Women’s Super League Previews No 5: Everton

Guardian writers’ predicted position: 8th (NB: this is not needfully Tom Garry’s prediction but nan mean of our writers’ tips)

Last season’s position: 8th

Prospects

Everton are entering nan play pinch a reasonably unfamiliar consciousness of optimism. It marks a crisp opposition from nan temper 12 months agone and a troubled first half of nan past campaign, erstwhile their threadbare squad was stretched, their superior wounded database was mounting and nan wider nine was waiting agonisingly for news of a takeover.

Amid that uncertainty and what was – astatine nan clip – a debased budget, immoderate were tipping Everton for relegation and nan squad had to hold until 17 November for their first convention victory. But erstwhile they had won that Merseyside derby their assurance soared and nan morale-boosting acquisition of nan nine by The Friedkin Group not only gave nan players a assistance but ensured location were costs to walk successful January, and they enjoyed a much-improved 2nd half of nan play to decorativeness a comfortable 14 points clear of nan relegation area successful a respectable eighth place.

Everton person strengthened their squad markedly this summertime pinch immoderate eye-catching signings, not slightest nan presence of 3 Japan internationals – nan guardant Yuka Momiki, full-back Hikaru Kitagawa and centre-back Rion Ishikawa – and their fans will beryllium looking guardant to welcoming backmost immoderate longer-term knee-injury absentees from past season, specified arsenic nan Spain guardant Inma Gabarro, who has been successful awesome shape during pre-season aft missing almost each of past word pinch an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Nobody should beryllium getting excessively carried distant – Everton person not abruptly go a squad who will situation for nan convention – but arsenic location is nary logic for nan nine to fearfulness nan drop. A top-half decorativeness is simply a realistic purpose and they will surely want to amended connected past season.

The manager

Brian Sørensen, nan second-longest-serving head successful nan section down Manchester United’s Marc Skinner, has been successful complaint since nan summertime of 2022 and is entering his 4th season. In April he signed a caller woody until 2027. The Dane spent ample parts of past play looking thoroughly dejected astir Everton’s wounded problems but he has a healthier squad and will surely person enjoyed nan team’s pre-season travel to his homeland. Sørensen is simply a comparatively quiet, family man pinch a bully estimation for his style of shot and it will beryllium absorbing to spot what he tin execute pinch amended resources.

Off-field picture

The Friedkin Group has reinvigorated nan temper astir nan women’s squad and location has been a important uplift successful nan number of off-field staff. The biggest change, however, came pinch nan historical move to make Goodison Park nan women’s team’s caller home. That not only ensured nan 133-year-old crushed was saved but dramatically improves nan women’s team’s matchday accommodation compared pinch their erstwhile guidelines astatine Walton Hall Park, which had nan league’s smallest capacity astatine conscionable complete 2,000.

Star signing

There is simply a batch of excitement concerning nan Spain younker world winger Ornella Vignola, who has arrived from Granada. The erstwhile Barcelona youngster caught Everton’s oculus because she likes to return defenders connected and her nonstop moving should connection nan club’s onslaught a caller dimension. She has plentifulness of acquisition for a 20-year-old, including playing successful nan Champions League, and was portion of nan Spain squad that won nan Under-20 World Cup alongside Gabarro successful 2022. Everton’s indebtedness acquisition of Katie Robinson from Aston Villa will springiness them different skilful action successful wide areas.

Stepping up

Nearly 18 months agone Issy Hobson grabbed nan headlines by becoming nan WSL’s youngest goalscorer astatine nan property of 16 pinch a last-gasp equaliser against Arsenal. The defender, now 17, gained valuable acquisition successful nan 2nd tier during a indebtedness pinch Sheffield United past word and it will beryllium intriguing to spot really overmuch nan England younker world tin push connected this play and really overmuch much first-team vulnerability she tin gain. There are besides precocious hopes for Everton’s young subordinate of past season, Martina Fernández, who made her move from Barcelona imperishable this summertime aft a loan.

Issy Hobson celebrates nan extremity that made her nan youngest ever goalscorer successful nan WSL. Photograph: Emma Simpson/EFC/Getty Images

It was a bully summertime for …

The Everton winger Toni Payne was portion of nan Nigeria broadside that triumphed successful Morocco by winning nan Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title, extending their grounds arsenic nan continent’s astir successful squad pinch their 10th title, and their first successful 7 years. Payne received a rapturous reception from her club-mates erstwhile she returned for pre-season aft her country’s 3-2 triumph complete nan hosts successful nan final. The 30-year-old appeared successful each 22 of Everton’s convention fixtures past word and will beryllium a cardinal subordinate againwith her gait and beardown shot control.

Main inaugural to pull much fans

Goodison Park, which is now nan location of Everton’s women’s team. Photograph: Mike Egerton/PA

As good arsenic making Goodison Park their main location ground, Everton’s women are playing a fixture astatine nan club’s caller Hill Dickinson Stadium connected nan banks of nan River Mersey. They will big Manchester United astatine nan 52,000-capacity venue connected 12 October, hoping to pull much fans to support nan women’s side. They are besides attempting to boost nan region’s grassroots prospects by letting retired their erstwhile home, Walton Hall Park, to nan third-tier nine Liverpool Feds.