Is she downhearted? Certainly not! Chelsea Women’s ebullient gaffer Emma Hayes has already put the disappointment of a first-weekend league defeat to Arsenal behind her, and is focusing on the next task... beating Everton Women this weekend.
Hayes, now backed by ex-Bristol City manager Tanya Oxtoby in the dugout, is even more determined to make it three Women's Super League titles on the trot.
At times the Blues’ formation was hard to fathom. It seemed to start in a 4-4-2 (Naimh began as right back before shifting forward) but it morphed into 3-4-3 in the second half, when Chelsea were chasing the game.
The Emirates had nearly 9,000 fans inside to see Viv Miedema open the scoring. Erin Cuthbert levelled before the break, but even with the added firepower of Fran Kirby and Sam Kerr in the second half, Chelsea couldn’t balance Beth Mead’s brace of goals.
A header from Pernille Harder (from an excellent Cuthbert cross) clawed a goal back, but it finished 3-2 to Arsenal. It should have been 2-2 as Mead’s winner was streets offside… but the women’s game isn’t allowed VAR. Yet.
“It’s like being second-class citizens,” fumed Hayes, adding that she was not down in the dumps about a single defeat. “The league isn’t won or lost in one game,” she said.
There were positives for the Blues. Although the Gunners had had three competitive matches ahead of last Sunday, compared to Chelsea’s none, Cuthbert was in great form, Sophie Ingle looked terrific when she came on as sub, and Ji So-Yun put her heart and soul into the battle.
If there were frailties, it was in defence, with Magda Eriksson and Millie Bright looking short on pace.
Chelsea’s men are back in action against Villa at the Bridge on Saturday evening, while the women take on Everton at Kingsmeadow on Sunday lunchtime.
The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and unless specifically stated are not necessarily those of Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
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