Renee Slegers has stated that Arsenal is not a contender for the Women’s Super League title following a disappointing 4-2 loss to Manchester City.
The Gunners have had a shaky start to the season, having been predicted as strong contenders for the championship against City, who currently lead the table.
After the defeat, which saw City maintain their perfect record for the 2026-27 season, Arsenal finds itself in 10th place with only five points from their first five matches (W1 D2 L2), trailing the champions by ten points.
Despite taking the lead twice through Lisa Baum and Alessia Russo, Arsenal was unable to secure a win, as goals from Lauren Hemp, Kerstin Casparij, and Khadija Shaw turned the tide in favor of City.
One of Arsenal’s significant challenges this season has been their goal-scoring, with only bottom-placed Charlton Athletic scoring fewer goals than their four in the league.
In the match against City, Slegers’ team recorded 16 shots—matching City’s total with nine on target—and won the expected goals (xG) battle with 1.6 to 1.0, but ultimately fell short.
This loss followed a frustrating midweek performance in the Women’s Champions League, where Arsenal squandered a 2-0 lead to draw against Paris FC.
Under mounting pressure due to this being Arsenal’s poorest start to a WSL season since 2014, Slegers is focused on identifying the team’s issues during the upcoming international break.
“It’s a tough result,” she remarked to Sky Sports. “The first half was back and forth, and in the second half we started well and scored a solid goal. The impact of their substitutions shifted the momentum and one change [Casparij] ended up scoring for them.”
“After that, it became more challenging for us. It was a fairly even game between two strong teams, but we didn’t get the crucial moments in our favor. Conceding four goals is unacceptable for us. We need to improve in that area.”
“Their substitutions really gave them an advantage.”
“We’ve had several matches where it seems like we have control, then we lose it. That’s mentally taxing for the players.”
“It will be good for them to go away with their national teams, recharge, and then we will focus on the next match.”
“There’s much to assess in our approach, from training to other areas behind the scenes. We’ll do everything we can to find improvement opportunities.”
“Right now, we’re not in the conversation for the title,” Slegers admitted.
Arsenal aims to break their four-game winless streak in the WSL against Birmingham City when they resume play on October 17.
In the world of soccer, Arsenal’s struggles are pivotal for fans, as they highlight the unpredictable nature of the Women’s Super League. The implications of their performance could impact not only their standing but also their ambitions to compete at the highest level.
Source: www.soccernews.com
