Arsenal Women continued their perfect start to the season with a comfortable 4-0 victory over Brighton at Meadow Park. Tim Stillman was there for Arseblog News.
On days like this…
Arsenal are just a joy to watch, four goals from four different goalscorers- the centre forward and the three players rotating into the number 10 position. Miedema set up Little for the first, some gorgeous one touch football between Little and Nobbs teed Miedema up for the second, a Viv through ball set van de Donk away for the 3rd before Jordan Nobbs volleyed home a fourth.
Kim Little and Jordan Nobbs started in a midfield three with van de Donk playing nominally from the right, but Montemurro’s teams always defy a formation graphic. This was Arsenal at their fluid best, interchanging positions with Miedema again demonstrating her acumen as a provider with two more assists. This was Montemurro-ball at its finest and the performance was well timed. The next two league games are against Chelsea and Manchester City.
? Pass from @VivianneMiedema
? @DanielleDonk slotting it home!@ArsenalWFC on ? pic.twitter.com/a1oI9RnV5b— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) September 29, 2019
The second goal, finished by Miedema, is the kind of move that belongs in the Louvre. It had everything, the calm to take a short corner and pass into a crowded box, the spatial awareness of Nobbs to play a first time cushioned pass and then for Miedema to thrash the ball into the top corner on her ‘weak’ foot without a second’s thought. It was a goal with the correct measure of confidence and arrogance.
? That pass from @JordanNobbs8
? That finish from @VivianneMiedemaJust another day at the office ?♀️ pic.twitter.com/1H36dGM3Lq
— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) September 29, 2019
The absence of Lia Wälti….
Should be more of an issue than it has been. After experimenting with a fluid midfield three of Roord, van de Donk and Little, Montemurro has finally settled on playing Leah Williamson in the defensive midfield role and the decision has hit pay dirt. Leah was excellent once again, both in the defensive aspect of the game and in terms of starting the play with her line-breaking passing.
Her proficiency in the position meant that Montemurro could keep Wälti wrapped in cotton wool on the bench, as her rehabilitation is not rushed. Leah produced two outstanding pieces of skill in tight areas against Brighton which you will see in gif form on the Arsenal twitter account in the coming days, I am sure. Leah’s highlights reel for the season is expanding by the game. The England manager cannot keep on ignoring it for long- questions are being asked.
Composure ?
…by @ArsenalWFC's @leahcwilliamson pic.twitter.com/fduC6RpdNv
— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) September 29, 2019
Viv was right about the FIFPRO World XI…
Footballers often say they care little for individual awards. Understandably so. I rarely believe them, I think it is human nature to want individual recognition to some extent, even if we would rather not admit it to ourselves at times. When Vivianne Miedema says she cares little for individual accolades, I entirely believe her.
It fits the estimation I have of her character, of someone who is independent and whose motivation is forged from deep within. I have written before that I don’t think scoring goals is her prime motivator, I think she happens to be very good at it, but that it doesn’t ruin her day if she doesn’t score so long as the team has won. (I could be wrong here, of course).
Before I asked her about her omission from the FIFPRO XI this afternoon, she was keen to highlight her qualities as a provider, Viv began her career as a number 10 and can often be seen moving away from the frontline to knit moves together. “I think part of my quality is dropping in away from the frontline sometimes and allowing some of those players to run in behind and that’s what happened again today, which is great for the team.”
Cool, calm and collected! ✨
Kim Little firing @ArsenalWFC in front ? pic.twitter.com/zEbJFxF8K7
— Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) September 29, 2019
When I asked her about the FIFPRO omission, I started the question, “I already know the answer to this, but I will ask anyway.” Miedema is single-minded to the core and everything about her behaviour suggests ambivalence towards the spotlight. As she said herself, “I don’t post much on twitter or Instagram.” Viv was right to label the FIFPRO XI a “popularity contest,” and I wasn’t surprised that she was so forthright with her answer.
The words she used were that she doesn’t give a sh*t about those awards.
Ha ha ha! There you go FIFA, she just showed you your place. Know it!!
Wow! That awesome mentality to go with her undeniable talent.
Damn, what won’t I give to watch an Arsenal Women match from the stands!!
The gormless Neville just can’t stand anyone associated with Arsenal. He made that pretty clear in the summer. Suspect Leah will be a regular starter once he gets the order of the boot.
Hard to see the logic of shoehorning Bronze into cm and playing Leah at rb when you could just swap them. Or just drop Houghton who has been in poor form (she scored a really simple freekick today but you shouldn’t be picking a defender to take freekicks) or Bright who was not great at the WC either and play Leah in the heart of defence.
Your analysis is spot on.
Shame that just about every dutch news outlet has cherry-picked viv’s response and used it to make her seem bitter and arrogant. I like that she’s so forthright, but she’s really too famous in her home country to say things like that and not get shit for it. Someone should really media-train her, just to protect her from herself.
Maybe she doesn’t give a shit what the
Dutch media say either.
Anyway, best she stays at Arsenal and
says whatever she likes ?
I think she’s had it but genuinely doesn’t give a shit.
Is it just me or are or Ladies constantly out performing our Lads…?