Brighton head coach Dario Vidosic has been contending with lots of injuries in recent weeks.
Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie was the latest to join the queue in the medical office, suffering a concussion in training last week which meant she was not able to be in the squad to face Chelsea on Sunday.
The defending Women’s Super League champions ran out 3-0 winners – and Vidosic said it was no less than they deserved.
More than that, he revealed that several of the under-19 squad as well as the goalkeeping coach have been helping them out to make up the numbers in training sessions.
“We have been struggling for fit players,” said Vidosic, according to the club’s official website. “This week a few of the U19s and even our goalkeeping coach have been helping us out in training to make up numbers, but it’s hard to replicate that intensity when you come into a game against Chelsea.
“With the ball we were not that good. I thought we defended well but in terms of our attacking play we didn’t really find any rhythm. Full credit to Sandy Baltimore, she’s stuck it in the top corner from 20 yards for their first goal and coming just before half-time it was important for them.
“Then when we conceded so soon after half-time it made things that a lot more difficult. Chelsea played really well and to make them suffer you really have to keep the ball better than we did.”
Dario Vidosic: It has been a positive first half of the season
That was Brighton’s last match of the year, meaning that Vidosic now has a few weeks to get a full squad back available for selection.
Even with the injuries, his side are firmly mid-table, sitting in seventh place, with four wins and two draws making up the 14 points they have to their credit thus far.
“It’s a good time for us to freshen up. It will give the girls an opportunity to rest, spend time with their families and hopefully allow one or two of our injured players to get fit,” he said.
“Overall it has been a really positive first half of the season but I have only fielded the same team once so far and that is something we can hopefully do a bit more regularly in the second part of the season to create that continuity.”
