Our Arsenal Women are back in WSL action this afternoon as we welcome Aston Villa to The Emirates, on our girls return from the international break. Our Gunners have been on a run of great form recently and they will be looking to continue that good form against The Villans today.
Fixture details: Arsenal Women v Aston Villa Women – WSL
Date: Sunday, December 8th
Kick Off: 2:00pm
Location: Emirates Stadium
Watch the match live: Youtube @barclayswsl
Arsenal Women currently sit 4th in the WSL table and, with a win against Villa, could go up to third. Winning today is a must and the three points are very important. I expect Renee Slegers to put out a strong line up, and with everyone looking ready and rested, we can hopefully expect a game of quality. Here’s how I think we will line up.
In goal Daphne Van Domselaar. Since given the opportunity, Domselaar has been incredible between the sticks and has proven why she was given the chance. Keeping a clean sheet in her last 4 games, it feels like a no brainer. For such a young keeper she continues to impress and seems to just get better every time she plays. Hopefully she brings home another clean sheet today.
In defence I expect a back four of Katie McCabe, Steph Catley, Leah Williamson and Emily Fox. This seems to be Slegers go to back four at the moment, and it seems to be working well. With the whole backline connecting well together, and staying strong, we’ve looked like a solid force at the back that’s near impossible to get through. With Catley and Williamson staying strong in the centre and McCabe and Fox flanking up the wings to create attacks and spread the play.
In the midfield I expect a middle three of Kyra Cooney-Cross, Kim Little and Frida Maanum – as Lia Walti in unavailable as she is still recovering from surgery. Little and Cooney-Cross will link up well together, making it easy to work the ball around the pitch, while also sitting deep enough to help defend the ball when out of transition. Maanum, sitting a bit higher in the midfield, has been in great form since her return from injury, picking up 3 goals and an assist in her last 4 games and will be looking to add to that tally.
In attack I expect a front three of Mariona Caldentey, Alessia Russo and Beth Mead. Although we could see Caitlin Foord start on the right wing, I think Mead will get the start. Caldentey is in great form at the moment, picking up 2 assists and a goal in her last 3 games, and she had a very good international break with Spain, where she picked up a goal and 2 assists over the break. Russo up top and centre will be looking to get back on the scoresheet.
(Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
So that’s a 4-2-3-1 formation of
Van Domselaar
Fox – Williamson – Catley – McCabe
Litte – Walti
Mead – Maanum – Caldentey
Russo
What’s your predicted line up Gooners?
Daisy Mae
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