Arsenal put on a show against Aston Villa this afternoon in the Barclays Women’s Super League (WSL) at the Emirates Stadium, putting four goals past their visitors.
Renée Slegers’ Arsenal went without the experienced midfield duo of Lia Wälti and Kim Little, as Leah Williamson wore the captain’s armband for the Gunners’ dedicated rainbow laces fixture.
Alessia Russo, Beth Mead, and Stina Blackstenius got themselves on the scoresheet for the Gunners, returning from the international break raring to go.
Robert de Pauw’s Aston Villa could not reduce the impact of Arsenal’s invigoration, and drop down into ninth in the WSL table following this tough result.
The Lineups
ARS: van Domselaar; Fox, Williamson, Catley, McCabe; Cooney-Cross, Caldentey; Mead, Maanum, Foord; Russo
AVL: D’Angelo; Mayling, Patten, Turner, Tomas; Grant, Staniforth; Daly, Nobbs, Hanson; Salmon
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The Action
Arsenal had several chances in the opening 15 minutes of the game, with a Katie McCabe cross punched away by the former Gunner in goal for Aston Villa, Sabrina D’Angelo.
Russo provided the opener for Slegers’ side in the 18th minute. Kyra Cooney-Cross provided an immaculate ball into the area, and the striker’s header did more than enough to guide it in to the back of the net.
The Gunners’ dominance continued, as only a brilliant defensive header by Villans midfielder Lucy Staniforth sending Mead’s innovative cross out for a corner before Russo could get to it.
Slegers’ North London outfit found their second before the 40th minute, this time through Mead. Caitlin Foord’s cross was latched onto by Frida Maanum, but the Norwegian’s attempt was bound only for the post. Arsenal’s number nine was quick to pounce on the remnants, though, and slotted it home to double their advantage.
The Reds’ flurry of opportunities continued, with D’Angelo forced to make a huge block to deny Russo a first-half brace.
Arsenal’s promise continued after the break, but Russo’s convincing strike after a well-made run saw the offside flag raised against her.
The Gunners would deservedly extend their lead through substitute Blackstenius, whose fine 70th minute finish following some solid buildup play initiated by Russo powered the ball beyond the reach of D’Angelo.
The home side continued to outperform their guests, with Blackstenius sending a strike just wide in the 86th minute after a spell of Arsenal possession in their own half.
Added time left Russo with the chance to make her mark further, executing a strong shot to earn her brace and deal Aston Villa one final blow before the final whistle.
It was a stellar win for the Gunners, and a disappointing outing for Aston Villa. Arsenal were dangerous and clinical, while their visitors could not muster the strength to deter nor counter their efforts.
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Arsenal Player Ratings
Daphne van Domselaar – 7/10 – Not a particularly challenging appearance for the goalkeeper against her former side, yet still an assured one.
Emily Fox – 6/10 – A characteristically strong asset to Arsenal’s back-line. A combination of Fox’s endurance and defensive instinct make her a right-back forwards dread coming up against, leaving Kirsty Hanson unable to make her mark on the game. Withdrawn at half-time
Leah Williamson – 7/10 – Arsenal’s defence did not have huge amounts asked of them today as the Villans trailed and struggled to counter Arsenal’s attacking efforts, but the centre-back looked determined and was where she needed to be right until the final whistle went.
Steph Catley – 7/10 – Another strong performance at centre-back. Catley played with confidence and her left-footedness opened up the game for Arsenal.
Katie McCabe – 7/10 – A relatively quiet game for McCabe, who did her job defensively but slightly lacked conviction going forward.
Kyra Cooney-Cross – 8/10 – Delivered an excellent assist for the opener, and held her own in the midfield up against some more experienced players. A mature performance from the Australian, who was a creative catalyst coming into the starting eleven and delivered some standout set pieces.
Mariona Caldentey – 7/10 – Carried the ball forward incredibly well for Arsenal, undeterred by Aston Villa’s defenders.
Beth Mead – 9/10 – Mead, like the rest of Slegers’ squad on this occasion, was efficient. Her conviction in front of goal and decisiveness on the edge of the box were paramount to Arsenal’s success.
Frida Maanum – 8/10 – Taking on a key attacking role today for the Gunners, Maanum continued her fine run of form.
