The beginning of the Barclays Women’s Super League season saw Jonas Eidevall at a striking cross road. Star summer-signing, Alessia Russo, saw her name in the starting line-up each week, and Stina Blackstenius continued to put her name in the familiar territory of the scoresheet. Is it a matter of which should start, or a matter of how does Eidevall start them both?
For Alessia Russo, it’s safe to say her welcome to North London was nothing short of a warm one. The English striker was quick to become a fan favourite at The Arsenal, collecting four goals and an assist across all competitions so far during her short spell at the club.
During her youth career, Russo was a part of Chelsea’s development program, in which during her time at the club she captained the side in an attacking midfield role. Russo spent most of her youth developing in and around the midfield, before a trip stateside to the University of North Carolina saw her become the striker that world football knows today.
Her time at Manchester United saw her pick up Player of the Season in two consecutive Barclays Women’s Super League season spells, both from performances in the number 9 position. That stellar form has been carried on to national level in recent years, with Russo becoming a prolific goal scorer for the Lionesses, all at the age of 24.
But just as much as putting pen to paper in North London generated a buzz of excitement, it also posed the important question on to Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall; what do you do with Stina Blackstenius?
Blackstenius has been crucial for the Gunners in recent years, leading Arsenal’s scoresheet in the 2022/23 season, with 18 goals across all competitions. Since the arrival of Alessia Russo, Blackstenius has been making her impact off the bench, with five goals across all competitions so far. Four of which, have been scored later than the 75th minute. The outsider of the five came against Manchester United in the second round of the Barclays Women’s Super League, a goal that saw Blackstenius scoring in the 14th minutes to put the Gunners ahead at Leigh Sports Village. What makes this all the more interesting, this goal was scored with Alessia Russo too, on the field.
Though just with two goals to her name, Alessia Russo’s ability to hold up the ball has earned her high praise from football fans over recent months. Her strength to hold up play and distribute to wide areas has generated a large threat for opposition sides. Her ability to hold midfield possession and gain attacking territory with the ball has generated attacking threat for Arsenal, an attribute so widely sought after, however not always maximised from the number 9 position. To me, statistics don’t say enough to sum up Alessia Russo’s footballing style. We can read the scoresheet, but it’s Russo’s up field work with the ball at her feet that is becoming the strongest weapon in her armoury.
Such strength in both striking options has not gone unnoticed by Arsenal fans, many recently expressing their desire to see an end to the debate that has begun to pit the two star forwards against each other.
The WSL season thus far sees Blackstenius with four goals from two starts, Russo having scored two from a consecutive seven tarts. Russo has picked up an assist, whilst Blackstenius is performing at a goal per 43 minutes played, both impressive statistics. But what if it weren’t a debate of who do Arsenal play, but a matter of how do they play them both?
Super Sunday saw Arsenal take on Brighton Hove & Albion at Walton Park this afternoon, the Gunners heading home with a comfortable 3-0 victory over the Seagulls. After finding her name back in the starting eleven, Stina Blackstenius picked up the opening goal for Arsenal in just the 12th minute of play. Alessia Russo was too included in the starting line-up, this time to be found in the number 10 position.
Playing deeper at Walton Park saw Russo in a position to drop back and hold the ball, only this time, having an option up the field in Stina Blackstenius. The freedom to roam allowed Russo to drop back in the 52nd minute, and make a goal-saving challenge against national team teammate Katie Robinson. Although she didn’t find the scoresheet, a 95th minute centering ball saw her create the play that lead to Arsenal’s third goal, struck home by Frida Maanum.
Jonas Eidevall spoke on his decision to implement the positional change in his post match press conference.
He said “For this game, we thought that Brighton would be really aggressive in the way they pressed. We know that we needed ways to create space for ourselves, and it was important for us that we could stretch the backline by having a threat that could go in behind, and also to have someone who can capitalise on the space in front.”
Eidevall also spoke earlier in the season in regards to Russo’s potential in the highest of praises. “Alessia has all of these qualities. She can work hard in defence, she’s clever in defence, but she can also score goals. She’s an excellent finisher both with her head and with her feet. She’s a technical player, but she can also control the duels and be really physical and protect the ball.”
Such versatility seems to sum up the strengths of the Russo/Blackstenius partnership in a perfect manner, one that will be very interesting to see more of in the future.
