Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Arsenal Women Arsecast 109: Man City 3 Arsenal 4

Welcome to a brand new episode of the Arsenal Women Arsecast, the number one podcast about Arsenal Women.

In this episode of the Arsenal Women Arsecast, Tim and Jamie dissect the 4-3 away win at Manchester City on Sunday. Tim and Jamie discuss a basketball type game and how key absences, particularly in midfield, contributed to a heater skelter game, the risk reward performance of Mariona, how Renee Slegers was more effective with her subs than Gareth Taylor and how Lia Walti changed the game. In the second half, Tim and Jamie field listener questions on the future of the midfield, Chloe Kelly and the competition at centre-half, as well as Arsenal missing out on Keira Walsh.

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Michael

Enjoyed the cast, thank you. Did not watch the match as I won’t have SKY but I was very pleased that AWFC beat Man City and the unremarkable and unsporting Gareth Taylor who, I expect, had more to do with the Kelly saga than he would ever admit. I am not convinced that Walsh is the answer to any midfield shortcomings AWFC may have. I think she is the wrong age and Renee was not interested. From what I saw City were as vulnerable as ever defensively and lacking in attack. Finally Mead’s cross for the 4th goal was top… Read more »

Peter Story Teller

The whole match is on You Tube now. I’ll be watching it tonight. Sure, we know the score but it’s the bits in between the goals that are interesting!

Michael

Thanks, have watched the first half.

Fun Gunner

Yep. Takes a striker to cross for a striker. Perfect pass.

Colin Carey

Following the Chelsea defeat a lot was made about Arsenal’s failure to secure the signature of Keira Walsh and I couldn’t understand why. For a start it demeaned Arsenal’s present players in her playing position and, in games I’ve seen her playing, I’ve always said she’s grossly overrated and well past her best. Going back to the Lionesses’s World Cup, Walsh was replaced in a match and after suffering an injury by Katie Zelem whose ability far outshone Walsh. Maybe Renee Slegers could also see Walsh’s inferiority compared with her present centre back players and didn’t pursue her. Walsh won’t… Read more »

Amor pelo futebol feminino

Exactly, I think Walsh didn’t want to come to Arsenal either, she said she wants to win a CL with an English club, so I think she was persuaded to go to Chelsea who have a better chance of winning, what if fate has in store for Arsenal to win? that’s what I think.

Gunner H

Agree 100% – whilst Keira is undoubtedly a class player, I’ve always felt she’s over-rated & a “luxury player” who was definitely outshone by Zelem in my opinion too. Smart move not to sign her.

Fun Gunner

“Luxury player” is a great description because in the WSL you would have to pair her with a more physical player to act as her “muscle”. With Wälti, Hasegawa and Oberdorf you get those two players in one. Suits Chelsea because Cuthbert just goes around kicking players anyway.

TM28

True about Cuthbert but let’s not forget Lauren James. She gets a few kicks in too.

Fun Gunner

Yes – but what I meant was that Cuthbert is a ready-made partner for Walsh, who will do the ugly stuff.

Fun Gunner

I like Russo on the wing – or at least I think it could be a promising development, not just an emergency measure. I hope next season we get an absolutely world class, frightening striker and Russo is moved out to the left or right, much as Beth Mead was. I realise that this opinion will be wildly unpopular, but I don’t think Russo is at peak Mead or Miedema levels and I can’t see it happening. She contributes positively in every game, her all-round play is outstanding but she is not super prolific. The striker we need is the… Read more »

Fun Gunner

Whoops – where are my manners! Thanks, Tim and Jamie. A great listen as always.

Michael

Can’t disagree with any of that. Well said!!

Amor pelo futebol feminino

Did you notice that all the names that were involved with Arsenal, Chelsea bought? It’s too much of a coincidence.

Fun Gunner

Well, they’re both big names, so I don’t read too much into that.

Amor pelo futebol feminino

But I’m not saying whether they’re big or not, I’m just saying that Chelsea are interested in the players that Arsenal are always looking for, and I wonder if these players were in their plans? I’d never heard that they wanted Walsh.

