General Thread

[OhForAGreavsie 6,057]

1-1. Another own goal but we're level. Great headed finish actually looping over the keeper and under the bar. Goal cam against the run of play. The start of the second half has been just like the first. we can't keep the ball and we're well on the back foot.

[OhForAGreavsie 6,057]

Ji is having a really poor game. Her passes are under hit, over hit of just plain off beam. Bit like watching the first team.

[Muzchap 8,966]

Fucks sake that was a soft goal after missing some sitters at the other end

[OhForAGreavsie 6,057]

1-2 Could be the killer blow and it came well against the run of play. Shame.

[Muzchap 8,966]

Jesus our whole club is cursed

[OhForAGreavsie 6,057]

Jesus our whole club is cursed

Lol.

Finished 1-2. Second leg next week.

[tizerist 6]

I really fancy Rosella Ayane. Best looking footballer ever

[OhForAGreavsie 6,057]

Yes! Last minute of injury time, winner from Fran Kirby completes the fightback. Chelsea 2-1 Man City. The holders, who trailed with less than 3 minutes of normal time remaining, are through to a second successive Women's FA Cup final. The game will be staged at Wembley on May 14th.

[Billy. 2,742]

missed the game as i was at work.

 

Least the ladies and the kids are doing us proud this season 

[OhForAGreavsie 6,057]

The ladies are playing what is a Women's FA Cup Final rehearsal, but also a very significant WSL game in its own right, away at Arsenal. We lead 1-0 at the break, deservedly, but boy has it been a poor game. Both sides are playing badly, loads of mistakes and misplaced passes. It's got to be better in the second half; as Dr. Winston himself might say, "Can't get no worse."

Fran Kirby got the goal when she chased a ball over the top and was able to charge down the keeper's attempted clearance. As the ball ricocheted towards goal the Arsenal defender was easily favourite to get there first and I do mean easily. She just couldn't get her stride pattern organised however so the timing was never quite right for her to stretch out her leg and knock the ball away. Meanwhile Fran gained on her and as both players made a desperate, last ditch lunge at the ball, neither of them was able to get a touch and the ball bobbled its merry way into the net. A goal befitting the game I think.

Such quality as we have seen has come from Gemma Davidson, especially after she switched wings with Karen Carney and moved to the left. Love this player; one of the best in the woman's game I feel sure.

[OhForAGreavsie 6,057]

Game finished 2-0. We were a bit better in the second half but not that much. We did produce moments of quality to carve out some good chances but their keeper pulled off 2 or 3 really good stops. The second goal was also grabbed by Fran Kirby amid claims of handball as a goal line clearance struck her arm and dropped for her to fire into the roof of the net.

As the laws stand allowing the goal was the correct decision, there was no intention, but it's a bad law in my opinion and I'm glad The International Board are changing it. Fran may not have been able to get out of the way but the ball did strike her hand. If it hadn't done, the clearance would have sailed out of the box so, intent or no intent, Fran gained a big advantage by unfair means. It should have been a free kick. When a player handles the ball deliberately then, whether she/he gains an advantage or not, a free kick/penalty should always be awarded. Where the contact is unintentional however, then, for me, the decision must come down to whether or not an unfair advantage is gained. An example of what I mean: -

Defender near the goal line. The ball smacks him on the arm. He couldn't get out of the way. The decision depends on what would have happened if the ball had not struck his arm. If the ball would have sailed harmlessly out of play, no penalty, play on. If it would have hit his body instead, no penalty, play on. If it would have gone into the net then, albeit that he didn't mean to, the defender has gained a significant advantage by unfair means, penalty but no card.

Meanwhile back to Chelsea Ladies; Emma Hayes's post game comments are always honest and accurate and were again tonight. She's a very impressive person. Her players must love her. Emma being our manager is a big advantage for us I think.

[Captain Ahmed 528]

WOMEN'S SUPER LEAGUE 1 / CHELSEA 6-3 LIVERPOOL

Quote

 

Chelsea Ladies won a nine-goal thriller at home to Liverpool Ladies to maintain their 100% winning start to the Women's Super League One season.

After Katie Zelem's first-minute opener for Liverpool, goals from Karen Carney, Fran Kirby, Drew Spence and Eniola Aluko put Chelsea 4-1 up at half-time.

Caroline Weir and Emma Lundh's second-half strikes gave the visitors hope.

But Kirby and Spence both added goals to restore the three-goal lead and keep pressure on leaders Manchester City.

Zelem, who netted twice in Liverpool's 3-2 loss at Notts County last time out, stunned the defending champions with a fine strike from range in the early stages.

