Arsenal caused a stir on transfer Deadline Day with not one but two late offers for Manchester United striker Alessia Russo. Both were reported to be world-record sums. Both were rebuffed.
Since that point, the Gunners’ Women’s Super League title credentials have taken a nosedive. A stalemate at West Ham and a damaging loss to Manchester City have left them six points adrift of the summit.
They have slipped to fourth and the race is now out of their hands – Jonas Eidevall’s side will have to rely on slip-ups from rivals to reignite any faint hope of a first league crown since 2019. Chances appear slim.
The failure to land Russo in January, or any reinforcements up top, now looks to be a fatal error. Chelsea have Sam Kerr, City own Khadija Shaw – even Aston Villa’s summer recruitment of Rachel Daly (who has scored 10 WSL goals this term) demonstrates the value of possessing reliable firepower. Goals are the hardest currency to come by in football and Arsenal, having identified their deficit, failed to address it.
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Highlights of the Women’s Super League match between Manchester City and Arsenal.
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Problems began in mid-November when it was revealed that star forward Beth Mead faced an extended period on the sidelines after suffering an ACL injury – and worsened when, three weeks later, Vivianne Miedema was stretchered off with the same issue against Lyon.
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It spelt crisis for the Gunners. Most teams would be hamstrung by the loss of their two best players. Consider Chelsea without Kerr and Fran Kirby, for example. Not the same prospect.
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A look at Alessia Russo’s best goals in the Women’s Super League after Arsenal had a world-record bid for the striker rejected by Manchester United on Deadline Day.
But when presented with the opportunity to rescue the situation in the latest transfer window Arsenal stuttered. They waited until the final dawn of the window to launch their approach and failed to make anything stick. The reluctance of United to let Russo join a direct title challenger is understandable, but Arsenal left themselves very little time for contingencies. They also tried and failed to recruit Lyon’s Signe Bruun. The delayed plan of attack was ultimately flawed.
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“There is not one player that is going to step up and give us all the goals that Miedema and Mead was doing – as a collective we can find ways of scoring goals,” Eidevall insisted recently. But Arsenal are yet to click in the league without their fearsome twosome. A spark is missing.
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Arsenal Women head coach, Jonas Eidevall wants to move the focus away from their transfer window and focus on the challenge of playing West Ham.
Indeed, Arsenal’s hesitancy has played perfectly into the hands of reigning champions Chelsea, who appear to have had a hurdle removed without having to do any of the heavy lifting themselves. The only legitimate threat to their fourth consecutive WSL winners medal now looks to be Russo’s United.
Of course, Arsenal – and indeed Manchester City – will consider themselves a part of the chasing pack but neither can convincingly challenge if Chelsea and United continue to pick up points at their current rate. Emma Hayes must be rubbing her hands together – her side didn’t even play at the weekend but are in a stronger position than they started it. They can take a big step towards eradicating United from the race when the two sides meet on March 12. Should they win that, the title is theirs to lose.
Image: Chelsea's Sam Kerr has scored six and registered three assists in the WSL this season
Indecision at the Emirates has cost dear. Nothing has been decided but the air of inevitability that follows Chelsea, and has done for several seasons now, is engulfing the league once more. Their opening day loss to Liverpool was merely a smokescreen.
Examining Arsenal’s latest setback in greater detail reveals exactly where their downfall lies. Their xG against City on Saturday was 0.29 – comparatively City’s was up at 2.31. They were kept at arm’s length and are now at risk of their season petering out completely – but for a possible European foray, with their Champions League campaign restarting against Bayern Munich in March.
Image: Stina Blackstenius struck the post in Arsenal's 2-1 loss to Man City
For context, January target Russo’s xG differential (3.29) is among the best in the league. She hasn’t been quite as prolific as Shaw, Daly or Kerr but her stats compare favourably to all of Arsenal’s current attacking options. Also worthy of mention is Bethany England, who joined Tottenham in January, and has since scored four goals for her new club. Why was she overlooked?
Perhaps the Blues would be less inclined to sell to the red side of north London – with Spurs no direct threat to their WSL ambitions – but England’s power and accuracy in the final third is exactly what Arsenal are missing. Objectively, the forward would have been a perfect fit.
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Bethany England hits back for Tottenham with a superb solo goal as she cut in from the left and curled a shot inside the far post.
Consider the goal she scored against Man United on Sunday. Mana Iwabuchi plays a quick free-quick towards England on the move – she actually collects the ball in her own half. Head down, one thing in mind, she motors towards the box and is surrounded by three United defenders by the time she dispatches her shot. The finish was devastatingly accurate – her 60th WSL goal.
By contrast, Arsenal’s only fit striker Stina Blackstenius struck her most presentable opportunity of a disappointing afternoon up in Manchester against the woodwork. The Sweden international’s shot conversion (15 per cent) pales in comparison to England’s (33 per cent). What’s more, England’s goals per 90 minutes (0.86) can only be bettered by Kirby (1.07) this season. Proven pedigree is hard to come by.
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Highlights of the Women’s Super League match between Tottenham and Manchester United.
In fact, of the four clubs who can legitimately still lay claim to the WSL thrown this term, Arsenal’s forward line is the weakest. “I take it game by game,” manager said Eidevall on Saturday. “It never changes for me. We always go game by game, trying to do our very best.” One might conclude that, on this occasion, their “very best” is not going to be good enough.
Chelsea’s charge is too convincing. And while Man United might end up running their London counterparts close – they do still have Russo after all – even their best efforts are likely to fall some way short.
Key fixtures in WSL title race
March 12: Chelsea vs Man United, kick-off 12.30pm
March 26: Man City vs Chelsea, kick-off 2pm
April 2: Arsenal vs Man City, kick-off 2pm
April 23: Man United vs Arsenal, kick-off 12pm
May 21: Man United vs Man City, kick-off 12pm
May 21: Chelsea vs Arsenal, kick-off 2pm
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