USWNT Stars Under the WSL Spotlight: Thompson, Coffey, Fox, and Tullis-Joyce

Chelsea walked off the pitch knowing exactly what went wrong. They had the ball, they had the territory, they had the chances. They did not have the win.

Aston Villa’s late equalizer turned a controlled Chelsea performance into a 1-1 draw on opening weekend, a familiar warning that dominance means little without a ruthless edge in front of goal. Alyssa Thompson lived that lesson in real time.

Thompson at a crossroads

Chelsea need Thompson now in a way they didn’t 12 months ago. Millie Bright, Guro Reiten and Sam Kerr are gone, leaving not just a talent gap but a vacuum of big-game moments. Someone has to step into that space. Thompson is at the front of that queue.

Her first WSL campaign laid the groundwork: a team‑leading seven league goals, a clear threat when she ran at back lines, the sense that something might happen every time she received the ball. That was the foundation year. This one comes with expectation.

The stakes are rising for club and country. On the international stage, Thompson’s grip on a USWNT place looks stronger. Stationed on the right wing, she has already scored four times for the Americans, adding pace and directness to Emma Hayes’ attack and strengthening her case for the upcoming qualifiers.

Now the demand is simple and unforgiving. Those “dangerous positions” at Chelsea must become goals. With so much of the old core gone, her finishing could be the difference between another title push and a season of regret.

Coffey back in the thick of it

If Thompson’s weekend was about missed chances, Sam Coffey’s was about minutes. Any minutes.

After a knee injury cut short her last WSL campaign and kept her out of the USWNT’s June friendlies, Coffey finally returned to competitive action in Manchester City’s 3-1 win over Birmingham City. She came on for Laura Blindkilde Brown in the 73rd minute, a late cameo that meant far more than the clock suggested.

City know what they have in her. Coffey arrived from the Portland Thorns midway through last season and grew into her role as the club surged toward the WSL title race. Her reading of the game, her range of passing, her calm in tight midfield pockets — all of it helped City control matches when it mattered most.

Now she has a clean slate and a healthy knee. That combination changes things for both club and country.

For Hayes and the USWNT, Coffey’s return fills a glaring gap. Without her, the Americans lacked a trusted holding midfielder in key moments, notably against Brazil. Getting back on the pitch is only step one. Regaining rhythm, tempo and that sharpness in the anchor role could push her straight back into the heart of Hayes’ plans.

Fox quietly locks things down

Some players shout their presence. Emily Fox doesn’t need to.

Whether in an Arsenal shirt or a USWNT kit, Fox delivers the same thing: reliability. Sunday’s opener was another entry in that file. Slotted into her usual outside back role, she helped Arsenal grind out a 1-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion and start the season with three points.

Arsenal pushed their line high, squeezing Brighton and hunting the ball in advanced areas. That approach leaves fullbacks exposed if they misread a moment. Fox rarely does. She stepped up when needed, tucked in when required and picked her times to surge forward.

Since joining Arsenal in 2024, she has become a constant, a player managers can build around without fuss. She defends with discipline, supports the attack with intelligence and rarely wastes a touch. It was not a highlight-reel performance on opening weekend — and that is exactly why she is so valuable.

Fox doesn’t chase the spotlight. She just makes sure her side keeps it.

A rough start for Tullis-Joyce

For Phallon Tullis-Joyce, the new WSL season turned awkward almost immediately.

The Manchester United goalkeeper made a couple of early saves, looked settled, and then, in the eighth minute, was caught out of position. Alanna Kennedy rose to meet a corner for London City Lionesses and punished United’s slack set‑piece work with a header. Tullis-Joyce could only watch it drop in.

United never fully shook off that early blow. Defensive lapses resurfaced late on, and the cost was brutal. In the 82nd minute, loose marking in the box gave Daniëlle van de Donk enough space to improvise a cheeky finish behind her back. The 2-1 defeat left United with a long list of corrections and their keeper with a restless debrief.

For Tullis-Joyce, the scrutiny extends far beyond Carrington. She is in the thick of the race for the USWNT’s No. 1 shirt, a contest where every club performance is weighed and replayed. Shot-stopping has long been her calling card. The question now is everything else.

Her footwork and distribution remain under the microscope. Hayes wants a goalkeeper who can start attacks as confidently as she ends them. If Tullis-Joyce can turn this season into a showcase of composure with the ball at her feet, she strengthens her claim. If not, she risks watching major tournaments from the bench.

The margins are that thin.

Across England, the opening weekend offered a snapshot of where these USWNT regulars stand: Thompson on the brink of a bigger role, Coffey edging back to full influence, Fox quietly doing the dirty work, Tullis-Joyce wrestling with mistakes and ambition. The games will come fast now.

So will the judgments.