5 talking points as Kerr and Kirby strike for Chelsea vs Spurs in Conti Cup
Chelsea returned to winning ways in the Women's Continental League Cup with a 3-1 quarter-final win over Tottenham at Brisbane Road.
Spurs showed signs of improvement from recent games, but WSL champions were too strong and never looked back once Sam Kerr deflected an Erin Cuthbert effort beyond Tinja-Riikka Korpela not long before half-time. R ehanne Skinner's Spurs side battled hard and had good chances to draw level with both Drew Spence and Rose Ayane going close to levelling a tight cup tie.
But Fran Kirby came off the bench to produce a superb finish to end the tie, the England international curling home a first time finish after good work from Lauren James. Kerr then got her second late on after a quickly taken free-kick from substitute Jessie Fleming.
Drew Spence did score against her former club to give Spurs a late consolation with a sensational strike in the dying seconds, but it was too late. A deserved win in their first League Cup tie of the season keeps Chelsea on course for a historic quadruple this season, after the Blues were given a bye to the last eight due to their participation in the Champions League.
Here are the main talking points from tonight's London derby at Brisbane Road.
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Hayes sees Blues back in the groove after Liverpool abandonment
After a sluggish display in the 1-1 WSL draw at Arsenal and Sunday's farcical abandonment with Liverpool, there was a feeling that Chelsea had lost some momentum over the Christmas break. But despite the pressure of a quarter-final, the Blues were able to put together their first cohesive display of 2023 to see off a spirited Spurs.
And Emma Hayes can be fairly pleased, not only to be in the last four, but also with the performance. The back four looked solid from the off and whenever Spurs did try and play higher up the pitch, the Blues were able to cut through them quickly.
Kerr's second goal in the 85th minute after a smartly taken set-piece was the sign of a team starting to find their grove again.
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 25: Millie Bright of Chelsea runs ahead of Bethany England of Tottenham Hotspur during the FA Women's Continental Tyres League Cup match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea at Brisbane Road on January 25, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) (2023 Getty Images)It wasn't classic a display full flowing football, but it was Chelsea doing what they do best - grinding out a result against a well organised opposition. After a long period without regular games, Hayes will be wanting to use tonight's result as a springboard for the coming month.
Chelsea line-up shows they mean business in the Conti Cup
Due to Chelsea's European campaign, this was the Blues' first game in this competition all season. But it appears the WSL holders will be taking the Conti Cup seriously if the tonight's starting team is anything to go by.
Rather than wide-scale rotation Emma Hayes made only one change from the team that started Sunday's abandoned WSL game with Liverpool, with Lauren James replacing Niamh Charles. She may not have done this had the game with Liverpool gone ahead as planned, but it was still a sign of the respect she is giving the competition.
Chelsea weren't at their fluid best from the off, but gradually took control of the contest. James' link-up with Kerr was a joy to behold. While Erin Cuthbert and Sophie Ingle ran the show in the engine room. The Blues also showed their strength from the bench when Kirby came off to produce the games' best moment, a superb first-time finish that finished the tie.
England fails to show Hayes what she is missing
It was a quick reunion for Beth England with her former team. Only weeks after making the switch from Chelsea to Spurs she lined up against the club she won two League Cups at in 2020 and 2021.
England scored on her Tottenham debut but was never looked like coming back to haunt her former employers this evening. She had a tough task up against two top-class centre backs in Kadeisha Buchanan and Millie Bright and wasn't helped by a lack of service.
On the positive side, England never stopped running and the Spurs forward did get some joy when drifting wide into the channels. She will need greater help from her new colleagues if she is to get Spurs firing up the league.
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Beth England was unable to find the net against her former club (Getty Images)Spurs need clinical edge and more time to gel
In general, Tottenham were far more competitive than in the least league meeting between the two that ended 3-0. Their backline was harder to play through and the pace of Drew Spence and England gave them a threat on the break.
But at times they were let down by sloppy passing or overplaying in the final third. Rehanne Skinner will have also been left frustrated with her sides finishing, with Spence missing a huge chance when well placed in the 48th minute, firing wide of the goal with Musovic left rooted.
In midfield, Mana Iwabuchi produced a solid debut although at times was on a slightly different wave length to her teammates. Skinner will be hoping as her new signings integrate further over the coming weeks, Spurs continue to improve.
It took a flying effort from distance by Spence in the dying seconds to deny Chelsea a shut out. At least gutless performances, like the one we saw at Reading before the WSL Christmas break, seem to be a thing of the past.
Musovic again impresses
After a busy game against Arsenal the other week, Zecira Musovic was once again preferred to Ann-Katrin Berger in the Chelsea goal and continued to show her class. Spurs never piled on the pressure, but whenever Musovic had a save to make she did so with ease.
Eveliina Summanen struck a decent free-kick only six minutes into the contest on a slippy surface, but the Swedish stopper showed no sign of letting her guard down.
The 26-year-old is a goalkeeper in top form at the moment and with Bright and Buchanan building a solid partnership in front of her, the Blues aren't looking like a team that will concede many chances, let alone regular goals. Only in the dying seconds was she denied a clean sheet courtesy of a stunning strike from Drew Spence that gave her no chance.
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