What's going wrong for Chelsea in the WSL?

Bompastor has lost just three competitive games since taking charge of Chelsea in May 2024

Chelsea set a new record on Sunday for the longest unbeaten run in Women's Super League history - but there was little cause for celebration for the Blues.

Despite going 34 games unbeaten, Sonia Bompastor's side were left disappointed as bottom-placed Liverpool held on for a 1-1 draw.

It was the second week in a row that Chelsea dropped points and the first time since January 2022 that they had failed to win back-to-back league games.

As a result, the six-time defending champions sit three points behind leaders Manchester City in the WSL table.

"A draw isn't good enough for them and even when the final whistle went I was looking at their body language and they were so disappointed," former Scotland and Arsenal defender Jen Beattie said on the Women's Football Weekly podcast.

"We can talk about records being set and unbeaten in this amount of games, but ultimately if you're not winning them you're dropping points and that's not where they want to be."

Opta's Supercomputer, which had seen Chelsea retaining their title in 72.4% of their simulations before the season started, now gives them a 50.84% chance of lifting a seventh successive trophy.

While most teams would relish sitting second in the WSL table with 21 points, it has been an underwhelming start to the season by Chelsea's high standards.

But what's going wrong for Bompastor's team? And can another club finally bring an end to their era of dominance in the WSL?

Chelsea ended last season as WSL, FA Cup and League Cup champions and they lost just three games out of 40 in Bompastor's first campaign in charge, with those defeats coming in the Champions League.

Bompastor's Blues have yet to suffer defeat this season, but they certainly aren't reaching the heights of last term.

They have already dropped the same amount of points (six) as they did across the whole of last season.

Defensively they look sound and have the best record in the league, with only five goals conceded in their opening nine games - four fewer than any other team.

That said, the goal scored by Liverpool on Sunday was avoidable. Captain Millie Bright was subbed off at half-time after being outpaced by Beata Olsson, who covered half the pitch and converted her one-on-one finish.

"It was disappointing. It was disappointing the goal that we conceded, the performance all round and the result. For us, our standards are a lot higher than what we displayed today on and off the ball," Bright told Sky Sports afterwards.

Speaking to Chelsea's website, Bompastor added: "I'm disappointed about the result and the performance. I think today the team were not good enough."

While Chelsea aren't shipping goals, they're not exactly scoring at the same rate as seasons past.

By this point last season, Chelsea had scored 30 league goals. This term, despite their array of attacking talent, they have found the back of the net just 16 times, with Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal all scoring more.

In their opening nine games of the 2024-25 campaign, the Blues scored four or more goals on four occasions, compared to just once this season - a 4-0 victory over West Ham.

"It was very un-Chelsea like in terms of the performance," former England midfielder Izzy Christiansen said on Sky Sports following the draw with Liverpool.

"They normally create multiple chances, like clear-cut chances, per game but they didn't find a good rhythm or good connection today."

Too many changes?

Beattie believes Chelsea's problems stem from too many changes to the starting XI.

The Blues have made 25 changes to their starting line-ups in the WSL this season - five more than any other side.

"They have to keep everyone happy and rotate to an extent, but I don't know, I always felt as a player you have to keep some level of consistency in order to keep that form," Beattie told the Women's Football Weekly podcast.

Aggie Beaver-Jones started the campaign as Chelsea's out-and-out striker, leading the line in their opening seven games before suffering an injury on international duty with England last month.

Catarina Macario has also been used as a central striker, while the club's record signing Alyssa Thompson has not yet cemented a regular place in Bompastor's starting line-ups - starting just twice in the WSL.

Australia forward Sam Kerr has returned from a lengthy spell on the sidelines, coming off the bench in seven games this term, and Lauren James has also come back into the fold as another attacking option for Bompastor.

"I totally agree with what Jen's saying in terms of the lack of consistency in that starting XI," ex-England striker Ellen White added.

"They had some injuries, and obviously they are playing three, four days back-to-back all the time, and that rotation is obviously needed for recovery and for freshness as well.

"But it's just trying to get that rhythm and that consistency and that flow and those connections. It just wasn't quite working at the weekend."

Man City and others ready to pounce

The difference perhaps this season is that teams appear ready to capitalise on any slip-ups by the reigning champions.

"We've also got to credit the other teams in the WSL as well, for improving and developing and trying to nullify Chelsea," White added, praising Liverpool for their approach against the reigning champions.

Manchester City have been thriving under new coach Andree Jeglertz, winning all eight of their WSL games since an opening-day defeat by Chelsea.

Opta now give City a 46.47% chance of winning the WSL come May - up from the 13.6% they predicted before the season started.

"Last season, when Chelsea weren't at their best and maybe dropped points in games, other teams weren't capitalising on it," ex-England midfielder Fara Williams said on the BBC's Women's Football Show.

"This season it looks like those teams are."