After a disappointing draw with Everton, Arsenal bounced back in dramatic fashion, securing a vital win over Manchester City.
A late brace from Stina Blackstenius not only handed Arsenal the three points but also put Chelsea back in the title race.
Last week’s away draw to Everton left the feeling that it could be a very anti-climactic end of the season
This week, the Arsenal managed their first win at the Joie Stadium since 2017 thanks to a late Stina Blackstenius brace. It also threw Chelsea back into the title race and they duly obliged by trashing Bristol City 8-0.
The match was a game of two halves. The first half saw City more in control with Arsenal trying to hit them on the break using their pace, something that did not bear fruit.
Jonas Eidevall has decided on a transition orientated starting XI: Cooney-Cross in midfield preferred to Little and Maanum up top preferred to Blackstenius. At the back, Catley was dropped and made way for Codina, while McCabe kept her place at full-back.
The starting XI was Zinsberger; Fox, Williamson, Codina, McCabe; Pelova, Cooney-Cross; Mead, Maanum, Russo, Lacasse.
City controlled the game, using the wings very well to create opportunities and crosses. Arsenal did not manage to disrupt them enough and created only a couple of opportunities on the break and did not manage to be successful with the press, either.
Then, at half-time, Jonas Eidevall introduced Kim Little in place of Frida Maanum. It has to be said after a full season that the Maanum-Russo pairing is not clicking. We saw how good Maanum-Blackstenius were as a front two last season. I still think the Miedema-Russo pairing should have been given a chance, too.
With Kim Little on the pitch, we saw a transformed team, a more aggressive one. Ball retention improved, chances started to happen more and City seem unable to counter our new strategy. And then, the value of having a deep squad came when Arsenal made a triple sub of Catley, Foord and Blackstenius.
The Swedish striker came close twice, scored the equaliser and then the winner. It would certainly be a disappointment if the club does not manage to extend her contract and lets her go on a free as happened with Rafaelle Souza.
That City win is crucial for the team’s belief and confidence going into next season. The same way the Continental Cup final was. The staff and players need to be confident they can beat the best teams in the league and perform under pressure. That comeback win is the proof that Arsenal can launch a title challenge with the right recruitment during the summer.
As we already know, there will be four competitions to be played next year and the Champions League Qualifying Round 1 is a potential banana skin, as we saw this season. The club will need to hit the ground running to avoid the same disillusion as this season. The main difference is there will not be many Arsenal players at the Olympics, unlike last summer where more than 15 players went to the World Cup.
Interestingly, Arsenal took advantage of the Ilestedt pregnancy regulations and registered Michelle Agyemang for the final two games. In normal circumstances you cannot register players on loan who have finished their season before the end of the WSL.
The final game will be at home to Brighton with nothing to play for, but you would expect a party atmosphere in a sold-out stadium that has become way too small for the crowd that Arsenal bring to every game.