Arsenal beat Leicester City 7-0 at the Emirates on Wednesday night in a result that confirms the Foxes spot in the relegation play off in May.
On the night Frida Maanum, Smilla Holmberg and Stina Blackstenius were the key orchestrators of the demolition job from the Gunners. Arsenal had welcomed Leicester City to the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night safe in the knowledge that Manchester City’s slip up in Crawley on the weekend had tilted the title race door ever so slightly ajar. Prior to kick off the Gunners were eleven points behind the leaders in the Barclays Women’s Super League table with three games in hand.
While the home side looked to reel in those above, the away dressing room was looking nervously over their shoulder. Rick Passmore’s side knew that defeat to Arsenal would see them unable to climb off the bottom of the table this term. That defeat would condemn them to a relegation/promotion play off against one of Charlton, Birmingham or Crystal Palace.
Prior to kick off Renée Slegers confirmed that Arsenal would be without Chloe Kelly, who continues to recover from a ‘minor issue’. The match would also come too soon for Steph Catley or Beth Mead to return to the squad with the latter missing for personal reasons. Slegers rang in the changes from Arsenal’s 2-1 UEFA Women’s Champions League victory over OL Lyonnes on Sunday, likely with an eye on the return leg on Saturday. Arsenal’s five changes saw Leah Williamson, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Mariona Caldentey, Caitlin Foord and Alessia Russo rested. That meant Katie McCabe moved across to centre back once again, partnered by Laia Codina, with Taylor Hinds in at left back. Victoria Pelova joined captain Kim Little in the pivot. Frida Maanum played in the central attacking midfield role with Smilla Holmberg starting on the right wing. Arsenal youth product Mia Dixon made the Arsenal bench for the very first time.
As for Leicester City, they suffered perhaps their most chastening defeat of Rick Passmore’s tenure on Sunday, losing 5-1 to London City Lionesses. The Foxes made changes three changes, Rachel Williams Chantelle Swaby and Emma Jansson dropped out as Asmita Ale, Emily van Egmond and Hannah Cain came in.
The Lineups
ARS: Van Domselaar; Fox, McCabe, Codina, Hinds; Little, Pelova, Maanum; Holmberg, Smith, Blackstenius
LEI: Clark; Neville , Kees, Thibaud, Mayling, Ale; Tierney, McLoughlin, van Egmond; Cain, O’Brien
The Action
Arsenal’s first real effort of the match came with two line splitting passes. The first came from Katie McCabe bypassing the Foxes forward line and midfield to find Maanum. The Norway international spun on the ball and slipped the ball between Sari Kees and Julie Thibaud. Stina Blackstenius ran onto it, taking a smart early touch but the covering defenders did well to put pressure on the Swede whose effort went wide of the post. After competiting well for the first 20 minutes or so, Leicester did fall behind. Hinds collected the ball on the edge of the final third, she clipped it in towards Maanum. The Nord’s header was impeccably placed just out of the reach of the outstretched Olivia Clark, 1-0 to Arsenal.
Before long it was 2-0 to Arsenal and this time it was the makeshift right winger who found the net. Another line breaking pass from McCabe found Maanum, again at the heart of Arsenal’s invention. her ball to Holmberg running in behind was excellent, the Swede braced herself before firing into the bottom corner. With the wind in the Arsenal sails, Emily Fox was close to scoring one of the goals of the season. Dispossessing Neville on the right she drove towards goal, galloping, gazelle like past challenge after challenge, but her effort rattled the bar.
With the match approaching half time Arsenal made it 3-0. Once again, it was the McCabe to Maanum pipeline that fed Blackstenius. McCabe played the ball to Maanum who was in space in the box, Maanum clipped the ball onto the head of Blackstenius who nodded home. Before half time Arsenal had their fourth, a hopeful long ball from Katie McCabe bounced ominously in behind the Foxes defence, Victoria Pelova got a toe to it, inching it beyond Clark. Blackstenius gambled and was rewarded for it, running onto the ball and firing home from a tight angle with Clark committed and out of goal.
At half time there was a change between the posts for Leicester City with Katie Keane introduced for Clark. That did not result in a change of outcome as within the first few minutes of the second half because before long it was five for Arsenal, a wicked chipped ball across the box from Olivia Smith was calmly tapped home by Holmberg at the back post. Before long Arsenal were 6-0 up, this time it was Mariona Caldentey off the bench and onto the scoresheet. Lovely interplay in the box between Pelova and Codina saw the latter’s deft pass set up Caldentey who found the corner in expert style.
After Arsenal’s vice captain was introduced shortly after half time Leah Williamson soon got in on the act herself. Holmberg’s excellent cross from a corner was met with a powerful near post header past Keane in the Leicester goal. Arsenal threatened to add to the Leicester arrears as the evening drew on with Caitlin Foord coming close but for a good stop from Keane. Keane made a number of further stops to ensure the result did not get even further out of hand. In truth Leicester were committed to the inevitability of their fate long before the result was decided tonight.
Arsenal Player Ratings
GK: Daphne van Domselaar – 6.5/10 – The Dutch keeper was barely tested, but did what she needed to.
