The winger goes into the international break off the back of two outstanding displays for the Gunners, which she'll hope to replicate against Belgium
When Chloe Kelly completed her loan move from Manchester City to Arsenal in January, eyebrows were raised. Those were mostly in the direction of City, who were letting an established England star, and one of the most productive wingers in the Women's Super League over the last few years, join one of their biggest rivals for a Champions League place. For Kelly and Arsenal, though, it's proving to be the perfect switch.
On Sunday, the winger raced to the byline and dug out a great cross with her weaker foot to pick out Beth Mead on the edge of the box. Her fellow Lioness latched onto the delivery brilliantly, meeting it on the volley with her own weaker wing to find the back of the net in spectacular fashion for her 50th WSL goal. It broke the deadlock and set Arsenal on their way to a fifth-successive league win, which allowed them to move back into second and maintain a seven-point cushion inside the European places.
The response to that goal from the fans, who had made the short journey across London to support the team away at Crystal Palace, said it all. "We want you to stay," they sang at their January signing, whose own post-match comments suggested she'd be open to a permanent switch to the club she came through as a youngster.
It's easy to see why, as Kelly fits brilliantly into what this Arsenal team wants to do. It's not only fuelling their strong end to the season, in the Champions League and the WSL, but it's giving her chances of starting for England at this summer's European Championship a serious boost, too.
GettyCity's loss is Arsenal's gain
It was for the best interest of all parties that Kelly moved on in January, having fallen wildly out of favour at City amid reports of a relationship breakdown with then-head coach Gareth Taylor. But it never felt like the eventual solution was ever going to work out well for her parent club, with them sending a talented and extremely motivated attacking asset to a team battling with them for one of the three available European spots.
Some doubted whether Kelly would get the playing time she was after as Arsenal have a lot of quality options for their forward line, but actually she was perhaps the missing piece in that area. Her addition as the Gunners’ fourth winger – alongside Mead, Mariona Caldentey and Caitlin Foord – has given head coach Renee Slegers the ability to regularly chop and change in those positions, be it between games or during. It has kept the attack fresh, full of energy and firing on all cylinders, which has been important while the fixtures have stacked up.
It’s also given Slegers more license to use Caldentey centrally, as she did in Thursday’s incredible comeback against Real Madrid and again in the clinical win over Palace. In both games, the Spaniard played brilliantly – and so did Kelly.
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The England winger’s final ball was a key feature of that victory over Madrid, with superb cross after superb cross delivered into the visitors’ box. Those produced Arsenal’s first two goals of an eventual 3-0 win, which overturned a 2-0 first-leg deficit on what was the first occasion in seven years that a team had come back from two goals down at the halfway point of a Women’s Champions League knockout tie.
Kelly continued that fine form in Sunday’s win over Palace, creating two of the Gunners’ four goals to take some serious momentum into this upcoming international break. Six weeks ago, the 27-year-old was left out of the England squad for the first time in Sarina Wiegman’s tenure, owing to a lack of minutes. Now, with her well up to speed again, she feels like a must-start against Belgium on Friday.
Getty ImagesBringing plenty to the table
"She came in with a lot of motivation and with a smile on her face and she said, 'I want to enjoy football. I want to represent Arsenal. I want to do my best for the team'. I think that's what she's done since she came in,” Slegers said of Kelly last week, before highlighting some of the off-pitch values she’s also brought to the table. “I knew the qualities she had as a player, but to see her day in, day out, I think she really contributes to our training environment. She's very feisty, she's a winner, very competitive. She's great. We're very happy with her.”
In a week which saw Kelly's creativity really stand out, Slegers was keen to praise the winger's work ethic out of possession after the win over Palace, too. "It’s very demanding to play for Arsenal, in all positions," she explained. "I think definitely the wide position is hard work and you need to bring quality and you need to bring intelligence on the ball, but then you need to bring a lot of work rate out of possession and you see all our players doing that. Chloe is one of them and she did it really well."
Getty ImagesEnjoying her football again
It's not like Kelly ever lost any of these traits. Even in her limited game time at City this season, she was able to show glimpses of her quality. It's just that she's in a different environment now which is not only providing her with more opportunities, but helping her to regain the confidence she lost in what became a difficult situation in Manchester.
"I think the way Renee sees the team play and the wingers play is sometimes inverted wingers and it’s quite new to me, but something where I feel like I can add to the team," Kelly said this past week. "I just want to be at my best every day for the team and Renee gives me confidence in those areas. Sometimes you make mistakes in those areas, but it is about the reaction as soon as you lose it and I think for me, that’s really important, but the confidence she gives me is really high, so I’m feeling good at the moment.
"I always said I really wanted to get my smile back and this club has done just that for me and I’m very grateful. You can see when I have a smile on my face, I just play free and I have good energy. For me, that’s what it’s all about. I think when Renee gives that confidence to you, you just have to show and repay that. I’m just having fun, so when I’m having fun, I’m at my best."
