Chelsea dominance is inevitable but the WSL’s problem is not their fault | OneFootball

The title came early, the celebrations a little subdued at first. But the result remained the same. For the sixth year in a row, Chelsea were crowned champions of the Women’s Super League. In her debut season in England, Sonia Bompastor has carried on where Emma Hayes left off and continued their dominance, but she could go further still. Chelsea could become the first team to go unbeaten in a 22-game season. Two wins in their final two games would break the WSL’s points record.

Domestically, Chelsea’s season has been a triumph for Bompastor and her squad. Another victory over Manchester United in the FA Cup final at Wembley in two weeks’ time would complete the Treble. Yet Chelsea’s title was sealed just three days after they fell short of their most important objective, having been thrashed by Barcelona in the Women’s Champions League semi-finals. Perhaps that explained why Chelsea’s celebrations were a little low-key.

Or perhaps it was down to the lack of jeopardy. Chelsea did not expect to win the title on Wednesday night, but found themselves with the chance to do so after Arsenal’s stunning 5-2 defeat at Aston Villa. In the previous four years, Chelsea had won the title on the final weekend of the season, requiring one last win to get over the line - last May, they beat Manchester City to the title on goal difference - but this year they had it wrapped up with two games to spare, their earliest title yet.

Of course, it helps when there has not been a stand-out challenger this year. Arsenal were out of the title race in September when they sacked Jonas Eidevall, and had too much ground to make up under Renee Slegers. The Gunners did what Chelsea could not and reached the Champions League final but have yet to show they can keep the pace. Manchester City suffered with injuries, failed to strengthen in January and sacked Gareth Taylor. Manchester United have lacked consistency under Marc Skinner and, crucially, Chelsea won both games against them, just as they did against Arsenal and City as well.

And Chelsea started strongly and were relentless at a time of immense change following the departure of a legendary figure in Hayes after 12 successful years. Bompastor was an inspired appointment, arriving from Lyon where she had won the Champions League and Division Feminine and bringing a sense of calm and control on the touchline while demanding the highest standards. The French coach won her first nine games in the WSL - and her first 14 across all competitions. “We had the right mindset from the start,” Bompastor said. Chelsea went top when they defeated City at Stamford Bridge in November and they didn’t look back.

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Bompastor won the title in her first season in English football (Getty Images)

Chelsea didn’t always need to be at their best, either. They drew against Leicester and blew a two-goal lead to drop points against West Ham. “We’ve had an up and down season,” said Lucy Bronze, the scorer of their title-winning goal at Manchester United. The table may suggest otherwise.

But Chelsea have ground out wins at times, from the opening night against Aston Villa to the second half of the season where Bompastor’s side have not always strolled to the title, even if results make it appear that way. “Next season we can push on and improve a lot more,” Bronze said. “Sonia has done well so far but she wants a lot more from us and I think we can give it.”

Bronze herself was an inspired signing and was an early marker in the post-Hayes era. She was the first call Bompastor made as Chelsea manager, the Frenchwoman revealed, after Bronze’s Barcelona beat Bomastor’s Lyon in the Champions League final. She is now a four-time WSL winner after previous titles with Liverpool and City. The England international added to the winning culture that was left by Hayes and carried on through the leaders of the team in captain Millie Bright and Erin Cuthbert. The right back has been a seamless fit. “She was the first one I had on my phone,” Bompastor said.

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Bronze scored Chelsea’s winner at Man Utd and has helped set the standards (The FA via Getty Images)

Bompastor did not change too much from Hayes’ blueprint but she was a left back during her playing days and the arrival of Sandy Baltimore from Paris Saint-Germain has added another dimension to Chelsea’s game. Baltimore’s reinvention at full-back was key in the early, statement win over Arsenal at the Emirates. The January signings of Keira Walsh and Naomi Girma, for a world-record fee, will make Chelsea even stronger next year and it has been at times easy to forget that Bompastor has not yet been able to field Sam Kerr due to injury. In her absence, Chelsea have shared the goals around.

Their exit from the Champions League, knocked out by Barcelona for the third year in a row, will still hurt into the summer but Chelsea responded in the only way they know how. The idea of becoming the first team to go a 22-game season unbeaten has been in their heads for months and it helped them to reset, even if they expected Arsenal to beat Aston Villa.

But a late twist on Wednesday night was fitting - no one has matched the consistency of Chelsea. “This league is really competitive - some people think being Chelsea is really easy. It's not,” Bompastor said. Bompastor has certainly made it look that way.