AliousOn the surface, Everton fans could be forgiven for feeling disappointed with their team’s performance in the Barclays Women’s Super League this season.
With fewer wins, more losses, fewer goals scored and more conceded compared to last year, the Toffees have slipped below Tottenham and local rivals Liverpool in the standings.
This comes after an impressive 6th place finish last term, raising questions over whether that was merely an aberration for a side struggling to keep pace with the WSL’s elite clubs.
However, those raw numbers fail to tell the full story of an Everton side that, despite being ravaged by injuries and off-field turmoil affecting the entire club, has proven more than capable of competing with the top teams when hitting a vein of consistency.
Memories like Megan Finnigan’s Anfield silencer against Liverpool, their valiant FA Cup quarterfinal display against Chelsea, or Issy Hobson’s last-gasp Arsenal equalizer show a team punching above their weight.
Most of Everton’s dropped points came against superior opposition where they were expected to struggle.
But they remained competitive in the vast majority of matches, with the 1-0 Cup loss to Chelsea not reflecting large spells where they were the better side against the eventual winners.
Their derby triumph at Anfield was a crowning moment in an otherwise difficult campaign.
Despite their league position, Everton can take plenty of encouragement from the brand of football on display this season.
Plagued by injuries disrupting momentum, a clear style and identity nevertheless shone through.
With the men’s Premier League survival relieving some off-field pressure, the women’s side is well-positioned to nurture rising young talents like 16-year-old goalscorer Issy Hobson.
Keeping and developing such players could make them an attractive destination, allowing them to push back towards the WSL’s upper echelons if they can maximize this squad’s undoubted potential.
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