5 talking points as Chelsea end Champions League group stages in style
Chelsea extended their unbeaten Champions League group stage record to 12 matches as goals from Fran Kirby, Mia Fishel, Guro Reiten and Maren Mjelde gave the Blues a 4-0 win over Paris FC on Tuesday evening.
After clinching the group in their penultimate group stage match against Real Madrid, Chelsea made nine changes to the starting line-up from their 3-0 win over Brighton on the weekend, with only Eve Perisset and Kirby retaining their places. Paris FC boss Sandrine Soubeyrand also made nine changes to her starting line-up.
Kirby fired the visitors into an early lead as she comfortably headed home Jelena Cankovic's cross at the back post. Paris, who needed a win to progress to the knockout stages, responded brightly to keep Chelsea from slipping into their desired rhythm.
It was Paris who could count themselves the more dangerous side throughout the first half, with forward Mathilde Bourdieu doing well to cause problems while Celina Ould Hocine scuppered a gilt-edged chance.
The hosts were left to rue the opportunities as eight minutes before half-time Fishel headed home another fine Čanković cross to double Chelsea's advantage.
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The first-half's theme of glaring profligacy from the hosts continued into the second, with Julie Dufour blazing another golden opportunity over the bar within two minutes of the restart. Chelsea's unyielding game management came to the fore, with defender Kadeisha Buchanan having an especially important part in keeping the game smoothly bending in the Blues' favour.
And with 15 minutes remaining, a nightmare in the back for Paris was leapt on by substitute Guro Reiten, who slotted home Chelsea's third to put the game firmly beyond the hosts. The gloss was added as Maren Mjelde headed home the visitor's fourth with 10 minutes to go. Below are the talking points from Tuesday evening's match.
1. Kirby extends fine league form in Europe
The last time out, Chelsea cruised to a 4-1 at Stamford Bridge against Paris, though it was Sam Kerr who bagged a hat-trick on the night. Without Kerr, another will have to step up. That has been the ongoing message from Hayes. And while plenty of attention has been- (rightfully) paid to Lauren James' filling of the Kerr-sized hole, Kirby has equally been instrumental in the Blues' recent successes.
In Chelsea's last few matches Kirby has been a consistent creative fulcrum, tirelessly dropping deep to connect the midfield and forward line while instigating the Blues' best threats. The England international has been duly rewarded for her efforts with a goal apiece in her last two appearances, including her first Champions League goal of the season.
Fran Kirby supplied Chelsea's first goal against Paris FC (Photo by Franco Arland/Getty Images)Kirby came close to supplying Chelsea's second as, after doing all of the dirty work in the build-up, she threaded a typically slippery through ball into Mia Fishel but the Paris keeper was quick to snuff out the threat.
Without Kerr, Chelsea's clinical edge was called into question. But in a first half that saw Chelsea have just two shots at goal and two goals, it was the definition of clinical.
2. Cankovic makes impressive return from injury
The 28-year-old has missed much of the season due to an ongoing calf injury, but she made the most of her first start since returning on Tuesday as she supplied two splendid assists for Chelsea's opening goals.
Both assists arrived from crosses on the left, the second a particularly impressive show of awareness and ball control as Cankovic skipped around Julie Soyer before whipping in a low out-swinger which Fishel headed through the legs of Chiamaka Nnadozie. The Serbian international signed for Chelsea last season but she supplied a timely reminder of her arguably under-rated class in Paris.
The reigning league champions face a gruelling test of strength in depth as they compete on all fronts this season. And Cankovic used her time on Tuesday to remind Hayes and the rest of football how deep that strength goes.
Jelena Cankovic supplied both assists for Chelsea's opening two goals (Photo by Franco Arland/Getty Images)3. Paris FC's European jaunt ends in missed chances
Paris FC have been Europe's surprise package this season. In their debut season in the competition, they could proudly boast the title of giant killers after knocking out not only last year's semi-finalists Arsenal in the qualifying stages in August, but following that heady feat up with a dumping out of finalists Wolfsburg.
