The WSL legend, Steph Houghton Emotional farewell to the Club ikone Emma Hayes last May.
Chelsea has won nine WSL games on Bounce since the opening weekend of the 2024/25 campaign and converted them into a new era under Sonia Bombastor rather seamlessly.
The blues remains undefeated in the league and scores 44 points of 48 points to open a lead of eight points at the top-and they played more than their next challengers. In all competitions there are 23 wins from 25 games, with a perfect record in the Champions League, the FA Cup and the League Cup, which is waiting for the final against Manchester City next weekend.
“I would not say a surprise,” said Houghton’s answer when he was asked by the question 90 minutes When Chelseas has given persistent dominance.
The summer recruitment was proactive and strong, while Bombastor – although it was new in English football – was a proven winner of the Elite caliber in the former club Lyon.
“You started the season very well and on fire. I think you will get a jump form with the new manager who comes in. Emma Hayes left a big legacy there, but a great group of players and Sonia has definitely come in and added to it,” said Houghton.
For a period of last season, Chelsea looked like the WSL title was finally slipping out of the handle until a late increase brought her back in front of Manchester City and sealed things on last season. The trademark of a great team wins, no matter what, and it was not a faultless thrashings week after week, with six out of 14 WSL victories that went with a hit.
“Chelsea has been known in recent years that they are really clinical and ruthless, and they definitely did this this season,” added Houghton.
After Manchester United had dropped back to fifth place last season – her worst departure in the WSL so far – only a few would have expected that you would be the closest challenger in 2024/25 in 2024/25. But also after several top -class drains last summer, a strong recruitment and rediscovered defensive solidity, which underpinned what her title Challenge 2022/23 has underpinned.
The victory in her game against Liverpool on Friday evening would reduce the gap to Chelsea to five points, with the couple competing against each other in Leigh Sports Village next month.
“I was impressed by Manchester United and what impressed me more is her defensive side of the game,” said Houghton, one of the best central defenders in the world at its peak.
“They keep clean leaves, which is so important when they want to be near the league at the top of the league. Obviously they had no football from the Champions League this season, so they have the chance to prepare a little more during the week.”
90 minutes Highton, who in 2024 did her boots after an excellent career at Sunderland, Arsenal, Manchester City and England at the Rushbrook Academy, a primary school in East Manchester, where she gave young girls an early taste of football last Friday.
The event was part of the fourth year of the FA Biggest football session of all timeThe first major activation of the new Made for this game Campaign that aims to go about the existing success Let girls play And unlock the same opportunities for women and girls in football.
“This is about women and young girls involved in football, not just about meetings like today or on the field, but the overall picture of women who can be part of football,” said Houghton and referred to all types of different roles that are present in sports.
“This is also their game and whether this is a journalist is in the meeting room, as an employee, I think it is so important that women have a place in our game. [in Manchester] Today was particularly special. “
Since the start of the FA Let girls play In 2021, the number of women and girls who play football rose by 56%, an 88% number of trainers developed and growth of the number of female referees. On the back of the Euro 2022, the Löwinnen successfully campaigned for the same access for girls for football at school.
The driving force behind it Made for this game Is the idea that girls have drawn beyond permission to play and now enable them to include places in football they deserve.
However, a study in 2022 showed that almost half of the girls (43%), who regarded themselves in primary school as “sporty”, released themselves from sport after promotion to secondary school.
“The opportunities are great for girls to play football, to see what it is like to find new friends. The thing is that we have to make sure that people can stay as far as possible,” said Houghton and sketched a significant challenge that still intends in this regard.
“It may not be on the field, it may be in a different property, which is even greater. The more we see it and promote it, it is so important for the future of the game itself,” said Houghton.
The success of England on the field in recent years has reached the semi-finals or better at every big tournament since 2015, including the Euro 2022 and the competition with the last world champion final in 2023-sausage directly connected to the popularity boom of women’s football.
For Houghton, the continued success of England will be “important” with Euro 2025 on the horizon in the coming summer, but the efforts to develop the growth of women’s football in the country must be done regardless of what happens on the field in Switzerland and future tournaments.
“I think we have to push it further regardless of England’s performances,” she said.
“This is important for future generations and future lion women with whom we give you ways to get this campaign and see what it is.
“You never know that these girls who have never really played football will get a taste and think that they can be involved in the game in the future.”