'A generational talent' - Fran Kirby's return is good news for England, Chelsea and Sam Kerr

No season better illustrated what Kirby is all about quite like 2020-21. Forming the deadliest of partnerships with Sam Kerr, the pair ran defences ragged to help Chelsea clinch a domestic treble for the first time in a season that also saw them reach their first Women’s Champions League final.

In the WSL, she racked up 16 goals and 11 assists in just 18 games. In the FA Cup final, she broke the deadlock and teed up Kerr to double the lead over Arsenal. In the Continental Cup final, she was involved in all six of Chelsea’s goals in their thrashing of Bristol City. She was absolutely unstoppable.

But there’s another layer that makes these feats all the more impressive. In the previous season, Kirby was diagnosed with pericarditis, a heart disease which would keep her away from the game she loves for nine months. She even wondered whether she’d ever play again. To come back in such fashion, then, was absolutely incredible.

“She's been instrumental in the history we have created here,” her manager, Emma Hayes, said. “Her relentless pursuit of excellence and winning, two things I love the most, have meant that she strives for more all of the time - not even more, she just strives for better. I think that's been mirrored by who she has grown into as a person. She'll probably say the same, Chelsea and Fran Kirby are a perfect match, in every way, shape and form.

“This is probably, for me, her proudest achievement, this season, because to recover after what she went through and to produce even better performances, you have to have unbelievable character to do that, and she's shown it day in, day out.”

But sadly that story of having to battle back and overcome some kind of obstacle is a familiar one for Kirby. After the pericarditis, and that amazing season, she was plagued by extreme fatigue that almost prevented her from being able to help England win the European Championships in the summer of 2022.

And then, earlier this year, came the knee injury. Kirby has had pain in her knee - and problems with it - since she was 12 years old, but the feeling she had on February 9, in Chelsea’s Conti Cup win over West Ham, was different.

As each week passed, Hayes was asked in every press conference about Kirby, how she was doing and when she would be back. The answers were vague, without much information of a timeframe, and that’s because the situation was changing so much.

When it felt like she was making progress, Kirby would then be hit with a setback. This went on and on for three months until, in early May, she announced that she would be undergoing surgery to fix the issue. It meant she would miss the Women’s World Cup.

"Unfortunately after a few months of rehab the decision has been made that I will require surgery on my knee," Kirby posted on Instagram. "I have been trying my best to not have to undergo this, but unfortunately my progress has been limited due to the issue in my knee. I'm absolutely gutted to announce that this means my season is over and I will not be able to make the World Cup in the summer.”

While that meant Kirby couldn’t play her part in the Lionesses’ historic run to the final in Australia, it was by far and away the best decision she could’ve made.

“I couldn’t walk down the stairs, I couldn’t do normal things, couldn’t take the dog for a walk,” she told The Times in September. “The first month was really hard because those things were taken away from me. If I can’t walk my dogs and I go home and I have to get up in the night to take painkillers because [I’m] getting woken up by [my] knee, it’s not a life. It got to the stage where I knew my knee was impacting my life. I had to fix it.

“I knew I was going to miss the World Cup but, for me, it wasn’t about that anymore. If I had surgery and it didn’t go well, at least I knew I’d be able to walk my dogs. If I can’t play anymore, at least I tried.

“I had a tripartite patella, which means that I had two pieces of bone that were connected by tissue, but they weren’t actually connected to my patella bone. I had those pieces of bone removed. A few days later, I had no pain in my knee. It was literally like the pain had just been taken away. That was a really nice moment, probably the first time in 18 years that I haven’t had pain.”

Taking such a decision, which will have certainly been difficult even if Kirby’s comments suggest she was thinking very clearly when she did so, is now paying dividends. It meant she could get a full pre-season under her belt, and the way she’s built on that has been quietly impressive in the opening weeks of the new campaign.

Despite only starting two of Chelsea’s first four league games, racking up just 172 minutes of a possible 360, Kirby ranks in the top five in the Blues’ squad for chances created, successful passes in the final third, dribbles completed, possession won – generally and in the final third – and for touches in the opposition’s box. That’s not a bad start from someone who Hayes is keen to stress is still “building”.

Kirby’s goal for England this week was the moment that really underlined all the good work she’s been doing. Having gone towards Lauren Hemp on the left wing for a pass, she quickly realised the better option was for her to drop off to the edge of the box to receive a cutback, and Hemp did brilliantly to disguise her intentions, not even looking at Kirby but knowing exactly where she was when she teed her up to finish.

