The Premier League is back up and running after over a month’s hiatus due to the World Cup, and with that comes a much-needed break on the women’s side of the sport. When it comes to the Chelsea Women, the first half of the season could not have unfolded much better after a shocking loss on the opening weekend to Liverpool on the road.
While Emma Hayes and the Blues battled injuries to star players, and a loaded match schedule, CFC showed its depth, resilience, and quality on all levels of the pitch. The Blues head into the break as the only team with 30 or more goals in the Women’s Super League, and the only club in the Champions League to have secured a total of 16 points through six group-stage contests. Whether it was the emergence of Serbian international Jelena Cankovic over the last few weeks or the jaw-dropping amount of goal involvements that Guro Reiten has racked up so far, there are so many positives to take from the first few months of this campaign.
A depleted Arsenal side that seeks to revamp its roster during the January transfer window due to two key injuries awaits CFC in a battle that very well could decide the winner of this season’s WSL. The Blues took care of business and then some against Paris Saint-Germain at Stamford Bridge and will play either Lyon, Bayern Munich, or Roma in the quarterfinals of the most illustrious competition in the world. Plenty of questions were being asked of this group in several parts of the last few months, but this group continued to come together and execute on the pitch.
Were there going to be any problems with the Blues attack without Pernille Harder? How is CFC going to respond to the absence of Hayes on the sideline for many weeks? The Blues squashed these questions, and with a group of individuals on the pitch, and on the coaching staff with that same goal in mind, there was no transitional period. 16 different players so far have been involved in a goal one way or another, and those that weren’t like Kadeisha Buchanan impacted the game in a different way.
The defense was an issue for the beginning parts of the season, shown in the fact that the Blues sit tied with Everton in second in the English top-flight for most clean sheets. Eight goals allowed in the domestic league may sound like a lot, especially when you look at the fact that CFC allowed just 11 through 22 contests last season, but the Blues have accumulated eight clean sheets in their last 12 matches in all competitions. Allowing just one goal in four games against PSG and Real Madrid should tell the entire story of how much confidence this backline has at the moment.
Sam Kerr, who looked as out of form as a striker of her quality could have scored one of the Blues’ best individual goals of the season so far in the final contest before the break. Critics will continue to come down on CFC until it proves itself against opponents like Barcelona, and Wolfsburg, but when it comes to the WSL, given the Gunners’ health issues, the Blues should find a much simpler path to success. In the midst of the 30th anniversary of the Chelsea Women officially joining forces with the men’s team, and the 10th season under Hayes, CFC is demonstrating truly how far this club has gone.
Hayes captains the Blues’ ambitious personality, and given the way the summer unfolded, there were a lot of people that believed this campaign was going to be different. Jess Carter, who is coming off her best season as a professional has made just two starts, while Katerina Svitkova led West Ham in the assists department last season with four, but has managed just four appearances in all competitions so far. That is how talented this side is.
No doubt there have been hiccups, and moments of play when the west London side may not have looked its best, but when it comes down to it, it is difficult not to marvel at how many weapons this club now has after watching the first few months unfold. Lauren James was given a season to grow into the Chelsea system, and in just 12 matches in all competitions so far this season, James has collected six goal involvements and has become one of the most dangerous wingers women’s football possesses right now.
There is no such thing as perfect, and when looking at the entire season, sure there are things someone could point out that are worrisome going forward, but the results speak for themselves. Even when the Blues are not at the top of their game, Hayes’ side is still able to find a way to deliver a result when they need it the most. That is a sign of a great side. CFC’s most emphatic triumph came in the final match before the break, informing the wider public this year’s team is not messing around this time around. Even with the first WSL match week continuing its streak of haunting the Blues, this club has once again positioned itself among the top contenders in every competition this season.