Chelsea beat Arsenal 1-0 on Sunday afternoon with an Alyssa Thompson strike all that separated the sides.
Neither side had lost in yet this term coming into the afternoon but both had struggled to impress at times, somewhat lumbering to unconvincing wins or laboured draws. Chelsea had shown more signs of their capability than Arsenal coming into this one and they sat two points clear of Arsenal after three WSL games. Sonia Bompastor made four changes to the side that beat Austria Wien 1-0 on Wednesday. Keira Walsh and Lauren James were the headline inclusions with both fitness doubts before kick off. Katie McCabe started against her former club at left back on the same ground that she controversially avoided a red card for pulling now team mate Alyssa Thompson’s hair.
Renée Slegers shuffled the pack with six changes to the side that started against HB Køge in midweek. Alessia Russo was restored to the starting eleven, this time as striker. Kyra Cooney-Cross was rewarded for a Player of the Match showing in Europe on Tuesday night with a place in the starting line up. As was Anneke Borbe, who started for the first time in the Barclays Women’s Super League this term as Misa Rodriguez fell to the bench. Exciting summer signing Lisa Baum also started as did Georgia Stanway.
The Lineups
CHE: Hampton; Carpenter, Bronze, Buchanan, McCabe, Thompson; Walsh, Potter, Kaptein, James; Malard
ARS: Borbe; Fox, Williamson, Catley, Battle; Cooney-Cross, Stanway, Little; Baum, Caldentey; Russo
The Action
The travelling side had the better of the early exchanges with Lisa Baum heavily involved early on. Kim Little was playing in a more advanced role than she has for Arsenal in recent years. The Gunners Scottish captain was first to come close for either side, striking the ball on the half turn rocketing the ball off the post from a tight angle. Arsenal would hit the opposite post just minutes later, this time through Mariona Caldentey after a lovely flowing move on the counter.
After gaining a foothold in the match, Chelsea took the lead through Alyssa Thompson, minutes before half time. Melvine Malard laid off Keira Walsh on the edge of the box, she fired goalward, Borbe saved down to her right but only as far as the onrushing Alyssa Thompson who blasted gratefully into the roof of the net. Chelsea almost had their second shortly after as Malard broke down the right side, firing from a tight angle Borbe did well to save with her right leg. Cue a Chelsea corner in the heart of the visiting end, which McCabe went up to take. The Ireland captain was given an acrimonious welcome, met by a chorus of support from the home faithful. Referee Emily Heaslip, seemingly unhappy with the time taken by McCabe to deliver the cross, reached for a yellow card. That was met by the biggest cheer of the afternoon from the away end.
By the second half a mix up at the back for Chelsea saw Baum run through on goal. Lucy Bronze did well to stick with her and put pressure on the German. Baum’s shot across goal was well parried by Hannah Hampton. Chelsea were lighting on the break and Ellie Carpenter a constant threat, she broke up the pitch ten minutes into the second half. The Australian’s whipped cross found Malard who directed the ball just wide. Arsenal were trying to get back into the match, and a couple of efforts from Chloe Kelly and Emily Fox missed the target.
With just under twenty minutes to play Steph Catley played a precise ball over the top for Stina Blackstenius to latch onto. The Swede chipped Hampton, but also the bar. Arsenal were pushing for a leveller but Chelsea continued to maintain their threat on the break. The two sides exchanged chances late on but the Blues held on for a crucial victory.
Chelsea Player Ratings
GK: Hannah Hampton – 7/10 – The England number one did not have much to do in the first half, saved excellently from Baum in the second.
RWB: Ellie Carpenter – 8.5/10 – Flew forward in attack and created two big chances for Chelsea. Carpenter was exceptional for Chelsea today.
RCB: Lucy Bronze – 8.5/10 – Played with a fire that can sometimes be missing in Chelsea performances against Arsenal. Won more duels than any other player on the pitch.
