Manchester City Women 2-0 Arsenal Women: Five things learned as leaders’ 100% record ends

in , , , , , , ,

In the week Manchester City celebrated 30 years of women’s football at the club, their 2-0 win against top of the table Arsenal gave them another reason to be cheerful as they remain in the race to win the Women’s Super League.

Here are five things we’ve learned from the top-of-the-table clash.

1. The title race just became more interesting

Man City have shown they have not given up in the title race, despite pre-kick-off claims it is already done and dusted.

Today they inflicted a first defeat of the season on an Arsenal side who had previously maintained a 100% win record. The streak-ending result comes at the mid-point of the campaign, which may now be looked back upon as the tipping point in the title race.

City, along with Chelsea, have dominated the league in recent years. However, with current holders Chelsea languishing in mid-table and 11 points behind the leaders, it looks like the Manchester club are Arsenal’s only rivals for the crown this term.

Still, there is a long way to go and Arsenal have a three-point lead at the top, as well as a superior goal difference.

Speaking prior to Sunday’s match Arsenal manager Joe Montemurro, according to the Guardian, said: “There’s a long way to go, it’s the halfway mark in the ladder. There are some difficult games to go and that will tell a story, I don’t think one game is going to define a season.”

2. Injuries cost Arsenal

With key players unavailable for the squad due to injury, Montemurro was forced to rely upon some inexperienced players during a key match. Paige Bailey Gayle, 17, made her full debut for the Gunners along with Amelia Hazard, who also made her debut as she came on for Gayle in the 78th minute. While youngsters on the bench couldn’t have been expected to perform against the title rivals at the same level, concerns now arise due to fact they might have to in upcoming tests if Arsenal’s injury woes carry on into the new year.

3. Stanway stands out

At 19, newly capped England international Georgia Stanway was already the youngest player to score over five times this season and today she added to her tally with two against the Gunners. She not only won the match for City but also ended their rivals’ clean sheet record away from home.

4. Arsenal shaky in defence…

Despite going into this game with the joint-fewest number of goals conceded this season, Arsenal fans must be nervous that their old defensive frailties might be re-emerging.

As well as registering their first loss of the season, this game also marks the first time Arsenal have conceded in back-to-back league games having also conceded at home against Brighton a week ago. This is also the third time they have conceded in their last four games.

If one were looking for the thinnest of silver linings, it would be that this shakiness is likely the result of numerous injuries to some key players, most notably midfielder Jordan Nobbs. That situation will, of course, change as players recover.

But it will be interesting to see how the players who are available respond to this defeat when they host Charlton Athletic on 6 December.

5. …but City achieve what every other WSL team could not

Despite Man City’s goals record so far this season- they have scored in nine consecutive games, winning two of these by six-goal margins – Arsenal have been even more impressive.

Before today Arsenal averaged 4.6 goals per game and all eyes were on Arsenal forward Vivianne Miedema as she looked to equal the WSL record for goals in a single season by only the halfway mark.

Yet, despite these astounding statistics, it was Man City’s defence that had the greatest impact today and kept the Gunners silent. No other WSL team has stopped them from scoring so far this term.

While Man City made the first impact at Arsenal’s end of the pitch (with two goals via Georgia Stanway), it was their nullifying of the visitor’s offence that was key.

For Man City to break Arsenal’s winning and scoring streaks by halting such a potent attacking force, the Cityzens made a clear statement of intent that they do not consider the rest of the league season a formality, as it is them who remain the only unbeaten side in the division.

The post Manchester City Women 2-0 Arsenal Women: Five things learned as leaders’ 100% record ends appeared first on Squawka News.



From Squawka NewsSquawka News https://ift.tt/2EbCgWr
Labels: , , , , , , ,

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)