Everton Women begin the first of five fixtures this month with a trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea – as Scott Phelan ponders his plans for a result against Sonia Bompastor’s team.
Last week a stubborn, well-organised Blues outfit battled Manchester United to a goalless draw at Goodison Park, something Phelan will look towards, given who his opposition at the weekend are.
Added to that, and the boss will have even less wiggle room within his squad as Honoka Hayashi and Holly McNamara are both
doubtful following knocks sustained in the Subway Players Cup win away at Sheffield United, which saw them ruled out of the game against the Red Devils.
While the club is yet to confirm who is and isn’t available, it would be a surprise to see a lot of tinkering was done to the starting XI if all that started are available, which would see Maz Pacheco in a more forward role than normal and Clare Wheeler continuing to marshal the midfield alongside Ruby Mace.
Aurora Galli is always an option; the Italian is one of the finest midfielders in retaining possession and picking a key pass, something that may prove useful given that it is more than likely Chelsea will be the aggressors, meaning the Toffees will need to take their chances when they get them.
Which leads perfectly to the forward line and an abundance of talent that has largely undelivered in terms of goals, with midfielder Mace and forwards’ Noumie Mouchon and Ornella Vignola all topping Everton’s scoring charts with just two goals.
The latter was the choice to lead the line alone against United and did an admiral job, but Phelan may utilise French star Mouchon’s greater mobility in the capital, where it will be all hands on deck if the team are to get anything out of this one.
Jutta Rantala and Hannah Cain also remain possibilities but neither seem in contention to lead the line, especially as a lone striker.
The Opposition
Top of the WSL and yet to lose a game in any competition and winning their last seven in the league, Chelsea look as imposing as ever and will be keen to reclaim the crown the team made its own in the past – winning six on the trot before losing out last season to Manchester City.
Bompastor has a wealth of talent to call upon and sees her team top the league’s scoring charts while boasting the division’s meanest defence, with just four in eight conceded.
A team that can seemingly score from anywhere, Melvine Malard is out in front with six in the WSL, but this team can also call upon names such as Lauren James and former Toffee loanee Aggie Beever-Jones if they need to.
Another former Blue who won’t be lining up against her former employers however is Nathalie Bjorn, with the Swede out until February with a hamstring injury, although with a defence that is bolstered by the highly decorated and experienced Lucy Bronze and former Arsenal star Katie McCabe should just about cope.
Previous Meetings
A one-sided rivalry in favour of the Londoners, Chelsea have been victorious in 16 of the last 18 WSL games against Everton (one draw and one defeat), and have netted three or more goals in 11 of the last 12 victories.
The Blues won’t forget last season, though, when Hayashi’s goal shocked women’s football to its very core as the Toffees ended Chelsea’s incredible 31-game unbeaten league run.
Soaking up the inevitable pressure, the visitors countered a Chelsea move and the Japan star finished a flowing counter when she met Toni Payne’s cross on 12 minutes, as the majority of the Kingsmeadow crowd looked on in shocked silence.
The hosts didn’t take kindly to being behind and pelted their guests with cross after cross, but found Courtney Brosnan and an Everton rearguard in impenetrable from.
Quite simply, Phelan will need more of the same for his players if they are to repeat what they did last season in the capital.
Everton Women take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, 7 November, at 12.45 pm GMT (7.45 ET, 4.45 PT).
Following that, the Blues return to Subway Players Cup action when they go in hunt of their fourth straight win in the competition, with WSL2 side Durham standing in their way at Goodison Park on Wednesday, 11 november.
