WSL Fantasy Gameweek 9: captain picks and best buys
WSL Fantasy Gameweek 9 preview: best buys, differentials and who to sell
WSL Fantasy Gameweek 9 is the start of a three-week block that ends at the Gameweek 12 unlimited-transfer week. Any move made now has to pay off across Gameweeks 9, 10 and 11, and that is the lens for everything below. Manchester City and Arsenal own the best attacking programs, Manchester United the steadiest defensive one, and Chelsea have the single best clean-sheet fixture of the week. The twelve WSL 2 sides in the game are a different case: in the current schedule they have two fixtures in this window and none in Gameweeks 11 and 12.
Shaw, Hampton, Putellas, Hemp and Russo are already in roughly half of all squads. Owning them does not move you up a mini-league. The squad spots after them do. So this preview spends most of its words on the Manchester United block, the cheap Chelsea and City starters, and the popular players whose next three gameweeks do not justify the slot. Every number comes from our model's current projections, which you can browse in full on the WSL Fantasy player picks page.
Gameweek 9 to 11 programs: whose next three gameweeks are worth owning
Manchester City have the most expected goals over the next three at 7.63, on a program of [H]WHU → [A]CHE → [H]TOT. Gameweek 9 is the peak: an 85% win probability and 3.38 expected goals at home to West Ham. The trip to Chelsea in Gameweek 10 is the week to plan around, not a reason to avoid them, because Tottenham at home follows straight after. Arsenal are a close second at 7.53, and their [A]LIV → [H]LCL → [H]WHU run gives the most expected clean sheets of any side, 1.36 from three games. Few teams are as consistent.
Chelsea ([H]EVE → [H]MCI → [A]LIV) have the best defensive fixture of Gameweek 9, a 52% clean-sheet chance against Everton, then a harder home game against City. Manchester United ([A]AVL → [H]CRY → [A]BIC) have no standout week, but they have no bad one either: 6.65 expected goals and 1.16 expected clean sheets over three, and their Gameweek 10 home game against Crystal Palace is one of the two best fixtures that week, alongside Arsenal's home game against London City.
| Team | Gameweek 9 fixture | Win probability | Expected goals | Clean sheet | Program (GW9-11) | 3-gameweek xG | 3-gameweek CS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCI | [H]WHU | 85% | 3.38 | 45% | [H]WHU → [A]CHE → [H]TOT | 7.63 | 0.94 |
| ARS | [A]LIV | 64% | 2.05 | 42% | [A]LIV → [H]LCL → [H]WHU | 7.53 | 1.36 |
| CHE | [H]EVE | 81% | 2.74 | 52% | [H]EVE → [H]MCI → [A]LIV | 6.76 | 1.28 |
| MAN | [A]AVL | 57% | 2.01 | 32% | [A]AVL → [H]CRY → [A]BIC | 6.65 | 1.16 |
| TOT | [H]BHA | 45% | 1.87 | 21% | [H]BHA → [H]EVE → [A]MCI | 4.73 | 0.55 |
| AVL | [H]MAN | 20% | 1.13 | 13% | [H]MAN → [H]BIC → [A]CHA | 4.65 | 0.68 |
| LCL | [H]BIC | 48% | 1.67 | 31% | [H]BIC → [A]ARS → [H]CRY | 4.62 | 0.68 |
| BHA | [A]TOT | 31% | 1.55 | 15% | [A]TOT → [H]LIV → [A]EVE | 4.36 | 0.70 |
| LEI | [H]WAT | 56% | 2.10 | 29% | [H]WAT → [A]NFO (2 fixtures) | 3.47 | 0.53 |
| NEW | [H]BUR | 62% | 1.87 | 44% | [H]BUR → [A]SUN (2 fixtures) | 3.40 | 0.78 |
| SOU | [H]SHU | 61% | 1.91 | 42% | [H]SHU → [A]BUR (2 fixtures) | 3.33 | 0.78 |
The WSL 2 rows (Leicester City, Newcastle United, Southampton) hold up well over two games but stop there, so their three-gameweek totals are not comparable with the WSL sides above them. Newcastle and Southampton have a better Gameweek 9 clean-sheet chance than Manchester United, but neither plays in Gameweek 11. At the other end, Liverpool ([H]ARS → [A]BHA → [H]CHE, 2.91 xG), West Ham ([A]MCI → [H]CHA → [A]ARS) and Everton ([A]CHE → [A]TOT → [H]BHA) have the thinnest WSL programs. The full fixture grid is on the WSL Fantasy schedule, and the bookmaker lines behind these numbers are on the WSL market probabilities page.
