Chelsea Women vs Manchester City: Tactical Analysis & Match Report (2-1)

Chelsea’s perfect start under Sonia Bompastor this season has taken the women’s game by storm. Still undefeated, Chelsea Women faced Manchester City in the Subway League Cup Final, marking their first opportunity to claim a trophy this campaign. The match ended with Chelsea emerging victorious, securing a 2-1 win. Let’s delve into the tactical details that shaped this game.

Manchester City’s Possession and Chelsea’s Defensive Setup

From the start, the match was defined by contrasting tactical approaches. Manchester City set up in a 4-3-3 formation, while Chelsea adopted a 4-4-2 mid-block when out of possession. This allowed Chelsea to maintain an extra layer of coverage at the back, creating a numerical advantage.

City’s dominance in possession early on can be attributed to Chelsea's defensive structure. Chelsea's forwards did not drop deep into midfield. Instead, one of the strikers pressed the City left center-back, while the other focused on marking City’s defensive midfielder. However, this strategy was not always executed correctly, and at times, there were moments when Chelsea's press wasn’t as tight, leaving players unmarked and City able to advance.

City had two primary methods of moving the ball into the final third. The first was through short, direct passes aimed at breaking Chelsea’s mid-block. In one sequence, Chelsea’s forward moved to press the right center-back, while a midfielder stepped up to cover the defensive midfielder. However, due to a lapse in execution, Chelsea ended up marking the same player twice, leaving an opponent free. This led to a dangerous situation that eventually resulted in a cross into Chelsea’s penalty area.

The second method was longer balls played by City’s center-backs, who had time and space on the ball. Although winning first balls was a challenge against Chelsea's defense, City found opportunities when they could win the second balls, allowing them to progress further into Chelsea's half.