Welcome to The Counter Press, a new column in which analyses the big talking points from the latest Women's Super League matches, bringing you closer to the key stories in the women's game.
Persistence rewards Agyemang
Michelle Agyemang's name was everywhere this summer. England's breakout star. Their super sub. And now a European champion at just the age of 19, before claiming the title of Young Player of the Tournament.
The hype was and still is real.
Before then, Agyemang played a pivotal role in Brighton's record-breaking season, scoring five goals in 22 appearances across all competitions. The success prompted another loan move ahead of the new campaign, hoping to capitalise on a whirlwind four months by making more consistent strides in WSL competition.
Agyemang might have taken until week four to score her first goal - earning Brighton a 1-0 win over Everton - but it will be one of many.
Over the summer the teenager went from prospect to superstar in the blink of an eye and must carry that momentum with her as she searches for regularity in front of goal. Of course Agyemang offers plenty beyond goal threat, but will ultimately be judged on that.
It takes an analytical eye to uncover her many strengths. Brighton are one of three clubs, alongside Arsenal and Manchester City, to have two players rank inside the top seven for touches in the opposition box - Agyemang and Kiko Seike.
No doubt Dario Vidosic's front-footed philosophy complements his aggressive forward options.
Agyemang has drawn 10 fouls, with four of those occurring in the final third - more than any other in the league. Her open-play xG value (2.11) is second only to Chelsea's Aggie Beever-Jones (2.25), encouraged to play with instinct over instruction.
Brighton have recorded more pressed sequences than any other team so far in the WSL, thanks in large parts to Agyemang's physicality and running power. She is crucial to the way Vidosic likes to play football. And now with one goal in her back pocket, surely many more will follow.
Rock solid Le Tissier
Maya Le Tissier is another individual to encapsulate everything good about a team's implementation of a clear plan. Manchester United's captain is arguably Marc Skinner's most important player. She is their heartbeat.
Le Tissier made her 70th consecutive start for United in a 2-0 victory over Liverpool on Sunday, the joint-longest run of starts by an outfield player for one club in the competition's history. Dating back to her time at Brighton, she has been named on a staggering 117 consecutive teamsheets.
In conversation at Man Utd's media day in August, the defender spoke to me about the secrets of her consistency, reeling off all the usual things: eating right, never skipping leg day and establishing good routines.
But what struck me most was her innate hunger. Just before that, the 23-year-old described how difficult it was to go the entirety of England's Euros win without playing a single minute of football. "It was bittersweet in a way," she said.
"A massive team effort, but it's hard not to play, as a player you just want to play. I'm so thankful for the experience and I learnt a lot."
Le Tissier did not miss a single minute of WSL football for club last season, so to have to spectate all summer as England roared to victory was understandably tough. It's unlikely to ever happen again. Le Tissier is future England captain material and is driven to get there.
When Man Utd last staged a real run at the WSL title back in 2023/34, they based their bid on defensive solidity. To have a go this year it's likely to require the same level of fortitude and you can be sure Le Tissier will be there to lead the way.
Ho gets Spurs believing
A quick glance at the Women's Super League table will tell you how good the going is at Tottenham right now. They finished the weekend in fourth, a point better off than bitter rivals Arsenal. It's the first time since October 2024 that has happened.
Dreamland.
Spurs have got very used to negotiating the middle portion of the table. They are rarely in relegation trouble, nor bold enough to disturb the top five. A polite mid-table showing is usually about right. But last season's 11th-place finish served a sharp shock, and spelt an abrupt end to the Robert Vilahamn era.
New boss Martin Ho, a lively character from Merseyside, says he inherited a team "low on confidence, belief and motivation too". And so the immediate uplift feels somewhat sudden, given the impressive impact on both results and style of performance.
Spurs have won three of their opening four games, while averaging their most ever completed passes per game and best passing accuracy. It helped that Ho set his stall out early - beating Arsenal 4-3 in a pre-season friendly - to extinguish some lingering doubt from the previous regime. Now Spurs are flying.
Of his philosophy, he says: "I want to make sure we're consistently stepping forward and defending forward." That can of course be coached. The other bits are very much up for interpretation, though, wanting his teams to be "expressive and exciting" but also structured.
The latter, especially, can take time. Spurs' one defeat this season came at the hands of Manchester City and it was a thumping, conceding five times - 83 per cent of the goals they have shipped all season in a one-off 90 minutes.
Clearly perfection is not possible straight away, but such a positive start should encourage those whose expectancy had waned. Spurs can be entertaining after all.
Read the last Counter Press column
Last week's edition delved into Man Utd's impressive start, Aggie Beever-Jones' goalscoring exploits for table-topping Chelsea and Brighton's aggressive style under Dario Vidosic.