Closing the gap is the name of the game. Emma Hayes and the Chelsea Women have a huge opportunity to not only do that on Wednesday, but take a lead. While Arsenal is busy in the UEFA Women’s Champions League against the team that knocked the Blues out in December, Wolfsburg, the two-time reigning FA Women’s Super League champions face fifth place Tottenham in the league at Kingsmeadow.
It is without a doubt Spurs’ best season in the WSL to date, but Rehanne Skinner and Co. face a team that is red-hot and one that has a chance to surpass its rivals for the top spot in the table. While the Chelsea Men’s side is just beginning an international break, the women’s team continues its run of must-win games. One hiccup and the WSL title could be lost without any chance at redemption. Spurs are not a tough out like they were in years past though, so Hayes and her staff will have their hands full with another north London rival midweek.
The Chelsea Women have a chance to leapfrog Arsenal with a win on Wednesday
Chelsea has not played Tottenham since May of 2021 when the Blues prevailed 2-0 en route to the WSL title. These teams have faced off six times in the past, and Chelsea has come out on top every single time. The rest of the matches in the league this season include three against top five clubs, a revenge game against Reading and a battle with the bottom two teams in the league. On paper, the Blues should roll to the title, but the reason why football is so interesting is because anything can happen on any given day.
Reading had one shot on target against the Blues back in December and found a way to fend off 34 shots from the defending champions to deny them any sort of positive result. Hayes and her team are still unbeaten since that Conti Cup final loss against Manchester City, but as the world saw against Aston Villa, there will be no team that simply gives the title chasers three easy points.
After a decisive win against Birmingham City over the weekend, Chelsea continued its run of success with two more league games in the WSL coming up in the week. German shot-stopper Ann-Katrin Berger had little to do against the WSL’s bottom side on Sunday afternoon. The Blues are looking to win their fourth ever FA Cup (second straight) after winning last season’s in a 3-0 victory over the Gunners. The Blues got the toughest semifinal draw on Monday night as they drew Arsenal in a fixture that will be played April 17 for the right to go to the final, Meanwhile, Man City faces off against West Ham United in the other semifinal.
After a game against Spurs, the Blues travel to King Power Stadium to take on a Leicester City team who surprisingly has four wins in its first season in the Women’s Super League after being promoted from the FA Women’s Championship. Chelsea has rolled past the Foxes twice this season, including a 7-0 victory in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
It goes without saying that chief creators Fran Kirby and Sam Kerr are going to be essential pieces going forward for Hayes. The Blues are handling each game without Kirby, who has not played in a league match since the 0-0 draw against the Gunners back in February. Bethany England has proved that she can take part in the goals at a consistent level, but for Chelsea to secure all the points that are left, everyone has to likely be healthy.
The future has a lot riding on it, and with all the uncertainty surrounding the club, the Blues have a lot of pressure on the pitch. Will it become too much for Chelsea? The men’s team has a lot more breathing room, especially with the international break, but the women find themselves in the hunt for a third consecutive league title. They will have the chance this week to successfully complete the climb to the top of the table with a win on Wednesday night.
How do you think the Blues will fare in their match on Wednesday? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or on Twitter!