Three hopes and one fear for women’s football in 2019

Three hopes and one fear for women’s football in 2019

That Arsenal win the Women’s Super League title

The last time a team other than Chelsea or Manchester City won the WSL title was in 2014 when Liverpool claimed the trophy for the second consecutive year.

Arsenal have had an excellent season thus far, losing just one of their first ten games. The Gunners have played entertaining, free-flowing football that is worthy of winning any title. It would be good for the league if another team finished top and broke the duopoly that has been in place for the last three years.

To see more stadiums sell out

There has been an argument for women’s football to be played in bigger stadiums but until they sell out the stadiums they are in on a regular basis, this debate doesn’t stack up.

Chelsea Women have sold out their game against Everton on January 6 but this is not a regular occurrence. Women’s football is becoming more popular and this has led to increased coverage on TV but stadiums selling out would be excellent progress.

For the Lionesses to win the Women’s World Cup in France

It’s a tough ask, and they would have to get past plenty of top quality teams such as France, Germany and USA, but England have performed so well in recent years that this is no longer an impossible dream.

The Lionesses finished third at the 2015 Women’s World Cup in Canada, the highest finish of any England team since the men’s side won the tournament in 1966.

They then went out at the semi-final stage of the Women’s Euros in 2017 when they lost to eventual winners the Netherlands. Now is the time to prove that they can go even further with Phil Neville at the helm.

Photo: PA

Key players don’t get injured before the World Cup

It happens once every four years and it’s quite a big deal. Players dream of taking part in a World Cup for their countries. However, injuries are one of the cruel things that can stop that dream becoming a reality.

Jordan Nobbs will not be at the World Cup after suffering an ACL injury which a huge blow for England and it would be a great shame if any other key players were to be seriously injured before the tournament takes place.

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