Why Arsenal HAVE to succeed in this next block

Big games, high stakes - Arsenal have to rise.

No Room for Error:

The international break concludes, short but sweet and I managed to catch both Lionesses games in person. I’ve got to say it’s a treat to see the matches up North (as if I don’t make the three and a half hour trek to North London most weeks). That one hour trip to Derby on the Sat Nav instead of 3.5? Absolutely welcomed.

You get the feeling this international break arrived exactly when the Arsenal girls needed it. It’s always nice to see some positive performances on the international stage, and while this piece is more about what’s coming next, because that really is the talking point, there were still a few key takeaways from the international break that are worth mentioning.

Arsenal are back in WSL action on Sunday, 2nd November, away at Leicester City. Probably not a bad fixture to return to, all things considered. But let’s be frank - we’ve all seen an Arsenal slip-up or two before, and they simply can’t afford one here. Full stop. Non-negotiable. The players know it, Renée Slegers knows it, and every Arsenal fan definitely knows it.

@boodlepim

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Standouts and Setbacks

Sixteen Arsenal players got the call to represent their countries over the October international break.

For the Lionesses, we saw Taylor Hinds, Beth Mead, Chloe Kelly, and Alessia Russo all involved. Taylor Hinds really stood out for me, especially in Derby last night. Her work rate, attacking intent, and defensive resilience were spot on. She just looked so sharp in that England back line.

Beth Mead started both games and showed slight glimpses of her better self. Her confidence to try those tricky through balls was refreshing to see. I can’t help but wish she’d cut inside for one of her trademark shots a bit more; she’s taking a few extra touches lately, which gives defenders time to close her down.

Kelly and Russo both got solid minutes too, which is always a plus.

On the downside, I’m still gutted for Katie Reid, who had to pull out with a groin injury, and for Lotte Wubben-Moy, who missed out through illness. Both would’ve probably seen some action, especially with Sarina Wiegman looking a bit more open to rotation this time around.

It was shirt swaps galore as the Lionesses faced Australia, with our Gunners Steph Catley, Kyra Cooney-Cross, and Caitlin Foord all lining up for the Matildas. Foord bagged a lovely goal against Wales earlier in the break, but it was a tougher outing in Derby, where the Matildas just couldn’t quite match the Lionesses’ roar.

I didn’t manage to catch Mariona Caldentey or Stina Blackstenius in action this time, but Katie McCabe was the talking point of the break. A hat-trick against Belgium in the first leg, her 100th appearance in the second, and a well-deserved serenade from the crowd to top it all off. She completely led by example, a real captain’s performance, rounded off, of course, by that familiar chant (it never gets old, does it?).

A worrying sign for Canada as Olivia Smith came off injured; we’re still waiting for an update, though it was confirmed she’d returned to Arsenal for assessment. My heart sank for Michelle Agyemang too, the Arsenal loanee at Brighton who was poised for a breakout season after her Euros heroics. Sadly, she picked up what looked like a serious injury late in the England v Australia game. You could see the immediate concern straight from Sarina Wiegman and the players; it didn’t look good. Fingers crossed for positive news soon, but for now, all best wishes to Michelle.

Little else to discuss, as truth be told, it’s hard to watch every fixture in this somewhat short international break. I didn’t want this piece to focus entirely on that, of course it’s worth mentioning since it affects form and injury updates, but what’s really been on my mind, in every Arsenal conversation lately, is just what comes next. A block we’ve not been shy to admit is tough - Leicester, Chelsea, Bayern, Spurs, Real Madrid. Wow. But I’m not here to be pessimistic, because the overarching thought on my mind is positive. To me, this feels like a perfect moment for a mindset shift.

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Mindset Over Everything

Often in football, we get blinded by mindset. The way we perform, no matter how perfectly executed and based on scientific data the tactics are, is dictated by confidence. Everything clicks when everything clicks. And to do that, you need everyone to believe, cliche and very Ted Lasso vibes, I know. But it’s true. Think back to the Champions League final - every player was locked in, committed, confident. They believed, understood and it showed in every pass, tackle and defensive action. The best team in the world? Barcelona? Nope - Arsenal.

I hear the counterpoint — Leicester away in the WSL isn’t exactly the same as facing the Spanish giants (no disrespect to Leicester). But mindset doesn’t require 100% fitness from every player, it doesn’t even require every player available. It requires 90 minutes (sometimes slightly more) of a system that allows players to excel, confidence in what you’re supposed to be doing, and three points at the end of it.

