Ladies's League Cup credibility harmed as rampant Chelsea arrange Arsenal ultimate

West Ham United Ladies 0 Chelsea Ladies 7

It’s troublesome to take the Ladies’s League Cup severely after the 2 groups awarded byes to the quarter-finals – Arsenal and Chelsea – booked their locations in a ultimate that now feels vastly devalued by the actual fact they every wanted to win simply two matches to get there.

This one-sided semi-final victory, wherein Sam Kerr scored 4 occasions, was befitting of a cup wherein the format is simply as uneven. Owing to taking part in within the group phases of the Champions League within the autumn, Arsenal and Chelsea went straight to the quarter-finals, and that controversial choice will make many within the game really feel extra uncomfortable now. Manchester Metropolis may have gained extra matches (5) than whoever wins the March 5 ultimate at Selhurst Park.

For neutrals, it’s turning into more and more boring and predictable. This might be a twelfth successive yr wherein certainly one of Arsenal, Chelsea or Metropolis carry the trophy. Not so boring for Chelsea followers heading to the ultimate for a fourth straight yr, with their aspect in supreme type and boosted by a ruthless Kerr.

Thursday evening’s tie seemed settled as early because the third minute, when Kerr was unchallenged as she turned residence Guro Reiten’s free-kick. Lauren James slid Fran Kirby by way of on objective for the second, earlier than Kerr lashed within the third after which accomplished a hat-trick on the stroke of half-time with a cool end.

James powered within the fifth shortly after the break, earlier than extra slack marking allowed Kerr to go in her fourth. Reiten added the seventh, with the assistance of a deflection, on a dismal evening for Paul Konchesky’s aspect that was completely at odds with their spectacular show in holding Arsenal to a goalless draw within the league final Sunday.

The evening’s solely be aware of concern for sophisticated Chelsea was a possible harm suffered by Kirby, who hobbled off with what gave the impression to be a knee drawback late within the first half. Kirby was named within the England squad on Tuesday, and Lionesses followers will now await information on her health forward of subsequent Thursday’s assembly with South Korea at Stadium MK.

Match particulars

West Ham United (4-3-3): Arnold 5; Shimizu 5, Fish 4, Cissoko 4 (Longhurst 5, 45), Smith 4; Stringer 5 (Parker 5, 45 (Denton 6, 57)), Brynjarsdottir 5, Hayashi 5 (Cooke 5, 45); Filis 5 (Thestrup 6, 56), Asseyi 5, Snerle 6
Subs not used: Evans, Atkinson, Hillyerd (gk), Houssein
Yellow playing cards: None
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Berger 6; Perisset 7 (Mjelde 6, 61), Brilliant 6, Eriksson 6, Charles 7; Ingle 7 (Leupolz 7, 66), Cuthbert 7; James 8 (Rytting Kaneryd 6, 61), Kirby 8 (Cankovic 7, 45), Reiten 8 (Abdullina 6, 66); Kerr 9
Subs not used: Musovic (gk), Carter, Fleming, Buchanan
Yellow playing cards: Eriksson
Referee: Louise Saunders (Kent)