Lauren James told she would win WSL Golden Boot if she didn't play for Chelsea
If Lauren James was playing in any team other than Chelsea, the England starlet would claim this season’s Women's Super League Golden Boot, according to Siobhan Chamberlain.
The WSL’s opening weekend is just days away and already speculation for the season’s numerous laurels is fierce. Will the reigning champions Chelsea claim a fifth title on the bounce? Will Aston Villa striker Rachel Daly defend her Golden Boot title from the likes of Khadija Shaw? Who will be crowned the Player of the Year?
Chelsea’s James has been the name on everyone’s lips following her sensational showing at the summer’s Women’s World Cup in which she cut herself England’s most influential player.
While the 22-year-old would be a bonafide safe bet for Player of the Year or Golden Boot, former England international Chamberlain has expressed apprehension at jumping to the James conclusion, laying the blame at Chelsea manager Emma Hayes’ proclivity for heavy squad rotation.
"If Lauren James was playing for any other team than Chelsea, then I'd tip her to win the Golden Boot,” Chamberlain exclusively told Ladbrokes. "I just think she'll end up being rotated too much, and I don't think she'll get the game time to get it."
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Last season, James featured across 18 WSL matches for just over 1200 minutes, scoring five goals and providing two assists. Hayes fosters a hyper-competitive culture within her squad and no player is considered too sacrosanct for rotation, tactics that have reaped unprecedented dividends and domestic dominance.
Nevertheless, Chamberlain believes the decision could actually hamper James’ opportunity for the awards, though she still tipped James’ Chelsea teammate Sam Kerr to finish above her in the running for the Golden Boot despite the difficulty that comes with competing within Hayes’ squad.
Emma Hayes, Manager of Chelsea speaks with Lauren James (Photo by Harriet Lander - Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)“The obvious answer is Sam Kerr,” Chamberlain said. “She's going to be frustrated that she lost it to Rachel Daly, so she'll definitely feel like she's got a point to prove, and Chelsea always score goals. So while it's probably a pretty boring answer, I just see her topping the charts once again this season.
“Will she be frustrated enough to set a new WSL record? I don't think so; I don't think that will be beaten, if I'm being honest. Just because of the squad depth and how Chelsea like to play; she's going to get a lot of goals, but she's not going to be playing every minute as their number nine, which will impact the number of goals she manages to get.”
Elsewhere, Chamberlain believes Chelsea’s full-scale dominance in the league will only continue, yet so will their plight for European glory with former Chelsea starts Magdalena Eriksson and Pernille Harder the ones to deliver the blow.
“As for a punchy prediction for the season ahead... Chelsea losing [Magdalena] Eriksson and [Pernille] Harder to Bayern Munich, will cost them in the Champions League... against Bayern Munich,” she said.
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