BWSL 2 Forwards: The FM26 Guide
That standout forwards you need to sign
Our FM Series continues, and this week we are staying in the Barclays Women's Super League 2 and turning our attention to the forwards.
The second tier doesn’t always get the spotlight it deserves when it comes to attacking talent, but this season has been something else.
There have been standout performers across the board, who will cause problems at any level and are all worth adding to your shortlist. Trust us, you’re going to want to read this one.
In this piece, we are going to look at four of the most interesting attacking profiles in the division, break down their standout attributes, and show you why you should sign them in your FM26 save.
Lexi Lloyd Smith
Lexi Lloyd-Smith is the top scorer in the Barclays Women's Super League 2 this season. The Bristol City forward has found the net 10 times, making her one of the most clinical finishers in the division.
While her FM26 profile doesn’t necessarily scream obvious superstar, Lloyd-Smith is exactly the kind of player this series exists to highlight. Her standout attribute is Anticipation, rated 14, with Dribbling and Technique at 13. These are solid numbers rather than headline-grabbers, but her output on the pitch tells a different story, and as a result, she has been one of the most effective forwards in the second tier all season.
This is the kind of moment that tells us what makes Lloyd-Smith so dangerous in the box.
Bristol City are attacking down the right, and Lloyd-Smith starts her run towards the far post. Then she changes. She reads the cross early, cuts back across her defender, and gets to the ball before anyone else.
Her Anticipation allows her to read where the ball will be played, which gets her across the defender before the cross arrives. Additionally, her Pace and Acceleration, both rated at 13, give her the burst to get there in time.
Her willingness to make these off-the-ball runs, often from inside the Bristol half, means she is a constant presence in the opposition area. She times her runs so well that defenders struggle to track her. She then has that extra burst of acceleration when reaching the box to ensure she has plenty of separation to make a good connection with the ball.
Lloyd-Smith's game is not just about the goals. Bristol City trust her to do more than simply arrive in the box and finish.
Here, she receives on the left and plays a quick one-two in tight space, getting the ball back before Ipswich can close her down. From there, she drives forward and hits a long shot at goal.
The effort doesn’t find the back of the net, but the sequence that created it shows she’s a forward who is comfortable with the ball at her feet and willing to make things happen herself rather than waiting for others to do it for her.
Averaging 2.20 progressive runs per 90 this season, she is consistently looking to drive forward. For FM managers who might look at her profile and see a straightforward finisher, moments like this are a reminder that Lloyd-Smith can link play and carry the team forward with the ball at her feet.
The Bristol City forward is more than just a dynamic attacking force. She works so hard for the team without the ball, often providing the first line of defence.
Here, we can see her pressing from the front, reading a pass between the two centre-backs and stepping in to recover possession high up the pitch. Birmingham have no time to react, and Bristol City are immediately on the front foot.
Her PAdj Interceptions figure of 4.64 this season tells the story. Her defensive contribution is a significant part of why Bristol City trust her to lead the line.
In FM, Lexi Lloyd-Smith represents exceptional value, and she’s exactly the kind of signing you can develop into a top-level talent.
Lily Crosthwaite
Lily Crosthwaite has been one of the most dynamic wide forwards in the Barclays Women's Super League 2 this season. The Birmingham City forward has eight goals and five assists to her name as The Blues secured promotion back to the top flight.
She is already one of the most complete forwards in the second tier, and that shows in FM26, where her Dribbling and Off The Ball, both rated at 14, are the key attributes. She is a forward who covers every blade of grass and has the quality to beat defenders in 1v1 situations as well as chipping in with goals for the team.
This example shows why Crosthwaite is so difficult to contain when she has the ball in wide areas.
She receives on the right with two Charlton defenders around her. The obvious option is the pass inside, but Crosthwaite doesn’t even consider it. She accelerates past both defenders in one burst, gets to the byline, and puts the cross in.
The two defenders have done nothing wrong. Crosthwaite is simply too quick for them, and by the time they react, she’s already gone.
In FM, her Pace of 15 and Acceleration of 14 enable her to go from standing to full speed in a heartbeat. Averaging 4.90 dribbles per 90 with a 69.70% success rate this season, she’s carrying the ball and beating opponents more consistently than almost any other forward in the division.
Crosthwaite is a dynamic force who is incredibly difficult to stop once she gets going. She’s equally comfortable going down the flank and putting crosses in or cutting inside and looking to play those incisive passes into teammates.
In this instance, she cuts inside from the right, carries forward, draws defenders towards her, and plays a delicate pass into the path of her teammate in the box. The weight and timing of it are perfect, and Birmingham have a goal.
This season, she has averaged 5.54 progressive passes and 0.79 key passes per 90, demonstrating just how frequently she makes decisions on the ball that put her teammates in dangerous positions.
Her xA of 3.84 is the second highest of any forward in the division, and her five actual assists played a key role in Birmingham’s title-winning campaign.
Crosthwaite doesn’t shy away from her defensive duties. Here, we can see her tracking a runner all the way back into the corner, covering every yard without switching off. She gets there, gets her body between the player and the ball, allowing her to recover possession cleanly.
Her defensive duel win rate of 71.82% this season backs up her ability to use her physical strength to regain the ball for her team.
In FM terms, her Determination of 13 is what drives her to make that run in the first place, and Natural Fitness of 15 is what means she still has enough in the tank to get there after everything else she has done in the game.