But the floodgates opened after England winger Carney rounded the goalkeeper to level and the scoreline could have been bigger as Carney struck the crossbar with a free-kick late on.

Chelsea - who won 2-1 at Liverpool in their previous match - remain second, three points behind first-placed City, who have played a game more.

Emma Hayes' side face Arsenal in the Women's FA Cup Final at Wembley on Saturday, looking to defend the trophy they won for the first time last season.

Chelsea Ladies midfielder Drew Spence: "It was a bit like a basketball match, the way the goals were going in for both sides. I was pleased with my two goals.

"But we're disappointed we didn't manage the game better after coming from behind to go 4-1 in front by half-time. We've got to learn how to not concede before we turn on the gas.

"That's something for us to work on in training this week in the build up to the FA Cup final.

"We beat Arsenal 2-0 in the league recently but we can't have any complacency because of that, it's going to be a tough game."

Liverpool Ladies midfielder Caroline Weir: "Scoring three goals is fine, but if you concede six you can't expect anything out of a game.

"We made too many defensive errors and that's just not good enough against a team as good as Chelsea.

"This is a tough place to come, but it was so disappointing for us after making a great start with a brilliant goal by Katie Zelem.

"We conceded some poor goals after taking the lead, and going in at half-time 4-1 down we knew that wasn't good enough."

BBC.com

 

 

[OhForAGreavsie 6,057]

On 09/05/2016 at 5:44 PM, Captain Ahmed said:

WOMEN'S SUPER LEAGUE 1 / CHELSEA 6-3 LIVERPOOL

 

It was really enjoyable on Sunday afternoon. I got there a couple of minutes after kick off so was a bit shocked when the people I was chatting with told me the score was 4-1. I missed their first goal and had thought we were 4-0 up. Among the four was an effort by Fran Kirby that would have been a contender for goal of the season if she had scored it in time to be nominated. She latched on the a great ball from Eni, jinked one way then the other to beat a couple of 'men' before finishing with a curling left foot shot. The ground erupted, it was a special goal.

Emma Hayes has put together a terrific squad. She rotates every game but the team never seems to miss a beat. On Sunday she was able to withdraw Eni Aluko and replace her with an even better player in Gemma Davidson. Gemma was brilliant as usual, setting up a couple of sitters which should have been converted as well as two more presentable chances. Granted squad building is way easier at the top of the women's game than it is in men's football but it's nice to see such a powerful group in blue.

Getting over to Staines for a game is well worth it in my opinion. If you can get there sometime, I think you'll enjoy it. I'm also taking my niece and a friend to Wembley. Be great if there's a good crowd for the final.

[Captain Ahmed 528]

Katie Chapman:Ladies Player of the year

Quote

Chelsea Ladies captain Katie Chapman is the first winner at Friday night’s Chelsea Player of the Year Awards.

She will be leading out the Blues at Wembley tomorrow afternoon for the Women’s FA Cup final, as she did in 2015, a season that ended with the side as league and cup double winners, the first major trophies in Chelsea Ladies’ history.

It was that success and her own consistent form which led to her following on from Eniola Aluko who was last year’s Ladies Player of the Year, the first time the honour was bestowed at the Annual Awards dinner. 

Chapman has been speaking about tomorrow’s FA Cup final against her former club Arsenal and about the Chelsea Ladies side.

‘We have gelled really well together and we have had a couple of years now building as a team,’ she said.

‘We have recruited new players this season who have fitted in really well and we are looking good. We are not as good as we can be, but we are picking it up.

‘It is a magic moment being at Wembley and we wanted to go back. It has been a tough journey. Everyone wants to be in the FA Cup final so that makes it that much harder and we have managed to overcome Man City in the semi-final. It was a really tough game and we have made it to Wembley again. It is the home of English football and every kid dreams of playing at Wembley.’

Chapman has won the FA Cup nine times with five different London clubs but last year’s was especially enjoyable.

‘Lifting the trophy was one of the proudest moments of my career,’ she said.

‘I was captain of Chelsea, I absolutely love the Chelsea team, they are a great bunch of players and a great bunch of people and coming back to Wembley a second time, it feels like home.

‘I have been at Arsenal as well and have won a lot of trophies there but I do love this team. I have not been in a team that has been so together as Chelsea. This is my third season here and I am very much a Blue.’

-  Saturday’s Women’s FA Cup final between Chelsea and Arsenal kicks off at 2pm and is live on BBC1.

chelseafc.com

 

[Billy. 2,742]

we lost the final today. we were rubbish from start to finish all we kept doing was going long to kirby who is tiny and getting pushed off the ball