Leicester 0-9 Chelsea: Player ratings as ruthless Blues move top of the WSL
By Ali Rampling
Chelsea scored four goals in 11 relentless first half minutes to move top of the WSL for the first time this season with an emphatic 9-0 win over Leicester at the King Power Stadium.
The Blues took the lead inside three minutes, Guro Reiten firing a fabulous free kick into the top corner, having won the set piece herself with a driving run. Sam Kerr latched onto Millie Bright's inch perfect diagonal pass and slotted past Demi Lambourne at the second time of asking to double the Blues' lead with the game not yet five minutes old.
Kerr turned provider as Chelsea made it three before the eight minute mark, laying the ball into the path of Beth England who crashed home. England's effort from a corner was then instinctively turned into the net by Aniek Nouwen as the Blues added a fourth in the eleventh minute.
England was on the scoresheet again just before the half hour mark, heading home Reiten's teasing cross. Reiten capped a stunning individual first half performance with her second of the game as her cross-come-shot found the back of the net.
Chelsea started the second half just as they did the first. England picked out Kerr with a chipped delivery, and the Australian international guided a measured header home.
Lauren James grabbed her first WSL goal for Chelsea three minutes from time, before fellow substitute Jessie Fleming applied the finishing touches to a sublime team move to conclude the scoring.
Leicester player ratings
1. Goalkeeper & defenders
Demi Lambourne (GK) - 5/10 - No question marks over the goalkeeping for any of the goals - just really well taken finishes from Chelsea that Lambourne could do little about, having watched her defence get torn apart. Made one big save to deny Chelsea in the second half.
Esme de Graaf (RB) - 3/10 - Set up Leicester's first opening of the game with a smart lofted pass to pick out Gregory. Really struggled up against the relentless Reiten, allowing the Chelsea winger to deliver dangerously on multiple occasions.
Sophie Howard (CB) - 3/10 - The Leicester backline were completely sliced open from the off. They could not deal with the Kerr-England link up play.
Georgia Brougham (CB) - 3/10 - Like the rest of the Leicester backline, it was not an ideal day at the office. Could not handle Chelsea's pace in behind and link up play on the edge of the box.
Ashleigh Plumptre (CB) - 3/10 - Forced off after half an hour due to a head injury, with the Foxes already 5-0 down as the backline endured a torrid time of it.
Jemma Purfield (LB) - 4/10 - Had to play really deep given how high Charles was pushing, and rarely had the opportunity to venture forward.
2. Midfielders
Shannon O'Brien (RM) - 3/10 - Had to double up on Reiten but offered little resistance as the Norwegian winger ran riot.
Molly Pike (CM) - 3/10 - The Leicester midfield were completely overrun and outclassed by Chelsea's dynamic midfield three.
Sam Tierney (CM) - 3/10 - Just could not content with the Chelsea midfield three, as Leicester's midfield were sliced through time after time.
Freya Gregory (LM) - 4/10 - Fired Leicester's best chance of the first half into the side netting. Had to play pretty deep to double up on the marauding Charles.
3. Forward
Natasha Flint (ST) - 4/10 - A thankless task having to lead the line on her own. Linked up play well on a couple of occasions but otherwise hardly had a sniff. Poked wide a good chance at the death.
4. Substitutes
Sophie Barker - 3/10
Elysia Boddy - 4/10
Monique Robinson - 4/10
Chelsea player ratings
5. Goalkeeper & defenders
Zecira Musovic (GK) - 6/10 - Not her busiest day at the office. Just had a lovely afternoon out in sunny Leicester occasionally passing to her centre backs and watching her team run riot.
Aniek Nouwen (CB) - 7/10 - Reacted quickly to turn home from a set piece for Chelsea's fourth. Not tested defensively, replaced after an hour.
Millie Bright (CB) - 8/10 - Showed off her passing range with a sublime cross field diagonal to set up Kerr for Chelsea's second. Played so high, effectively like a central midfielder with her ability to dictate play.
Jess Carter (CB) - 7/10 - Made a couple of important interceptions during a rare Leicester foray forward. Efficient in possession, replaced just after the hour.
6. Midfielders & wingbacks
Niamh Charles (RWB) - 8/10 - Up and down throughout; a typically energetic performance. Basically played as a winger as Chelsea came forward with wave after wave of attack. Provided the driving run and cross for her side's eighth.
Sophie Ingle (CM) - 8/10 - Chelsea comfortably won the midfield battle, with Ingle instrumental in this.
Ji So-yun (CM) - 8/10 - Effortlessly classy on the ball as per usual as Chelsea played through Leicester time after time. Replaced at half time.
Erin Cuthbert (CM) - 8/10 - Chelsea were so good at playing through the Leicester lines, and Cuthbert was key to this with her ability to float in between the midfield and backline and smartly pick passes.
Guro Reiten (LWB) - 9/10 - Single handedly opened the scoring for Chelsea, winning the initial free kick, before firing the set piece into the top corner. Netted a second on the stroke of half time. Wreaked havoc with her sublime delivery all afternoon, a stunning individual performance.
7. Forwards
Sam Kerr (ST) - 8/10 - A vintage Kerr run off the shoulder of the backline in the build up to her first, before finding England with a perfectly weighted layoff for Chelsea's third - their strong link up play was a theme throughout.
Beth England (ST) - 9/10 - Combined well with Kerr for Chelsea's third, winning the initial flick on before finding the top corner emphatically. Linked up superbly with Kerr throughout.
8. Substitutes
Jessie Fleming - 7/10
Magdalena Eriksson - 6/10
Maren Mjelde - 6/10
Lauren James - 7/10
Jonna Andersson - 6/10
Drew Spence - 7/10
