Western Sydney Wanderers Preview
Put simply, 2018-19 was a season to forget for those wearing red and black.
A 3-0 Sydney Derby defeat in Round 1 was just the start of a very difficult campaign – one where the Wanderers failed to find the net in their opening four games. Kylie Ledbrook finally broke the goalscoring duck 73 minutes into their fifth fixture, but it wasn’t until the following round that they earned their first point in a 2-2 draw with Canberra United.
That’s not to say there weren’t close calls: Melbourne City broke their hearts with a late winner on New Year’s Day, while there were one goal home losses to Brisbane and Newcastle. At the tenth time of asking, the Wanderers grabbed their first win of the campaign with a shock 4-1 away win over high-flying Adelaide. That was as good as it got, and the season ended with two more heavy defeats.
https://twitter.com/wswanderersfc/status/1188961364628262912
Ins and Outs
In: Abby Smith, Courtney Newbon, Samantha Staab, Alex Huynh, Tiana Jaber, Alix Roberts, Amy Harrison, Ella Mastrantonio, Denise O’Sullivan, Vesna Milivojevic, Kyra Cooney-Cross, Cortnee Vine, Kristen Hamilton, Lynn Williams
Out: Nicole Simonsen, Maruschka Waldus, Servet Uzunlar, Sydney Miramontez, Talitha Kramer, Lo’eau LaBonta, Kylie Ledbrook, Caitlin Jarvie, Mackenzie Hawkesby, Rachel Lowe, Georgia Yeoman-Dale, Leena Khamis, Elizabeth Addo, Remy Siemsen
Unsurprisingly considering last season’s results, the squad has undergone a massive overhaul. Only six players have been retained from last season’s squad – Jada Mathyssen-Whyman, Caitlin Cooper, Courtney Nevin, Liana Danaskos, Susan Phonsongkham and Erica Halloway.
There is also change in the coaching ranks: Dean Heffernan is the new head coach, and Michael Beauchamp is one of his assistants. Catherine Cannuli has been retained as the other assistant coach, making it a trio of former Wanderers players in charge.
The Strengths
The Wanderers have made high quality international signings. Three of them (Lynn Williams, Kristen Hamilton and Denise O’Sullivan) are teammates at NWSL Champions North Carolina Courage, so that will boost the squad’s winning mentality.
There are a large number of new additions, but these players won’t be complete strangers. Alex Huynh and Alix Roberts have played for the Wanderers in the past, Samantha Staab is teammates at Washington Spirit with Amy Harrison, while Kyra Cooney-Cross has spent plenty of time in Western Sydney with both Football NSW Institute and the Future Matildas program.
https://twitter.com/wswanderersfc/status/1188984162813800448
The Challenge
Courage players aside, will this group have enough time to get to know one another? The NWSL’s later finish this year has meant a later arrival for the international players, and the involvement of Lynn Williams with the USA national team right before the start of the season further complicates matters. This is also a squad that is somewhat short on experience in big games, so it remains to be seen how they handle the business end of the campaign.
Key Players
Defender: Samantha Staab
The Wanderers leaked goals last season – 30 of them to be precise, at an average of 2.5 per game. Staab is here to fix that. This year she justified her status as a high NWSL draft pick, appearing in every game for a Washington Spirit side that narrowly missed out on the playoffs. A USA Under-23 international, Staab is expected to shore up the centre of the Wanderers defence.
Midfielder: Ella Mastrantonio
Her flashier teammates may get all the headlines, but Mastrantonio is a wise signing and her performances will play a key role in whether or not the Wanderers have a good season. The experienced holding midfielder is closing in on a century of W-League appearances – if she can keep things ticking over in the centre of the park then the forwards will be able to do their thing and win games for a fanbase desperately seeking success.
Forward: Cortnee Vine
Vine is absolutely spellbinding to watch when on top of her game. The former Young Matilda has made the switch from Newcastle in search of more game time, and can play as either a centre forward or a winger. She is no stranger to the city of Sydney, having scored 34 goals in two years for NSW NPL powerhouse Sydney University. Still only 21 years old, Vine won’t just offer an attacking threat – she will also help press opposing backlines with her speed and boundless energy.
We're proud to announce the signing of striker @cortneev9 for the @WLeague season: https://t.co/qpDpiaMhDU #WSW #WLeague pic.twitter.com/fKApIbqesN
— WS Wanderers FC (@wswanderersfc) November 11, 2019
One To Watch: Vesna Milivojevic
Milivojevic is coming off a sensational campaign with NSW NPL side Bankstown City Lions, one in which she deservedly won the league’s Player of the Year award. The attacking midfielder was the heart and soul of the Lions in 2019, scoring 15 times in 22 games, (almost 40% of her team’s total for the year). She offers more than just finishing though, and Milivojevic is never afraid to run at opposing defenders.
Prediction: 3rd
Their international recruitment is impressive, and signing three North Carolina Courage teammates could prove to be a masterstroke. Add to that the retention/addition of some of the best young talent in the country, and this feels like the year that we finally see red and black jerseys in the finals.
See the full squad here.
