Three key players to Chelsea Women’s attack for the new season

With the new season approaching, which three Chelsea Women’s players have the most potential to play a key role in the title defense?

With barely a moment to breathe after their Community Shield victory, Chelsea Women begin their Super League title defense against Manchester United this Sunday. Their triumph last season came as a result of the cancellation of the season due to the Corona Virus pandemic. But a title is a title and the Blues will be desperate to hold onto it.

Last Saturday was the first Women’s Community Shield match in 12 years and it was the blue side from London who claimed the first trophy of the season, a confident 2-0 win for Emma Hayes’ side. The losing side on that day, Manchester City, will be looking to finally get their hands back on a league title having finished runners up in each of the past three seasons. Ultimately however there is no shortage of talent in the Chelsea Women’s squad, not least in the front line. The following are just some of the key players in Chelsea’s attack who will be crucial to retaining the WSL trophy.

Bethany England

Let’s start with the obvious pick. Beth England was last year’s WSL player of the season. The striker scored an impressive 14 goals in just 15 league appearances last campaign and continuing that form will no doubt be crucial for the Blues title hopes. 2019 saw the forward break into her namesake national team setup and she will be hoping for success at next year’s European Championships.

The big test this year will not be how England (the player not the country) performs domestically; double digit goals are to be expected by now, but how she will fare on the European stage. The Blues return to the Champions League after a year’s absence and England will be hoping to finally get a goal in a competition that has alluded her thus far.

Sam Kerr

Chelsea completed one of the most high-profile transfers in Women’s Super League history when they acquired Sam Kerr last November. The Australian comfortably holds the record for total goals in both America’s National Women’s Soccer League (77) and her home nation’s W-League (70). Despite her impressive individual statistics

Kerr may feel disheartened by a lack of silverware. She has already won more trophies at Chelsea (three) than she has with any of her previous clubs and there is no reason to believe next season won’t see more of the same. She could yet claim another trophy for the 19/20 season, with the FA Cup quarter-finals having been postponed until the end of September. The footballing hiatus has meant we have not yet seen the best of what Kerr can deliver, however the 20/21 season will mark the first time Kerr features in the Champions League and the Aussie captain will have a point to prove.

Fran Kirby

Fans of the England national team will be familiar with the name Fran Kirby. She was a major figure in the Lioness’s impressive performance at last year’s World Cup, where they lost to eventual winners USA in the semi-final. She was equally instrumental in Chelsea’s two previous WSL victories in 2015 and 2017/18, picking up the player of the season award in the latter.

Kirby has unfortunately been diagnosed with pericarditis, which has kept the versatile forward out of action for much of the past twelve months. However, her long-awaited return on Saturday, her first match of 2020, will provide extra excitement for the season ahead.

With these three women leading the line, Chelsea look set to be the team to beat next campaign. But they are not alone, this is a team game after all. Erin Cuthbert was a crucial part of the frontline last season and new signing Niamh Charles will be hoping to impress in time for next year’s European championships. We don’t yet know what the new season will bring for the women in blue but after a scoring average of over three goals a game last campaign, Chelsea Women will no doubt be one of the most exciting sides on the planet.