A blog of two halves

Kirby’s knock is a set back for Blues as they face Everton

Spare a thought for Fran Kirby, back to top form then sidelined by an ankle knock.

3 November 2020
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Pictured are Fran Kirby and Ji So-Yun of Chelsea celebrating. PICTURE: GETTY IMAGES

Spare a thought for Fran Kirby, back to top form then sidelined by an ankle knock.

She’ll miss Chelsea Women’s next few games, including this weekend’s intriguing encounter against Everton at Kingsmeadow.

A season or two ago, the fixture would have been a relative formality for the Blues, but the Toffees’ appearance in last weekend’s FA Cup final – where they gave City a real run for their money – shows just how far the WSL’s levelling up has come.

There are now no walkover ties, and Emma Hayes knows her team will have to be on top form to defeat the league’s surprise high-flyers.

Kirby picked up an injury during a meaningless England training game after the international in Germany was called off.

“She’ll be out for weeks,” said Hayes. “I don’t know how many, so I’m not going to put a number on it, but hopefully it won’t be too long.” 

The team resumed full training last week after an international break which saw midfield pivot Sophie Ingle gain her 100th Welsh cap.

After the midweek Conti Cup game against Spurs, the focus for Chelsea Women is once again on clawing their way back to the top of the league.

Meanwhile Chelsea’s men seem to have turned a corner, collecting more clean sheets than the local laundry.

After leaking like a colander, the Blues have achieved four shutouts on the spin, giving manager Frank Lampard a huge boost after the previous four games netted seven in the ‘goals against’ column.

The reason isn’t as simple as finding the right combination for the back four (though that helps). Nor is it just about the growing confidence permeating the whole team as a result of keeper Eddie Mendy’s reassuring presence.

It’s more about the integration and inventiveness of the midfield, notably Mason Mount, who – week by week – is turning into one of England’s finest players.

Add to the mix newcomers such as Hakim Ziyech and Kai Havertz, the return to fitness and form of N’Golo Kante, the settling in of Thiago Silva and the up-front speed of Timo Werner, and Chelsea are becoming a serious force to be reckoned with.

A 3-0 away win at Burnley was a magnificent achievement for the Blues, who welcome under-pressure Sheffield United to the Bridge this weekend.

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and unless specifically stated are not necessarily those of Hammersmith & Fulham Council.

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Tim Harrison

Tim is our Chelsea FC blogger.

Tim has been writing Chelsea match reports since the late 1980s for newspapers and, more recently, websites.

When he first reported on the Blues, the press box was a metal cage suspended over the lip of the old west stand - and you reached it via a precarious walkway over the heads of the fans.

But he has been a Chelsea fan since his father took an excited seven-year-old to watch Chelsea v Manchester United in the mid 1960s... and covered his ears every time the chanting got too ripe.

In July 2005 he wrote The Rough Guide to Chelsea, published by Penguin, which sold 15,000 copies.

His favourite player of all time is Charlie Cooke, the mazy winger who lit up Chelsea's left wing in the 60s and 70s.

When he isn't watching the Blues, Tim acts, paints, writes and researches local history.

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