'Embarrassing' sock clash delays Chelsea v Arsenal
The athletes from Arsenal covered the emblem of Chelsea on the socks they were wearing, which had been purchased at the Chelsea megastore.
Former England midfield player Karen Carney expressed her embarrassment regarding the kit fiasco that caused a delay in the Women's Super League game between Chelsea and Arsenal.
The match at Stamford Bridge was delayed for 30 minutes because Arsenal's socks were similar in color to the home team's socks.
Carney expressed on Sky Sports that although people are prone to making mistakes, it is not necessary in the game of sports, leading to a sense of irritation.
A representative from Arsenal bought dark socks from the Chelsea megastore and put tape over the logo of their rival team.
Carney, who had experience playing for both teams, expressed her eagerness to finally have a conversation solely focused on football in the women's game after waiting for a significant amount of time.
It's evident that a mistake was made, which is undoubtedly a human error. However, the situation is quite shameful and puts both the players and me in an awkward spot. It's quite frustrating, especially given the enormity of this game and the size of the audience in attendance.
The situation is pretty straightforward - we made a mistake with the kit. We acknowledge it and now we must move forward. However, this error reflects poorly on the sport.
This season, Arsenal has been exceptional in areas outside of the football pitch. They have set the pace in terms of audience turnout, stadium capacity, and advertising. However, they have made some errors along the way.
The regulations of the Football Association (FA) declare that teams are obligated to wear distinct colors to differentiate themselves from one another.
Hayes Laments Kit Man's Unfortunate Situation
The leaders of the WSL, Chelsea, emerged victorious against Arsenal with a score of 3-1 in front of a massive audience of 32,970. This set a new record for the highest number of spectators for a Chelsea Women match that took place at Stamford Bridge.
Emma Hayes, the boss, expressed her disappointment for Arsenal's kit man after the game and stated that she would have assisted him if possible.
Making derogatory comments may come easy, but I am deeply saddened for him. I would have readily exchanged our socks in a heartbeat if it could have alleviated the situation.
It didn't throw us off track at all.
Although Arsenal's manager Jonas Eidevall refused to use the delay as a reason for his team's poor performance, noting that "the situation was identical for both teams," Chelsea player Erin Cuthbert expressed her team's frustration.
"We were excited to finally get the chance to play the game after a lengthy wait. However, we handled ourselves admirably," she stated in her interview with Sky Sports.
"Our team had already discussed the matter, which felt strange given how late it was. Nevertheless, the way our team mates conducted themselves was truly impressive, especially the women."
