Arsenal Women Weekly Round-Up: 5 Star Gunners Smash Chelsea

5 STAR GUNNERS SMASH CHELSEA
Quite the weekend for Arsenal, who showed that they mean business in the WSL title race this season. Chelsea had not lost at home since May 2016 and, though they had started slowly by their standards, had not conceded a goal this season. For the Gunners to go to the home of last season’s double winners and win 5-0 was a very bold statement indeed.

Chelsea's biggest defeat since losing 0-6 to Arsenal 13 years ago…#FAWSL pic.twitter.com/wAJfbPc510

— Dion Farnes (@DionFarnes) October 14, 2018

The result means Arsenal stay top of the WSL, four points clear of Manchester City and 6 clear of Chelsea with a game in hand over the latter. They lead Birmingham on goal difference- Birmingham have a goal difference of +3 currently, Arsenal’s is +18. There is a long way to go in the season yet, but Arsenal proved they are serious about winning a first title since 2012.

It is a game worth reliving again and again, so why not check out Suzy Wrack’s match report in the Guardian, Glenn Moore’s match report in inews and James Benge spoke to Leah Williamson after the match for the Evening Standard, of course you can also enjoy the highlights below.

NOBBS ‘TODAY WASN’T A COINCIDENCE’
Jordan Nobbs helped herself to two goals in the rout of Chelsea and I spoke to her immediately after the final whistle. “Our performances this season have really given us a lot of belief, we know we’ve been playing well and we’ve been scoring a lot of goals, so today wasn’t a one off or a coincidence,” she told me.

“We’ve been developing over the first few games of this season and today was a proper team performance from front to back.” You can read the full interview, including her admission that her first goal was ‘a terrible attempt at a cross’, here.

I thought a lot about this caption… fact is, I just love this football club @arsenalwfc #WeAreTheArsenal pic.twitter.com/vW0ZDoYT08

— Jordan Nobbs (@JordanNobbs8) October 14, 2018

BIG TROUBLE FOR LITTLE FOOT
The only dampener on an otherwise glorious afternoon was an injury to the superb Kim Little, who has now scored in her last 7 consecutive games for club and country. Little was hacked from behind by Chelsea’s Drew Spence who somehow managed to escape a red card. Little left the ground on crutches due to a heavy blow on the fibula.

Kim Little’s last seven games for @ArsenalWFC and @ScottishFA…

Chelsea ⚽️
West Ham ⚽️
Yeovil ⚽️
Lewes ⚽️⚽️⚽️
Liverpool ⚽️
Albania ⚽️
Switzerland ⚽️#WeAreTheArsenal ? pic.twitter.com/tyOaYDkdEi

— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) October 14, 2018

It would be a huge blow to lose Kim, who has been Arsenal’s best performer this season- which is really saying something. Joe Montemurro told BT Sport that it shouldn’t keep her out too long and happily, she stayed on the bench when substituted rather than walking down the tunnel, but the early prognosis suggests we would be lucky to see her this side of Christmas.

MONTEMURRO’S MASTERPLAN
Joe Montemurro is renowned for having a plan against his opponents. He hired his video analyst from Melbourne as his assistant manager, such is the emphasis on studying opponents and probing them for weak spots. On Sunday, he played Jordan Nobbs higher up the pitch to initiate the press, with van de Donk joining her from the right hand side.

Joe told Arsenal.com, “We’ve been working on transitions because we knew that would be the game. They attack in numbers and they leave spaces at the back, so we felt that with a smart and patient press, as well as taking little risks, we could find the space behind their defence.” You can read the full interview here.

ARSENAL WOMEN TAKING OVER AUNTIE

This Sunday’s fixture at home to Reading will be shown live on the BBC Red Button and BBC Online, the kickoff remains at 2pm. The home match against Birmingham City on Sunday, 4th November will also be shown on the BBC Red Button and Online, with kickoff moving to 12.30pm.

AWFC ON THE ARSECAST
It was a real pleasure to appear on last week’s Arsecast taking a broader view of the Arsenal Women’s team, discussing their origins, the challenges facing women’s football in general and Arsenal’s aspirations for the season. You can listen to that episode here. The official Arsenal Podcast had a special episode on Arsenal Women last week too featuring interviews with Claire Wheatley, Faye White, Vivianne Miedema and Joe Montemurro.

KEMME’S CAMPER
German international Tabea Kemme is one of women’s football’s more interesting characters. Tabea has not played for Arsenal yet due to a knee injury, but the 2016 Olympic gold medallist is no ordinary footballer. She is a qualified policewoman in Potsdam and has taken a leave of absence from that role to play for the Gunners for the next 2 years.

Tabea is also a keen Volkswagen camper driver. Here, she talks to Arsenal Media about her camper, a present she bought for herself after winning Olympic gold in 2016. Arsenal also recorded an episode of ‘teammates’ featuring Leah Williamson, Jordan Nobbs and Beth Mead.

READING
The girls play at home this Sunday against Reading Women at Meadow Park, it’s a 2pm kickoff, so do get along to Boreham Wood to cheer the girls on. It’s only £6 adults and £3 concessions if you book online before Friday afternoon. Otherwise, it’s £10 adults and £5 concessions if you turn up on the day.

COMING UP

We’ll have a full match preview for the Reading game on Friday afternoon, as well as exclusive match reaction from a player on Sunday evening. October’s feature interview will be with Vivianne Miedema and that will be published at the beginning of next week.

6️⃣ games
9️⃣ goals @VivianneMiedema's stunning start to the season continues ?#WeAreTheArsenal ? pic.twitter.com/lkqOAqjRMA

— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) October 14, 2018