Arsenal’s struggles have become a significant point of discussion as the Women’s Super League season kicks off. Recent data highlights their difficulties through an analysis of their first five matches this season, revealing issues that are quite concerning for one of the league’s top teams.
Finishing is a massive problem
When we look at their expected goals, it’s clear there’s a problem: they’ve managed to score just four goals, despite an expected total of 8.2. This translates to an average of 0.8 goals per game, which is among the worst in the league.
Interestingly, it’s not like they aren’t creating chances; rather, the real issue lies in their finishing. In their opening match, they created nine significant chances but only converted one. A notable player, Alessia Russo, has been particularly off the mark, missing six of those big opportunities over the first four matches, which is the highest for any player.
Another area to consider is their shooting positions. Their non-penalty expected goals per shot stand at a low 0.085, indicating poor shot selection. Compounding this, 35% of their attempts were blocked, marking the highest percentage in the league at the time of the analysis.
Possession is not translating into threat
Arsenal seems capable of winning possession higher up the pitch, yet they’re struggling to turn that advantage into genuine threats. They rank third in the league with 54 turnovers, but only seven of those resulted in shots, and none yielded goals.
Despite leading in passes within the opponents’ half and final third, it looks as though they may be focusing more on maintaining possession and control rather than bringing in speed or unpredictability. This approach often allows rivals to reorganize defensively, forcing Arsenal to shoot in crowded spaces.
The team also seems to have difficulty converting their numerous touches in the opponent’s box into scoring chances. For instance, during a match against Crystal Palace, they recorded a whopping 70 touches in that area but ended up with a disappointing 0-0 draw.
Is this the best use of the squad?
With one of the most talented squads in the league, it’s worth questioning whether Arsenal is fully optimizing their personnel, especially those up front.
Take Russo’s situation: she’s played 67% of the minutes in the first four matches, a drop from 73% the prior season. Her shots per game have dipped to 3.1, the lowest in six top-flight seasons.
On the flip side, Lisa Baum has been impressive and leads the team in shots on target, along with progressive carries and creating scoring chances. Yet, despite her strong performances, she’s frequently substituted.
This raises the question: who really forms the most effective pairing within the squad? It’s tricky, especially since players like Chloe Kelly, Frida Maanum, and Smilla Holmberg have seen limited playing time.
But it’s important to note that this isn’t solely about just giving minutes or experimenting with rotations.
Excessive rotations may be impeding chemistry
Coach Renée Slegers has made significant changes to her lineup, starting nine different players across the first four matches, which is more than any other team thus far. The only players to have featured in every match so far are Emily Fox and Leah Williamson.
So, what’s the issue? It’s not just about rotation—it’s that the team still hasn’t found its ideal attacking set-up. Such frequent changes can hinder the quest for a consistent attack, particularly when trying to build plays around Russo.
Game management needs to improve too
Examining the match against Manchester City reveals that Arsenal can be vulnerable when games shift momentum.
In that match, despite City having an expected goal count of only 1.01, they scored three times in the second half after Arsenal had taken the lead with a 2-1 scoreline.
The team struggled defensively during transitions, showing weaknesses after losing the ball following lengthy possession. Additionally, their focus seemed to wane when City made key substitutions in the second half, notably when Kerstin Casparij scored just 70 seconds after entering the match.
