THE LOWDOWN
Arsenal take on Chelsea in the WSL at Emirates Stadium on Saturday lunchtime and, truth be told, spirits are low in the Gunners fan base and given the second half capitulation against Bayern Munich on Wednesday, spirits seem to be low in the playing squad too. The Gunners enjoyed a strong opening 30 minutes in Munich but once the tide turned against them a little with the Bayern equaliser, heads visibly dropped.
It’s going to take a big effort to rouse the team for this game which already feels pivotal for Arsenal’s WSL title chances having drawn 0-0 at home to Everton last weekend. A defeat here would build pressure on the manager to intolerable levels and would likely already render Arsenal’s title challenge over before it has started. To say this is a big game is something of an understatement.
Arsenal Women Weekly Newsletter October mailbag. I probably don’t need to tell you what most of the questions were about, ha! Group therapy available here 👇🏻🔴⚪️https://t.co/8KihoXLsi7 pic.twitter.com/rqinzR2bnt
— Tim Stillman (@Stillmanator) October 11, 2024
Chelsea had their game against Manchester United postponed last weekend due to fixture congestion and played at home to Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday evening. Arsenal have been a little handicapped by the schedule, not least having also played four UWCL qualifiers at the beginning of this season.
However, Arsenal are going to have to internally frame that as an advantage, there were times on Tuesday evening when you could tell Chelsea were perhaps a little undercooked while Arsenal should be in a much better rhythm physically, especially with the return of Leah Williamson and Steph Catley allowing greater rotation in defence.
TEAM NEWS
Arsenal are unchanged from Wednesday evening. Victoria Pelova (ACL), Laura Wienroither (muscle strain) and Amanda Ilestedt (maternity leave) are all absent, as is Lina Hurtig who is still working her way back to full fitness still.
Squad
Goalkeepers: 1.Zinsberger 14.van Domselaar 40.Williams
Defenders: 2.Fox 3.Wubben-Moy 5.L.Codina 6.Williamson 7.Catley 11.McCabe 62.Reid
Midfielders: 10.Little 12.Maaum 13.Walti 16.Kafaji 22.Kuhl 32.Cooney-Cross
Forwards: 9.Mead 19.Foord 23.Russo 25.Blackstenius 53.Lia 56.Godfrey
A WORD FROM THE BOSS
‘They haven’t played so many games, they haven’t had a lot of competitive games to see them play this season. The games they have played you can see Sonia has a clear trademark on how they play, in and out of possession. They look like a really good team, so it’s a match between two really good football teams and we look forward to that challenge. They have been happier in the games I have seen so far to remain compact and not pressing as aggressively as Chelsea did last season. They have been a little bit less direct in their attacking play and keeping the ball a little bit more.
‘One of the most hurtful things is to see us play the way we did in the last 15 minutes at Munich and we have such a good away allocation, they are travelling and putting time and commitment into supporting us. We want them to be proud, we want them to be happy and that is such a big part of the motivation into having a strong performance tomorrow. We want to make sure every time our fans turn up here, they enjoy and they feel proud of us as a team and we look forward to getting another opportunity to do that tomorrow.’
LAST TIME OUT
The last time the teams met was in March’s Conti Cup Final when Arsenal were 1-0 winners thanks to an extra-time winner from Stina Blackstenius. In this fixture in the WSL last season, the Gunners won 4-1 with goals from Kim Little, Amanda Ilestedt and a brace from Alessia Russo. Other game between the teams last season you say? Not sure there was one and if there was I certainly don’t remember it…
THE OPPOSITION
Chelsea parted ways with Emma Hayes over the summer after 12 years and have entered a new phase under former Lyon coach Sonia Bompastor. They haven’t looked entirely convincing for all of their matches against Aston Villa, Crystal Palace or Real Madrid but they have won them all.
Allez les Blues, allez! 🤣
Catch Sonia on the latest episode of the #WeAreChelsea podcast. ⬇️
— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) October 10, 2024
Bompastor has made a few tweaks, the build-up play is a little less bombastic than it was under Hayes and Lauren James has been dropping into wider and deeper positions, where her crossing was a real highlight against Real Madrid. Guro Reiten has moved into more of a central role and has become the orchestrator of the Chelsea press.
Arsenal will want to rely on the fact that Chelsea have only played three competitive games and the fact they are still feeling their way under Bompastor. The blues camp was hit with a virus during the week that saw the likes of Erin Cuthbert and Hannah Hampton miss out.
PLAYER TO WATCH
While Arsenal look pretty low on confidence, especially in an attacking sense, Frida Maanum has looked like one of the few players with confidence in the opening weeks of the season. She has 11 shots in the WSL so far this season and had two against Bayern in midweek and she is the Gunners leading scorer.
With Kafaji being integrated slowly, Maanum has had a good run at the number 10 spot. Last season she did not start two games consecutively at any point. An Arsenal low on verve and automatisms could probably use a slice of magic and Maanum’s long range shooting could be a key weapon.
While the spacing between the forwards has been very up and down so far this season, to say the least, Frida usually looks like Arsenal’s most likely player to produce. Her ability in the press will also be very key, especially as Chelsea do not bypass midfield as much as they did under Emma Hayes.
PREDICTED LINE UP
Subs: 1.Zinsberger 3.Wubben-Moy 7.Catley 16.Kafaji 19.Foord 22.Kuhl 25.Blackstenius 32.Cooney-Cross 62.Reid
HOW TO CATCH THE GAME
The game takes place at Emirates Stadium on Saturday with a 1.45pm kickoff. The game is live on BBC One. Yours truly will be making a half time appearance too so be sure to get up and make a cuppa for that part…
COMING UP
We will have every word from Jonas Eidevall’s post-match press conference on the site shortly after full-time. Jamie and I will record an Arsenal Women Arsecast looking back over the game on Monday and we will have the usual analysis piece there too.
Do you know which Chelsea players are not in Chelsea’s WSL squad? like for example Alejandra Bernabé
Great stuff. Really informative as ever Tim, but you, er… do know you keep leaving Mariona out of the squad lists?
She’s in the starting Eleven.
She should be ‘available’ then should’t she
I think it is time for Russo and Blackstenius to take responsibility in the gol, Kafaji needs to start in the game as early as possible, KCC too. Katie Reid, these girls need to be included in the team as soon as possible. Kuhl, to regain confidence, gradually put her in the games. I really want Arsenal to win to reduce Bompastor’s arrogance.
Well, I imagine everyone has done a fair bit of soul-searching along with the training.
Hopefully we can reset and reboot our season here. Let’s see the real Arsenal, girls – the Gunners, the queens of London. COYG!
Will be an interesting game, Chelsea have looked vulnerable in defence but Arsenal have been erratic this season. Looking forward to your half time appearance, hopefully it will be a happy one
You definitely know better than me Tim, as do most of the commentators, but given our appalling defending, especially on our right side, because everyone is so far up the pitch, is it possible we will play with a back 3 and wingbacks? Excuse my ignorance.
*commentors
Bompastor is probably rubbing her hands in glee at the thought of avenging her 1-5 defeat with OL last time out..
Might really get ugly for us.