1.Sari VAN VEEENENDAAL– Sari joined the Gunners from FC Twente just after the 2015 World Cup as the long term replacement for the legendary Emma Byrne. The Dutch international is renowned for her excellent reflexes and is comfortable with the ball at her feet. She was the Netherlands’ first choice keeper during their Euro 2017 triumph and has won a Women’s FA Cup and two FAWSL Continental Cups at the club.
Arseblog interview from February 2018.
3.Emma MITCHELL– The Scottish international joined the Gunners from Essen in Germany in 2013 and has pretty much been the club’s first choice left-back ever since. Emma is also capable of playing at centre-half given her impressive aerial ability. While Arsenal’s right backs tend to like to get close to the by-line, Emma’s speciality is much more focused on flighted crosses from the left flank.
Emma has won 2 FA Cups and 2 Continental Cups since joining the club and is a long time international teammate of fellow Gunners Kim Little and Lisa Evans. ‘Mitch’, who has a reputation in the squad as a bit of a joker, signed a new contract with the club in March 2018. She principally plays at left-back but has operated as an emergency centre-half.
Arseblog interviews: October 2017
4.Janni ARNTH– 32 year old Danish centre half Janni joins the club in January 2018 from Swedish side Linkoping. Janni is a tough defender with an excellent range of passing, renowned for her leadership skills. Arnth has 78 caps for Denmark and won Damallsvenskan (the Swedish top flight) in 2016 and 2017, as well as Elitedivisionen (the Danish top flight) title in 2010.
6.Leah WILLIAMSON– A product of Arsenal’s academy and a life-long Arsenal fan, Leah is one of the brightest prospects in England. Still only 20, Williamson broke into the team at the age of 16, even winning the Women’s FA Cup in her hometown of Milton Keynes as a 17 year old. Leah can play in a number of positions.
However, Joe Montemurro has settled her at centre half, due to her tough tackling and her penchant for passing progressively from the back. Leah is quick across the ground and tenacious in the challenge, her upper body strength easing opponents’ aside. Leah signed a new long term contract with the club in March 2018.
Leah is a centre half, who can play in defensive midfield or in both full-back positions.
Arseblog interview: January 2018
7.Danielle VAN DE DONK– van de Donk is an attacking midfield player, capable of playing behind the striker, as a false 9 or as a wide forward. But she has found her niche in more of a box to box role over the 2017-18 season, alongside international teammate Janssen and Jordan Nobbs. Van de Donk has a good sense of when to drift into the penalty area. She is strong in the air and technically precise. ‘DvD’ as she is known, was a Euro 2017 winner with the Dutch national team. She signed a new deal with Arsenal in May 2018.
Danielle usually plays as a number 8, but can play anywhere in midfield or across the front line.
Arseblog interview: November 2018
8.Jordan NOBBS– Jordan joined the Gunners from Sunderland as a teenager in 2010. Since then, she has built a reputation as one of the finest midfielders in the world. Jordan has a little bit of everything to her game, her energy levels are unrivalled, her long and short passing is excellent and she has a penchant for strikes from range.
Nobbs, whose father Keith was a centre-half for Hartlepool United, is England’s current vice-captain and has won two league titles, four FA Cups and five league cups in her time at the club. Jordan is very much the heartbeat of this Arsenal team, giving it its tempo and its rhythm in equal measure. Jordan signed a new deal with the Gunners in May 2018.
Jordan is a fixture in central midfield but is occasionally used on the right-wing.
Arseblog interviews: April 2018
October 2016
October 2013
9.Danielle CARTER– Sometimes known as ‘Welbz’ to her teammates, Carter joined the Gunners from Leyton Orient as a teenager and has been a feature in the first team squad since she was 18. Carter is a forward often played as a wide forward in a front 3, but capable of playing through the middle too.
Dan is a direct attacker that likes to take defenders on and find angles for shots on goal. Her crowning moment was a curling 25 yard strike at Wembley that sealed the Gunners’ 2016 FA Cup Final win over Chelsea. Carter has won two league titles, four FA Cups and five league cups with the club. She signed a new contract in September 2017.
