As the 2022/23 FA Women’s Super League season approaches, the Chelsea Women are gearing up for a run at their fourth straight league title. Four Blues head back to Cobham with a European Championship under their belt, while one hopes to put the loss behind her and be a force in net for Chelsea this upcoming season. Many individuals on and off the pitch for this decorated club could be marked as ‘X factors’ heading into the new season, but two players stand out that have the potential to change the game when Emma Hayes gives them a chance to prove it. Katerina Svitkova and Lauren James may not score the most goals on the team this year, but their presence and quality on the pitch provide the Blues chances few teams in the WSL could create.
Now that players are making their way back to their clubs after the conclusion of the Euros, Hayes will get a better scope of how she will line her side up this upcoming season. From sensational goalscorers such as Sam Kerr and Pernille Harder in the front line to star defenders like Millie Bright, the Blues have abundant top-class talent. Chelsea is going to be participating in plenty of competitions this upcoming season, so frequent rotation will be necessary. Both James and Svitkova have the motivation to prove to Hayes they have the ability to make it into the Chelsea team consistently in the 2022/23 season, especially after some of the outgoings.
Katerina Svitkova and Lauren James look to be X factors for Chelsea Women
Neither of these players are not household names at Chelsea at the moment, with one of them being a new addition. Meanwhile, the other is trying to live up to her transfer fee. Each has the potential to turn it on in the blink of an eye and completely flip the game on its head. Back in the summer of 2021, James left Manchester United after three remarkable seasons, including one where she helped lead the Red Devils into the WSL. James came to Kingsmeadow on what would be worth an initial £200,000, rising to £300,000 with add-ons, making it the biggest ever transfer between two clubs in the history of the WSL.
After signing this four-year contract, the former manager at Man United, Casey Stoney, said James has the potential to become the best player in the world. There was a whole lot of pressure for what she could provide for a top-level side after these comments. On top of the pressure that she had coming into the team, the club announced that she would take the No. 10 shirt that previously belonged to club legend, Ji So-yun, ahead of the ’22/23 campaign.
This could only mean one thing: Hayes is planning on giving James even more time than she had last season when she spent most of her minutes as a substitute due to the plethora of talent at Kingsmeadow. James has the ability to play multiple positions in the midfield or the front line, giving her even more of a chance to finally break into the Chelsea team. Her quality when it comes to making plays happen. In the 2019/20 WSL season, James was second on Man United in shot-creating actions and first in shot-creating actions per 90 minutes. She did this in all sorts of positions, as the No. 9 or on the left wing in the attack.
James has the talent to put her stamp on a match due to the fact that she knows where to be and what needs to be done to break that back line of defense in an efficient manner. Whether it is switching the field at the most opportune of times or providing the necessary pass that leads to a goal-scoring action, she can do it all. James may have not been a major contributor with the Blues so far, but there are so many reasons that can give someone the belief that she is going to be one of the stories of the new season—despite the new acquisitions.
Speaking of the new arrivals, the Blues’ newest Czech international has been a mainstay with West Ham United over the past two seasons. She has been someone who has been linked with Chelsea for quite some time, and now comes to Kingsmeadow with the hope of making a difference in the most talented team she has been a part of in her career. As a new addition, it may take some time for Svitkova to build that necessary chemistry with her new teammates and get used to the new system. But when she does, the former Slavia Prague star has the work ethic to match up against any opponent in any competition.
The versatility that she possesses—just like James—gives her even more of a chance to see the pitch even more. Hayes can play Svitkova in the middle of the pitch, along the front line or even on the flank of a back four. Eve Perisset gives the Blues an elite option on the wing, but Svitkova can give Hayes a reinforcement if any player were to go down, no matter the position. She was top seven in the WSL last season in the number of dribblers tackled, on top of adding the most assists for the Irons last season. Svitkova is a special talent that the Blues had the privilege to see first-hand already in the WSL. With the added motivation of trying to make a statement on a new team, the four-time Czech Footballer of the Year can give Chelsea tools that few in the past at this club had the ability to provide.
The preseason trip to the United States is getting closer and closer each day, and the pressure to succeed in the Champions League next season continues to grow. James and Svitkova both give Hayes a different look on the pitch. They also provide the potential and versatility that is going to be needed when the Blues are making a deep run to attempt to win as many trophies as possible. The stars for Chelsea are going to come out, but it is those players that provide an extra spark who were not there before that could be the difference between success and failure.