Suzanne Wrack's report from Kingsmeadow
Jill Scott knows, saying that James was the stand-out player.
Also for your reading pleasure:
Kirby says the first half wasn’t Chelsea’s best, but in the second they were more patient on the ball and less sloppy and more composed in their passing. Her goal came against the run of play but, she notes, they’re not arsed about possession but are “all about goals”.
By the way, we’ve other live sport for you, here and now…
In fairness to City, though I didn’t see their game last week, they were, apparently better today – and are also rebuilding. It seems inevitable that, the time they’re settled, the title will be gone, but if they’re not careful the Champions League will be too.
City were poor in the second half, but were’t helped by their manager, who just let them get on with it. Looking from the outside, it was impossible to see what he expected his starting XI to do to get back into things. I know that it’s unlikely his subs would’ve sorted things, but let’s be real, they couldn’t have looked much more impotent – or less potent.
Full-time: Chelsea 2-0 Man City
Yeah, that’s why they’re champions. Chelsea had a sticky patch in the first half but scored at the end of it and from then on, the result wasn’t in serious doubt.
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90+3 min At some point, Sam Kerr is going to start playing too – though even when off it as today, her movement is excellent.
90+2 min Emma Byrne gives Kirby player of the match, which isn’t an unreasonable call – she’s played well and scored what turned out to be the crucial goal – but James has been a cut above, as I keep gassing.
90+1 min Lauren James gets to walk off on her bill – she’s earned that, the best player on the park by far – with Kaneryd replacing her.
90 min We’ll have four added minutes.
89 min Chelsea don’t actually meet Arsenal until January, but they do go to United at the start of November. That should be lively because United have Toone and Russo, both of whom seem to have gone up a level fortified with post-Euros confidence.
87 min The way Chelsea have controlled things since going in front has been very impressive. If we’re picking holes, I still wonder about that back three, which will be fine in most games but perhaps trip them up in the biggest ones, and they may also want to find a midfield combination that allows them greater control. But they reek of goals, and have so many different ways of finding them – as do Arsenal, in fairness.
86 min Two more changes for Chelsea, Perisset and Charles on for Reiten and Mjelde.
86 min James is just so confident and composed in possession. It doesn’t sound much, but she just picked up possession near halfway, turned towards her own goal and effortlessly flicked a pass to a teammate in space.
84 min Another City change, Lodasada replacing Aleixandri and Blakstad on for Shaw. That’s really harsh on Shaw, who’s had neither service nor support to speak of since half-time, though we saw in the first 45 that she was capable of knocking about Chelsea’s entire back three, on her own.
83 min Increasingly, I’m thinking this title will be decided by the head-to-heads – or should that be heads-to-head – between Chelsea and Arsenal. I guess there are other sides good enough to take points off them, as we saw last weekend, but both are just so strong it seems unlikely they’ll drop points often.
82 min …but this time, Berger is allowed to collect unmolested. I’ve not a clue why City allowed that.
81 min Raso gets the ball down the right, but Eriksson is in her phizog right away, blocking the cross behind. City were dangerous from corners in the first half…
79 min Now City make a change, withdrawing Hemp and replacing her with Raso. That’ll sort it.
GOAL! Chelsea 2-0 Man City (Mjelde pen 78)
No messing here! Mjelde – not Kirby, who took one last week – spanks a sidefooter into the left side-netting, seven-eights of the way up, and this is over.
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77 min Chelsea are looking for a second, spreading left, and when the ball comes in, Houghton’s clearance is poor, Cuthbert has a hit, then Ingle plays off Kerr and has a hit, the ball looping up off a defender so Roebucck turns it over the bar … but the ref gives a penalty because it came off Ouahabi’s hand, in an unnatural position near her face!
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75 min Compare them with James, a veritable hive of activity … and here she is now, easing onto the gas and away from Ouahabi, making the box … and smacking a low shot that Roebuck beats away. She might’ve done better there – the finish was imprecise – but the run showed how far ahead she is of the defenders forced to mark her.
75 min I should say, I know it’s facile to say make some subs, but that’s what they’re there for.