Best goalkeepers for WSL Fantasy Gameweek 9
Hannah Hampton (5.5m, CHE) stays the best keeper in the game, with a program of [H]EVE → [H]MCI → [A]LIV. She projects 4.9 → 4.0 → 4.7, which is 13.6 over the three gameweeks and the highest total of any goalkeeper. The City week is her low point, and it is still a 4.0. With 58% ownership she is a hold, not a differential.
Phallon Tullis-Joyce (5.5m, MAN) is the alternative on the steadiest defensive program: [A]AVL → [H]CRY → [A]BIC, 3.6 → 4.1 → 4.0, for 11.7 in total. Her score rises after this week, so she is a buy for the run rather than for Gameweek 9. Owning her also takes one of your three Manchester United places, which matters given the defenders below.
For a budget keeper, Akane Okuma (4.5m, AVL) climbs 2.7 → 3.5 → 3.7 on [H]MAN → [H]BIC → [A]CHA. She is 4% owned and a sensible second keeper whose best weeks are still to come. Anna Tamminen (Newcastle) matches Hampton's 4.9 this week but has nothing in Gameweeks 11 and 12, so she is a short-term option only. Mary Earps has no projected points in any gameweek through 14, with Elene Lete in goal for London City Lionesses. Check the WSL predicted lineups before the deadline.
Best defenders for WSL Fantasy Gameweek 9
Manchester United are where the defensive points are, and the three-per-club cap forces a choice. Maya Le Tissier (6.0m, MAN) leads all defenders over the three gameweeks with 15.7, projecting 4.9 → 5.7 → 5.1 on [A]AVL → [H]CRY → [A]BIC. She is also Manchester United's penalty taker, which raises her ceiling above the other United defenders. Anna Sandberg (5.5m, MAN) is right behind on the same [A]AVL → [H]CRY → [A]BIC run, with 15.2 (4.8 → 5.6 → 4.8) for half a million less. She carries 0.21 expected assists this week, and at 3% ownership she is the best defensive differential in the game. Hanna Lundkvist (5.0m, MAN), 13.7 over the three and 1% owned, is the budget route into the same program.
The single-week and three-week rankings disagree here. Ellie Carpenter (7.0m, CHE) is the top defender for Gameweek 9 at 5.6 against Everton, but her program ([H]EVE → [H]MCI → [A]LIV) dips to 3.7 in the City week and totals 14.4, below both United defenders. If you are buying one defender and keeping her, Le Tissier or Sandberg is the better buy. Carpenter is a hold for her 42% of owners, not a priority purchase.
Leah Williamson (5.5m, ARS) has the flattest projection among the leading defenders: 4.5 → 4.6 → 4.5 on [A]LIV → [H]LCL → [H]WHU, for 13.6. A flat program means you can buy her once and not think about her again until Gameweek 12. Lucy Bronze (5.5m, CHE) (5.1 → 3.3 → 4.1 on [H]EVE → [H]MCI → [A]LIV, 12.5) is the cheaper Chelsea option if you want Everton exposure without paying for Carpenter.
Two short-term defensive picks stand out. Carlotta Wamser (5.0m, MCI) projects 5.2 against West Ham, but 2.1 at Chelsea follows, so she only makes sense as a one-week pick that you sell again before Gameweek 10. Molly Bartrip (4.0m, CRY) projects 4.7 at home to Charlton, but her program then falls away (4.7 → 2.0 → 2.6 on [H]CHA → [A]MAN → [A]LCL). Use her as a cheap Gameweek 9 starter or bench filler, not as a hold.
