Chelsea Women: Why Emma Hayes’ legacy is facing toughest examination yet

Chelsea have hit a stumbling block. One other trophy has slipped from their grasp. The Conti Cup was first to fall, now FA Cup desires have met an analogous destiny. The fairytale ending up in smoke.

Chelsea haven’t received any of their final three video games in all competitions, their worst run since 2021. Alarm? Panic? Concern? Not from Emma Hayes. She is aware of higher than that.

“Nobody died, we misplaced a soccer match,” Hayes mentioned, pragmatically, after registering 70 per cent possession, 26 pictures, eight of which had been on track, in opposition to Manchester United on Sunday.

Does not sound just like the statistics of a dropping aspect, besides Manchester United scored with each of their two pictures on track, and can due to this fact be those to take to the Wembley stage to compete for FA Cup silverware in Might – the primary time Chelsea have missed out on the ultimate since 2020.

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Hayes’ reflection was one in all disappointment, not catastrophe. If she had been charting priorities, of the three remaining competitions Chelsea had been concerned in, the FA Cup would presumably end final. The 2 greatest prizes in membership soccer are nonetheless up for grabs and so little or no emotion can be apportioned to what may have been, solely what’s nonetheless doable.

Hayes by no means did have a lot time for sentimentality.

And so one other defining week in Chelsea’s season, Hayes’ ultimate one earlier than the USWNT job beckons, will start by internet hosting Aston Villa, reside on Sky Sports activities, on Wednesday, adopted by a Champions League journey to competitors holders Barcelona on Saturday.

The finale of the Ladies’s Tremendous League season is simply 31 days away and Chelsea have spent nearly all of these days high, 146 to be exact, regardless of at present trailing Manchester Metropolis by three factors having performed a recreation much less.

However here is the place the pinch factors lie.

The Blues have suffered with inconsistency greater than ever this time period, with a number of key gamers enduring season-ending accidents, together with famous person striker Sam Kerr. It is made for a league-high 53 modifications to Hayes’ beginning alternatives – 9 greater than another WSL aspect.

Fortuitously for Chelsea, Hayes calculates how sq. pegs slot in spherical holes with higher tactical nouse than most, however absence and alteration go some technique to explaining why they had been defeated within the Conti Cup ultimate by Arsenal in March, and unceremoniously dumped out of the FA Cup by Manchester United a couple of days in the past. Strain catching up.

Whereas some soccer purists might disagree, this author believes the 47-year-old’s legacy may but be outlined by how these subsequent few weeks unravel. Conclusions kind the strongest a part of any reasoned argument. Hayes has received 15 trophies in 12 years at Chelsea, in addition to numerous private accolades, together with an OBE and three FIFA Greatest Coach awards, however the way in which legendary – not a time period used flippantly – managers bow out issues.

The Sir Alex Ferguson mannequin is the popular manner – depart on a excessive. Ferguson retired from Manchester United having received the Premier League title in 2013. For comparability, Arsene Wenger departed Arsenal 5 years later along with his aspect sixth within the league and on the slide, which left a bitter style within the mouths of many long-time Gunners followers, regardless of Wenger’s vastly immense achievements.

Irrespective of how burdensome, Hayes needs to be remembered as a winner.

And but, there’s a state of affairs the place Chelsea finish the season with nothing to point out. That will be unjust for a supervisor who has fought more durable, campaigned longer, advocated louder, and championed extra fiercely for the development of the ladies’s recreation than another. In the end, although, it’s silverware that resonates. Trophies and titles that speak.

Rightly or wrongly, how Hayes negotiates her ultimate six weeks as Chelsea supervisor will come underneath higher scrutiny than most of her earlier six years mixed – and the six earlier than that. She should reinvent her depleted aspect as soon as extra if they’re to understand the definitive dream: European glory. WSL champions for a document fifth straight time would assist too.

The bodily and psychological drain of being a serial winner is about to face is sternest examination but. How will Hayes and Co stand as much as the highlight?

Watch Chelsea vs Aston Villa, reside on Sky Sports activities Soccer, on Wednesday; kick-off 7pm

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