74 min I just don’t understand why Taylor is letting this slide. His team have played with so little urgency since going behind and he’s done nothing to inject some.
72 min City are just letting this match slide now, and when Kirby picks up the ball in midfield, she’s allowed to burrow forward with no one in her face. So she opens her body to try a curler, sending it a yard or two over the bar.
71 min Reiten pulls left and thrashes crossfield for James, who nips inside and leathers a shot that whistles a yard past the far post. She is going to be a superstar.
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69 min I wonder if City will try Mary Fowler in the next bit. They’re not really threatening, so need to do something, and they’ve got someone that good on the bench.
67 min On James, the similarity between her game and her brother’s is absolutely beautiful to see. They’ve both got that glorious combination of physical, skilful and cerebral, and the way they use their body to protect the ball while performing their footwork speaks of much time spent kicking about together.
66 min More excellent from James, who darts a decent ball into Kirby, showing inside the box. But she can’t direct her shot on target, sending it wide of the near post, and City will build again
66 min Eriksson charges down the wing and slings over a decent cross, but there’s no one to meet it so Roebuck collects easily enough.
65 min Change for Chelsea, Ingle replacing Fleming.
64 min Two quick passes in midfield look to open things up for City, but then Castellanos sends one behind Hemp and the attack breaks down.
63 min Eeesh, another collision between Shaw and Buchanan, bodies mincing under a high all … and again, it’s Shaw left standing with Buchanan having a little sit-down.
62 min Yup, City need to change something. They’re losing the midfield battle now and though they might still score because they’ve some good players, nothing they’re doing suggests that to be likely.
61 min Cuthbert looks for Kerr at the near post, but Ouahabi heads clear.
61 min Chelsea do, though, win a corner – their first of the match.
60 min Bright drills a fine pass out to Kerr, who’s not quite with it today and can’t find Kirby with her pass.
58 min Chelsea have had a lot more midfield control this half, and have had 62% possession so far this half.
56 min I wonder, though, if City might break from their implacable 4-3-3 and get another body up alongside Shaw, with whim Chelsea are dealing much better so far this half. Give her a partner, though, and things might get different, quickly.
54 min City are still a threat, but Chelsea just have better players. I’d not be surprised if we saw an equaliser, but my guess is that a clincher is more likely.
52 min Lauren James is the best player on the this pitch, and when she spins Ouahabi, the defender can only yank her back. She’s booked, and will be dreading the next time she’s isolated.
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51 min The corner goes flat and hard to the near post, where Aleixandri lurks – this looks like a plan. But rather than go with her left and a sweep, she tries with her right, and a flick, sending the ball wide.
50 min Immediately, City counter, Kasparaji nashing down the line and finding Hemp, who teases a nice ball into Shaw. She controls beautfiully on her chest too, but as she spins, Bright, behind whom she was in, does brilliantly to turn and get back, lunging to concede a corner.
50 min Chelsea sweep forward, Fleming to Reiten … who slips.
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49 min Chelsea knock it about at the back, trying to draw City onto them, but eventually have to go long.
47 min Eriksson clips a ball across the face … of her own box, but Berger shows a calm head and lovely feet to feint, selling Hemp a dummy, before getting the ball away.
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46 min I mentioned earlier that Arsenal only lost once in the league last season; well, Chelsea lost twice, which is to say that City will have a lot of work to do if they can’t avoid defeat here.
46 min We go again!
Half-time reading: Something I wrote about Erik ten Hag, management, and charisma.
Half-time: Chelsea 1-0 Man City
In comms, they don’t think the score reflects the play, but I’m not so sure. City had a good 15 minutes, but Chelsea have missed two huge chances and the goal was beautifully constructed, so.
45+3 min I guess Hayes will want to give her formation time to settle, but anything that has James chasing the opposing full-back has one colossal weakness inherent within it.
46+1 min Suzy called it.
Kirby needs to shoot more. My hot take.
— Suzy Wrack (@SuzyWrack) September 25, 2022
46 min There’ll be four added minutes.
