Millie Bright believes centre-half partner Kadeisha Buchanan has brought something different to the Chelsea team since her arrival last summer.
Bright and Buchanan have struck up a strong understanding since the Canadian's move to Chelsea prior to the start of the season, with the latter only tasting defeat once in the Women's Super League league since joining the Blues. The WSL holders moved top of the table with a 3-2 win at Tottenham and boast a defence that has only conceded nine league goals in 11 games since their opening-day loss at Liverpool.
Although Bright admits she has high standards for new arrivals at Cobham, she adds that Buchanan has helped bring something different to the backline, which also regularly includes captain Magdalena Eriksson.
The England defender, who has won 64 caps for the Lionesses, told Mirror Football: "For me, it is initially about forming that natural connection. You want someone who is really easy to play alongside and I'd like to think I'm an easy enough player to play alongside. But I definitely know that I have high expectations of players coming in.
"Maybe I can be a little bit tough on them, but it's because I know they have that capability. And she (Buchanan) has been super easy to play alongside and communicate with.
"She is a really chilled character off the pitch and is easy to get along with. And she also is on the pitch, which is nice because it gives her that composure on the ball. She brings something different to our team."
Buchanan has already earned over 100 caps for the Canada national team and was part of France's most successful women's club side, Lyon, before making the move to west London. Her and Bright were two of the standout defenders in the Women's Champions League before Christmas, Chelsea doing the double over Paris Saint-Germain and eventually winning a group that also contained Spanish giants Real Madrid.
Bright is one of the longest-serving players in Emma Hayes' squad, having joined from Doncaster Belles in 2015, and has naturally become one of the dressing room leaders at Kingsmeadow. She believes the signing of Buchanan highlights that Chelsea are always looking to bring in quality players, even from a position of strength.
"I want someone who is willing to adapt and to learn the way of the team," the 29-year-old added. "That goes for all new signings really. I think Chelsea as a club are always looking to add to the squad and improve.
"We're always looking to go that next level, it is something Emma is pushing us to do. We don't just settle for what we did last season we always want to go higher and achieve more.
"We want to be the women's team leading the way with that mindset and that is ingrained in our DNA; all the new signings know that."
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