Chelsea Women secured a vital 2-0 victory over Liverpool at Kingsmeadow thanks to Lauren James’ brilliance and a clinical finish from Sjoeke Nusken. The Blues desperately needed three points following weeks of turmoil surrounding Paul Green’s shock exit and mounting pressure on Sonia Bompastor, and they delivered when it mattered most.
https://twitter.com/ChelseaFCW/status/2023095268510695433
This was far from a vintage Chelsea performance. Liverpool started superbly and caused real problems with their pressing game, with Alice Bergstrom even putting the ball in the net after four minutes only to see it ruled out for handball. The Reds were frankly unlucky not to take the lead in the opening stages.
https://twitter.com/SkySportsWSL/status/2023036771072696373
Chelsea lacked a clear focal point in attack without Sam Kerr starting, but James stepped up magnificently. She delivered a perfect low cross just before halftime that Nusken finished brilliantly to break the deadlock. James then produced an absolute worldie just after the hour mark, cutting in from the left and firing a wonderful strike beyond Jennifer Falk to seal all three points.
Goalkeeper & Defence
Hannah Hampton (7/10): Solid performance from the England international, who could not always rely on the defenders in front of her. Made important saves when called upon.
Ellie Carpenter (6/10): Struggled early on with defensive duties and couldn’t attack effectively as a result. Improved significantly as the match progressed.
Naomi Girma (6/10): Looked shaky in the opening period but grew into the game. More composed in the second half after Lucy Bronze’s introduction settled things down.
Veerle Buurman (7/10): Adapted brilliantly to a mid game positional switch. Got forward well and helped create space for teammates.
Sandy Baltimore (5/10): Ineffective going forward and looked uncomfortable defensively. Hooked at halftime, which tells you everything about her performance.
https://twitter.com/ChelseaFCW/status/2023081556391129131
Midfield & Attack
Keira Walsh (6/10): Careless in possession early doors and struggled badly against Liverpool’s press. Improved after the break, but this was below her usual standards.
Erin Cuthbert (6/10): Provided some quality moments on the ball but was repeatedly beaten in physical duels. Needs to be stronger in these battles.
Sjoeke Nusken (7/10): Responded superbly to limited opportunities this season with an excellent finish. Always delivers when given the chance.
Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (5/10): Worked tirelessly and got into promising positions, but her final ball was severely lacking. Frustrating afternoon.
Lauren James (8/10): Chelsea’s best player by an absolute mile. Used her freedom intelligently to find space and delivered two match winning moments of genuine quality.
Alyssa Thompson (5/10): Grafted hard without the ball but couldn’t make an impact in the final third. Disappointing display.
https://twitter.com/ChelseaFCW/status/2023081374962659410
Subs & Manager
Lucy Bronze (7/10): Made a massive difference after coming on at halftime. Played out of position at centre back but brought much needed solidity and experience to the backline.
Sam Kerr (6/10): Gave Chelsea a proper striker presence but should have scored when presented with a golden opportunity late on.
Sonia Bompastor (7/10): Her team selection raised eyebrows, but the halftime switch of Bronze to centre back changed the game. Got the result when under serious pressure.
https://twitter.com/ChelseaFCW/status/2023047653425099122
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