Persistence pays off as Chelsea top West Ham: lessons learned

Katerina Svitkova possesses so much versatility for Chelsea

Being one of three players on the team to have not seen the pitch through the first two games of the season has to be tough. The Czech Republic international waited for her opportunity, and when Hayes gave her the call under the lights at Kingsmeadow against her former club, she was fully prepared for it. Svitkova plays like she always has something to prove, and just like Cuthbert, the hustle on and off the ball may be her most valuable asset. Coming across London to play for the Blues, it was clear that Hayes added Svitkova to be the Blues’ swiss army knife that has the potential to be one of the keys to why CFCW competes at an elite level in every competition this season.

Her work ethic is clear as she always wants to contribute in one way or another on both ends of the pitch. It is clear even through one match that Svitkova’s dream was to play for this club. It is still up in the air on how Hayes wants to utilize Svitkova going forward, and which matches she will make an appearance in. She is the perfect player for a team attempting to make a run at the Champions League. Whether it is on the left side, like on Wednesday night, on the right flank, or in the backline, Svitkova is prepared to do whatever it takes to see her team succeed. Chelsea has found another gritty midfield player, and given the trials and tribulations it took to reach the Champions League final in Sweden in 2021, Svitkova has the tools to be able to help the Blues grind out victories when the fixture list becomes quite intimidating.