Riding the wave: Chelsea v Brighton preview

Before the season, CFC sent out its most promising academy defender to Brighton on a season-long loan, investing in the club’s ability to develop its own homegrown talent. Jorja Fox is one of five players on the Seagulls’ roster that has played in every minute of every league game, but luckily for the Blues on Sunday, Fox is not allowed to play against her parent club. Brighton is still looking for a consistent goal threat, having only scored a goal in one game in the league campaign so far.

Powell and the Seagulls lost three of its top four goal-scorers in the WSL last season, and are having to rely on young players like Fox to pick up a lot of the slack created from a multitude of departures during the summer transfer window. Brighton’s top two players that collected the most minutes last season are a part of two different WSL clubs this season. Powell has to rely a whole lot on the 21-year-old Norwegian midfielder, Elisabeth Terland who lit up the top flight of Norwegian club football last season before signing for the Seagulls over the summer. The South Korean international, Lee Geum-min has played in every game for Brighton in the attack, netting two goals in the process, including one in the league against Reading.

The defense has to be something that Powell addresses either in the January window or over the summer because the backline is tied for the lead in most goals allowed in the WSL with nine. The Ireland international Megan Walsh has been between the sticks for Brighton for what is now the fourth straight season, and the Seagulls are on track to give up the most goals per game of any of her seasons with the club.