Chelsea at WWC: Not even VAR can overturn Erin Cuthbert’s performances

Chelsea’s Erin Cuthbert was the dominant attacking player in Scotland’s group stage finale against Argentina. Sadly, the referees made VAR the most decisive factor in the game.

We’ll admit it: not only did we not watch Napoli two seasons ago, we’ve barely watched any Scotland national team games over the years. Twitter and the Telegraph’s anguished live blog tell us the ending of the Women’s World Cup game between Scotland and Argentina was the most Scotland thing ever, and we’ll just have to take their word for it.

Scotland were two VAR usages away from a win that would satisfy a number of firsts for the team and likely would have taken them into the Round of 16. Of course, before VAR could have such an impact on the game, Scotland had to surrender a three goal lead to bring Argentina within an administratively resuscitated penalty kick of a draw.

The Scots may want to learn a lesson from Chelsea FC about how to park the bus and close out a win. Scotland did not reconsider their aggressive and open approach until their lead had been cut to 3-2. Then, it was one of their defensive substitutes who committed the foul that set the entire banter-fest in motion.

Up 2-0 they continued to attack Argentina, which enabled Chelsea FC Women’s Erin Cuthbert to add a goal to her assist on the opener. At 3-0 and 3-1 they continued to push the ball forward and ran at Argentina, leaving space behind them even as the momentum shifted with Argentina’s increasing desperation.

Scotland had developed a reputation for being late staters in this tournament, closing out the games strongly after a circumspect opening 60-70 minutes. Having taken an early lead and then added two more by the 70′, they may have thought they would continue to improve through the final whistle as they had in previous games, running up the score and their goal differential in the table. But they did not need to improve – they needed to protect, and this refusal to shift towards a pragmatic defensive posture (wait, who are we talking about here?) brought them to where VAR could destroy their ambitions.

Chelsea’s Cuthbert was an isolated figure in Scotland’s opener against England. She did her best to press and harass the defence, but she did not have enough support to force a turnover. Nor did Scotland did attempt to play any out-balls to her, limiting her ability to run at her Chelsea teammate, Millie Bright, on counter-attacks.

Scotland took a more open 4-2-3-1 against Argentina, admittedly a much weaker side than England. This allowed three Scottish players to press Argentina’s defenders. On counter-attacks or sustained possession, the presence of Claire Emslie and Kim Little allowed Cuthbert to move more freely around the box, dribbling at Argentine players on both sides and showing up to poach rebounds.

The Chelsea forward dribbled through four Argentine players at the top left corner of the box before blasting a shot from 15 yards. Vanina Correa could do no more than a reaction save, and Cuthbert followed her shot to whip the rebound across the face of goal for Little to poke in for the opener. Fifty minutes later, Correa dove to block a header from Leanne Crichton off a corner kick. Cuthbert was waiting in front and blasted the rebound into the net.

Between those two actions Cuthbert aggressively challenged Argentina’s midfield and defence at every turn. Her relentless physical battles to recover possession in the final third had elements of a one-woman Scottish gegenpress. Once back on the ball, she completed six of 10 dribbles – the closest player completed two of three. She led all players with five shots and by being fouled six times for her efforts.

Scotland left themselves vulnerable in the late stages of the game as they tried to increase their goal differential, which, with a win, could have been the deciding factor in whether they advanced.

Up 3-0 or 3-1, Scotland could have shifted into a 4-5-1 and reinforced that shape with defensive substitutions. Cuthbert’s presence up top and her form on the night would have maintained an attacking threat even as her team sat deep and defended. Argentina would have need to keep at least two defenders near the midfield line to protect against a long-ball to Cuthbert. If Cuthbert dropped deep, her harassing runs and pressure could have forced a turnover or, at the very least, take away back-pass options for the Argentinians to their full-backs or deep midfielders.

Similar to the England game, Cuthbert was overlooked for her ability to hit on the counter-attack while the rest of the team defended in a low block. Scotland’s unwillingness to play Erin Cuthbert as a counter-attacking option from a defensive posture cost them points in two of their three games.

Erin Cuthbert deserved to join many of her Chelsea teammates in the Round of 16, just as she deserved her player of the match award for the group stage finale. “Football has some incredible highs but it also has some devastating lows,” she said after the game.

No one needs a video review to confirm that Cuthbert had some of those highs at the Women’s World Cup. Her experience, though, proves that VAR is going to be just one more point of contention in the Premier League next season. She may be relieved that Chelsea FC Women won’t have to put up with it.