Arsenal Women didn’t have a fantastic start to this new season; some of their key stars failed to live up to the occasion. One of them is Leah Williamson, who unfortunately hasn’t had it easy.
Despite intense scrutiny, Leah does not deserve the criticism she has received in recent weeks.
The Arsenal defender has unfortunately not been at her best, and former-Gunner Women’s star, Jen Beattie, says Leah’s poor form with one or two miss passes is unlike her, as she remembers her former teammate as a “pass master.” Jen acknowledges that no one can consistently perform at their peak, and in Leah’s case, it could be beneficial to identify the factors hindering her progress, given her unusual struggles.
Beattie, speaking to Women’s Football Weekly Podcast, said of Leah: “First and foremost, everyone has to know that that’s so out of character for Leah. We all know the sort of worldie passes that she can do. Everyone gives the ball away; that’s part of football. It’s so rare to have 100% pass completion in a game, and you never know what has led to those moments. You can’t peak 24/7. You’re never going to peak in every game. Mistakes are going to happen; it’s part of football. So I think maybe the criticism has been a bit too harsh, and we have to understand that that’s out of character for a lot of these players.”
Sometimes players have a drop in form, but it’s important to remember that class is a constant. Undoubtedly, as Gooners, we are aware of Leah’s class. I’m quite sure once the Arsenal managerial situation is sorted, she is going to emerge as a key aspect of the resurgence expected from our Gunner women. Given Leah’s exceptional contributions to Arsenal Women’s defence and midfield over the years, we should certainly support her, and she will be doing her best to make a significant impact.
It was truly amazing to witness her score in the 2-1 England Lionesses victory over South Africa this week, marking her 50th appearance for England. I hope that gives her the confidence boost she needed.
Next up is Manchester United. I really hope we can leave it all on the pitch in that WSL clash on Sunday..
What are your thoughts Gooners?
Michelle M
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