Sky Sports columnist Laura Hunter breaks down the big talking points from the latest Women’s Super League fixtures and explores the key stories at the heart of the women’s game.
Arsenal’s new defensive attack style
The difference between them and leaders Manchester City has narrowed to eight points. Don’t expect it to be a big deal when the final curtain comes down in May. City is so strong that it cannot be captured.
But intrigue still peaked with their recent performance, or lack thereof. Arsenal became the first side to stop Andrii Jegrats’ side from scoring in the league all season. City are rarely restricted to so few chances in the final third. His 0.39 xG is not only the lowest of the season, but also the lowest in a league game since 2019, and well below his season average (2.68).
The contrast between last week’s 5-1 win against Chelsea and this week’s blank at the Emirates is night and day. There are so many that it’s hard to explain them rationally. Of course, every team has off days, but this game wasn’t as close as the 1-0 scoreline suggests. For the first time since the opening weekend under Jegratz, City conceded more chances than they created. They were forced to retreat.
However, the goal here is not to cause havoc. Despite this problem, City are the champions in wait. A better way to use analytics would be to look at Arsenal’s incredible fortitude. The most consistent defensive unit in the league. Stopping City from progressing is the true measure of the most improved part of the Gunners’ game.
“The team is humble,” coach Renee Sleggers said Sunday. “They take pride in their defense and problem-solving. We’ve talked a lot about this and what sets us apart from other teams. We want to focus on those areas and I think the team has really invested.”
Kim Little and Mariona Caldenti win the midfield battle
Arsenal have kept clean sheets in four of their last six league games, each with two or fewer shots on target. City, the league’s best chance creators and converters, managed just one shot on target. Key to this was Arsenal’s ability to limit City’s influence in midfield.
In place of Yui Hasegawa, who was as good as he was against Chelsea, Mariona Caldenti became the star in the center of the park, taking more touches (82) and completing more passes (64) than any other player. Her perfectly weighted ball for Olivia Smith’s winner was a masterstroke.
Kim Little also epitomized a commitment to hustle. She then spoke of the need to be “as physical as possible” to prevent Hasegawa and Vivian Miedema from gaining a foothold in possession. Neither team was able to create any chances, but Little himself scored two.
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
Olivia Smith scored Arsenal’s first goal and continued her scoring streak.
Overall, Arsenal were hungrier, moved into the second phase faster and pressed more aggressively. “They keep us tight in the middle of the field, which is an important area for us,” said Yegratz.
Defensive solidity is something Sleggers has built since taking over in October 2024, and is an area that has been secretly receiving attention. Despite this, Arsenal conceded 26 goals last season, 10 more than next-best Manchester United and 13 more than champions Chelsea. They are leading in every defensive metric this season, but that is due to the inability to call up injured Leah Williamson.
“Everyone plays their role, but of course the centre-backs play an important role in stopping the opposition’s chances,” added Slegers, who praised the consistency of Arsenal’s “good defense”, starting with goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar.
The returning stopper had little trouble making saves, but still played an important role. Van Domselaar’s passing range allows Arsenal to bypass the opposition’s press and secure positions high up the pitch, allowing them to deliver their most accurate long balls (10) against City. Dropping a pass over the defensive line gives Arsenal another option and another opportunity to press when defending from the front.
The same goes for Mikel Arteta’s side. In Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Sunderland last weekend, David Raya completed the most accurate long passes (seven).
Sleggers’ Arsenal may not be in a position to catch up with the league leaders this year. After all, they may not even be good enough for second place. However, back-to-back wins over Chelsea and Man City by an aggregate score of 3-0 did no harm to their chances of a top-three finish.
Smith is worth the hype
Olivia Smith has started eight games in the WSL so far this season, contributing five goals.
Arsenal are far ahead of what they once were as a defender, but they are also aided by their star quality further up the pitch. Caldenti’s reliability in possession is unparalleled. She is also one of the league’s best chance creators.
However, what deserves special mention is the energy of Olivia Smith and her technical ability. Her pace is a huge asset. However, the 21-year-old’s all-round ability has exceeded all initial expectations.
When Arsenal paid a whopping £1 million for the Canadian in the summer, they believed they were signing a right-sided winger. Smith is much more than that. She has the touch of a playmaker and the instincts of a traditional number nine. Playing centrally against City was the perfect strategy, exploiting the spaces at the back as well as on the outside.
“She can play instinctively, and the goals were exactly what we wanted to create,” Sleggers said of Smith at the top.
When I spoke to Smith before the season started, she humbly said, “I’m very excited to have the opportunity to play with some of the best players in the world.” There is no doubt that she is now one of them and is well worth the hype with her record-breaking transfer fee.
Read last week’s WSL column
In last week’s column, we analyzed Chelsea’s capitulation to Manchester City after league leaders issued a statement saying they had taken a step towards winning the Women’s Super League title for the first time in 10 years.
