Fran Kirby was taken off with 10 minutes to go against Arsenal, making it nine matches without a goal. 

This barren spell is uncharacteristic for one of Chelsea’s best players ever. Kirby is the club’s all-time leading scorer, the reigning WSL Player of the Year and someone that has relished the big occasions in the past. 

Indeed, back in December, following Chelsea’s victory over Arsenal in the FA Cup final, Blues boss Emma Hayes hailed the English star as a national treasure. 

Kirby dismantled the Gunners at Wembley on that day –– scoring after just two minutes and providing an inch-perfect assist for Sam Kerr to hammer home. It was perhaps her finest game in a Chelsea shirt – a match in which, for large parts, she was simply unplayable. 

But since that cup final, Kirby has not scored once, and on Friday night against Arsenal, the Ballon d’Or nominee was far from her majestic best. 

With Chelsea searching for a winner in the dying stages at Kingsmeadow, Hayes decided to take off the club’s record goalscorer –– replacing Kirby with Olympic gold medallist Jessie Fleming. 

In truth, the 18-year-old has been lacklustre for the majority of 2022 so far and was even dropped to the bench against Man United a couple of games ago. 

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 05: Fran Kirby of Chelsea scores their team's first goal during the Vitality Women's FA Cup Final between Arsenal FC and Chelsea FC at Wembley Stadium on December 05, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

How big a concern is Kirby’s current form then? Chelsea’s draw against Arsenal ensures the title race is likely to go down to the wire and the Blues can ill-afford to drop points between now and the end of the season. 

While Hayes’ team are unbeaten in five matches, they have failed to score in two and have relied on impressive defensive displays to grind out wins. 

But what’s more concerning is that this rough patch is so non-typical for someone who has been consistently brilliant for a long time. 

Kirby managed 27 goal contributions in the last league campaign and was an integral part of the Blues’ imperious front three. Yet, against Arsenal, the Lioness failed to make an impact and spurned a chance to give Chelsea the lead. By the end, few could blame Hayes for hauling her off. 

However, such is the quality of Chelsea’s squad, Kirby’s poor form has not translated into bad results. The Blues stormed into the Conti Cup final and haven’t lost so far in 2022. Players like Guro Reiten have also stepped up of late and provided a much-needed source of goals. 

KINGSTON UPON THAMES, ENGLAND - JANUARY 26: Fran Kirby of Chelsea looks on during the Barclays FA Women's Super League match between Chelsea Women and West Ham United Women at Kingsmeadow on January 26, 2022 in Kingston upon Thames, England. (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)

What’s more, it seems Kirby is not the only world-class forward to struggle of late. Kerr is without a goal in six games, while Arsenal’s Vivianne Miedema has just one in seven. 

A number of factors could be at play here. For a start, the quality of opposition is continuing to improve and the gulf in quality between the top teams and the rest of the league is starting to narrow. 

The players may also be tired due to the demanding fixture list, where the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal have been forced to contend with League Cup, Champions League, FA Cup and WSL matches. 

Or maybe, we’re holding these players to their own ridiculously high standards and need not worry about the lack of goals recently. 

WALSALL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 29: Fran Kirby of Chelsea runs with the ball during the Vitality Women's FA Cup Fourth Round match between Aston Villa and Chelsea at Banks's Stadium on January 29, 2022 in Walsall, England. (Photo by Cameron Smith/Getty Images)

Whichever reason, Kirby’s form has not had a negative impact on Chelsea’s results. With a game in hand over the Gunners, the title race is in their hands as it stands. 

And though the goals have dried up for the time being, she is surely too good a player for this to continue long term. After all, form is temporary, but class is permanent.