Chelsea boss Emma Hayes praised her side's adaptability and says they've become 'hybrid monsters' following Sunday's FA Cup triumph over Manchester United.
The Blues secured a narrow 1-0 victory at Wembley Stadium courtesy of a goal from Sam Kerr. It was by no means a straightforward performance, but Chelsea's grit and resilience pulled them through on the day.
Hayes admitted her side were far from their best against United, but finding a way to get over the line is what counts. She also highlighted the team's flexibility and says it's something that's taken years to master.
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"What the team has become is the most flexible team, we’ve come hybrid monsters," Hayes said post-match. "We can float between positions just like that and trust me, that takes years to master. So congratulations to the players for being so adaptable.
"Sometimes there’s a sense that everything has to be perfect but I think any winning manager will tell you over the course of time, there’s such a mixture of performances that go on in the course of the season. We’ve played extraordinarily well in the last two games.
"Paul Green said that was the worst first half of FA Cup we’ve ever had. He’s not wrong. So finding ways to win when you’re not at your best, for me that is always the marker of a great team."
Sunday's win was Chelsea's fifth FA Cup final victory and they're currently on track to secure their fourth consecutive league title. Regardless of the club's success and the sheer amount of silverware they've collected under Hayes, the manager says she'll never get tired of that winning feeling.
Hayes continued: "Honestly, never, I said it to Erin (Cuthbert) and Guro (Reiten), I’ll never tire of this. Hand on my heart, I could cry about it.
"Chelsea fans, I hope you had a little bit of joy today, that we gave you something to smile about this year, the whole club, the owners included."
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