Erin Cuthbert has said securing the central midfield berth this season played a critical role in the negotiations for the 24-year-old’s contract renewal with Chelsea and owed her remarkable form of late to her Euro 2022 absence.
The versatile Scotland international has been deployed all over the Chelsea pitch under manager Emma Hayes' supervision since moving to west London in 2017. But this season has seen Cuthbert perform exclusively in a deeper midfield role, serving as one of the Blues’ most consistent stars with starts in every league match this season.
The form coincides aptly with a renewed contract that sees Cuthbert tied to the club until 2025, and Cuthbert has opened up on the patience required to reach this point in her career, as well as the unflagging persistence from herself to bring about the change so effectively.
“I kept going into the office every six months since I joined the club wanting to play there,” Cuthbert said after her side’s 3-0 London derby victory over Tottenham Hotspur.
“‘No’ [was the usual answer]. Every time she’s let on, ‘next year, next year, next year.’ I always got that answer. She tried to keep me happy and I was like, ‘oh yeah, I’ll see you in midfield eventually’ was always the answer, but for me, I’m really glad that the time came and it was a big reason in my contract renewal.
“I wanted to be a midfielder. I know I’m best in midfield. You know as a player where you feel most comfortable, where you feel best, and I know that midfield is my home and I want to prove that to everybody.”
Sunday’s performance was an elaboration of this theme, with Cuthbert capping off her eighth start of the campaign and inimitably composed display in midfield with a sublime half-volley after Guro Reiten’s first-half corner fell to her on the edge of the area. The goal marked Cuthbert’s second in the campaign, making her Chelsea’s fifth top-scorer in the WSL.
And Cuthbert admitted that such an all-around performance is the direct result of the grind put in during pre-season while many of her teammates were away with their countries during the Women’s European Championships.
Four Blues players were involved in the summer's triumphant Lionesses squad, but with Scotland failing to qualify, Cuthbert was afforded ample time and access to the coaching staff to hone new dimensions to her midfield game.
“Last December during the season, I was kinda thrown in there, but I didn’t have a lot of time to work on it but this pre-season, the Euros not happening for me, I had a lot of one-on-one time during pre-season to actually solidify and nail down the position and get to know the ins and outs of it,” she said.
“When we went on pre-season tour, it was really good. I think there are less people here, so you can have more one-on-one time and that’s really important.”
The time spent deep in midfield this season has cut Cuthbert into the “best shape that I’ve been in”. Adapting to the rigours of the newer position has brought its own lessons, particularly constantly adjusting her body in a manner that is open to the entire pitch rather than one flank as she was accustomed to when playing in wider areas.
But Cuthbert believes she has adapted well and is determined to continue to add even more new skills to her swelling repertoire, including goalscoring.
“People say I only score bangers and it’s actually annoying,” she said with a cheeky smile. “I want to score tap-ins as well. I want to be known as a goalscorer. But I think [Sunday’s goal] certainly ranks up there [with my best]. In the week that I signed my contract, it’s really really special.
“Chelsea has a history and I know what it means to be at Chelsea, I’ve been here a long time. To top one off at the Bridge, the same week as my contract renewal is certainly something special in that and it means so much with all the fans here as well.”
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