Chelsea begin quest for a sixth straight WSL crown at the dawn of a new era under Sonia Bompastor; she and Chelsea have the credentials to achieve that and more, with European success a clear aim; WSL kicks off this weekend, live on Sky Sports
Wednesday 18 September 2024 17:35, UK
New manager, new backroom staff, new players, and new tactical ideas - same overarching ambition. Chelsea start this season as favourites for the Women's Super League title. Some things never change.
They aren't the only ones entering a new era, though. One-third of WSL clubs begin the 2024-25 campaign with a newcomer in the dugout.
Sonia Bompastor is the new face at Chelsea, while first opponents Villa, as well as Brighton and Leicester, are among those to make a managerial switch this summer. It's therefore logical to expect such clubs to be moving into a transitional period, because most new jobs accommodate for a developmental phase, right? Wrong.
Chelsea Women manager is not like most jobs. Nor would it be possible in any year to set expectations lower than the WSL summit.
Fortunately, Bompastor is no stranger to pressure at the highest level and is fully aware that at Chelsea, above all else, it's results that matter. That forms the basis of why she was hand-selected for one of the toughest jobs in the game.
Players wanted someone with a track record of winning. Chelsea's leadership group, which includes Millie Bright and Erin Cuthbert, were among those to be counselled during the hiring process and spoke of a winning culture as fundamental to any coach who wishes to be successful in the role.
"Sonia's vision, coaching philosophy and winning mentality made her the outstanding candidate," said general manager Paul Green upon her appointment. There is a definite sense within the walls of Cobham that Chelsea's domestic domination is far from over.
Let us not forget, too, that Bompastor has inherited an elite squad with a charming balance of smart WSL veterans and malleable youngsters. Those that have been lost - Melanie Leupolz, Fran Kirby, Maren Mjelde and Jess Carter departed this summer - have been swiftly replaced in the transfer market.
Bompastor herself, who has often been described as strict and hard-nosed, in keeping with her predecessor, has won things at every stage of her illustrious career. Her impeccable record at Lyon between 2021 and 2024 stands at 67 wins from 73 league games played, losing just twice. Her team scored 256 goals and conceded only 32 in that time.
As a player, she earned 156 caps for France and captained Lyon to Champions League success in 2011 and 2012 - a title she has since won as manager. The pedigree is quite unique, and purposefully so, because Chelsea have strict criteria that very few in the modern game could match.
Besides, for all Emma Hayes' many strengths - how did we get this far without a single mention - the end of her reign was a little strange and chaotic. Shoves, poems and bust-ups brought an energy that wasn't ideal, as the enormity of a final farewell came into full focus and decisions were driven more by emotion than reasoning.
Change has been welcomed at Cobham, particularly by the players. They like Bompastor personally and are keen to meet the challenge of winning a different way head-on. Expect a more structured and identifiable Chelsea style, less governed by the in-game tactical tweaking that Hayes was so fond of.
Cuthbert has, for example, told Sky Sports about the excitement around team-bonding exercises to ensure alliance and amity are forefront, while also relishing the chance to play under someone who mastered the craft of central midfield.
Bompastor's reputation for nourishing young talent has been attractive to new signings, all of which (bar Lucy Bronze) have been under the age of 24, while her management of the spotlight at the powerhouse that is Lyon is also admired.
Goalkeeper Hannah Hampton calls the Frenchwoman "a perfect replacement".
Of course, Hayes' formidable legacy will remain untouched. But Chelsea's new direction is one that is being embraced by those she left behind this summer, and expectations are exactly the same as they always were: a continuation of the standard-setting example the club has maintained for over a decade.
Just ask Bronze. Bompastor offered her a move to Chelsea moments after Bronze's Barcelona beat Lyon in this year's Champions League final. She accepted on the spot. Game recognise game.
"Changing up the brains behind the team with Hayes moving on, it could well be the catalyst for Champions League success," believes Sky Sports pundit Izzy Christiansen. "It's a challenge for every other team now who wants to compete at the top to keep pace with what Bompastor will bring to Chelsea."
Form in pre-season has been compelling, too. Defeats of Gotham FC and Arsenal on their US tour were followed by a 9-0 dismantling of Feyenoord, where Bompastor set out her stall publicly: "I told the players something really important, we want to be a dominant team," she told reporters. "We like to have possession to control the game."
And Chelsea have the perfect squad - both in talent and depth - to cope with such demands.
It is therefore reasonable to assume, nay affirm, that Chelsea will once again be a force this season. They remain the ones to beat and it's a danger to think otherwise.
