Arsenal took on Brighton in their final game of the season, achieving a confident 5-0 victory and finishing the season on a high. Goals from Russo and Maanum, as well as a goal from Miedema on her final appearance for Arsenal, helped secure the victory. 

Throughout this match Arsenal demonstrated a high-intensity attacking game, intent on putting Brighton under constant pressure. Often criticised this season for their lack of versatility in attacking avenues, Arsenal demonstrated their ability in this game to switch things up dependent on the situation.

Sabrina D’Angelo started for Arsenal in this game as expected, making her final appearance for the club. Alongside a back line of Fox, Williamson, Catley and McCabe, D’Angelo kept Arsenal in the game on a number of occasions, making key saves to prevent Brighton finding a route back and ultimately keeping a vital clean sheet. Despite a shaky start where she struggled to play out from the back, D’Angelo’s final appearance for Arsenal might have been one of her best.

Chosen to start over Codina, especially due to Wubben-Moy’s injury, Catley partnered Williamson in the CB position. Her last performance recently at the CB position against Leicester was extremely solid both defensively and in attack, often driving forward to create opportunities. This game against Brighton was no different; Catley was tasked with the job of driving forward often, capitalising on the space that opened up in midfield and even winning a penalty for Arsenal with one of her runs into the box.

Williamson, on the other hand, utilised her strong passing ability from the backline, looking for long switch balls out for Foord on the flank to run onto.

With key space in between the lines, Williamson could play driven passes to Pelova, Little, or even Russo when she dropped deeper. 

When she came on Codina also performed the role extremely well, helping Arsenal keep the clean sheet and an attacking contribution from a set piece that forced Brighton into conceding an own goal.

The fullbacks in Fox and McCabe, even Wienroither when she was later substituted on, were encouraged to drive forward and join the attack, linking up with the wide players in Mead and Foord to make overlapping or underlapping runs. Runs into the box often caught Brighton out and led to Fox getting the assist for Russo’s first goal, ultimately adding another element to Arsenal’s overall attacks. When one would get forward the other would stay back to provide defensive stability.

The midfield for Arsenal in Pelova, Cooney-Cross and Little was instrumental in this game, and worked extremely well based on the way that Brighton set up. Occasionally looking to press high up, with Robinson getting further forward to add numbers, Brighton wanted to turn over possession high up the pitch and outnumber Arsenal, attacking quickly. Although this put Arsenal under pressure when playing out from the back, if they reached their midfield players they were given a significant amount of space. 

Pelova and Cooney-Cross acted as the deeper midfielders, looking to receive balls to feet or in behind from the CB’s and then move it out wide to the wide player and fullback. Russo dropped deep to add even more numbers in midfield, allowing Arsenal to gain control of central areas, something Brighton struggled with throughout. Little played further forward in the number 10 role, yet dropped deeper when Maanum came on, demonstrating her versatility.

Arsenal’s emphasis on getting numbers in and around the box when they did get forward demonstrated their intent to create as many goal-scoring opportunities as possible. When she came on in the second half, Maanum was responsible for making runs in behind the Brighton backline, allowing Miedema to play the deeper role and utilise her strengths.

The front three of Mead, Russo and Foord started the game for Arsenal, with Mead and Foord the wide players, often dropping deep into midfield when Arsenal were building up from the back, but also quickly getting forward when needed. Looking to capitalise on the Brighton defence only placing one player on each winger, Arsenal tasked McCabe and Fox with supporting out wide, so Brighton would constantly be outnumbered or move other players out of position to cover. 

This would allow other players, especially the midfielders to be awarded space in and around the box. Russo could drop deep to help out the midfield when required, but when Arsenal got forward her presence in the box was monumental.

Out of possession the front three pressed relentlessly against a Brighton team attempting to play out from the back, ultimately causing a mistake to be made that Russo could capitalise on to get Arsenal’s second.

Miedema demonstrated her ability to play as a traditional striker and a deep playmaker after coming on in the second half. Making runs in behind the backline, she created the opportunity for Mead to play it through, scoring a goal with her first touch in the game. Later we saw her dropping deep to help build up play and keep the high intensity up, with Maanum recognising the space to run in behind, scoring Arsenal’s fifth.

Arsenal end their somewhat ‘underwhelming’ season on a high, finishing third in the WSL table, five points behind second place Manchester City and winners Chelsea. They also finished with a goal difference that was 13 less than Man City and 20 less than Chelsea. Despite performing well against the ‘top’ teams, Arsenal’s key struggles came against ‘lower level’ teams, dropping points unnecessarily that ultimately ended their hopes of a title charge.