Chelsea boss Emma Hayes has explained why Sam Kerr is a nightmare for defenders following their narrow 1-0 victory over Aston Villa in the FA Cup semi-finals.
It was a tough afternoon for the Blues as they battled it out with Carla Ward's side at the Poundland Bescot Stadium on Sunday. However, it was a second-half header from the reliable Kerr that proved to be the difference on the day as Chelsea booked their place in the final and lined up a huge clash with Manchester United at Wembley.
Despite Villa, quite literally, throwing the kitchen sink at it in search of an equaliser, they never quite got it over the line. Kerr, on the other hand, only needed one moment to put Chelsea in front and in the driving seat.
READ MORE: Sam Kerr on target as Chelsea reach third successive Women's FA Cup Final with Villa victory
“We can talk all day long about all the things you should do to be better, but I’d rather have the most efficient player in the world than someone who has a million chances," Hayes said on Kerr post-match. "She’s unbelievable.
“You can’t (stop her). I know people talk about her movement being so great, I’ve never seen a centre-forward move as much as her. It’s not just a single movement, it’s double movements.
“Next time you watch her play, watch the transition and who makes the first movement. It’s always Sam. Even if she strays into an offside position, she doesn’t stay still. She goes again.
“She’s a nightmare to defend because she can do it running across the front of you, she can come off your back shoulder. The energy levels are like a 12-year-old! It’s infectious, but in terms of ability, I don’t know a striker in world football that can do what she does. She’s the best.”
Reaching finals and competing for silverware every season has become part of Chelsea's DNA over the years. Hayes was quick to highlight the continuous evolvement of her team that ensures they're consistently at the top of their game.
The Chelsea boss continued: “I said to the players at the end of the game - thank you. Trust me, it’s not easy to keep making finals and that was difficult.
“I think coming through Lyon gave us (a bond) this season that was really needed for the dressing room. I think we were in a difficult moment (against them) and I think the confidence from Lyon subsequently created the Aston Villa performance.
“We’ve had some unbelievable success over a long period of time and that doesn’t mean it all looks the same all of the time. Teams have closed the gap and they might be reaching their high points in their evolutions.
“You have to keep evolving. It doesn’t mean everything always looks the way we want it to all of the time, but I think the fact that we’re still competing, again and again, is a real testament to the players and their characters. They’re still hungry to keep doing it.”
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Sam Kerr on target as Chelsea reach third successive Women's FA Cup Final with Villa victory
