Arsenal vs Lyon: Why Chloe Kelly is not an automatic starter before Champions League semi-final

For England yes, but not for Arsenal.

He scored only one goal and two assists in 14 matches on the bench with his club.

Her teammate Stina Blackstenius, a more permanent substitute, dwarfs Kelly’s impact as a substitute. Since his debut, Kelly has come off the bench 24 times and scored six goals.

In fact, Blackstenius’ 15 goals as Arsenal’s substitute in the WSL and Champions League since 2022-23 were almost double the return of any other player in that period, and she scored the winner in last season’s European final.

If boss Renee Slegers is looking for a match-winning player off the bench, Blackstenius is at the top of the list.

Instead, the figures show that Kelly was much more effective initially for Arsenal, with 87.5% of his goals coming when he started the game.

Only Arsenal lionesses Alessia Russo and Beth Mead and Mariona Caldentey have scored more goals since Kelly joined.