“Couldn’t hit a barn door”: Why Chelsea’s WSL title defence started badly against a “robust and clinical” Liverpool – tactical analysis

For all of the conversation between fans about which team may or may not make the WSL’s top three this year, there has been little debate about which is most likely to win the league, with many expecting Chelsea Women to seal a fourth consecutive top-flight title.

Emma Hayes’ side have certainly been busy in the transfer market this summer, adding the likes of France defender Ève Périsset, Sweden forward Johanna Rytting Kaneryd and Canada defender Kadeisha Buchanan to their ranks, and their first assignment of the new campaign was a trip to newly-promoted Liverpool Women, who, under Matt Beard, had returned to the top flight last summer after two years in the Championship. Not many expected Liverpool to take anything from this game, but they ended up sealing a shock win and handing Emma Hayes’ side an opening weekend to forget, and this tactical analysis will explain why that was the case.

The analysis will focus specifically on Chelsea’s attacking play and how they looked to create opportunities, as well as the areas where their poor accuracy let them down. The analysis will also examine Liverpool’s game plan, seeing how their shape in and out of possession frustrated their opponents and ultimately helped them to walk away with an unexpected win.

Lineups

Chelsea Women went with their now-customary wing-back formation for this game, with Emma Hayes deciding not to change what had worked so well for them last season. However, some of the players were in different positions, such as Niamh Charles who started at left wing-back rather than on her favoured right of the pitch. Lauren James was instead given that role, whilst Scotland star Erin Cuthbert and Wales captain Sophie Ingle started in the middle, with the latter coming into the starting eleven after a problem for Denmark’s Pernille Harder in the warm-up.

Another notable inclusion was England’s Fran Kirby, who had missed the last part of 2021/2022 with fatigue, and she slotted into a playmaker role behind Sam Kerr and Guro Reiten, who partnered with each other in the forward line. The only new face included was former Lyon Féminin defender Buchanan, who joined Millie Bright and captain Magdalena Eriksson in the back three.