There’s often one surprise name on a Renée Slegers teamsheet, and at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, that name was Katie Reid. Arsenal’s 2023/24 player of the season Lotte Wubben-Moy and World Cup winner Laia Codina were available, but the tall and unflustered Reid was given the nod at centre-back.

Slegers has been a fan of the academy graduate for a while now, playing Reid at right-back in cup games last season when Emily Fox was given a rest, despite maintaining that she felt the centre of defence would be Reid’s permanent home.

Reid turns 19 later this month, but plays with the maturity of a defender with far more experience under her belt. The teenager is excellent on the ball under pressure, and has already showed an ability to invert into midfield when she plays at full-back.

Arsenal clearly view height as a key factor in their young centre-backs, with Reid usually one of the tallest players on the pitch despite her young age. Cecily Wellesley-Smith is just as tall, and the 18-year-old will spend the season on loan with Leicester City having enjoyed a rapid rise from third-tier Oxford United to signing a professional contract with the Gunners.

Reid’s height and physicality was likely the most significant factor behind her opening-day selection, with the former Watford loanee going toe to toe with her England Under-23 teammate Isobel Goodwin. The physical striker top scored in the Championship with 16 to help London City to promotion, but was kept under lock and key by the impressive Reid.

Wonder how much of Katie Reid’s selection was simply to be the physical presence that shuts out Isobel Goodwin, and she’s done a good job of that for the most part. Think the two of them may well have played together at age group level for England

— Freddie Cardy (@CardyFreddie) September 6, 2025

Her display was made more noteworthy after Reid’s foul on Kosovare Asllani- a late lunge that can be filed under inexperience- saw the Swede slot home from the penalty spot. From that moment on, Reid barely put a foot wrong, reading the game well, communicating effectively with her backline and Daphne van Domselaar. 

Arsenal’s attackers, inspired by debutant Olivia Smith's rocket, did their job, and the visitors didn’t get a look-in. Reid’s selection ultimately paid off, and Steph Catley’s centre-back partner away to West Ham will be very interesting. Decisions, decisions, and a good headache to have.

“She has a lot of qualities that we want in the centre-back, but we accept that she’s young and she needs to build experience,” Slegers said of Reid after full-time. “Credit to Katie and the rest of the team that after that penalty, she just kept on playing and came back, she showed strength.”