Peter Story Teller

This is our new tactic haven’t you heard? Make a silly offer for an average player and let Chelsea “steal them” from under your nose! Then they end up with a load of average players and little money! Surprised it didn’t work with Earps!

Gunner H

Excellent analysis Ms Fun Gunner, most of which I agree with.

Russo is an absolutely top class player but of course she’s not a goal poacher as such, like say Ellen White or Viv. Her contribution in pretty much every game is immense, which is more than enough.

I have liked Codina from the start, perhaps midfield will happen for her.

Didn’t realise Jenna had such attacking prowess – I guess we’ll see her on the green field of play on Thursday.

Fun Gunner

Jenna started as a forward, was only converted to LB recently, so similar to both Katie M and Rachel Daly in that way. It’s really her playing style going forward that made me think of Rachel Daly. I can’t wait to see her on action, very intrigued.

Goonersince55

Laia played in midfield for quite a bit of the match against Bristol City. I thought she did well, so I do see this as an option.

NeilP

I disagree. I think Russo is a really good player, and England’s main striker, yet to suit Arsenal’s style and players she gets relegated to a wide position where she is less productive. I think Arsenal should have been honing her skills as a goalscorer to help her be more prolific. Movement inside the penalty box for instance. Get her to think first about always being in goalscoring positions and demanding the ball. She is a better player than Blackstenius. At the moment it seems Arsenal are teaching her to not be a goalscorer. I always get the feeling that… Read more »

Fun Gunner

As I said, I also think Russo is a very good player. I wasn’t suggesting moving AR to the wing in favour of playing Blackstenius at CF. I want us to find a striker who is better than either of them and play the new player at CF. Russo was played at CF virtually every game last season and it was her best goal haul in the WSL. So I think playing at Arsenal is helping her. She is playing even better than last season, and has been on a great run of form, but she hasn’t scored in her… Read more »

Goonersince55

As always, enjoyed the Arsecast. I don’t think I’m the only one who says about Renee’s substitutions “I wasn’t expecting that, not what I would have done”….and afterwards says “she was right”!

Chilli

Have to disagree with your comments regarding the midfield and the need to play Kim Little or Lia Walti. I think Sunday was our best starting midfield this season. Cooney x and her perfectly placed passes, free kicks and corners, she wins most of her duals and the way she drives with the ball through the opposition. We need to move on with this obsession of needing to start our older players in MF , who are losing legs and passing the ball back too much. Cooney X wins more duals and tackles than both. The team desperately needs to… Read more »

Tim Stillman

But you need those backwards passes to regulate the temperature of the game and stop it from becoming basketball. If Little and Walti play just no way City take 10 shots in the first half and no way Arsenal give up a two goal lead quite easily. My take is there is too much obsession with age and not with contribution, Walti is 31, I expect her to be absolutely at her current level for another 2-3 seasons. It is also not just a defensive thing, when you retain the ball you can build pressure and you saw that when… Read more »

Fun Gunner

It’s about balancing attack and defence – not about playing older players vs younger players, although Walti’s and Little’s experience is invaluable.

I’m also excited about RS’s comments about lowering the age profile of the players we bring in, targeting the 22-25 age group.

Regarding Nighswonger, it wouldn’t surprise me if she is played at LW as well as, or instead of, LB while she is acclimatising to the WSL and a new country, new teammates, etc.

Fun Gunner

Just thought of an example – if Walti had received the ball in or near our penalty area instead of Mariona, she wouldn’t have lost it to Miedema. So we wouldn’t have conceded the second goal.

sturmunddrang

I hope I’m wrong but I have my doubts about Nighswonger. I think she makes sense as a backup to McCabe but no way is she better than McCabe.

Dennis (from Fantasy Football)

Heres my takeaway from the City game. Catley at LB is a no. Too slow against direct wingplay, exposed, got caught out, easily lured forward. Stina upfront nuh. should limited to specific starts and impact/bench player.. 2 big chances missed incl. one at 2-0 (9″) up to make it 3 and then at 3-3 (56″) to kill the game and an excellent ball over the top at 3-3 (67″) with only the keeper to beat, constantly picking the wrong, mostly offside. Her goal masked another poor outing as a starter. Mead on the flanks not convincing..lacks game awareness, poor on… Read more »

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