Chelsea manager Emma Hayes says that she is feeling calm about the Barclays FA Women’s Super League title race, insisting that her side only have everything to gain.
The Blues go into Thursday’s Barclays FA Women’s Super League fixture at West Ham United eight points adrift of league leaders Arsenal, although they do have three games in-hand on The Gunners.
Despite the pressure being on Chelsea as they play catch up, manager Hayes is not concerned by the situation and she believes that her side have everything to gain.
“We’ve never been first so for us, there is never a feeling that we have lost something, we only have something to gain,” Hayes said when speaking to FAWSL Full-Time in the pre-match press conference.
“I don’t feel like the situation is any different. We just have to focus on one game at a time, this week its West Ham, let’s just try and get three points and if we do, then we move closer to what we are trying to achieve.”
Chelsea have already faced West Ham United twice in 2022, winning both games in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League and FA Women’s Continental League Cup. Despite her side’s success against The Hammers, Hayes has still been impressed at the growth of the East Londoners this season under Olli Harder.
She said “The quality of their team is outstanding, they just lack a little bit of depth,” Hayes said. “I have appreciated the work that they have done, they make it very difficult for opponents by going one v one against you everywhere, especially the front press.
“You have to work hard to solve situations against them but I’m looking forward to the game against a tough opponent.”
Chelsea’s Barclays FA Women’s Super League fixture against West Ham United kicks-off at 7.45pm on Thursday evening.