3 Takeaways from Conti Cup Final loss: not the real Chelsea

Worrying game in defensive heading into important month

Compared to seasons of the past, the Blues have not had as stable of a defense as they would like. With the addition of Canadian international Kadeisha Buchanan, it looked like the side would be one of the most feared backlines in all of Europe. That has not been the case. If the referee were to have VAR at her disposal, the result could have looked even worse for CFCW.

The reactions were far too slow as the Gunners ripped through their rivals consistently throughout the first 45 minutes. Whether it was poor positioning or woeful recovery tackles, the backline was not at the level it should be with Lyon on tap in a new few weeks. The Gunners were offered too much space in dangerous areas of the pitch for the second consecutive week.

It did not help that the midfield was not winning one on one battles in the middle of the pitch, but despite that, the lack of youth and athleticism in the west Londoners’ defense showed. No matter how Hayes re-structured things, Arsenal still prevented a threat. Hayes’ team looked quite relaxed, especially after going up by a goal early on. Coming off back to back clean sheets, the worry surrounding the defenders lessened. Things have to tighten up in a chaotic month of March. Allowing three goals is simply not going to get the job done, no matter how talented the attack is.