Chelsea Women obliterate Bristol City 9-0 to put the league on notice

Chelsea Women rebounded from their draw to Manchester United by absolutely obliterating Bristol City Women to the tune of 9-0.

After drawing to Manchester United on opening day, Chelsea Women needed a win to rebound. Bristol City is not a very good team and that win was already assumed. What was not assumed, however, was the complete beat down the women would dish out to not only rebound, but to put the entire league on notice.

The Blues changed things up for Bristol City, stepping away from their 4-2-3-1 of the previous two matches in favor of a 4-4-2. Ji So-yun slipped back to pair Melanie Leupolz in the midfield. Erin Cuthbert and Fran Kirby flanked the two with Beth England and Sam Kerr leading the line. Effectively, the 4-4-2 acted a lot like the 4-2-3-1 would with one of the strikers dropping in at times or Ji bursting forward into space to link things together.

Bristol started aggressively by pressing Chelsea all across the pitch. The Blues were not really disrupted by this, however, as they merely passed their way around it. Even still, Chelsea struggled to find an opening as they escaped the press. Eventually, Bristol wore themselves out and began to back off. That is when the avalanche started.

Though Bristol was preventing chances when they packed it into their box, they opened themselves up to long shots. Kirby made no mistakes as she curled one in from outside of the box. A coach from the Bristol City bench shouted “don’t panic!” which obviously prompted Bristol to panic.

Chelsea began to heap pressure on which caused the now panicking Bristol to start giving up penalties and fouls. Maren Mjelde converted from the spot. A free kick that was basically a corner found Leupolz’s head and rocketed into the net. Cuthbert broke up the set piece onslaught by banging in one herself from outside the box. And for good measure, a corner found itself on Millie Bright’s plate as she headed it home. And that was just the first half.

For what it is worth, Bristol’s keeper, Sophie Baggaley, did well to keep the score in single digits. Chelsea created several more opportunities in the second half that really should have been goals, but a combination of Baggaley, the posts, and pure luck kept them out. But they didn’t keep everything out.

England ran on to a ball at the near post and somehow directed into the goal which was behind her and at the tightest of angles. New signings Pernille Harder and Niamh Charles came on together and almost immediately linked up (with a save in between) for a Charles goal. She returned the favor to Harder shortly thereafter with the help of Sam Kerr to make it 8-0.

Kerr, who had been extremely unselfish in the route up to that point, finished the match with the ninth of the day. She burst on to a ball from deep, shimmed around a defender, and smashed it into the net with little fan fair. After her finishing issues in the last two matches, she put together a great performance that improved her teammates more than it allowed her to be the star. Even still, her shots on goal and the one she eventually put in were all much better than before.

Chelsea pulled themselves into two points of Arsenal with the win. Their next match, on 26 September, is away to Everton. A win will see them jump the Toffees as the Blues look to defend their title.