Best midfielders for WSL Fantasy Gameweek 9
Alyssa Thompson (8.0m, CHE) is the midfielder to buy. She leads the position over the three gameweeks with 19.6, projecting 7.9 → 5.7 → 6.0 on [H]EVE → [H]MCI → [A]LIV, and only 10% of managers own her. Her 0.63 expected goals against Everton is the highest of any midfielder this week. This is another case where the rankings disagree: Lauren Hemp (8.0m, MCI) beats her for Gameweek 9 alone (8.3 against West Ham), but on [H]WHU → [A]CHE → [H]TOT she drops to 3.7 at Chelsea and totals 18.1. Hemp's owners should keep her, since the gap is small. For a new buy at the same price, Thompson is the pick.
Jessica Park (8.0m, MAN) is the midfielder whose best week is the next one: 5.4 → 6.4 → 4.9, for 16.7 over [A]AVL → [H]CRY → [A]BIC. She is the attacking way into the United program, but it costs a club place, so she and two of the defenders above use up all three United spots. Lisa Baum (6.5m, ARS) is the value hold: 5.2 → 5.2 → 5.1 on [A]LIV → [H]LCL → [H]WHU, for 15.5. That beats Ella Toone (15.1) for less money and Georgia Stanway (13.0) for the same money, and she is 10% owned.
Further down the price list, Wieke Kaptein (5.5m, CHE) is a cheap way into Chelsea's Everton fixture: 4.8 this week and 12.0 over [H]EVE → [H]MCI → [A]LIV, and 2% owned. Aoba Fujino (7.0m, MCI) projects 6.3 against West Ham and 14.0 over the three ([H]WHU → [A]CHE → [H]TOT), at 2% ownership. She is a strong differential if you want a second City attacker without paying for Hemp. Charlton's Jodie Hutton is the deep differential: 4.7 → 3.9 → 4.4 on [A]CRY → [A]WHU → [H]AVL, for 13.0, from a side almost nobody owns.
One WSL 2 midfielder is worth a mention. Beth Lumsden (7.5m, NEW) projects 5.9 at home to Burnley and 5.0 at Sunderland, which is excellent for two weeks. Newcastle then have nothing in Gameweeks 11 and 12, so treat her as a two-gameweek pick and plan the sale before Gameweek 11. Freya Jupp (4.0m, SOU) is the same profile on a smaller budget: 5.1 this week, then 3.7.
Best forwards for WSL Fantasy Gameweek 9
Khadija Shaw (12.5m, MCI) is in 68% of squads for good reason. She projects 10.1 → 4.8 → 9.0 on [H]WHU → [A]CHE → [H]TOT, for 23.9, the highest three-gameweek total in the game. She carries 1.04 expected goals against West Ham and is City's penalty taker. Alessia Russo (11.5m, ARS) is the steadier premium: 6.5 → 7.3 → 7.7 on [A]LIV → [H]LCL → [H]WHU, rising every week, for 21.5. Russo is also Arsenal's penalty taker, and her projection never drops below 6.5 out to Gameweek 14.
Elisabeth Terland (7.0m, MAN) is the best value in WSL Fantasy right now. She projects 6.6 → 8.2 → 6.1 on [A]AVL → [H]CRY → [A]BIC, for 20.9 over three gameweeks. That is within three points of Shaw for 5.5m less, and she is only 8% owned. Her 0.68 expected goals at Aston Villa is second only to Shaw among forwards this week, and the Crystal Palace game makes her the top projected player of Gameweek 10. If you buy one differential this week, buy Terland.
Amalie Vangsgaard (6.5m, AVL) is a buy for next week rather than this one. Aston Villa's 20% win chance against Manchester United holds her to 3.9 in Gameweek 9, then the rest of her [H]MAN → [H]BIC → [A]CHA program lifts her to 5.9 and 6.1. At 1% ownership, she is the forward to bring in for Gameweek 10. Mary Fowler (6.0m, MCI) is the cheap City forward (6.2 → 2.9 → 5.1 on [H]WHU → [A]CHE → [H]TOT, 14.2), and Olivia Garcia (4.0m, BHA) is the bench-priced forward who still starts: 3.7 → 3.4 → 3.1 on [A]TOT → [H]LIV → [A]EVE, the best points per million of any forward under 5.0m.
