Sadly, there is no WSL action this weekend, and there won’t be for quite a while, with the International break up next. However, this break in play couldn’t have come at a better time for Arsenal. A marathon fixture list has seen them play twice every week over the past month.
Combined with Jonas’ desire to play a high press, high-intensity game, and players having little rest post-Olympics, there has always been a lingering risk of burnout for a side that have been susceptible to injuries over the past season. However, Arsenal have managed to reach this point in the season relatively unscathed, and following the end of the International Break, fans will be hoping the side can pick up exactly where they have left off.
The strange thing about this incredible start to the season though, is that it is nearly identical to how last season started. Arsenal had won all their league fixtures comfortably, they sat top of the table, but had lost a midweek cup game 4-1 (back then, it was against Chelsea in the Conti Cup). But whilst the scorelines and statistics may invoke a sense of déjà vu, the reality behind those two starts could not be more different.
Back then, Arsenal’s start had been built on victories against sides Arsenal would be expected to win with ease. It was after the international break, when Man City and Chelsea would come into view, where their title credentials would be tested, a test they would go on to fail badly. Fast forward to the present, and those tests have already been passed with flying colours already. The return of WSL football in November is now not laced with fear and trepidation, but with hope and excitement.
Key to this has been Arsenal’s impressive attack. Miedema is usually the one that gets all the plaudits (and rightly so), but this season, even she has been overshadowed. A temporary 3-game goal drought would ordinarily be cause for alarm, yet such freak statistics have flown under the radar, thanks to her colleagues upfront.
Mead and McCabe have been in incredible form so far. McCabe, Arsenal’s player of last season, has finally been allowed to play further forward, with Catley now fit to play again at left-back, and she has been as dangerous as ever. She’s been scoring screamers, like against Aston Villa and Everton, and providing assists, particularly from set plays.
Arsenal are profiting more from set-pieces already, and McCabe’s dead-ball delivery has been a key factor in their improved conversion rate. On the other wing, Mead is back with a point to prove. Her exclusion from Team GB has galvanised her and she’s now playing some of her best football for Arsenal.
Jonas’ pressing game has allowed her to truly flourish in attack, with her ability to press and tackle high up the pitch instrumental in Arsenal’s early-season dominance.
The midfield is back at its imperious best. Kim Little looks like a new player, now playing further forward and has been instrumental in dictating the Arsenal attack. Iwabuchi, a signing that had been long overdue, has looked like a very exciting addition to the team, her wonderful, flicked finish against Aston Villa providing a glimpse of the talent she possesses.
But the biggest praise has to go to Frida Maanum, who has been Arsenal’s surprise package so far. When Nobbs limped off against Chelsea in the preseason, fans feared the worst. Yet Maanum, another Arsenal summer signing, has slotted in so well, that Nobbs’ absence has hardly been felt at all.
Whether it be retaining possession under pressure, helping out the defence, or scoring rockets, like against Everton, Maanum is looking more and more like the signing of the season. The fact that Nobbs has hardly featured since returning from injury is a credit to just how well Maanum has played so far, and long may it continue.
At the back, Williamson has looked very commanding in the heart of the defence. Her storming runs through the midfield and long ball distribution has been key in allowing Jonas to play more direct, adding a new dimension to Arsenal’s attack.
Defensively, she’s looked secure, with an uncanny ability to read the game and see where penetrative balls will be played before strikers do. Frequent visitors to Meadow Park will have seen her often be first to the ball and mopping up opposition attacks with ease.
With Steph Houghton out injured, it was Williamson who Sarina turned to when choosing her new captain, and her career continues to go from strength to strength. Last summer, she extended her stay at Arsenal by another year, and fans will hope she will choose to extend once again this season.
Goalkeeping has been the place of the biggest improvement though. Arsenal have not had the luxury of having a world-class keeper between the sticks for quite a few seasons, but Manu is doing her best to try and fulfil that role.
Her improvement from last season has been stark. Back then, there would be lapses of concentration, wild rushes from goal and hesitancy under aerial balls. At the time, Joe would often swap her out with Lydia, leaving many to wonder whether the Australian veteran should be the Arsenal number 1.
But Manu has been Jonas’ first choice, and under him, she has thrived. She’s looked far more confident in the air, her shot-stopping has improved, and she’s managed to cut out her silly mistakes. Against Barcelona, despite conceding 4, she was immense, saving a penalty late on.
