June mailbag edition

(Some of) your questions answered

We have a good crop of academy players at the moment. We also have first team players (Russo, LWM and previously Patten) who came through the US college route as a stepping stone to the first team. Do you think the growth of the professional game in the Uk means that there are enough paths for development so the US college route is no longer attractive? Peter Lukacs

Out of our current crop of academy players (and Ke Kuhl), using your crystal ball, which one do you see making an impact the soonest and which would you project as having the biggest long-term impact? Andrew Gambrill

On the first question with regards to players using the US college route as a stepping-stone, for the elite players, I think those days are over, yes. Lotte, Anna and Lessi all finished college early to come back to play in the WSL. Granted, that was largely catalysed by covid and uncertainty over the schedule in the US College League but the WSL was seen as a league worth returning to at the expense of finishing studies. Young English players continue to go to the US college system but they are not England internationals.

A few years ago, I believe the FA stopped fully funding travel for players from England junior teams from the US which caused a bit of a sea change too. Players in or close to the England setup won’t go there any longer. With regards to the current crop, it’s difficult without having seen the academy teams play but Michelle Agyemang seems the most likely candidate to me. She is incredibly highly rated and every time I have seen her play she has looked very impressive.

Where do you think Teyah Goldie fits in our squad? A loan next year? Peter Lukacs

Building on my answer to the last question, I am really interested to see what happens with Teyah Goldie and Katie Reid next season. The squad currently has Williamson, Wubben-Moy and Codina with Ilestedt likely to be unavailable until 2025. On the face of it, Arsenal probably needs a fourth centre-half for the squad but this might be an opportunity to let either Reid or Goldie have that spot for the first half of the season and test their mettle until Ilestedt returns.

Like others here, I am very interested in the progress of our very promising academy players such as Michelle Agyemang, Katie Reid, Freya Godfrey and Laila Harbert. What do you think would be best as the next step in their careers? As they're reaching the age where they would be leaving full-time education, remaining close to home is not such a high priority (I think the arrangement with Watford was good last year). Do you look for a loan to a good Championship team, or would time with a well managed team in the WSL be appropriate? I'm particularly interested in Katie Reid as the centre-back position is usually associated with more experienced players. She has four very good internationals ahead of her (plus Steph Catley) so, even with Conti Cup and UWCL group stages, she is not going to get many minutes. I think she could do well at somewhere like newly promoted Crystal Palace. Playing against very physical forwards such as Bunny Shaw or Mayra Ramirez could be a great learning experience, but could also adversely affect her self confidence. Kim Parker

For Michelle I would definitely like to see a WSL loan of some kind. Everton (who aren’t blessed with forwards or goals) or Crystal Palace seem like good options to me but that’s me speculating. Freya and Laila will probably want a high end Championship loan, that’s what Freya had at Charlton last season while I think Laila Harbert can aim higher in that league than Watford now. As for Katie, I think it’s a question of who is going to give her good minutes. I think there might be a world where one of her or Teyah stays until January and when Ilestedt returns, to reassess and see whether a loan in January might be the best way. I like the look of Katie Reid a lot but she is still incredibly young, especially for a centre-half, I think a good Championship loan where she gets good exposure would be ok for her at this stage of her career.

I am curious as to whether you can speak more on how the decision for Arsenal and Miedema to part ways came about. The predominant narrative among Arsenal fans seems to be that Jonas hated her and pushed her out, and the club supported him. You have said you don't think that's correct and that it truly was a club decision. Sky Sports recently said it was mutual (which would mean not a club decision or a Jonas decision). Is there any additional information you can provide as to whether it was Jonas, others at the club, Miedema, etc. who were responsible for the decision? ML

I can’t really say anymore on what went down because I don’t have complete enough information to do so. What I will say is that, obviously, I checked in on how the contract discussions were going with different sources across the season and while I was not told, ‘it’s not happening, she is leaving’ it all sounded a little lukewarm and non-committal. I certainly sensed that it was coming to an end, reading between the lines. When Arsenal didn’t have a left winger for the Conti Cup game against Spurs and it was Miedema who was selected there, I think that is revealing, that was the player Eidevall wanted to put into an unnatural position for that game.

I don’t think (and this is me interpreting, not reporting) the situation was as black and white or as explosive as people have subsequently interpreted (though I understand why the video that emerged of Eidevall and Miedema arguing on the touchline at Everton aided that impression and speculation will always fall into a vacuum). I think things had been heading this way for a while.

When Beth and Leah were injured, it always felt like there were Beth and Leah shaped holes in the team. Rightly or wrongly, I just didn’t have that same feeling with Miedema deep down in my gut. (Which is not a comment on Miedema’s quality or Arsenal’s quality without her, I am describing more of a tactical drift).

