Ordinarily, when Sam Kerr gets the ball inside the six yard box, she shoots. We're talking about one of the deadliest strikers on the planet, someone who has set records on three continents and scored more international goals than any player in Australia's history. But when she found herself in that position on Sunday, as Chelsea visited Aston Villa, it was the first time she had done so in 634 days. So while her uncharacteristic decision to pass was somewhat jarring, given how unfamiliar it looked, it was understandable.
Ask any player who has suffered an ACL injury and they will tell you that it can months to feel like yourself again, even after that long-awaited return to the pitch has happened. Research suggests it can take up to a year and a half, even, so what about someone like Kerr, whose time on the sidelines was even longer than that? When she made her first appearance since December 2023 at the weekend, her first real involvement suggested the sort of rust that many would’ve expected.
It is likely to have prompted some pondering from onlookers, about just what these first few weeks and months back would look like for Kerr. Would it take a while for her to get back up to speed? Would expectations need to be adjusted while she found her feet again? But while the answer to those questions should still be yes, her stoppage time strike to seal what was at times a nervy victory over Villa – that her 100th goal in Chelsea colours in, just 129 games – was evidence that she can, and likely will, still be a serious asset for the Blues even as she works her way back to world-class best.
GettyPerfect return
After all, strikers don't tend to lose those goal-poaching instincts in the box and when Kerr didn't have much time to think later in the game, she delivered. Perhaps that was it for the earlier chance. Perhaps she had time to weigh everything up and consider her options, rather than just doing what she does best by finding the back of the net. That wasn't the case for her landmark goal, when she pounced on a loose ball in the Aston Villa box, capitalising on the chaos caused by a corner to prod a shot beyond Ellie Roebuck which sparked jubilant celebrations from those on the pitch, on the bench and in the stands.
"It feels good," she said after the match, before offering some insight into the weight off her shoulders it also provided. "I'm obviously really happy but there's just a lot of relief. It's been a long journey so I'm just glad it's over."
Sonia Bompastor was particularly happy about that aspect, too. "I was really pleased Sam was able to come on for 20 minutes and was even more pleased with the fact she was able to score," she added. "I think it takes the pressure off her going into the future and her next games for the club."
AdvertisementGetty ImagesWeight off the shoulders
It's hard to overstate how crucial that could be. The weeks ahead for Kerr will mainly consist of substitute appearances, as her minutes are built up again after so long on the sidelines. It would be foolish to ask her to do too much too soon, given not only how long she has been out but also how important she is for this Chelsea team. They've just got her back; they don't want to lose her again.
As such, chances could be few and far between for the striker, even in a team like this, and the longer it took for her to put one in the back of the net, the more it would be talked about, the more it would weigh on the player. That's all been dissipated almost immediately.
Getty ImagesGood example to follow
Now, there's real excitement about what she can add to Chelsea, even while she is still working her way back to her best. One only has to look at what Catarina Macario was able to do last season to see how valuable Kerr could be to the team. The American knows exactly what her team-mate has been through, having spent almost two years on the sidelines herself after an ACL injury. She made her comeback at the end of the 2023-24 season and then spent last term "rebuilding" her "foundations", with Bompastor very careful not to overload her given the time she spent out.
Despite all that management of minutes, Macario still managed to produce 11 goals and five assists as Chelsea won the treble, averaging a direct goal involvement every 88 minutes. She's a great case to look at for how Bompastor can manage a returning player's well-being nicely while still getting plenty out of them when they are on the pitch.
Getty ImagesGreat timing
It's great timing for Kerr to be back, too, because Chelsea are a little light in attack right now. Lauren James is currently sidelined, with Bompastor unable to put a timeframe on her return, while Mayra Ramirez is expected to miss the rest of 2025 after having surgery on a hamstring injury. The Blues did invest in the forward positions in the transfer window, but Alyssa Thompson has only just arrived and will need to settle in, with Mara Alber still very inexperienced and likely to need even more time after a huge move from Hoffenheim.
"It's almost as if we've got an extra signing with her back," Hannah Hampton told on Sunday. "She's an absolute demon in the box and always finding the back of the net, so it'll definitely be a big help for us going forward. It's about time she starts annoying opposition goalkeepers. She does it to me enough times in training."