Chelsea FC Women’s newest signing, Guro Reiten, powered Norway to a 3-0 win in their Women’s World Cup opener against Nigeria. Here are our ratings of the Blues’ Norwegian trio.
Chelsea FC’s men’s first team is under a transfer ban for their dealings for youth players who entered the club’s academy with little to no hope of ever playing for the first team. Strange, then, that the first team – who never really stood to reap any benefit from these dubiously obtained players – should face the sanction. Either the academy should take the hit, since they were the ones who actually used those players, or the club as a whole, which would include the women’s team.
For once, FIFA’s Spongebob level of cognitive consistency works to the Blues’ advantage. The women’s team can still buy players, and their most recent signing is Guro Reiten. Reiten leads our ratings of the Blues’ Norwegian contingent in their World Cup opener.
Maren Mjelde, Centreback: 7.5
Mjelde returned to one of the many positions she has filled for Norway for this game, partnering her Chelsea teammate Maria Thorisdottir in the back-line. She is like a combination of David Luiz and Cesar Azpilicueta: the versatility and defensive solidity of Azpilicueta, with the ball-playing ability and offensive inclinations of Luiz.
Norway kept Nigeria on the back foot for most of the game, which brought Mjelde forward repeatedly. Rather than push too far forward into midfield, though, her best contributions from open play were keeping the ball bottled up in Nigeria’s half. Whenever the Super Falcons attempted a clearance, Mjelde regularly stepped up to head the ball right back towards the final third. Such a play led directly to Norway’s third goal, a Nigerian own goal.
Maria Thorisdottir, Centreback: 7
The more defensive of the pairing, Thorisdottir had a relatively quiet evening with the exception of defending Nigeria’s corner kicks. A player who once said she is “maybe like a Viking” won most physical battles in the box, which may end up seeming an easier task compared to their upcoming match against France.
Guro Reiten, Left Wing / No. 10: 8.5
Norway manager Martin Sjogren organized his team in a nominal 4-4-2, using this as their base formation on defence. When Norway took possession, though, Reiten usually came off the wing to move into a central No. 10 position for a 4-3-1-2.
Reiten’s movement through the centre of the pitch and her excellent ball control drew Nigeria’s defenders towards her. This gave her options to thread a through-ball to one of the forwards, or spray a pass out to the wings, which the Super Falcons abandoned to defend narrowly Norway’s attack. Norway could take control of the entire pitch in the final third, and Reiten’s ability to dribble the ball into the box herself through crowd of defenders was at the root of many of Norway’s chances.
Reiten will officially join Chelsea after the Women’s World Cup. She will likely be one of the leading players to watch for however long Norway stay alive in the tournament.
Even if the first team could do business this summer, knowing the kind of transfers they tend to make and after watching Reiten’s Women’s World Cup opener, she could easily be Chelsea’s signing of the summer.
Hopefully Chelsea FC take whatever steps they need to so fans can watch the Women’s team throughout next season.