Despite experiencing their first loss in the Women’s Super League this season, Renee Slegers remains optimistic about her Arsenal team’s potential to succeed.
On Sunday at Stamford Bridge, Arsenal fell to Chelsea 1-0, with Alyssa Thompson capitalizing on a defensive error just before halftime to score the only goal of the match.
Although Arsenal showed improvement in the second half and had two near misses from Kim Little and Mariona Caldentey hitting the post, they couldn’t level the score.
This defeat has reignited discussions about Arsenal’s offensive struggles, having managed just two goals this season—better only than Charlton Athletic’s one goal in the league thus far.
Out of 18 shots, only two forced Chelsea’s goalkeeper Hannah Hampton into action, contributing to an expected goals (xG) tally of a mere 1.04.
The result marked the end of Arsenal’s impressive 20-match unbeaten streak in the WSL, leaving them in seventh place and trailing league leaders Manchester City by seven points.
While Slegers was disappointed with the outcome, she remains confident that her team will soon find their form, especially with an upcoming Women’s Champions League match against Paris FC this Wednesday.
“We are very disappointed. Playing away at Chelsea is challenging, but I felt we performed well in the first half until their goal,” Slegers told Sky Sports.
“The second half was tougher and cost us more energy; there are various factors contributing to this. We’re assessing everything—both technical and psychological.”
“I have faith in these players. The goals and points will eventually come.”
The match concludes at Stamford Bridge. pic.twitter.com/tBfKpLr9Ez
— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) September 27, 2026
On the other hand, Chelsea maintained their unbeaten streak in the WSL, extending it to 12 matches. They have now completed four consecutive campaigns without a loss in their opening four games, while Arsenal has only accumulated five points at this stage for two of the past three seasons (also in 2024-25).
Keira Walsh has been instrumental to Chelsea’s strong start, and she excelled in midfield against Arsenal.
She led her team with three chances created, 62 accurate passes, and 10 possessions won, with only Lucy Bronze (107) surpassing Walsh’s 92 touches.
Walsh acknowledged the challenges posed by Arsenal’s pursuit of an equalizer but was pleased to help secure the win for her team.
“Arsenal were pressing for a goal and changed their formation, which made it tough. Maintaining a clean sheet was essential for us,” Walsh said. “Ellie [Carpenter] helped us advance with her play at the end.”
Still, Walsh didn’t dwell on Chelsea’s unbeaten streak, remarking, “It’s not something we focus on. We showed we could adapt to both sides of the game, and every player fought for each other, securing the majority of the first and second balls.”
Fan Take: This match highlights the intense competition in the Women’s Super League, underlining how even top teams like Arsenal face challenges that could shake up the league standings. As fans, we should pay attention to these developments, as they reflect the growing vibrancy and unpredictability of women’s soccer, ultimately contributing to its evolution and popularity.
Source: www.soccernews.com
