WSL 21/22 | Arsenal v United | Sat 5 Feb at 12:30

[jojojo]

We've not had long to brood over the SF defeat by Chelsea. We did however beat Arsenal a couple of weeks ago in the QF of the same Cup. The top of WSL is very tight, so this is a big match for both teams.

And an interesting piece of team news:

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[jojojo]

Bruun and Caldwell make their debuts. Our U21 keeper Safia Middleton Patel is on the bench (for the first time?) Not sure where Mannion is, injured maybe?

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[jojojo]

Match is live on Sky Sports Premier and Sky Showcase. Available in most countries outside the UK on: https://faplayer.thefa.com/

 

[Maestro14]

It's a good line up minus Aoife out. And there's a lot of potential game-changers on the bench too. I'm feeling cautiously optimistic about this.

 

[jojojo]

Russo header from a corner puts United one up.

 

[jojojo]

Earps pushes Miedema shot onto the crossbar. Arsenal will be disappointed there, but United have been the better team so far. Arsenal are waking up now though.

 

[Zoo]

Great save from Earps.

 

[Ayush_reddevil]

God I have had enough of this broadcast & ref crap for a weekend. Sky keep talking about this possible foul before the corner

 

[jojojo]

Miedema and Tobin go close. Arsenal looking good now. Batten down the hatches time for us!

On the bright side, here's Alessia's goal that gave us that lead:

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[jojojo]

God I have had enough of this broadcast & ref crap for a weekend. Sky keep talking about this possible foul before the corner

Yep, irritatingly determined to say that the corner we scored from shouldn't have happened.

 

[ForeverRed1]

How’s bruun looking?

 

[jojojo]

HT and United are winning 1-0

First ten minutes were ours. Next twenty were theirs. Since then it's been pretty balanced. Not bad at all

How’s bruun looking?

I think we're having trouble getting Bruun and Galton into the game. Flashes of skill but not on the ball enough to say much more than that. Most of our best attacking play is running through Batlle, Toone, Russo at the moment.

 

[Maestro14]

Great first half. Dominated the first 10 mins and deserved the goal. Our best chances have all been from set pieces. Zelem's delivery has been back to her best today. Arsenal had some chances after the goal, but we've defended well since then.

How’s bruun looking?

Most of her work has been off the ball so far, leading the press with Toone to good effect. She hasn't really seen much of the ball though to make any judgement.

 

[ForeverRed1]

Any reason groenan isn’t starting? I know she just came back from injury but she’s fully fit now no?

 

[Lightbringer]

Any reason groenan isn’t starting? I know she just came back from injury but she’s fully fit now no?

She started a game 3-4 days ago vs Chelsea. So I assume they dont want over work her when she is back from injury. Or Skinner thinks Zelem is the better player. The team has been clicking without Groenen, so I guess that could be part of the decision making as well.

 

[ForeverRed1]

She started a game 3-4 days ago vs Chelsea. So I assume they dont want over work her when she is back from injury. Or Skinner thinks Zelem is the better player. The team has been clicking without Groenen, so I guess that could be part of the decision making as well.

Fair, I have seen a lot of talk of Lyon wanting her. I don’t want her to leave I think she is quality.

 

[jojojo]

Any reason groenan isn’t starting? I know she just came back from injury but she’s fully fit now no?

Maybe tactical or maybe just that Wednesday was her first start for months and she needs the recovery time. Leaving out Vilde Boe Risa seems like a bigger decision - unless it's just due to tiredness.

 

[ForeverRed1]

Maybe tactical or maybe just that Wednesday was her first start for months and she needs the recovery time. Leaving out Vilde Boe Risa seems like a bigger decision - unless it's just due to tiredness.

yeah she has been brilliant. We’re really starting to take shape now as a squad, we’re 1 or two top class players away from a very good team

 

[RORY65]

Shit, what a chance to make it 2.

 

[jojojo]

Galton puts Toone through on the break, but she puts the shot wide. We could have done with that buffer, Arsenal are looking a lot livelier now.

Bruun and Russo go off, Groenen and Thomas come on.

 

[jojojo]

McCabe sent off for a second yellow. Clumsy challenge.

15 minutes to go.

 

[RORY65]

Katie McCabe off for a second yellow, helpful for us because Arsenal have been better in this second half.

 

[jojojo]

Blackstenius scores for Arsenal 1-1

 

[Ayush_reddevil]

What a terrible weekend. After that Bruno miss this Toone miss just to kill me completely

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Would a draw be a bad result as long as Chelsea beat City?

 

[spiriticon]

I swear I'm cursed this year. Following this on BBC sport for the last hour, all good. I get home and turn on the tele and the first thing I see is Arsenal celebrating. Kin hell.

Same thing happened last night, only got home in time for the 2nd half and it was all downhill.

