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Bompastor: ‘Small details’ separate Chelsea and UWCL glory
Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor talks about Chelsea’s chances of success in the UEFA Women’s Champions League competition, which she won as a player and manager.
LONDON — Chelsea’s new manager Sonia Bompastor faces her toughest challenge yet when she faces Women’s Super League (WSL) title rivals Arsenal on Saturday. (Live on ESPN2, streaming on E+, 8:45 a.m. ET). This will be her first meeting with a traditional powerhouse after last weekend’s game against Manchester United was postponed, and after Tuesday night’s thrilling 3-2 win over Real Madrid in the Women’s Champions League, her true assessment will provide. The team stands tall under her leadership.
With only a few league games played, Chelsea are yet to have a real test under their new manager. Their first 1-0 win over Aston Villa in the WSL was a closely contested and even contest, followed by a 7-0 thrashing of newly promoted Crystal Palace, but neither team fell to the level of five-time title holders Arsenal.
Perhaps the clearest sign of the Blues’ future this season comes against Real Madrid in Liga F. Clearly, things are not going to go as smoothly as they did under legendary former boss Emma Hayes. So what have we learned as Chelsea prepare for their trip to Arsenal?
Defensive weakness shown against Real Madrid
Bompastor has won trophies as a player and manager with eight-time Champions League winner Lyon, but her previous experience was with more experienced teams. Things are slightly different for Chelsea, who have never won the UWCL before, as evidenced by Tuesday night’s tense 3-2 win.
The biggest test of her managerial acumen came just minutes before kick-off when goalkeeper Hannah Hampton withdrew from the starting XI due to illness and Zecira Musovic stepped in. Bompastor’s ability to remain calm in moments like these is a testament to her leadership, and the Blues dominated throughout the evening, taking a 2-0 lead after half an hour.
However, after trailing 3-1, Madrid came back in the final 15 minutes to apply pressure and flooded the final third in hopes of a draw. Linda Caicedo’s goal to make it 3-2 was only a consolation for the visitors, but both of Chelsea’s goals were the result of sloppy and haphazard defending and it was not the first time the team had looked nervous in defense this season. . Despite keeping clean sheets against Villa and Palace, Chelsea’s defensive weaknesses were exposed against Madrid and a better team could have exploited them to cause problems.
While Arsenal have struggled in front of goal, failing to convert a single one of their 21 shots against Everton last weekend, Chelsea have clearly been unable to relax when it comes to preparing to thwart the Gunners’ world-class attack.
It was clear on Tuesday that some members of Bompastor’s squad were uncomfortable with the increased intensity. However, it should be noted that Chelsea are missing key players including Erin Cuthbert (injury), Catarina Macario (illness) and Kadeisha Buchanan (off). . They will need to improve in this area if they are to adapt to the new manager’s style of play.
Is it good to have more time?
Last weekend, the WSL had to postpone Chelsea’s match against Manchester United due to concerns over player welfare. UEFA scheduled the match against Real Madrid 48 hours after the match. The conflict represents a breakdown in communication between UEFA and the WSL, something that was entirely avoidable but left Bompastor unhappy.
The manager has previously expressed frustration with the WSL providing less support to clubs competing in the Champions League, contrary to her experience in her native France, and her comments echo those of her predecessor Emma Hayes, who similarly criticized the league schedule. Same. Last month at Chelsea.
Before the Madrid match, Bompastor said: “We had a very good team dynamic and I think it changed everything preparing for the game against Real Madrid because we didn’t have the opportunity to play. When we had the opportunity to play one game a week, the decision to postpone this game has now left us without a chance to play. “We’ve been without games for 10 days and I think it’s a bad decision for all English clubs in the Champions League competition.”
Chelsea’s absence from competition for 10 days may have contributed to their poor performance when Madrid upped the tempo late in the game, Bompastor later suggested. But there are now three days left until the game against Arsenal. Meanwhile, the Gunners are not due to return to the country until Thursday as they face Bayern Munich in the UWCL on Wednesday, leaving them with just one day of training left before their game against Chelsea.
Chelsea could benefit from extra preparation time, but the disease bug currently sweeping the squad is a cause for concern. Macario and Hampton both missed the Madrid game, and backup goalkeeper Katie Cox was also off the bench. If the situation worsens, Chelsea could face serious challenges in who they can field.
Arsenal will have a point to prove
It would be a mistake to assume that Arsenal’s 0-0 draw against Everton will lead to a repeat against Chelsea. If anything, that disappointing result is likely to ignite the team and motivate them to respond with a statement win.
A string of disappointing performances so far this season means the Gunners have a point to prove. With two draws and just one win, they will be eager to turn things around and the urgency combined with the intensity of the competition sets the stage for a very competitive match.
Playing at the Emirates has not been kind to Chelsea in the past. They haven’t won there yet. It has been Arsenal’s best results since they began using the stadium more regularly in the 2019-20 season, with atmosphere often being a contributing factor. The home side attracted a crowd of 59,042 in their last meeting (a 4-1 win) and sources told ESPN that more than 40,000 tickets have been sold so far for Saturday’s clash.
Arsenal are consistently on the rise in big games, especially at the Emirates. Last season, they dropped just four points against traditional top four teams, but faltered against lower-tier teams as they struggled to break down low and mid-block defenses.
The hostility, chants and flood of red shirts will be factors that Bompastor cannot afford to overlook. This will be the biggest test of her Chelsea career to date, and her success or failure could have a huge impact on the remainder of the season.
