Lauren James’s Chelsea masterclass: takeaways from Villa win

Lauren James may be the most dangerous player on this Chelsea team

Watching the former Manchester United player with the ball at her feet this season is a performance in itself. James’ talent on the ball and one on one abilities open up an entirely different attacking threat compared to what CFC had without her last season. Even with all the fancy footwork, and creativity on the ball, this match against Aston Villa marked the first goals of James’ season.

She scored a magical goal in the preseason against Lyon, and with James back in the scoring column, there is no telling how many she’ll tally up in the foreseeable future. Not only did she net two world-class goals, but James also found Kerr for the game-clinching third goal, adding an assist to an already eventful afternoon at Kingsmeadow. Before the match even started, James led the team in dribbles and completed past an opponent with seven, collecting an astounding 70 percent success rate in that category even before the Aston Villa contest.

James has that “it” factor that this club was missing in last season’s early Champions League departure. As she rises in the ranks internationally, the 21-year-old has more than made up from her six appearances in the WSL last season with her exhilarating start to the season. Both of her finishes were precise and sublime, finding the bottom right corner on the first, and thrashing one past the goalkeeper to kick off the second half. The Blues travel to face her former club next weekend, and for a team as hot as Manchester United, Marc Skinner does not want any part of James attacking their backline.