Alessia Russo bagged an assist and a brace as Arsenal cantered to a 3-0 victory over Aston Villa at Villa Park on Saturday afternoon.
Frida Maanum was also on target as Arsenal secured UEFA Women’s Champions League football next season with the Barclays Women’s Super League victory. Arsenal had travelled to the West Midlands for their third away match in the space of a week. In their midweek encounter at Brighton, Arsenal had failed to get the three points required to keep the title race alive. That meant UWCL qualification was the new priority. Renée Slegers, nominated for Barclays Women’s Super League Manager of the Season this week, knew that victory at Villa Park would secure their UWCL status for another year.
Arsenal made three changes from their 1-1 draw with Brighton on Wednesday night to face Villa. Anneke Borbe came in for Daphne van Domselaar, while Caitlin Foord and Victoria Pelova also dropped out with Mariona Caldentey and Emily Fox restored to the starting eleven. Slegers confirmed pre-match that Steph Catley was not yet available for selection against Aston Villa but confirmed the Australian is back training with the team. Katie McCabe was not available for selection due to family reasons.
Aston Villa made two changes from their disappointing defeat at home to West Ham on Monday. Rachel Daly and Rachel Maltby came back into the starting side with Lynn Wilms dropping out and Jenna Nighswonger ineligible to play against her parent club. Anna Patten was also missing from the squad due to concussion protocol.
Aston Villa had announced midweek that they would not be renewing the contracts of Sabrina D’Angelo, Ebony Salmon and Gabi Nunes. The former pair started on Saturday against Arsenal. In a show of class, Aston Villa celebrated WSL legend, Lucy Staniforth before kick off for her huge contribution to the women’s game after she announced her retirement earlier this week.
The Lineups
AST: D’Angelo; Maltby, Deslandes, Taylor, Maritz; Daly, Jean-François, Kendall, Salmon; Hijikata, Hanson
ARS: Borbe; Fox, Wubben-Moy, Codina, Hinds; Little, Mariona, Maanum; Smith, Holmberg, Russo
The Action
Arsenal applied pressure to Aston Villa right from the off and within six minutes they had their reward. Smilla Holmberg darted down the wing, her near post cross was meekly palmed by D’Angelo right onto the head of Alessia Russo. The Arsenal number 23’s header was too powerful to be cleared off the line by Noelle Maritz. Villa’s set up, a back four instead of a five, offered space for Arsenal to exploit. Russo could have doubled the lead after being set up by Frida Maanum, but completely failed to make contact with the ball as it bobbled off her planted foot.
The home side threatened for the first time when Kirsty Hanson beat Emily Fox to hang the ball up to the back post. Ebony Salmon was lurking at the far post but her header was to weak to trouble the German keeper. Arsenal doubled the lead before half time, Laia Codina played the ball to Russo on the edge of the box, and two outside of the boot touches followed, splitting the Aston Villa defence wide open. Her second touch played through Maanum, who made no mistake when played in behind.
The Gunners almost had their third on the stroke of half time. A magnificent ball from Holmberg was swung into the box and was nodded goalwards by Maanum, this time D’Angelo made a fantastic stop down to her left. After the break Aston Villa had their best move of the match, delicate interplay on the edge of the box found Salmon out wide, who sliced her effort but still rattled the post.
That glimmer of hope was extinguished by Arsenal’s third, Frida Maanum returned the favour to Russo with a great ball in behind that caught the Villa defence napping. Russo rounded the keeper and emphatically blasted the ball into the back of the net. Arsenal had opportunities to increase their advantage, with Victoria Pelova and Chloe Kelly testing D’Angelo from distance. The damage was done, and when the final whistle blew, Arsenal’s 28 shots to Aston Villa’s one told the story of the afternoon.
Aston Villa Player Ratings
GK: Sabrina D’Angelo – 4.5/10 – An awful blunder in the opening minutes against her former club gifted Arsenal the lead. Misplaced passes in her own box and was lucky not to be punished. Made an excellent save to deny Maanum just before half time.
RB: Noelle Maritz – 5.5/10 – Was unable to clear the ball off the line for Russo’s opener, perhaps should have done better.
