Unleash Sam Kerr! Chelsea can't afford to bench star striker any longer after lighting up Asian Cup

It's been a strange campaign for Kerr. She returned with a bang in September, marking her first appearance since December 2023 with a late goal against Aston Villa that prompted heartwarming celebrations given the long road to recovery she had completed. After suffering an ACL injury in January 2024, Kerr would encounter a problem with a surgical graft that would extend her time on the sidelines to 20 months, rather than the usual nine to 12 that ACL tears tend to require.

Understandably, Bompastor was careful with the striker after that. Her minutes came in short bursts from the bench, with her first starts actually coming in back-to-back games for Australia in October. Kerr's first Chelsea start after injury would arrive a couple of weeks after that, against St. Polten in the Champions League, with six more coming before her most recent in January. In those seven games, the Aussie scored seven goals.

But in the four games that have followed that most recent start, which came in defeat to Arsenal two months ago, Kerr has been a sub again, with Bompastor opting to begin with Thompson or James at the top of the pitch instead. It's worked at times, with James particularly effective in a free-roaming role, but there have been games where Chelsea have lacked structure in attack and players have often got in each other's way as a result.

When Kerr has been introduced in matches, those issues have often been mitigated, while her goal-scoring impact from the bench in the FA Cup win over Man Utd last month was a reminder of the decisive moments she can provide simply by being on the pitch, given her poaching instincts.

That was Kerr's final appearance for Chelsea before the Asian Cup, where she was brilliant. Aside from the group stage win over Iran, in which she provided an assist, the 32-year-old scored in every game on Australia's run to the final, with her goals against the Philippines, North Korea and China all match-winners.

Over a 21-day period, Kerr also started all six of the Matildas' games, completing 90 minutes in all-but-one of those outings. She coped with the workload and provided the goods that her nation needed, all while carrying the pressure that comes with being the host nation's captain and star player.

Many of Kerr's standout moments felt like vintage Kerr, too. Her poaching instincts were on show with the header against the Philippines, her quality of finishing shone through in the strikes against both South Korea and North Korea, as she also displayed great anticipation to get the opportunity for her strike against the latter. The goal against China, which sent Australia into the Asian Cup final, was then an example of Kerr's great movement, rounded off by a composed finish from a tight angle with her weaker foot.

Speaking before the tournament, the striker admitted she only felt at "about 85 per cent" after so long out. "I don't want to say I'm at 100 yet," she said. "I haven't had one of those games yet where I felt completely myself."

Reminded of those comments after her match-winning performance against North Korea in the quarter-finals, and asked where she felt she was at now, she said it was "more about confidence and feeling" rather than anything physical. "It's more a mental game now than anything," Kerr added. "But goals like tonight and wins like tonight really help my confidence."

After netting another in Australia's next outing, to send the Matildas to the Asian Cup final, Kerr's confidence should be that little bit higher as she returns to England, despite her side eventually losing to Japan in a tight final. She might yet not be at the absolute peak of her powers but that's also because that peak is at a world-class, best-in-the-game sort of level. Where she is now is still a very, very good place, as her recent performances have shown.

That should be great news for Chelsea. The Blues' own confidence is higher after the League Cup final win over Manchester United earlier this month and seeing Kerr return to the club this week, alongside Australia full-back Ellie Carpenter, will be a further boost.

It's timely, too, because Bompastor's side are in the middle of a Champions League quarter-final with Arsenal, the reigning European champions who beat them 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night. Their Women's Super League title defence has not gone to plan but, if they can mastermind a comeback from a two-goal deficit as they did in the UWCL quarters last year, there is still European glory to play for and an FA Cup, as well as the need to close the league campaign out strongly in order to secure Champions League football for next season. To do all of that, Chelsea will need to perform in big moments, something Kerr can help with.

Kerr's role in this weekend's clash with Aston Villa is unlikely to be as a starter. It comes after the striker encountered logistical issues getting home from Sydney, where last week's Asian Cup final was played, meaning she didn't land back in England until after Chelsea's 3-1 defeat at Arsenal on Tuesday night. But the big games will come thick and fast now for Chelsea, not least with that Champions League quarter-final second leg, and with Ramirez out, Macario set to leave andBeever-Jones now dealing with an injury again, it's vital that Bompastor makes the most of Kerr's world-class tendencies and gives her those starting opportunities again.

Last week, The Athletic reported that Kerr is set to leave Chelsea at the end of this season. The Aussie is out of contract this summer and there is a lot of interest from clubs back in the United States, where she was breaking records aplenty before her move to England in late 2019. It appears that these next two months will be her final ones for the Blues.

But while Kerr may not be the future of this team, she remains a vital part of the present. If Chelsea want to end this season successfully, and make up for their shortcomings in the WSL, it's absolutely vital that they take advantage of Kerr's flying form. As her performances at the Asian Cup reiterated, we are talking about one of the best strikers on the planet, someone with an outstanding track record in big games, who can deliver title-winning moments. Chelsea need to be more ruthless to end the season on a high and Kerr can help with exactly that.