Sky Sports columnist Laura Hunter breaks down the main talking points from the second round of the Women’s Super League, offering readers a deeper look at the narratives shaping the women’s game. Arsenal have just set a new club benchmark by going unbeaten for 20 league matches, the longest run in the Women’s Super League.
Yet that achievement offered little solace to manager Renee Slegers after her side slipped up at home against Manchester United, conceding two points and allowing the opposition to score a league‑high seven goals in the opening weeks of the campaign. Historically, Arsenal have never been defeated at the Emirates under Slegers, which made Smilla Holmberg’s dramatic 95th‑minute equaliser from a perfectly timed Leah Williamson cross all the more significant. The strike was executed with textbook precision, yet the quality of the goal was almost lost on a crowd that seemed more pre‑occupied with the déjà vu of a goalless draw at Crystal Palace the previous weekend.
The atmosphere hinted that the Gunners might be squandering their chance to mount a genuine title challenge from the very first hurdle – again. Five points from three fixtures currently leaves Arsenal sitting sixth in a league that has expanded to 14 teams, up from 12. The expansion provides a sliver of comfort; with a 26‑game schedule there will be plenty of opportunities to recover. In hindsight, this draw could be labelled a "good point" when the season is over, but for now it must be seen as a setback – another reminder that Arsenal struggle to keep pace with the league’s eventual champions, a pattern that has persisted for seven seasons despite a runner‑up finish last term.
So what does Arsenal represent if not title contenders? Do they embody an attractive, attacking style that also produces results, or are they merely a side capable of creating chances without the conviction to finish them?
Their statistics underline the problem: out of 60 shots taken so far, they have scored only twice, a glaring under‑performance compared with an expected‑goals (xG) value of 3.84. Slegers certainly has time to respond to such criticism – three games is a tiny sample size and the season has barely crossed the halfway point of its opening month.
Nevertheless, the three matches have exposed a deeper issue that opponents seem to have identified and are exploiting. When teams set up in a compact block, Arsenal find it difficult to break them down.
Defensive discipline against the Gunners often yields a point, and draws have become a useful result for everyone except Arsenal themselves. Four draws before Christmas were enough to knock Arsenal out of the title race last season; they cannot afford a repeat. The urgency to reverse this trend must be felt immediately. The attacking fluidity that once defined Arsenal appears to be fading.
Mariona Caldentey’s misplaced lay‑off to Alessia Russo, Stina Blackstenius’s header that barely brushed past Phallon Tullis‑Joyce, and Chloe Kelly’s long‑range attempts all illustrate a lack of cutting edge. The decisive moment came in the final kick of the Manchester United game, when Arsenal finally produced a moment of quality. That isolated flash of brilliance, however, is insufficient. Questions now arise for both Slegers and her squad: is the team balance correct?
Georgia Stanway and Mariona Caldentey appear to be performing overlapping roles in midfield, both operating as a number‑8. Who should be the deep‑lying playmaker? Is Alessia Russo best utilized as a number‑10, or should she be positioned deeper to protect the back line? Are the wingers reluctant to take on defenders one‑on‑one?
Statistically, Lisa Baum and Olivia Smith combined for just one cross and one successful dribble over the weekend. Even the cross that Baum delivered to Blackstenius should have resulted in a goal, yet it did not. Instead of exploiting Manchester United’s transitional weaknesses under Eva Olid, Arsenal spent much of the match standing off, too polite to press aggressively.
Such restraint is puzzling given the talent at their disposal. What Slegers needs now is a demand for higher standards: sharper creativity from the midfield, more incisive service from the flanks, and clinical finishing in the final third. Every element of Arsenal’s attack must be shifted up a gear if they hope to convert draws into wins.
Until that transformation occurs, the Gunners are likely to settle for another series of disappointing stalemates. In contrast, Tottenham’s Holdt appears to be thriving. Since February, only Bunny Shaw has outscored her, with eight goals to Shaw’s twelve.
Holdt’s fluid attacking play has been a breath of fresh air. After a half‑hour of resistance, Crystal Palace finally felt the full force of Martin Ho’s inventive side, which dismantled them 7‑0, netting six goals in a blistering 25‑minute spell. Holdt’s hat‑trick epitomised this dominance: a neatly orchestrated throw‑in finish, a powerful strike from a loose ball in the box, and a clinical finish following a swift turnover. To my eyes, Holdt blends talent with determination, adapting to league demands faster than most.
She can both score and create, handling the ball with confidence while distributing it effectively. In her first Spurs start of the season, she gave Ho plenty to think about as his side climbed to second place. The challenge now is maintaining that position. Overall, Arsenal’s early season narrative is one of unfulfilled potential.
Their unbeaten run is impressive on paper, but the inability to convert chances, the tactical rigidity when faced with disciplined opponents, and the lack of decisive attacking intent are eroding their title credentials. If they wish to re‑establish themselves as genuine contenders, a strategic overhaul in the midfield and wide areas, coupled with a renewed emphasis on finishing, is essential. Only then can they move beyond the shadow of draws and reclaim the ambition that once defined the club.