A blog of two halves

Chelsea's Super Sunday, will you make both games?

Double delight as men's and women's teams both play home matches this Sunday.

1 February 2024
By Tim Harrison
Categories:
Chelsea FC
Maren Mjelde celebrates her goal against Paris FC with Guro Reiten.
Getty Images

The race is on!

Chelsea fans are buzzing as Super Sunday looms, with many taking up the challenge to sprint across town to watch both the men and women play in a single afternoon.

Following a shuffle of kick-off times, Chelsea's men take on Wolves at Stamford Bridge at 2pm. Then Chelsea Women, fresh from defeating Brighton in the league and the midweek 4-0 Champions League rout of Paris FC, take on Everton at Kingsmeadow at 6.45pm.

Barring serious train or bus issues, there should be ample time to take the tube from Fulham Broadway, squeeze on to a 131 bus, and still manage a few warm-up choruses of 'One Fran Kirby' ahead of kick-off.

The women have been boosted by the debut of Mayra Ramirez, signed from Levante of Spain, as cover for the long-term injured Sam Kerr. The 24-year-old Colombian played the last 25 minutes against Brighton, coming on as sub for Lauren James, who scored two of the Blues' goals in a 3-0 win.

Her transfer fee was a world record £383,000, raising the bar for all the Women's Super League sides. Size, presence and power were the three traits that Emma Hayes highlighted to justify Chelsea's huge investment, and fans will have a chance to assess all three on her full home debut this weekend.

Could she play in a front pairing with James, perhaps with Kirby, Reiten and Cuthbert just behind?

With Jessie Fleming leaving for Portland Thorns in the USA (arriving for the start of the American season in mid-March), expect more openings for young striker Aggie Beever-Jones, who has just extended her contract at Chelsea.

Raheem Sterling up against Liverpool sensation Conor Bradley who scored his first goal for the club against the Blues.
Getty Images

Disappointment for the men's team

As for the men, a frustrating Friday night 0-0 draw against Villa in the FA Cup means a replay in Birmingham that gaffer Mauricio Pochettino could do without.

The midweek thrashing by high-flying Liverpool was less of a surprise, but the Blues must get back on track against Wolves to remain in the top half of the table.

Pochettino admitted his side were below par at Anfield, with Benoit Badiashile out of his depth in defence, so a clean sheet is the primary focus. Then comes the (unwelcome) FA Cup replay at Villa Park on Wednesday evening, as the games come thick and fast.

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

Tim Harrison

Tim is our Chelsea FC blogger.

He also writes our Shepherds Bush Cricket Club match reports during the football close season.

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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