Has the WSL found itself a Messi v Ronnie...?

I think it's time for me to hold my hands up and apologise. I'm finding it hard to contain my excitement at the arrival of Sam Kerr to the WSL. All of my jokes, my jibes and my underestimating of the Australian maestro during "Two Girls World Cup" in the Summer was unwarranted. Sam Kerr is really bloody good.

You know what I love even more? Everyone is loving the controversy! Isn't this just what the WSL needed? A bit of a fuss?

Will she be good enough?

Is her salary really £300,000 a year?

What's going to happen next?

Will Queen Viv stomp all over her?

What about Fran?

Yes, the move is controversial. Yes, it could go either way for a player that's never really been tested in a top league... but I think you'd be hard pushed to find a more exciting showdown in any football league right now than Sam Kerr v Viv Miedema.

Their statistics speak for themselves. Viv has scored 14 goals in 9 games so far this season and Sam managed 19 in 23 in the 2018/19 NWSL season (as well as 5 goals in 4 games during the World Cup for good measure)

Sam Kerr's remarkable timing

Sam happens to be arriving during a difficult period for Chelsea. They've struggled in recent weeks. A draw against struggling Liverpool simply isn't good enough when the top teams aren't dropping points. They need goals and they need them fast.

It also happens that her first minutes will probably be against... you guessed it... Arsenal and Vivienne Miedema. Timing of a ninja there Sam! Chelsea NEED to win this fixture to stop Arsenal storming ahead.

Sam or Viv?

The showdown in a couple of weeks will be an interesting one but I think Viv's experience of this league will stand her in good stead. Sam is a long term investment which brings with it huge global attention for the club. She's a megastar with bags of potential who's playing in a league that will test her physically and mentally.

Viv has bedded comfortably into The WSL league since her arrival in 2017. In her second season she was the top scorer. Easy. This season she'll probably repeat that feat... with more goals. Surely this arrival will spur her on to push even harder and at the ripe old age of 23 she'll welcome the competition.

So, Viv or Sam in 2 years time? No comment. (In other words... I haven't got a bloomin' clue!)

Helen Hardy