Chelsea Women vs Liverpool postponed, Spurs Conti Cup preview

Six minutes. That is all Liverpool and Chelsea were able to play after the referees were forced to abandon the match due to a frozen pitch. Despite inspections before the game, the officials thought it was good to go, but after six whole minutes of both clubs slipping and sliding all over the pitch, yet another issue surrounding women’s football gets even more attention.

The progressions that have transpired over the past few years have moved the sport in the right direction, but in back-to-back weeks, the Chelsea Women were at the forefront of two standard football requirements that women in the Women’s Super League and around the world have not had the satisfaction of utilizing.

Fans traveled far and wide to see both the Reds and the Blues face off in a highly anticipated clash that possessed a whole lot of intrigue following Liverpool’s upset victory to open up the season. For the WSL to have three matches on Sunday postponed for the same reason, the league and the sport of women’s football need to see how much further they have to go to get it to where it needs to be. This is the top flight of English football, one of the world’s largest and most well-known women’s football leagues, and this is still a problem.

After last weekend’s stunning penalty call that gifted the home side a goal in the second half, the game faces the need for both VAR and undersoil heating. Nobody knows why the match was not postponed before the kick-off even began. Both the league and officials leaving Kingsmeadow that day without a doubt felt a bit lucky that nobody got seriously injured during those 360 seconds.

The game deserves better, and when the issue puts the safety of the players at risk, there needs to be immediate action. One day the world of football will stop talking about equity in the women’s game, but for now, we are left wondering when these talented individuals will receive the same respect on all fronts as their male counterparts.

Following the match, Emma Hayes summed up her response to the postponement of the match in the only way she knows how, honest, and straight to the point:

“We’ve made progress with investment into the quality of grasses and surfaces across the league. No game at the top level of the women’s game should be canceled. We need undersoil heating – we don’t live in Barbados.”

Hayes’ squad along with its opposition in the Conti Cup tie this Wednesday, Tottenham have to turn their attention to the task ahead of them following a weekend where they saw their matches moved to a date and time to be determined later. Both clubs will have the luxury of utilizing the rest given with the matches called off, but is that what both teams would have preferred?

How is this unexpected interruption in the WSL season going to affect the Blues’ next fixture? Rehanne Skinner and Spurs have won just one out of their last five contests in all competitions and could have used a confidence booster against the team in the basement of the English top-flight. CFC’s attack was far from potent against the Gunners over 90 minutes at the Emirates, and with a win-or-go-home meeting as just the second contest following the international break, there still could be rust to shake off.

Blues legend Bethany England brought an immediate spark to Tottenham’s attack in her debut, scoring in her first 28 minutes in Spurs’ kit. In just 90 minutes of football, England is tied for the club’s third-highest individual goal total this season. Facing her former club for the first time since the transfer will be emotional for both the club and the player, but just like Drew Spence’s reunion, everything goes out the window when the whistle blows.

The Blues will be seeking to retake the Conti Cup crown this time around after Manchester City defeated CFC in the final last March, netting three second-half goals to shock Hayes’ side from behind. Spurs’ showing at Stamford Bridge in the club’s first meeting during this campaign demonstrated how far both these clubs are from one another.

The first half in November between these two sides saw the Blues completely run Tottenham off the pitch, scoring three goals in the first half before they decided to take their foot off the gas pedal in the second 45. Spurs’ defense was particularly poor, as CFC ripped through the backline far too easily. Skinner’s side has had one clean sheet since the end of October in all competitions with their lone scoreless display in the back against a Championship side.

For Tottenham to stand a chance against a club looking to get back on track in the attack, Skinner needs to place an emphasis on the defense rather than what her team can do going forward. Given the depth that the Blues possess, nearly any squad that Hayes selects to begin the match could compete at a high level. Rotation and lots of opportunities for players like Alsu Abdullina, Katerina Svitkova, and a player like Melanie Leupolz should be things to look for. Leupolz made the bench this past weekend and is looking for her first minutes on the pitch since she returned from her maternity leave.

Both Svitkova and Abdullina have combined for five-goal involvements in six matches played in all competitions this season. Their impact off the bench has been evident, despite those matchups against low-level opposition. This should be a chance for Hayes to deploy them both along with many talented Blues players that sink in the depth of a squad like this.

The Blues are 9-0-0 against Spurs all-time, scoring two or more goals in seven straight matches. It should be an interesting meeting between these two rivals, especially with the way this past weekend unfolded, but for the west Londoners, it is still all about taking care of business. Just three matches remain before the Blues receive a month off from club football, and there is nothing the club would love more than having a chance at all four available trophies with just a few months of the campaign left.