They had Ann-Katrin Berger in goal, England’s Millie Bright at centre-back, Wales’ Sophie Ingle in holding midfield and Fran Kirby frequently stealing the show up front, with Kirby that season's PFA Player of the Year.įollowing the staggered, headline arrivals of Sam Kerr and Pernille Harder over the course of 2020, after the pandemic, the strike duo dubbed 'Kerrby' began to dominate, with Kirby and Kerr finding unrelenting goalscoring form, and a Chelsea 3.0 was well on its way. Their South Korean technician Ji So-Yun was the PFA Player of the Year.īy the time Hayes’ team won their second WSL title in 2017-18, after their success in 2017's Spring Series, Chelsea 2.0 had already evolved. The side that lifted the club's first major honours in 2015, including their first WSL title, consisted of a central spine that included Hedvig Lindahl in goal, Gilly Flaherty at centre-back, Katie Chapman in holding midfield and Eni Aluko.
But Chelsea 4.0 is already taking shape.Ĭhelsea 1.0 under Hayes looked very different indeed. Now needing a victory over bottom side Reading on the Women’s Super League’s final day on Saturday to win what would be their fourth consecutive title, this looks like the final season of Chelsea 3.0, the latest incarnation of Hayes' trophy-hogging setup. Stars wane, the core of winning teams age and an unrefreshed side can stagnate. But for most clubs, this task proves elusive. Sir Alex Ferguson’s 27-year reign at Manchester United, where he rebuilt winning team after winning team, is the finest of the rare exceptions. Rebuilding a winning team to stay on top is not something many sports clubs have been able to manage. As Chelsea stand on the brink of a 14th major trophy of Emma Hayes's 11-year tenure, the club's knack for succession planning, their ability to continually evolve their side and never stand still has proven invaluable once again.
0 kommentar(er)
