New Faces But Same Old Chelsea In Winning Start

There was 1 mobility connected everybody's lips arsenic nan Women's Super League play sewage backmost nether measurement - tin anybody extremity Chelsea?

It is acold excessively early to show but it was nan aforesaid aged result astatine Stamford Bridge arsenic Sonia Bompastor's broadside were not astatine their best, but showed a ruthless streak again to spot disconnected Manchester City.

There were debutants connected some sides, a fewer tweaks present and there, but it did small to alteration nan communicative of different triumph for nan reigning champions.

"Both teams are obscurity wherever they want to be. If City made amended decisions going forward, they could person had much chances," erstwhile Chelsea defender Gilly Flaherty told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"Chelsea didn't look invincible arsenic such, but they looked for illustration creating. I deliberation some teams will look different successful a fewer weeks."

It was nan aforesaid emotion past play - that Chelsea did not consciousness invincible and location were areas wherever they could beryllium exploited.

Yet cipher managed to return advantage arsenic they went unbeaten successful their WSL, FA Cup and League Cup triumphs.

They took clip to settee successful Friday's opening game, alternatively needing to fig retired really to extremity nan activity of their opponents and get astir a new-look set-up from Andree Jeglertz successful his first crippled successful complaint of City.

The lucifer had been teed up nicely by Chelsea's position of blockbuster deadline time signing Alyssa Thompson stepping retired connected a reddish carpet earlier kick-off.

Sam Kerr, nan Australian superstar striker, was besides backmost successful nan squad for nan first clip successful 20 months aft her betterment from an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

And location was a debut for Kerr's compatriot Ellie Carpenter - an breathtaking full-back summation from eight-time Champions League winners Lyon.

But aft moving retired City's fluid system, nan hosts quickly settled into their accustomed regular to return power of nan match.

They realised Carpenter had nan amended of City skipper Alex Greenwood pinch her gait and was causing nan visiting defence problems. So Chelsea kept getting nan shot to Carpenter and nan debutant assisted Aggie Beever-Jones for nan opener.

They doubled their lead successful nan 2nd half, capitalising erstwhile again pinch their attacking value aft City created bully chances of their own, but did not return them.

An ain extremity from Niamh Charles connected a Greenwood set-piece was nan only chink successful nan armour contempt each of City's unit and productivity - and nan unanswered chants of "we want Kerr" was nan only point missing successful an different cleanable script for nan Chelsea support.

They had 3 points against 1 of their title rivals and Carpenter ran nan show.

"Yeah, I'm pleased pinch nan consequence but besides nan performance," said head Bompastor. "In nan first half we had power and created nan astir vulnerable opportunities.

"We were capable to support immoderate really bully players astatine City quiet. We had a beardown commencement successful nan play and I'm pleased pinch that, but it's only nan first game.

"In position of nan psychological aspect, it's ever important to hit a large force and personification who is trying to conflict for nan league.

"I won't spell crazy pinch these 3 points. We still person 21 [games] to go."

Carpenter worked pinch Bompastor during 3 of nan Frenchwoman's 5 years astatine Lyon truthful they knew each different good earlier she arrived successful London.

With England world Lucy Bronze still recovering from nan surgery tibia she played pinch during Euro 2025, Carpenter was handed an contiguous chance to make an impression.

And her effect was instant and impressive.

Each clip she received nan ball, Carpenter was not acrophobic to return connected Greenwood and provided countless opportunities pinch her nonstop attack and vulnerable deliveries into nan box.

"It was a awesome capacity from Ellie. I cognize Ellie by bosom truthful I was not amazed by her debut for Chelsea and successful nan league," added Bompastor.

"She is simply a awesome player. You could spot she brought an contiguous effect connected nan capacity and nan result.

"She has this value and she's a bully summation to our squad. It's bully to person her astatine Chelsea. We are really proud to person her."

While it felt for illustration nan aforesaid aged for Chelsea, it was a different consciousness for City.

Swedish leader Jeglertz put his ain stamp connected their style, making small tweaks and encouraging much dynamism from his team.

Greenwood started astatine left-back arsenic opposed to nan centre-back domiciled she has played successful caller seasons for City, while England guardant Lauren Hemp switched from nan left-hand broadside to nan correct and was often inverted.

Midfielders Yui Hasegawa and Sydney Lohmann switched roles passim and they group up otherwise erstwhile they were pressing Chelsea's backline.

So what worked, and what didn't?

"What is an important point for maine successful my measurement of looking astatine shot is that we request to beryllium dynamic," said Jeglertz. "I deliberation it's nan cardinal point for players to beryllium capable to play successful different spaces and not ever conscionable successful 1 area.

"[Hemp's switch] gives america truthful galore much ways to onslaught and much possibilities - not conscionable pinch crosses, but pinch cardinal combinations.

"I for illustration players who are versatile for illustration she is. She is simply a clever shot subordinate and is bully astatine combining pinch players. It gives much opportunities for her to combine.

"We put a batch of power successful nan precocious property and I thought we nailed it successful nan 2nd half. The measurement Chelsea's statement was initially, we didn't really expect that.

"But of course, everything is astir scoring goals and we conceded two. We created capable chances to get astatine slightest 1 constituent - but that is really it is."