But there is absolutely a football discussion to be had about a situation developing where there is a gradual drift between the club and one of the best players in the world and the answer to that question will be on the pitch next season. Personally, I am more sanguine about it, I have seen the likes of Henry and Vieira reach this stage in the men’s team. It happens often and across professions, sometimes it is just time for everyone to move on.

But I am someone who has always accepted player departures quickly (which I am sure is a subconscious form of self-protection too). But I certainly wouldn’t question anyone who was less sanguine about it. It is absolutely debatable and contentious. I don’t think we will ever get the full story from all sides publicly.

In terms of things we can control (eg not scheduling) is there anything you think Arsenal will do differently this summer to prep for the champions league qualifiers? Nick

The answer is really that it will revolve around the schedule, which they don’t control. But clearly, last summer was exceptionally difficult with a late World Cup on the other side of the world and seven Arsenal players involved until the final weekend. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Wolfsburg and Juventus also fell at the qualifying stage last season. That isn’t the case this time so Arsenal will have a chance, for example, to play some good standard friendlies with Washington Spirit and Chelsea in the US in August. They simply could not do that last summer.

It is worth remembering that Arsenal were involved in this stage of qualifying in 2021 too, which was also a summer where there had been an Olympic Games with plenty of Arsenal players not involved and they qualified comfortably. We should remember that Manchester City lost at this stage of qualifying in 2022 off the back of the Euros. These qualifiers are far more difficult off the back of big tournament summers. (Though they are plenty challenging without too).

The other potential change is that Boreham Wood want to bid to host the qualifying tournament this time and being able to play at home would make a massive difference if it comes to pass too. But I do hope the club have internally reviewed last summer to see what they could have done better that was in their control. I know they went to Portugal for a training camp in January because they felt they had started too slowly after the Christmas break over a number of seasons.

I have two questions:

1. There seems to be a general lack of available coaching talent in the Women's - even if Arsenal don't win the WSL, are there many credible other options available?

2. How far is likability by the fans important in giving a coach time to build "a project" (using Chelsea's men's team as a barometer, Frank Lampard seemed to have more patience shown to him than say Graham Potter). Ken P

There is definitely a supply and demand issue around top-level coaches. The two Manchester clubs chose to back their coaches off the back of disappointing seasons (City in 2022-23 and United this summer) and I think a lot of that is down to the market. The reality is that there is a food chain in football that women’s football is not at the top of. That is why it is so gratifying to see so many current WSL players studying for their coaching badges.

I think we are probably just in that (not so) sweet spot where being a top coach in the women’s game has only just become a reasonably well-paid job so hopefully this generation of players and those coming to the end of their careers begin to see it as a more viable career option worth pursuing (which has the added benefit of adding more female coaches).

In terms of likeability by fans, I don’t think we are at the stage yet where that has a huge impact. Overall, the numbers are still pretty small in stadiums generally speaking and women’s football still doesn’t have a significant enough in-stadium culture of protest or rancour (online is different, clearly). This is all very new for the women’s game, a club as big as Everton still play in front of a few hundred at home games and that was the case for Arsenal until very recently. The idea of a large number of fans creating enough in-stadium fallout to make a club seriously consider that angle is still not a reality for the majority of clubs. Arsenal and Manchester United will be the first ones to move the needle on that though- it’s all coming down the track!

You've written previously about the importance of a team having principles to underpin how we play, looking at the way in which the squad has been modelled, what do you think the principles of the team will be this season? How will we see them play, and what might be the development from last season? Rhys Evans

I don’t see the team’s principles changing and would be very worried if they did! I think there will still be the same focus on counter attacking, counterpressing and being compact off the ball and spreading out on it. I view next season much more as principles taking hold and being fine-tuned, if that doesn’t happen you have to ask the question as to whether they ever will.

I think what I am looking for the most is the speed of Arsenal’s attacks. I want players to take more risks with their passing and really zip the ball around. At their best, Eidevall’s teams attack at great speed in a few passes. That isn’t always possible, of course and in those moments, Arsenal need greater craft and space manipulation and not just from Mariona, though clearly that is one of the big reasons behind the interest in her.

I think we have also seen signs in recent months that Russo is finding a much better blend between work she does away from the penalty area and work she does inside it. I think that really started to make a difference in the spring and am very enthused by what she can do now she is more integrated and has adjusted to what Eidevall wants from her. But if Arsenal change their core princjples next season, we will know the coach is in trouble!

In the summer of 2022, Arsenal signed Lina Hurtig (a forward), Kaylan Marckese (a backup goalkeeper who was then essentially replaced in the winter transfer window), and Gio (a young forward who immediately went on loan) and extended Miedema. That transfer window's shortcomings haunted Arsenal for a long time. This summer, Arsenal are linked to Mariona Caldentey (a forward/attacking midfielder), Daphne van Domselaar (a goalkeeper), and Rosemonde Kouassi (a young forward) and have lost Miedema. This is echoing the summer 2022 transfer window to me with the added fact that Arsenal won't have Miedema this season - do you think Arsenal fans should be similarly as in summer 2022, or are the signings better scouted and better able to make impacts at Arsenal if they go through? ML

I think what you highlight is absolutely right in that the summer of 2022 was poor for Arsenal, something I think Eidevall acknowledged several times subsequently- though more due to targets they missed. January 2023 was similar and caused a bit of an overhaul behind the scenes in how the club do recruitment and staff were added in that area.

