Alessia Russo has admitted Arsenal are experiencing a “blip” after the European champions began their Champions League title defence with a 2-1 defeat to eight-time winners Lyon at Meadow Park.
All three goals were scored within an explosive first 23 minutes, as Russo connected with Beth Mead for the game’s opener before the French side hit back twice via Melchie Dumornay.
The Gunners were masters of their own downfall, gifting Dumornay the chance to level after a sloppy mistake from Daphne van Domselaar. Merely four minutes later, a second giveaway by Mariona Caldentey proved equally costly.
Image:
Alessia Russo gave Arsenal the lead before they were punished for poor mistakes
Dumornay’s winner was a sublime hit but another example of Arsenal’s carelessness in possession. Lyon, who have never lost on English soil, landed nine shots on target to Arsenal’s five, while generating four big chances – three were missed.
Renee Slegers’ side are now four without victory, having lost to Manchester City in their most recent Women’s Super League outing.
Russo acknowledges ‘blip’
“Disappointed to not get the three points. I think at the moment we’re in a bit of a blip but we’re aware of that,” Russo told Disney+.
“I think there’s lots to it. First and foremost, we need to look at ourselves and how we can push our standards.
“We’re sometimes letting teams get attacks on us by our own mistakes. We need to take accountability, we need to focus on what we can do to control that from everyone, it’s all across the pitch.
“I think at times we saw what we’re capable of but it’s just about doing that and making sure we get results as well.
“There’s moments that were really positive so we’ll lean on that.”
Arsenal return to WSL action on Sunday at home to Brighton before resuming their European campaign four days later away to Benfica in Lisbon.
Head coach Slegers told the club’s website: “Everyone’s working really hard to find that final action, that final detail and find the margins, because it is about margins but it will always be about margins at the highest level.
“That’s what we’re looking at and it’s a mixture, a cocktail of things, but we believe that if we get one or two things right, that the rest will rise with it as well.”
Where have Arsenal gone?
Image:
Renee Slegers in conversation with the fourth official at Meadow Park
Analysis by Sky Sports’ Laura Hunter:
Considering the blistering start Arsenal made to this new season, it’s shocking to see them fall into such a slump. Far too many errors are leading to goals. They are off the pace in the WSL and now have ground to make up in Europe too.
Perhaps it’s unfair to judge too harshly given the calibre of opponent in this latest defeat, but it’s clear to see the balance is off.
It’s unusual for Arsenal to be making quite this many mistakes, with lapses all over the park. Lyon’s intensity and physicality were simply no match for a Gunners side low on confidence. And they lost the duel count too, 45-55 in Lyon’s favour, while conceding 11 efforts inside their own box. Something isn’t right.
Slegers was visibly irritated on the touchline – not a look she wears often. Lots of correction work needed before a meeting with Brighton in five days’ time, who also have enough quality to take advantage of this bizarre Arsenal downturn.
Slegers: We didn’t dictate game
Arsenal boss Renee Slegers speaking to arsenal.com: “I think we had a good start and Lyon are a very, very strong team.
“I think in the first half, spaces are big and they do that really well with how they threaten in front and in behind the back line. I think we get a little bit more compact in the second half. So I think the good thing is that we have control over the things that we want to work on, but I think too many minutes out of the 90 minutes, Lyon can dictate how the game looks instead of us dictating how the game looks.
“We had to match them in a way, with the physicality and the tempo they play, but we also wanted to bring our own game and be really good with the ball and be intense in our pressing and I think we did that at times but we weren’t successful during 90 minutes.”
On being unable to keep momentum going: “That’s what we’re looking at of course as well. We spoke briefly with staff and players straight after the game and that was more about the time we go through now as a team.
“Everyone’s working really hard to find that final action, that final detail and find the margins, because it is about margins but it will always be about margins at the highest level. That’s what we’re looking at and it’s a mixture, a cocktail of things, but we believe that if we get one or two things right, that the rest will rise with it as well.”
Russo: It’s a long season ahead
Last season Arsenal opened with a defeat, to Bayern Munich, but went on to win the title.
However, Russo knows it will be more difficult as defending champions.
Russo added: “That’s something we need to use as fuel. We know how hard we worked for that trophy and how it felt to win it.
“When you win a trophy with a team it lights a fire to want to win more because that feeling is like nothing else. Although tonight didn’t go to plan we’ll keep pushing.
“We have to be realistic. We know it’s a long season ahead full of highs and lows. We definitely felt that last season in the Champions League.
“You can never get too high or too low. We’ve got to keep pushing ourselves because we don’t like losing, we don’t like being in moments like this.”