We Are Chelsea - LJ chats with besties Buchanan & Carpenter

Episode Date: June 9, 2026

This is We are Chelsea, the official podcast of Chelsea Women, brought to you in association with Skoda, the official car partner of Chelsea Women and proud supporters of women's sport.https://www.skoda.co.uk/On this episode, host Lauren James sits down with Kadeisha Buchanan and Ellie Carpenter to chat about their friendship, life at Chelsea on and off the pitch, and what they're most looking forward to on Tour in Australia. Plus, they put their friendship to the test with a game of 'Who's Most Likely To?'.Comment below your questions and Whistleblower dilemmas! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to We Are Chelsea, the official podcast of Chelsea Women, brought to you in association with Skoda, the official car partner for Chelsea women, and proud supporters of women's sport. I'm Lauren James, and today I'm joined by two of my best friends on the team. We're going to be chatting about our friendship, life at Chelsea, and we might touch a bit on football too. This is We Are Chelsea with me, Lauren James, Ellie Carpenter and Kadeisha Buchanan. Welcome, Keish and Ellie.

How are you both? I'm good. Nice and warm. It's a hot one today. Record heat for London, I think. Are you excited to have me as your host today? Of course. This would be very entertaining.

Can't wait. I feel like the fans already know you to are close, but how did you first meet? They know how we've met now. Yeah. But I feel like at the beginning, though, we weren't close. Yeah, it took us a while.

It took us a while to like gel. Maybe a season. Yeah. Yeah. then that's what we knew. That's what we knew. And what were your first impressions with each other? I think she was just like vibrant.

She came in team like new energy. Just, yeah, just crazy. Any funny stories? Not the one that you can tell on. Yeah. First, I thought you were really shy because you were very quiet. But then I got to know you more than so funny.

Like every time I was with you, I just laugh. Lots of giggles when we're all together. Yeah. What were your first impressions with me? To be fair, when I, because obviously I knew Lucy before you and now she knew I was like maybe coming to Chelsea and she's like, oh yeah, like you and LJ will click

like right off the bat. So then I don't know. I think we clicked right away because you helped me find a flat. So I'm like, okay, yeah, she's a very nice girl. Oh, that's nice. You didn't have to, you didn't know me, but then you helped me. So I'm like, she's a nice, she's a nice girl. I feel like I kind of knew you already like through Dan,

obviously you guys played together. And I've heard a lot of good things about you as well. So, yeah, when I came, actually, Keish said that, I think that we would get along. But yeah, when I first met you. Probably. Yeah, she did. Probably bragging about you.

Yeah, when I went for coffee with her when I was about to sign, actually, she goes, yeah, I think you and LJ will get along. We're just talking about the team, so yeah. All right, and some fan questions. What's been your favourite memory together this season? Your first game back after injury coming on against men, is it Man United? Entry time? Yeah.

I think just playing with you again, closing out that game. Yeah. Closing out the win. I don't really have a favourite memory, but I just like when we play on the same side. It's just like, like just being familiar. Familiar. Familiar. Familiar with each other.

And I think we just have like side conversations. Like it's just funny. Like I'll be like, like, like, Ellie just like, like I'll be like Ellie like, where are you going? Hold on like get back or just. Yeah, that we read each other well. Yeah, we communicate. Yeah, good.

Yeah. It's not all serious even though we're supposed to be serious. Like we have time to like laugh and Google in certain situations in the game. Yeah, I feel relaxed when I'm playing with you. Nice. Do you hang out outside of training? Yeah, a couple times.

Some dinners. Yeah, dinners. Yeah, dinners, coffees. Who's the funniest out of three of us? Three of us? I think. Me. Nah.

I don't know if it's funny or are laughing at you or what is, but it is funny. Like, what you do, how you say things, your personality. is quite fun so I'll say funny. But you two are funny too. I think we're all funny together, like... Yeah, and funny, like...

I think we have our own funny ways. Yeah, I own funny ways. Who out of the three of us has the best and worst music taste? To be fair, I think we've all got pretty much similar music. I think we all got pretty good music taste. I think I have the worst taste. Really? Really?

I think it really good. I only listen to like one kind of genre. I get some of my songs from you though. Yeah, but you guys listen to like different genres. So you guys have more of like... But I wouldn't say it's the worst because I still listen to me. Yeah. I feel like it's...

I'd say like if you're in like the locker room I'll say like put your music on, put your music on. It's just... More variety. Yeah, a bit of everything. I do like your music though. I still want to listen to dance or and reggae, just... Soka, I like soccer. A little bit Afro beats.

