‘This team have improved a lot’ – Liverpool a very different challenge for Chelsea says Bompastor | OneFootball

Chelsea head coach Sonia Bompastor says that latest opponents Liverpool offer a very different challenge to what they posed before the winter break.

The Blues play host to The Reds at Kingsmeadow this afternoon in their latest Barclays Women’s Super League fixture.

Chelsea demolished Liverpool 9-1 in their last meeting in the Subway Women’s League Cup before Christmas. The Reds have strengthened their squad significantly since that game and Chelsea boss Bompastor is expecting a very different contest this afternoon.

“They’re probably in a different place from January,” Bompastor said when speaking in the pre-match press conference. “They’ve signed some really good players in different areas of the pitch. They’ve been in really good form with great results; they’ve just beaten Aston Villa by scoring four goals.

“We are expecting a really different game from when we played them in December and we will have to be at our best because the game will be tough. They have some strengths but we have to focus on us, we have the quality to perform at home.

“This team have improved a lot from the last time that we played them and we will have to be aware of that.”

Chelsea announced the shock departure of head of women’s football Paul Green last week. Bompastor issued a huge thank you to Green for his role in driving success in his 13 years with the club.

She said “We all know that Paul has played a huge part in the foundations of this club, so myself, the players and the staff want to thank him for everything that he has done. He raised the foundations from the beginning and has been a huge part of the success that the club has had. We want to thank him and he will be missed for sure.”

The players will have undoubtedly been moved by news of Green’s departure but Bompastor said that the focus has been on footballing matters.

She said “Everyone was sad from a human level because it’s always sad to see someone leave the building. At the same time, we need to focus on what is coming next which is difficult sometimes; it has been tough because we have emotions and feelings.

“We need to focus on what we can control. Everyone is focused on the game and that’s our job.”

Chelsea’s Barclays Women’s Super League fixture against Liverpool kicks-off at 12pm.