Lucy Bronze has an elite mentality that can’t be trained – it’s win at all costs.
Now with Chelsea after a summer free transfer, the five-time Champions League isn’t messing around as they bid for glory under new manager Sonia Bompastor.
GettyBronze is a wily player to come up against and she’s loving life at Chelsea already[/caption]
An Arsenal side in decline were the Blues’ latest victim as they battled to a 2-1 win at the Emirates Stadium.
And Chelsea needed to be ruthless to claim the three points as the Gunners fought back in the second period.
In those hard moments you need a player who can use all their smarts from a distinguished career.
Luckily, Bronze has a football IQ not many possess and showcased it in north London.
With a throw-in given but options slim for the Lioness, rather than hang around and risk being punished for time wasting she decided to get on with herself.
Lauren James didn’t have a clue what was going and she didn’t need to – Bronze had it all under control.
Swiftly the right-back hurled the ball into her teammate’s back and took the ball back with her feet.
And she quickly tried to dash behind rival Caitlin Foord to try an kick start a Chelsea attack.
Unluckily for Bronze, Foord just about put her off her stride.
That saw a overhit touch land with Johanna Rytting Kaneryd who was still in an offside position having also been taken by surprise.
GettyBronze’s quick thinking could have resulted in a big chance for Chelsea[/caption]
Nevertheless it showed again the ruthless nature Bronze has in the pursuit of victory.
It was one of a number of dazzling moments in an enthralling WSL which could have ended very differently had Arsenal managed to put away their chances.
However, goalkeeper Hannah Hampton and her miserly defence blocked all goal-bound efforts in the second period.
That meant the impressive work of domineering centre-forward Mayra Ramirez – who Leah Williamson and Lotte Wubben-Moy will be glad to see the back of – was rewarded.
She scored the opener – an unorthodox standing overhead kick – which looped over a helpless Daphne van Domselaar, before Sandy Baltimore doubled the lead.
Foord got Arsenal a goal back before the break but the Gunners couldn’t find an elusive second to share the spoils.
And that leaves manager Jonas Eidevall under serious pressure.
In just seven days the Gunners have drawn with Everton, lost to title rivals Chelsea and suffered a devastating 5-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
Next up is a home match against Norwegian side Valerenga in Europe before another domestic derby, this time away at West Ham.
Chelsea, meanwhile, top the WSL table as Emma Hayes‘ replacement Bompastor settles into west London life with ease.