| Player | Club | Price | Owned | GW9 → GW10 → GW11 | 3-gameweek total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Khadija Shaw | MCI | 12.5m | 68% | 10.1 → 4.8 → 9.0 | 23.9 |
| Alessia Russo | ARS | 11.5m | 48% | 6.5 → 7.3 → 7.7 | 21.5 |
| Elisabeth Terland | MAN | 7.0m | 8% | 6.6 → 8.2 → 6.1 | 20.9 |
| Alyssa Thompson | CHE | 8.0m | 10% | 7.9 → 5.7 → 6.0 | 19.6 |
| Lauren Hemp | MCI | 8.0m | 50% | 8.3 → 3.7 → 6.1 | 18.1 |
| Jessica Park | MAN | 8.0m | 18% | 5.4 → 6.4 → 4.9 | 16.7 |
| Amalie Vangsgaard | AVL | 6.5m | 1% | 3.9 → 5.9 → 6.1 | 15.9 |
| Maya Le Tissier | MAN | 6.0m | 31% | 4.9 → 5.7 → 5.1 | 15.7 |
| Lisa Baum | ARS | 6.5m | 10% | 5.2 → 5.2 → 5.1 | 15.5 |
| Anna Sandberg | MAN | 5.5m | 3% | 4.8 → 5.6 → 4.8 | 15.2 |
Best captain picks for WSL Fantasy Gameweek 9
Khadija Shaw (12.5m, MCI) is the Gameweek 9 captain, on a [H]WHU → [A]CHE → [H]TOT program. Her 10.1 projection is the highest in the game by almost two points, and she has a home game against West Ham, City's 85% win probability, 1.04 expected goals and the penalties. Lauren Hemp (8.3, same fixture) is the second choice, and Alyssa Thompson (7.9 at home to Everton) is the third and the only top-three option outside City.
Plan the captaincy across all three gameweeks. Shaw drops to 4.8 at Chelsea in Gameweek 10, which is the week Terland (8.2 against Crystal Palace) and Russo (7.3 against London City) take over. Shaw returns at the top in Gameweek 11 with 9.0 at home to Tottenham, ahead of Russo's 7.7 against West Ham. Owning Shaw plus one of Terland or Russo gives you a strong captain in each of Gameweeks 9 to 11. That strengthens the case for Terland as a differential. Our guide to picking a fantasy captain covers the method.
Who to sell before WSL Fantasy Gameweek 9
Kerstin Casparij (8.0m, MCI), 31% owned, is the clearest sale. Her program is fine; her minutes are not. She is projected for about 25 minutes, so even City's best fixture of the window gives her only 1.6, and the [H]WHU → [A]CHE → [H]TOT run reads 1.6 → 1.4 → 2.6. Why now: nothing in the next three changes her role, and her 8.0m pays for Thompson or Terland this week.
Alexia Putellas (8.5m, LCL) is the big-ownership call. She is in 56% of squads and projects 4.7 → 2.6 → 5.5 on [H]BIC → [A]ARS → [H]CRY, for 12.8. Birmingham at home is a fair fixture and 4.7 is a respectable score, so this is not a bad week for her. The issue is timing. Arsenal away follows in Gameweek 10, and Thompson costs 0.5m less while projecting 19.6 over the same three weeks. Selling now gives you three weeks of the upgrade before Gameweek 12; waiting a round gives you two.
Lauren James (7.5m, CHE), 26% owned, is projected for around 42 minutes and totals 11.2 (4.3 → 3.2 → 3.7 on [H]EVE → [H]MCI → [A]LIV). Why now: Chelsea's best fixture of the three is this week's Everton game, and Thompson is the Chelsea attacker who turns it into points. Switching within Chelsea also keeps your club count the same. Agnes Beever-Jones (14% owned) is the same story with even fewer minutes, at 4.4 over the three gameweeks.
