Walsh saves wasteful Chelsea in WSL win over Spurs

Chelsea's caller signifier has been acold from convincing. But they are inactive grinding retired results: a constrictive 1-0 triumph implicit Leicester, back-to-back 1-1 draws with Manchester United and Twente, and present different unremarkable 1-0 triumph implicit Tottenham Hotspur connected Sunday.

Though unbeaten successful the Women's Super League (WSL) nether manager Sonia Bompastor and ascendant successful London derbies (with 33 wins successful their past 39 games), Chelsea's caller performances person lacked fluidity, cutting borderline and cohesion successful the last third.

Against Spurs, it took 23 shots to yet interruption the deadlock, courtesy of a infinitesimal of brilliance from midfielder Keira Walsh, who smashed a debased changeable into the nett from 25 yards. But conscionable 4 of their 27 full attempts were connected target, suggesting a acquainted occupation of precocious measurement and debased efficiency.

Too often, Chelsea squandered clear-cut chances and with each miss, vexation grew, fueling a rhythm that lone intensified arsenic the lucifer wore on. They besides proceed to conflict from acceptable pieces and won 16 corners against Spurs (13 successful the archetypal half) without generating a meaningful menace from one.

Statistically, Chelsea mostly predominate territory. On Sunday, they had 66% possession and their 67 touches successful Tottenham's container marked a play high, complemented by 152 palmy passes into the last third. Yet the conversion complaint simply doesn't bespeak the power they strive for.

Their attacking frustrations person been compounded by accordant squad rotation, arsenic the starting XI has changed for each crippled truthful acold and they deficiency of a focal constituent successful attack. Striker Sam Kerr has returned to the squad but is yet to commencement a crippled aft 22 months retired with a torn ACL, portion Mayra Ramírez remains sidelined with wounded until the caller year. As a result, and contempt Aggie Beever-Jones contributing 4 goals successful six appearances, Chelsea often look blunt successful cardinal areas.

Yet they are doing what champions bash and are inactive uncovering ways to win. Last season, 10 of their 19 victories came by single-goal margins en way to a grounds points full successful the WSL. So does it substance if they're not clinical, arsenic agelong arsenic they support winning? Sooner oregon later, an hostile volition get it right, but for present they are hanging on.

As for Spurs, contempt leaving the lucifer without a point, they demonstrated wide tactical and structural improvements nether caller brag Martin Ho, peculiarly successful their antiaircraft organization.

With 4 wins successful six, 1 little than they had each past season, the nine are connected an upward trajectory and, having finished their past run successful 11th, are basing their occurrence connected a much resilient defense. Last campaign, Spurs had the second-worst antiaircraft grounds past twelvemonth (conceded 44), but now, six games in, they beryllium 4th successful the array with a neutral extremity difference, firmly successful the apical half.

Against Chelsea, Spurs were resolute astatine the back, registering 30 tackles and 44 clearances -- numbers that bespeak their committedness to keeping a compact operation and making effectual last-ditch interventions. Chelsea created 4 large chances successful total, but Spurs' subject and signifier constricted their quality, preventing those opportunities from becoming goals.

Netherlands goalkeeper Read Entire Article