A dominant defensive display could not mask attacking problems as Arsenal slipped seven points behind Manchester City.
Arsenal’s failure in the final third on Sunday cost them two points. On a day when Spurs offered little and their threat on the break was well controlled by a defence led by Lotte Wubben-Moy, the forwards could not find a single goal and the match finished 0-0.
It meant Arsenal lost two points on leaders Manchester City, matched Chelsea’s draw at Liverpool and gained one point on Manchester United, who lost away to City.
Arsenal have now fallen out of the title picture as they sit seven points behind Manchester City. The best they can realistically hope for is second place, which would guarantee direct qualification for the UEFA Women’s Champions League league phase. Catching Chelsea, however, still requires making up five points and will be extremely difficult.
This takes us back to the same problem that contributed to Jonas Eidevall’s departure, namely attacking teams who defend in a low or medium block. It was surprising that Spurs chose a counter attacking approach rather than the high press that has worked well for them this season.
There were multiple reasons Arsenal did not score. Lize Kop made important saves whenever she was called on. Arsenal created a good number of opportunities and got shots on goal, but the quality of those chances was not always high enough. The final ball was often lacking given the number of entries into the box from wide areas, and the finishing was not at the required level.
All of this ties back to the overall quality of play. If the collective level is not high enough, breaking down an organised defensive structure becomes extremely difficult.
A significant issue is fitness. Some players still do not look at full capacity after injury, such as Olivia Smith and Chloe Kelly. Others appear tired, lacking the sharpness needed to make the difference in the final third.
Renée Slegers confirmed that Olivia Smith is still returning from the injury she picked up with Canada, and said Beth Mead had been overloaded, which explained her substitution at half time.
It would be useful to know the players’ GPS data, although the club will not release it for obvious reasons. A key player like Mariona Caldentey does not look as creative as she was last season. Playing deeper affects her output, but her ability to accelerate play and create appears reduced, and she has looked tired late in games yet has not always been substituted.
I also noticed that Daphne van Domselaar did not seem as explosive as she was last season in terms of diving speed, and her kicking was imprecise at times. Katie McCabe also does not look quite as strong as last season, although she is substituted more often now, with Taylor Hinds a good option to replace her.
The final match of this block is Real Madrid at home in the Champions League before the international break.
Arsenal need three points, after losing two of their first three games, to climb the table. The hope is that they recover physically and mentally in time to take the win.