Arseblog interviews: May 2016
May 2016
May 2017
July 2017
10.Kim LITTLE– A Scottish international, Kim is known as one of the finest central midfield players in the world. She originally joined the club from Hibernian as a 17 year old and immediately became a feature of an all-conquering Gunners team. Kim’s mixture of great vision, great passing, tight ball control and her ability to shoot with both feet have earned her global acclaim.
Little left the club to join Seattle Reign back in 2014, before rejoining Arsenal in 2017. A cruciate ligament injury cost her a good chunk of her second debut season. Kim was a revelation Stateside with Reign, but was tempted to re-join Arsenal last year. Kim is, quite possibly, the most revered player in the league.
The Scot plays in central midfield, but can play in the wide forward positions.
Arseblog interviews: October 2012
May 2013
March 2018
11.Vivianne MIEDEMA– Miedema agreed to sign for Arsenal shortly before leading her country to the 2017 European Championships title on home soil last summer. Miedema finished as her country’s top scorer, with two goals in the final to boot. The rangy Dutch forward also scored the winner for the Gunners in their recent Conti Cup Final victory over Manchester City.
Miedema has pretty much every club in her bag; she is strong in the air, holds the ball up excellently, has an unyielding touch and nerves of steel in front of goal. She scored 50 goals in 63 appearances for her country before her 22nd birthday. She is already a two time Frauen Bundesliga winner with Bayern Munich.
Arseblog interview: September 2017
12.Jessica SAMUELSSON– Signed in the summer of 2017 as Alex Scott’s long-term replacement at right-back, the Swede missed the vast majority of her debut season after a painful foot injury saw her dislocate her metatarsal on international duty. Jess can also play at centre-half or left-back. Samuelsson is a strong and rangy full-back who combines well with teammates and can deliver with precision from the flanks.
Arseblog interview: September 2018
15.Katie McCABE– Katie is the current captain of Ireland, she joined Arsenal from Shelbourne Ladies in 2015. Katie is a left-winger, who can also play at left-back or as an inverted right winger. Katie has a great left foot and a good delivery into the box from wide areas. She spent much of 2017 on loan at Glasgow City, winning a Scottish league title there, before returning to the club in January 2018. She signed a new contract with the club in May 2018.
Arseblog interview: August 2018
16.Louise QUINN– An Irish international centre-back, Quinn arrived at Arsenal in 2017 when Notts County Ladies folded. Initially, she joined on a short term contract to provide cover, but earned a longer term deal with a series of impressive performances.
Quinn is a traditional centre half, tall, no nonsense, but she has also been able to adapt to the Gunners’ possession based style. She was a crucial part of the team that won the 2017 Continental Cup. Louise signed new terms with the club in May 2018.
Arseblog interview: May 2018
17.Lisa EVANS– Lisa joined Arsenal from Bayern Munich last summer. Evans has built a career as a direct, push and run style right winger. But current boss Joe Montemurro utilised her as an attacking right-back last season, a role the Scottish international took to with aplomb. Evans spent 5 years in Germany with Turbine Potsdam and Bayern Munich prior to joining the club and is a fluent German speaker.
Arseblog interview: May 2018
18.Pauline PEYRAUD-MAGNIN– Pauline joined from Lyon in July 2018 to provide competition to Sari van Veenendaal in goal. The 26 year old was a Champions League winner in 2018. She has also played for FC Issy, St. Etienne and Marseilles.
19.Lia WÄLTI– Swiss international captain Lia joined Arsenal from FC Turbine Potsdam in June 2018. Lia is a central midfielder capable of playing in central defence too. She won the Nationalliga A in her home country with YB Frauen in 2011. Lia is adept at controlling the tempo of play from a deep midfield position, she is also solid in the tackle with two good feet.
