Women's Super League 'We have another level we can get to'

Defender Naomi Girma says Chelsea 'could have played better' last season, despite winning a domestic treble

- Suzanne Wrack

o, Naomi Girma, how do you top a treble-winning season? The US international, sitting relaxed on the 3G pitch at Chelsea's Cobham training ground, bits of the rubber crumb being squeezed between her fingers, does not hesitate before answering.

"We feel like we have another level we can get to," she says. "It's not about how we maintain this level but how we continue evolving and keep getting better. Having that mentality is always better than focusing on making sure no one catches us.

"If you ask any one of us, we feel like last year we could have played better, we could have had better performances so continuing to evolve as a team and continuing to get better is what we're going to prioritise."

Chelsea did not only win the league, they went through the whole domestic campaign unbeaten and won the FA Cup and League Cup too. True they did not have the best of performances at times, but they still won, and won, and won, powered by a mentality not dissimilar to that seen in the US women's national team. "That's my favourite type of way to be, to play: never say die, 'til the final minute keep pushing, never give up," says Girma.

"That is the mentality I have been raised with and try to bring to a team. So, whenever you're around a group that believes that and is trying to put that into every single game, every single session, that just brings out the best in you and the group. It's one of my favourite parts of this club."