da winzada777： The Manchester City star came into the tournament in wonderful form, so after her nerveless penalty against Nigeria, can she rediscover that?

da blaze casino： Chloe Kelly has always enjoyed the big moments – see her extra-time winner in the Euros final last year, or her winning penalty in the Women’s Finalissima in April. When she stepped up to take another decisive spot-kick on Monday then, one to seal England’s place in the Women’s World Cup quarter-finals after a nervy meeting with Nigeria, few thought she’d miss. Even the unorthodox hop-skip-jump technique of the penalty wasn’t enough to cause jitters for those rooting for the Lionesses as she smashed the ball into the top corner and allowed a nation to breathe a sigh of relief.

Asked what was going through her head when she stepped up in that pressure moment, Kelly's response said a lot. "I just thought, 'I’m going to score'," she replied. "When you win that mental battle, it's always important."

The 25-year-old’s mentality has always been a key factor in her success. Speaking to GOAL back in late 2019, the young winger reflected on how enjoyable her experiences were in the first-team environment as a 16-year-old at Arsenal, the most successful club in English women’s football. “I think when you embrace the opportunity, obviously you’re going to be nervous, but you’re there to show what you’re capable of,” she said.

That attitude of taking everything in her stride has been there this whole time and, alongside her wonderful talent, it is what has turned her from a promising forward into an England – and Manchester City – star. Just look at how she went from rupturing her ACL right before she was almost certain to go to the Olympics with Great Britain, to fighting back to fitness in time to go to the Euros and score the goal that won the thing.

She’s had a quiet World Cup so far, Kelly. After failing to make a serious impact as a starter in England’s first two games, the winger netted from the bench in the 6-1 thrashing of China but couldn’t make too much happen against Nigeria, brought on as a late sub with the Lionesses already down to 10 players.

But that spot-kick could ignite her tournament. After all, she loves the big moment, and they’re only going to get bigger and bigger from here.

GettyPlaying the best football of her career

After coming through at Arsenal and cutting her teeth in the Women's Super League with Everton, Kelly joined Man City in the summer of 2020 and has taken her game to the very next level with the club.

At a time when all eyes were on the U.S. women's national team stars that were flocking across the Atlantic during the Covid-19 pandemic, Kelly was the actual signing of the season, named to the PFA Team of the Year after leading the league in assists and scoring 10 goals, too. Fran Kirby, who swept up the Player of the Year awards as Chelsea won the title, was the only other player with Kelly to hit double figures for both.

An ACL injury suffered on the final day of that season was a devastating obstacle, but Kelly's return to form ahead of the Euros got her into the squad, and she ended the season just gone in special form, too.

“I believe what we saw recently was probably some of her best football, so far,” Man City boss Gareth Taylor said in May. “She missed a lot of football with the injury that she had, which was a frustrating time for her and obviously for the team because we lost a real top player. I think it's taken her a while to get back to her level, but then I think she's exceeded some of those levels more recently.”

AdvertisementGettyHer partner-in-crime

Kelly is part of a devastating front three at her club, with Jamaica star Bunny Shaw spear-heading the attack while England team-mate Lauren Hemp lines up on the opposite flank. Despite not being near each other much on the pitch, the pair have a really good connection that can pay dividends.

“Me and Chloe have such a good relationship that I know when she's going to shoot and I know when she's going to put the ball in the box,” Hemp said in May, having just got on the end of a Kelly cross to score for City. “She has been fantastic this season. Same with Bunny as well. Having them just sort of makes my job a lot easier.”

It’s unclear how England will line up for the quarter-final clash with Colombia on Saturday. The Lionesses switched to a 3-5-2 against China and it worked a treat, but that wasn’t the case when they set up in that formation against Nigeria. Could head coach Sarina Wiegman revert back to the 4-3-3, then?

Time will tell, but if she can figure out a way to best utilise this relationship between Kelly and Hemp, it would certainly be beneficial. It’s electric in Manchester.

GettyCould she change roles?

If Wiegman does opt to stay with the 3-5-2, could there be a new position for Kelly? One huge selection dilemma she has is how to fill the shoes of Lauren James in the No.10 role after her red card against Nigeria. Ella Toone didn’t light the tournament up there before James replaced her and Jordan Nobbs, who could be an option, hasn’t seen a minute of action yet.

Former England captain Steph Houghton has another idea, though. A team-mate of Kelly’s at City ever since the forward arrived at the club three years ago, she believes the 25-year-old could thrive as the playmaker.

“I’d love to see Chloe Kelly taking over that position, getting on the ball and working the opposition defence,” she wrote in her column for . “In Chloe, you have a player you can count on to work incredibly hard.”

She’s played on both wings and came through at Everton as a No.9, so she can be versatile. Could her creativity and skilfulness be an asset in a more central area?

Getty ImagesSuper-sub turned starter

Whether Wiegman sees that as a possibility or not, whether she opts to start Kelly or use her from the bench, there is definitely more potential in her as an England player that can be realised.

Like Toone and Alessia Russo, she is one of those super-subs from last year’s Euros that has been absorbed into the starting XI more frequently in the past year because of injuries, and though Kelly has shown the best form of the trio as a starter in that time, it’s not been seen at the World Cup just yet.

“With the World Cup, you never know what happens. Sometimes a player that has finished the season really strong doesn't probably catch fire as you would expect and vice versa,” City boss Taylor noted before the tournament. “But certainly confidence-wise and what she's able to achieve, I think Chloe's in a really good place.”

She was certainly confident when she stepped up to take that high-pressure penalty. But is there something Wiegman can do to get her to show that in her play on the pitch? What’s missing?