Featured image via @bhafcwomen on Instagram
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