Walsh Transforms Role, Boosts Offensive Contribution for Chelsea

Walsh, currently regarded as one of the premier defensive midfielders globally, has taken on a deeper role since her transfer to Chelsea earlier this year. However, during the 2025-26 season, she has transitioned into a more advanced position, enabling her to enhance her contributions to the team’s offensive efforts. This positional shift culminated in her scoring her inaugural goal for Chelsea last month, a decisive strike that secured a 1-0 victory against Tottenham Hotspur.

In the previous season, Walsh played seven matches in the Women’s Super League, managing just one shot on target. In stark contrast, she has already registered 14 shots in the eight matches played this season.

In an interview with Sky Sports, Walsh shared insights about her role change, crediting her teammates and coaches for their support in her development.

“It’s not just about playing further forward, but Sonia and Cami [Abily, Chelsea’s assistant manager] consistently encourage me to shoot, similar to what I experienced at Barcelona,” she explained. “The encouragement has been key. Personally, I have always preferred creating assists or contributing indirectly. However, I’ve realized that I needed to adjust my mindset, aiming to assist the team while also being more proactive in taking shots, as I tended to overplay at times. It’s all about building confidence, and both Sonia and Cami have motivated me to embrace that. It’s uncommon for central defensive midfielders to take shots like this, aside from players like [Moises] Caicedo. My playing style revolves around breaking lines and presses while being more involved in offensive plays. Though I’m not primarily known for making big tackles, I am working on that aspect. When opportunities arise, Sonia encourages me to drive the ball forward, and if I feel a shot is on, I am empowered to take it.

Walsh continued, “In my position, much of my involvement comes during second phases or drop-downs, including opportunities from set-pieces. It’s essential to be in the right place at the right time. Although I might not match Sam Kerr’s prowess in that department, I have recently enjoyed some good fortune with where the ball has fallen for a shot. In the past, I would have opted to pass within a crowded box, which is not always the best choice. Cami consistently urges me to shoot, whether with my right foot or left, although I prefer to limit my use of my left due to its lack of strength.”

In other news, Chelsea head coach Bompastor has confirmed that star goalkeeper Hannah Hampton will be sidelined for several weeks due to a quadricep injury. Ahead of the upcoming match against Liverpool on Sunday, the manager stated, “Hannah won’t be available. She sustained a quad injury and will be out for a few weeks. We will see if she can return before the end of the year, but that remains uncertain.”