Emma Hayes’ Chelsea squad have been enjoying a summer boot camp all week in the Algarve as the new recruits meet the players returning from their World Cup duties.
They all fly back from Portugal on Sunday to begin preparations for the new season, having jetted out on Tuesday afternoon.
It follows last weekend’s friendly between English and Italian champions as Chelsea Women beat AS Roma 3-2 at Kingsmeadow, thanks to a tidy little flick in stoppage time from academy product Aggie Beever-Jones, who had come on as a sub.
“My debut goal,” she said proudly after a match which tested the Blues’ stamina as the Italian pre-season started several weeks ago, so the players were more into their stride.
Despite some absentees, it was a chance for Hayes to pitch a fairly strong side against European opposition, and she relishes every opportunity to build up continental experience to achieve her ultimate goal – lifting the Champions League cup to fill the one obvious gap in the trophy cabinet.
Portugal’s jaunt is all about integration; blending the newbies with the core team. “We need to get people up to a level; some have been training all pre-season, some have been training just a couple of days,” said Hayes. “We haven’t had the whole team together; we need that to build everybody back into the Chelsea way. We need more time together on grass.”
For Hayes, the biggest bonus of the game against Roma was to see forward Fran Kirby back to her best after last season’s frustrating run of injuries. It means that the Special K partnership of Kirby and Sam Kerr can resume.
“It’s probably the big plus point for us to get her through 70 odd minutes of football,” said the manager in a pitchside chat after the match. “She’s been training hard in the pre-season. She’s got work to do but she’s going in the right direction.”
Everything’s now building up to the first Women’s Super League game of the season on 1 October, against Spurs at Stamford Bridge, the stadium where the club ultimately aims to play more and more women’s matches as attendances grow.
Yankee striker Mia Fishel, 22, made her debut in Royal blue in last weekend’s friendly, and said afterwards: “It felt amazing. New connections, new team, my dream club; I’m so excited to get started with this team. I’m happy. We were able to fight back and get the win.”
Fight back indeed. Chelsea were outdone twice by speculative volleys from way outside the area by Roma’s ambitious forwards which saw the Italians take the lead before first Guro Reiten and then Lauren James (with a spectacular looping effort from range) levelled ahead of Beever-Jones’s last-gasp clincher.
Fellow newcomer 28-year-old Canadian midfielder Ashley Lawrence added: “I definitely enjoyed myself. The crowd was great, and being able to get the first game here at Kingsmeadow was an amazing feeling.”
She’s a bright, thoughtful footballer who seems destined to make a real mark on Chelsea. Indeed, she may be future captain material. She’s in no doubt about the team’s No1 task for the season.
“I signed here to win titles,” she said, firmly. “I know this is a winning side, a very ambitious club, so coming here and winning as many trophies as possible [is the aim], and ultimately that Champions League!”
Last Sunday’s friendly saw the first use of VAR at an English WSL stadium, although Emma Hayes’ delight at another small step on the road to parity with the men only produced one remote decision... reversing referee Abi Byrne’s award of a penalty to the Blues in the 70th minute! Ah well. You win some, you lose some.
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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