I am already emotionally looking forward to a few months away from WSL. We’ve discussed before that this was always going to be a building season given all the incomings and players coming back from injury. It’s likely we’ll be saying goodbye to some talismanic and favorite players, so I’m preparing myself for that. To everything there is a season…turn, turn, turn and all that. Would love a good showing from our side through the remainder of our games though. 🤞
Great summary - including the mutually exclusive options facing Jonas for the remaining games (Stina or Alessia at the point of the attack and development time for KC-C vs midfield continuity). As you say Tim, this will depend on supporting Frida' with her recovery and subsequent availability.
I'm hopeful that the inconsistency of this season is akin to a misfiring engine that needs tuning, rather than a sign that the mechanic that needs to be fired - we'll see how it runs next year.
I like what I've seen of Jonas - with his ability to learn and adapt being a rare quality. I was impressed by the walk and clap in front of the fans before the game on Sunday - that was a good move to engage and stir the fans, but I sense it wasn't just a cynical 'get the fans motivated' but a genuine connection that he wants to make.
I feel that one significant shift since he's arrived is that we're no longer underconfident against the 'big teams' while smashing the others. We "just" have to fix dealing with the low block (which as you say the second half at Villa suggests it's nearly there) and this team are WSL champions.
I really want Viv to sign a new contract and get back scoring goals like we know she can. I want to see her win the WSL with Arsenal as she is our record scorer by far and is the goat.
Nail on head there Tim. Pelova and Kuhl felt like progressive signings made for the future. Codina too. Pelova and Codina in particular look to me like bedrock players for as many seasons as they want to be here. Codina really is starting to look quality. I forget whose media hot-take it was that Codina was the worst WSL signing of the season but that joke is more on the pundit than the player at this point.
Lacasse and Ilstedt were also both fantastic pick-ups, seasoned players with still something to prove and a lot still to win at the highest level of club football, providing cover and genuine competition in key areas. This was shrewd stuff even before Jen went to America . Codina is even more important now that Ilstedt seems unlikely to play again until the start of the 2025 run-in.
I have a slightly more cynical view of the Russo and KCC signings. Was the club's aim to have two world class players available in every position with no expectation of 17 / 18 year olds getting minutes off the bench and then a development goalie to make up the UWCL 25?
If that is true then I guess that is job done and a world of patience would need to be priced-into the package for a player when you come into a squad like that. At least for the first season.
My more jaundiced position is that signing Russo and KCC was as much about taking one and possibly both of them away from United and thus guaranteeing a top three finish for one club and a season of relative struggle for the other.
Would that strategy trump having a clear idea of what to actually do with this plethora of talent and with Kuhl's integration being a bit of an unforeseen casualty of that? Unless it was mere press talk, signing Mary Earps would have been more of the same wouldn't it? So do you think stymying United in the market was a prime strategic focus last summer? Doing to United what they and City and and Chelsea did to Arsenal in Wenger's dog days?
If a top three finish in the WSL is itself a trophy of sorts then that is probably money well spent regardless as to how many selection headaches that has caused this year but boy does that midfield area look seriously over-crowded right now.
And of course back in the summer Arsenal were anticipating an extra six games in the season (presumably four fewer in the Conti Cup and ten more in Europe) and maybe as many as five more 40k plus attendances at the Emirates (four if we take out the Leicester game) to help pay the wage bill.
We wont know if this is a nice problem to have until the September qualifiers are done and dusted but I am not at all sure how some players will be feeling if Conti Cup appearances at the likes of Southampton and Charlton are the reward for a season of patience come November.
With the potential jeopardy of an extra qualifying round in mind maybe going hell for leather for second place is really what the team should be doing this spring rather than seeing the last batch of games as a mini pre season?
I don't think stifling United was a strategy, no. All their underlying data from last season suggested they were massively overperforming and with One leaving I think they were in for trouble anyway. The Earps stuff is massively overblown, there was an offer but that was it, absolutely nothing since and I don't believe we will sign her for next season unless something changes. KCC signing is about future proofing really, because Kim and Lia are in their 30s so Pelova, KCC and Kuhl very much seen as the future in there.
