Aston Villa defender Lynn Wilms says that playing in the Barclays Women’s Super League is like playing ‘in the Champions League every week.’

The Dutch fullback joined Aston Villa from European giants Wolfsburg last season and was one of the Villains’ standout performers both in attack and defence. Wilms was second in goal contributions, key passes per match and led on tackles per match. 

The Villa number 14 sat down with The Halfway Line ahead of her second season at the club. Wilms talked life in the WSL, the impact of expanding the league and the joy of a good slide tackle.

Lynn Wilms lauds ‘fight’ in Aston Villa side

At Villa’s training ground Wilms cuts a relaxed figure, strolling around in her sliders. But make no mistake the Dutchwoman reflects the work ethic and fierce competitive nature of a player who’s been in the top flight for most of her senior career.

Pre-season is now in full flow at Bodymoor Heath, but Wilms was eager to get the season started,

“In the beginning, I had to come in a bit because I’ve never had six weeks off like, ever in my career” Wilms smiled. “Obviously I had the best time with family and stuff, but also it’s taking you a bit to come back in. But it’s going well. I like the fight in the team.”

Wilms revels in ‘very big’ women’s football in England

Lynn Wilms is settling nicely into life in England after her first year, even if she sometimes finds navigating some of the day-to-day foibles of English bureaucracy challenging, “there are a lot of things about like the house and the council tax that’s, some other level!” Wilms laughed. “Everything else is going well. I like the city and I like to hang out and play golf.”

Most importantly she’s enjoying her football. For a team like Aston Villa, still striving to consistently crack the upper echelons of the WSL, signing a top player from Champions League mainstays Wolfsburg felt like a coup. But for Wilms, the draw was always clear,

“I really like the league” Wilms asserted. “I love how it lives here in England, the women’s football and stuff. It’s very big here.” 

“I have the feeling that here everything is big. In the [Frauen] Bundesliga for example you play against Bayern, they make a really big game from it, and the level is very good, but here every week, you have a big game.

“What I really like about the WSL is you can win against United but lose against Leicester for example. You have to be, every week, you have to be on it. I played Champions League as well, and here, it’s like Champions League every week.”

‘I love to just play more games’ says Wilms

Despite the positives of the WSL one downside for Wilms was having less matches then in Germany. However that will be addressed somewhat this upcoming season as two more teams are added to the WSL. That means four more fixtures, on top of the additional games in the league stage of the newly renamed Subway Players Cup. Hungry for more games and more competition, Wilms is relishing it,

“Well obviously we have more games and I love to play just more games” Wilms noted. “As I said, when you play in the Champions League you already have more games, you know.

“So you play every week, basically twice, and I love to play […] I do like to train obviously, and to focus on the details and everything, but I just like to compete.”

More fuel will be added to the fire this season as Villa’s fierce local rivals Birmingham City return to the league after five years. When asked about the derby, Wilms appeared sheepish, giggling and looking across the room, perhaps at captain Rachel Daly, who was sent off in a fiery League Cup encounter against the Blues last term: “Yeah I already played a Second City derby last year” Wilms said. “Yeah, um, well you know… I’m looking forward to it!”

Aston Villa ‘need to be more consistent’ affirms Wilms

It’s fair to say that last season, Aston Villa yo-yoed between flashes of brilliance and moments of relative madness. An impressive defensive display and 1-0 win away at Manchester United, in part thanks to a Wilms assist, was sharply contrasted with chaotic games like their 7-3 loss at home to Spurs. 

Wilms was reflective on this, acknowledging that the team need to be able to find a more consistent level heading into this season,

“I think we want to do better than last year and be more consistent” Wilms admitted. “I think we really compete against the big teams, but then we are not good enough against the smaller teams, like not Chelsea, Man City, Arsenal or United.

“As an individual, obviously, I think I had quite a good season personally, I was the best assistor in our team but also in the league. I think I just want to be consistent and pursue that.”

Last season made Lynn Wilms ‘a more complete player’ 

Lynn Wilms led the league in assists last term, a stat she is pleased to point out, she was tied with her compatriot and fellow right back Kerstin Casparij.

When asked about whether she prefers to be involved in attack or defence, Wilms replied she’s “happy to do both” but her eyes visibly light up at the thought of a good slide tackle, “I really love a good tackle as well” Wilms beamed. “That’s something I grew up with when I was younger.

“A lot of coaches would just say stay on your feet, but I just love that!”

Under manager Natalia Arroyo, Wilms has been asked to play a few different roles, sometimes deployed on the right of a back three, as a wing back, or in her most familiar role as a right back. She’s as pragmatic and relaxed about this as she seems to be about everything else, “I love to play” Wilms asserted. “I don’t care actually where sometimes because it’s wherever the coach needs me and I respect that, but I think my best position is right back.”

Whatever Wilms thinks her best position is, she’s happy to be adaptable if it helps her develop, “I think this last year has made me a more complete player” reflected Wilms. “I think the thing I learned here is I can adapt myself more to being a right centre back or right wing back.

“Basically you put all that together as a right back, and you have every aspect of the game.”

Aston Villa will kick off their season against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge at 12:30pm on Saturday 5th September.