Caitlin Foord – 8/10 – Utilised her pace to threaten the visitors, relentlessly pushing up searching for both her teammates and the goal.
Alessia Russo – 9/10 – Put Aston Villa under pressure, not just waiting for the ball to come to her but battling for possession. Her assertive header brought the Gunners the opener, and the opposition struggled to contain her thereafter.
Substitutes
Lotte Wubben-Moy – 6/10 – Came on for Fox at half-time. The centre-back was not especially notable upon her return to the field, but did her job well enough to help maintain Arsenal’s clean sheet.
Stina Blackstenius – 8/10 – Came on for Maanum in the 60th minute. Showcased her striker’s instinct, firing home a stellar finish to give the Gunners their third.
Laura Wienroither – 6/10 – Replacing Catley late in the game to make her 50th appearance in an Arsenal shirt, the defender slotted in quite seamlessly for her short duration on the field.
Lina Hurtig – 6/10 – Coming on for Foord after 75 minutes, the forward had little time to make a huge difference but seems to be getting her confidence back and connecting well with those around her in the attacking half.
Kathrine Kühl – 6/10 – Only came off the bench for the final minutes of the match, but showed small glimpses of her technical promise.
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Aston Villa Player Ratings
Sabrina D’Angelo – 6/10 – Made some key saves early on in the clash, putting her body on the line to gather under pressure.
Sarah Mayling – 5/10 – As a whole, de Pauw’s defence looked defeated by Arsenal’s attackers. Without making any major blunders, Mailing looked slightly out of her depth this afternoon.
Anna Patten – 4/10 – The Republic of Ireland international grew frustrated as the frontline of her former club consistently threatened. Picked up a yellow card early on, left to play the remainder of the match on tenterhooks.
Danielle Turner – 4/10 – Like her defensive counterparts, Turner was dominated by Arsenal’s forwards. There were not huge shortfalls in her appearance, but it was not hugely effective either.
Paula Tomas – 5/10 – Looked slightly lost when faced with fast-moving attackers, but slowly grew into the game as her side collectively looked to redeem themselves during the second half.
Chastity Grant – 6/10 – The more promising of the Villans’ attackers, but found herself tracking back to defend more often than not.
Lucy Staniforth – 6/10 – The defensive midfielder proved vital to Aston Villa’s campaign today. Her header prevented a momentous goalscoring opportunity for Russo, and she had one of the highest work rates on the field for the guests.
Rachel Daly – 5/10 – The Aston Villa captain was well-nullified by the Arsenal defence, as questions continue to be raised regarding de Pauw’s decision to play her outside of her usual role as striker.
Jordan Nobbs – 5/10 – Battled for possession in the midfield against her former club. Nobbs’ defensive efforts also important this afternoon, but not quite enough to make a large difference.
Kirsty Hanson – 5/10 – Struggled to compete with Emily Fox as the Villans’ attack more generally looked lacklustre.
Ebony Salmon – 4/10 – Somewhat left on an island, Salmon’s impact on the game was rather minimal as de Pauw’s side spent most of it in their defensive half.
Substitutes
Gabriela Nunes da Silva – 5/10 – Came on in the 62nd minute. Gave an unremarkable performance as de Pauw’s side grew tired, overshadowed by the home side.
Noelle Maritz – 5/10 – Came on against her old club in the 62nd minute. Defended reasonably well, but it was past the point of no return for the Villans at this late stage.
Kenza Dali – 6/10 – Replaced Kirsty Hanson after the hour mark and made her side look more inspiring. It is reasonable for Aston Villa fans to wonder why Dali is starting on the bench against Arsenal.
Katie Robinson – N/A – Played only the final 10 minutes, little chance to make an impact.
Miriael Taylor – N/A – Played only the final 10 minutes, little chance to make an impact.
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The Halfway Line Player of the Match: Alessia Russo
While it was a good showing across the pitch for Arsenal, one Gunner stood out. Russo grew into the game, taking charge of her position and adapting well once Blackstenius came off the bench. Her impact drove Slegers’ side’s inspiring display on home turf, as she continues to shine for the North London club, even making the most of a chance to score Arsenal’s fourth during added time.