The penalty shoot-out to defeat to Manchester City on Saturday means the only remaining target for Arsenal’s Women is the League title.
Six games, six finals to be won, although five wins could actually be enough .
There is no doubt that the players gave 100% in the FA WSL Continental Cup final but ended up empty ended after a tense game.
The defensive work-rate was excellent and must be commended.
On the attacking side, we were clearly lacking a spark to illuminate the game.
That’s easy to explain.
Tiredness is clearly affecting the team in terms of creative movement and passing sharpness. Injuries are taking their toll. Arsenal had seven players missing from a twenty-player squad. If Veje and Miedema are added to the injury list in the coming weeks, we will reach another critical alert level, as we experienced back in early December.
In the City away league game, we could not field a full starting 11 of senior players. We had a 17-year-old starting the game, replaced during the game by an 18-year old. The only fit senior player on the bench that day was Sari Van Veenendaal, the goalie.
Let’s also hope that none of our players come back injured from international duty, as they are now travelling around the world.
Our young Academy players have been really good when called upon throughout the season and it is certainly important to give them a chance to learn their trade at first-team level. But we should not be in a situation where they have to perform like the seasoned internationals they are covering for to maintain a winning run.
We started the season with 18 senior players, added two more players during the January transfer window and are still struggling with numbers.
The start of the season, with excellent, fluid attacking football, clearly showed that the coaching staff was 100% right to start with a small squad. Every player was getting a chance to play and the newbies quickly learned how to play with their team-mates.
Multiple injuries have slightly derailed the Arsenal train, but the next six games will make or break the Gunners’ season.
It has to be said that nine points from those six games will guarantee Champions League football for the first time since 2012 when we won the League and therefore played in the 2013/14 edition, where we lost to Birmingham City.
Let’s look at those six must-win games in details, knowing that winning the first five will give us the title…
Thur 14 Mar Bristol City H
The players will have had a week’s rest after coming back from international duty and therefore should be fresh enough and ready for the challenge.
Some injured players will be hopefully back, like Lia Walti or Emma Mitchell.
Bristol are one of the surprise teams this season and Tania Oxtoby has led them to a current fifth place after rebuilding most of the side.
An Arsenal win, however, is expected.
Sun 24 Mar Liverpool A
A game previously postponed due to Liverpool’s involvement in an FA Cup game that was delayed for a week.
It’s a tough away tie against a resurgent Liverpool side.
With 10 days between the two games, fitness levels should be on point.
Sun 31 Mar Birmingham A
The toughest remaining away game.
The Blues, under new management, are a bit of an unknown quantity at the minute.
They are still a resilient team defensively and can attack very well with the possession game that was gradually installed by Mark Skinner.
Again, a full week’s rest means the team should not suffer any tiredness problems.
Sun 21 Apr Everton H
Three weeks later, Everton, who might be still in a relegation battle with Yeovil, arrive at Meadow Park.
It’s certainly a winnable game if the team is focused and ready.
Sun 28 Apr Brighton A
Brighton are now more or less safe as they are nine points clear of the relegation zone.
They are certainly an opposition tough to break down as expected with any Hope Powell side.
But this is another winnable game before the final game of the season.
The title could be won today.
Sun 12 May Man City H
Hopefully, we will be champions before this game, because no-one wants to play a title-deciding game against such tough opponents as anything can happen in a one-off game.
I would certainly fancy our chances with a full squad.
The team, at least, will be fresh with two full weeks between the Brighton game this one.
The League schedule is tough, but we have plenty of rest between each game which means a lot of training sessions to work on things and prepare the players to be at the top of their fitness levels.
It also means we are likely to qualify for the Champions League and, if we get nine points from the first three games, that winning dynamic will lead us to the title.