Hello, Arsenal Women aficionados!
The dream of retaining the UWCL crown went out of the window on Saturday, when the Arsenal Women team surrendered to a better equipped, more experienced and more clinical Olympique Lyonnes, in France.
Kim Little and her teammates were valiant, full of courage but came short against a team that was simply better, in every department: the French champions were physically stronger, better organized tactically, technically superior and far more clinical in both boxes, so there isn’t much to recriminate here. Brand’s goal that ultimately decided the tie looked offside, but it was given after VAR review so here again, there isn’t much to complain about beyond the fact that the German had way too much space and time in the box.
The attention now shifts to the WSL, where the Gunners have four games to play in the next twelve days and could potentially take the title race to the final day. Manchester City last-minute win against Liverpool was a blow, as the Citizens remain masters of their own destiny, but the Gunners have the chance to push them all the way until 16th of May, when the final round of games will be played.
It won’t be easy to win all those four games, and it will be even harder for the players to pick themselves up after such a disappointment, but the staff and the players must find the resources to rack up the points and guarantee themselves a place in next season’s UWCL, at minimum.
SET-PIECES WORRIES
Once again, Arsenal Women conceded from a set-piece situation and paid the price for their inability to defend a dead ball – a scenario that is way too familiar for any Arsenal Women supporter.
Defeats to Brighton in the FA Cup, Manchester City in the WSL and the home draw against West Ham in the league all came through a set-piece and proved the difference between a successful season and an indifferent one.
It is widely reported that the club are looking for a set-piece specialist, whose addition could prove as important as the more-than-probable signings of Georgia Stanway, Ona Battle and Geraldine Reuteler. Defending and attacking set-pieces is becoming a key element at the very top of the women’s football, especially in Europe, so it makes sense to hire someone who could take the players to a new level.
Focus should and probably will be on defending the box, first, and stop the bleeding of goals conceded from corners or free kicks, because no team can consistently challenge for the biggest prize if they have such an evident and easy-to-exploit weakness in their game.
CLINICAL LESSI
Alessia Russo was one of the few bright spots during an otherwise difficult afternoon in Lyon, scoring what looked like a decisive goal to bring the tie beyond the 90 minutes and keep Arsenal Women’s hope of qualifying intact.
For her 9th goal of the campaign, the England international sprinted towards a nice cross from Smilla Holmberg and stuck her foot between two OL defenders to push the ball over the line. As usual, Alessia Russo didn’t shy away from a fight and wasn’t afraid to stick her foot out, but most impressively she carried the team with determination, flair and vision.
With both wingers not particularly effective and Stina Blackstenius struggling for space, Alessia Russo worked hard to connect with the midfield and create something out of nothing in the final third, working relentlessly between the lines.
The goal was a well-deserved reward for such a spirited performance, and the confirmation that Alessia Russo reached the restricted group of elite forwards in Europe, those capable of changing the course of a game with one move. Her ability to create and finish sets Alessia Russo apart from other strikers, and Renée Slegers seemingly found the way to take the best out of the England attacker, who has now two consecutive campaigns with 20+ goals contribution in all competitions.
UNDONE BY A SLOW START
It already happened against Chelsea in the quarterfinals, when Arsenal Women were lucky not to concede in the opening minutes in both games, and it happened again against Olympique Lyonnes.
The Arsenal Women team didn’t exactly hit the ground running in either game of the semifinals, but unlike Chelsea – who couldn’t capitalise – the French champions took advantage of their opponents’ lethargic start and put the tie beyond Arsenal reach by half time.
Within the first fifteen minutes, Olympique Lyonnes had a goal disallowed by VAR, saw Hegerberg inexplicably miss from three yards out (albeit from an offside position, perhaps), and were awarded a penalty, when Lotte Wubben-Moy took down in the box. That’s not how you should start the return leg of a UWCL semifinal, especially when you start with a one-goal advantage.
For sure, the Gunners came back after half-time with much more purpose and energy, but the damage was already done and the tie never truly looked on balance, even after Alessia Russo made it 3-3 on aggregate. It’s a pity that the gigantic red flag raised during both games against Chelsea was not investigated closely, because the Arsenal Women team surely had the resources and ability to go all the way and validate their ticket for Oslo, but gifting a half to such an opponent is not the right approach.
This issue shouldn’t take anything away from another impressive European campaign and the confirmation that this team is on an upwards trajectory, finally restoring themselves as one of the best teams in the continent.
With a big summer already shaping up, the Arsenal Women team looks determined to take another step forward, consolidate their ambitions, and hopefully transform them into silverware.
Chances are high that this season will end without any trophy for the Gunners, and the only answer to that is to double down on the investments.
NEXT UP
Arsenal Women are back on Wednesday night, when they travel to the south to face Brighton. Of all the remaining games until the end of the season, the away trip to Brighton is by far the trickiest one and the timing couldn’t be worse, since the Gunners need to pick themselves up after the UWCL disappointment, so we should brace ourselves for a torrid evening.
Speak to you soon!
Italian living in Switzerland, Gooner since mid-nineties, when the Gunners defeated my hometown team, in Copenhagen. I started my own blog and podcast (www.clockenditalia.com) after after some experiences with Italian websites and football magazines. Covering Arsenal Women with the occasional rant about the boys.
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