Brighton were beached by Chelsea Women last weekend – undone by a beautiful header from in-form striker Sam Kerr.
But Spurs are this Sunday’s visitors to Kingsmeadow… and no one needs reminding of the rivalry, even if the north Londoners are relatively recent arrivals in the top flight.
Tottenham have won their last two Women’s Super League games, so Blues manager Emma Hayes will be wary.
Five games in a fortnight is taking its toll on the Chelsea squad, and there were some tired legs towards the end of the match on the south coast.
But the 5-0 Champions League win against Benfica in Portugal has given everyone a lift.
Rotation is the name of the game as the women approach a three-week Christmas break to recharge batteries, so Jess Carter is standing by to start a match this week after making some fine appearances as a sub.
Chelsea played in their tangerine/peach kit when they visited Brighton’s People’s Pension Stadium. That’s usually fine (if a bit garish), but Seagulls keeper Cecilie Fiskerstrand was wearing bright day-glo orange and there were times, in goalmouth melees, when she was indistinguishable from the Blues strikers.
That couldn’t excuse a brief lapse in Brighton’s defensive marking in the 21st minute which allow Jonna Andersson and Pernille Harder to exchange a one-two before Harder’s pinpoint cross found Kerr to nod home the only goal of the game.
Chelsea are in a pattern of winning away league matches by a single goal, with the second, decisive strike proving as elusive as a smile from Vivianne Miedema. It’s something Hayes will be working on when the Blues return from their festive break to face Reading on 10 January.
The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and unless specifically stated are not necessarily those of Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
Want to read more news stories like this? Subscribe to our weekly e-news bulletin.
