By Cameron Sheath

Renee Slegers’ Arsenal team head to Tottenham Hotspur this afternoon in search of a performance, and a result, that can kickstart their season. With a WSL title challenge already out the window, the Gunners face an uphill battle to avoid missing out on Champions League football next season.

After a strong start that saw them bag 10 points and 15 goals from their opening four games, Spurs have come crashing back down to Earth after consecutive drubbings at the hands of London City Lionesses and Chelsea. Ho Martin’s side conceded six goals in both losses, replying with just three of their own combined over the two games.

Team News

Chloe Kelly, Katie Reid, Mariona Caldentey, and Michelle Agyemang all remain unavailable for Arsenal, but Reid is back in training with the rest of the team. Club captain Kim Little will sit this one out with a knock, while Daphne van Domselaar will travel with the squad, although the manager has ruled out a return to the field.

For Spurs, Jessica Naz is in contention to make her return from an ACL injury she picked up back in December.

Ones to Watch

While Arsenal will have been focusing on themselves, it won’t have gone unnoticed that former Gunner Victoria Pelova has single-handedly matched her former club for WSL goals this season. Pelova’s five saw her enter last weekend’s fixtures joint-top of the WSL scoring charts, but Bunny Shaw (7) and, unfortunately for Arsenal, Oceane Hurtre (6) have since extended their tallies.

Regardless of Tottenham’s recent form, Pelova will continue to be a threat. While Arsenal have been accused of over-playing at times, Spurs don’t hesitate to get a shot or a cross off, and Pelova is always alive for a loose ball.

For Arsenal, the wide players will be key. Olivia Smith showed her class again last weekend, while Lisa Baum struggled to make an impact. Most of the 12 goals that Spurs have conceded recently have come from the wide areas, with Toko Koga in particular struggling with Chelsea’s physicality a week ago.

Unlike Birmingham, Spurs don’t rely so heavily on counter attacks, and so Arsenal’s full backs should be able to focus on their attacking output, while Leah Williamson’s more advanced work could also be important. Beyond that, Alessia Russo is an obvious point of focus as Arsenal look to rediscover their cutting edge in front of goal.

Final Thoughts

The manager’s future has been the subject of speculation in recent weeks, and while that’s understandable given the situation Arsenal find themselves in, it’s that very situation that gives me pause. Slegers brought a Champions League trophy to this club, and she remains a popular figure despite recent results.

As exciting as it was to see so many new faces join the club in the summer, it would be naive to think it hasn’t had a negative effect on the early part of the season. Out went multiple senior players who knew the system inside out, and in came a group of new faces, many of them relatively inexperienced, to a new league and a new team structure.

It’s massively disappointing to be out of the title race this early, and as far as transitions go, this one has been incredibly messy so far. But with that in mind, what’s the rush? If it’s simply a case of getting players bedded in, Slegers is better placed to do that than any new manager would be, and she deserves an opportunity to get her new-look team humming again.

Speaking of new faces, and getting the team going, I was really impressed with Geraldine Reuteler’s brief cameo last weekend, and frankly wish she’d been introduced sooner. I suggested that starting Blackstenius last week could help bypass Birmingham’s press, which means I should probably keep my opinions to myself, but I think Reuteler might be the perfect short-term replacement for Caldentey.

While the Chelsea and Man City games came at a bad time for Arsenal, Spurs couldn’t be in a more vulnerable spot heading into this one. From watching Spurs’ games back (just highlights, I don’t hate myself), I feel really good about Smith’s chances on the left, and there should be some joy on the right, too, if we can get the overlaps working. I’ll be gutted if I’m writing another gloomy review tonight, but I’m relatively confident that won’t be the case. COYG!