Arsenal Women lost 1-0 to Liverpool in their opening game of the Barclays Women’s Super League 2023-24, at Emirates Stadium. Our Gunners also lost 1-0 away to Spurs in their last WSL game before going into the winter break. Manchester United W Women lost 2-1 to Liverpool. Manchester City lost 1-0 to Brighton.
These kinds of unexpected results this season are proof that the WSL is becoming ever more competitive. On a good day, these supposed Top Four clubs would have easily won these kind of games wouldn’t they?
The women’s teams traditionally found at the middle and lower ends of the WSL table, on the other hand, have become competitive. Teams you don’t like end up startling you if you don’t take a game seriously.
According to Kelly Smith, an Arsenal Women and England legend, who is now part of Jonas Eidevall’s coaching staff, the Arsenal women will have to be psychologically tough, treat every game as if it were a final, and put up a fight if they are to prevent upsets like the ones they’ve already experienced this season.
Smith stated on Arsenal.com, “Nowadays, no game in the league is easy. You have to approach every game as if it’s going to be one of your toughest because we’ve already seen so many upsets, and I’m sure there are going to be more. That comes down to mentality. The message that we’re trying to get across to the players is that just because you’re Arsenal, you can’t walk across the line and expect to win. You have to fight and earn the right, and play the way that we want to play.”
Arsenal Women did not finish 2023 as they should have. It was disappointing, to say the least, to lose to arch north London rivals Spurs in our Gunners final game of 2023.. Given that our Gunners have beaten Chelsea and Manchester City, they are a good team – a team that can simply decide to continue unbeaten from here until the conclusion of the season, and lift that WSL title once again..
What do you think of the competitiveness of the WSL this season? I get jitters before every game, irrelevant of who we’re playing lol!
Happy Christmas to one and all!
Michelle Maxwell
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