Lauren James leads Chelsea’s stroll around Arsenal to take control of WSL title race

Perhaps Arsenal needed to spend longer browsing the Chelsea club shop. A collection of black Chelsea away socks, complete with blue trim and a white lion on the calf, may have been acquired at the last moment to prevent a kit-clash, but what Arsenal needed most was an answer to Lauren James. A half-hour delay to kick-off did not give Jonas Eidevall enough time to come up with a solution, either, though the rest of the Women’s Super League would have struggled on this form.

James was unstoppable, unplayable, once again turning Stamford Bridge into her personal playground as Chelsea moved a step closer to a fifth consecutive title with a 3-1 thrashing of their rivals. For Arsenal, being sent to the Chelsea megastore could have been put down as a minor embarrassment had they turned up for the delayed kick-off. Instead, Arsenal arrived for their biggest game of the season and ambled to a disorganised, incoherent display. But, really, enough about the socks.

Instead, yet another dispiriting defeat in the WSL raises more questions about Arsenal’s ability to perform consistently over the season and match the standards set by Emma Hayes’s champions. Granted another chance in the WSL title race by Manchester City’s win at Kingmeadow last month, Arsenal finally look like they are out of opportunities. The Gunners may yet affect the outcome of the title race when they face City over the run-in, but six points behind Chelsea now, with six games remaining, already appears to be too great a gap. Arsenal thought they had closed that when they thrashed Chelsea 4-1 at the Emirates.

The difference at Stamford Bridge, which felt ready for the arrival of Arsenal with a record home crowd for a WSL game, was James. The England international was magnificent, owning the stage as if it was her own. Chelsea are working through an injury crisis, particularly among attacking options, but James ensured its impact here was negligible. Marked out of the game at the Emirates, Hayes gave James a free role at the point of her attack: she was released, and Chelsea played with a spirit that James carried through each dribble and which Arsenal could not contain.

“It’s a playground out there for her,” Hayes said. “We coach many, many players - Lauren Is a maverick. It’s not always perfect, it’s not always consistent, but I understand that person. I know that when we get to Stamford Bridge, she will perform for the team here. She had been sick all week. She wasn’t well and came out for one training session. She played with joy; freedom when it came to her feet. She can carry the weight of the crowd, she knows she is an important player for the team but she also puts a shift in out of possession. I’m happy for her.”

James was effortlessly devastating, given the chance to go where she wanted, to drift, drop off and play the game at the speed of her choice. Arsenal didn’t know what to do with her, not least due to the fact that James spent parts of the game just strolling around, shoulders back, before cruising away. She finished with a goal, an assist, seven shots, countless dribbles, and a couple of chats with Hayes, grinning on the touchline. This was over as a contest after 31 minutes and James, devastation complete, coasted through the rest of the game before receiving a standing ovation later on.

Her work was done as Chelsea eased into a three-goal lead: first as James shifted past Steph Catley before firing through the hands of Manuela Zinsberger, then again in the build up to Sjoeke Nusken’s first of the evening. James, having danced past Catley for Chelsea’s opener, then drew a circle around Lia Watli in Arsenal’s midfield before gliding a pass to Guro Reiten.

But when James dropped, Chelsea needed a presence to fill in for her at the top of their attack. Already without Sam Kerr, and without club record signing Mayra Ramirez, Hayes found what was required in Nusken. The midfielder showed a remarkable striker’s instinct for both goals, even if one was more intentional than the other. After James played wide to Reiten, Erin Cuthbert’s drilled shot was touched in by the German at the back post, just beating the offside line. Then, after Arsenal gave away possession and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd surged forward, Nusken skipped to dodge her shot, only to see it deflect off the back of her leg and past Zinsberger.

Nusken looked quite embarrassed with her second, though it was no more than what both Chelsea deserved. The same could be said for Arsenal, who trailed to a trio of defensive mistakes. It started with Zinsberger’s costly spill, evidence of why Arsenal look to sign a goalkeeper every six months, but Arsenal were also loose in possession throughout the half and Chelsea punished them.

Victoria Pelova was caught on the ball in the move that led to James’s opener and Leah Williamson gave possession away when her free-kick drifted into the path of Rytting Kaneryd. Williamson also lapsed when Nusken pounced upon Cuthbert’s low shot, which was skimming wide. Then, on the third, Lotte Wubben-Moy was beaten too easily when Rytting Kanerdy cut inside and shot, with the ball deflecting in off Nusken.

It was a poor night for Arsenal’s centre-back pair but that could also be said for everyone in red and white - and black. Eidevall made a triple change at the break, rectifying his line-up after starting Alessia Russo on the bench. Stina Blackstenius went another half for Arsenal without being clinical enough, though Arsenal also struggled to create and barely had a chance after going behind. They threatened twice in the opening 10 minutes but Hannah Hampton was equal to early efforts from Kim Little and Catley at her near post.

Arsenal’s away support filled one end of Stamford Bridge, greatly contributing to the attendance of 32,000. They were rewarded with a consolation when Little’s shot deflected past Hampton from the edge of the box. By the end, Hayes turned to the crowd and asked for more. Chelsea’s hopes of a fifth consecutive title are back on track now, as James took control of the title race.