Perisset or Charles: Who should be Chelsea’s first choice?

On the right side of the defense, Chelsea Women currently possess two players that have essentially split minutes so far this season. Left-back and goalkeeper are two other positions on this year’s Blues team that have created competition, but none has been more intriguing than what is currently happening at right back. To have two brilliant players to slot into this position in any game is a luxury Emma Hayes is thankful she has, but at the end of the day, she can only choose one for the lineup card.

When French international, Eve Perisset moved from Bordeaux to west London, there was little doubt that after her performance in the Euros in the summer she would be fighting for minutes in her new club. Niamh Charles came into the new campaign with CFC with a chip on her shoulder after failing to make the England squad this past summer. It is quite remarkable to see a player like Charles put her head down and work at earning her spot at CFC even after the club went out and tried to find a replacement during the summer transfer window.

Given the talent in all the attacking areas of the pitch for the Blues, right back is a position that the Englishwomen can contribute to the team consistently while adding that forward presence. Charles is the only one of the two that has found the back of the net during this campaign. Her standout run on the road against Everton when she took on three Toffees’ defenders to net the game-clinching goal of the afternoon has to be in the discussion for the Blues’ goal of the season.

With Perisset out due to injury in the FA Cup against Liverpool, Charles took advantage, becoming a nuisance on the right side of the defense for the Reds. She found Sam Kerr twice in the box to collect two assists to bring her total up to three in all competitions. The French international may have failed to execute an assist so far during her first year in west London, but Perisset leads the team in total crosses across both the Women’s Super League and Champions League. Perisset is also second on the team, behind Sophie Ingle in progressive passes at 61.

Charles struggled mightily against Arsenal at the Emirates to kick off WSL action after the break, conceding a penalty as she failed to contain Australian Caitlin Foord as she drove at the Blues’ backline on numerous instances. Charles is an inverted winger that played higher up the pitch for much of her career while Perisset has spent the majority of her time during her professional career in different spots of the backline.

The Englishwomen’s defensive skillset is still developing, but her anticipation, and ability to disrupt attacking plays by the opposition has been something to take note of as the season moves into February. Charles is second on the team in tackles plus interceptions in the WSL and Champions League, behind only the Blues’ most consistent player this season, Erin Cuthbert.

Her phenomenal beginning of the season with the Blues earned her a place back on the English national team, starting against Norway, and Japan during the November international window. Charles’ versatility allows Hayes to play her higher up the pitch if need be, but for the most part this season, Charles has played as a wing back, predominantly on the right hand side.

Despite the previous point, the French defender still possesses a strong threat going forward having nearly found the back of the net in the opening minutes against Tottenham in the Conti Cup win at Brisbane Road. In the Euros this past summer, Perisset accumulated 90 minutes or more for France on four occasions, including contributing the game-clinching penalty against Netherlands in the quarterfinals while leading her team in tackles in her 105 minutes on the pitch against the Dutch with eight. On a depleted French side, Perisset’s presence was very much know to any fan tuning in as she controlled the right side of France’s defense with composure, and dynamism.

Emma Hayes honestly cannot go wrong with either of these two. Neither of them have been complete standouts in a way that is driving the other off the pitch, so for Hayes, it has been a rotating position for nearly the entire campaign so far. Although in matches against both Reading, and Vllaznia, Hayes deployed them both in the starting XI, it is becoming a common theme to see one of them swap with the other in the middle of a match.

Charles has started in 14 contests so far this season, while Perisset has been in the starting lineup in 13. Following Charles’ two assist outing in 90 minutes against Liverpool, and Perisset’s injury, the English international has to be the go-to player for Hayes over the next few weeks. If both of them are healthy, and fit, which one should get the nod over the other?

It is a difficult question to answer because both of these players have relatively matched each others performances every time out. Do you go with the experience of Perisset at 28, or the youth and potential of growth with Charles? For someone that has forced her way into the squad like Charles has this season combined with her gradual improvement defensively makes me lean more towards Charles as the first choice.

Her background as an attacker benefits her in many ways, and against Liverpool, it is clear she has the talent to find players in the box from the wing. Perisset is as talented as they come, and for Hayes, this is most likely going to be a position that sees continued rotation, but for what she can bring further down the line, Charles receives my nod.