At Stamford Bridge, the previously dominant Arsenal failed to overcome a spirited Chelsea. Adversity makes champions. It’s easy to shine when times are good; the true test lies in how you respond in difficult moments.
Emma Hayes’ injury-plagued Chelsea side were a perfect example of that resilience when they Cheap Arsenal Football Shirts decimated in front of a raucous home crowd at Stamford Bridge. It was a game that showed the experience Chelsea have gained in recent years, and one in which they were able to call on all their skills to dismantle an opponent who had beaten them at full strength in December.
Chelsea may have more resources than many other clubs in the WSL, but even the strongest squad would struggle with recent injuries. The options for center forwards are slim after Sam Kerr and Mia Fishel both suffered anterior cruciate ligament injuries within weeks of each other, keeping them out long-term. Mayra Ramírez, the club’s record signing, pulled a muscle in the Continental Cup semi-final against Manchester City and has not been seen since, while Catarina Macario has been slow to return from her own cruciate ligament injury. Not to mention Millie Bright is still out and Nathalie Björn was forced off with a stroke in the last game.
A problem that prompted Hayes to reshuffle the squad once again, demonstrating her creativity in putting the pieces of the Chelsea jigsaw together. It is not the first time she has had to do so in her long tenure at the club, nor will it be the last.
When German international Sjoeke Nüsken lined up alongside Lauren James at center forward against a resurgent Arsenal FC, an eyebrow or two was sure to be raised. Nüsken, who is normally deployed in midfield and occasionally at right-back, had taken on the role of a commanding central defender in the Blues’ last two games. However, she has shown her goalscoring prowess this season whenever she has played further forward and Hayes saw this as the answer to her attacking problems this season.
Nüsken scored her seventh and eighth goals of the season, showing an impressive sense of space and linking up well with her teammates. Her first goal – Chelsea’s second of the evening – saw her deflect Erin Cuthbert’s shot past the statuesque Manuela Zinsberger in the Arsenal goal. She was more than a little lucky with her second goal, as she inadvertently deflected a shot from Johanna Rytting Kaneryd into her own goal. But you have to take your luck into your own hands, and it was a moment that illustrated how everything works for Cheap Chelsea soccer shirts for kids and Hayes under the lights at Stamford Bridge.
But Nüsken was just one part of the Chelsea machine that kicked into gear against their London rivals from the kick-off and shot to victory. The coach had given a pre-match speech in which she repeatedly referred to the expectations she has of her players. “Do I expect my team to show up here tomorrow?” she said, “They better! If not, they’ll have to answer to me the next day, because that’s the standard they have to live up to. My job is just to annoy the bear a little.”
She did just that. Chelsea were superior to Arsenal in every aspect, first to every ball, stronger in every tackle and more composed in every area of the pitch. Whether it was the commanding presence of Hannah Hampton between the posts, the intensity of Cuthbert and Melanie Leupolz in midfield or the pace of Rytting Kaneryd, who kept Arsenal’s Steph Catley at bay from the outset.
Not to mention Lauren James. Countless words have been written about the 22-year-old striker, who is reaching new heights with every game. Stamford Bridge is certainly her stage, the platform on which she has shown her best performances this season and where she has demonstrated how she can almost single-handedly take opponents apart.
She opened the scoring with her eighth goal in four games at the Bridge this season, her 13th overall in the league. It was a breathtaking display of pure technique and power as she carved out the space for the shot, which had enough power to get through despite Zinsberger getting two gloves to the ball. James tormented the Arsenal players throughout the game as she passed them time and time again and was finally sent off to a standing ovation in the 83rd minute.
The commanding victory saw Chelsea extend their lead to Cheap Manchester City soccer shirt set for kids to three points and is thus preparing for the clash with Brighton, which the defending champions will have to contest. Hayes repeatedly emphasizes how strong her team is in the crucial phases of the season. Although the team faces major challenges, Chelsea’s relentless fighting spirit on the road to another WSL championship remains undiminished.