Yeah, like Afro beats. And like old school like R&B. That's that's all I can offer. It's a nice vibe. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Have Louis and Wuffle with Met. No

What? Have Louie and Waffle met? No. Puppie Playdate TBC Next season. Next year. Keish, would you get a dog? I mean, you guys do make me want to, but no. No.

Yeah, it's hard to be fed. It's a full-time job. I feel like... It is. I don't know. If I want a dog, just... Let me just... I'll just have a child.

Yeah, and if you want to go away, you've got to think, who's gonna look after him. Yeah. You're gonna plan your holidays. More like now this summer, I'm like, oh my God, we're gonna think about the dog. Thing is just picking up the dog poop.

Like, it's a dog. Like, no, you just clean it. I know, you're just clean up. I'm like, I'm just picking up after a dog. Like, come on. That's not my life. It's not my life. You like to cuddle here and that.

I like other people's dog. Yeah. It's like being an auntie. Auntie, yeah. Yeah. Best job. So now we'll talk about football. initial first season

how would you sum it up sum it up wow okay happy to be part of the team of not the season I hoped for we hoped for as a team with trophies and winning

disappointed with that but I think yeah it was a nice introduction for me in the English league and with the team and jelling with players so I think a nice season to build on into next season

And obviously your goal gets boss or it was good. Do you think it was better than any of mine? Better than any of yours? I'm dead. Well, my goals come once in a while, not as frequent as yours. I would say it's up there. You're not a few goals. To be fair, I had a few goals this season.

And it was needed, like it was in a good moment. Yeah. Up there, I would say up there with yours, yeah. You smashed it. Kish, you made your combat from injury this season. How good did it feel to finally be back? the team yeah it felt it felt really good to be honest just being out for so long um definitely being back with the team felt really really nice um last time you on the podcast you just launched

kb3 foundation too how's that going yeah it's going really well i met um a few of the families on zoom so just looking forward to meeting them in person and it's is it something you want to continue there long Of course. That's something I definitely want to continue each each and every year so I mean partnerships if you want to come just holler at me. Yeah. Looking for good partnerships and stuff to people to like hop on board and join the foundation as well. And have you ever ever have you thought about what you would want to do after football? I would like I'm bringing out my own business soon, my own brand so business owner.

Okay CEO Can we get a hint Is it in health and beauty It's in beauty Okay So yeah It's coming out soon

So watch this space I'm really excited to launch Later this year That's exciting I could want to go into something To do of fashion Nice We wouldn't know that

What kind of fashion Sports fashion Casual Mets Casual Nice For me I would say

I'd like to be a coach. Just doing the A license now? Yeah, just doing the A license. Started at this, what, like last week. So that's exciting. And yeah, can't wait to see where that leads to. Nice.

This podcast is brought to you by SCOD. The official car partner of Chelsea women and proud supporters of women's sport. It's football season. Time for after work training, muddy boots and early morning weekend games. Whether you play five aside, after work, cheer the kids on from the sidelines on a Saturday morning, or gather with your

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What addition? Korea. Korea. Career. Not Korea. Korea. I thought you said Korea edition. Yeah, she said like career.

Yeah, sorry. No, Korea. Right, let's career. Cut, cut. No, let's start that one again. Like, let's not. I was like, oh, we go to Korea? Korea edition.

Sorry, going. Yeah. All right, who's most likely to go into coaching? Kish. Become a sports presenter. I mean, you. Yeah, LJ. Release a single.

You. Go into fashion. You. You. Travel the world. You. You. Me.

Own their own business. You. You. Own a chocolate shop. No, not me because I'm not fat chocolate. You know, eat chocolate. I own a chocolate. chocolate shop.

I don't know a sweet shot. I'm not a big, like vegan chocolate. I would say like a cookie shop, me. Yeah, I love cookies. Be a reality TV star. Or you. Yeah, but I would never. But out of you guys, yeah, probably.

You just have a catwalk. Me. No, I used to. Oh, you guys could. You've walked one before, haven't you? Milan. Fashion Week. No, I was at the front.

I didn't walk it though. Maybe next time. Next time you get the call up, maybe. Become a barista. Me. All right, now let's talk about the summer. Summer. For the first time in ages,

some of us actually have a proper summer off. How are you both spending it? I'll be in Australia for a little bit after national team. And then I'll be in South of France for a little bit in Italy. It's just going to tell people where you are. I know. Yeah, but I'm not saying... Don't be coming into France.

Yeah, but South of France is quite a bit. big area and Italy is quite a big country. I'm not saying the specific cities. I'm saying at this hotel on these dates. For me, I'll be home. I haven't been home for a while. It'd be just nice to spend some good quality time with my family. And go to the World Cup games.