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In all, Paris had lost only two of their last 11 Women's Champions League matches going into Tuesday, but victory was required against Chelsea if any chance of progression to the knockout stages was to be kept alive.
And after going down a goal inside the opening 10 minutes, the hosts cut themselves a mountain to climb against a team more than experienced in seeing out a victory. Even so, Paris remained a constant threat and will be disappointed not to have done better with the chances created.
Paris FC continued to hunt for a path back into the match, with Chelsea consistently vulnerable around the box but the hosts agonisingly lacked any clinical edge and rarely tested Zećira Mušović, ultimately to their detriment.
4. Buchanan keeps Bourdieu in her pocket
This match could have fared very differently. One only has to look at Arsenal and Wolfsburg watching the competition from the comfort of their couches to know that. And while the goods were more than supplied by Chelsea at the attacking end of the pitch, Buchanan deserves significant praise for the defensive performance provided, from an astute positional awareness to the speed at which she responded to Paris' attacks to her calm handling of forward Mathilde Bourdieu.
Kadeisha Buchanan shored up Chelsea's defence (Photo by Franco Arland/Getty Images)Partnered alongside Maren Mjelde, Buchanan consistently snuffed out Paris' relentless threats. By the time the second half reached its halfway mark, the commentator felt compelled to say that while Paris enjoyed the better part of possession and chances, they hadn't really threatened. Not really. That came down to Buchanan, whose strength and power were largely unrivalled all match.
Since signing last season, the Canada international has taken time to acclimatise to the rigours of the WSL's champs. But increasingly she's proving herself to be a strong signing, one that will be needed as Millie Bright continues her recovery from injury.
5. Hayes will be satisfied with strength in depth
Hayes is almost into her final 100 days as Chelsea manager, a victory lap that promises to be of epic proportions. The Blues sit atop the Women's Super League table as they hunt down a fifth league title on the bounce, while the FA Cup and Conti Cup remain more than attainable.
But will it be a last dance without that long-coveted European glory? The road to Bilbao is long and riddled with challenges, not to mention three other competitions for which to consider. But is there better fuel than the chills of a last chance? Chelsea showed the signs of a team more than capable of doing so with a significantly rotated squad.
While Paris' glaring lack of quality in the final third will provide Hayes a gentle reminder that the knockout stages will not be so forgiving, it will also come with immense satisfaction that even given that caveat, Chelsea never needed to get out of second gear.
The know-how within the squad when it comes to seeing out a win is storied and tested, and on full display in Paris. Applying those lessons in Europe have proved challenging, though the lessons seemed to have been learned amongst this squad while the addition of players such as Ashley Lawrence and Sjoeke Nüsken, who worked well with veteran Sophie Ingle in midfield, adds further depth that's been required to finally get over the line.
This season might be the club's only chance at claiming a Champions League title under Emma Hayes. It also feels like their best.
Emma Hayes will depart Chelsea at the end of the season after more than a decade in charge of the club (Photo by Franco Arland/Getty Images)5. Record signing must wait for Europe
For those hoping to catch another glimpse of Chelsea's record signing, they'll have to wait even longer. Ramirez wasn't registered for the competition's group stages, but with the Blues progressing to the quarter-finals, she'll have her day to prove her worth on one of women's football's biggest stages.
Proving her worth will be a major theme in the coming months. Ramirez broke the British transfer fee record as Blues pried the Colombian forward from Levante for what is believed to be .450,000 euros (£384,000), plus up to 50,000 euros (£42,600) in add-ons.
If all the add-ons are paid then the Ramirez deal would be a new world record, surpassing England midfielder Keira Walsh's move to Barcelona from Manchester City for £400,000 in 2022.
The ACL injury to star striker Kerr was unforeseen and unfortunate. But the opportunity to step up in the Australian's absence will be a tantalising prospect for the 2023 World Cup star.
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