LCB: Oceane Deslandes – 5/10 – Deslandes was turned too easily by Russo after coming out to close her down for the second goal. She was also caught ball watching for Arsenal’s third.
CB: Miri Taylor – 5/10 – Was lucky to get away without giving away a penalty after seemingly handballing off the line from a vicious effort from Olivia Smith.
LB: Rachel Maltby – 6.5/10 – Showed sparks of promise going forward for Aston Villa.
RM: Rachel Daly – 6/10 – It was a curious use of Daly by Arroyo against Arsenal today, out wide, it did not suit her nor Aston Villa.
CM: Oriane Jean-François – 6/10 – Struggled to manage Arsenal like her midfield partner.
CM: Lucia Kendall – 6/10 – Could do little to stop an Arsenal attack in full flow.
LM: Ebony Salmon – 6/10 – Showed signs of being able to stretch the Arsenal defence, that was all too infrequent though.
ST: Kirsty Hanson – 7/10 – Had a fun battle with Emily Fox as one of the best attacking players of the season met one of the best defensive players in the league. Hanson was Villa’s biggest threat, she was the only Villa player to make a key pass.
ST: Maya Hijikata – 6/10 – Her threat was well dealt with by the Arsenal defence, a long afternoon for her.
SUBS
Georgia Mullett (68′ Hanson) – 5/10 – Had only four touch of the ball after coming on. Isolated.
Lucy Staniforth (78′ Little) – 7/10 – 183 WSL appearances, Staniforth got a deserved standing ovation at Villa Park.
Gabi Nunes (85′ Jean-François) – N/A –
Arsenal Player Ratings
GK: Anneke Borbe – 6.5/10 – Borbe did not have much to do in goal for Arsenal today.
RB: Emily Fox – 7.5/10 – The American had an enthralling battle with Hanson, she got the better of the Scot over the course of the 90.
RCB: Lotte Wubben-Moy – 6.5/10 – Gave the ball away at a crucial moment early in a dangerous area. Made some good interceptions at times, has played a lot of football recently and it is beginning to show.
LCB: Laia Codina – 8/10 – Was the more composed of the centre back pairing today, managed the threat of Hijikata well. Won more duels than any other player.
LB: Taylor Hinds – 7/10 – Saw the funny side of a slip when Arsenal were 2-0 up, a solid performance from Hinds. Almost had her first Arsenal goal late on but for a valiant block on the line.
CM: Kim Little – 6.5/10 – A quiet game by her standards but she did not need to be loud for Arsenal to get the required result.
CM: Mariona Caldentey – 7.5/10 – A typically Mariona Caldentey performance, linking up the Arsenal midfield to attack. Made two key passes.
AM: Frida Maanum – 9/10 – Her understanding with Russo at the moment is a joy to watch, swapped goals and assists with the striker. Made five key passes and created two big chances, more than anyone else on the pitch.
RW: Smilla Homlberg – 8.5/10 – A livewire, Holmberg has injected a freshness into this Arsenal side that it previously lacked, four assists in her last five matches says it all. Holmberg put six accurate crosses into the box, there were only two other accurate crosses in the match.
LW: Olivia Smith– 7/10 – Flourished in the spaces that Villa left for her to exploit, linked up the play for Arsenal in the final third time and again.
ST: Alessia Russo – 9/10 – Her smart header ensured she hit doubled figures in the WSL for goalscoring for the fourth season in a row. A brace and an assist, Russo was at the heart of everything positive for Arsenal.
SUBS
Stina Blackstenius (60′ Russo) – 5.5/10 – Was played through on goal excellently by Maanum at one point and should have played the ball to Mead with the goal gaping. Went for the shot, it was the wrong decision.
Beth Mead (60′ Holmberg) – 7/10 – A good cameo on her birthday, ever reliable from a set-piece, her delivery into the box was positive.
Chloe Kelly (68′ Smith) – 6/10 – Tested D’Angelo from outside the box, well stopped by the Aston Villa goalkeeper.
Victoria Pelova (68′ Little) – 6.5/10 – Stung the palms of D’Angelo with a good early effort from distance after coming on. Drove from deep with the ball more than once.
Caitlin Foord (85′ Mariona) – N/A –