RB: Emily Fox – 8/10 – Arsenal’s American all star worked well at right back playing with a fellow right back in Holmberg just ahead of her.
RCB: Laia Codina – 7.5/10 – Did what was required of her in defensive areas, had a lovely assist for Arsenal’s sixth on the night.
LCB: Katie McCabe– 8.5/10 – Some early line breaking passes showed just how effective the Irish taliswoman can be from central areas. McCabe played the ball to Maanum for both of her assists with line breaking passes. Had the most touches of any player on the pitch.
LB: Taylor Hinds – 8/10 – Hinds looked hungry from minute one, snapping at the heels of Leicester forwards whenever they received the ball. Her assist for the opening goal was wonderfully executed.
CM: Kim Little – 7/10 – Arsenal’s captain was her ever unassuming self in midfield, tying things together nicely for her side, came off at half time.
CM: Victoria Pelova – 7.5/10 – Drifted out wide and showed her pace a couple of times, looked to be enjoying herself tonight.
CAM: Frida Maanum – 9/10 – On her 100th appearance in the WSL for Arsenal she ran the show, opened the scoring and operated as Arsenal’s creative fulcrum. Two assists on the night her movement was exceptional.
RW: Smilla Holmberg – 9/10 – The young Swede was excellent on the right wing for Arsenal her expertly timed run was only matched by the quality of her finish. Managed to find the net with her second shortly after half time.
LW: Olivia Smith – 8/10 – Was the recipient of an early heavy challenge from Sarah Mayling. Her direct running and inventive final ball set up Arsenal’s fifth.
ST: Stina Blackstenius – 8/10 – Blackstenius was a constant threatening presence in behind for Slegers charges. Worked hard in defence as well as attack, scored Arsenal’s 100th WSL goal under Slegers.
SUBS
Alessia Russo (46′ Blackstenius) – 7/10 – The goal just would not come for Russo as much as she and the Emirates crowd willed it to. Was an asset as she tends to be for Arsenal.
Mariona Caldentey (46′ Little) – 8/10 – Coming off the bench Caldentey scored that most effortless of Mariona goals.
Caitlin Foord (52′ Smith) – 6.5/10 – Missed an excellent opportunity soon after coming on. Some of her dribbling was on another level.
Leah Williamson (52′ Fox) – 8/10 – A fierce near post header from Williamson was just what the doctor ordered after a long spell out.
Sophie Harwood (80′ McCabe) – 6/10 – A lovely moment for Harwood to play at the Emirates again, she did well in the ten minutes she was given.
Leicester City Player Ratings
GK: Olivia Clark – 5.5/10 – While the quality of Arsenal’s finishing was at an extremely high level Clark would have been disappointed not to make a single save in the first half, came off at half time.
RWB: Sarah Mayling – 5/10 – Did not get the better of Smith and made an error that lead to a shot for Arsenal that was part of a tough night for the Leicester defence.
RCB: Asmita Ale – 5.5/10 – Another player who struggled in a team that lacked cohesion and looked lost.
CB: Sari Kees – 5.5/10 – Like the rest of her side heads dropped especially in the second half with Arsenal cruising and the Foxes fate confirmed.
LCB: Julie Thibaud – 5/10 – Thibaud had a tough afternoon at the back for Leicester, the Arsenal forward line’s pace was too strong.
LWB: Ashleigh Neville – 5.5/10 – The player who has made more tackles than any other in the league this term had her hands full tonight. Both Fox and Holmberg worked hard and often out thought her.
CM: Olivia McLoughlin – 6/10 – Worked hard in the middle and hustled in the challenge, wasn’t afraid to meet Arsenal with the same intensity she received.
CM: Sam Tierney – 5.5/10 – The midfielder struggled to have any impact on the match.
CAM: Emily van Egmond – 5.5/10 – Like her midfield colleagues the Australian had barely any impact on the match.
ST: Shannon O’Brien – 5/10 – Up front O’Brien rarely saw the ball and was left isolated over and over again.
ST: Hannah Cain – 5.5/10 – Showed some promising early running against Arsenal but was the Leicester forward overall not able to effect the outcome
SUBS
Katie Keane (46′ Clark) – 8/10 – Immediately put under pressure and gave away the ball against an Arsenal side with the bit between their teeth. Made a number of smart saves, a huge ask for the young keeper to come in at this stage of a match against the European Champions and she stood up to the occasion.
Naomi Mouchon (57′ Tierney) – 6.5/10 – Came on and looked bright against the Arsenal defence but Leicester were well beaten by the time she made it onto the pitch. Certainly Mouchon was the Foxes brightest spark, almost scored with a vicious effort late on.
Chantalle Swaby (57′ Ale) – 6.5/10 – It’s a difficult thing to come into a match with your side so far behind, Swaby did her best to provide some cover at the back.
Emma Jansson (70′ O’Brien) – 6.5/10 – Was a passenger for much of the match but Arsenal did not score after she and Lehmann came on.
Alisha Lehmann (70′ van Egmond) – 7/10 – Helped her side settle and play for some pride, her experience showed.
