MATCH RECAP: Chelsea vs. Arsenal Breakdown & Analysis | Attacking Third

[@CCAgent99]

If you're going to opine on whether or not its a peno, you should in all fairness discuss the late challenge on baltimore in 1st half, she didn't go down, the late tackle on Sio Nusken from the corner in the first half, ref gave Arsenal free kick, and finally the late challenge again on Nusken after the peno, defender goes to ground, doesn't get near the ball and Sio stays on her feet to get shot away. 4 fouls in the box, 1 peno given.

[@amanoredwinnarh9810]

Anti Chelsea How on earth can u say this ball is not a penalty There was a clear contact on James before she ever kicked the ball

[@goldboy150]

Zero chance VAR rescinds that penalty. Firstly, it isn’t clear there was a touch. From some angles it looks like it, from others it’s doesn’t. Secondly, even if there definitely was a slight touch - the touch wasn’t enough to clear the ball away from James. You can tell this because James still has the ball on her left foot ready to strike when she is taken down. The touch therefore would be incidental because James still had a goal scoring opportunity - which was then denied by the foul. Definite contact, definite denial of goal scoring opportunity - penalty.

[@senzosenkosisosibo5425]

That's the stupidest thing I've heard. VAR gives that as a penalty all day. It was clear as day! Some of these "pundits" need to get their eyes checked out.

[@yvonnefoster8181]

As a neutral I thought it was a soft penalty decision . When I saw who the ref was I knew Chelsea would win . So happy for Leicester to get the 3 points , hope they can stay up now !

[@seyieneituokiso904]

The hate Chelsea get is immense Can united catch them ? The same United an injury laden Chelsea pumped 5-0 ? It’s a penalty all day

[@Heresskip]

Stats make it sounds like Arsenal didn't have chances to win the game but that just doesn't feel accurate to what I saw watching the match? Arsenal looked the more likely to score for long periods, especially later in the first half, but they just weren’t clinical. Foord having to come off was definitely a big miss too.

[@erwin_888]

are you all in favor of a VAR for top5-clashes (or every WSL-game) ? personally i think the average level of refereeing in the WSL does not match the level of an average WSL-game. And with more money being paid, sponsors coming in, a VAR will be mandatory, imo.

[@mlondolozimntambo7968]

The ball was still in lauren james control, she took a shot after that ....she dont fall she takes a better shot possibly

[@1337pino]

Has Chelsea released yet what Girma's salary is? I've only seen the transfer fee talked about

[@goldboy150]

Don’t know how it works in America but in England clubs are under no obligation to release salary info. Players usually don’t want it public and clubs don’t either. According to what I’ve heard, she will be the second highest earner at Chelsea behind Sam Kerr.

[@1337pino]

@@goldboy150 Why wouldn't players want that public? In the US sports, that enables them in negotiations knowing what the standard or upper end of the salary range is for a given player or archetype.

[@goldboy150]

@ do you broadcast your salary to the world? Most people don’t like others to know what they make. Within the industry (agents, clubs etc) they will have a good understanding of the relative earnings of players - they just don’t feel the general public has a need to know that info.

[@1337pino]

@@goldboy150 Actually, yes, in a lot of work situations where you are in a union, you often see people sharing salary information. Again, in a American sports they share this information because players are part of player unions and it empowers collective bargaining. I don't see why any agent wouldn't want that to be publicly known. It does nothing but benefit the agent and the player(s) they represent.

[@goldboy150]

@ we don’t have collective bargaining in Europe because there is no salary cap and no governing body determining what can and can’t be paid to a player. Agents will have multiple clients and have players at multiple clubs - it serves no one’s purpose for the public to be aware of their salaries. You seem to be conflating what is known within the club and within the agent rep industry and what is public info. Just because we don’t know what the figure is doesn’t mean that every agent doesn’t know. It’s a completely different system - try to get your head around it. Why do you think the top players are leaving the NWSL? To get paid less elsewhere? No.

[@mikewahtabi5658]

OH NO!! Say it isn’t so! Sam Coffey is also NOT going to Chelsea. Please.

[@semi-sound]

I'm neutral, but the way I understand the rules, it was a clear pen. Yes, Kim Little touched the ball, but she tripped up LJ first. Meaning she had to foul LJ to reach the ball. A clean tackle is when you touch the ball before the player. Again, If I understand the rules correctly. Apart from that I thought the game was closer than the numbers suggest, (except for the first 15 minutes), and I can understand if Arsenal feel they let this one slip away from them. It could have gone either way in my view. But with Chelsea's impressive streak of league wins, they have a psychological advantage that more often than not lets them win close games.

[@goldboy150]

The thing is, even if you get a toenail on the ball before making contact with the player, it changes nothing unless you dispossess the player of the ball. Just touching it doesn’t give you the right to then deny them a goal scoring opportunity by taking them down. If she touched the ball such that James didn’t have it anymore, then that’s fine. James still had it on her left foot and was about to shoot as she was taken down. She still kicked it with her left on the way down even. Imagine if defender and striker are side by side and the ball grazes the defenders foot - the defender can’t then tackle the striker to the ground and say “but i touched the ball a second ago, miss!”. You have to make a decisive, not incidental, play on the ball.

[@semi-sound]

@@goldboy150 Ah, right, that makes perfect sense. Thanks for the explanation!

[@ensian1258]

Come on Chelsea 💙 KTBFFH 💙