A 2-1 defeat to OL Lyonnes extended Arsenal’s winless run to four games, but a spirited display suggested Renée Slegers’ side may be turning a corner.
Arsenal were defeated 2-1 at home to an excellent OL Lyonnes side and are currently on a four-game winless run, but what we saw yesterday was an improved performance from the previous three matches that ended with two draws and one defeat.
There were three teams on the pitch on Tuesday, Arsenal, OL Lyonnes and the refereeing team. What we saw was an excellent performance from OL Lyonnes, a good performance from Arsenal and a refereeing team that did things the UEFA way rather than the PGMOL way. WSL referees are notoriously lenient, letting far too many things go and allowing players to get away with a lot unfortunately.
The Italian referee booked Katoto five minutes into the game for foul play, something you would not see in the WSL. Different refereeing cultures lead to different habits and decisions that can surprise players and fans alike. A non-foul in the WSL becomes a foul in UEFA or FIFA competitionz. The standard is different, players have to adapt, although to be fair, both sides were at it in a very physical game where players kicked the opposition in duels.
In the end, there were only five yellow cards, six if you count the Arsenal staff member who was booked for dissent, but there should have been three or four more at least. Top European games are physical battles before they become football or tactical battles.
In terms of intensity, it was as good as you will see in women’s football. If we could see the data on sprints, runs and distance covered by the players, it would likely be 20% higher than a typical league game. The match demanded a lot from the players and it would be no surprise if Renée Slegers rotates four or five players against Brighton this weekend.
Arsenal lost the game in the first half as the team could not cope with OL Lyonnes’ high press. The French players chased the ball high up the pitch and disrupted Arsenal’s build-up play, leading to two costly mistakes. The first was a misplaced pass from van Domselaar straight to Dumornay, and the second came when van Domselaar threw to Caldentey, whose pass was intercepted before Reid’s headed clearance fell centrally to Dumornay, who scored her second goal.
Why were Arsenal not press resistant enough? There are two main reasons. Players need to be exceptionally good technically to control and pass the ball in tight spaces under pressure with little time to react, and the game plan should have been adjusted earlier than half-time, when Arsenal began to play more directly.
The second half was more of a battle, with fewer chances as both sides managed to nullify each other. Arsenal lacked creativity to create meaningful opportunities and the substitutions were not as effective as they had been in previous games.
As the team is in the middle of a two-games-per-week cycle that will repeat twice more, rotation is important. Some players do seem to lack the sharpness required to perform above their usual level. Hinds was named in the starting XI instead of McCabe, which was a surprise but a welcome one as competition for places is essential to prevent stagnation. In attack, Maanum, Mead and Kelly came on for Pelova, Foord and Smith, while Reid returned to her starting role at centre-back.
It is clear that Renée Slegers has eight forwards to choose from and she gives game time to all of them. Aside from Russo, who starts every match, the other seven players are mixed and matched, with their minutes ranking between ninth and 15th across the squad.
The question now is about the double pivot and back four. Should Caldentey or Little be rested against Brighton so they are sharp for the Benfica match next week? Should Fox or Catley get a rest, with the latter not at her best passing-wise against Lyon? Should van Domselaar also get a breather?
Last season, before the Champions League final, Renée Slegers made wholesale changes in league matches to rest key players, and it resulted in two defeats. Rotation is necessary, but a smaller one, around five players, seems more likely than sweeping changes this time.
If Arsenal play with the same intensity as they did against OL Lyonnes, a win against Brighton should follow.