In the WSL, she has only conceded 2 goals (both against Chelsea). There are still fans who doubt her, still scarred by her previous mistakes, and sadly, that is the way a goalkeeper’s career goes. Besides, Manu is by no means the finished product.
Against Hoffenheim, there were periods in the first half where those old ills looked to be creeping back into her play. Her distribution from the back began to go wayward and Hoffenheim were starting to press her more and more, hoping to profit from a mistake. Even Jonas saw the danger signs, screaming at her to play it simple.
The second half showed Manu’s strength, with some strong saves to preserve Arsenal’s clean sheet as Hoffenheim tried to find a way back into the game. The picks of the bunch were her tip around the post from a cross that deflected off Lotte Wubben-Moy, and 1-on-1 save from Brand. If she can stay focused and maintain this form, then she will win over the doubters, and ensure Arsenal’s goalkeeping position is in a safe pair of hands.
However, despite the substantial improvement and brilliant football, there are still areas that need rectifying. In defence, Williamson needs to have a strong centre-back partner. New signing Simone Boye Sorensen and Anna Patten have hardly featured due to injury. Schnaderbeck has finally made her long-awaited return from injury, although it will take time for her to get fully up to speed, her role being limited to a couple of late game cameos.
That leaves just Beattie and Wubben-Moy. Beattie is the likely first choice centre-back, but against Barcelona, she was frequently caught out by the balls in behind and outpaced by the rapid attackers. Wubben-Moy is younger and has shown much promise, but her inexperience has lead to mistakes, that so far have thankfully gone unpunished.
A short back-pass against Slavia Praha almost gifted the Czech side a route back into the game. Against Hoffenheim, she was guilty of giving away possession cheaply and causing Arsenal to come under unnecessary pressure. In the WSL, such lapses usually go unpunished, given the calibre of opposition. But in Europe, the standard is higher, and if Arsenal wish to progress further, it’s these tiny creases that they will need to iron out.
The other area is in attack. In a change of pace to most seasons, Arsenal have a real strength in depth, especially in attack. Jonas now has the luxury of 2 different attack front threes, which he can rotate at will. Unfortunately, they have not been equal in strength. Whilst Miedema, Mead and McCabe (or McMeadema, as they are now known) have looked brilliant so far, their backup trio of Parris, Foord and Heath, have not.
Part of this is understandable though, Heath is a very recent arrival and will take time to become accustomed to Arsenal. Her goal against Hoffenheim will help to do just that. Foord, who looked so impressive last season when Arsenal had their struggles, has barely been used this season, being used predominantly as a late substitute for Miedema. But the biggest disappointment has been Nikkita Parris.
Signed for a club-record fee, it showed a real signal of intent by Arsenal by bringing in a WSL and Champions League winner, and a former record WSL goal scorer. But sadly, so far at least, she hasn’t delivered. Partly, this is due to the strong form of Mead and McCabe denying her the chance to start frequently. However, when she has been playing, she hasn’t done enough to justify starting ahead of them. A moment that summarised her start at Arsenal was against Hoffenheim.
Late on, she latched on to a Foord pass, had a great first touch, her shot across goal was good, yet the keeper made a really good save to tip it past the post. All signings take time to settle though, and a player of her talents won’t be out of form for long. However, she will need to find it soon. As the season develops and the fixtures stack up, the likes of Foord, Heath and Parris will be critical in keeping the strike force fresh and avoiding any burnout.
Last season, Miedema, having had to pretty much drag Arsenal to third place with her goals, looked spent by the time they drew 0-0 against Aston Villa. Managing the players loads will be critical, and when the time comes for the reserve 3 to step up, they will need to be on top form if Arsenal are to reclaim the WSL Title and bring trophies back to Meadow Park.
All in all, though, a superb start to the season. And it threatens to get even better. Arsenal face a winnable FA Cup Semi-Final at home to Brighton at the end of the month. The prospect of an FA Cup Final, at Wembley, is very real. In Europe, Arsenal have a home tie against Barcelona in December, which will be hosted at the Emirates.
Champions League football has been absent from the Emirates Stadium for over 4 years, but this year will finally see it return to the greatest stadium in North London. With a European campaign back on track after hammering Hoffenheim 4-0, a League campaign that is showing no signs of slowing down, and a date at Wembley just 1 football victory away, this incredible start to the season has the potential to explode into something truly magical.
Part 1 of the season has been near perfect. Let us see what Part 2 will bring…