TThere is no easy formula to win a league, but there are key ingredients that every team will want to bring to the new WSL season. This includes, above all, team spirit and cohesion. The bonding process, building trust between players and staff, and building those connections quickly is so important. The aspect that is often overlooked is enjoyment.

What keeps players motivated to show up every day, even when they’re tired or frustrated, even when things aren’t going their way, or even when they have a problem? It’s enjoyment. This means that players continue to push for their personal goals and those of the team. Establishing shared values ​​ensures that they show up every day, do their best and support each other.

It’s also important to be aware that performance doesn’t always produce the results you want, even when you’re at your best, and to be able to dig deep. This nervousness and toughness is a core component of the most dominant and consistent teams. Teams that can win pretty and ugly, that find a way, are the ones that end up winning silver.

It’s about adaptability, both as a group and as an individual. The ability to have players willing to show up and add value while remaining ready is a major challenge for management.

The players are not always happy. A transparent selection process and clear presentation of expectations and standards is an important factor in keeping on board those who are most unhappy about not having started. You do this partly by creating an environment where people can be authentic in their feelings, be authentic on the field and express themselves, but also by creating a high performance environment where players know they are stretched and can develop further, regardless of whether they are in the starting line-up or not.

That creates faith and that faith is contagious. Then you start bringing the fans. They really support their teams when they see them fighting for the common cause.

It was no coincidence that Chelsea overtook Manchester City for the Championship, because not only did they have almost all the right ingredients year after year, they also rose to the final third of the season and the challenges that came with it time and time again.

Chelsea are a mentality monster, there is relentlessness in what they do and when City dropped points against Arsenal and conceded goals in the 89th and 90th minutes to equalize the one-goal lead, nothing could stop them.

The eight goals Chelsea scored against Bristol City and the six they scored at Manchester United, in a 1-0 win over Tottenham on either side, were like mental muscle memory. It was no surprise that they were able to make up a goal difference of seven minutes in a single game at the business end of the season because they had been there so many times. It will be really interesting to see if they can maintain the same under Sonia Bompastor, and in pre-season it looks like they have maintained that relentless lead.

The addition of Lucy Bronze is intriguing. She brings so much experience with her, having won several trophies in different countries, but the fact that she wanted to follow Bompastor and her assistant Camille Abily to the club, knowing them from Lyon, is a signal to everyone who is so good new coaching team. They obviously have a really good relationship and she clearly believes they can work it out.

Each WSL season gets more exciting, but Chelsea and City stand out and the title race is once again tight. With a very solid squad, City has the greatest continuity in the top three. They were so close last season and that will have hurt them. Vivianne Miedema will also be particularly motivated to give her best after leaving Arsenal at the end of her contract.

The pressure is on Jonas Eidevall and Gareth Taylor to perform at Arsenal and City respectively. They fell short of expectations last season despite some strong performances and runs. With Chelsea in a transition phase, there is a possibility of knocking them off the pitch. Taylor and Eidevall play for clubs with big trophy ambitions and with the quality of their squads and the money spent they cannot play another season without winning more silver medals.

Predictions are almost impossible in the WSL because the margins are so good. So many teams did good business in the summer. Many of them will be just outside the top three, pushing for fourth and fifth, and they could have a big say in the title question.

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