Three places in the Arsenal Women starting XI remain open as Renée Slegers prepares for Wednesday’s final pre-season friendly against Charlton Athletic.
The 7pm meeting at Meadow Park is Arsenal’s final scheduled fixture before their Women’s Super League campaign begins away at Brighton on 6 September.
Slegers has used pre-season to assess a squad reshaped by seven arrivals and 11 departures. The 18-player Arsenal Women overhaul has increased competition, but it has also left several combinations requiring a decision.
Wednesday’s result will matter less than the clues provided by Slegers’ starting selection and substitutions.
🔴 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠𝙉𝙀𝙒𝙎 ⚪️
⚓️Stanway in the centre
🏎 Baum and Smith on the wings
🚀 Cerci starts up top
🤝 Presented by @deel
— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) August 23, 2026
Misa pushes for Arsenal Women starting XI place
Misa Rodríguez started Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Paris FC after arriving from Real Madrid during the summer.
The Spain international brings substantial experience. Sky Sports reports that she made 215 appearances for Madrid and kept a league-high 14 clean sheets last season.
Daphne van Domselaar was not included against Paris, while Anneke Borbe and Isabella Damm were named on the bench. Arsenal did not provide an explanation for the Dutch goalkeeper’s absence.
Another Misa start against Charlton would strengthen the possibility of her facing Brighton. Van Domselaar’s return would instead give Slegers one final opportunity to compare her senior goalkeepers before competitive football.
Ona Batlle can reshape Arsenal’s full-back selection
Katie McCabe’s departure created an opening on the left of Arsenal’s defence.
Summer signing Ona Batlle appears equipped to fill it, but the former Barcelona defender was absent from the confirmed Arsenal XI against Paris FC. No reason was announced.
Smilla Holmberg, Leah Williamson, Lotte Wubben-Moy and Emily Fox formed the starting defence, with Steph Catley among the substitutes.
Batlle’s availability against Charlton could clarify the structure Slegers prefers. Starting her on the left would allow Fox to remain in her established right-back position, while another absence would leave Catley and Holmberg competing for the vacant role.
The choice also affects Arsenal’s attacking width. Batlle offers the technical quality to move forward and combine in tight areas, a useful quality against WSL teams defending with a compact shape.
Cerci challenges Russo for the centre-forward role
Selina Cerci started through the middle against Paris, while Alessia Russo and Stina Blackstenius began on the bench.
Cerci arrived after producing 16 league goals and nine assists for Hoffenheim last season. Arsenal’s official signing announcement described her as the Bundesliga’s leading player for combined goals and assists.
She also scored against AC Milan during pre-season but could not break down Paris before being replaced.
Russo’s established Arsenal record and selection in the PFA WSL Team of the Year make her the strongest candidate to begin the league campaign. Cerci’s minutes indicate that Slegers has recruited genuine competition rather than simple cover.
Blackstenius also created Olivia Smith’s late winner against Paris after coming from the bench. The Arsenal Women match report underlined the value of changing the attacking profile during a tight contest.
Slegers could eventually use more than one striker, but her first selection against Charlton will provide another indication of the hierarchy.
The official Arsenal schedule confirms this is the final warm-up before Brighton. For Misa, Batlle and Cerci, it is the last public opportunity to influence the opening-day Arsenal Women starting XI.
Five Arsenal PFA selections expose one attacking problem
Five Arsenal PFA selections expose one attacking problem
Three Arsenal stars retain PFA WSL Team of the Year places
Three Arsenal stars retain PFA WSL Team of the Year places