Leicester City WFC 0-9 Chelsea FCW, FA WSL: Post-match reaction

Last time Chelsea met Leicester City a month ago, we beat them seven-nil. Could we expect anything different?

The Blues quickly showed that the answer was a simple “nope”. Three minutes in and Guro Reiten was already scoring a beautiful free kick in the top left angle of Leicester’s goal, after being fouled herself near the penalty area.

Floodgates were thus quickly opened. Sam Kerr followed suit, set up by a great Millie Bright pass, to score on the rebound against goalkeeper Demi Lambourne. She then turned assistant, serving the pass for Beth England’s score.

It was then Beth’s turn to assist, although not of her own volition. A corner kick badly defended by Leicester had the striker with all space and time needed to try a strong kick at goal. Her attempt hit Aniek Nouwen, who deflected the ball into Leicester’s net.

Soon enough England got herself a brace. Reiten’s cross to the far post was swiftly finished by the striker with a header, making it 5-0 Chelsea less than 30 minutes into the match.

Although the match was mostly settled by the time we scored the fifth, Chelsea continued pushing for more. Bright from range and Kerr with a header forced good interventions from Leicester shot-stopper Demi Lambourne.

And so arrived our sixth goal in the first half. Another peach of a goal from Guro, with a chip over the keeper to leave Chelsea with a six-goal advantage at the break.

Out of the tunnel, back in the scoresheet. That was Sam Kerr doing what she does best, finishing a great cross from Beth England to make it a sevenfold lead over the Foxes at King Power Stadium two minutes into the second half.

You would think Chelsea would sit back and just manage the match. And the Blues would be glad to prove you wrong, once again. Goals from Lauren James, finally getting her first score for the Blues, and Jessie Fleming would wrap it all up at 9-0 Chelsea versus the Foxes at King Power Stadium.

Carefree!

• On paper, we are back on a 3-4-3 with Erin Cuthbert and Guro Reiten as right and left wing-backs, respectively. But our freedom to attack is so insurmountable that it ends up as a 3-2-5 in practice, with the duo joining Niamh Charles, Sam Kerr and Beth England upfront.
• Subs are Jessie Fleming for Ji So-yun, Magda Eriksson for Jess Carter, Maren Mjelde for Aniek Nouwen, Lauren James for Beth England, Jonna Andersson for Sophie Ingle, and Drew Spence for Guro Reiten.
• If you count, we made six substitutions this match. This is because Leicester used the concussion protocol to make an extra substitution, giving us an extra sub to make as a consequence.
• I am running out of words to compliment Guro Reiten.
• With Fran Kirby still out of contention, it is great seeing Beth England and Sam Kerr building a great rapport. At the end of the day it was just a matter of giving Beth enough time to get herself back in proper goalscoring groove.
• Chelsea now sit at the top of the WSL with a +40 goal difference.
• Next up: Reading at Kingsmeadow in the WSL.
• KTBFFH!