Brighton & Hove Albion manager Hope Powell believes that there could be less pressure on her side when they travel to Chelsea this weekend for their latest Barclays FA Women’s Super League fixture.
The Seagulls crumbled to a poor 3-0 defeat to bottom club Bristol City last weekend, a result which manager Powell openly admits was ‘totally unacceptable’.
Realistically, nobody will give Brighton & Hove Albion a chance of getting a result against Chelsea’s star-studded side at Kingsmeadow this weekend, particularly given how The Blues eased beyond West Ham United in midweek. With all of the expectancy on a Chelsea win, The Seagulls boss Powell admits that the pressure may be off her team this weekend.
“The players have worked very hard this week and we have had some very honest and frank conversations” said Powell when speaking in Albion’s post-match press conference in which FAWSL Full-Time were present. “They want to do well.
“It might actually take a little bit of pressure off us because it is a game that we are not expected to win.
“The players might relax a little bit more.”
Powell finally saw Finnish international defender Emma Koivisto join the club this afternoon after gaining international clearance and the player is expected to make her debut against the champions.
Commenting after completing her signing, Powell said “She’s definitely athletic, she can play left-back, right-back or higher up.
“She adds an additional dimension, she gives us a little more strength in depth and her arrival is really good timing because Fliss (Gibbons) is out.
“She’s got good experience at international level with Finland and she just adds a little bit more to the squad.”
Brighton & Hove Albion’s Barclays FA Women’s Super League fixture against Chelsea at Kingsmeadow is scheduled to kick-off at 2pm on Sunday afternoon and will be available for fans to stream live on the FA Player.
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