Is football that simple…no. Some weeks everything can seem right and it just doesn’t work. But Arsenal don’t seem to be having that problem. As they head into this next block, there are a few key factors to keep an eye on. It’s definitely worth checking out Tim’s Arseblog piece too. I thoroughly enjoyed his discussion, and you can see it for yourself below.

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Fix It or Fall Behind

When Renée Slegers took charge last season, she got a free pass, and rightly so. She came in as interim manager, inherited an unconfident side that couldn’t make the pieces fit, and thought, right, how can I possibly make this work under a time crunch?

Was everything perfect right away? No. But was it expected to be? Of course not.

Yet almost immediately, the new manager bounce made its mark and we took off - big wins, high scorelines, growing player confidence. And in the end, despite a few rocky patches where it seemed like the magic spell might have worn off for a moment (Villa and Brighton away, I’m looking at you), we lifted the Champions League. I’ll let you pause and savour that for a minute…or two…or three.

@boodlepim

I celebrated, as you can imagine, but going into this season, I knew the philosophy Renée Slegers had nurtured had potential, though whether it could withstand a full league charge, I wasn’t convinced. It had nothing to do with my confidence in the manager, and everything to do with the system being designed for certain circumstances: a similar starting XI every week, players fully understanding their roles.

I like to relate it to Sarina Wiegman’s philosophy - she won two European Championships doing just this. It works in the Champions League: two legs, momentum can build. But in the league, when teams learn your rulebook and you’re too stubborn to adapt, you suffer. You can’t just rely on Plan A and neglect B, C, and D. Ask Liverpool men and Arne Slot.

So how do you fix this?

I can’t help but be concerned that the system we play now is not catered to everyone, and absences are making its ineffectiveness obvious. Without Leah Williamson’s ball distribution, we struggle to progress. With two wingers who want to do different things and Russo covering the emphatic gap in midfield, the attack lacks cohesion. Our midfield is tired, and those who sit on the edge of their seat on the bench, waiting for their opportunity, are shunned. At least, that’s what it looked like, and then that night in Lisbon against Benfica provided a glimpse, something I’d not seen much of in other fixtures. Like there was an answer after all.

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Depth That Can Deliver

Benfica showed that utilising different players doesn’t always have to mean a lack of cohesion or a system out of sync. Taylor Hinds proved that Katie McCabe doesn’t need to get complacent in her position. Lotte Wubben-Moy has a point to prove in defence and may help cover some of Leah Williamson’s absence, since there’s no bringing her back any sooner.

Mariona in the number ten role saw acres of space used to its potential, and Olivia Smith cutting inside (although I’d still love to see her on the left doing this) showed that Arsenal aren’t stuck down a single attacking avenue. We even scored from a set piece, and I’d encourage Arsenal to explore alternative options like this again to see out and claim victory in tough fixtures. After all, surely no one would hate it if a team excelled at set pieces…right?

Kyra Cooney-Cross, given more minutes, wouldn’t look out of place in that side. Pelova provides options, Codina can cover injuries, and our attacking depth on the bench can’t be understated. We shouldn’t be struggling if we shine an optimistic light on things rather than a pessimistic one for once.

That said, I can’t help but think this block is make-or-break for Jenna Nighswonger, and we may finally get our answers. I’ll hope it’s the outcome we want, and that we see her thrive when finally presented with an opportunity ahead of the January transfer window, but I won’t hold my breath just yet.

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Step Up or Step Aside

Perfect - if Renée Slegers has sat down with her staff and her whiteboard during the international break and we do all of this, we’ll win the quadruple, right? Of course not, and that’s not what anyone with a sane mind would say. This is about gradual progress, but progress nonetheless.

Back to this mindset concept, because in a way it all links together. You need both. You need an effective, adaptable system, not something rigid that the opposition can outsmart. You need belief, confidence, and leaders who step up and rally the team. We don’t have to go into the Leicester game all guns blazing like it’s the Champions League final again. But we can go in with a renewed belief that we’re capable of more than just scraping by and dropping points. What if this run ended in five wins? You wouldn’t believe me now, but revisit it next international break, and I think you’d be surprised.

We want to see improvement - sometimes the finest margins make all the difference between a win and a loss (just ask Chelsea). This block isn’t just important. It’s the test that will tell us what Renee Slegers' Arsenal are really made of.

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