Chelsea restore resilience - are they title contenders again?
· Yahoo Sports
Doubt crept in at Chelsea last season when they lost their Women's Super League crown - but early signs in this campaign suggest they have regained their spark.
A crucial 1-0 victory over rivals Arsenal on Sunday meant they extended their WSL unbeaten run to 12 games and sit just two points off leaders Manchester City.
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They showed a different side - one that was willing to dig deep, control the game without the ball and defend with composure while Arsenal put pressure on.
It may have been the missing ingredient as Chelsea look revitalised and refreshed.
Could they win the WSL title this year? It would be foolish to say they can't.
A positive mindset switch
Sonia Bompastor led Chelsea to an unbeaten domestic treble in her first season in charge, but it did not go to plan in 2025-26 as their six-year stranglehold on the WSL ended.
City overtook them at the top and many believed Arsenal would be the main challengers this season after a strong summer's recruitment.
Perhaps written off, Chelsea started the season tamely, drawing 1-1 with Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge despite a dominant performance.
The same issues were rife as they lacked ruthlessness in front of goal and a mistake at the back gifted Villa an opportunity.
But since then, Chelsea have turned dominant performances into results, winning three matches in a row, capping it off with a well-rounded display against Arsenal, who are seven points behind City in seventh spot.
Bompastor said her side were prepared to "mentally fight" and able to "adjust" to Arsenal's pressure in a way perhaps they didn't last season.
It was a defensive masterclass and they delivered Bompastor's gameplan perfectly, capping off victory with a third successive clean sheet - a run of 315 minutes without conceding a goal.
"In this league, you have so many different opponents and you have to be able to adjust and do something different," said the Blues boss.
"I've been talking a lot about that, to be strong and to be together, I always want to see a group of players who are together in those high and low moments.
"We came into this game well prepared. We knew we would have moments in the game where we were not in control. We prepared for those moments.
"We knew exactly where we wanted them to take the ball and where to leave some spaces. We were really strong mentally and physically."
What changes have worked?
It is a result that could be the catalyst Chelsea needed to push on and put pressure on Manchester City, who face Arsenal next in the WSL (Sunday, 16:30 BST).
Chelsea's match-winner Alyssa Thompson said their victory over the Gunners was "amazing for team morale".
Even Bompastor admitted Chelsea are "a different team from last season" and there are tangible examples of their improvements.
England midfielder Keira Walsh was a standout performer against Arsenal and it was her strike which was parried into the path of Thompson for the only goal.
Her new parternship with 20-year-old Lexi Potter is flourishing and has allowed Walsh to get further up the pitch and play with more freedom.
Bompastor said the 29-year-old was "a boss on the pitch" when she reaches those levels and it helps the team have "better foundations".
Goalscorer Thompson has consistently delivered up front, while the arrival of summer signing Melvine Malard from Manchester United has given them an outlet.
The French striker missed their opening two matches with a minor injury but scored on her debut against Birmingham City and caused havoc against Arsenal.
"She's massive for us. She puts in work off the ball and sets off the press," said team-mate Walsh.
"Her awareness of people around her and her ability... She's an incredible striker and she will be very good for us."
That press, led by Malard, has moved higher up and teams have struggled to break through, while full-back Ellie Carpenter continues to overlap dangerously.
Katie McCabe, who switched from Arsenal to Chelsea this summer, has brought leadership and bite - an aggression that was lacking at times last season.
Most of all, the Blues look like a team who believe they should be champions and are willing to work for it.
It was in contrast to toothless Arsenal, who have one victory in their first four WSL games and scored just twice.
"We've got both sides to our game and we showed that tonight in spells. Everyone was fighting for each other. Every first and second ball was ours," added Walsh.
