Arsenal's performance against Aston Villa in the Women's Super League left manager Renee Slegers disappointed due to their inefficiency in attack. Despite having a chance to lead the standings before Chelsea's
match against West Ham United, Arsenal only managed a 1-1 draw at Emirates Stadium. Frida Maanum took advantage of Missy Bo Kearns' error to score early, but Arsenal couldn't maintain their momentum.
Maanum had another opportunity to score before halftime but missed Beth Mead's cross from close range. After the break, Arsenal struggled to challenge Villa's goalkeeper, Sabrina D'Angelo. Their inability to capitalise on chances was costly when Lucy Parker equalised for Villa in stoppage time following Lynn Wilms' corner.
Arsenal created numerous opportunities, with an expected goals (xG) total of 2.73 from 19 shots. However, only six were on target compared to Villa's 0.81 xG from 13 attempts at Daphne van Domselaar's goal. "I think they did what we expected them to do and made it hard when we're in our own half with their player for player pressure," Slegers noted.
Slegers acknowledged the team's struggles in attack despite their quality. "I think we had 19 shots today, the quality we have in the team I think we didn't bring in the final third today," she said. She remains confident in her players but emphasised the need for improvement and review of their performance.
In a previous match against Manchester United, Arsenal managed just one shot on target by Alessia Russo in the 41st minute, marking their lowest in a WSL game since December 2020. Despite this, Slegers reassured there was no reason for alarm given their overall scoring record of 10 goals.
It ends all square. pic.twitter.com/nMW3PwtRLD Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) September 27, 2025
Looking Ahead
Slegers stressed the importance of learning quickly from these experiences. "It will be very important that we review this and are very open and honest because we need to learn and learn fast," she stated. The team aims to address these issues promptly as they continue their campaign.
Despite recent setbacks, Arsenal remains focused on improving their attacking efficiency and maintaining confidence in their abilities as they progress through the season.
