Preview No 2: Aston Villa get set for life under De Pauw

Guardian writers’ predicted position: 9th (NB: this is not necessarily Sophie Downey’s prediction but the average of our writers’ tips)
Last season’s position: 7th
There is a new face in the dugout for Aston Villa this season but, in truth, other than a change of leadership things seem to be fairly stable. After Carla Ward’s surprise decision to leave her role at the end of last season, the announcement of Robert de Pauw as her replacement in June was a relatively swift conclusion to the managerial hunt.
The Dutchman’s arrival has appeared seamless enough, the speed of the decision allowing him time to get his feet under the table. While there having been changes to the coaching staff, Villa have retained much of Ward’s playing squad, with a handful of arrivals to supplement the team’s spine.
From Rachel Daly to Jordan Nobbs and Rachel Corsie, Villa have a strong core of seasoned senior players who possess a wealth of experience, and they will be looking to avoid a repeat of last season’s disappointments. After achieving a fifth-place finish in 2022-2023, many tipped Villa as the most likely to break into that elusive top three but a slow start alongside key injuries and an over-reliance on Daly for goals compounded their issues. They recovered from a poor start to finish in seventh
While maintaining the spine of the team provides stability, the fact remains that a number of players are in the twilight of their careers and questions over whether they can rediscover past form remains. It is perhaps why De Pauw has looked to bring in younger players to freshen up his squad. The Dutch winger Chasity Grant caught the eye with her performances for Ajax last season while the arrival of Missy Bo Kearns brings in an energetic midfielder who is seeking to break into the senior England squad.
Plenty of unknowns remain about how this Villa side will look under De Pauw but they have enjoyed a successful pre-season. A trip to Spain saw them beat Real Betis while they have also seen off Liverpool and Everton. Chelsea away on the opening day will be a sterner test but it is also a free hit for a new manager. Subsequent games against Tottenham, Brighton and Leicester will provide a more accurate indicator of whether this campaign will be a successful one.
English football and Robert de Pauw have plenty to learn about each other. The 43-year-old arrives after a two-year stint with Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga, signing a three-year deal with the club. One thing that isn’t in question is his desire to play “beautiful football”. “What they can expect from me is a clear playing style,” he told Villa’s media team. “I like to have the ball and to be dominant. In a league where there are big teams, you have to be ready to defend well and be efficient on the counterattack. I’ve shown in the teams that I’ve coached that football can be very beautiful with players that grow and develop into internationals. This is what I aim for here.”
Aston Villa have not historically had the largest budget to work with in the WSL. In the past, they have relied on shrewd recruitment from Ward to be able to build a squad with quality and experience. Anxieties remain about how the club’s board see their role in the league as well as their ability to produce and retain young talent. The sale of Laura Blindkilde Brown late in the January window and both Daphne van Domselaar and Olivia McLoughlin this summer have raised concerns about whether they are becoming a feeder club.
She technically has already had her breakout season with Liverpool but Missy Bo Kearns is looking for a new lease of life in her young football career. Her decision to leave a club she joined at eight years old was a courageous one but shows her desire to succeed both domestically and internationally. Captaining England Under-23s has developed her leadership qualities, but with just nine league starts last campaign she had little hope of taking the step up to the Lionesses permanently. The 23-year-old attacking midfielder will bring plenty of energy and a more solid link to Daly or the striker up front. She is a player who loves to be on the ball, with an ability to operate in tight spaces.
Tenacious; indefatigable; versatile; leader – these are just a few of the words one would use to describe Rachel Daly. The 32-year-old forward remains the standard bearer for this Villa squad and she leads by example. In her first season after arriving from Houston Dash, Daly scored 22 goals in 22 starts, pipping Manchester City’s Khadija Shaw to the Golden Boot. Last season was harder on the goalscoring front with a return of eight in 20 league appearances, but she was the player Ward looked to help bring the squad through their rough patch. Her retirement from international football back in April will mean there are fewer demands on her body and Villa will hope this can work to their advantage.
De Pauw has conducted some savvy business since his arrival. Losing the highly rated Van Domselaar to Arsenal will have been a blow but the acquisition of Sabrina D’Angelo provides cover in that department. There have been other departures – Alisha Lehmann to Juventus and Simone Magill to Birmingham the notable ones – but they have been kept to a minimum. Katie Robinson, Chasity Grant and Bo Kearns are all exciting young prospects that should spark energy into Villa’s attack while signing Miri Taylor on a permanent deal after a successful loan spell was sensible. Spanish defender Paula Tomás has bolstered the defence.
It was announced after the end of the 2023-24 campaign that Villa Park would become the home of the women’s side for the coming season. De Pauw’s side will play all 11 of their home league fixtures at the 42,640-capacity stadium, a move that shows the club’s ambition to grow their fanbase. They will continue to play cup ties in Walsall, their home since 2020.