Arsenal have hit their stride. The Gunners 11-game unbeaten run in the Women’s Super League is their best stretch since 2022. It’s come at the opportune time to reap the rewards of a season that risked petering out not so long ago.
A lot of Arsenal’s recent success has been down to individuals upping their game; Chloe Kelly scored a hat-trick at the weekend having previously not found the net in the league since October. But there is also a feeling among observers that Arsenal have been subtly building towards peak.
Given their WSL title charge had faltered by Christmas because of a superfluous amount of draws, few have been paying attention to the Gunners’ steady rise. As excitement diverts north to Manchester City’s likely first crown for a decade, Arsenal have been left to their own devices.
The ability to fly under the radar is not usually afforded to a club so synonymous with winning but such has been City’s dominance, few others have had a look in. There are obvious advantages to it being this way; it takes the pressure off.
Beth Mead summarised it perfectly in a conversation with Sky Sports recently: “The way we are playing is fun.” The forward has suffered with a few injury setbacks this season but returned to action earlier this month with familiar impact.
Mead’s finale goal in a 5-0 obliteration of West Ham at the weekend epitomised what she meant by fun. Front foot football with exciting combinations and plenty of goals. Players all in sync.
But more than that, the jinxing strike to round off another win to nil provoked thought. Do Arsenal have a case to be taken more seriously in the hunt for possible silverware this term?
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Renee Slegers and Alessia Russo look ahead to Arsenal’s first-leg tie against Chelsea in the Champions League.
“The collaboration has been better, in terms of putting people into positions where we see their super strengths,” Mead said. “We’ve got everyone comfortable playing their best football and individuals have stepped up.” The No 9 can categorise her own performance from the bench as indicative of this new and improved sense of purpose and adventure.
The slick give-and-go with Smilla Holmberg that offered Mead the chance to score a fifth on Saturday bore all the hallmarks of a levelling up. The numbers told the tale of their insatiable pace of play. Arsenal landed a total of 11 efforts on target and scored five times, a conversion rate of 45 per cent – their average for the season is just over 12.
“We have always been creating chances but the onus has been much more on putting them away,” Mead reflected. “We could have put games to bed but we let teams stay in it and then only come away with a draw. We’ve been cut-throat this year. That’s a big change.”
Beth Mead scored against Chelsea in a 2-0 win earlier this season
Of course this merely serves as a reminder of Arsenal’s vast capabilities. Under Slegers they are reigning European champions, a title they will defend against Chelsea on Tuesday in their 17th European quarter-final. A longstanding domestic rivalry only adds to the intrigue for Mead and will do the same for fans.
She scored the opener when Arsenal downed Chelsea in January.
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Highlights of the Women’s Super League match between Chelsea and Arsenal.
“A quarter-final against anyone in the Champions League is exciting, but obviously Chelsea are close rivals and that makes it a bit more spicy, doesn’t it? We’re excited, we know Chelsea, they know us. It depends which team gets it right on the night. It should be a good statement for women’s football generally.”
It was impossible not to detect the buzz. Those who followed Arsenal’s ascent to continental champions last season will recall Mead’s match-winning pass in the final in Lisbon, unlocking Barcelona’s defence as Stina Blackstenius delivered the killer blow. The craft was trademark stuff from a player all too familiar with owning the big occasion.
Mead, now 30, leads Arsenal’s assists charts this season, despite being limited to 10 league starts. Her shooting accuracy is second only to Blackstenius. But for such a seasoned campaigner personal accolades matter little at this crucial juncture. Results are the real currency.
“Each game is a stepping stone, it’s annoyingly cliche but it has to be like that. We have to stay focussed on the next game, what we want from it, how we set up tactically to get the result. We can’t control what other teams do so we concentrate on what is in front of us.
Saturday 28th March 5:00pm
Kick off 5:30pm
“Of course we would love to get to both finals, the FA Cup and Champions League. When you play for Arsenal you want to compete in every competition until the end. That has not changed. We will be pushing to bring a trophy home this season.”
Creatively, Mead remains one of Slegers’ most reliable outlets. The Arsenal boss, who Mead credits for the freedom with which her side are playing, is actually spoilt for choice when it comes to big-impact players with a proven track record on the toughest stages. It means she can stay tactically flexible without compromising performance.
If Arsenal do manage to top out across this season-defining week, with games against Chelsea and a north London derby with Tottenham on Saturday, live on Sky Sports, you can be sure Mead will factor. We’ve arrived at the cliff-edge part of the campaign, and no one is more psyched.
Follow Sky Sports’ dedicated live blog of Arsenal vs Chelsea across web and app on Tuesday and watch Arsenal vs Tottenham live on Sky Sports on Saturday from 5pm; kick-off 5.30pm
