Welcome to The Counter Press, a new Sky Sports column where Laura Hunter analyzes the big voice points from the latest Women’s Super League matches, bringing you closer to the most important stories in the heart of the women’s play.
What to expect this week:
- Chelsea’s formation change
- Man City’s style adjustments under Jeglertz
- Vignola and her debut hat-trick
Bompastor switches to back three
Sonia Bompastor gave us a brief glimpse of her ideal Chelsea model at the backend of last season. But we had to wait until the last match day to get it.
Of course, Chelsea had already packed up the title at the time, and the only thing left to compete was the FA Cup final, which they comfortably won 3-0, after trying a new 3-1-4-2-2 system in victory over Liverpool the week before.
Bompastor had wanted this transition much earlier in her side’s development, but the timing was key. Winning this year one was prioritized over everything else in continuum with the honored Emma Hayes era.
Breaking with tradition, that is, prioritizing style rather than fabric would not have been well. But the French woman has made it clear that her intention is to marry a winning strategy of progressive football over time. The move to three back is an important part of the latter.
This is also why Ellie Carpenter was recruited in the summer – after working under Bompastor for three of the French woman’s five years at Lyon. “I know Ellie out of my heart, so I wasn’t surprised by her debut,” the blues chief reflected after Carpenter delivered the cross to Aggie Beever-Jones’ timely opens on Friday night.
“It was on a plate,” Beever-Jones said Sky Sports. Tireless carpenter enjoyed the second most touch of any Chelsea player (86, narrowly beaten by Nathalie Bjorns 87), played the most progressive passports (9) and delivered the majority of crosses (6).
Playing this system, with flying backbacks and a midfield filled with technicians centrally, Chelsea meant more of the ball than one city. In fact, they released the passages in the league with an accuracy of 84 percent to City’s 82. Bompastor will consider a big victory.
Ellie Carpenter Assists Aggie Beever-Jones to Chelsea’s opening
But there were dental problems as well. Chelsea landed only eight efforts on targets, their lowest figures since February 2021. They had far fewer touches in the opposition box (19, to City’s 30) and generated a lower XG value (1.33, to City’s 1.51). Lucky two of three shots on the target ended in goal.
Lucy Bronze revealed Chelsea’s Ploy to get “Better Numbers In Midfield” on Sky Sports’ Live coverage on Friday, and the tactical shift worked to some extent – this form has been used twice in the league under Bompastor, giving two wins – but needs more refinement to ensure that the efficiency of the last third is not compromised.
Beever-Jones, though an impressively effective post-therapist, touched the ball fewer times (32) than anyone plays on the field.
Imlertz -adjustments evidence
Ander Eglertz told me all about his approach to his new role in Man City in an exclusive seat last week. “My management is about optimizing and not dictating,” he said. “You have to feel part of the process, it’s more than just a job, it’s my greatest philosophy. There must be a clear purpose for everything we do.”
He also talked about some challenges: “In the beginning, this group might have been waiting for me to tell them what to do. I don’t think you are developing that way. Most things the players need to be able to solve during a match myself and my job is to prepare them to do so.”
Problem solving during games has not necessarily been City’s strong suit. Under Gareth Taylor, City had a stiff game model with a little flexibility. Much of the time it worked. City has always played attractive football. But their ability to match this style with uniform results has drawn criticism.
Miblertz wants City to become less predictable, with more means of scoring goals, in addition to the threat from broadly they have become so in line with. He will induce the courage to go directly. “Yes to play ahead, win the ball high with energy, but also be able to adapt. We have so many talented, offensive players, so I ask, ‘How do I release them quickly’?”
Tweaks were clear on opening night, and his ideas were particularly noticeable in the central rotations when Lauren Hemp entered, closer to Bunny Shaw. Yui Hasegawa got a free role in tandem with Viv Miedema. City generated 17 efforts on goals, five on goals and three great chances – all totals that surpass Chelse’s respective pillars.
Alex Greenwood played 22 passports for the last third – more than Chelsea’s top three contributors combined (15).
Bunny Shaw missed a few good chances of man city in defeat in Chelsea
Meanwhile, Shaw’s personal XG contribution (0.56) was the best of any player on the field, and her position variation caused Millie Bright and Bjorn all kinds of problems where she landed her first shot at the goal in just the third minute of the game. Her opening in the 33rd minute should have resulted in the equalization.
“Early sign is that you can see a development in the way City wants to play,” reflected Pundit Izzy Christiansen. Expect to see less focus on pure possession and more attention to direct and progressive acting that sets City’s best attacking threats in scoring positions more often.
Vignola’s great moment
Sometimes a debut screen just needs to be admired. The opening saint saw lots of eye -catching performances from WSL’s latest influx of talent, but none more impressive than Ornella Vignola for Everton.
Anfield is a scene for icons. But scoring a debut hat trick in a Merseyside Derby looks more like dreams – and marks the first Evertonian since the legendary Dixie Dean in September 1931 to net a treble in this famous luminaire.
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Everton’s Ornella Vignola scored a hat trick against rivals Liverpool at Anfield to give them a winning start to the WSL season.
But what was still more impressive was the craft that each was sent with. Vignola, skilled with both feet, has been picked from the new generation of wing pool. She is schooled in Spain and has both technical skill and intelligence beyond her 20 years.
“Her race is so good time and the way she faces and goes to players. She just wants to score,” Brian Sorensen radiated afterwards. He hopes this is just the start.