After all that, after 10 months of football, 4 competitions (plus one from last season), a Cup Final and a Title Race that was taken to the final day, Arsenal’s season ended the same as it did last season. No trophies, with Champions League qualification providing the scantest of consolations. Despite all the improvements in competing in the ‘big games’, the new signings, the change of manager and philosophy, and the brilliant start to the season, Arsenal have come up short yet again. That’s 3 seasons in a row now where Arsenal ended the campaign without any silverware whatsoever. Where did it all go wrong?
Every Arsenal will say ‘the Birmingham game’. And yes, this was a result so tectonically bad, it has been billed as one of the greatest shocks in WSL history. Birmingham City, who had not won a game all season, defeated an Arsenal side who had up until then only dropped 2 points all season. Worst of all, this was no smash and grab. Birmingham City were fully deserving of their 2-0 win, they played Arsenal off the park. Arsenal, by contrast, didn’t turn up, and paid the price with their sole defeat of the season. If they had won, or even drawn that game, then it would have been Arsenal lifting the trophy at Dagenham, rather than Chelsea at Kingsmeadow.
However, one result does not define a league season. This isn’t a knockout competition, it’s a 22-match marathon, with games possessing their own miniature narratives. And in every game, it’s up to you to ensure that story ends with your victory. Prior to Christmas, Arsenal only dropped 2 points, compared to Chelsea’s 6. However, immediately after the Christmas break, Arsenal dropped a massive 9 points, with 3 draws and the Birmingham defeat. They managed only 1 win in 5 matches. Chelsea, by contrast, only dropped 4 points, with 2 0-0 draws occurring during that same period. The exchange in momentum happened on the 5th February. Arsenal salvaged a draw at home to Manchester United, after conceding in the first 10 minutes and having a player sent off in the second half. Blackstenius rescued the day with an equaliser, but after Chelsea defeated Man City, they seized control of the title race, and held onto it after a 0-0 draw at home against Arsenal in the next game. The hope afterwards was that Chelsea would stumble yet again in the run-in. They did not.
Chelsea are the very definition of mentality monsters. They know how this season goes. And they know how to win it. Most importantly, they know how to win then things are going against them. After that 0-0 draw, the team faced adversity in nearly every fixture. Finding an injury time winner at home to Aston Villa. Coming from behind to beat Spurs away, despite having a player sent off in the first half. Quickly retaking the lead in the home game against Spurs, just as the half time whistle was about to blow. Beating Birmingham at St Andrews, a feat beyond this Arsenal side. Despite also playing terribly, they got the all-important 3 points thanks to a late Harder penalty. And then on the final day, they went behind to Man United twice, and still found the reserves of character and determination to comeback each time and win 4-2 to claim the title.
Contrast that with Arsenal. Against Spurs, Man City and Man United, when they were struggling, they were only able to draw the match in the dying moments. And against Birmingham City, they lost. When things were going against them, they weren’t able to find the crucial win needed. Arsenal won every game in which they scored first this season. When things went their way, they were able to triumph, and triumph with ease. However, they only won once when they went behind first, at home to Brighton, when they came back in the second half to win 2-1 (The sole win in that 5 match drop of form).
So, if the league was lost in those 5 matches, what happened then? Firstly, the fixtures themselves. These were the two hardest away fixtures of the season, Chelsea and Man City. Arsenal had had the luxury of playing both of them at home at the start of the season, and both at a time when they were there for the taking. Now the boot was on the other foot. In addition, the home fixture against Man United was sandwiched in between the two of them. The hardest fixtures in the season in one miniature gauntlet. The school of thought was that this period would define their season and provide a test to see if they were ready to win the league. Arsenal failed to win any of those fixtures, drawing all 3. It meant they were unbeaten against the Top 4 this season but had lost 6 points. Draws are the most damaging result in football. Defeats hurt, but they expose the flaws that you need to fix. Whereas draws can lull you into believing it’s an acceptable result and can mask the mistakes that led to you dropping two points. Succession of draws are an easy thing to lapse into, and can cost title challenges, as was the case here.
