Chelsea head coach Sonia Bompastor said she would be “happy to go” if the club’s hierarchy believed she was not capable of correcting the team’s poor form after their 5-1 Women’s Super League defeat to Manchester City on Sunday. Coming after a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal, the loss represented the first time since July 2015 that reigning WSL champions Chelsea have lost successive league matches and the first time Bompastor has suffered successive defeats in all competitions in her managerial career (co
Coming after a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal, the loss represented the first time since July 2015 that reigning WSL champions Chelsea have lost successive league matches and the first time Bompastor has suffered successive defeats in all competitions in her managerial career (consisting of 181 games).
Chelsea sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity to protect relationships, indicated at present Bompastor retained the backing and support of the club.
Asked about the dip in form and her own sense of security, Bompastor said: “I’m really confident in terms of someone who is really honest. If people think I’m not the right person to stay for this job at the club, I’ll be happy to go if they think that’s the right thing.
“But I will never give up. I know football, sometimes it happens, you can be in this situation. I always fight. But again, the institution of Chelsea is a lot more important than myself.”
The manner of the defeats compounded a sense of fallibility that has shrouded eight-time league winners Chelsea this season. On Sunday, City, who now sit 11 points clear of Bompastor’s side at the top of the table, ran rampant through Chelsea’s midfield and defence. Brazil forward Kerolin became the first player in WSL history to register a hat-trick against the reigning champions, doing so inside the first hour.
Against Arsenal, Chelsea registered just one shot on target from 18 attempts.
The performances and results are in stark contrast to last season, when Chelsea lifted the WSL title in historic fashion having not lost a single match.
“I always self-reflect on my decisions, on my tactics, everything,” Bompastor continued. “I’m really hard on myself.
“We played the game against Arsenal with a back three. We played today, we changed the system a little bit (to a) back four, we tried something different with different players on the pitch. As much as you want to explain everything in football, sometimes it doesn’t work.”
City opened the scoring inside the opening 15 minutes after Chelsea failed to deal with a corner and Kerolin’s deflected effort fizzed past Hannah Hampton. Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw added a second on the 36th minute, before Kerolin added another just before half-time, finishing off a sublime solo run after picking up the ball inside her own half.
The second half started as it finished, City on top and soon Kerolin had her hat-trick after tapping home a cross from Lauren Hemp. Vivianne Miedema added a fifth from a corner in the final 20 minutes.
The result drops Chelsea to third in the table, a point behind Manchester United who defeated Liverpool 3-1 on Sunday. Arsenal’s league match against Leicester was postponed due to their Champions Cup final against Corinthians.
What’s going wrong at Chelsea?
Analysis by Megan Feringa
This was a shockingly poor performance, though there is little left to be shocked by when it comes to Chelsea this season. What happened to the indomitable spirit that once defined this side? It’s anyone’s guess, but Chelsea look so soft in the underbelly, so easily bullied and moved around.
Bompastor has faced criticism for attempting to fiddle with her system this season but a return to a back four (she played a back three against Arsenal) did little to reinstate Chelsea’s dominance or control in the match. While City manager Andree Jeglertz admitted he was “surprised” by the back four, you would never have known by the way City swiftly adapted. City lead the league in possession won in the final third and that aggression was on show on Sunday, Chelsea unable to play out of their own half and toiling to think of ideas of how to break through, even after half-time.
Most concerning, however, was how lifeless Chelsea looked as City pulled away, shoulders hunched over and fingers pointed in various directions. Kerolin finished her hat-trick before the hour and so too the match and title raced felt neatly bowed and placed at Jeglertz’ feet, Chelsea not only unable but incapable of mounting some kind of comeback, let alone a response.
Confidence comes from winning, Bompastor said afterwards, and a lack of winning certainly puts a dent in confidence. But to see Chelsea, so recently lauded as mentality monsters, look so wan is certainly a disconcerting and unexpected sight.
Chelsea have had to contend with injuries to key players this season, including Aggie Beever-Jones, Cat Macario. Niamh Charles, Keira Walsh, Hannah Hampton and Lucy Bronze. The injuries have made finding consistency difficult, particularly in front of goal and in building attacks. But the depth Chelsea have historically flaunted means more is expected from the talent at Bompastor’s disposal.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Women's Soccer
2026 The Athletic Media Company
Category: General Sports
