Erin Cuthbert has sent a clear message to her Chelsea teammates: take responsibility, challenge each other, and come back stronger next season. The Scottish midfielder spoke candidly after a dramatic FA Cup semi-final defeat to Manchester City at Stamford Bridge, a loss that leaves the Blues with only the Subway League Cup to show for a season that promised so much more.

For 86 minutes, it looked like Chelsea were heading to the final. Cuthbert and Sam Kerr had put the Blues in control, but City had other plans. Mary Fowler pulled one back, Bunny Shaw equalized in stoppage time, and then the Jamaican striker—rumored to be a Chelsea target this summer—completed the comeback with the winner in extra time. It was a gut-wrenching end to a match that summed up Chelsea's entire season: flashes of brilliance undone by late vulnerability.

"When we concede one goal, we look a bit vulnerable, and that's been the case all season," Cuthbert admitted. "It's definitely a team responsibility. We'll have to look at our own individual performances, see what we have and haven't done, and be quite honest with ourselves. If we all do that, we're going to get better and improve for next season."

Just one year ago, Sonia Bompastor's Chelsea were untouchable, storming to a domestic treble and winning the WSL by a 12-point margin. This season tells a very different story. With one game left, they trail newly-crowned champions Manchester City by 16 points. They were knocked out of the Champions League by Arsenal in the quarter-finals, and now the FA Cup dream is over too.

"Getting us all back on the same page is really, really important," Cuthbert said. "Man City have got big players too, and they'll always find a way to get back in the game. Next season, we want to be getting there. We want to be doing more."

For Chelsea fans, the message is clear: this is not the standard they expect, and the players know it. With a summer of reflection and recruitment ahead, the Blues are already plotting their return to the top. As Cuthbert put it, "It's a wee bit raw at the moment. But we'll take the time, learn from it, and come back better."