For FM managers, signing Crosthwaite would mean signing a wide forward who contributes at both ends of the pitch, week after week, making her invaluable.
Abbie Larkin
Abbie Larkin has been a standout player for Crystal Palace this season. The 21-year-old has enjoyed a brilliant season in BWSL 2 as her team secured their return to the top tier.
The numbers that stand out are not just the goals. Her 6.44 dribbles per 90 place her among the best in the division, and her xG of 6.87 indicates she consistently arrives in the most dangerous positions on the pitch.
In FM26, her Determination is rated 15, Passing 14, and Dribbling 13. These are already strong numbers for a forward who works hard, creates for others, and is only going to get better with time.
One of the most interesting aspects of Larkin’s game is her ability to score from lower-percentage opportunities, making her one of the most exciting forwards in the game.
Here, she moves in from the left and receives under pressure on the edge of the area, defenders closing from every angle. Rather than playing it simple, she gets the ball out of her feet in one movement and curls a shot into the top corner.
Despite her xG of 6.87, she has scored eight goals this season, showing she consistently outperforms what the data would predict, and moments like this make it clear as to why. Her composure and quality in tight spaces tells us all a great deal about where her game is heading.
Larkin's game is about more than just scoring goals. This example shows the other side of her profile and why she can make things happen in the most congested areas of the pitch.
Surrounded by opponents in the penalty area, there is no obvious passing option, but Larkin plays a delicate pass through the surrounding defenders, which finds her teammate, who finishes decisively.
Her three assists were generated from an xA of 2.77 this season, and her key passes of 0.52 per 90 show she can find teammates in dangerous positions. The awareness to pick out that pass in a crowded penalty area is not something to be taken for granted, and in FM26, her Passing is the attribute that helps explain how she does this so frequently.
Larkin is at her most dangerous when she has the freedom to drop deep and receive. In this example, she drops into space, and the Ipswich defender comes with her. She takes one touch to shield and needs just one movement to spin away, and suddenly she has space in front of her. She drives forward, and by the time she reaches the edge of the area, she hits a low drive into the bottom corner.
Her 6.44 dribbles per 90 and 64.52% success this season show this is not a one-off. The Palace forward is incredibly composed when receiving under pressure and knows how to use her body to shield the ball and create separation.
Her 3.12 progressive runs per 90 also show that she’s a forward who is always looking to carry the ball into dangerous areas rather than wait for chances to come to her. At 21, with the combination of physicality, directness and end product, she’s a forward with incredible potential in both FM26 and in reality.
Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah
Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah has been a key part of Nottingham Forest's season, contributing seven goals and one assist from over 2,000 minutes. The Ghana international brings something different to this piece; she’s a forward who is as involved in build-up play as she is in the final third, and whose contribution to Forest goes well beyond the goals she scores.
Looking at her FM26 profile, her Long Shots are rated 15, while her Finishing and Acceleration are 14, suggesting she’s always looking to make something happen and has the ability to be a threat inside and outside the box.
Boye-Hlorkah's contribution to Nottingham Forest’s build-up play has been a key element to her game this season.
We can see this in action here, playing on the left, she receives the ball and immediately looks forward. The pass into the box is perfectly weighted, finding her teammate's run and creating a chance from a position where most forwards would look to drive down the line.
Averaging 5.85 progressive passes per 90 this season, she is always looking to drive play forward and create for others. She has the vision and ability to play these unlikely passes that can often create shooting opportunities out of nothing.
This example against Durham shows the most distinctive part of Boye-Hlorkah's game in FM26 and why her Long Shots rating of 15 is the attribute that sets her apart from most forwards at this level.
She makes her run to the far post, anticipating the cross, but the ball is deflected, and the situation changes in an instant. Most forwards lose momentum when that happens. Boye-Hlorkah reacts quickly, picking up the ball on the edge of the area. She hits a shot into the far corner beyond the goalkeeper.
The deflection is the detail that makes this so impressive. She has gone from making a run in the box to composing herself and executing a long-range finish in a matter of seconds, and the quality of the strike is not diminished by the chaos that preceded it.
Signing her in FM26 would give any team a forward who can create something out of nothing, which is certainly a player profile worth knowing about.
Boye-Hlorkah's defensive contribution is one of the least talked-about parts of her game, and one of the most valuable things she brings to Nottingham Forest.
This example shows her leading the press from the front, closing down quickly and forcing play backwards. She doesn’t win the ball herself, but her pressure is the reason Southampton cannot build, and Forest are ready to capitalise on any mistakes.
Her PAdj Interceptions of 4.78 this season is part of why Forest trust her to lead the line. A forward who presses with that kind of intensity and consistency makes the whole team harder to play against, and in FM26, her Natural Fitness of 14 allows her to do it for 90 minutes without switching off.
Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah is a player who can bring something a little different to your attack, and in FM, that could be all the difference.
Conclusion
The Barclays Women's Super League 2 has a habit of producing players that fly under the radar, and this season has been no different. The forwards in this piece have been doing it week after week in front of growing crowds, and the FM26 database really does reflect just how much quality there is at this level.
Whether you are managing in the second tier or looking to bring some BWSL 2 talent into a top-flight save, the players in this piece are worth knowing about. There are goals, creativity, and profiles varied enough that there’s something for every system and every style.
Next week, we are closing out our FM series by looking at the players who have had the biggest attribute boosts in the latest update. It has been a brilliant few weeks covering both tiers of English women's football, and we are going to finish it in style. See you then.
