Coming back from the Christmas break, Arsenal Women will have to hit the ground running as they go straight into a Champions League-place decider against local rivals, Chelsea.
Joe Montemurro faces a hard task inhis second game in charge with a win needed against arguably the best team in England at the moment.
The opposition
Chelsea Ladies are well-known to us as we play them often in the cups as well as in the league.
They have so many former Gunners, including their current manager Emma Hayes who has recently announced that she is pregnant. Congratulations Emma.
The former Gunners at Chelsea are club captain Katie Chapman, defender and vice captain Gilly Flaherty, midfielder Jade Bailey, playmaker Karen Carney, winger Gemma Davison, goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer and the newly signed Anita Asante.
They have a strong 22-player squad having added two new players during the winter window in Jonna Anderson and Anita Asante.
Chelsea play in a 3-4-2-1 system with the key players being Lindhal in goal, Bright at centre-back, Mjelde and Chapman the two central midfielders, Kirby in the withdrawn striker role and Bachmann as the lone striker.
As with all Emma Hayes’ teams, they play possession-based attacking football.
Chelsea have a very balanced team with a mix of Scandinavian steel in defensive positions.
Their creative and speedy forwards are technically strong while their midfielders are really good on the ball and can open up any defence
Chelsea dropped two points away to Reading in the league, conceding a last gasp goal that helped Arsenal to get back in the Champions League race but they still unbeaten.
Injury news
Kim Little and Jessica Samuelsson are still on the long-term injury list and will not be involved.
Hopefully Vyan Sampson and Josephine Henning will be in the squad but as the club does not communicate injury news, we do not know if they will be involved.
Predicted XI
It’s quite difficult to know who will be selected as it will be only the second line-up from Joe Montemurro with the previous one weeks ago and things changing since then.
Tactically, a 4-3-3 is expected but the manager could also match Chelsea’s shape with a back three in 3-4-3 or 3-4-1-2.
In goal Sari Van Veenendaal is the first choice and should play unless she is injured. Her deputy Anna Moorhouse is solid these days so there are no concerns here.
At right-back, the first choice is injured and the back-up is the Arsenal Captain Alex Scott.
Considering she is on TV duty Saturday at Fleetwood v Leicester for the FA Cup and therefore missing training, you don’t expect her to be at the optimum fitness level and being in semi-retirement already – especially not as she’s been on the sofa all week with ‘flu as well.
https://twitter.com/AlexScott/status/949407298115514369
Therefore, I expect winger Lisa Evans to reprise her role as she was very effective against Sunderland in a very attacking position. Alternatively, Monetmurro could choose Dominique Janssen who is more defensively minded.
At left-back, it is a straight battle between the experienced Emma Mitchell and the England u20 youngster, Taylor Hinds. The Scotland defender should get the nod but knows that she needs to perform well to keep her place in the squad.
The two centre backs should be Jemma Rose and Louise Quinn, unless Joe Montemurro wants a platform to build play from the back then Leah Williamson comes in there.
The midfield three picks itself up with Leah Williamson in the 6 role, Jordan Nobbs in the number 8 role and Danielle Van De Donk in the number 10 role.
Up front, there are so many candidates for three places.
Anna Miedema should be the central striker with Danielle Carter and Bethany Mead in good form alongside her.
Heather O’Reilly is obviously a strong candidate for a starting 11 place but I think her recent form has not been as good as Mead and Carter.
Expected starting 11
Van Veenendaal; Evans, Rose, Quinn, Mitchell; Williamson, Nobbs, Van De Donk; Carter, Miedema, Mead with the following subs Moorhouse, Hinds, Scott, Janssen, O Reilly, James and maybe Filbey, Henning or Sampson.
I would prefer Arsenal to play in 4-2-3-1 to match up Chelsea in the congested midfield area as only one defensive midfielder will not suffice in the centre.
I would also put the defensive in a medium/low position and play Mead up front to use her pace on the break rather than Miedema who is much slower.
My preferred XI would be Van Veenendaal; Evans, Rose, Quinn, Mitchell; Williamson, Janssen; Carter, Nobbs, Van De Donk; Mead.