Renee Slegers appears more composed than one might expect given Arsenal's uneven start to the Women's Super League campaign. The Gunners have already fallen behind the competition after just three matches, and a familiar weakness has resurfaced at the Emirates Stadium, threatening to undermine their early ambitions.
The season began on a promising note with a win over Brighton—a result that had previously denied Manchester City the title in the last campaign. However, that optimism was quickly tempered by consecutive draws: one against newly promoted Crystal Palace and another versus a Manchester United side that had lost its first two fixtures.
These stalemates have amplified the pressure ahead of the upcoming clash with Chelsea, a game that will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. Arsenal’s struggles have been particularly evident against low‑block defensive setups.
While the team seemed to have found ways to cope with such tactics last season, this year they have recorded the lowest expected‑goals (xG) performance in the league so far, despite boasting a wealth of attacking talent under Slegers’ guidance. Different observers will undoubtedly have varying interpretations of the situation, but Slegers attributes the bulk of the problem to a mental block rather than a purely tactical one. With that perspective, she is intent on diverting any criticism or expectations away from her players and onto herself, hoping to create an environment where the squad can focus on solutions.
In her view, maintaining calmness at the top of the hierarchy is essential. "It’s frustrating that we’ve dropped four points," she acknowledges, before adding, "We can’t change that now. It’s about focusing on the positives and the things we can do better, looking forward." She continues, "I’m happy to take the pressure away from the players where it’s necessary.
If someone is going to carry the pressure, it should be me. I want the players to be free on the pitch, to play with clear heads, clear minds and use their intuition." Slegers also reflected on the tactical adjustments the team has tried. "We had gotten away from finding low blocks difficult to play against; we had found the tools and solutions. But there are other things we can try to capitalise on like set pieces." She explained her coaching philosophy: "As a coach you can go one of two ways – you can go into more and more detail and make things more complicated, or strip things back, go back to basics." "Ultimately actions speak louder than words, and there’s been a lot of talking.
We just want to show things now and look forward," she said, emphasizing that performance on the field must speak for itself. The pattern of near‑misses continued in Arsenal’s Champions League opener at home against Koge on Tuesday. An early goal from Chloe Kelly was disallowed after a VAR review, and the Gunners struggled to regain momentum. They eventually secured a 93rd‑minute penalty conversion by Mariona Caldentey to edge past the Danish side, which had lost all six of its previous Champions League outings.
Had Kelly’s strike stood, the psychological burden of a repeat performance might have been eased. Instead, the team endured a tense finish that reinforced Slegers’ belief in the importance of swift starts to settle the mental battle. "It’s something we are really hungry for and it’s something we need," she explained.
"We are continuing to drive it and go after it in games and look after everything that is in our control." She praised the squad’s resilience, noting, "Tuesday showed mental resilience. The endurance of the belief that we could get the win.
We said before the game, we didn’t know if the goal would come, or if it would be early or late and had we scored early I think it would have been a very different game." Slegers also admitted that low‑block defenses remain a challenge: "Low blocks are hard to break down for anyone, there’s only a select few who are really good at it, but we know it’s something we have to be able to do better." Looking ahead, the upcoming fixture against Chelsea may provide a welcome change of scenery. Unless Chelsea dramatically alters their approach, they are unlikely to sit deep for extended periods at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
While the Blues will still pose a threat, the match could open up space for Arsenal’s attacking players to demonstrate their quality—something that has been scarce this season. One player poised to benefit is 19‑year‑old winger Lisa Baum, signed from RB Leipzig over the summer. Baum has started all three WSL games she has been available for, and Slegers has expressed confidence in her development. "She’s earned the right to play," Slegens said.
"I have trust in her already, the way she’s been training, behaving and performing, she deserves it. She’s making herself an important player in the squad. She’s only young, but credit to her." Four games into any campaign, the phrase "must‑win" can feel excessive.
At this stage, perhaps "must‑not‑lose" is more realistic, especially as the league expands and competition tightens. Dropping seven points to the table‑topping side by the end of September would have been a nightmare scenario in pre‑season planning, and the risk of that becoming reality looms. Slegers remains pragmatic about the Chelsea clash: "Playing Chelsea away is always the same game. It’s always charged, it’s a London derby.
That’s already there, and we’re prepared for it. As with everything else, if there’s any pressure, I want to be the one taking that." In summary, Slegers is determined to shield her squad from external scrutiny, focusing instead on mental fortitude, simplified tactics, and exploiting set‑piece opportunities.
By fostering a calm atmosphere and encouraging players to act instinctively, she hopes Arsenal can reverse the early-season slump and rediscover the attacking fluency that made them a feared force in previous campaigns. Watch Chelsea vs Arsenal on Sky Sports Premier League from 4.15 pm on Sunday, kick‑off 4.30 pm.
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