Secondly, the squad at the time, especially from a defensive perspective, was not fit for purpose. Leah Williamson had been lost to injury, and her absence had left a gaping hole at the back that Jonas could not fill. Beattie and Lotte lost the FA Cup Final 3-0. Beattie and Catley lost to Barcelona 4-0. One of Arsenal major problems was they now had a back line robbed of distribution and recovery pace. The worst pairing attempted was at Birmingham. Beattie was paired with Boye, a player bought in the summer who has struggled all season. In addition, Arsenal did not have a left footed CB, putting whoever was starting at LCB at a disadvantage. This was rectified with the arrival of Rafaelle Souza, however, this signing took far too long to materialise. Other teams had got the groundwork in for their signings before Christmas, so that could arrive the moment the window opened. Arsenal’s didn’t arrive until late January, by which time, the form had already dipped, losing at St Andrews, going out of the Conti Cup against Man United, and scraping past LCL in the FA Cup with a very unconvincing 1-0 win. In the Man United home game, Arsenal were forced to go with Beattie and Catley again, as neither Rafa nor Leah were fully fit. Furthermore, Jonas opted to keep Stina on the bench and start Heath following her late heroics. This was a mistake, Heath was a great super sub, but she lacked the fitness starter, especially in a game of this intensity and magnitude. Her effect on the game was minimal and was subbed at half time. The makeshift defence was exploited by an early set piece goal, and although substitute Stina scored a late equaliser, the damage had already been done.
Thirdly, recruitment. Why was the squad in such a bad shape at that point in the season? The winter signings did a lot to help get the season back on track, even though ultimately, that horse had already bolted, as Chelsea were by then on the fast track to the title. However, the summer signings left a lot to be desired. Maanum is the only one close to being called a success, purely based on her early season form. However, that eventually faded, and the attempt to use her in a midfield axis alongside Walti and Little ultimately did not work, the FA Cup Final being a case in point, and the defeat to Birmingham a particular nadir of her season. As for the rest, they’ve barely featured or barely performed. Heath has never found fitness, Parris has never found form, Iwabuchi had a few nice moments but struggled with injuries, and Boye was simply not there. Despite the outlay, they weren’t up to snuff, and when they were needed over the Christmas period, they didn’t step up. This was even more pertinent when the Asia Cup robbed Arsenal of Williams, Catley, Foord and Iwabuchi for a month, at a time when Arsenal needed their best players the most.
However, this is not a season devoid of hope and promise. Players already with us, like Beth Mead, Leah Williamson and Manu Zinsberger, have shown tremendous growth this season, which bodes well for the future. Catley, Lotte, Leah and (most importantly!) Viv have all extended their stay here, as well as head coach Jonas. Jonas has brought a new, exciting, attacking philosophy to the club, and the early signs look positive. In his first season, robbed of the chance to implement philosophies during the summer, he was able to get this side within a point of title winners Chelsea. With the chance to start properly this summer, he could make this team truly his. More recruitment is planned, with the revolving door in full swing, with plenty of departures and arrivals expected. A lot of the players brought in during the summer were not ones that matched up to Jonas’ style, having been arranged prior to his arrival. This summer can now be used to rectify that, as Jonas builds his own side, rather than trying to adapt one built in the shape of his predecessor. The winter window gives me optimism that they will make the right decisions this time. And despite the drop in form post-Christmas, results on the pitch shows that this is a team that is heading in the right direction. As mentioned before, Arsenal finished unbeaten against the top order, something that never happened under Joe Monutemurro. We are 7 points better off compared to last season. A huge improvement.
And then you have to look beyond. More games to be played at Emirates Stadium. New facilities for the Women and London Colney. The club is finally putting its focus on the women’s team after failing to build upon the title success of 2018-19. When Saka and Miedema both won monthly awards, they were presented together. When Arteta and Jonas extended their contracts, it was again, done together. Arsenal were once the trend setters for Women’s Football. In recent times, they’ve been knocked off that particular perch, but it looks like they’re getting back to the high standard we expect of them.
In retrospect, losing out on the WSL Title, and in such a close manner, could prove to be a blessing in disguise. Had Jonas won in his first season, it would mask a lot of the problems and deficiencies within the club. When he made an ‘Emery’ start to the season, he was being helped by Mead being great in attack and Leah covering the defence at the back. The moment the music stopped; Arsenal dropped. This season shows that that there is strong potential in this side and in Jonas. This failure will hurt them, but they must use this pain the inspire them not to fall short again. In Joe Montemurro’s first season at Arsenal, they finished in 3rd place by 1 point, with a shock 0-0 draw away at Yeovil being a key factor. That failure was one of the key motivators the following season, when they went on to win the title. Now it is up to Arsenal, Jonas, and the players, to look at that post-Christmas Period, and make sure that a repeat of that collapse does not repeat itself again.
If they can remain consistent throughout next season, then this disappointment can be used a stepping-stone towards something to truly celebrate next year.
Written by Adam Salter