Yeah. Are you guys linking up there? We'll probably link up in America. Yeah. That's nice. And then before that I go back to the Caribbean. To the Caribbean To the roots

No not to the roots I'm not going to school where I'm going Why not tell everyone You're all right All right and then we're heading to Sydney soon Are you excited to show everyone around Where you're from? Yeah I am

I'm excited to show everyone the best city in the world What you're most excited about playing in Australia in front of the fans. It's really cool. I hope it's a, every time we play with national team, it's like a sellout, so hopefully it's a really cool atmosphere.

Is it like a proper city or will we be seeing like kangaroos like in forms? Well, I hope we go to the zoo actually. That'll be cool. We had kangaroos at that hotel. Yeah. Yeah, it was like in, what were, Queens.

I mean, no. Queensland. I hope we go like on the, like, a ferry and go like under the Harbour Bridge and Opera House like to get like the real tourist. experience. Are you looking for to go back? Are you looking forward to going to

World Cup? Yeah. I think I'm looking forward to going to New Zealand because I haven't been there. I haven't been there either, to be honest. Really? Not even when you're younger, like... No, they all...

In youth teams, they came to play us or not. How far is it? It's only like a three-hour flight. Oh. Oh. That'd be cool then. So I'm excited to see New Zealand as well. And what do you think the best thing about Sydney is?

I think it's the only city in the world where the city is like really close to the beach it's like city and beach you can get the best of both worlds I mean Miami's like that I guess yeah Miami's like that that's okay it's fine but Sydney's the best food culture coffee culture

all right and what food do you think we should all try you have to get in the Saie bowl don't say what's that Veggie Mae no everyone will have to have an asai I think it's like Marmite.

Veggie Mike, yeah. It's better than Mar-M-M-A-M-A better, yeah. All right. Mar-Mite. No, not Mar-Mite. Veggie-Mite. Tim. What do you call those people that are so in love with their country, like ego-sentric or something?

Egosentric? Something like that. I'm not that. I am not that in love. I'm like, oh my God, Australia is the best. Like, I love Europe. Okay. But I do love Australia, but I'm not, like, crazy about it.

It's okay. Hyperic country, yeah? I know. Okay. All right, now we're going to play a game called guest Aussie slang, so I'm going to pass my hat to Eddie. Oh. All right. All right. Ozzy slang, you're right, guys? I'm going to put in a sentence, so it's easier. Okay. Arvo. That's the sentence? No, I'm going to say the slang, and then I'm going to put it in a sentence. Okay. Arvo. What are we going to do on the Arvo? Afternoon. Yep. That's a good one.

I was going to say avocado. Chook. I feel like getting a chook. Train. No. Chook, chook. Say it again? I feel like getting a chook.

A bear? No. A bear? Oh, beer. Beer? No. I'm hungry. I want a chook.

Snack? Chicken. Oh. Okay. Like you go, oh, you want to go down to the store and get a chook. Okay. Okay, no. But why a chicken?

Chook. Because he's like... Okay, um... Esky. So, we're going to go to the beach. Make sure you bring the Esky. Sunscreen? No.

The water thing. The cooler. The thing you put your drinks in. Yeah. Is that similar to UK? It's the cooler. Oh, is it? Yeah.

Oh. Cheating. Okay. Fair dinkum. Sounds like a whole different language. Like, oh my God. Fair dink. That's right.

That was bad. If you say something like... Like obvious or is that? Yeah, it's like, oh, fair dinkum. It's like, agree, like, oh my God, yeah, kind of. Yeah. Like, you feel like, oh. Like, it looks like, oh my God, like I knew that or something.

Do you use these words? Yeah, sometimes. Like, if you go, oh, we have to go down here later today. And like, oh, my God, really? I'm like, oh, my God, really? I'm like, faired income. All right, next one, next one, next one. Servo. I need to go to the servo and get some ice.

Store. Pedro station. Mm. Servo. It's kind of like service station. So I need to fill up at the servo. Okay. Siki.

Sikki. Yeah. Chukk a sick. What? So if you don't want to go to work, you're like, oh, chakasiki. Chukasaki. Like, oh, chakasaki today. Oh, okay.

Don't go to work. When I was at school, I was at chocolate siki. Yeah, I did that couple times. Roo? Oh my God, is that a roo? A kangaroo. Oh. Oh, they had jokes where they fly around Australia.

Dunny. Oh, I've got to go to the dunny. Toilet? Yeah. Oh, my goodness. I was thinking that. Dunny. Yeah, Dunny.

All right, I think we've exposed each other enough today. That's a good line. Thanks. Thank you both for joining me. I think this was supposed to be your line. Thank you both for doing. Thank you for listening to We Are Chelsea, the official podcast of Chelsea women. Brought to you in association with Skoda, the official car partner of Chelsea women

and proud supporters of women's sport.