45 min Chelsea are winning, but the way it looks to me, their best play is coming about because they’ve amazing players, rather than because their system is beating City’s.
43 min But now here come City, Hemp collecting on the left and ducking infield, finding Kelly, whose cross is nudges on by someone to Coombs at the back stick! She’s all on her own and looks to sweep inside the near post, but she kind of scuffs it and contacts the base of the post instead. This is a terrific match.
GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Man City (Kirby 42)
This is class. Buchanan spreads wide very nicely, and Reiten, on the touchline, heads inside for Fleming then keeps running. Fleming waits and waits – the pause – then slides outside her, Reiten, now caught up, cuts back, and Kirby tucks inside the far post. Beautiful.
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41 min Lovely feet from James again, finding Fleming who moves on to Reiten down the left. Chelsea can’t find anything, though, so go backwards and start again.
40 min James looks really lively; I wonder if Hayes will want to get her on the ball more. If so, some kind of formation-change might be necessary.
39 min But here’s James, now out on the left; she isolates Houghton then chucks her a lollipop before speeding by on the outside and crossing low … but Kirby can’t quite get in front of her defender to apply the finish.
39 min City have had a really good five minutes, but it’s still Chelseas who’ve had the best chances.
38 min This time, Berger comes for the corner and claims well.
37 min Again, City win it high and left, the ball moving across into the middle via Hemp and Shaw before Kelly tees up Coombs … whose shot is blocked behind.
36 min Coombs was not at all happy with Hemp there and rightly so. But the corner is a goodun – City look a proper threat from those – and the ball flies across the box with no one able to impart a telling header.
35 min We’ve not seen much of Hemp so far, but given a run in behind, she puts Mjelde under pressure and when the eventuating backpass forces Berger to slide to prevent the corner, she collects the loose ball! Running parallel to the line, she’s got Coombs pleading for a cut-back but instead opts to shoot and Berger blocks behind.
32 min Cuthbert rattles Shaw with a fierce tackle, the has to deal with her opponent falling on top of her. That’s not what you need if you’re her, but exactly what you want if you’re us – this is a real physical battle, though there’s also been plenty of clever play to enjoy.
32 min Kasparaji nashes down the left and tries a cross, that Berger collects easily enough. Oh and Mjelde is back with us, cotton wool lodged in nostril.
31 min Mjelde is at the side getting treatment for a nose bleed having worn an accidental elbow. I’m sure she’ll be fine.
30 min Immediately, they’re both back at it, Shaw again winning the physical duel. That’s not something you ever say about someone battling Bright, but there it is, though she can make nothing of it.
28 min Bright and Shaw are both hurt after colliding; I should say so, and think I felt the aftershocks 10 miles away.
27 min Shaw is a one-player forward line, pulling left to stick one into the middle. Nothing comes of it, but then Castellanos creates space with a lovely little shimmy just outside the box, sliding Kelly in with a clever reverse-pass. But Cuthbert does brilliantly to put her off her shot, and the ensuing corner comes to nowt.
26 min There’s Reiten! Fleming carries the ball upfield then finds her down the left; she checks inside, then curls an inviting cross into the middle with which Kerr can’t quite connect.
25 min Castellanos collects a poor kick from Berger then, from the right side of the box, tries a surprise shot which whooshes just over the bar.
24 min Kirby is playing centrally now, which makes sense. But I don’t love Chelsea’s formation, and we’ve hardly seen Reiten, upon whom they’re relying to make the play.
23 min City play through midfield then look for Shaw, who reaches the ball ahead of Kirby, checks, and lofts a shot from 20 yards over the bar.
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22 min James is doing a decent job at wing-back, but she’s so much more dangerous not having to defend. I can’t believe she’ll play there on a regular.
21 min Chelsea knock it around a bit, looking to take the sting out of things.
19 min Chelsea can’t handle Shaw at the moment. She gets in front of Buchanan, no pushover herself, but when Greenwood’s free-kick comes towards them, Shaw easily out-muscles her marker, chesting down and shooting wide. Chelsea need to find a solution to her – perhaps a player in front and another behind.
