For the first time in over 11 years, Chelsea have lost back-to-back WSL matches. This season is definitely one the Blues will like to forget. They started strong, hoping to secure their seventh consecutive title, but dipped in November. Once they thought they had recovered, they lost 2-0 to Arsenal at Stamford Bridge, their first WSL loss at the main stadium. Then 5-1 to Man City away. This is their worst WSL loss in history; the previous one was a 4-0 loss to Sunderland in 2015. This was the first time Sonia Bompastor had had back-to-back defeats in 181 games in all competitions
They have gone from domestic invincibility, creating a new WSL unbeaten streak record, to crisis territory in the space of months. They sit 12 points adrift of the WSL leaders and could drop out of the Champions League spots, with Arsenal having a game in hand and Manchester United one point ahead of Chelsea in the table.
This drop seemed inevitable after their 1-1 draw with Arsenal, which then became a 1-1 draw with Liverpool, and then they lost 1-0 to Everton, their first WSL loss under Sonia Bompastor. It then looked like they were going on the up and up. Before the Everton game, they had scored 29 goals in 14 games. After the Everton game and before their second loss in th league, they scored 31 goals in seven games.
The Arsenal loss came as a big shock; Chelsea should have won. Arsenal had issues in front of the goal. No, Olivia Smith. No, Leah Williamson. No Daphne Van Domsalaar. Arsenal lost out on the League Cup final a few days before, which could have been a bonus or a hindrance for Chelsea. It was the latter. Arsenal bounced back from the defeat. One might have assumed Chelsea would have bonuses taken away after the London derby defeat when heading to the Etihad. They had beaten City twice this season already, but that gave only City the ammunition to fight back.
The clearest indicator that something is wrong lies in the results. Chelsea dropped just six points across the entire WSL season last year. By 1 February, this campaign has already lost 15.
Sonia Bompastor, the manager, expressed her frustration behind the scenes, especially around the January transfer window. They are the only WSL side not to bring in a player this window. A club known for big January signings like Mayra Rameriz, Keira Walsh and Naomi Girma in recent seasons. She hinted that, while on the surface they seem to have incredible squad depth, it's considerably different from last season. Explaining that it limited both tactical flexibility and rotation during congested periods.
Pressed on January recruitment, Bompastor admitted she would have liked to be “in a better place” following the last transfer window. Of Chelsea’s five summer signings, only Ellie Carpenter and Alyssa Thompson have become regular starters.
With no January incomings confirmed and rivals strengthening aggressively, those concerns have only intensified.
Injuries have further destabilised Chelsea’s season. Absences for key players such as Mayra Ramírez, Nathalie Björn and Lauren James have disrupted both defensive solidity and attacking cohesion at crucial moments.
Additional setbacks include Lucy Bronze’s broken leg from the Euros, which has caused her some discomfort and made her unavailable for their recent defeat to City. Aggie Beever-Jones injured her ankle, making her unavailable for the start of 2026. She then re-injured the same ankle in the 5-1 defeat, but the Blues had used up all five of their available subs, so she had to continue playing. This has left Bompastor short of options, exposing a squad that no longer feels as deep or adaptable as in previous seasons. Keira Walsh has only just returned to fitness, and Sam Kerr is not yet at her full potential.
Opta data underlines the issue: Chelsea are underperforming their expected goals more than any other WSL side, scoring 24 goals from an xG of 29. In their 2–0 defeat to Arsenal, they registered 18 shots but only 1 on target. a worrying trend repeated against Liverpool earlier in the season.
Even periods of control have gone unrewarded. Against Manchester City, Chelsea enjoyed 70% possession in the opening 15 minutes of the second half but conceded twice during that spell.
Perhaps most concerning has been Chelsea’s body language. Players looked visibly dejected, particularly during the second half against City as the game slipped away. The once-feared “mentality monsters” now appear fragile and uncertain.
Bompastor acknowledged the confidence issue post-match, admitting the team is “not in the best place” mentally, an unfamiliar admission for a side long defined by resilience and belief.
Bompastor has not deflected responsibility. She has consistently emphasised self-reflection and ownership of results, openly questioning her own tactical decisions and selections.
While she reiterated her commitment to Chelsea, she also made it clear that the club’s interests come before her own, stating she would be “happy” to leave if the hierarchy felt change was needed,d a remarkable statement given her unbeaten debut season.
Despite the league collapse, Chelsea’s season is not yet beyond salvage. They have already reached the Women’s League Cup final, remain in the Women’s Champions League with a quarter-final ahead, and are still alive in the Women’s FA Cup.
However, with the WSL title defence effectively over, attention will now shift to knockout competitions and whether Chelsea can rediscover their identity when it matters most.
What once felt like a temporary dip now resembles a defining moment for Bompastor’s Chelsea.
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