CB: Kadeisha Buchanan – 7.5/10 – Played well for Chelsea, denying Arsenal anything in the way of clear cut chances.
LCB: Katie McCabe – 8/10 – Made a bright run into the Arsenal box from deep before cutting it back into traffic. Had her hands full with Baum, had already made two blocks from the German winger before any other player made a single block. McCabe was smart about managing the occasion, as Arsenal became frustrated she accepted fouls as welcome respite. A mature performance.
LWB: Alyssa Thompson – 7.5/10 – Featuring in an extremely advanced wing back role, in possession Chelsea acted more as a three at the back with Thompson and Carpenter advancing forward. Difficult to rate on today’s showing, scored a brilliant goal where she did extremely well to anticipate but also lost almost all of her duels.
CM: Lexi Potter – 7/10 – A huge occasion for her, Potter looked at home, trusted by her head coach, for good reason.
CM: Keira Walsh – 8/10 – Her effort from outside the box helped set up the opening goal for Chelsea. Played three key passes, nobody made more.
CAM: Wieke Kaptein – 7.5/10 – Kaptein advanced and linked up the play well in attack.
CAM: Lauren James – 6.5/10 – Uncharacteristically poor decision making from James in the first half, after a long spell of Arsenal possession James took aim from near the halfway line with options aplenty ignored. Played a sensational cross into the box early in the first half.
ST: Melvine Malard – 7.5/10 – Arsenal dealt with her well threat well until conceding, Malard took advantage of the chaos after. In the second half she came into her own, causing Arsenal real issues in the box.
SUBS
Sjoeke Nüsken (68′ James) – 7/10 – Another pair of legs in midfield, the versatile midfielder worked hard for her team.
Aggie Beever-Jones (80′ Malard) – N/A –
Veerle Buurman (89′ McCabe) – N/A –
Sandy Baltimore (89′ Thompson) – N/A –
Arsenal Player Ratings
GK: Anneke Borbe – 7/10 – Didn’t always look comfortable but made a couple of smart saves.
RB: Emily Fox – 7.5/10 – Had an intriguing battle with her compatriot, did an excellent job of managing the threat in the first period, the one time she didn’t, Thompson capitalised.
RCB: Leah Williamson – 7/10 – She moved the ball quicker this week, nobody made more interceptions than Williamson.
LCB: Steph Catley – 7.5/10 – Her proactive front footed defending, helped stop Chelsea breaks before they could develop. Struggled as Malard came more into the game. No Arsenal player made more key passes.
LB: Ona Battle – 6.5/10 – Has a good understanding with Caldentey, but was quiet on the most part.
CM: Georgia Stanway– 6/10 – Not her afternoon at Stamford Bridge, struggled to get involved in the play.
CM: Kyra Cooney-Cross – 7/10 – Demonstrated excellent physicality and endeavour and was impressive in points during the first half.
CAM: Kim Little – 7/10 – Hit the post early on and seemed to enjoy a more advanced role.
RW: Lisa Baum – 7/10 – Looked to drive the momentum in Arsenal’s direction early on but was not able to trouble Hampton nearly enough. Not clinical enough in attack but she shares that issue with the rest of the team at the moment.
LW: Mariona Caldentey – 7/10 – Clearly has a great understanding with Battle from her Barcelona and Spain days. Hit the post in the first half playing out on the wing.
ST: Alessia Russo – 6.5/10 – While her hold up play was positive, she has not stepped up and given her team what they truly need right now, goals.
SUBS
Stina Blackstenius (61′ Stanway) – 7/10 – Provided Arsenal with a different threat which gave them a new dynamic.
Chloe Kelly – (61′ Baum) – 7/10 – Looked bright and a threat when she came on, failed to make that count on the scoreboard.
Caitlin Foord – (61′ Caldentey) – 6/10 – Foord is struggling at the moment and isn’t getting much luck going forward.
Géraldine Reuteler (81′ Battle) – N/A –
Selina Cerci (81′ Little) – N/A –
