THE LOWDOWN
Arsenal Women travel to Brighton (well, Crawley) on Sunday with the aim of confirming progression from their Conti Cup group. Having thrashed Millwall and Charlton 4-0 already in the group, a victory over Hope Powell’s Brighton at the People’s Pension Stadium will mean they will be guaranteed at least second place and a spot in the group and a place in the quarter-finals with two games still to play.
Joe Montemurro will likely look for more short rotation in the team ahead of the international break. However, we know by now that the coach does not believe in making wholesale changes. Brighton will look to be organised and hit the Gunners on the break, but Montemurro’s side have beaten scored four goals in each of their last three encounters against the Seagulls.
After an 8-0 victory over Slavia Praha on Thursday, Arsenal will be keen to maintain their momentum in this competition. Realistically, Brighton are battling with Bristol City for the second qualification spot in this group having lost to the Robins already. Bristol have still to come to Meadow Park, so a point for Brighton would still represent great value and a place in the Conti Cup quarter-finals would be a big carrot for the home team.
Another game, another @VivianneMiedema hat-trick ⚽️⚽️⚽️
No other player has scored more goals in the @UWCL this season (10) ? pic.twitter.com/jOgCLKakSJ
— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) October 31, 2019
TEAM NEWS
Jordan Nobbs will return to the squad after being rested for the Slavia Praha game on Thursday. Katie McCabe should also come in after being rested to the bench, while Viki Schnaderbeck will probably start following her return from a thigh injury, with Jen Beattie likely to be rested after playing more minutes than any other Arsenal player so far this season.
Emma Mitchell is also in line to start, but Tabea Kemme and Danielle Carter (both knee) are both definitely out. The academy side don’t have a match until Wednesday evening, so the likes of Ruby Grant, Mel Filis and Silvana Flores could be involved in this match.
THE OPPOSITION
The priority for Hope Powell’s side is survival in the WSL and they are currently second bottom, just a point above Liverpool in the WSL. They started the season with two draws, including one against Chelsea, but have lost all of their league games since. In her pre-match press conference, Hope Powell intimated that she will rotate her side for this game.
“This match will be about being better than we were in our last match against Arsenal. We need to keep possession better and move the ball quicker. There will be changes and we’ll give players who haven’t had as many minutes a chance to shine.” Brighton boast some ex-Gunners in their squad, most notably skipper Dani Buet who left the club as a teenager in 2007 to join Chelsea. Back-up goalkeeper Sophie Harris will probably start on Sunday and she was Emma Byrne’s deputy in the 2012-13 season.
LAST TIME OUT
Arsenal beat Brighton 4-0 in the WSL at Meadow Park in September, thanks to goals from Kim Little, Vivianne Miedema, Danielle van de Donk and Jordan Nobbs. The last time the Gunners played away at Brighton, the match was played at the AMEX Stadium in April and another 4-0 win for Joe Montemurro’s side sealed a first league title in seven years.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Jordan Nobbs was rested on Thursday evening and she will be raring to go again against Brighton. Her performance against Manchester City last weekend saw her play somewhere close to her best. Joe Montemurro says it will be Christmas before we see Jordan at the absolute top of her game again, but even at 70% she is one of the best players in the WSL.
Arsenal will have a lot of the ball and, I fancy, Kim Little might start this one on the bench. This game, therefore, represents an opportunity for Jill Roord and Jordan to enhance their on-pitch relationship. Jordan is a high-touch player, while Jill likes to make strong runs into the area off the ball. On paper, they ought to be a well-suited partnership.
#TB Jordan Nobbs ⚽️
17/18 Arsenal 5-0 Charlton pic.twitter.com/zjUo1czi8i— miedemastuff ⚽️ (@miedemastuff) October 19, 2019
PREDICTED LINE-UP
1.ZINSBERGER, 20.MAIER, 22.SCHNADERBECK, 16.QUINN, 3.MITCHELL, 13.WALTI, 8.NOBBS (c), 14.ROORD, 15.McCABE, 2.VEJE, 23.MEAD. Substitutes; 5.Beattie, 6.Williamson, 7.van de Donk, 10.Little, 11.Miedema, 17.Evans, 18.Peyraud-Magnin.
HOW TO CATCH THE GAME
The game will not be streamed or broadcast anywhere. You can buy tickets on the turnstile at Crawley Town’s People’s Pension Stadium for £6 adults and £3 concessions. Kickoff is at 2pm on Sunday.
COMING UP
We will have exclusive post-match player reaction on the site after the final whistle on Sunday. The November edition of the Arsenal Women Arsecast will be released during the week commencing 11th November and will be a spotlight episode on the Gunners’ Dutch contingent. It contains interviews with Jill Roord, Vivianne Miedema, Leah Williamson talking about Vivianne Miedema and special guest Annemarie Postma, Dutch national team journalist and author of the book ‘Samen Sterk’, the story of Netherlands’ Euro 2017 triumph.
Thanks Tim. Not sure it really matters which 11 are on the pitch with all due respect to the Seagulls. Arsenal are in a different league. Most important thing is to come back with a result and no injuries. We know about Dan but any clue as to what is wrong with Tabea’s knee? She appears to have multiple “set backs” but are these the original injury not healing or subsequent injuries building up? Seems a real shame to have a world class player in the club for such a limited time without being given an opportunity to show what… Read more »
*hovers around, ears pricked up*
Agree, it is a shame that Tabea has been hit with the knee injury curse. Maybe she’s already gone back to Germany as I haven’t seen her at matches recently. Good to see Dan Carter on the pitch as part of the group hug after the game last night???
There’s no time limit on Tabea’s recovery, but she is not in England at the moment. Not really sure if it is a build up or lots of old injuries, but this one was a very serious one. She has torn her meniscus and knee cartilage. She has to rejoin the Potsdam police in September, I believe. My honest feeling is that she will retire- not least because she has another career on the go. I would say if we get any minutes out of Tabi this season, consider them a bonus.
Thanks Tim, shame it is not more positive news.
Thanks, Tim.
I hope you’re right bout the Filis/Grant/Flores getting a look-in.
Good stuff, Tim. I’ve only recently gotten into following Arsenal Women and have discovered what a welcome respite they are to the struggling men’s team.
Came to the same conclusion 4 years ago when the “Wenger Out” campaign turned the Club toxic. Following the women has re-invigorated my interest in football. I’m full of admiration for the whole AWFC set up players, management and, not least, the dedicated supporters. The only toxic stuff at Meadow Park is the bleach they clean the bogs with!
Shame there’s no stream today – will be following on Twitter I guess. Thanks as always for the good write up Tim!