For the past few years, Keira Walsh has been one of the best defensive midfielders in the world. Chelsea and England work better with her in the engine room, pulling strings and breaking lines.
But even with probably multiple winners’ medals on her mother’s mantelpiece, she’s still learning all the time, like any good soccer player.
We’ve seen changes in Walsh’s game this season alone. She has progressed further than she did in the WSL games she played for Chelsea last season, posting better numbers in many attacking metrics.
That change is perhaps best illustrated by two contrasting statistics. In seven WSL games last season, she only had one shot. In eight games this year, she has already scored 14 goals, including her first goal for Chelsea.
Walsh attributes this change to tweaking her own mindset and encouraging her to shoot as much as possible.
Ahead of Sunday’s game against Liverpool Women, she exclusively told Sky Sports: “Maybe I’m not as forward in my position or my play, but Sonia[Bompastre]and Cami[Abily, Chelsea’s assistant manager]always told me to shoot and it was the same when I was playing for Barça. They always encouraged me.”
“For myself, I’ve always preferred to play with assists, or with assists before assists. That’s what I always like to do.
“It was just trying to change my mindset a little bit and help the team in that regard. Maybe it would take more shots and maybe I was probably overplaying a little bit at times.
“I’m more confident and Sonia and Kami really encouraged me to do it. Apart from (Moises) Caicedo, there aren’t many central defensive midfielders who can do this.”
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Keira Walsh scored her first Chelsea goal against Tottenham Hotspur, firing home for the hosts in stunning style from distance.
“The way I play in defensive midfield is to break the lines and try to break the press and contribute a little more in attack. I’m not known for big tackles but I’m working on that.”
“When the situation opens up, Sonia encourages me to push the ball forward. If I feel like I can take a shot, I’m free to do so.”
And when Walsh does take a shot, it usually comes from outside the box. All four goals in the WSL since the 2020/21 season have come from range for both Man City and Chelsea. The expression “She only scores amazing goals” is a perfect description.
“In the position I play, a lot of that will come from second phase or drop-downs, maybe even set-pieces with drop-downs,” Walsh explained of the long-range gun talent.
“I’m trying to be in the right place at the right time. I’m not as good as Sam Kerr at that, but I feel like I’ve been lucky lately with where the ball has landed and created opportunities for shots.”
“Before, I would try to pass inside the box, but with so many bodies around, that’s not ideal. Kami always tries to shoot, whether it’s with his right or left foot. He’s not very good with his left foot, so I try not to pass him too much.”
The art of simplicity is something Walsh discovered over time.
Beauty is not always the secret to victory. Sometimes it’s just ugly – that’s what both England and Chelsea have demonstrated in recent months.
But despite the optics, a “never give up” attitude led to a domestic treble and a second European Championship title, and Walsh was forced to adapt his views.
“When I was young, I was obsessed with playing the perfect game and always playing beautiful football with lots of passes and possession,” she said.
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Highlights of the WSL match between Arsenal and Chelsea, which saw the home team denied a win due to a controversial offside decision.
“But the reality is that as you get older, it sometimes doesn’t matter how you play, especially in a tournament like the Euros or a one-shot Champions League final.
“We want to play great football, but the ultimate goal is to put the ball in the back of the goal and win. If we can do that with one long pass, that’s great.”
“What I learned from playing on these teams is that it doesn’t always have to be pretty. Even when things aren’t going well, even when things don’t go your way, it’s important to have the drive to win.”
“Chelsea already had that before I came, so I learned that from them. Even at the Euros, it’s something I had to learn pretty quickly because the first game didn’t go my way. I think they were great in that respect.”
Keira Walsh lifts the Euro 2025 trophy with Leah Williamson
Walsh is a big part of that mentality, especially when wearing the captain’s armband. She wore the shirt in midweek’s Women’s Champions League win over Chelsea against St. Polten, and was one of the Lionesses’ vice-captains in last month’s match against Brazil.
“We have a lot of leadership players on the team, so it was a little surprising to be captain against Porten, but it was a really great moment for me and my family was really happy,” she reflected.
“What I’ve learned as I’ve gotten older is to be the captain you want to be. It’s not about copying what someone else has done, because everyone approaches leadership in a different way.
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“When I’m captain, I won’t be the loudest person in the changing room. It’s not me who shouts and screams. I talk a little more on the pitch about tactics and how to solve certain things.”
“With England, I was a little nervous when Sarina[Wiegman]asked me to be vice-captain a few years ago. I didn’t know if I was ready for it, but she said she didn’t want me to change. She chose me for who I am and continued to do that, so I was happy about that.”
“I also work with and learn from Millie (Bright) and Leah (Williamson) who are great captains. Leah is the one who told me to do it my way and I always ask her for advice because she’s very good at it.”
This is another area of growth for Walsh as he continues to impress for both Chelsea and England, showing how small changes can help even the most talented player evolve.
Watch Liverpool Women vs Chelsea Women live on Sky Sports Main Event from 11am on Sunday. Kickoff at 12pm.
