THE LOWDOWN
Arsenal travel to Villa Park on Saturday lunchtime in yet another rearranged WSL game against Aston Villa in the WSL. This game was rearranged due to UEFA’s continued insistence on holding Champions League semi-finals at the weekend. Wednesday’s sluggish 1-1 draw with Brighton, which confirmed the WSL title has gone to Manchester City, felt like a real end of season affair.
In fairness, Arsenal vastly improved in the second half at Brighton and the lactic acid and the disappointment of Lyon last weekend loomed large, as well as the team being heavily rotated. Renee Slegers admitted to Arseblog News after the game, ‘we all felt that we weren’t at our best (at Lyon). So we had to manage that and deal with that.’
With Lyon a little further in the rearview mirror now, Arsenal need to shake off that disappointment because they require seven points from their remaining three games, at Villa, at home to Everton and away at Liverpool, to guarantee second place and avoid the Champions League qualifying rounds next season.
It’s a punishing schedule to end the season with but the story of this season revolves more around how Arsenal fared between match weeks three and 10 when they only took 10 points of an available 21. The Gunners have lost one game this season to City’s three but the draws have killed them. Now they need to finish the season strongly and look forward to a free summer.
TEAM NEWS
Steph Catley is still not available after a calf injury but is back in training. Leah Williamson misses the game due to ‘a niggle’ and won’t travel. Manu Zinsberger, Katie Reid and Michelle Agyemang are out with ACL injuries. Kyra Cooney-Cross is on compassionate leave in Australia.
Available squad
Goalkeepers: 13.Votikova 14.van Domselaar 28.Borbe 40.Williams
Defenders: 2.Fox 3.Wubben-Moy 5.L.Codina 11.McCabe 24.Hinds 31.Holmberg 44.Harwood
Midfielders: 8.Mariona 10.Little(c) 12.L.Maanum 21.Pelova
Forwards: 9.Mead 15.Smith 18.Kelly 19.Foord 23.Russo 25.Blackstenius
A WORD FROM THE BOSS
‘I think there’s similarities, but also differences between our last two seasons. I think the similarities are Lyon in the semifinal, so it is the same schedule and games, right between and after. So that was Brighton and Villa as well. Villa start their last home game for the season. I think they want to finish it well at home in front of their own fans.
‘What exactly they are gonna present to us- Let’s see both technically and personnel wise, let’s see who’s available for them and how they’re gonna attack the game. We will have to be dynamic, but we’ve been talking about focusing on our own game anyway because we’re so good when we’re at our best, so we want to bring our own best game, regardless of their tactical plan. So that means doing our basics really well tomorrow.
‘We also have to be very aware that we have to be in the here and now and enjoy what we’re doing together, because there will be players and staff leaving at the end of the season. So we really want to cherish these moments that we have together and make the absolute most of it.’
LAST TIME OUT
When the teams met in October at Emirates Stadium, Arsenal took an early lead thanks to Frida Maanum but Villa grabbed a deserved stoppage time equaliser through Lucy Parker.
THE OPPOSITION
Villa currently sit 9th in the WSL table, though they would rise to 8th with a draw or a victory. Under Natalie Arroyo, Villa have consistently caused Arsenal problems with their high pressing approach- and much the same could be said of Brighton under Dario Vidosic. There is a strange symmetry that Arsenal had to play rearranged games away at Villa and Brighton this time last season too.
Villa had adopted a 3421 formation under Arroyo without an identifiable striker, with Chastity Grant and Kirsty Hanson rotating into central positions from out wide and Lucia Kendall connecting and looking to feed those wide threats. However, in the last few games they have opted for a back four.
This is in reaction to a downturn in results in the second half of the season, they have lost six of their last eight in the WSL, with their only victory coming over bottom of the table Leicester City. That said, they have held Manchester City to a 0-0 draw in that period. Jenna Nighswonger is currently on loan at Villa but will be ineligible on Saturday.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Beth Mead returned to the team with a substitute appearance at Brighton on Wednesday and she has been missed, especially with Chloe Kelly again battling fitness issues. It has led to Caitlin Foord and Olivia Smith being somewhat overburdened in the wide areas in recent weeks.
I am certain that Mead will start this game with a few more days training under her belt. Mead has enjoyed a sparkling nine years at the club which will come to an end this summer barring a big U-turn. I suspect that Mead will be very determined to finish her Arsenal career on a high.
Having all four of Foord, Kelly, Smith and Mead available ought to make a big difference on Saturday and, hopefully, for the final three games. The inability to freshen the forward line in the closing stages of the last few games has taken its toll in my view. Mead herself ought to give the team a little freshness but having four wingers, in and of itself, ought to be a boost as well.
MY PREDICTED LINE UP
Subs: 10.Little 13.Votikova 15.Smith 18.Kelly 23.Russo 24.Hinds 28.Borbe 31.Holmberg
HOW TO CATCH THE GAME
The game takes place at Villa Park on Saturday at 12noon and will be shown live on Sky Sports in the UK. Full global listings for the game are available here.
COMING UP
Arseblog News will be covering the game at Villa Park in person as (pretty much) always. We will post the line-up an hour before kickoff, have Aidan Gibson’s on the whistle match report and every word from Renee Slegers’ post-match press conference around an hour after the final whistle. Jame and I will have a podcast for you on Monday.
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