Chelsea F.C. Women vs Arsenal Women F.C.
An exciting fixture to welcome us back from the international break as we face the Gunners in Round 5 of the FA Cup. Coming off the back of brilliant club results and a mix of international results for the girls we head back to Kingsmeadow. Read on to hear all about our FA Cup fixture against the Reds and how our season is going.
Chelsea
Form: W-W-W-W
We jump straight back into club action after closing out a successful international break and I hope the girls haven’t overdone it over this short interval. We have held strong in 2023 so far, a slightly tame 1-1 draw against Sunday’s opponents at The Emirates on the 15th of January was just the beginning. We’ve gone on to win 4/4 scoring 16 goals and conceding a slightly disappointing. Strong attacking displays aren’t uncommon but our defence is leaving lots to be desired so far this year.
2022 was a good year for the Blues, signing it out sitting top of the WSL and our UWCL group, but our display against Arsenal in January made it seem we were getting too comfortable. We weren’t at the top of the game and hope to see more from the girls when they walk out this weekend. With the full backing of the home crowd, we hope to see more of the Chelsea team we saw at the end of last year, a team we know plays to win. A very strong result against another London rival before the international break will help settle our nerves. A 7-0 win at the home of West Ham is no small feat. The Hammers managed to snatch WSL points off The Gunners in early February so why shouldn’t we be able to beat them?
Arsenal
Form: W-D-W-L
Unlike us the Gunners went into the International break off the back of a devestating loss that cost them their hold on the top three in the WSL. Losing 2-1 away to Manchester City they saw themselves drop to 4th in the league standings. They will be looking to make a statement in this game. Seeing as we will be facing off again in March in the Conti Cup Final we both have a lot on the line here, namely pride.
Having seen their fair share of poor results this season Arsenal will be keen to shake any bad omens off after a well-timed international break. Unnecessary dropped points and missed chances can’t take too much of the blame for Arsenal as they have struggled to be quite as ruthless as usual this season. They seem to find their feet against the Blues and we seem to struggle which is a recipe for disaster.
Previous Meetings
The two clubs are very familiar with each other, we have faced Arsenal 31 times in various competitions since 2014 and are both inaugural members of the WSL. In more recent years we have come off better than our London rivals and boast a better head-to-head record. Nine victories for the Gunners and six draws leaves us holding 16 victories over the team from North London.
We lost our opening game against the Gunners last season 3-2 but this was followed by a 3-0 victory in the FA cup final at Wembley so safe to say we didn’t let the loss discourage us. In our last ten matches, we have won five, drawn three and lost only two scoring seventeen goals and conceding thirteen. A very even split of goals it’s the end result that speaks in this match-up so we can’t get comfortable.
Team News
Chelsea
Much of the same for the Chelsea squad, Pernille Harder is still out after having surgery for a hamstring injury and Fran Kirby picked up an injury just before the international break so she is unlikely to be match fit.
Arsenal
Vivianne Miedema and Beth Mead are both currently out with ACL injuries for Arsenal.
Players to Watch
Chelsea
Sam Kerr and Lauren James are two Chelsea players to keep an eye on in this match.
Sam had a hell of a game against West Ham before the international break, she bagged herself four goals with three of those coming in the first half. She has also had a very productive international break with Australia winning the Cup Of Nations. Playing in three matches in which she recorded one goal and two assists.
Lauren James is trying to prove a point this season. It’s clear to see watching her this season she has been working hard and is putting effort in now consistently. Players are finding it hard to control her this season and I am still being impressed more every game by the young talent. Her displays for the Lionesses over this international break have proven her growth even more. Earning herself player of the tournament for her exploits in the Arnold Clark Cup.
Arsenal
Frida Maanum and Rafaelle Souza are two Gunners to keep an eye on in this game.
Frida Maaum is having a brilliant season so far, boasting four goals and one assist in the WSL, four goals and three assists in the UWCL topped off with two goals and one assist in the Conti Cup. The Norweigan midfielder has been a shining star for Arsenal especially since they are making do without two of their biggest attacking stars.
Rafaelle Souza is another player that is proving to be the light at the end of the tunnel for Arsenal this season. The Brazilian defender has been highly rated in her games for the Gunners this season, her exploits include getting their eventually fruitless goal in the 2-1 loss against Manchester City. She walked away that day the best-rated Arsenal player on the pitch.
Match Details
Date/Time: Sunday 26th February, 14:00
Venue: Kingsmeadow, Kingston
Referee: Abigail Byrne
How to Watch
UK: BBC Two
Rest of the World: FA Player
Final Thoughts and Prediction
Yet another London match-up and we are going to be seeing a lot more of the Gunners this season so I’d say we make every one count more than the last. Especially since the last was such a boring result at the Emirates, the game is ours to lose with recent performances in mind. Arsenal is never a team to give up on a result, they are seeking a win the get them back into the swing of things. A fierce rivalry in recent years it’s always an exciting game and I doubt tomorrow will be any different, so let’s hope for a good game.
Final Score Prediction: Chelsea 3 – 1 Arsenal
Written By A Bradley (@A_thensomething)