Perhaps one of the hottest topics of 2023 circulated around the footballing future of England international, Alessia Russo. After spending three seasons stateside whilst playing for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels, Russo returned back to England to sign for Manchester United- the club that she grew up supporting.

After spending a stellar three seasons with the Red Devils, Russo has developed into premier form, earning herself a well-solidified position amongst England’s senior Lionesses. The striker was Manchester United’s Player of the Season in two consecutive flights, leading the goal scoring in Carrington in both the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons, respectively.

July of 2023 saw the 24 year-old make the move down South, signing for Arsenal on a free transfer that followed the rejection of two world record bids placed by the North Londonders just months prior. Since then, Russo has found herself on the Gunners score sheet on six occasions across all competitions, something that has (perhaps surprisingly) generated discourse surrounding her current form.

Despite finding the scoresheet on four occasions in Arsenal’s 2023/24 campaign thus far, significant discussion has surrounded the goalscoring form of the 24 year-old, many believing her impact in North London has proved minimal. Despite only trailing her previous tallies in the Barclays WSL by just five goals as the season reaches its halfway point, football fans want more from Alessia Russo.

If you were to place a comparison between Russo and the likes of the league’s top scorers, the numerical differences are pronounced. Manchester City’s Khadija Shaw currently occupies the top spot, her flying form seeing her with 9 league goals to her name. Another comparison arrives in the form of Chelsea’s Sam Kerr, the Australian arriving as a dominant performer four seasons and counting. Like Russo, Kerr has only scored on four occasions in her league campaign thus far, though criticism of the Australian’s form seems to have arrived in a halved quantity.

To spectate Russo’s gameplay from a tallied lens is to ignore her impact elsewhere on the field. Showcasing her strength as an untraditional striker, Russo’s ability to drop back and control the tempo in the middle third goes unnoticed by self-proclaimed stat merchants.

Russo showcases an impressive ability to hold up play in the park’s deeper areas, allowing for Arsenal’s progressive wingers to receive the ball in higher positions. Her service may not find her on the scoresheet, but her work in possession succeeds in bringing her Arsenal teammates into the game in all areas of the park. An on-ball strength so rare to come by allows for Arsenal’s ball users to target Russo’s feet with the upmost trust that she will maintain, and deliver possession.

In the absence of Vivianne Miedema, it has grown evident that Arsenal aim to generate their attacking threat from their width. The 2022/23 season saw players like Caitlin Foord pay a significant contribuition toward generating Arsenal’s attacking movements. Eidevall’s side operate with strength in the field’s wider areas, opting to utilise the wings as their main source of traffic when going forward. Stina Blackstenius played an imperative role in Arsenal’s victorious moments last year, though the Swedish striker’s stylistic components differ greatly from that of Russo’s.

It seems that the arrival of Alessia Russo has caused a significant dilemma for Eidevall, as the Swedish manager is now faced with the opportunity to break down opposition’s directly through the field’s spinal areas. Defeats against Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur showcased an array of situations in which the Gunners have returned back to their former style of play, a dynamic Russo often left unused in the field’s central areas.

Despite all that has been said, it is essential to pay homage to Russo’s prevalent goalscoring ability since arriving in N5. In just her second appearance for the Gunners, Russo found herself a brace in Arsenal’s UEFA Women’s Champions League qualification clash with Paris FC. Although Arsenal succumbed to disappointing defeat on the occasion, the statement performance from their summer signing was enough to alleviate some of the burn in the hearts of Arsenal fans. It seemed as if she had made something out of nothing, expertly weaving through the Parigian midfield to find the back of the net with a shot from range.

A London Derby against top of the table holders in Chelsea at Emirates Stadium saw a record-crowd of 59,000 play audience to an Alessia Russo masterclass. The 4-1 victory over their city rivals saw Russo find the scoresheet twice- a first half finish that saw Gunners fans describe her goal as a ‘Henry-esque’ display. Arsenal found themselves utilising the run and carry of Russo, allowing the English striker to play with a distinct freedom that has perhaps been absent from her previous performances.

Despite there being merit to the truth that Russo needs to find herself in a greater amount of goal-scoring opportunities, most of the calls are arriving from outside of the house. Quick to become a fan-favourite in North London, it is clear that Russo’s presence has generated rapture amongst the frequent spectators in North London. Arsenal fans are glad to have her, and as a footballing community, we should be too.