Chelsea and Arsenal will have to put the Women’s Super League title race aside for one weekend. The Gunners and the Blues are involved in a back and forth battle for the right to win the league title as things stand. However, all of that drama must be put on the back burner as these two teams will battle it out for the right to head the FA Cup final on May 15 at Wembley Stadium.
It’s Emma Hayes versus Jonas Eidevall and Sam Kerr against Vivianne Miedema in a win-or-go-home scenario. There will be no draws like in the last meeting, this result must have a victor. It’s shaping up to be a match for the ages between two historic, fierce rivals. Chelsea and Arsenal have finished in the top three of the WSL every season since 2014. They have met in the final of this competition in three out of the last six seasons. Both managers tend to play the same formation, so the similarities don’t just stop at results. It’s a proper cup tie on Sunday.
Chelsea squares off against Arsenal on Sunday in the Women’s FA Cup semifinals
Fran Kirby and Pernille Harder were two of those front three players for the Blues against the Gunners back in February. The English forward’s status is still unknown, but she will miss England’s World Cup qualifying matches during the international break. Hayes admitted that she was planning on giving the 28-year-old some time off following months of non-stop football. Harder has been out due to a reported illness, and her status for the semifinal is still unclear.
In their absences, it’s been English international Bethany England who has really stepped up and done a fantastic job. Following the win over Reading, England spoke about her form, and what’s ahead, stating:
"“Minutes help, I’m gaining a lot of confidence in playing these minutes … I’m helping the team, I’m working hard in training as always but I think it’s starting to pay off more now and I think it’s starting to show on the pitch … We just need to keep working hard and keep doing what we’re doing … It’s going to be a big one! London derby, everyone knows how tough it’s going to be, we’ll be ready for it.”"
If both of these star attackers are out, Hayes will most likely look to change the formation as she has in recent matches. Kerr has played alongside the in-form England up front with five in the midfield. The Blues are pretty deep when it comes to the middle of the pitch, but Sophie Ingle should head the midfield five as she played lights out against Reading. Ji-So-yun is the catalyst for the Blues in the midfield as she always seems to find the right passes to unlock a defense. She and Scottish international Erin Cuthbert will battle with the Gunners’ midfield led by Kim Little and Lia Walti in a fight that might decide the match itself.
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In the previous meeting, Arsenal had many swooping crosses that provided a lot of danger for the Blues’ back line. Millie Bright and Jess Carter—along with others on the defensive line—have to limit the crosses heading into the box throughout the 90 minutes. A majority of the most dangerous attacks by the Gunners during their league match-up came from whipping crosses in, where Chelsea lost marks in potential game-changing moments. Hayes will have to find ways to limit the space that Beth Mead and Caitlin Foord are afforded to prevent high-arching crosses.
Going into the match, the Blues will have the defending WSL Manager of the Month on their side. Hayes was given the award over Manchester City’s Gareth Taylor and Eidevall after a month where she led her team to a win every time out in the league. Chelsea netted a whopping 17 goals in its league matches, including a 9-0 obliteration of Lydia Bedford and her Leicester City side. Even though the Blues have been playing well as of late, the Gunners won their contests by an average of over four goals per game in the month of March.
The Blues should have no problem getting up for this contest, even given the fact that it is the first match after an international hiatus. If the Blues do come out on top against the Gunners, and win the final at Wembley, Chelsea would become just the fifth team in Women’s FA Cup history to win back-to-back titles joining Arsenal, Doncaster, Manchester City and Southampton. Arsenal has only beaten Chelsea once in of the last nine contests, but after defeat last year’s FA Cup final, this team will not go down without a fight.
The Blues should not look ahead to the next league contest, the game being played at Meadow Park needs to be prioritized. A quality team filled with depth on both ends of the pitch will give Chelsea some struggles, but as long as this team plays the way it was before the break, the Blues faithful will be rejoicing at the end of 90 minutes. There is no doubt that Kerr will come out firing from the opening whistle after her uncharacteristic missed opportunity in the encounter two months ago. There is nothing more a football fan can ask for: the two best teams in the country playing for the right to go to a cup final. Get the popcorn ready, this is going to be a classic.
Which color will paint London at the final whistle en route to the final? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or on Twitter!