Chelsea continue WSL dominance with 2-1 win over Everton: Five things we learned | OneFootball

Chelsea maintained their seven-point lead at the top of the WSL table with a narrow 2-1 win over Everton, thanks to Lauren James who scored the winner in the 93rd minute.

Here are five things we learned from the game:

Lauren James is magic

The 23-year-old completed 90 minutes in consecutive games for the first time under new manager Sonia Bompastor. The French manager will be grateful she kept James on the pitch for the entire game as it was the England international’s goal that bailed Chelsea out. James has battled injuries all season and she will be hoping to get back to her best ahead of a crucial run-in for Chelsea, as well as the Euro’s in the summer.

Title race over?

Chelsea are on a mission to put an end to the WSL title race as quickly as possible. The Blues are unbeaten all season and have picked up 40 points from a possible 42. The WSL title race has gone down to the final day in each of the last three seasons, with last year’s title being decided by goal difference. This level of dominance Bompastor’s Blues are displaying is unprecedented in the WSL, especially by a manager who is new to the league. It seems like it is now a matter of when, not if, the Blues will lift the trophy for a record sixth consecutive year.

Walsh can unlock Chelsea’s midfield

Since joining Chelsea, Keira Walsh has already played alongside Sjoeke Nusken, Erin Cuthbert, and Wieke Kaptein. Despite starting just three games, the England international has already changed the dynamic of Chelsea’s midfield and how they attack.

With Walsh’s ability to sit in front of the central defenders and dictate the game from midfield, players like Cuthbert, Nusken, and Kaptein will have the freedom to use their attacking instincts to the team’s advantage. Chelsea’s midfield duo would previously have to take turns going forward in attack to maintain the team’s balance, but the addition of Walsh poses a brand new threat to opposing teams.

Positives for Sorensen

Despite the result, there were plenty of positives for Everton manager Brian Sorensen to take from the game. After suffering a 4-1 defeat to the Blues exactly a week ago, the Toffees were seeking redemption. They battled hard and made things extremely difficult for Chelsea, something very few sides have been able to do all season.

Mpome’s first WSL start

Melys Mpome made her first WSL start for Chelsea since joining the Blues this summer. The 21-year-old’s playing time has largely been restricted to appearances off the bench, with the occasional start in cup competitions. However, injuries to Kadeisha Buchanan, Nathalie Bjorn, and new signing Naomi Girma opened up a rare opportunity for Mpome to impress from the start in the league.

The French defender did not have an easy task on hand, coming up against a front two of Kelly Gago and Toni Payne. While the former did get her name on the scoresheet, Mpome’s individual performance against the two was worthy of praise. With the Blues battling in all four competitions, Mpome showed Bompastor that she can be relied upon when the team needs her.