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Lauren James says everyone at Chelsea “wants to win the quadruple” after her goal put Emma Hayes’ side into the Women’s League Cup final and kept them on course to win four trophies.
James’s early strike was the difference in Thursday’s semi-final against Manchester City.
Chelsea are looking to become the second side to complete a quadruple in manager Emma Hayes’ final season.
“I’m sure everyone has that little bit more in them for Emma,” James said.
Chelsea are top of the Women’s Super League, have qualified for the League Cup final, and are in the quarter-finals of both the Champions League and FA Cup.
Arsenal are the only English side to have achieved a quadruple, doing so in 2006-07.
The Blues have never won the Champions League, but completed a domestic treble in the 2020-21 season.
“We just take each game as it comes and we know our end goal,” James told BBC Sport.
“We’re still up for all four trophies but our aim is to take each game and hopefully we can get there.”
However, Hayes, who will depart to take over as manager of the United States at the end of the season, said she spends “zero time” talking about a quadruple.
“None of us discuss it,” she said. “We just wanted to get into a final a final tonight and I’m delighted we’re going into another [League Cup final] against Arsenal.”
‘We know how to do this’
Playing in four competitions has taken its toll on Chelsea, with a lengthy injury list and defender Nathalie Bjorn being cup-tied meaning midfielder Sjoeke Nusken had to play at centre-back against City.
Forwards Mayra Ramirez and Guro Reiten both had to be taken off with injuries on Thursday night.
The Chelsea manager said her team “deserve credit for digging in”.
“We don’t talk about injuries in our environment but trust me, we’re having to come through this congested schedule with limited numbers,” she said. “I say that because these players have to play international football etc.
“I felt like that was a Chelsea standard in terms of, if you’re going to suffer without the ball like we had to, then make it difficult.
“I think the team as a whole deserve credit for just digging in. I felt like we weren’t at our best tonight, not our freshest as the game went on, but we know how to do this and I thought it was gutsy from us.”
By Adam Millington
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