FEATURED: Three contributing factors to Liverpool’s excellent first half of the season

Liverpool have been one of the most eye-catching improvers in the first half of the Barclays Women’s Super League season with The Reds currently sitting in fifth position in the table.

Matt Beard’s side recorded a respectable seventh-place finish last term in what was their first season back in the top flight but the Merseyside club are now kicking on again and they could be forgiven for dreaming of an unexpected ‘top four’ finish.

What are the reasons for Liverpool’s excellent campaign? WSL Full-Time have identified three key contributors which have certainly helped put The Reds in their stronger position.

Rock solid centre-backs

Liverpool manager Beard has got his central defensive unit almost perfect. Experienced campaigner Gemma Bonner has led by example and is arguably enjoying the best season of her career to date while the summer additions of Jenna Clark and Grace Fisk represent some phenomenal business conducted by the club. Scotland international defender Clark has made the transition from  the SWPL 1 to the English game with real ease and she has been a standout performer in the Barclays Women’s Super League so far this season.

Last season saw Liverpool lose six of their first 10 league games while they conceded 22 goals. Fast forward 12 months and The Reds have lost just two of their first 10 games this year and have been breached on just 11 occasions. There has been huge growth in the defensive side of Liverpool’s game in such a short space of time.

A headache for the ‘top four’

Playing the ‘top four’ is so often a daunting task for any opposing team, especially away from home. While Liverpool defeated both Chelsea and Manchester City on home soil last season, they failed to pick up a single point against the ‘top four’ on their travels.

This season, Liverpool have already faced Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United away from home and they have collected a hugely impressive six points. The Reds defeated Arsenal 1-0 at The Emirates Stadium on the opening day of the season while their final fixture of 2023 brought a 2-1 victory at Manchester United.

To break the ‘top four’, you have to beat them and there is no denying the fact that Liverpool are a match for any team in the league this year.

A spread of goals

Nine different players have found the back of the net for Liverpool in their first 10 games whereas just eight players managed to score a league goal in the entirety of the 2022/2023 season. It should be noted that The Reds fired blanks in 10 of their 22 league matches last season, however, they have scored in nine of their 10 games so far this term. Beard’s side are still nine goals short of last season’s final tally but you would expect them to comfortably exceed that figure in the next 12 games.

It is so often difficult for a team to progress beyond fifth place in the Barclays Women’s Super League table but this Liverpool side are making all of the right noises. An excellent group of players has been assembled on Merseyside and in manager Beard, they have the perfect leader to take the club further forward.

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