Renee Slegers is trying to keep her composure even though Arsenal’s start to the Women's Super League campaign has been far from ideal. The Gunners have already slipped off the pace after just three matches, and an old nemesis – the low‑block defensive setup – has resurfaced at the Emirates Stadium, testing the team’s attacking flair.
After a promising debut – a win over Brighton that had previously cost Manchester City the title last season – Arsenal have stumbled into back‑to‑back draws. First, they were held by newly‑promoted Crystal Palace, and then they could only manage a stalemate against a Manchester United side that had 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 opponents have exposed a glaring weakness in Arsenal’s play.
Despite the abundance of creative talent at Slegers’ disposal, the team currently registers the worst expected‑goals (xG) under‑performance in the league. While analysts may debate the root causes, Slegers believes the issues are more mental than tactical. She wants to shift any criticism away from the players and onto herself, positioning herself as the calm centre of the storm. "It’s frustrating that we’ve dropped four points," she admits, before adding, "We can’t change that now.
It’s about focusing on the positives and the things we can do better, looking forward." She continues, "I’m happy to take the pressure away from the players where it’s necessary. If someone is going to carry the pressure, it should be me.
I want the players to be free on the pitch, to play with clear heads, clear minds and use their intuition." Slegers explains that Arsenal had previously found ways to deal with low‑block defences, but she acknowledges that the current situation demands new solutions, such as exploiting set‑piece opportunities. "As a coach you can go one of two ways – you can go into more and more detail and make things more complicated, or you can strip things back and return to basics," she says.
"Ultimately actions speak louder than words, and there’s been a lot of talking. We just want to show things now and look forward." The sense of déjà vu was palpable when Arsenal opened their Champions League campaign at home against Koge on Tuesday.
An early goal from Chloe Kelly was ruled out by VAR, and the Gunners struggled to regain momentum. They eventually survived thanks to a 93rd‑minute penalty from Mariona Caldentey, edging out the Danish minnows who had previously lost all six of their Champions League matches in a single prior appearance. Had Kelly’s strike stood, the subconscious feeling of "here we go again" might have been eased, but instead the team was forced to scrape a win in the dying moments. Slegers repeatedly stresses the importance of fast starts to win the mental battle.
"It’s something we are really hungry for and it’s something we need," she explains. "We are continuing to drive it and go after it in games and look after everything that is in our control.
Tuesday showed mental resilience – the endurance of the belief that we could get the win. We said before the game we didn’t know if the goal would come, or if it would be early or late, and had we scored early I think it would have been a very different game." She also acknowledges the difficulty of breaking down low‑block defences: "Low blocks are hard to break down for anyone, there are only a select few who are really good at it, but we know it’s something we have to be able to do better." Looking ahead, Arsenal may find some breathing room against Chelsea. Barring a surprise tactical shift, the Blues are unlikely to sit deep for long periods at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. While Chelsea will still pose a significant threat, the match could provide Arsenal’s attacking unit with the chance to express themselves more freely – something they have struggled to do so far this season.
A bright spot for the Gunners is the emergence of 19‑year‑old winger Lisa Baum, who arrived from RB Leipzig over the summer. Baum has started all three of Arsenal’s WSL games to date, and Slegers is quick to praise her development.
"She’s earned the right to play," Slegers says. "I have trust in her already – the way she’s been training, behaving and performing, she deserves it. She’s making herself an important player in the squad. She’s only young, but credit to her." Four games into any campaign, the phrase "must‑win" feels excessive; perhaps "must‑not‑lose" is more realistic, especially in an expanded league.
Dropping seven points to the leaders by the end of September would be a nightmare scenario that pre‑season planning aimed to avoid, and the risk now looms. Slegers remains pragmatic about the upcoming London derby. "Playing Chelsea away is always the same game," she notes.
"It’s always charged, it’s a London derby. That’s already there, and we’re prepared for it. As with everything else, if there’s any pressure, I want to be the one taking that." In summary, Slegers is positioning herself as the primary conduit for criticism, hoping to free her squad to play with confidence and creativity. She is focusing on mental resilience, simplifying tactics where possible, and giving young talents like Baum a platform to shine.
The next few weeks will be crucial in determining whether Arsenal can reverse their early-season slump and re‑establish themselves as genuine title contenders. Watch Chelsea vs Arsenal on Sky Sports Premier League from 4.15 pm on Sunday, kick‑off 4.30 pm.