Renee Slegers appears more composed than her recent comments might suggest when it comes to Arsenal's uneven opening to the Women's Super League campaign. The Gunners have already fallen behind the league's leading pace after just three fixtures, and an old nemesis has resurfaced at the Emirates Stadium, threatening to derail their early ambitions. The season began brightly with a win over Brighton – a match that had previously handed Manchester City the title when they dropped points – but the momentum quickly stalled.
Consecutive draws against newly‑promoted Crystal Palace and a Manchester United side that had also lost its first two games have amplified the scrutiny ahead of this weekend's showdown with Chelsea, a match that will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. Arsenal’s difficulty in dealing with low‑block defensive setups – a problem they seemed to have solved last season – has left them with the worst expected‑goals (xG) under‑performance in the league at this early stage, despite the abundance of attacking talent at Slegers' disposal.
While pundits will undoubtedly offer a range of explanations, the head coach insists the core issue is more psychological than tactical. With that perspective in mind, Slegers is determined to shift any mounting pressure away from her squad and onto herself, believing that a calm, unburdened team will be better positioned to find solutions on the pitch. She has openly stated her willingness to be the focal point of criticism if it means her players can perform without the weight of external expectations. "It is frustrating that we have dropped four points," she acknowledged, before adding, "We cannot change what has happened, but we can focus on the positives and identify the areas where we can improve moving forward." She continued, "I am happy to take the pressure off the players wherever it is needed.
If anyone has to carry the burden, it should be me. I want the players to feel free on the field, to play with clear heads, clear minds, and to trust their instincts." Slegers also reflected on the team's recent tactical adjustments, noting, "We had moved away from struggling against low blocks; we found tools and solutions.
Yet there are other avenues we can exploit, such as set‑pieces." She explained her coaching philosophy succinctly: "A coach can either dive deeper into detail, making things more complicated, or strip everything back to the basics." Ultimately, she believes actions speak louder than words. "There has been a lot of talk, but now we need to show results and look ahead," she said. A sense of déjà vu lingered when Arsenal opened their Champions League campaign at home against Koge on Tuesday.
After an early Chloe Kelly strike was disallowed by VAR, the Gunners appeared rattled, struggling to regain their rhythm. It took a dramatic 93rd‑minute penalty from Mariona Caldentey to finally secure a narrow victory over the Danish minnows, who had previously lost all six of their Champions League matches in their sole prior appearance.
Had Kelly's goal stood, the subconscious narrative of "here we go again" might have been softened for the squad. Instead, the narrow win reinforced the importance Slegers places on rapid starts to win the mental battle. "We are hungry for quick starts, and we need them," she explained. "We keep pushing for that edge in every game and focus on everything we can control." She praised her team's resilience, "Tuesday showed mental toughness.
We believed we could win, even though we didn't know when the goal would come. If we had scored early, the game would have unfolded very differently." Slegers also addressed the tactical challenge of low blocks, noting, "They are tough to break down for any side; only a few teams excel at it, but we know we must improve in that area." Looking ahead, Arsenal hopes for a brief respite when they travel to face Chelsea. 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 significant threat, the encounter should provide Arsenal's attacking players with more space to showcase their abilities – something that has been limited in the opening three league games. One player who could benefit is 19‑year‑old winger Lisa Baum, signed from RB Leipzig over the summer.
Slegers has praised her development, saying, "She has earned her place. I trust her because of her training attitude, behavior, and performances. She is becoming an important part of the squad despite her youth." Four matches into any campaign, the phrase "must‑win" feels excessive; perhaps "must‑not‑lose" is more appropriate at this stage, especially in an expanded WSL.
Dropping seven points to the league leaders by the end of September would represent a nightmare scenario that pre‑season planning aimed to avoid. Slegers remains pragmatic about the upcoming London derby, "Playing Chelsea away is always a charged fixture.
It’s a London derby, and we are prepared for it. As with everything else, if there is pressure, I want to be the one taking it." Arsenal fans can tune in to watch the Chelsea versus Arsenal clash on Sky Sports Premier League from 4.15 pm on Sunday, with kick‑off at 4.30 pm. The match offers a chance for the Gunners to reset their season trajectory, demonstrate the progress they have made under Slegers' leadership, and perhaps begin to shed the early‑season doubts that have lingered after a series of narrow draws and a hard‑earned Champions League win.