Millie Bright has dismissed any notion of a crisis at Chelsea following their recent defeat to Everton, which ended their record unbeaten streak.
Despite not winning in their last three Women’s Super League games, Bright remains optimistic. “It’s not a crisis, so we don’t behave in any other way than if we’d won the game,” she stated. Chelsea’s last league loss before this was 585 days ago.
Chelsea’s recent performance saw them take 30 shots against Everton, marking their highest number in a top-flight home game without scoring. This result has left them trailing Manchester City by six points after ten matches. Manchester United and Arsenal are also closely following Sonia Bompastor’s squad, who are currently second.
Before resuming league play, Chelsea will face Roma at Stamford Bridge in the Women’s Champions League on Wednesday. They currently sit seventh in the 18-team standings but are just one point away from securing a top-four spot, which would ensure progression to the competition’s last 16.
In their previous European outing, Chelsea drew 1-1 with Barcelona, last season’s runners-up. This marked their second draw in the 2025-26 league phase. However, they remain confident ahead of facing Roma, who have yet to win and have conceded the second-most goals (12) heading into matchday five.
Bright acknowledged that external reactions to Chelsea’s loss were more pronounced than internal ones. “There has probably been more noise from the outside, like, ‘wow, Chelsea lost a game’, than from the inside,” she said. She emphasised that football is becoming increasingly competitive and challenging.
Bright retired from international duty with England in October and has been an unused substitute in three of Chelsea’s last four matches. She expressed her dissatisfaction with watching from the sidelines but recognised it as part of playing for a top club with talented players.
The Competitive Nature of Top-Level Football
“We never go into any game with the mentality to get anything other than three points and a good performance,” Bright remarked about Chelsea’s approach to matches. She noted that as teams improve, it becomes harder to score and maintain clean sheets.
Bright highlighted that every player is vying for their position within the team due to its depth and talent. “Everyone is fighting for their position; it’s no different for any other individual,” she commented on the competitive environment at Chelsea.
Despite not wearing the captain’s armband recently, Bright affirmed her commitment to her role within the team: “With or without the [captain’s] armband, I will remain the same.” Her focus remains on contributing positively and supporting her teammates’ success.