Millie Bright wants Chelsea to shed 'nearly' team tag as Continental Cup Final provides first trophy chance
Chelsea defender Millie Bright has no interest in playing down the club’s ambitions ahead of Saturday's Continental Cup Final against Arsenal, insisting they are targeting a clean sweep of domestic trophies, as well as an 'Invincible' season.
“We were always that ‘nearly’ team last year,” Bright told Standard Sport. “This season, we want to make sure we get the job done. It’s not just about one competition, it’s about all of them.
“And not just making the semis, getting to the final. And not just getting to the final, actually winning it. Hopefully we can go on and do that.”
For Emma Hayes’ side, who are unbeaten in the WSL and face Everton in the FA Cup quarter-finals, the first step towards such lofty aims is dethroning Arsenal in “their trophy” at the City Ground on Saturday.
The holders have won the Conti Cup five out of eight times, and lost two of the three outstanding finals to Manchester City.
Conversely, it is the only domestic competition still to elude Chelsea, creating an intriguing set of psychological circumstances before the match, particularly given the Blues’ resounding 4-1 win at the home of their rivals last month.
Arsenal have the history and Chelsea have the form, so who will feel the pressure?
“There’s no extra pressure,” said Bright. “Every game previously is irrelevant now. We’re going in with a clean slate.
"We were once in Arsenal’s shoes, when we got beat by them at home [5-0 in October 2018], so we understand they’re going to be hurting.
"They’re not going to be wanting that performance to happen again.”
Arsenal boss Joe Montemurro has said the final is the perfect opportunity to “right the wrongs” of the defeat to Chelsea but he will have to do so without injured trio Beth Mead, Lia Walti and captain Kim Little.
Chelsea have a clean bill of health barring forward Fran Kirby, who is still working her way back from a virus.
There would be an irony in Hayes lifting the trophy having called for the competition to be scrapped, claiming it diluted the WSL as a product.
Bright called for the introduction of prize money in future, adding: “We deserve [prize money] at the end of the day. We talk about changing the women’s game and growing, and that’s part of it.
"So surely that has to change at some point.”
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