Arsenal’s hopes of the league title are fading

If the history of the Women’s Super League is anything to go by, Arsenal will not win the 2023/24 WSL title.

No side has ever lost three times in the top flight of women’s football and gone on to claim the WSL trophy, and Arsenal’s 2-1 loss to West Ham marked their third defeat of the season.

The Gunners have now dropped to six points behind champions Chelsea, and are three points off second place Manchester City.

Conti Cup champions looking forward to quarter-final

Arsenal will now turn their attention to two cup games, away to London City Lionesses tonight (Wednesday, February 7) in the Conti Cup quarter-finals, before hosting Manchester City in the FA Cup fifth round on Sunday lunchtime.

Conti Cup holders Arsenal are set to field a strong team against London City, who sit 10th in the Women’s Championship despite boasting one of the strongest and most experienced squads in the division.

Arsenal will be wary not to underestimate Carolina Morace’s Dartford-based outfit at a sold-out Princes Park as the Gunners look to reach the semi-finals once again.

Jonas Eidevall looking for solutions in attack

Arsenal’s defeat to West Ham on Sunday saw shortcomings in all areas of the pitch. Manu Zinsberger’s decision to punch a free-kick away instead of taking a simple catch was costly for Hawa Cissoko’s winning goal.

West Ham take the lead- Zinsberger can’t claim Gorry’s free kick and there was Cissoko to make it 2-1 with a great finish pic.twitter.com/YNAtK12Xvk

— Freddie Cardy (@CardyFreddie) February 4, 2024

Steph Catley’s trip on Riko Ueki, albeit just outside the box, gave the officials a decision to make, and the subsequent penalty was converted. 

Arsenal’s midfield duo were thwarted by West Ham’s trio, with January signing Katrina Gorry covering every blade of grass and dominating a midfield battle that consisted of Lia Walti, Victoria Pelova and then Kyra Cooney-Cross.

Her performance exemplified West Ham’s desire and physicality against an Arsenal side that never got going at the Chigwell Construction Stadium.

However, Arsenal simply must improve in attack after a string of league games where the Gunners have failed to be clinical in front of goal.

Leah Williamson’s return meant that Jonas Eidevall was keen for Arsenal to play long, diagonal balls from the back, but this is not a tactic that is often employed by Eidevall, particularly during Williamson’s lengthy absence. 

Too many passes were misdirected, and Eidevall was frustrated with his wingers’ lack of width to challenge the West Ham defence. Beth Mead and Caitlin Foord were both marked tightly and had an afternoon to forget.

Decision-making and brave passing lacking for Arsenal

Foord was one of many Arsenal players who simply took too long on the ball when they got into good positions. Vivianne Miedema played well in the first half and rattled the crossbar, but exemplified Arsenal’s poor decision-making when she beat Cissoko to break into the box but was tackled well by Honoka Hayashi before she could get a shot away.

Arsenal had willing runners such as Miedema and Alessia Russo, but the Gunners did not ask enough questions of West Ham’s low block. Rehanne Skinner fielded a tightly-organised back five up against Arsenal’s front four, meaning Arsenal had few gaps or space to exploit. 

Arsenal’s forwards and midfielders elected to hold onto the ball in good positions instead of looking for the quick pass in behind to beat the defensive block. In the second half, the wingers and full-backs did create opportunities, but Russo missed two good opportunities from close range. Cissoko followed up on her goal by throwing her body in front of every Arsenal effort in a valiant defensive display.

West Ham’s first home win in the WSL since November 2022

Yes, Arsenal were denied a penalty in the first half that VAR would have surely awarded for handball (there was more than one to choose from after a corner was swung into the box), and Catley has every right to dispute the spot-kick awarded against her. 

Cloe Lacasse also had a late penalty appeal turned down, but Arsenal left Dagenham defeated and second-best on the day.

Where do the Gunners go from here? Jonas Eidevall now has Beth Mead, Vivianne Miedema and Leah Williamson all back from long-term injuries, with Laura Wienroither close to returning after the international break. 

Arsenal fans have every right to demand more from their side, and the two upcoming cup games present opportunities for Eidevall and his players to put things right.