 

[jojojo]

7 minutes of added time. Lots of interruptions for injuries etc this half rather than a single incident.

Would be awful to lose from here.

 

[arthurka]

What a terrible weekend. After that Bruno miss this Toone miss just to kill me completely

They were two clean through, if you are going to take it you have to have to score.

 

[jojojo]

FT 1-1 disappointing not to get the win after leading for so long, especially as they were down to 10 players when they equalised. Wish Toone had scored her chance though, painful that

 

[spiriticon]

Not a bad result against the league leaders, but feel like we dropped points here against 10 women

 

[Ayush_reddevil]

Disappointing because 3 points would have been so huge with Chelsea city and Chelsea Arsenal coming up. Did all the hard work and then a sloppy goal after a shocking miss

 

[Maestro14]

Should be happy with a point away at Arsenal, but right now I'm just so disappointed. That's the second tme this season we've seen a red card for an opposing player and we've played worse against 10 and instantly conceding too. Toone squandering a golden chance to make it 2-0, and such poor defending between Thorisdottir and Caldwell for the equaliser. Going into the game against City with at least a 4 point advantage maintained would've been significant.

 

[Lightbringer]

Probably tired in the 2nd half cause of the cup match Vs Chelsea, tired legs and minds. We might have done ouerself in by beating arsenal in the cup in a way. Mixed feelings about this game. But with a new defense as well, a point is a decent result. I want our Millie back though :-(

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Should be happy with a point away at Arsenal, but right now I'm just so disappointed. That's the second tme this season we've seen a red card for an opposing player and we've played worse against 10 and instantly conceding too. Toone squandering a golden chance to make it 2-0, and such poor defending between Thorisdottir and Caldwell for the equaliser. Going into the game against City with at least a 4 point advantage maintained would've been significant.

Aren't we five points ahead and City play at Chelsea tomorrow. This team is making real progress. Now have to hope Chelsea beat them they City don't beat us.

 

[Wixqaz]

Before the game and after seeing Mannion was out this would have been a really good point.

But after leading and Toone missing that chance it feels like 2 points lost.

I feel like City’s next 2 games are huge. If they win both they’re in 3rd with no other big team to play and that just feels like a killer for top 3.

 

[kundalini]

Thorisdottir is just a terrible CB. Mistake after mistake. What on earth was she doing for their goal ? New signing Caldwell looked hopeless too. Her defending at corners was atrocious. We were very lucky Beattie didn't score, with Alessia blocking the shot on the line, after Caldwell left her free.

Ella Toone was rubbish. Through on goal and put her shot comfortably wide of the post.

Ona performed better than she has done recently. Zelem wasn't the liability she can be against elite opponents. Alessia scored and had a few other good moments. Bruun seemed ordinary.

Why do our central defenders seem to fall asleep immediately after the opposition has a player sent off ? It happened against City and now Arsenal.

A draw was a fair result overall but such a huge opportunity wasted by our own incompetence.

 

[jojojo]

Thorisdottir is just a terrible CB. Mistake after mistake. What on earth was she doing for their goal ? New signing Caldwell looked hopeless too. Her defending at corners was atrocious. We were very lucky Beattie didn't score, with Alessia blocking the shot on the line, after Caldwell left her free.

That feels like a harsh appraisal given that our third and fourth choice centre backs managed to keep Arsenal out for most of the game.

I admit I've been disappointed by Thorisdottir so far, I was much more optimistic when I heard she was joining us. That said, I do think she had what was probably her best game so far for us on Saturday - ruined by that goal of course. Caldwell is a bit different, given her lack of match fitness and as a newcomer to the team - coming into the team was a baptism of fire - I was relieved by how well she played.

A draw was a fair result overall but such a huge opportunity wasted by our own incompetence.

I certainly agree with you on this. Having led for so long, giving that goal away when Arsenal were down to ten was painful stuff. Skinner suggested tiredness might have been a factor in the end. If we include concentration/mental tiredness in that picture, I'd probably agree.

 

[jojojo]

So where did this weekend's matches leave us? Well we missed a great opportunity, but we're still in position to end the season in the top three.

It's incredibly tight though. Reading are 3 points behind us but with a game in hand. A slip from us v City and Spurs and City are going to be right back in it. We have to go to City, Reading and (on the last day of the season) Chelsea so the margin for error is low, going on non-existent.

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[Ayush_reddevil]

I complain that I am falling out of love with football and don’t watch neutral matches but I have been watching Arsenal women vs Chelsea and it’s been really good fun. Quality of football is improving so much

 

[DomesticTadpole]

I complain that I am falling out of love with football and don’t watch neutral matches but I have been watching Arsenal women vs Chelsea and it’s been really good fun. Quality of football is improving so much

It is. The Chelsea cheerleader is a bit annoying as sometimes he is drowning out the commentator.