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 league leaders after just three matches, and a familiar weakness has resurfaced at the Emirates Stadium. Following a promising debut – a win over Brighton that had previously handed Manchester City the title in the last season – Arsenal have since drawn against newly promoted Crystal Palace and a Manchester United side that had lost its first two fixtures.
Those two stalemates have amplified the scrutiny ahead of this weekend's clash with Chelsea, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. The opposition’s low‑block defensive setups, which Arsenal seemed to have managed more effectively last year, have now 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 offer different explanations, the head coach insists that the core of Arsenal’s difficulties is mental rather than tactical.
With that perspective, she is determined to shift any lingering pressure away from her squad and onto herself, hoping to give the players the freedom to rediscover their confidence. In her words, she wants to be the calmest voice in the club.
"It’s frustrating that we’ve dropped four points," Slegers acknowledges, before adding, "We can’t change that now. The focus has to be on the positives and on what we can improve moving forward." She continues, "I’m happy to take the pressure off the players wherever it’s needed. If anyone has to carry the burden, it should be me.
I want the players to feel free on the pitch, to think clearly, trust their instincts and play with a clear mind." Reflecting on last season’s progress, she notes, "We had moved past the difficulty of facing low‑block teams; we found the tools and the solutions. But there are still other avenues we can exploit, such as set‑pieces." Slegers also touches on coaching philosophy, stating, "A coach can either dive deeper into detail and make things more complex, or strip everything back to the basics." She concludes, "Ultimately, actions speak louder than words. There’s been a lot of talk, but now we need to show results and look ahead." A similar sense of déjà vu hit Arsenal during their 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 only managed to clinch a 93rd‑minute penalty conversion by Mariona Caldentey to edge past the Danish minnows, who had previously lost all six of their Champions League appearances.
Had Kelly’s strike stood, it would have eased the subconscious feeling of “here we go again” that seemed to linger among the Arsenal players, rather than the frantic scramble that unfolded in the final minutes. Slegers repeatedly stresses the importance of quick starts to win the mental battle. "We’re hungry for early goals and we need them," she says.
"We keep pushing for them in every game and focus on everything we can control." She adds, "Tuesday showed our mental resilience – the belief that we could still get the win. Before the match we didn’t know when the goal would come, but an early strike would have changed the whole dynamic." Regarding low‑block defenses, she admits, "They are difficult for anyone to break down.
Only a handful of teams excel at it, but we know we have to improve in that area." A breath of fresh air may come with the upcoming fixture against 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 the game could also open up space for Arsenal’s forwards to express themselves – something that has been scarce this season. The match also offers a platform for young winger Lisa Baum, the 19‑year‑old signed from RB Leipzig over the summer.
She has started all three of Arsenal’s WSL games so far and Slegers believes she deserves more opportunities. "She’s earned her place," the coach says. "I trust her because of her training attitude, her behaviour and her performances. She’s becoming an important part of the squad despite her age." Four games into any campaign, the term “must‑win” feels a bit extreme; perhaps “must‑avoid‑loss” is more realistic, especially in an expanded WSL.
Dropping seven points to the league leaders by the end of September would be a nightmare scenario that the pre‑season plan aimed to avoid – a scenario now appearing increasingly plausible. Slegers reflects on the upcoming London derby: "Playing Chelsea away is always a special game. It’s charged, it’s a London derby, and we’re ready for it. As always, if there’s any pressure, I want to be the one taking it." The match will be shown on Sky Sports Premier League, kicking off at 4.30 pm on Sunday, with the broadcast beginning at 4.15 pm.
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