Renee Slegers appears far more composed than one might expect given Arsenal’s uneven start to the Women’s Super League campaign. The Dutch manager is aware that her side have already slipped off the pace after just three fixtures, and an old nemesis – the low‑block defensive setup – is once again testing the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal opened the season brightly with a win over Brighton, a match that had previously handed Manchester City the title when they dropped points.
However, that optimism faded as the team settled for back‑to‑back draws against newly promoted Crystal Palace and a Manchester United side that had also stumbled in its opening two games. Those results have amplified the stakes for the upcoming clash with Chelsea, which will be televised live on Sky Sports. The two opponents have employed compact, low‑block formations that the Gunners seemed to have begun mastering last season.
Yet, despite the abundance of attacking talent at Slegers’ disposal, Arsenal now registers the poorest expected‑goals (xG) versus actual‑goals ratio in the league at this early juncture. While analysts may offer a range of tactical explanations, Slegers believes the core issue is psychological rather than purely strategic. With that perspective, she is determined to shift any lingering pressure away from her players and onto herself, hoping to give the squad the mental space needed to rediscover their form. "It’s frustrating that we’ve dropped four points," she admitted, before adding, "We can’t change what’s happened, but we can focus on the positives and the aspects we can improve moving forward." She continued, "I’m happy to take the pressure off the players whenever 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 trust their instincts." Slegers reflected on the previous season’s progress against low‑block teams, noting that Arsenal had discovered tools and solutions then.
"We had moved beyond the difficulty of breaking down deep‑defending sides, but there are still other avenues we can exploit, such as set‑pieces," she said. She also highlighted a coaching dilemma: "You can either dive deeper into detail and make things more complicated, or you can strip everything back to the basics." "In the end, actions speak louder than words," she asserted.
"There’s been a lot of talk, but now we need to show results and look ahead." A sense of déjà vu resurfaced during Arsenal’s Champions League opener at home against Koge on Tuesday. After Chloe Kelly’s early goal was ruled out by VAR, the Gunners struggled to regain momentum and ultimately required a 93rd‑minute penalty from Mariona Caldentey to edge past 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" that has been hovering over the squad. Slegers repeatedly stresses the importance of quick starts to win the mental battle.
"We’re hungry for early goals and we need them," she explained. "We keep pushing for that in every game, focusing on everything we can control." She praised her team’s resilience after the Tuesday match, saying, "The mental toughness we displayed was evident.
We believed we could win, even though we didn’t know when the goal would come. If we had scored early, the whole dynamic of the game would have changed." Regarding low blocks, she acknowledged, "They’re tough to break down for any side, only a few teams excel at it, but we know we have to improve in that area." Looking ahead, Arsenal can take a breath before facing Chelsea.
Unless the Blues dramatically alter their tactics, they are unlikely to sit deep for prolonged periods at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. Of course, Chelsea will bring their own attacking threat, but this also presents an opportunity for Arsenal’s forwards to showcase their abilities – something that has been scarce so far this season. The upcoming fixture could be a platform for young winger Lisa Baum, the 19‑year‑old signed from RB Leipzig over the summer. Slegers has already praised her, stating, "She’s earned her place.
I trust her because of her training ethic, attitude, and performances. She’s becoming an important player in the squad despite her age." Four games into any campaign, the phrase "must‑win" feels a bit heavy.
At this stage, perhaps "must‑not‑lose" is more realistic, especially as the WSL expands. Dropping seven points to the league leaders by the end of September would have been a nightmare scenario that the club’s preseason planning aimed to avoid – a scenario now edging closer to reality. Slegers summed up the upcoming clash, "Playing Chelsea away is always a special game.
It’s a London derby, it’s charged, and we’re prepared for it. As always, if there’s any pressure, I want to be the one taking it." Fans can catch the Chelsea versus Arsenal showdown on Sky Sports Premier League, with kickoff scheduled for 4:30 pm on Sunday. The match promises a test of Arsenal’s mental fortitude, tactical adaptability, and the ability of emerging talents like Baum to make an impact under pressure.