When people typically think of Chelsea, men or women, they usually associate their superstars with big-name players who cost a lot of money, but Australian Ellie Carpenter joined the Blues from Lyon in 2025 for an undisclosed fee and was recently awarded the Professional Footballers Australia Women's Player of the Year award.
Carpenter, who has already surpassed her goal tally from last season, netting five goals in 13 appearances so far this season, is second in Chelsea's top goalscorers, just behind France's Melvine Malard, who has eight.
One of the reasons why the Australian international has been transformed under Sonia Bompastor is that Carpenter played under the Frenchwoman when the two were at Lyon, where Bompastor would deploy Carpenter as a wing-back or full-back, and that continuity has carried over to their time at Chelsea.
"She is able to impact the game. The way we want to play as a team, she is really important out of possession and in possession."
"In possession, she always has the mindset and mentality to go forward. She has a lot of pace and is improving a lot in terms of her technical aspects."
Bompastor usually played a four at the back, but since coming over to England, her tactical stance has changed, now playing five at the back, whether that be due to the difference in league or the personnel she has at her disposal.
But where that benefits Carpenter is that, in a back five, she sets up as a right wing-back and is given the freedom to go further forward, with Lucy Bronze shifting over to right-back, setting up in a four at the back.
Carpenter has been a huge part of Chelsea sitting at the top of the WSL table, and still unbeaten, only dropping points against Aston Villa in their opening game of the season. She leads the squad in big chances created with seven, and has the most touches in the opposition's box with 56, with only Khadija Shaw, Lauren Hemp and Victoria Pelova having more touches than Carpenter.
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