Chelsea's Dominance and Aston Villa's Late Equalizer

Chelsea walked off opening weekend with the ball, the territory, the control – and only a point to show for it. A late Aston Villa equalizer turned a commanding display into a 1-1 draw and a jarring reminder that possession means little if you don’t bury your chances.

Alyssa Thompson felt that more than most. Handed the start, she kept popping up in the right spaces, stretching Villa’s back line, finding pockets where the game begged for a finish. The movement was there. The timing, too. The final touch wasn’t.

Chelsea will demand that next step from her this season. They have to. With Millie Bright, Guro Reiten and Sam Kerr gone, the spine and star power of this team look very different. There is space now in the attack, and real expectation, for Thompson to step into the spotlight.

She has already shown she can carry a scoring load. Seven league goals in her debut campaign led the team and laid a solid platform. That was year one, a promising introduction in a more settled squad. Year two is a different assignment: produce while the pieces around you shift, and do it under the weight of being one of the main threats.

Her international form suggests she’s ready for it. On the right wing for the USWNT, Thompson has scored four times and given Emma Hayes a lively, direct option in wide areas. Her case for a roster spot heading into qualifiers grows stronger with every dangerous run. Now Chelsea need those same runs to end with the kind of ruthless finishing that turns dominance into three points instead of one.

Sam Coffey’s return, Manchester City’s reassurance

For Sam Coffey, opening weekend wasn’t about rhythm or perfection. It was about stepping back onto a WSL pitch at all.

The midfielder returned from a knee injury in Manchester City’s 3-1 win over Birmingham City, coming on for Laura Blindkilde Brown in the 73rd minute. A modest cameo on the stat sheet, a significant one in context. Her last league campaign had been cut short, her USWNT June friendlies wiped out. This was a restart.

Coffey arrived from the Portland Thorns midway through last season and gradually grew into City’s midfield, adding composure as the club chased the WSL title. That late surge hinted at what she could become in England once fully settled and fully fit. Now, finally healthy, she has the chance to turn that hint into a full season of influence.

Her return also lands as a relief for Hayes on the international side. The USWNT felt Coffey’s absence in holding midfield against Brazil, missing a trusted shield in front of the back line. Getting minutes again is only the first step. If she can quickly recover her tempo and range, Coffey could slide right back into the heart of Hayes’ plans for both club and country.

Emily Fox, quietly essential for Arsenal

Some players demand attention. Emily Fox just quietly wins her battles.

Arsenal’s opener, a 1-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion, fit her pattern. No drama, no glaring mistakes, no need for the spectacular. Just another solid outing from a fullback who rarely dips below a seven out of ten.

Starting in her usual outside back role, Fox helped the Gunners lock down three points in a match defined by their aggressive shape. Arsenal pushed a high line, squeezed Brighton, and looked to pounce in transition when they won the ball back. That approach leaves little margin for error from the back four. Fox handled it with the calm that has quickly become her trademark.

Since arriving in 2024, she has become a dependable two-way outlet. She covers ground, times her overlaps, and still finds the discipline to pick her moments. It wasn’t a flashy start to the season, but that’s the point with Fox. Her value lies in the games where you barely notice her because nothing on her side of the field goes wrong.

Phallon Tullis-Joyce’s rough start, bigger battle

For Phallon Tullis-Joyce, the new WSL season turned difficult almost immediately.

The Manchester United goalkeeper made a couple of early stops, then was punished in the eighth minute when Alanna Kennedy rose to head home a corner for London City Lionesses. Tullis-Joyce was caught out of position, and United were chasing.

They never quite cleaned things up at the back. With the game still in the balance in the 82nd minute, more slack marking in the box allowed Daniëlle van de Donk the space to improvise a clever, behind-the-back finish. United lost 2-1, undone by the kind of defensive lapses that linger long after the final whistle.

For Tullis-Joyce, the stakes run beyond United’s league ambitions. She is in the thick of the race for the USWNT’s No. 1 shirt, a battle decided on the finest of details. Shot-stopping has long been her calling card. The questions sit at her feet.

Her footwork and distribution remain under the microscope as she tries to convince Hayes she can be trusted to build play as well as repel it. One shaky afternoon won’t define her season, but it does sharpen the focus on what comes next. If she can pair her reflexes with composure in possession, she strengthens her claim to start for her country. If not, she risks watching the biggest games from the bench.