Crystal Palace lean on Chelsea wonderkids for WSL ambition but quiet leader will be vital

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Crystal Palace are the newest addition to the WSL this year, earning promotion after a stunning season in the Women's Championship. 

But after last year's newbies Bristol City failed to earn their survival in the league, Palace are determined to write a different story. 

We got a glimpse of just how good the Eagles could be this campaign when they came up against the dominant Chelsea in the FA Cup round of 16 last year.

It took the Blues 81 minutes to penetrate a sturdy Palace defence – and it was only that one goal that separated the two in the end, a more than respectable result for a side who were up against one of the best teams in Europe. 

Having finished fifth in the Championship the season before, few had expected Palace to be joining the top flight. 

But after a tense promotion race which saw them go up against Sunderland, Charlton Athletic and Southampton, it was the Eagles who emerged as the unlikely winners, securing a place in the WSL for the first time in their history. 

And Crystal Palace's promotion to the WSL is exciting not just for them and for their fans, but also for the state of the league itself. 

Every WSL team now has a counterpart team in the Premier League, creating a playing field more even than we have seen for quite some time. 

It means that unlike the previous two seasons, there will not be a team like Reading or Bristol City who were disadvantaged from the outset because they did now have the power to recruit key reinforcements in the winter transfer window, for example.

After a summer filled with some effective signings, including a batch of young and vibrant loanees – three for Chelsea and one from Man City – Palace look more than ready for this challenge.

They look like a team who, in time, might not just fight for survival in the league, but who could also work their way up the table and become WSL regulars. 

Manager: Laura Kaminski

Laura Kaminski only became the manager of Crystal Palace Women one year ago. 

Now, she is gearing up to take charge of the team's first ever WSL fixture having led them to a remarkable promotion in her first year in charge.  

Before taking up her role at Palace, Kaminski had been the first team assistant coach at Charlton Athletic. 

And before that, she amassed over 15 years of coaching experience at clubs including Brighton, Watford, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.

They were experiences that clearly served her well – and she is not daunted by the task that faces her in the top-tier this year. 

Palace begin with an away tie against Tottenham, before hosting defending champions Chelsea at Selhurst Park the week after. 

"It’s a tough run in, but that’s exactly what we want and need," Kaminski told talkSPORT. "I’ve had a tough pre-season to really test the players’ resilience. I get there are some tough fixtures in there. We know that’s what’s to come.

"But we believe that if we perform well every week, there’s no reason why we can’t get something out of every game that we play. It’s really important."

And there is one rule that Kaminski likes to observe which she believes helps her team to focus on what really matters on the pitch. 

"Last year, I spoke a lot about how I don’t actually look at the (league) table a lot of the time," she explained. "I didn’t look at the table until right to the bitter end because I just wanted the players to feel like the performance was the most important thing and knowing that if we perform, we’ll always get something. 

"So, dedicating our time and concentration and focus towards that plan helped us and I’ll be taking that forward with me into the new season."

Star player: Elise Hughes 

Last season, there was absolutely no doubt that Crystal Palace's star player was Elise Hughes. 

And that is a bit of a problem for the club now. 

The striker devastatingly suffered an ACL-injury in the penultimate game of the Championship season, ruling her out for at least the first part of this WSL season. 

The 23-year-old was not only the club's top-scorer last year, but also the league's Golden Boot winner – after she netted 16 goals in 21 games. 

It is a huge blow on a personal level for Hughes given it is the second time in her career she has suffered the horrific injury.

But the good news for Palace is that Hughes will be back – and when she does, she will be back to help the club on their mission to thrive in the top flight. 

In July 2024, she signed a two-year contract extension keeping her at the club for the foreseeable future. 

Her experience will be much-needed given that she has already spent five seasons playing in the WSL, four as an Everton player and one on loan to Bristol City. 

She also has 23 international caps for Wales under her belt already – for Palace, her return will be hugely celebrated when it comes and it could make all the difference to their season. 

One to watch: Aimee Everett

Whether it is Arsenal's Kim Little, Chelsea's Millie Bright or Man City's Alex Greenwood – the WSL has its fair share of iconic club captains. 

And Aimee Everett might just be about to become the latest name to join that list. 

"Some people can think a captain is the loudest person and they’re always shouting and always moaning and have something to say," she told talkSPORT. "I think I lead in how I play and just how I am as a person. 

"I haven’t changed anything to become it. I think just me being me – and people look up to that."

Everett has just captained her side to a historic WSL promotion – the next task is to captain them through a whole season in the top flight which sees them keep their place there if they can. 

And like her manager, the midfielder is not thinking about the scale of their opposition. 

She is just focusing on her own team and the kind of performances that they have already proved they can pull off. 

"I think any game would be a tough start," she admitted. "It’s obviously a new league for us. 

"I think the aim for this year is obviously just to show what we can do as a team. It’s obviously our first year, we’ve got nothing to lose.

"Just to go up there and show that we can compete with all those sides in the top league."