Chelsea ramped up the strain on under-fire Arsenal head coach Jonas Eidevall because the Blues moved prime of the Ladies’s Tremendous League desk with a 2-1 win on the Emirates Stadium.
After a 0-0 draw towards Everton final weekend was adopted by a 5-2 thrashing by Bayern Munich in midweek, Arsenal boss Eidevall was below large strain pre-match – and it ramped up considerably as Chelsea ran right into a 2-0 lead after 16 minutes in entrance of 45,860 followers on the Emirates.
First, Arsenal’s defensive set-piece woes continued because the Gunners didn’t clear from their first nook of the sport, permitting the spectacular Mayra Ramirez to hook in an overhead end from contained in the field. It was the fifth aim Arsenal have conceded from a set piece since Wednesday.
Then Arsenal’s defending was nowhere to be seen as Sandy Baltimore ran off the again of Beth Mead to complete from shut vary, to ship the house followers silent, barring a number of boos across the floor.
The boos had been set to be worse at half-time however Caitlin Foord’s beautiful solo strike improved the house temper on the interval. The Australian winger beat Lucy Bronze down the left and curled an excellent end from a decent angle by means of Kadeisha Buchanan and Hannah Hampton’s dive.
Arsenal held many of the ball within the second half however Chelsea nonetheless regarded the most probably so as to add to the scoreline for many of it.
Some last-ditch defending from Lotte Wubben-Moy denied Lauren James within the field whereas substitute Aggie Beever-Jones was denied by Gunners goalkeeper Daphne Van Domselaar with an excellent cease. The Gunners shot-stopper wanted extra heroics to disclaim the Chelsea ahead in stoppage time with a one-on-one.
However Arsenal had been inches away from an equaliser themselves when substitute Stina Blackstenius was discovered unmarked from a free-kick however someway crashed the ball off the bar with Hannah Hampton all however crushed. The Chelsea goalkeeper was additionally equal to Alessia Russo’s fierce volley in stoppage time.
Chelsea held on for an additional assertion win and Emma Hayes watching on from the administrators’ field for the primary time since leaving the membership added to the importance. Hayes had by no means managed to beat Arsenal on the Emirates however new boss Sonia Bompastor has managed it on the primary try.
Emma Hayes watched Chelsea for the primary time since leaving the membership
Arsenal, in the meantime, at the moment are 4 factors behind the Blues having performed a recreation extra. “It certainly doesn’t help with league-winning ambitions,” mentioned Arsenal supervisor Eidevall.
“But it doesn’t change the perspective. You have to go game by game but there’s no point hiding away from reality and we know it’s a bad start to the season.”
Requested if he has been given assurances over his place at Arsenal, Eidevall responded: “I give absolutely everything today in preparation for this game.
“The gamers gave all the pieces on the pitch. That is the half you possibly can management and ask for out of your gamers. Simply specializing in the subsequent match. I simply have to give attention to the issues I can do.”
Evaluation: Is that it for Eidevall at Arsenal?
Sky Sports activities’ Sam Blitz on the Emirates Stadium:
“At full-time, Jonas Eidevall took his dejected Arsenal team in a huddle. Could it be the last post-match one he gives at the Gunners?
“Dropping to Chelsea isn’t any disgrace however it is a poor begin to the season for Arsenal. They might finish the weekend behind newly-promoted Crystal Palace and, extra disappointingly for the followers, north London rivals Tottenham within the Ladies’s Tremendous League desk.
“The departure of Emma Hayes – who watched Chelsea in the stands for the first time since leaving today – was meant to give Arsenal a chance to catch out a Chelsea in transition. But if anything, Chelsea look the same and Arsenal have regressed.
“Eidevall has been backed by the Arsenal hierarchy with top-class new signings. Sporting director Edu Gaspar was within the stands, he’s a measured determine on the membership who all the time seems to be on the larger image. With Arsenal Champions League semi-finalists two years in the past and the Gunners additionally back-to-back Continental Cup champions, Eidevall does have credit score within the financial institution.
“But Arsenal are not just any old team. They attract 40,000+ fans at the Emirates for league games, more and more each year. They have some of the best players in Europe in their squad and they are so far behind in the title race – will Eidevall be backed any more beyond this?”
Eidevall: The gamers’ effort ought to quieten the critics
Arsenal defender Leah Williamson seems to be dejected at full-time
Arsenal supervisor Jonas Eidevall:
“Extremely disappointing. We got off to a really poor start, we conceded four goals from corners now in three games. It’s not sustainable if you want to be a top team. The second goal is not good enough either. It’s particularly frustrating, because against a top team they’re going to punish that.
“The gamers confirmed unbelievable braveness and coronary heart. We performed our again means into the sport with superb help from the stands. We deservedly bought a aim and we had possibilities to get the second as nicely. The gamers labored extraordinarily exhausting to get the inches proper, however we bought it on the mistaken facet tonight.
“I think [the fans who are booing that may have lost faith in him] should see the players how incredibly hard they worked and how much effort they put it. That, I hope, gives supporters belief.
“I totally perceive when individuals are dissatisfied at not profitable soccer matches. I am, hurting, the gamers are hurting. We wish to do this higher, so I totally perceive that in that second. You are allowed to point out feelings once you win, you are allowed to point out feelings once you lose. I completely perceive their frustration.
“Before the week, it’s an extremely tough week. Playing away in Europe, Bayern Munich and Chelsea with tight turnarounds, against teams who get much better prep times for the games. Again I have to look at how the players respond today and how they work.
“Once you see how a lot soccer we have been enjoying final week, it reveals the exceptional effort the gamers are placing in in such an antagonistic situation. It reveals nice character in an antagonistic context.”
Bompastor: Still lots to improve at Chelsea
Chelsea rejoice on the Emirates pitch, led by coach Sonia Bompastor
Chelsea supervisor Sonia Bompastor:
“It was a really good start, really close to a perfect way to start. Now I have to make sure we can sustain that and play that style for 90 minutes.
“I used to be anticipating my group to own extra of the ball within the second half and handle the tempo of the sport. But it surely’s actually exhausting to come back right here and play towards a very good group away from house. The great factor is we did not concede something within the second half. We suffered for positive, however it’s good we did not concede.
“There is always room for improvement, I clearly see where we have to improve as a team. We need to be more consistent, we still have a young squad with experienced players, so we should be able to manage the tempo. But you have to give credit to Arsenal, they had the fans and it gives you so much power. When they scored at the end of the first half, it gave them power.”
What’s subsequent for Arsenal and Chelsea?
The video games proceed to come back thick and quick for Arsenal as they put together for his or her second Ladies’s Champions League group stage recreation towards Valerenga on Wednesday (October 16).
Chelsea will get an additional day of relaxation earlier than they face FC Twente away from house on Thursday (October 17).
