You do need to look at Sam Kerr's complete game - she is one of the best at defending from the front. This aspect gets overlooked against most WSL teams (whom Chelsea can basically bludgeon in submission) but it does has a huge impact against elite teams.
In addition, both she and Jessie Fleming have done a number of long trips on international duty in the past year (Kerr with two trips to Australia plus the Asian Games, and Fleming to Australia, Brazil and Mexico for the CONCACAF championship) and while they are elite athletes, this has to have taken a toll on their sharpness.
You do need to look at Sam Kerr's complete game - she is one of the best at defending from the front. This aspect gets overlooked against most WSL teams (whom Chelsea can basically bludgeon in submission) but it does has a huge impact against elite teams.
In addition, both she and Jessie Fleming have done a number of long trips on international duty in the past year (Kerr with two trips to Australia plus the Asian Games, and Fleming to Australia, Brazil and Mexico for the CONCACAF championship) and while they are elite athletes, this has to have taken a toll on their sharpness.