3 days ago
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That was a positive first half for Arsenal. The Gunners got off to a very good start, testing Hampton twice in the early stages. However, like so many times this season, they have failed to make the most of their chances. Chelsea look much more threatening when moving forward at pace, although they are yet to register a shot on target.
Both teams will be eager to improve in the second half, but Chelsea have a much stronger bench which could prove to make a huge difference in the late stages of this clash.
Half-time: Chelsea 0-0 Arsenal
It’s goal-less at the break!
45+4 min: Bronze takes aim from around 30 yards out but Borbe can comfortably save the shot.
45+2 min: Mead receives a cross from Foord on the edge of the box and sends it back in to Blackstenius, who competes for the header with Bronze. Neither can get to it and the ball runs behind for a goal kick.
45+1 min: We’re into four minutes of added time…
44 min: Cuthbert goes for goal from distance, but her effort flies narrowly over the bar.
43 min: Catley is up and seemingly walked off the pitch fine. She should be able to play on here, much to the relief of Renée Slegers.
41 min: Huge concern for Arsenal as Catley lunges to make a block but slips and injures herself in the process. With Leah Williamson currently out due to a strain, the Gunners will not want to lose another centre-back.
38 min: Wubben-Moy plays a long pass to Blackstenius on the right, who cuts inside and sets the ball to Mead on the edge of the box.
The winger takes a sharp turn before shooting, but her shot flies wide.
35 min: Bright plays the ball out wide to Carpenter on the right. The full-back looks to send a low cross into the box which is cleared by Russo.
33 min: A cross is sent into the Chelsea box and Bright is almost caught out. The ball deflects off the centre-back and drops to Hampton, who calmly collects.
31 min: Arsenal have a great opportunity to go for goal, but McCabe and Mead are caught doing too much on the edge of the box and Chelsea can make the clearance.
The Gunners need to start making the most of these chances.
29 min: Typically when Arsenal play with both Blackstenius and Russo together, it is the Swede who pushes higher up the pitch. However, they seem to be interchanging more today, with Blackstenius making some important defensive contributions.
26 min: There is a pause in play as Mead receives treatment for a knock. Both teams make the most of it and head over to the dugouts.
23 min: Fox looks to get past Baltimore on the right by playing the ball through her legs, but as she goes to make the run Bright clears it. Mead intercepts the clearance and crosses it with her first touch, but there’s a bit too much power on the ball and it runs through to the other side.
20 min: Baltimore steps up to take the corner. She sends it deep to the back post, where Girma is waiting. The centre-back goes for the header from close range but Wubben-Moy clears it off the line.
19 min: McCabe goes for an audacious shot from distance, but her attempt flies past the post. Chelsea head straight down the other end in response, with Thompson driving along the right. The winger looks to cross but the ball is deflected behind for a corner.
18 min: Chelsea are quickly gathering momentum now and Arsenal find themselves under a lot of pressure. The Gunners seem to be dealing with it well so far.
16 min: Mead is booked for a challenge on Cuthbert and Chelsea have a free kick out on the left. The ball is sent into the Arsenal box and Kerr heads it just wide.
14 min: Chelsea have a corner and it is played short before eventually finding Cuthbert on the edge of the box. The midfielder shoots and her effort takes a huge deflection before bouncing just past the post.
12 min: Hampton sends a clearance straight to Mead, who makes her way into the box and looks for the cross. However, the final ball does not quite find a team-mate and Chelsea can make the clearance.
10 min: Arsenal have a free kick in the middle of the pitch. McCabe sends it towards the edge of the box, where Wubben-Moy flicks it on, but Bright heads it clear.
7 min: Arsenal go on the attack again as Mead sets the ball to Blackstenius just outside the box. The striker finds Russo with a cross but the England star can’t direct her headed effort on target.
5 min: Arsenal look fairly comfortable in these early stages – a bit of a contrast to how they started last time out against Chelsea in November.
2 min: Two big chances for Arsenal as Foord picks up a loose ball in the Chelsea box and sets it back to McCabe. The full-back aims for goal with a powerful effort but Hampton makes the save. It falls back out to Russo, who strikes, but the ball takes a deflection and Bronze can clear.
1 min: Thompson is sent through down the left and looks to move inside, but she is flagged offside before she can touch the ball.
Kick-off
We’re under way at Stamford Bridge!
The teams are out. Everyone is wearing the correct socks. Let’s go…
The stage is set. Kick-off is in just five minutes…
While we wait for kick-off, be sure to sign up to receive our Moving the Goalposts newsletter for a weekly roundup of all the top women’s football news from across the world.
Feel free to email me with any thoughts, feelings or predictions for today’s game. Has Slegers made the right call by starting two strikers? Will Sam Kerr punish the Gunners once again? Will Arsenal bring the correct socks this time?
Let me know!
Renée Slegers has made the decision to start both Alessia Russo and Stina Blackstenius today. It is a huge call from the Arsenal boss, with no attackers left on the bench.
It begs the question – what kind of impact will the Arsenal substitutes make this afternoon?
Ahead of the huge fixture at Stamford Bridge this afternoon, Sophie Downey sat down with Chelsea forward Alyssa Thompson to discuss her move to London and how she has adapted to English football.
Elsewhere in the WSL this weekend
Friday:
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Everton 0-1 Brighton
Sunday:
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Aston Villa v Manchester United
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London City Lionesses v Manchester City
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Leicester City v West Ham
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Liverpool v Tottenham
These two sides last met in November, where they fought out a 1-1 draw in a game that was overshadowed by some controversial decisions. Arsenal had two disallowed goals - the first of which was deemed a handball by the referee, although replays showed that it did not touch the arm of Stina Blackstenius before she put the ball in the net. The Gunners also had a goal ruled out for a very tight offside call on Frida Maanum in the last minute. On the other hand, they avoided going down to 10 players after Victoria Pelova’s high challenge on Keira Walsh was only deemed a yellow card offence.
Alyssa Thompson broke the deadlock for Chelsea in the first half with a stunning strike from the edge of the box. Arsenal battled hard to draw level and Alessia Russo netted the equaliser in the late stages.
Team news
Chelsea starting line-up: Hannah Hampton; Ellie Carpenter, Millie Bright (C), Naomi Girma, Lucy Bronze; Sandy Baltimore, Erin Cuthbert, Wieke Kaptein; Guro Reiten, Alyssa Thompson, Sam Kerr.
Substitutes: Becky Spencer, Livia Peng, Veerle Buurman, Sjoeke Nüsken, Lauren James, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, Keira Walsh, Lexi Potter, Aggie Beever-Jones.
Arsenal starting line-up: Anneke Borbe; Emily Fox, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Steph Catley, Katie McCabe; Kim Little (C), Mariona Caldentey; Beth Mead, Caitlin Foord, Alessia Russo; Stina Blackstenius.
Substitutes: Daphne van Domselaar, Naomi Williams, Laia Codina, Taylor Hinds, Smilla Holmberg, Sophie Harwood, Victoria Pelova.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to coverage of the highly-anticipated WSL clash between Chelsea and Arsenal. Today’s meeting could have a major impact on the title race and the battle for the Champions League places, with Arsenal currently third in the table and just four points behind their London rivals.
A win for the Gunners today would leave them hot on the heels of Chelsea, who are looking to hunt down league leaders Manchester City and close the six-point gap.
As always, this promises to be a hugely competitive clash - especially with so much at stake. You don’t want to miss it!
I’ll be guiding you through all the action as it happens. Kick-off is at 12:30pm GMT - join me!