20.Dominique BLOODWORTH– Dominique signed for the Gunners at the same time as international teammates Sari van Veenendaal and Danielle van de Donk shortly after the 2015 World Cup. Janssen is a versatile player, who can play at centre-half or at left-back, as she frequently does for the Netherlands. She can also play at right-back.
But Bloodworth’s favoured position is as a defensive midfielder. There, her perception of danger and her long and short passing with both feet are allowed to shine. Janssen is also an excellent free-kick taker, who always makes excellent contact with the ball, from open play or dead balls. Bloodworth (neé Janssen) has become a key first choice player for the club during the 2017-18 season. She was part of the Netherlands 2017 European Championship winning squad.
Arseblog interview: March 2018
Have you seen THAT @DominiqueJansse goal?! ? pic.twitter.com/1NQoYMmpkL
— The FA Women's Super League (@FAWSL) February 8, 2018
21.Tabea KEMME– Tabea is a German international capable of playing, well, pretty much anywhere! She has typically played on the right hand side of midfield, but can also play at right back or as a centre forward. Kemme joined the club in July 2018 from Turbine Potsdam with Lia Wälti. Kemme is also a qualified policewoman. She won Olympic gold with her country in 2016.
22.Vicktoria SCHNADERBECK– Viki joined Arsenal from Bayern Munich in June 2018. She is capable of playing in midfield and defence and is the captain of the Austrian national team. Viki spent 11 years at Bayern, where she won two Bundesliga titles, but prefers to play as a centre-half.
23.Beth MEAD– The Whitby born striker arrived in North London in early 2017. Beth scored a quite incredible 77 goals in 78 appearances for Sunderland prior to joining the club. Mead is a lethal penalty box predator, but equally capable of committing players on the ball. She has often played as a wide forward for the Gunners.
Mead is the type of striker that lives to score goals and it shows in her direct style. She is capable of scoring with either foot from pretty much any conceivable angle. That she scored so many goals at a club like Sunderland demonstrates her ability and potential. Still only 22 years old, Mead broke into the England squad in 2018. She won the PFA Young Player of the Year in 2016.
Arseblog interview: November 2017
24.Ava KUYKEN– (Pronounced ‘quicken’). Ava became a regular in the first team squad during the 2017-18 season, despite still being 16. Kuyken is an attacking midfielder and joined Arsenal from Oxford United in 2016. She will move to Florida Gators on a 4 year scholarship in June 2019.
Appreciate the informative player profiles and Birmingham match preview. Can’t wait for our first-ever liveblog on the women’s game. Keep up the good work!
Thanks blogs… It’s good to know we’ve got outstanding professionals and world beaters on our books. I hope the women’s game get more and more recognition. Thanks a bunch for the effort again blogs
Props need to go to Tim for his coverage, but we’re delighted to give more of a platform to the Arsenal Women’s team.
Just a reminder to whoever voted this down: you are not required to read these posts if you do not want to. The rest of us are grateful to see them.
Thanks for these profiles. And good luck to the Arsenal Women later on today in their game against Birmingham City Ladies.
Love these profiles – I think it’s an important part of Arsenal Football Club, and I’m glad to see the coverage here. I only wish they would air the ladies’ games more often here, across the pond. I can’t seem to find any good streams either. If anyone knows of any, I’d love to sit down with my daughter and let both of us dig right into a few key matches.
Awesome…feel arsenal woman have stronger squad than our men’s squad currently!!…will try to catch the games as and when possible. Cheers. Keep the work going..
Excellent squad, lots of players who can happily play more than one position, youthful and talented. Very excited for the new season. Although I feel we could do with one more player.
Any youngsters at all, apart from Kuyken?
Shannon and Anna Filbey have left. It will be interesting to see if any of the next crop get through, like Ngunga and Gabriella Ravenscroft. It might be easier now they’ve changed the regulations on paying for players flights for England games when they go to the US.
It is that much easier to give youngsters a chance when they are attackers, so there’s every chance.
So Dan Carter is out for the season but is Miedema over her injury yet?
This is great, thanks Tim.
Can’t wait to get to some matches!
We had so many international captains in our squad!