Chelsea vs West Ham, Conti Cup semi preview: final on the horizon

Jessie Fleming has been rewarded with an increased role as the No. 10 while Jess Carter continues to show the coaching staff what they were missing from the first half of the season. Where is Magdalena Eriksson? That has to be the biggest question surrounding the Blues at this point in time. Will she get a run out against West Ham? Her experience in big games, and linkup abilities with Guro Reiten will no doubt help, but can she really bench a player who scored in the previous game. The answer has to be no.

A trip down memory lane last time out in the Conti Cup against West Ham:

The realization of how close the Blues are to taking back the Conti Cup crown has to be sinking in. Complacency kills in the sport of football. The job is not done in this competition until the final whistle blows on March 5. Hayes and her team know that. Both teams coming in on short rest could affect the start, but at the end of the day, this is a battle for a place in the final.

The Blues received the friendly draw in the Conti Cup, but their job is no different from Arsenal and Manchester City on the other side. It is going to be scrappy, and physical for 90 minutes. That is the way West Ham likes to play. So far, every match since returning from the winter break has been far from perfect, but this is a chance to put it all together before another international break ensues.