Why summers of change beckon for WSL giants

Why summers of change beckon for WSL giantsImage caption, Millie Bright has retired, while Katie McCabe is leaving ArsenalByAdam MillingtonBBC Sport journalistPublished22 minutes agoFor six straight years, Chelsea won the Women’s Super League. But on Saturday at Stamford Bridge, it felt somewhat like the ending of an era.Not only did they slump to a third-placed finish in their defence of a title, but Sonia Bompastor’s side will have to go through qualifying for the Champions League after Arsenal beat Liverpool to seal second place.Stalwarts of Chelsea’s title-winning sides under Emma Hayes bode farewell to the club on Saturday, with Sam Kerr playing her final game for the club and Millie Bright being honoured after retiring earlier this month.Kerr and Bright were some of the remaining players who were intergral during Hayes’ years of dominance, with the likes of Erin Cuthbert and Lauren James among those still left.In a season where Manchester City won the division for the first time in 10 years, Bompastor will hope this does not spark a new era of playing catch-up in the league.After all, City have led the division since the eighth week of fixtures and, while Arsenal and Chelsea have traded places throughout the campaign, the Gunners retained an advantage for much of the campaign thanks to their games in hand.For their part, Arsenal end the season trophyless bar the inaugural Champions Cup, which they won in January.Like Chelsea, the summer also presents uncertainty for Renee Slegers’ side, with Katie McCabe having played her final game for the club on Saturday and forward Beth Mead also leaving at the end of the season.Why Arsenal have fallen short in WSL and Champions League this season