Fri 10 October 2025, 09:00
Tottenham HotspurNext up in the Barclays Women’s Super League is a short trip to Chelsea on Sunday (12pm UK) in our final league fixture before the October international break.
As we travel to Kingsmeadow this weekend, we spoke to Uma Gurav, Women’s Football Correspondent, to give us the lowdown on the Blues…
How would you reflect on the season so far?
Uma: “Chelsea remain unbeaten in the WSL under Sonia Bompastor and there is no doubt the defending champions remain the favourites to lift a seventh consecutive league title. The Blues haven't perhaps hit the form we know them to be capable of, but part of their success lies in their ability to grind out results, nonetheless.
“Bompastor has, after all, just been awarded WSL Manager of the Month for September. That said, the week leading up to this game has brought an unexpected twist in their season. Not only were they held to a 1-1 draw by Manchester United in what feels like a key result in the title race, but their Champions League opener did not go to plan either. They rescued a 1-1 draw against FC Twente but it was a frustrating night for Bompastor’s side who heavily rotated her squad for the midweek fixture. Still, even a slightly subpar start to the season for Chelsea is equivalent to what would be an enviable one for most other teams. If anything, their recent difficulties mean they will only be more determined to get back to their best as soon as they can.”
Has any new signings caught your eye so far?
Uma: “Right-back Ellie Carpenter has taken to life at Chelsea like a duck to water! The two-time Champions League winner has shown all her experience in the backline. It is her pace down the wing that really makes her stand out and she creates countless opportunities every time she is on the pitch. Watch out too for Alyssa Thompson - she is very much still growing into life at Chelsea, but she has shown signs of being a very dangerous player when she gets back to her best.”
Has Bompastor changed anything from last season’s winning campaign?
Uma: “Yes and no. In terms of personnel, she has of course brought in new players but the essentials of her side have remained largely the same. There has been a bit more rotation, with some fantastic players including Guro Reiten, Sjoeke Nusken and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd having fewer minutes than some might have expected. But the biggest shift, in my eyes, has been in their attitude to the season. It’s no secret that missing out on the Champions League has hurt Chelsea and it feels as though this season, they are going to have an eye on finally picking up that trophy - even if they would never admit as much. It remains to be seen whether that affects them in the rest of their domestic competitions.”
Who would be your ‘one to watch’?
Uma: “Aggie Beever-Jones had scored in every WSL game this season before last weekend, and you sense she will want to get back to scoring form as soon as she can. Down at the other end of the pitch, England’s Euro hero Hannah Hampton is vital to this team's success and will want to ensure she keeps as many clean sheets as possible this season.”
How do you expect the game to turn out?
Uma: “I went down to Kingsmeadow a few weeks ago to watch Chelsea host Leicester and I was surprised by how tricky the Foxes made it for the hosts in what has become the Blues' stronghold. The hosts won 1-0 in the end, but given how well Spurs have done this season, particularly defensively, I expect them to make things very tough for Chelsea. This could end up being quite a cagey game, not decided by much. The only thing that would worry me if I were a Spurs fan would be that Chelsea will be hungry for a win after two consecutive draws - but on the flip side of that, perhaps now is the best time to go up against the defending champions, who may still be regrouping.”
