After a memorable win to clinch the FA Women’s Super League title over the weekend, the Blues shift their focus to another match that could win them a trophy. Chelsea has lost to just four teams this season, and the team that defeated it most recently is its opponent in Sunday’s highly anticipated Women’s FA Cup final. The women will need a redemption victory in order to complete a domestic double after recently clinching their third consecutive FAWSL trophy.
Manchester City took down the Blues with three unanswered goals in the second half of the Conti Cup final to rob Emma Hayes’ side of a chance at a treble of domestic trophies earlier this season. Chelsea’s defense completely collapsed when it mattered the most in the second half, giving up a plethora of simple chances on target. Recently, the Blues have struggled to play a cohesive and full 90-minute match. Against a side with a multitude of young talent up top, Chelsea cannot take a minute off in the upcoming Women’s FA Cup final.
Previewing the Women’s FA Cup final between Chelsea and Manchester City
Following the shocking win over the Blues in a Conti Cup final, Citizens boss Gareth Taylor spoke on his team’s incredibly resilient performance:
"“We knew we weren’t great in the first half, we knew we had to tweak a few things. We spoke a little bit about belief and faith at half-time, and I thought the players showed more of that in the second half. We went up so many levels it was unbelievable, and we’re deserved winners … This is a really honest group. We’ve been through tough moments and we’ve come out of it on the other side.”"
In its last match, Manchester City guaranteed qualification for next season’s UEFA Women’s Champions League with a 4-0 trouncing of Reading. Man City has not lost—or even drawn—a contest since early February when Guro Reiten’s goal gave Chelsea a 1-0 edge in the league.
Taylor utilizes a traditional 4-3-3 formation, headed by Player of the Year nominee Lauren Hemp. Alongside her is Georgia Stanway and Caroline Weir, who netted two goals to beat Chelsea last time out. City had the most players in the top 10 in the WSL in goals during the 2021/22 season with four. Chelsea only had three players in the same rankings of goals scored, including Sam Kerr, who took home the Golden Boot for the second straight season.
Taylor’s side plays an extremely patient form of football that uses possession to create chances over time. In the Blues’ three matches against Man City this season, they have seen less of the ball, which is one of the reasons why this squad has been difficult to handle. It starts with confidence in the back, and with one of the best defenders in the WSL, Alex Greenwood. Her presence in the center of the defense means Man City has a game-changer who can cause havoc in the box. It’s worth nothing here that the three goals that Chelsea gave up in its previous meeting were all on crosses into the box. The Blues’ back line lost their marks on repeated occasions during that dreadful second 45 minutes that gifted Man City its fourth Conti Cup.
Tracking players the entire length of the pitch for a full match is going to be vital if the Blues want to get revenge. Both Jonna Andersson and Aniek Nouwen completely lost Ellen White in the box as she gave the Citizens a decisive lead to help them lift the trophy in the last match-up. Another problem that Taylor’s side poses to Chelsea is its ability to press high up the pitch. The Blues struggled to maintain control of the ball in the second half of the previous meeting, and they gave up possession far too easy for a side of Chelsea’s caliber.
The Blues are in prolific form at the moment, but Man City is one of the best teams in all of Europe. The club has the potential to contend for the league title next season as it continues to cut the talent discrepancy between itself and Chelsea. While Hayes won’t admit the fact that this is a revenge match for them, in reality, that loss is still ingrained in the minds of the entire squad.
The Blues know they can play significantly better than they have in their last few matches, but in the end, it is the result that matters. Ending the season on a high note sets the tone for next season, and no matter what it takes or how it happens, hoisting the cup is the only thing Chelsea should be focused on. It’s the consistency of Hayes and the Blues against the upstart team of the future for all the glory. Hemp against Kerr, Hayes against Taylor; this is building up to be another remarkable showdown to end one of the most competitive and chaotic seasons in history.
Do you think the Blues will avenge the loss in the Conti Cup final and take home the FA Cup? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or on Twitter!