A dominant 5-0 victory over Bristol City saw Arsenal Women cruise into the fifth round of the FA Cup, bouncing back in style after an unfortunate defeat to Chelsea. With a much-rotated squad and standout performances across the pitch, the Gunners showed both their depth and their ability to respond to setbacks. Here are three key takeaways from the match.
Squad Rotation and Depth is Key
Yesterday’s starting XI saw seven changes from Sunday’s WSL fixture, showing off Arsenal’s impressive squad depth. Giving chances to younger players who don’t get as many minutes as others gives them the all-important starting experience whilst giving the usual starters a rest.
Whether it was Katie Reid impressing at the back or Kafaji stepping into the midfield and dictating play, tonight’s game showed that Arsenal’s depth runs deeper than the regulars and allowing players to stake their claim in matches like last night’s is exciting for fans as it gives them a taste of the team’s future talent.
Meanwhile, substitutes throughout the game, included bringing on big names like Williamson, Fox and Wälti from the star-studded bench which made Arsenal even more threatening despite the already powerful starting lineup. Fans will be hoping that Slegers’ squad rotation will manage loads and prepare players for the big games ahead.
Arsenal Can Bounce Back from Defeat
After the disappointment of a narrow 1-0 loss at Chelsea at the weekend, this game was a statement win, it shows Arsenal’s resilience when things haven’t gone their way and their ability to respond and improve.
Players showed character, eagerness and intent on the pitch, setting the tone early with a goal in the first three minutes and going in for half time four goals up. Bristol had moments on the counter where they looked pacy and dangerous, but Arsenal’s defensive solidity proved too challenging for them.
Building a 5-0 scoreline is never a bad thing in the middle of a tough run of games and fans and players will have gained confidence to take forward into next week.
Set Pieces and Crosses are Becoming a Weapon
This match was full of set-pieces which showed Arsenal’s discipline and football IQ in action. Most corners resulted in a shot on target, displaying the Gunners at their finest.
Some impressive crosses from Beth Mead (one of which ended up going straight into the back of the net) as well as Caldentey and Cooney-Cross’ well-timed long balls into the box showed that when given the time and space, the reds are capable of free-flowing, elegant and impactful football. However, the question is: can they show off these same skills against tighter oppositions?
Final Thoughts
With the squad firing on all cylinders and confidence restored, Arsenal will hope to carry this momentum into their upcoming fixtures. Tougher challenges lie ahead, but if they can continue to blend rotation with resilience, they’ll set themselves in good stead for the rest of the season.
Arsenal Women are next in action on Sunday 2nd February at 12:00 against Manchester City in the WSL.