18 min Kelly’s corner is a goodun, flat and fast, Eriksson getting to it just before Aleixandri and sending the ball behind again. Aleixandri wants a penalty – she was certainly paid close attention – but there was nowhere near enough for that, I don’t think.
17 min James, though, is looking lively, weaving away from two challenges down the right. Her ball into the box, though, is cleared, and again Shaw runs the channel as City counter – she’s been a real handful so far – drilling a shot that Bright blocks behind.
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16 min Chelsea’s finishing, though. Not words I expected to write even two weeks ago, but they’ve made a couple of belters here already, only to make poor decisions when in.
15 min Shaw takes some treatment, so I can let you know that Man United have scored two quick ones at West Ham, Garcia and Blundell doing the honours.
13 min Shaw drives away from Fleming and inside Bright, then slips by Buchanan, who leaves a foot on her. The ref signals no foul in ostentatious style, but that was blatant – though not a penalty, because it was just outside the box.
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12 min Chelseas are at it again! Kerr menaces Houghton, who sells Roebuck way short. One on one, though, Kerr opts to square to Kirby when only the keeper stands between her and goal. And her pass is a little behind her mate, so the eventuating shot is blocked and, though the loose ball winds up with James, the chance has gone. I get why Kerr passed there, but there were defenders between Kirby and goal – she wasn’t setting up a tap-in
11 min Both sides look a threat going forward; neither defence looks secure. 0-0 it is, then.
9 min Reiten streaks down the left and clips a cross to Kirby, inside the box. She can’t find a shooting angle so rolls back to Mjelde, who curls to the back stick where James cushions back across and Fleming can’t quite force a clean connection, so Roebuck collects easily.
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9 min Castellanos slides in late on Eriksson, introducing herself to the WSL in the grand style.
8 min Brighton have beaten Reading 2-1.
6 min A long punt catches Eriksson underneath it and Kelly is hunting, doing really well to judge the flight of the ball and hold off the defender. But with a decent shooting lane available, she rushes, prodding a side-footer – I think that’s possible – straight at Berger.
5 min Oh, after all that blather, James isn’t through the middle she’s out on the right, to chase her full-back. Kerr will, then, need proper support from midfield.
4 min Superb from James, who shows great strength in midfield to power away and set Kerr free. Houghton is drawn over and Kerr has legs on her, but she does just enough to see her away from goal and force a blind square pass … to no one.
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4 min Chelsea get the corner away; this has been a decent start.
3 min Shaw pressures Buchanan and wins the battle of strength, also getting by – rather through – Fleming, but her cut-back ends up going behind for a corner.
2 min Chelsea would’ve won last week but for poor finishing; two strikers is all very well, but to make the system work, they need to fill their boots.
1 min Chelsea should score in the opening seconds! Bright clobbers long and Kerr wins a terrific flick-on. But Kirby, on the left of the box, doesn’t put enough on her return cut-back such that when Kerr comes to shoot, the ball’s behind her and all he can do is drag it wide of the near post.
1 min And away we go!
The players take the knee. Black lives matter.
Here come the teams!
It’s so good to see Jill Scott pitchside. I think she’ll be great at this, especially once she’s settled.
Yeah, course.
It’s so good to see Ann-Katrin Berger back for Chelsea after her second cancer situation. And it’s good for Chelsea too, because she can keep some goal.
Hayes says too much emphasis is put on what happens after loss; she wants her players to do the same things, be professional, and take care of the details on the training ground. She won’t say how the players will play, because she doesn’t have a crystal ball, but it’s been a good week and she’s looking forward to a full crowd. Harder, she confirms, is injured.
Kate Robinson has put Brighton 2-0 up on Reading while Man United have West Ham under the pump – but that game is still goalless.
On Sky, Karen Carney is giving City aggro for not replacing Keira Walsh, who they knew would at some point be off; fair enough. I am, though, looking forward to seeing how Khadija Shaw does this season … filling Ellen White’s boots. No pressure.
