Chelsea made historical past earlier than the worldwide break, setting a brand new WSL report for variety of consecutive video games unbeaten (34). And but expressions on the full-time whistle in opposition to Liverpool informed a unique story. A 1-1 draw was met with apparent frustration.
“That’s not the performance we wanted to put on the pitch. The performance was not good enough,” Sonia Bompastor mirrored, visibly irritated. “We were not clinical enough.”
It was a well-known narrative just a few days later when drawing with Barcelona within the Champions League – their fifth recreation in a gruelling 20-day spell. Clearly the calibre of opponent is completely different on the second event however post-match gripes ran the same course: “You have to be clinical… we won’t give up on that aspect.”
Earlier than lengthy Bompastor will come beneath scrutiny. Are stylistic modifications working for the higher or holding Chelsea again? Sky Sports activities investigates a number of the points at play.
What does the information say?
To caveat any of the next critique, it have to be famous that Chelsea’s requirements have been so excessive for thus lengthy {that a} drop-off of any form, nonetheless small, is more likely to be noticeable.
Each ends of the pitch are affected by inefficiencies often alien to a membership like Chelsea. As famous by the chronological warmth maps under, they’re spending much more time of their defensive third than beforehand.
A proportion of that’s deliberate, as Bompastor continues to maneuver to a extra methodical model of play with better emphasis on the build-up part, however can be indicative of the best way opposition sides have been in a position to press and include Chelsea higher in their very own half.
The Blues are proving much more wasteful than normal, too. Given they create extra huge probabilities than most sides it figures, by regulation of averages, that they are going to miss extra, however their unfavorable xG differential (-3.58) is nonetheless worrying given the expertise of their attacking ranks – and the cash spent to assemble it.
Then there’s the toll of staying in 4 competitions till the bitter finish yr on yr, and its results on physicality ranges. Chelsea after all have a squad designed to deal with the rigours of video games each three or 4 days, however their poor duel win-rate suggests freshness is turning into a difficulty. They don’t seem to be fairly as polished, nor ruthless, as they as soon as had been.
Future brighter with out Millie?
Millie Vivid was hooked at half-time in opposition to Liverpool and benched for the Barcelona recreation
Final season Millie Vivid was the most effective defenders within the WSL and an enormous purpose why Chelsea solely conceded 13 targets.
Essentially the most constant groups with the perfect managers take the emotion out of group alternatives, and self-scouting is among the hardest issues to get proper. So for Bompastor to drop Vivid for the massive Champions League recreation in opposition to Barcelona just lately says quite a bit.
Essentially the most profitable managers are paid to make huge calls. Preferring Nathalie Bjorn, Lucy Bronze and Naomi Girma for his or her largest recreation of the season is a press release. The Chelsea captain was “frustrated”, so admits her coach, who now has to determine if Vivid strengthens or weakens the group going ahead. Basically, is Girma a safer pair of palms?
And is Vivid now the perfect defensive back-up within the league? All questions that want answering given her contract is up on the finish of the season.
ABJ ain’t A-OK
It is onerous to imagine given their depth of expertise however Chelsea have a striker drawback. Mayra Ramirez nonetheless does not have a return date after surgical procedure, Sam Kerr has solely performed 112 minutes within the league and Aggie Beever-Jones is in a rut.
The England ahead hasn’t scored in her final seven Chelsea video games after a run of targets in 4 consecutive video games to the beginning the season.
Beever-Jones remains to be the joint-third prime scorer within the WSL however when Sky Sports activities Information requested Bompastor about her kind just lately she selected to reward her effort and defensive work. The place Chelsea want her productiveness most is on the prime finish of the pitch.
Any profitable Chelsea group of outdated had a relentless, dependable supply of targets. One among their worldwide stars wants to seek out some kind quickly. Between Beever-Jones, Catarina Macario and Erin Cuthbert – the membership’s three highest-ranking creators – Chelsea have missed 10 huge probabilities thus far this season. Solely Eleventh-placed West Ham have a worst xG differential.
Money within the financial institution
Do Chelsea have to spend huge in January once more?
With Kerr, Macario and Guro Reiten three of the attacking skills out of contract on the finish of the season, it feels as if a world-class ahead might be on their procuring checklist once more in 2026.
Alyssa Thompson has turn into a must-pick in huge video games because of her tempo, trickery and inventiveness however who else out of Chelsea’s raft of forwards is nailed on for a spot of their finest XI?
USA stars Trinity Rodman and Midge Purse are each free brokers this winter and each would have a direct impression. The January window is true across the nook.