Mariona Caldentey (7.5m, ARS), 11% owned, has no projected points until Gameweek 12, so Arsenal's strong [A]LIV → [H]LCL → [H]WHU run passes her by. Why now: she scores nothing in Gameweeks 9, 10 and 11, and Gameweek 12 is an unlimited-transfer week, so you can bring her back then at no cost. Victoria Pelova (19% owned) projects 2.6 → 2.5 → 1.8 on [H]BHA → [H]EVE → [A]MCI and can go for the same reason.
WSL 2 owners can wait a round. Anna Tamminen, Kaitlyn Torpey and Martha Thomas (Newcastle, each 11-14% owned) have [H]BUR this week and Sunderland in Gameweek 10, so selling now gives up two decent games. Their problem is Gameweek 11, so plan the exits for that deadline. A bench of four can also absorb one or two of them for a single week.
Best Free Hit team for WSL Fantasy Gameweek 9
A Free Hit is allowed in Gameweek 9. This is the highest-projected legal squad for this week only, with at most three players from any club, in a 1-3-4-3:
- GK: Anna Tamminen (NEW, 4.9). Bench: Katie Keane (LEI, 4.4)
- DEF: Ellie Carpenter (CHE, 5.6), Katie McCabe (CHE, 5.5), Molly Bartrip (CRY, 4.7). Bench: Kaitlyn Torpey (NEW), Ellie Mason (CHA)
- MID: Lauren Hemp (MCI, 8.3), Alyssa Thompson (CHE, 7.9), Aoba Fujino (MCI, 6.3), Beth Lumsden (NEW, 5.9). Bench: Freya Jupp (SOU)
- FWD: Khadija Shaw (MCI, 10.1, captain), Elisabeth Terland (MAN, 6.6), Alessia Russo (ARS, 6.5)
That projects 82.4 points including the captain. It leans on WSL 2 picks that blank later, which is exactly what a one-week chip is for. The WSL Fantasy optimal teams page solves this live as projections update, and WSL transfer suggestions works out the best moves from your own squad.
WSL Fantasy Gameweek 9 transfer summary
In: Thompson, Terland, and one or two of Le Tissier and Sandberg, all owned for the Gameweek 9 to 11 run. Out: Casparij, then Putellas or Lauren James, depending on which one funds Thompson. Next week: Vangsgaard. Hold: Shaw, Russo, Hampton, Hemp. Last week's picks are in the WSL Fantasy Gameweek 8 preview, every round is collected in the WSL Fantasy preview hub, and the rules are explained in our WSL Fantasy guide.
FAQ
Who should I captain in WSL Fantasy Gameweek 9?
Khadija Shaw. She projects 10.1 points at home to West Ham, nearly two points clear of anyone else, with 1.04 expected goals and City's penalties. Lauren Hemp (8.3) and Alyssa Thompson (7.9) are the alternatives.
Who are the best differentials for WSL Fantasy Gameweek 9?
Elisabeth Terland (7.0m, 8% owned) projects 20.9 over Gameweeks 9 to 11, close to Shaw for far less money. Anna Sandberg (5.5m, 3%) and Aoba Fujino (7.0m, 2%) are the other low-owned picks with strong programs.
Should I sell Alexia Putellas before Gameweek 9?
Yes, if she funds Alyssa Thompson. Putellas projects 12.8 over Gameweeks 9 to 11 with Arsenal away in the middle, while Thompson projects 19.6 for 0.5m less. Birmingham this week is a fair fixture, but selling now gives you three gameweeks of the upgrade instead of two.
Which Manchester United players are best for WSL Fantasy Gameweek 9?
Maya Le Tissier (15.7 over three gameweeks, the penalty taker), Anna Sandberg (15.2) and Elisabeth Terland (20.9). United's [A]AVL → [H]CRY → [A]BIC run is the steadiest in the game, and the three-per-club cap means you choose three of them.
Who are the best budget picks for WSL Fantasy Gameweek 9?
Hanna Lundkvist (5.0m, MAN) projects 13.7 over three gameweeks, Wieke Kaptein (5.5m, CHE) 4.8 against Everton, and Olivia Garcia (4.0m, BHA) is the best value forward under 5.0m. Akane Okuma (4.5m, AVL) is the budget keeper whose best weeks are still to come.
This preview was written by TheFantasyTool AI.