Just like there have been a number of great signings for Arsenal women over the last decade, there have been a few stinkers too, so here are my top 6 worst Arsenal women signings from that period.
I should note that the players in this list are good or, in some cares, very good players, but unfortunately it just did not work out for them at Arsenal and that is all they are being judged on here.
Top 6 worst Arsenal women signings this decade
6Christie Murray
Murray at Arsenal was just a mystery. There was a lot of talk about how well she was doing in training during her time at the club, but she did not make many first-team appearances.
It was hard to know how good she actually was and she left as much of an enigma as she had arrived after being signed by Shelley Kerr.
5Anouk Hoogendijk
The Dutch defender had a good pedigree and had been quite successful with Bristol Academy before signing for Arsenal.
Obviously, a big name in the women’s football world, she did not produce much while at the club with limited game time and quickly returned to Holland.
Another player who did not show the best of her ability at Arsenal.
4Shinobu Ohno
A World Cup winner with Japan but a top player who did not adapt to the game in England.
Ohno was a world class play-maker but seemed to struggle to adapt to the FA WSL as much as she struggled in the D1 Feminine while at Lyon.
She could have taken the play-making mantle when Kim Little left for Seattle but that, unfortunately, did not happen.
3Yukari Kinga
Another 2011 World Cup winner with Japan. Another top player who did not seem to adapt to the FA WSL and the club. It is another mystery as to why things did not work out for either Kinga or Ohno.
Kinga, who won the World Cup playing superbly at right-back, never played a competitive game in that position for Arsenal.
The only time I saw her played in the right position was during post-season friendlies in Japan when she was about to transfer back home.
2Asisat Oshoala
Another player who came in with a big reputation and did not deliver often enough.
Luckily, she was sold to Dalian in China where she earned good wages.
There was a lot of hype around Oshoala after a successful FIFA u20 World Cup and she was nominated for numerous awards.
But things did not work out at Arsenal.
I don’t know if her playing style did not fit with what the club was looking for, but it seemed that she did not work hard enough at times.
I still remember Sunderland away where all the subs would have to do a few lengths post-match and she was clearly not interested in doing it properly, unlike the other players.
We certainly did not see the best of her during her stint.
1Fara Williams
Williams was supposed to be a top signing coming from Liverpool.
An experienced defensive midfielder, very strong technically, she was one of the top Lionesses players in her prime.
It really did work out at all.
Off-field issues were a distraction during her time at the club. There were also allegations she was giving a new signing, whose confidence looked shot during the Spring Series, a really hard time in training.
That player later turned out to be a superb signing once Williams left the club.
Williams’ time at Arsenal was a major disappointment and she was shipped to Reading when the club had to make a choice between Jemma Rose and her.
It led to the now infamous handshake incident between the two players at a Reading away game with Williams refusing to shake Rose’s hand.
