Same old Arsenal problems in front of goal
How to solve the problem of an inability to take your chances? That is the question that will haunt the Arsenal head coach Renée Slegers over the coming days. In their 1-0 defeat by Chelsea, Arsenal applied more than enough pressure to make a difference but in registering only two of their 18 shots on target, a fundamental lack of ruthlessness remains. They dominated the opening stages at Stamford Bridge but, as has often been the case this season, they were made to pay for their wastefulness. None of their nine first-half attempts troubled the Blues goalkeeper Hannah Hampton. Chelsea, however, had five of eight on target and scored just before half-time through Alyssa Thompson. “I wanted to keep it away from the players because they can score goals and they can finish and they will get the rewards for their work,” Slegers said. With their season unravelling, however, solutions need to be found quickly. Sophie Downey
• Match report: Chelsea 1-0 Arsenal
Putellas finds her rhythm in Bromley
There was almost a sigh of relief from Alexia Putellas as she watched the ball fly past the Brighton goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie before turning to the crowd in celebration. The weight of expectation has been heavy for the Spaniard, who arrived at London City Lionesses in the summer, and it has taken her time to settle. The 2-0 win against Brighton, however, featured her best performance as she began to dictate play from central areas. Putellas created the most chances in the match and her goal gave Eder Maestre’s side something to build on in a victory that continued to show their progress. Brighton continued to look bright in phases but struggled to create anything of note. A core problem for Arturo Ruiz is the team’s lack of versatility in attack. They still lack a proper striker, which has been the case for almost a year, which is hampering them. SD
Reds raving about Ramos
Liverpool appear to have pulled off a masterstroke by signing Natalia Ramos from Tenerife this summer. The Spanish midfielder entertained the Anfield crowd on Sunday with a performance full of creativity and energy, as well as deadly set-piece deliveries, including an assist for the hosts’ opener in their 2-0 win. After eight years with Tenerife, she has quickly become a fans’ favourite at Liverpool. “She brings such personality,” said the head coach, Gareth Tayor. “I can imagine people enjoy watching Natalia play because she’s very humble and very open to learning, even at 27 years old, but she’s been like a ray of sunshine coming into this group because she’s very caring, very honest and very open – she’s just a brilliant teammate.” Tom Garry
• Match report: Liverpool 2-0 Everton
Pelova sets tone as Spurs find their spark
Victoria Pelova is beginning to look like the player Tottenham hoped they had signed. The midfielder followed two goals against Crystal Palace a week earlier with another double in the 4-0 win over Aston Villa. Her influence stretched beyond goals, with her movement and pressing helping Spurs maintain their dominance. They had 15 shots in the first half without scoring but eventually found their cutting edge. “She sets the tone for the team,” the Spurs’ head coach, Martin Ho, said, praising Pelova’s “attitude and mentality” under pressure. Her confidence appears to be returning, and Ho believes the freedom provided by those around her is allowing the best of Pelova to emerge. Mitul Samji
League Cup tonic pays off for United
If ever a match could provide an “assist” for another, perhaps it was this week. Manchester United enjoyed themselves during a 10-1 victory over Sheffield United last Wednesday in the new Subway Players Cup, recording their first victory since March, and that confidence boost seemed to help them play with far greater self-assurance on Sunday than in their previous league fixtures. For some teams, midweek games and fixture congestion can feel like a burden, but for Eva Olid it seems to have come at the perfect time to help bolster morale after a tricky start, and her side appeared to be enjoying playing together as they beat West Ham 2-1 in a tight game. West Ham have lost seven times in a row in the league at United. For Olid it was a first league win in England. TG
Charlton show signs of improvement
Saturday brought Charlton’s fourth straight defeat of the WSL season but they may have emerged from their encounter with Manchester City with renewed belief. In losing 1-0 to the champions, they proved they have more grit than might have been thought. The head coach Karen Hills had called for them to be brave and return to the defensive fundamentals that brought them promotion. They had only 25% possession but their diligence defensively, structure out of possession and willingness to leave everything on the field was clear. “I’m so proud of them,” the head coach said. “I thought the players bought into what I was asking them to do, and I thought they delivered it and executed it to the best that they can.” SD
Hurtré makes mark despite Blues’ struggles
Océane Hurtré quietly jumped to the joint-top of the WSL Golden Boot race with a fantastic double for Birmingham against Crystal Palace. The 22-year-old broke the deadlock inside the opening minute with a stunning curled effort, using the outside of her left boot, before hitting the target again from a tight angle about half an hour later. It moved her to four goals, level with Pelova and Manchester City’s Khadija Shaw , despite Birmingham not having won a match. They twice let their lead slip before coming back to score a late equaliser in Sunday’s 3-3 home draw. Hurtré said: “It’s not easy but we want to win. Crystal Palace scored for 3-2 and we came back so it’s a positive.” Emillia Hawkins
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Man City Women | 4 | 8 | 12 |
| 2 | Tottenham Hotspur Women | 4 | 13 | 10 |
| 3 | Chelsea Women | 4 | 8 | 10 |
| 4 | London City Lionesses | 4 | 5 | 9 |
| 5 | Liverpool FC Women | 4 | 4 | 7 |
| 6 | Everton Women | 4 | -1 | 6 |
| 7 | Arsenal Women | 4 | 0 | 5 |
| 8 | Crystal Palace Women | 4 | -6 | 5 |
| 9 | Man Utd Women | 4 | -5 | 4 |
| 10 | West Ham Women | 4 | -3 | 3 |
| 11 | Brighton & Hove Albion Women | 4 | -3 | 2 |
| 12 | Birmingham City Women | 4 | -4 | 2 |
| 13 | Aston Villa Women | 4 | -7 | 2 |
| 14 | Charlton Women | 4 | -9 | 0 |
