Emma Hayes didn't bite her tongue as she delivered a scathing post-mortem following her side's disappointing 3-1 loss to Arsenal in the Conti Cup final at Selhurst Park on Sunday afternoon.
Arsenal "delivered a reality check" to a Chelsea side swimming in trophy-laden complacency, according to the Blues boss.
Chelsea took an early lead through Sam Kerr's header in the opening two minutes, but it was an insipid-looking Blues who were left desperately chasing shadows until the final minutes as Arsenal delivered three goals in a swift first-half riposte through Stina Blackstenius, a Kim Little penalty and an own goal via Niamh Charles on the stroke of half-time.
READ MORE: Continental Cup Final Arsenal vs Chelsea LIVE: Gunners claim trophy with comeback win
And Hayes took no prisoners afterwards as she criticised the reigning league champion's laxity with silverware on the line.
"The blistering start killed us - we sat off when they got the first goal. The difference was between a team that has won a lot and a team that hasn't," Hayes told BBC One.
"They won the duels they were at a better intensity than us. The best team won there's no doubt.
"I'm disappointed with us - you can't concede three goals against a team that haven't won a lot, which they haven't domestically. They wanted it more."
Hayes was forced into an early substitution on the 40-minute mark as her decision to not rotate the side that defeated Arsenal in the FA Cup firth round seven days earlier ostensibly backfired.
Yet, no matter how much tinkering Hayes committed to, Chelsea were left frustrated and bereft of ideas vis-à-vis a resilient Arsenal defence, a far cry from the iteration that left Arsenal licking their wounds after their FA Cup fifth round exit.
And when asked if conceding on the stroke of half-time was the most disappointing part of her side's display, Hayes was nearly incandescent as she insisted the loss of so many duels in the first half ranked higher than a sloppy concession, a tangible sign of the difference in desire between the two teams.
"You have to win your battles and we didn't do that, they dominated," Hayes said. "Kim Little deservedly Player of the Match. When you don't do those things sometimes you need a reality check and the better team won today.
"There was complacency today - we won a lot and they haven't and today they wanted it more than us. Simple as.
"The best team won, I'm disappointed with us because I think for a Chelsea team, our standards are higher than that."
Arsenal's comeback win sees them staunch an unpalatable silverware rot with four years passing since a trophy lift. As Leah Williamson and captain Kim Little hoisted the Conti Cup into the air against a frenzied backdrop of champagne, streamers and flames, Arsenal's title as the most successful team in the competition's history was well and truly sealed.
Chelsea return to action next with a tough league match set against current WSL leaders Manchester United on 12 March as they continue their season's silverware hunt.
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