CHELSEA FLUFF LINES AT BRIDGE
CHELSEA must overturn a threegoal deficit in Germany on Wednesday to reach the Champions League last-16, but striker Eni Aluko is refusing to throw in the towel. The Blues, runners-up in Women’s Super League 1 and the SSE Women’s FA Cup this term, entertained mighty Wolfsburg in Wednesday’s first leg in front of almost 4,000 fans. In fact, the crowd of 3,783 at Stamford Bridge exceeded any turnout at the midweek Checkatrade Trophy group stage fixtures. However, the majority went home unhappy as a hat-trick from Hungarian striker Zsanett Jakabfi gave last year’s runners-up a huge boost ahead of this week’s round of 32 second leg. Chelsea were beaten by the same opposition last term and looked outclassed at times in London. Yet Aluko, who has scored six goals in 14 WSL appearances this term, remains determined. “We can beat Wolfsburg,” insisted Aluko, who has won 102 caps for England. “In my mind, nothing is impossible. I think we can do it but we’ve really go to dig out a result and play to our maximum. “I think we need to defend better as a back four and the communication needs to be better with the goalkeeper. “We need to take our chances going forward with quicker releases and earlier crosses.
“There are so many things we'll analyse.”
Chelsea manager Emma Hayes felt her team “fluffed their lines” on the big occasion at the Bridge but believes they could thrive in Germany with the pressure off.
Hayes opted to field a back three in a much-changed line-up.
The absence of Gemma Davison and Ji So-Yun from the starting XI caught Wolfsburg manager Ralf Kellermann by surprise, he admitted.
With striker Fran Kirby also among the substitutes, as she continues to recover from injury, Chelsea do have plenty of renewed firepower they can unleash on Wolfsburg this week.
Kellermann will tell his team to beware the wounded animal.
“We just have to make sure we are concentrated and disciplined,” said Kellermann, who guided Wolfsburg to the Champions League crown in their 2013 treble-winning season.
“We cannot give their fast strikers any room. We can’t let them get back into the tie.
“I thought Davison and Ji were going to be playing, so that surprised me a little.
“We played very well tactically. We sat deep so they couldn't get in behind and condensed the space for their faster strikers.
“This made sure our faster strikers had lots of space on the counter attack. I think we played a concentrated game and that is thanks to the competitiveness of the Bundesliga.
“We've shown over the last few years that we can compete at the top. The teams around us now are so close together and it’s more competitive.”