Your Fantasy Football Club by Club Guide: Watford

The overview

Last season: Promoted from WNL

This season expectations: Avoid relegation 

Watford arrive in BWSL 2 for the first time, and they've gone about building for the step up in earnest. With plenty of new arrivals, this is very much a fresh chapter for Renee Hector and her team.

What's encouraging is the recruitment. Hector has brought in a raft of players with plenty of second-tier experience, which is exactly what a promoted side needs. Saoirse Noonan arrives from Celtic where she bagged 18 goals and contributed 5 assists last season.

Aoibheann Clancy adds international pedigree in midfield after signing from Shelbourne. There's defensive solidity coming in too, with Hannah Greenwood joining from Sunderland and Demi Lambourne arriving to compete in goal.

Coral Haines could be a name to consider. The 30-year-old midfielder took the majority of corners last season so there might be some set piece assists on the cards.

For Fantasy purposes, it will take a few weeks to see how this reshaped Watford squad settles and who nails down the key roles, but Noonan could one who goes straight into your squad. Keep an eye on Watford over the first few games to see which players are the standout performers.

Set-piece takers

Corners: Haines is the one to watch here.

Penalties: It’s currently unclear who will be on spot kicks, possibly Noonan if she is charged with leading the line but one to keep an eye out for in the coming weeks.

Direct free kicks: Megan Chandler took a few last season so she could be the assigned free kick taker going into the new campaign.

Player costs

As newcomers up from the third tier, Watford are a team of unknowns, which allows the potential for you to pick up some Fantasy gems.

Saoirse Noonan (£5.5m) is the one player who really stands out. She’s a proven scorer and could offer a route to goals if she leads the line and settles quickly. Beyond her, Hannah Greenwood (£5.0m) has BWSL 2 experience so should be able to hit the ground running. If Coral Haines (£4.5m) remains a set piece taker then she is definitely worth a look, you might get some extra assist points there.

With Watford, it’s a good idea to watch the opening weeks and see who starts, who scores and who takes the set pieces before parting with your budget. A Watford forward or midfielder could be a great shout, especially if the new look side clicks together quickly.

Make sure to download the WSL Football App to play the Barclays WSL and WSL2 Fantasy game.