Chelsea secure three points in Kingsmeadow opener: lessons learned

Erin Cuthbert may be Chelsea’s most integral piece

Flying under the radar in each game is always the play of the Blues’ talented Scottish midfielder. Cuthbert pieced together an outing in the defensive midfield role, winning the most tackles on the team with four, finishing with a team-high 12 recoveries, and completing 37 of her 50 passes. She may only be 1.63 m, but she is a force to be reckoned with in the middle of the pitch, continuously breaking up passes as the away side was attempting to get itself back in the game. The Scottish international won six ground duels which were the most on the Blues over 90 minutes, demonstrating once again to wreak havoc on the opposition’s desire to push forward.

It is still in question if Cuthbert will be able to continue these kinds of performances as the fixture list becomes heavier, but after her outing on Sunday at Kingsmeadow, there is no doubt that she may be the most irreplaceable piece to this Chelsea team. Her work ethic allows for players like James, and Kirby to have the ball at their feet in dangerous positions. Whenever the Blues needed just a little bit of creativity to open up the play, Cuthbert was there to switch the field of play and ignite a transition attack with a precise pass between the lines. Sometimes Cuthbert’s physicality can get the best of her, having collected the most fouls on the team in league play last season, but each one of them serves a purpose, and that is what makes Cuthbert stand out compared to the rest of the midfielders around the WSL.