Chelsea Women season review - Emma Hayes perfect farewell, Lauren James award, Barcelona blemish

Chelsea are no strangers to domestic success but their latest Women's Super League title triumph might just be their most impressive yet.

It has been a campaign full of ups and downs for the Blues, who looked dead and buried in the title race with just three games to go before a stunning end to the season saw them pip Manchester City to the trophy on goal difference. They have had a deluge of injuries to contend with, with talisman Sam Kerr and summer signing Mia Fishel both rupturing their anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL), while defender Millie Bright also spent much of the season on the sidelines with a recurring knee problem.

Of course, all of this unfolded against the backdrop of Emma Hayes' shock decision to leave the club after 12 stellar years. The 47-year-old has already taken up her new role as head coach of the US Women's national team but not before she ended her Chelsea tenure with a flourish by masterminding the Blues fifth consecutive WSL title win.

With the WSL transfer window set to open on June 24 and the clock already ticking down towards next term, here is football.london's comprehensive Chelsea 2023/24 season review:

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Season score: 8/10

With two months of the season remaining, Chelsea looked to be on course for a quadruple. With two weeks to go, it seemed they were destined to finish up trophyless.

That the Blues ended up with the WSL title is a huge testament to their mental resilience, while the fact they made it to the semi-finals of both the FA Cup and Champions League - plus the final of the Conti Cup - is impressive, even though they were unable to get over the line in those cup competitions.

Player of the Season: Lauren James

It might seem like the obvious choice but it's hard to look past Lauren James when it comes to Chelsea's Player of the Season. The Blues' top scorer with 16 goals in all competitions, James has gone from strength to strength this term, even though she was hampered by injury in the latter stages of the campaign. Summer signing Sjoeke Nusken and midfield maestro Erin Cuthbert also deserve honourable mentions.

Highlight: Manchester United 0-6 Chelsea

This season, we were treated to one of the closest title races in WSL history. Chelsea were level on points with Manchester City heading into the final day, meaning it would effectively be a straight shootout to decide the destination of the WSL trophy.

Hayes' side arguably had the toughest assignment as they travelled to Old Trafford to take on a Manchester United side that had knocked them out of the FA Cup less than a month earlier. City, meanwhile, were facing mid-table Aston Villa at Villa Park.

But any Chelsea nerves were quickly settled when record signing Mayra Ramirez put them ahead inside two minutes, setting the tone for an imperious display that was topped off by a goal from legendary midfielder Fran Kirby on her last game for the club. City also got the job done in the West Midlands but the manner of the Blues' victory made their goal difference insurmountable, meaning Hayes got her perfect Chelsea farewell in the Manchester sunshine.

Disappointment: Chelsea 0-2 Barcelona

The one blemish on Hayes' Chelsea copybook is her failure to win a European trophy during her time at Kingsmeadow. The Blues made it to the final in 2021, losing 4-0 to Barcelona, while the Catalan giants also knocked them out in last season's semi-finals.

It was fitting, then, that Hayes should get one last crack at toppling her European nemesis this term and it looked as if her team might be set to do just that after a stunning first-leg semi-final victory at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. But Barcelona know what it takes to get the job done in the Champions League and Chelsea were firmly second-best in the second leg at Stamford Bridge, where goals from Aitana Bonmati and Fridolina Rolfo won the day for the visitors.

What comes next:

It is almost impossible to imagine a Chelsea side without Hayes at the helm but, for the first time in more than a decade, that will be the case next term as Sonia Bompastor takes the reins at Kingsmeadow. The former Lyon boss is a serial winner and, having led the French side to victory in the 2022 Champions League final, could well help the Blues put an end to their European hoodoo.

However, with Manchester City only getting stronger under Gareth Taylor and Arsenal likely to strengthen this summer, Bompastor will have to hit the ground running if Chelsea are to continue their dominance in the WSL.