When Arsenal face Reading Women on Sunday, they will be facing two old friends in the shape of Emma Mitchell and Dan Carter, who have over 350 appearances, 6 FA Cups, 8 League Cups and 4 league titles between them from their time at Arsenal.
Mitchell joined Tottenham on loan for the second half of last season, while Carter suffered consecutive anterior cruciate ligament injuries, keeping her out for the best part of two years. Carter admitted that she was “heartbroken” when her Arsenal contract was not renewed last summer.
I asked Arsenal boss Joe Montemurro how difficult it was to let Carter, who scored the winner in the 2016 FA Cup Final against Chelsea at Wembley, leave. “It was exceptionally difficult, especially because of the circumstances. During my tenure we didn’t get to see a lot of Dan because she got injured. I can understand from her perspective that she didn’t get a good opportunity to cement her place in the team.
After 11 years, 184 appearances, 5 Conti Cups, 4 FA Cups, 3 FAWSL titles, 2 ACLs and 1 FA Premier League title… it is with the heaviest of hearts that my time at Arsenal has come to an end.
They say “I’m Arsenal till I die….” and today a massive part of me has died 😢💔 pic.twitter.com/vjrGxKMK5g
— Danielle Carter (@DanielleCarter) June 25, 2020
“It was very difficult for the club and it was difficult for me. It’s difficult for every player that you have to part ways with they are always tough conversations to have. But I stand by the calls I make of this nature and that they are in the best interests of the club and the player.
“We were bringing in lots of players and we had players performing on a regular basis and it was going to be very difficult for her to get back into the team. Her aspirations are still to play for England and to get to the very top and she is a top footballer and we felt regular game time in another environment would benefit her to achieve her goals.”
Will we ever get bored of watching this goal? Not a chance 😉@DanielleCarter 🚀 pic.twitter.com/42OoPSWgDT
— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) June 9, 2020
Baller
An Arsenal Women legend and a credit to her profession. It was difficult for the fans to see her leave too without the opportunity to see if she still had her magic sfter such a long rehabilitation but from an anlalytical point of view Joe has steered the team into a slightly different way of playing and I wonder if Dan for all her attributes fitted into that style which decided her fate?
She is very good, but she was going to find it tough nailing a place in the team in a position in which Miedema is doing so well.
I believe it will a great day when Montemurro is not here anymore. Never liked his stubbornness.
I was gutted when she had to leave, she deserved a chance to prove herself again. Dan was my favourite player, the only BAME player at Arsenal women and a lovely player and character, I don’t watch much since she left and the manager bottles every big game.
Not sure which game you watched but if you watched more than one you might have remembered some of these BAME players and there are some familiar names in this list:
Anita Asante,
Paige Bailey-Gayle,
Amanprit Dosanj,
Shaznay Lewis (yes the All Saints Shaznay Lewis!),
Jessica Naz,
Asisat Oshoala,
Mary Phillip,
Vyan Sampson,
Becky Spencer,
Chioma Ubogagu,
Tori Williams,
Rachel Yankey
I am certain some of these were playing Gunners while Dan was around and also while Dan was out injured.
Cannot understand why Ms Lewis decided to jack in the football, any ideas?
Dan’s Wembley winner was the clincher for switching my support from mens’ to womens’ football.
Lovely, bright, intelligent lady. So sad that she had to leave but the reality was the 2 consecutive ACL injuries made it necessary for her to move on.
Weeeelbz