THE LOWDOWN
Arsenal return to WSL action with a home game against Liverpool at Emirates Stadium on Saturday lunchtime. A challenging October and November block saw the Gunners finish on a high by coming from behind to defeat Real Madrid 2-1 at Meadow Park in the Champions League. In the league, there is work to do after a disappointing 0-0 draw away at Tottenham.
Renee Slegers’ side are 4th in the table a point behind Manchester United in 3rd. However, this block of games before the Christmas break really has to yield a good return across three competitions. Saturday’s game at home to bottom of the league Liverpool is followed by a Champions League home game against Twente, a WSL game away at Everton, a trip to Leuven to round out the Champions League league phase and a Subway Cup quarter-final away at Championship Crystal Palace.
With key players like Leah Williamson and Kim Little set to return, it really ought to be- and has to be- a series of games in which Arsenal rack up wins and get their season back on track. During the international break, a story in The Athletic reported on some dressing room unrest as Arsenal look to build on May’s glorious Champions League win.
A Saturday lunchtime kickoff was probably slightly unwelcome off the back of the international break but unavoidable as the Gunners play Twente on Tuesday night. A home game against an injury ravaged Liverpool side yet to win a WSL game this season really has to be the beginning a good run and greater positivity around Arsenal.
TEAM NEWS
Leah Williamson returns to the matchday squad for the first time this season after picking up a knee injury at the Euros. Kim Little also returns after missing three matches with a knock picked up against Leicester. Chloe Kelly is out after picking up another knee injury on international duty. Daphne van Domselaar is also out with a quad injury, neither van Domselaar or Kelly are expected back before the Christmas break. Katie Reid and Manu Zinsberger are out with ACL ruptures.
Available squad
Goalkeepers: 28.Borbe 53.Liddiard
Defenders: 2.Fox 3.Wubben-Moy 5.L.Codina 6.Williamson 7.Catley 11.McCabe 22.Nighswonger 24.Hinds 44.Harwood
Midfielders: 8.Mariona 10.Little 12.L.Maanum 21.Pelova 32.Cooney-Cross
Forwards: 9.Mead 15.Smith 19.Foord 23.Russo 25.Blackstenius
A WORD FROM THE BOSS
We go into this game with a lot of belief and confidence, but we think Liverpool being so low in the table is not reflective, they don’t get the points they deserve. If you look at their last WSL game they drew with Chelsea and the games they have lost are usually just one goal differences. They have been performing well and have not been rewarded with many points.
You see in the way they play against Chelsea that they put Chelsea under pressure and Chelsea had a hard time getting out of their own half. They put the top teams under pressure, they will be missing some players tomorrow but their structure is strong, they have a lot of work ethic in their defensive structure. They will ask questions of us, especially in their defensive structure, when they get a little bit lower with us and how they will try to counterattack, we will have to manage those moments.
LAST TIME OUT
When the teams met at the Emirates back in March the Gunners ran out 4-0 winners thanks to a pair of own goals from Jasmine Matthews and goals from Caitlin Foord and Mariona.
https://youtu.be/RWmWkM7gjJc
THE OPPOSITION
Liverpool have endured a tough season so far. They will come up against two of their best former players this weekend, Taylor Hinds and Olivia Smith both swapped Liverpool for Arsenal over the summer. Despite netting £1m for the sale of Smith, it is difficult to see where and how that money has been reinvested into the squad at this juncture.
Hinds was the club’s vice-captain and was not convinced to sign a new contract. Former Manchester City boss Gareth Taylor took over during the summer in a protracted appointment process and The Reds are yet to register a WSL win so far in this campaign- they came close last time around in the league only to concede a stoppage time equaliser to Brighton and Rosa Kafaji.
If Liverpool stay at the bottom of the table come the end of the season, there will be the chance of a reprieve, with the WSL expanding next season, there will be a playoff between the WSL’s bottom club and the team that finishes 3rd in the Championship. The Reds will also be without Grace Fisk and Sam Kerr as injuries take their toll on a small squad.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Olivia Smith was held back from international duty with Canada during the international break as she had only just returned from a hip injury incurred during the October international break. With Chloe Kelly out, Smith will become even more crucial, her cameo away at Tottenham in November looked to be game breaking.
But put simply, Arsenal have to find ways of getting Smith into strong positions more often. When Beth Mead plays on the right-side Arsenal have a similar issue of service to her being sporadic. The return of Leah Willamson ought to ease this blockage a little, but all Arsenal’s wide players have been inconsistent so far this campaign which speaks to a wider issue, if you will.
A game against her former club at the Emirates would be a fitting platform for Smith to properly launch her Gunners career. This game and this period needs to be about establishing firmer, more consistent principles of play and better, more consistent results and if Arsenal can get Smith into the right positions often enough, she can be a key lever for this.
MY PREDICTED LINE UP
Subs: 5.L.Codina 6.Williamson 19.Foord 21.Pelova 22.Nighswonger 24.Hinds 25.Blackstenius 32.Cooney-Cross 53.Liddiard
HOW TO CATCH THE GAME
The game takes place at Emirates Stadium at 12noon on Saturday and will be shown live on Sky Sports in the UK. Full global listings are available here.
COMING UP
We will have Aidan Gibson’s on the whistle match report on the site at full-time, as well as every word from Renee Slegers’ post-match press conference on the site around an hour after full-time. Jamie and I will record a podcast for you on Monday and all being equal, we should have a tactical analysis piece for you on Monday too.
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