Blues extend WSL lead after gritty derby win: Five things we learned from Chelsea 1-0 Arsenal | OneFootball

Chelsea have again renewed their WSL title credentials with a hard-fought win over London rivals Arsenal.

All 34,302 supporters at Stamford Bridge knew exactly what was on the line today. With half the season already played, a win for Chelsea would put them nine points clear at the top of the table, but if any team were to unseat the Blues, Arsenal looked the likely candidate.

Coming into the game, the sides were near impossible to separate. Arsenal were unbeaten since Renee Slegers took over from Jonas Eidevall in October, while Chelsea had not yet lost this season.

Chelsea would start the game on the front foot as they so often do but failed to capitalise on a raft of early chances before fading to allow the guests back into contention.

The score would remain tied deep into the second half until Kim Little clumsily brought down Lauren James in the penalty area. Guro Reiten tucked the resultant spot kick away, while Arsenal’s Katie McCabe was sent off for two dissent offences following the penalty decision.

Here’s five things we learned…

If not Arsenal, then who?

The travelling Gunners did not make anything easy for Chelsea today, but the Blues ultimately won out with a classy performance – one becoming of a champion.

This begs the question: if Arsenal cannot beat Chelsea, who can? Bompastor’s side have secured a league double over their closest rivals, with Manchester City the only other team in the league likely to stand much of a chance against this super team.

Chelsea’s league lead is now up to nine points, there is little hope of any rival catching up despite close to half the season remaining.

Bompastor’s Chelsea are a runaway train – it is going to take something special to slow them now.

Slegers makes her point against Bompastor

This match was a fight between heavyweights in more ways than one. On the one hand it was about the two most successful women’s teams in England – on the other, it was about the two most successful female managers currently in the league.

In a tactical sense, Chelsea and Arsenal were at a stalemate, with very little to separate the two sides on the pitch. Arsenal had more of the possession, Chelsea more of the shots.

Bompastor and Slegers have been compared to one another throughout this season, and for good reason. Her Arsenal side made a fantastic account of themselves today despite the final result – this rivalry is far from over.

Chelsea unveil Naomi Girma in show of force to WSL rivals

Arsenal may be Chelsea’s closest rivals on pitch, but the host’s pre-match stunt, unveiling the reported world record transfer Naomi Girma from the San Diego wave, sent a very clear message. No matter what the Blues achieve, it will never be enough – they set the standard and will accept nothing but the best.

Already with plenty of breathing space in the title race, Chelsea have no real need to be spending £900,000 on a centre-back, but the Clearlake ownership’s pursuit of excellence knows no bounds.

Lauren James makes a classy return to the WSL

Replacing Sandy Baltimore in the second half, Lauren James made her first WSL appearance today since being injured the reverse fixture back in October, but you would never have known it.

While she was not quite back to her maverick best having recently recovered from illness, she offered an attacking quality Chelsea had lacked on the day, oozing the composure for which she is known as she danced around the Gunners’ defence, earning a penalty after one particularly mazy dribble.

To combine her dribbling and distribution with Hamano’s similar skillset allowed the Blues the requisite flexibility to chip away at a remarkably compact Arsenal team.

Her return is a huge boost to Bompastor’s title charge.

Derby day antics on full show

The reverse of this fixture carried none of the venom one might expect from a London Derby. With results slipping and Eidevall’s departure imminent, the result seemed a foregone conclusion long before kickoff.

Today, though, everything was in the balance. Arsenal came to Stamford Bridge unbeaten since that fateful day at the Emirates, while Chelsea remained unbeaten on the season. A win for Arsenal would keep dim hopes alive that there may be a chance of catching Chelsea in the WSL title race, while a win for the Blues would be a colossal boost to their title hopes.

With such a backdrop, it is no surprise the contest was as vitriolic as it proved to be. Tackles flew, shoulders dropped, centre-backs took 30-yeard pot-shots. Set against driving West London rain, it was an occasion for the football purist.