In hindsight, Arsenal probably could have cut the cord with Miedema in 2022 and moved on, Marckese was, I think, a stopgap signing until D’Angelo could join that January. Not to blame Viv, because every player has the right to decide their future when they are ready but I think the club expected her to go until late on and that altered plans a little. Had she gone to Barcelona Geyse would have been an Arsenal player. That didn’t happen and Arsenal went for Hurtig and that hasn’t worked out due to injury and Arsenal did miss other targets in that position. (I think you are right to point out that Geyse and Hurtig are very, very different players too).

But I don’t think it necessarily tracks that this summer’s signings will not work out due to these sort of tangential links. I think what this summer highlights is that summer 2022 didn’t work out (although I don’t think Marckese is a part of that). Personally I like the profiles of the three players you mention. Clearly another goalkeeper is needed and I like van Domselaar and think she has a high ceiling.

Greater creativity and movement is needed, we will see if Mariona can provide that but you can track the thinking of signing a starter from Barcelona and I think a young, direct winger is exactly what the squad needs too. In that respect, it is a shame that it looks like Gio and Arsenal won’t really happen because I think there would be a good opportunity for her in the squad now. I am enthused by January when business was done swiftly and well but there was less to do then, admittedly.

Do you think Jonas is the right man to lead Arsenal going forward? If Chelsea were to drop off I dont see him being the guy to replace and dominate for the next few seasons. He has been backed but we dont seem close to winning anything. MJPL

I think next season is crunch time with regards to that, I do think there have been mitigations over the last two seasons but, as Jonas himself is fond of saying, you can’t have results and excuses, you have to pick one. There is no third season of mitigations. It strikes me that being very good in big games and struggling in the first part of the season against low blocks (and I see some green shoots there) is easier to fix than the other way around. But we cannot be complacent about that, making adjustments for low blocks might cause a frisson that impacts Arsenal’s record in big games, which we cannot just assume will remain in tact next season.

I think we have seen we can win cups under Jonas, we have won the last two Conti Cups beating Chelsea twice and City over the two seasons. We will be a good cup team because we are good in those big games. The question is whether Arsenal can produce the consistency to compete for the league title again and that’s where we really need to see progress now.

Hi Tim, just wondering if you see anyone in the current squad going on loan again next season. Obviously this depends on signings etc. but especially with Kühl coming back, there’s some real numbers in the midfield especially. Grace

Good question! Other than the youngsters I am not sure I do. I think Gio will probably leave and Kuhl really depends on the prognosis around Pelova. I think the slightly more senior, first team loans like Gio and Kuhl were about the squad being a little too big. I think that is no longer the case with Beattie moving on, Ilestedt on maternity leave, Marckese moving on and Gio will probably move on too.

Will Jonas stop meddling with the line up every week? Surely if we are to get some consistency constantly changing the midfield and forwards is not ideal. Look at Arteta, he played a very similar 11 and we do nearly won the league. Amanda

Arsenal map almost exactly to Chelsea on number of players used, number of substitutions and the average number of minutes per starter. Rotation is something a top team just has to do and if Arsenal are going to play in the Champions League group stages next season, they will have to get comfortable with rotation. I think it has been one of the big factors in Emma Hayes’ success with Chelsea, she knows how to use a big squad.

The men’s team didn’t make many changes during the run-in but April onwards is the ‘playoff’ area of the season and most teams going for the league will do that if they can. The men’s team also had their key players fit for the majority of the season and with four ACL returnees, there was a need for the women’s team to rotate a little. Little and Walti had injury issues too in the midfield.

But of course, there was also the sense that Eidevall has a lack of certainty in some key positions, like the number 10 position, he has two starting quality strikers, four starting quality central midfielders and he had two starting quality 10s. That demands rotation but it also did feel a bit more like confusion and a search for a proper chemistry and combinations. When the framework settles you can rotate confidently, I don’t think that framework or those foundations have been there.

How do we fix our corner problem? Hannah C

I suspect Patrik Winqvist’s departure plays into this, as the former setpiece coach. That means we will have a new setpiece coach and it remains to be seen what change that brings about. But Arsenal don’t have a lot of great aerial targets beyond the centre-halves and Russo, losing Jen Beattie and Rafaelle was always going to bring the numbers down but clearly more imaginative setpiece design is required. Arsenal started taking a lot more short corners at the end of the season and that might be a good avenue for a team short on aerial threat.