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 slipped off the pace just three matches into the season, and a familiar weakness has resurfaced at the Emirates Stadium. After a promising debut – a win over Brighton that had previously handed Manchester City the title in the last campaign – Arsenal have stumbled into two consecutive draws.
The first came against newly‑promoted Crystal Palace, and the second against a Manchester United side that had also lost its opening two fixtures. Those results have amplified the pressure ahead of this weekend’s clash with Chelsea, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. The two low‑block defensive setups that Arsenal seemed to have begun to master last season have once again left the team with the poorest expected‑goals (xG) performance in the league at this early stage, despite the abundance of attacking talent at Slegers’ disposal. While other pundits may have their own diagnoses, the head coach is convinced that the squad’s issues are more mental than tactical.
With that perspective, she is determined to shift any burden of expectation away from her players and onto herself, hoping to give the squad the breathing space it needs to rediscover its form. In practice, that means she must remain the most tranquil figure in the club.
"It’s frustrating that we’ve dropped four points," Slegers acknowledges, before adding, "We can’t change that now. It’s about focusing on the positives, on the things we can improve, and looking forward." She continues, "I’m happy to take the pressure off the players wherever it’s needed.
If anyone has to carry it, it should be me. I want the players to feel free on the pitch, to play with clear heads, clear minds, and to trust their instincts." Slegers also reflected on the tactical side, noting that Arsenal had previously found ways to neutralise low‑block opponents, but that there are still other avenues to explore, such as set‑piece routines.
"As a coach you can go one of two ways – you can add more detail and make things more complicated, or you can strip things back to the basics," she said. "In the end, actions speak louder than words.
There’s been a lot of talk; now we need to show results and keep looking ahead." A sense of déjà vu crept in during 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 scraped through thanks to a 93rd‑minute penalty from Mariona Caldentey, edging out the Danish minnows who had lost all six of their previous Champions League outings. Had Kelly’s strike stood, it might have eased the subconscious feeling of "here we go again" among the squad, rather than the nervous scramble that followed.
Slegers repeatedly stresses the importance of quick starts to win the mental battle that often decides tight games. "We’re really hungry for fast starts and we need them," she explained. "We keep driving that in training and in matches, focusing on everything we can control. Tuesday showed mental resilience – the belief that we could win persisted even when the goal came late.
If we’d scored early, the game would have felt completely different." She added, "Low blocks are difficult for anyone to break down; only a handful of teams excel at it. We know we have to improve in that area." A potential reprieve may arrive when Arsenal face Chelsea, who, barring a tactical surprise, are unlikely to sit deep for long periods at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
While the Blues will certainly pose a threat, the match also offers Arsenal’s attacking players a chance to shine in a way they have not yet managed this season. Young winger Lisa Baum, 19, who joined from RB Leipzig over the summer, could finally get the platform she deserves. Slegers praised her, saying, "She’s earned the right to play.
I trust her because of her training attitude, behavior, and performances. She’s becoming an important part of the squad despite her age. Credit to her." Four games into any campaign, the phrase "must‑win" feels excessive – perhaps even "must‑not‑lose" is more appropriate, especially in an expanded WSL. Dropping seven points to the leaders by the end of September would have been a nightmare scenario that the pre‑season plan aimed to avoid, and that threat now seems all too real.
"Playing Chelsea away is always the same game," Slegers remarked. "It’s a charged London derby, and we’re prepared for it.
As with everything else, if there’s any pressure, I want to be the one taking it." Arsenal fans can catch the Chelsea versus Arsenal showdown on Sky Sports Premier League, kicking off at 4.30 pm on Sunday. The match promises a test of mental fortitude, tactical adaptability, and the ability of Slegers to shield her squad from external expectations while guiding them back to the winning ways they are capable of producing.