When Millie Bright’s diagonal ball floated towards the far post, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd was ready and waiting, right place, right time, to send a sumptuous volley past the Tottenham goalkeeper Becky Spencer. Chelsea’s third, in a thrilling 5-2 defeat of Spurs, was the Women’s Super League’s goal of the month for October.
“A few months ago, that wouldn’t have been as normal for me as it is now,” says Rytting Kaneryd, sitting by Chelsea’s indoor 3G pitch before they travel north to play Liverpool on Sunday. “That’s something I can add to my game: to be more direct, be in the right space at the right moment, and be at the back post more. The coaches have been very clear with me that this is an area I can work on.”
What made her take on the chance? Confidence plays a big part. The goal against Tottenham was not her first to turn heads this season. It was the 27-year-old’s first-half goal in a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa to kickstart their campaign that set the tone for her strong start to the season. That goal, where the forward cut on to her left before lashing in the ball, was also something she had been told to work on.
“In the first meeting I had with Sonia [Bompastor] and Cami [assistant coach Camille Abily], they were very clear: you have to use your left foot more. That’s something I’ve been working on. It’s not something that just came to me, there’s been a lot of hard work behind it. There was a session before the Aston Villa game, I was doing repetitions just with my left and I had a good feeling coming into the game.”
After the goal celebrations had ceased, Rytting Kaneryd looked over to Abily: “It was fun to give Cami a look afterwards that said: ‘Yeah, I get it, it’s actually working.’ I don’t want to be a predictable player. That’s my nightmare.”
That instant gratification at all the extra training paying off was hugely important, filling the forward with confidence and cementing her relationship with the new coaches. “It’s always nice to have the coaches backing you, it helps you feel very, very confident in the moment,” she says. “I’m just happy at the moment, and that just makes playing … easier.”
Her form is not a surprise to her. “Last year was a big learning year for me and I feel like this year, I was very clear from the beginning of the season what I wanted to do on the pitch. That was to be more direct, score more goals and get more assists. I’m not a different player, but a Jojo 2.0 maybe.”
The desire for instant results has meant her journey hasn’t always been easy. Emma Hayes, who has since moved on to manage the US women’s team, explained that when the player arrived at Chelsea, “but I wasn’t happy about it in the moment”, says the Swede.
“I hate to say it, but she was right. It takes a year to actually settle in at a club like Chelsea and learn everything,” she adds. “It was a big, big step from what I was used to in Sweden. The first year I wouldn’t say I was struggling, but mentally it was hard, because I’m not a person that has a lot of patience. I really want everything to come quickly.”
The development of Rytting Kaneryd should not be a surprise to anyone. She grew up in Kolsva, which has a population of less than 3,000, 97 miles west of Stockholm, used to play football with her twin brother and was coached by her father. At 12 she was playing senior women’s football. “It was division two,” she says. “I was playing with friends of my mum, which is insane when you think about it. I was a kid. But I learned a lot from that, and it was a test physically. I’ve always been a pretty quick player, so I managed to avoid most physical duels.”
At 15 Rytting Kaneryd moved to Stockholm’s Tyresö, and it was a culture shock. “I’ve always been very clear with what I want and I’m just happy that I had my family supporting me and letting me leave at 15 years old, but it was a challenge too, there were a lot of nights calling my dad crying.”
There was a lot to learn at Tyresö, though, with the Brazil great Marta, the US international Christen Press and the Sweden legend Caroline Seger all in the team. At 17, Rytting Kaneryd was an unused substitute in the 4-3 defeat by Wolfsburg in the 2014 Champions League final. “When I think about it now, it’s pretty insane,” she says. “Of course Marta is one of those players I’ve always looked up to. Being able to play with her and see her on a daily basis is something I’m very, very, very thankful for. Even though I was young, didn’t feel especially confident and I was struggling mentally at times, I learned a lot about what you need to be at the absolutely top level.”
This season Chelsea have seven wins from seven games across the league and Champions League. Despite a new manager, changes to coaching personnel and a number of incoming players, that is formidable form. They have scored 20 goals in five league games with 13 different goalscorers. For context, Manchester City and Tottenham are next in line having scored 12 each across six games played. It feels like something special is happening and the trophy that has eluded them to date, the Champions League, is not an unrealistic aim.
“If there is any time we should win, it is this year,” says Rytting Kaneryd. “The squad is incredible. Emma did a really good job giving minutes to the young players, like Aggie [Beever-Jones] and Maika [Hamano]. Everyone in the squad can start and be comfortable.
“A big factor is how unselfish we are. That’s why we’ve had so many goalscorers. I’ve always been a very unselfish player, but it’s good to have a good mix. You can be too unselfish: you have to always do what’s best for the team but, at the same time, you have to trust yourself and what you can do. That’s what we’re all getting right at the moment and that’s what I’m getting right at the moment.”
Now, the Blues have a big few weeks ahead that could cement their multiple title credentials. After Liverpool on Sunday, they travel to Celtic in the Champions League before back-to-back games at Stamford Bridge, against title rivals Manchester City and Celtic in the reverse Champions League fixture, and then host Manchester United at Kingsmeadow.
Stamford Bridge feels like home now. “The more games we can play, the better,” Rytting Kaneryd says. “Hopefully, the fans show up and we can really put on a show for them. I love Kingsmeadow, it’s such a nice arena and you’re very close to the fans, but Stamford Bridge … it’s something else.”
