When Chelsea signed Ellie Carpenter in the summer transfer window, one of the first thoughts for many was: What does this mean for Lucy Bronze? Eight years younger than the Lionesses star, Carpenter firmly established herself as a world-class right-back during a trophy-laden five-year stint with Lyon. Was she now moving to London to usurp one of England's biggest names?
Those questions have been fuelled further by events at the start of this season. With Bronze on the sidelines, recovering from a fractured tibia that she played through to help her country win the European Championship in July, Carpenter has been electric, marking herself out as one of the Blues' best performers so far in the new campaign.
But while, on paper, it might look like the two are battling for the same spot in the Chelsea XI, that's not necessarily the case. In fact, Carpenter's arrival is actually good news for Bronze and even England, something that can begin to become apparent after the Lionesses star made her return from injury in Sunday's win over Tottenham.
AFPNew system
Another thought that would've popped into the heads of many when Carpenter's signing was announced by Chelsea in the summer would have related to the way the Blues ended their first season under head coach Sonia Bompastor, who led her new team to just a second-ever treble by winning the Women's Super League, FA Cup and League Cup, all without losing a game across the three competitions.
In Chelsea's last game of the WSL season, and the FA Cup final which followed it a few days later, Bompastor set her team up with a back three for the first time. In the first instance, at home to Liverpool with the league title already wrapped up, it felt like a potential one-off, but when the Blues came out in that same shape against Manchester United at Wembley, it felt more significant. That feeling only increased with the signing of Carpenter, who has experience both as a wing-back and on the right-hand side of a back three, as well as in the orthodox full-back role.
It was a system that suited a number of Chelsea players, including Niamh Charles on the left side of the defence and the flying Sandy Baltimore, and Carpenter's arrival only gave Bompastor greater chance to use it moving forward.
AdvertisementGetty'They can play together'
Bronze played at right wing-back in both of those games at the end of last season, with it a position she has experience in, especially at England level, and one she suits. It allows the 33-year-old to lean into her attacking threat and incredible athleticism, while knowing there is a little more protection behind her from a defensive perspective.
However, Bronze can also play as a right-sided centre-back in a back three. It's no surprise, then, that the Chelsea boss is adamant that both Bronze and Carpenter can, and will, play in the same team.
"I think they can play together," she said last month. "It's an option. I think all the best players will play. I will have to pick a starting XI, but in my mind, I always think about what is the best team or the best starting XI going into every game, and if both Ellie and Lucy are performing at the same time, at a high level, they will both play. I think both of them can play in those two positions, the right full-back or the right wing-back. We can expect to see them both on the pitch at the same time."
Getty ImagesExciting prospect
It's a prospect which only makes Chelsea's right-hand side more threatening. Carpenter has already exploded onto the WSL scene, charging up and down the wing to great effect while forming promising partnerships with the likes of Johanna Rytting Kaneryd and Alyssa Thompson in front of her. Bronze getting forward as a right centre-back, knowing that the defensive areas are better protected in this system, can surely only benefit Carpenter as she continues that form, while there may also be games where Carpenter is better-suited to the deeper role as Bronze pushes forward.
The versatility and high-quality of both players increases the depth at Bompastor's disposal and the options she has when it comes to team selection, while also ensuring she can play a back three or a back four even if one of them is unavailable. Had the Blues not signed Carpenter in the summer transfer window, it is unlikely that we would've seen this back three at the start of the season, given Bronze has been out for the first few weeks. Now, though, Bompastor isn't relying on the England star to be fit every time she wants to deploy that shape, as would've been the case for the most part last term.
Getty Images SportUnpredictable
It also improves the unpredictability of this Chelsea team, something the manager is particularly happy about.
"I think that's good for us to be able to play back three, back four, because when we face opponents, sometimes they will doubt what we can use going into the game," Bompastor said in September, after Carpenter shone as a wing-back in victory over Manchester City on the opening weekend. "We want to be as strong as possible in different systems and I think it's good to have those options."
And it's not just in the shape that Chelsea can spring a surprise. "I think being unpredictable in terms of system, but also in terms of different profiles we can bring into every game, it's something important," Bompator added.