Arsenal continue to find their cutting edge under Renée Slegers
Arsenal took terrifically to the stage of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for a Barclays Women’s Super League (WSL) North London derby this weekend.
Neither side has had the ideal start to the WSL season, with the Gunners bidding farewell to Jonas Eidevall upon his resignation after a somewhat calamitous opening sequence, and Spurs struggling to find their feet after losing Grace Clinton and Celin Bizet to Manchester United in the summer.
Robert Vilahamn’s side has picked up just seven league points thus far, and hoped to mirror last season’s December claim on the North London bragging rights on Saturday afternoon. A dominant display from their rivals, however, soon saw that burning desire dwindle as interim manager Renée Slegers led the squad to another important victory and showcased her skillset as head coach.
Confidence sees Alessia Russo flourish
Last season’s sometimes woeful lack of conviction upfront for Arsenal became the bane of supporters’ lives, and the problem persisted during recent months. A goalless draw against Everton and an uninspiring 1-0 win over Leicester City raised alarm bells among fans as the current season of the competition got underway.
A staggering 5-2 defeat at the hands of Bayern Munich in the Champions League was soon followed by a flattering 2-1 loss to title-holders Chelsea at the Emirates, and a managerial shift seemed inevitable.
Since Eidevall’s subsequent resignation, the Gunners look to be finding their footing in the final third once more.
A key example for this argument arrives in the form of Alessia Russo. The striker had not scored this season until Renée Slegers took the reins as interim head coach. Fast forward to November 16, and she puts the ball in the back of the Tottenham net without hesitation, within the opening two minutes.
It isn’t just the volume of goals Russo is scoring, it is the way she is playing some of her most passionate football. Russo appears far more sure of herself, and sure of her role as a nine, than she has in recent times. At 25 years old, there is still so much more to come from the Lioness. Arsenal’s No. 23 has had some spectacular moments on the international stage, as can be said of her time at Manchester United, but Arsenal has not seen the best of her just yet.
A stark contrast to last time out in N17
This air of assertiveness extends far beyond just Russo, however. Frida Maanum soon doubled Arsenal’s lead, and is another player among Slegers’ ranks who has fired into electric form as of late. The Norwegian has five goals to her tally so far, the most out of any player wearing the Arsenal red this season.
More generally, the gates of creativity seem to somehow have been opened up under the watcher managerial gaze of Slegers, consistency in selection and in mindset finding its way back in to the Gunners’ game plan on her watch, and proving crucial.
Players such as Swiss national team captain Lia Wälti have suggested that the arrival of solid displays has come in the wake of Slegers’ composed nature and disciplined coaching style. Wälti said: “She’s really calm. She gives trust. I think she stays absolutely true to herself. You can’t really see big change in her behaviour compared to when she was in the assistant coach role. So I think what we can feel is full, full trust, clarity.”
Arsenal’s away loss to Spurs last December was more than just three points dropped, it was the first time they had won against the Gunners in the WSL. Some say it was proof that the gap is closing between the usual frontrunners and the rest of the pack, some say it was the Vilahamn effect.
The second half of this weekend’s derby served to signify further that Slegers’ impact is working wonders for Arsenal’s attack. The acting manager opted to bring on Beth Mead and Stina Blackstenius approximately an hour in, and it wouldn’t be long before the latter extended the away side’s lead whilst Tottenham struggled to make headway.
Blackstenius is a player who last season became as renowned for putting away the most important of chances as she was for missing ‘sitters’, but this time she scored within just minutes of making her way onto the field.
Slegers’ commitment to her attacking model also shines through in the positioning of her midfielders, with Wälti and captain Kim Little working their way further up the pitch during open play than they have in recent history.
Furthermore, summer signing Mariona Caldentey made her mark just as she made her way back into the starting lineup. The former Barcelona player played a vital role in the buildup to Russo’s opener, and provided a stellar assist for Blackstenius’ strike. Arsenal boasts a squad brimming with top international talent, and her presence unarguably bolsters Slegers’ and Arsenal’s movement.
Saturday’s North London derby delight sees Arsenal progress to fourth in the league standings, as they regain their right to say “North London is red,” and begin to make up for previous shortfalls.
