Why Is Kelly Not An Automatic Starter For Arsenal Or England?

ByJoe Bradshaw

BBC Sport elder journalist

The shirt-twirling. The historical goals. The open-mouthed delight. Chloe Kelly is firmly etched into shot folklore.

An extra-time victor astatine Euro 2022 to clinch England's first world title and nan decisive punishment 3 years later to clasp nan trophy made judge of that.

Despite those defining interventions for nan Lionesses, Kelly's effect has faded.

Rarely a starter for Arsenal, nan 28-year-old managed conscionable 9 minutes disconnected nan chair successful England's caller World Cup qualifiers pinch Spain and Iceland.

As nan Gunners' attentions move to a Champions League semi-final against Lyon connected Sunday, BBC Sport assesses why Kelly is not an automatic prime for either nine aliases country.

Women's Champions League semi-final, first leg

Sunday, 26 April astatine 15:30 BST

In 2022-23, caller disconnected her Euros heroics, Kelly was an integral portion of Gareth Taylor's Manchester City broadside and started each but 1 of their Women's Super League fixtures.

Since then, it has been a different story.

Dogged by injuries, she has made much appearances disconnected nan chair successful nan past 3 years than she has started games, pinch her clip astatine City unravelling earlier her move to Arsenal successful January 2025.

Shortly earlier that move, Kelly went nationalist connected a "disappointing" and "not right" , externalsituation having started conscionable 1 lucifer for City successful nan WSL successful 2024-25.

The move to Emirates Stadium began promisingly. She started 9 of Arsenal's remaining 14 games, including nan Champions League last triumph complete Barcelona.

Then, came nan latest pivotal section successful her career, a semi-final victor against Italy astatine Euro 2025 and that trophy-clinching punishment successful nan final.

However, 2025-26 has been little kind.

Consigned to nan Arsenal chair aft starting - and scoring - connected nan opening day, Kelly past spent nan champion portion of 4 months connected nan sidelines pinch a knee problem.

She did astatine slightest commencement nan 3 WSL games earlier nan world break successful March, scoring a hat-trick against West Ham, and started - and scored - successful nan first limb of nan Champions League quarter-final pinch Chelsea.

One week later though, she was alongside nan subs again for nan return astatine Stamford Bridge.

For England, yes, but not for Arsenal.

In 14 appearances disconnected nan chair for her club, she has managed conscionable 1 extremity and 2 assists.

Team-mate Stina Blackstenius, an moreover much perennial substitute, dwarfs Kelly's effect arsenic a substitute. She's travel disconnected nan chair 24 times since Kelly's debut and scored six times.

Indeed, Blackstenius' 15 goals arsenic a substitute successful nan WSL and Champions League for Arsenal since 2022-23 is almost double nan return of immoderate different subordinate successful that play - and she scored nan victor successful nan European last past season.

If leader Renee Slegers is looking astatine her chair for a match-winner, Blackstenius tops nan list.

Instead, nan numbers propose Kelly is acold much effective for Arsenal erstwhile she starts, pinch 87.5% of her goals coming erstwhile she's begun nan crippled connected nan pitch.

Only chap Lionesses Alessia Russo and Beth Mead, positive Mariona Caldentey, person much extremity involvements for Arsenal since Kelly joined.

For England, it is simply a different story. Here, she does person 5 goals arsenic a sub since June 2022, including her heroics successful knockout rounds.

Despite her wounded issues, Kelly has 58 caps for England since Euro 2022 - but 40 of those person travel disconnected nan bench.

It is doubly arsenic galore arsenic anyone else.

"She thrives successful unit moments," says England's grounds goalscorer Ellen White. "She is simply a world-class talent pinch unbelievable technique.

"But we person perchance nan champion onslaught successful world shot pinch Lauren Hemp, Lauren James, Beth Mead, Jess Park and Chloe Kelly.

"It seems to beryllium moving beautiful good astatine nan moment."

Like pinch England, title astatine Arsenal is fierce.

Take Russo. She has 26 WSL and Champions League goals since Kelly arrived past play and has been deployed successful various ways to outstanding effect by Slegers successful 2025-26.

Then, there's Mead. An Arsenal stalwart and, arsenic nan schematic present shows, she remains a trusted lieutenant connected nan correct helping wherever Kelly likes to operate.

She creates much chances than Kelly and has a crippled characterised much by duels and pressing than her England colleague, though she has been ruled retired of this fixture for individual reasons.

On nan different flank, nan Gunners splashed astir £1m connected Canada's Olivia Smith past summertime and nan 21-year-old has performed good successful her first season.

That type of outlay suggests Arsenal spot her having a salient domiciled and, having started two-thirds of games this season, it is apt Smith's power will grow.

Equally, beyond Russo, it is adjacent to constituent retired Slegers rotates her forwards regularly and having value options is important for occurrence successful modern football.

Given Kelly has started immoderate of Arsenal's biggest Champions League games complete nan past 2 seasons, it suggests nan nine do not position her only arsenic an effect player.

"No-one wants to beryllium that subordinate who conscionable comes connected and affects nan game," says erstwhile Arsenal and Scotland defender Jen Beattie. "You want to start, but pinch truthful overmuch talent successful nan squad thing is simply a given.

"Kelly will beryllium disappointment but has to support pushing and I'm judge she will. Everyone knows what she is tin of."

At 28 and successful her prime, Kelly is astatine a cardinal juncture successful her career.

By this clip adjacent month, she could person back-to-back Champions League winner's medals to spell pinch her Euros titles.

If that does happen, Kelly's backmost catalogue suggests she will person made her people somehow.

But will she beryllium contented to beryllium a rotational portion astatine Emirates Stadium? Or will she hunt retired a definite starting domiciled and a much regular opportunity to impressment Lionesses head Sarina Wiegman earlier nan World Cup successful Brazil adjacent summer?

The adjacent section successful nan fascinating communicative of England's catalyst subordinate is waiting to beryllium written.