Why fit-again Lionesses legend Lucy Bronze can benefit from Chelsea signing another world-class right-back in Ellie Carpenter

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.

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."

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.

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.

Another big benefit to Carpenter's signing is the reduced dependancy on Bronze, who was a near ever-present for Chelsea last year. Millie Bright, the Blues' captain, was the only outfielder to play more minutes for the club last year than Bronze, who will celebrate her 34th birthday later this month. Her aim is to play at the highest level for as long as possible and, as such, it's not a bad thing for Bompastor to now be able to give her a rest when she needs it.

That wasn't something she was able to do much last season, not without seeing a drop in quality from the standard set by the England star, anyway. That's not the case now. Carpenter is a world-class player who can be relied on to perform with remarkable consistency, just as Bronze has been.

That's great news for the Lionesses, too. Sarina Wiegman doesn't have many options besides Bronze at right-back, meaning the 33-year-old almost always plays for her country, regardless of the fixture. If she isn't doing the same at Chelsea, though, that extra loading at England level won't feel quite as significant. There can be greater balance in the full-back's season, which is all the more important given she's started it on the sidelines.

Of course, Bronze will want to play as much as possible. She won't want to be rotated in and out; she wants to compete and play her part. But Bompastor likes to take advantage of opportunities in Chelsea's busy calendar to rest players where she can and now, thanks to Carpenter's arrival, she can do that on the right-hand side of the defence too, something she wasn't able to do much before.

And when that's not the case, when Bompastor has both players available, she has two of the best right-backs in the world at her disposal to use in whichever way she believes can best benefit her team. It's a situation in which seemingly everybody wins.