I am already emotionally looking forward to a few months away from WSL. We’ve discussed before that this was always going to be a building season given all the incomings and players coming back from injury. It’s likely we’ll be saying goodbye to some talismanic and favorite players, so I’m preparing myself for that. To everything there is a season…turn, turn, turn and all that. Would love a good showing from our side through the remainder of our games though. 🤞
Great summary - including the mutually exclusive options facing Jonas for the remaining games (Stina or Alessia at the point of the attack and development time for KC-C vs midfield continuity). As you say Tim, this will depend on supporting Frida' with her recovery and subsequent availability.
I'm hopeful that the inconsistency of this season is akin to a misfiring engine that needs tuning, rather than a sign that the mechanic that needs to be fired - we'll see how it runs next year.
I like what I've seen of Jonas - with his ability to learn and adapt being a rare quality. I was impressed by the walk and clap in front of the fans before the game on Sunday - that was a good move to engage and stir the fans, but I sense it wasn't just a cynical 'get the fans motivated' but a genuine connection that he wants to make.
I feel that one significant shift since he's arrived is that we're no longer underconfident against the 'big teams' while smashing the others. We "just" have to fix dealing with the low block (which as you say the second half at Villa suggests it's nearly there) and this team are WSL champions.
I really want Viv to sign a new contract and get back scoring goals like we know she can. I want to see her win the WSL with Arsenal as she is our record scorer by far and is the goat.
Nail on head there Tim. Pelova and Kuhl felt like progressive signings made for the future. Codina too. Pelova and Codina in particular look to me like bedrock players for as many seasons as they want to be here. Codina really is starting to look quality. I forget whose media hot-take it was that Codina was the worst WSL signing of the season but that joke is more on the pundit than the player at this point.
Lacasse and Ilstedt were also both fantastic pick-ups, seasoned players with still something to prove and a lot still to win at the highest level of club football, providing cover and genuine competition in key areas. This was shrewd stuff even before Jen went to America . Codina is even more important now that Ilstedt seems unlikely to play again until the start of the 2025 run-in.
I have a slightly more cynical view of the Russo and KCC signings. Was the club's aim to have two world class players available in every position with no expectation of 17 / 18 year olds getting minutes off the bench and then a development goalie to make up the UWCL 25?
If that is true then I guess that is job done and a world of patience would need to be priced-into the package for a player when you come into a squad like that. At least for the first season.
My more jaundiced position is that signing Russo and KCC was as much about taking one and possibly both of them away from United and thus guaranteeing a top three finish for one club and a season of relative struggle for the other.
Would that strategy trump having a clear idea of what to actually do with this plethora of talent and with Kuhl's integration being a bit of an unforeseen casualty of that? Unless it was mere press talk, signing Mary Earps would have been more of the same wouldn't it? So do you think stymying United in the market was a prime strategic focus last summer? Doing to United what they and City and and Chelsea did to Arsenal in Wenger's dog days?
If a top three finish in the WSL is itself a trophy of sorts then that is probably money well spent regardless as to how many selection headaches that has caused this year but boy does that midfield area look seriously over-crowded right now.
And of course back in the summer Arsenal were anticipating an extra six games in the season (presumably four fewer in the Conti Cup and ten more in Europe) and maybe as many as five more 40k plus attendances at the Emirates (four if we take out the Leicester game) to help pay the wage bill.
We wont know if this is a nice problem to have until the September qualifiers are done and dusted but I am not at all sure how some players will be feeling if Conti Cup appearances at the likes of Southampton and Charlton are the reward for a season of patience come November.
With the potential jeopardy of an extra qualifying round in mind maybe going hell for leather for second place is really what the team should be doing this spring rather than seeing the last batch of games as a mini pre season?
I don't think stifling United was a strategy, no. All their underlying data from last season suggested they were massively overperforming and with One leaving I think they were in for trouble anyway. The Earps stuff is massively overblown, there was an offer but that was it, absolutely nothing since and I don't believe we will sign her for next season unless something changes. KCC signing is about future proofing really, because Kim and Lia are in their 30s so Pelova, KCC and Kuhl very much seen as the future in there.
hi tim,
any news on Kuhls future?
Arsenal really like her and want her to stay. But feels like a CM will have to go to make room.
thanks tim! hope she stays, she was so much watching the world cup and ive always been impressed when she plays
I expect Viv, Walti, Little and Hutig to leave at Summer.
And Arsenal need to sign a GK , DF (Who can play centre back and left back) and MF.