Arsenal: Van Domselaar; Fox, Wubben-Moy, Codina, McCabe; Little, Cooney-Cross; Mead, Maanum, Mariona; Russo
Substitutes: Zinsberger, Williamson, Catley, Reid, Wälti, Kühl, Kafaji, Foord, Blackstenius
Arsenal have suffered a significant dent to their title aspirations, drawing 0-0 with Everton at home at the Emirates. After an insipid performance last week against Leicester City, the hope was that with no mid-week fixture, Arsenal’s performance levels would improve. That, however, didn’t happen, as Arsenal struggled to create any real clear-cut chances against Everton’s mid-block, with Arsenal really not playing with any intensity or creativity.
Jonas Eidevall made two changes to the team that beat Leicester last weekend. Mariona and Kim Little returned to the starting lineup, while Lia Wälti and Caitlin Foord dropped to the bench. Leah Williamson and Steph Catley also returned to the squad.
First Half
After twenty minutes of little incident, Mariona, Cooney-Cross, and Russo all combined with little touches to get Cooney-Cross into the box. She jinked away from one but her shot went wide of the near post.
Arsenal’s high press caused a turnover. Mariona intercepted Wheeler’s pass, and went for goal, with Brosnan saving.
Maanum would skip away from Finnigan and shoot from range, with Brosnan pushing her low shot away for a corner.
Sarri, who scored against Arsenal two years ago while playing for Birmingham, tested van Domselaar from range, her shot getting saved onto the crossbar. From the crossbar, McCabe cleared off the line.
At the other end, Fox’s shot from distance went just wide of the post following a corner.
Fox would then have another chance. After Little superbly won possession, McCabe was set away on the left and she crossed across the box. Fox ghosted in, but headed well wide.
Second Half
Arsenal controlled possession more than in the first half, but it still took 13 minutes to have a clear shot, with Maanum shooting from range. Her shot, though, was straight at Brosnan.
On 64 minutes, Arsenal made a triple substitution. Caitlin Foord replaced Emily Fox, Stina Blackstenius replaced Alessia Russo, and Leah Williamson replaced Lotte Wubben-Moy.
Arsenal were taking far too long in possession to play through Everton’s mid block, with players taking extra touches. And, even when Arsenal were able to get around the back, as Mead did, there was a lack of conviction in the final action, allowing Everton’s defenders to get back and snuff out the danger. Thus, when Mead got around the back and crossed, Mariona had to take an extra touch to settle the ball, allowing Heather Payne to clear.
On 77 minutes, Arsenal made a double substitution, with Catley replacing McCabe and Wälti replacing Cooney-Cross.
Mariona cut inside and shot, but her shot went off Wheeler and straight to Brosnan as Arsenal continued to struggle to create high quality chances. Maanum then had a shot blocked, as Everton defenders, seeing the chance for a point, threw themselves at the shot.
Catley crossed, Foord took it down and shot, and Brosnan pushed it away onto the bar as the clock hit 90. And, with the match into the first of four added minutes, Mariona crossed, but Blackstenius headed over. Mead then went down on the right and put in a good cross, but Blackstenius headed over again.
In the final seconds, Foord crossed, Everton cleared, and the whistle went.
The worst first half I hae seen from Russo and Fox and they were rightly substituted but JE left the worst offender on the pitch, Katie McCabe.
They were clueless, leaderless, no firepower, no invention, poor passing and it may have been a better lesson in abject footbsll had they lost.
Playing this way they do not have a cat in hells chance against Bayern or Chelsea. I give in.
Think eidevall should have substituted himself out of the club.
Actually, we do have a chance against Chelsea and Bayern. He has shown he can play against teams that come to play. However, it is because of games like today that people come for Jonas. We lost the title a couple of years ago because we lost to fvcking Birmingham! We have talked all preseason about how we need to break down low blocks. He acknowledged that himself, but it’s the same sh#t over and over again. Heard he didn’t bring Kafaji in at all today, which is just laughable. Isn’t she a potent weapon against low blocks? Honestly, I… Read more »
2 out of 6 points at home seems to be kissing the title challenge goodbye..
Well I feel like I’ve seen that game several times this season already, very frustrating. Real lack of bravery on the ball at times. I thought Caldontey had a poor game, but there weren’t many bright sparks today – Codina maybe?
The only rays of sunshine from today were the performances of Codina, Maanum and KCC. And the shotstopping of Daphne van Doom Slayer, without whom that might well have been a 0-1 loss. Apart from that, same old same old. We have to score goals. It’s that basic.
aside Van Domselaar! none of the players deserves any praise
At least mariona was trying some things & playing a bit quicker. I thought she was our best attacker + did a lot of crucial tracking back. Why we ignored the right wing the whole first half though….I do not know!
It’s that saying ‘if you can’t win, you can’t lose’. We lacked someone with speed and skill to enter the area and I thought of Rosa Kafaji, she could have entered. There was enough space in those areas and I missed her in that midfield. She’s not afraid to take risks and she’s also brave enough to face opponents inside the area. I don’t know what to expect in the next games. They are very difficult games and our attackers are not scoring goals. We’ll have to be very resilient from now on.
And why did they hire Kafaji? Today was the day for her to play, and where is that offensive counterattack? I’m trying to understand this logic.
A word to describe that performance is “stodgy”. I’m afraid that, for me, one of the main causes is Kyra Cooney-Cross. She looks her best when she drives forward but most of the time she slows things down and plays the safe, short backwards or sideways pass. The only time there was any sense of urgency was after Lia Wälti came on. The majority of our performances this season have also been stodgy, and I’m finding it hard to put my finger on exactly why. Possibly our players aren’t quite as good as we think they are. However, when I… Read more »
I agree with that and feel the same way but things always bother me about the mentality at corners, free kicks and throw ins: Why do they sod around with Mead and awwful McCabe at corners. Get it in the middle!!! We have some good headers of the ball, tall as well.
With free kicks, generally and throw ins always they thrown and pass BACKWARDS. Where does that put the opposition on the back foot?
What scares me is that Arsenal Women had a week without games and were more rested while Everton with their reduced team had a game in the middle of the week and I thought Arsenal would win this game easily. With the entry of Lia W. the midfield flowed and started to develop plays, but it was too late.
I have to stand up for KCC here – she has been trying to improve the defensive part of her game and perhaps she concentrated on playing safe/defensive a bit too much. But the excessive passing backward thing is a fault of KL which is being inherited by both Pelova and KCC, unfortunately.
Apart from that, I agree – no intensity, no incisivenes. Flurry of energy for the last 10 mins, but too late.
KCC plays her best as a deep lying playmaker