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Gareth Taylor notes that sometimes it takes time for new players to gel, and that his team play where the spaces are. So if Chelsea press, they may not play out from the back, instead targeting the gaps left as a consequence. He wants his team to give away fewer counter-attacks than they did last week, though, and to stay in the game early doors.
I daresay, though, that City, and Lauren Hemp in particular, will be fancying their chances of getting down the side of Millie Bright. She’s matured into a much better player than I expected her to, I must say, but she’s not the most mobile, and as an outside centre-back, there’s scope for her to get isolated.
The thing is, once you see Lauren James and Sam Kerr up front, any other concern kind of dissolves. Allowing them to form a partnership and focus on attacking and pressing, wasting neither time nor energy chasing opposing full-backs, makes a lot of sense. Most centre-backs are used to marking one striker between them, not two of this frankly ill calibre.
I feel like an idiot wondering about an Emma Hayes decision, but I much prefer Fran Kirby in the middle than off the left. I can see why she’s playing with 3-4-1-2 – it gives her team defensive solidity and a silly amount of attacking flexibility – but I bet City, and pretty much everyone else, will be targeting the areas behindthe wide midfielders.
By the way, Sky giving this a full hour’s build-up: about time. Let’s hope this becomes a regular occurrence, not just when there’s a big game over men’s international weekend.
As for City, they change both full-backs, bringing in Caasparaji and summer-signing Ouahabi, while in midfield, Castellanos, another new arrival, also makes her first start, replacing Angeldal.
Hayes makes three changes: in net, Berger replaces Musuvic, while in midfield, it’s Mjelde and Fleming not Charles and Ingle. My guess is that Cuthbert moves from centre to right, with the two coming in taking the central berths. Oh, and Harder isn’t in the squad so must still be injured.
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We’ll look at those in detail presently, but in the meantime, Rachel Daly’s penalty has given Villa the lead at Leicester, while Lee Geum-Min has put Brighton in front at home to Reading.
Teams!
Chelsea (an expert’s 3-4-1-2): Berger; Bright, Buchanan, Eriksson; Cuthbert, Mjelde, Fleming, Kirby; Reiten; Kerr, James. Subs: Musovic, Ingle, Carter, England, Svitkova, Perisset, Kaneryd, Cankovic.
Manchester City (a non-negotiable 4-3-3): Roebuck; Casparij, Houghton, Greenwood, Ouahabi; Aleixandri, Castellanos, Coombs; Kelly, Shaw, Hemp. Subs: MacIver, Keating, Stokes, Fowler, Angeldahl, Raso, Losada, Hutchings, Blakstad
Preamble
“We had a good team on paper,” Brian Clough once noted in a post-match interview. “Unfortunately, the game was played on grass”. A line that sprung to mind after last weekend’s football, when Chelsea lost to promoted Liverpool from a goal up with 25 to go and City were beaten by Villa, having led 3-2 with 15 to go.
As it happens, City’s defeat was not entirely surprising – Lucy Bronze and Keira Walsh have left for Barca while Ellen White, Karen Bardsley and Jill Scott have retired – but no one saw Chelsea succumbing as they did. And given Arsenal lost only once in the league last season and still came second, the significance of the reverse should not be underestimated.
Emma Hayes, though, won’t panic. She knows it’ll take a little time for her new signings to integrate – of the five, only Kadeisha Buchanan started last week – and that, in Lauren James and Sam Kerr, she has strikers of ludicrous potency, never mind Pernille Harder who was an unused sub last time out. At some point very soon, things will click, and there’s every chance that it’s today.
Over at City, Gareth Taylor has a similar situation – though is building from a position of comparative weakness. He too only started one of his new acquisitions in his side’s opening game, Laia Aleixandri, and like Hayes, must now decide whether to just toss in the others and let them find their way.
Before the season started, Taylor was adamant that his side are aiming for the title. But not many think that likely, and while for Chelsea it’s the minimum, Hayes would not be the first brilliant manager to stuff the big domestic pot while pursuing Champions League success.
All of which is to say there’s an absolute expletive-load going on for us this afternoon – and all we have to do is wade right in.
Kick-off: 4pm BST
