Chelsea Women pick up statement win against Reading

Back in December, Reading shocked women’s football fans across world by defeating the defending champion, 1-0, damaging its chances of a three-peat. Chelsea would also go on to lose its next match as things at Kingsmeadow were not going as Emma Hayes had planned. The Blues has persevered through some unimaginable circumstances though and they now find themselves atop the FAWSL table with an FA Cup semifinal on the way.

Pernille Harder was out for the third straight match versus Reading. Therefore, it was up to the six-year Chelsea veteran, Bethany England, who has bagged two goals in every match since Harder has been ruled out, to get the job done. Samantha Kerr and England continue to wreak havoc on opposing back lines. On Sunday, they will have a huge test when the two top teams in the Women’s Super League battle for the right to go to the FA Cup final.

Just a few hours before kickoff at Kingsmeadow, Jonas Eidevall and Arsenal put five past Leicester City to jump to the top of the table by two points. Emma Hayes and Chelsea knew what the job at hand was against a tricky opponent: win and get back at the top. The first goal did not come immediately, but the Blues did not panic. Great teams thrive under pressure and stay patient because they know that their quality will eventually elevate them. Erin Cuthbert and Guro Reiten were sensational in the Blues’ attack. While neither of them found the back of the net, they did manage to created numerous opportunities for England and Kerr. Not many league games can be categorized as statement win, but this one was one of those such games, without a doubt.

Chelsea picks up statement victory and gets revenge on Reading in FAWSL

Chelsea was without two of its most influential attacking players, Fran Kirby and Harder. This was massive because each game for the Blues is essentially a title-deciding contest. The pressure is mounting, but Hayes’ players remain cool as a cucumber. A 5-0 beatdown of Reading by Chelsea just goes to show the progress this side has made in recent months. After all, it was the Royals who stunned the Blues earlier in the campaign. After crashing out of the UWCL and losing out on the Conti Cup, Chelsea has not let these factors deter it from finding success overall.

Before the clash with Reading on Sunday evening, manager Emma Hayes stated:

"“We’re used to being in this position and to be honest the pressures … we don’t feel that because I’d rather be in the position where something’s within our control than the other way around..We know we’ve got a tough run-in; it doesn’t change. For us to win the league…we still have some really tricky opponents…We’ve just got to stay in our lane, keep doing the work every day and let the results take care of themselves.”"

Playing against three centerbacks is a tough set up to break down, but Chelsea discovered several ways to get past it recently. Winning teams discover ways to win matches with versatility, and the past four league contests for the Blues are a great example of that. There are now just four WSL matches remaining on the schedule. Three out of the four matches are against teams that are currently in the top five of the Women’s Super League. Chelsea’s attack has netted a staggering 19 goals in the past three contests, and it will need its continued potent front line to secure every point that is left available in the league.

Even though Hayes and the Blues have a lot to play for in the league coming up, the FA Cup battle with Arsenal is filled with its own storylines. Both teams are out of the Champions League, and now there are only two competitions left in the cards. The last battle between these two resulted in a 0-0 draw that was far from dull. Both teams missed several key chances to turn the tide of the match, and after that day, neither squad has dropped a point in the league.

Chelsea defeated the Gunners 3-0 in the previous FA Cup final, now Arsenal will no doubt have the added motivation to avenge that result. It sounds simple, but Chelsea will be crowned the WSL champs and FA Cup winners in 2022 if they can just hang on for six more matches. Hayes knows the challenges that her team will encounter throughout. When it comes to charging into battle, there is no other manager Chelsea would want to have on its side. The drubbing of Reading demonstrates to the league that the Blues will not be denied what they knows is rightfully theirs.

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