A first goal from an England midfielder in five games, it was a reminder of what the Chelsea star brings to the table for the Lionesses.

There’s plenty more where that came from, too. Yes, Kirby is a goalscorer, but she’s also a creator and someone who can be the perfect foil for a team-mate. The way she links up with others, with her clever movement and reading of the game, is something to behold, and if you’re an opponent, it’s something pretty difficult to stop.

“Fran’s clearly shown she is one of the best players in the world,” Kerr, her partner-in-crime at Chelsea, said of her during that 2020-21 season. “She does it week-in and week-out for our team. Our connection is just special. It just comes naturally. She’s just a superstar. I can’t speak more highly of her.

“When you give the ball to Fran, you know you're going to get it back. So whether I'm making a run to take a defender away or making a run to get the ball, it's always easy to play with her because she's so unselfish. It’s an amazing thing to be on the same page with someone like that. I don't even have to look. I just know that Fran's going to be there because she's so hungry to score. It looks telepathic but it's just hard work from her and I feel really lucky to play with her.”

Last season, Chelsea had to adapt to play without Kirby – and Pernille Harder, the Denmark star who also had her injuries. It meant Kerr had to play a very different role and her goal tally took a hit as a result. But Kirby’s return will help to change that, as the way she and her Australian team-mate link-up certainly brings the best out of them both.

Of course, it will still take time for Kirby to get back to her free-flowing best. She has stressed the need for patience and so has Hayes, a manager who is never one to rush players back. Her minutes will be managed accordingly as she works her way back after almost eight months without competitive action. “She has to keep building her fitness,” Hayes said of Kirby ahead of the new season. “We need to keep her on the pitch for the whole year.”

These two have been here before. Through the struggles with previous knee injuries, her pericarditis and that fatigue issue, Kirby has always been looked after by Hayes, and few moments illustrate that better than a post-match press conference with the Chelsea boss back in late 2019.

In a big match-up with Arsenal, the Blues' London rivals, Kirby had shone in an exciting individual performance that ended with her assisting Beth England’s winning goal. Yet, her manager was keen to urge caution and care as she worked her way back to full fitness.

“I’ve spent a lot of time not saying much about Fran Kirby, because there is huge expectation on that player,” Hayes said. “I think it is important for everyone to know that she has made her way back from really, really critical injuries. She has, effectively, four kneecaps. You need to understand that. A very explosive player like she is might need more time to recover, so it’s important we build her through this period. You can’t go from zero to 90 minutes.

“She isn’t anywhere near her best level yet, but she’s come through another game. I thought she grew in confidence and yes, you can leave Fran in the game, but I value her life and I value her career. I think it’s important to put that at the front of it and protect her, because there are not many talents like Fran Kirby, believe you me.”

In the four years since those comments, Hayes’ approach to managing Kirby hasn’t changed. It’s a big reason why few doubt that we will see the best out of this “generational talent” again soon enough.

What will it mean for club and country for Kirby to get back to top form? Well, we have already seen this week how a glimpse of that can benefit England. With Ella Toone not setting the world alight right now and there being few other tried and tested options in that No.10 role, Kirby adds depth, competition and experience to the attacking areas of the Lionesses’ midfield.

That was particularly helpful during this international break because of Lauren James’ absence through concussion. It’ll be exciting to see how those two can play together. Both are explosive, creative and intelligent footballers, and if they can build up a great on-pitch relationship, it could be unstoppable. That they play for the same club is a bonus for England, too, as that’s where they are going to build that partnership, one Wiegman will hope to tap into during international breaks.

At Chelsea, James and Kirby play in a much more fluid system, one that allows them to link-up more freely and express themselves wonderfully. Such an environment has made the Blues an attacking force like none other in the WSL over the last four years, resulting in four successive league titles.

Last season, the Blues were crowned champions of England yet again and they also lifted another FA Cup. They were consistent across the board, too, reaching the Conti Cup final and the last four of the Champions League.

For all their trophies, though, it is the latter competition that Chelsea are yet to conquer. It’s the title they crave the most. Is it a dream they could fulfil this year? Only time will tell. But one thing is for sure – the return of a world-class talent like Kirby is only going to increase their chances.