There can be no more excuses: it is time for Jonas Eidevall and Arsenal to deliver. In 2022-23, despite an unprecedented injury crisis, they finished third in the Women’s Super League, ahead of Manchester City on goal difference, won the League Cup and battled to the Champions League semi-finals, coming close to reaching the final. It was impressive given the circumstances, resilience shining bright towards the end of the campaign.
Last season began with an unceremonious exit from the Champions League in the first qualifying round, undoing all that hard work to finish ahead of City. But there was a caveat with a short turnaround between the World Cup and those brutal early qualifiers giving no room for rest or a proper pre-season. They also had to grapple with reintegrating fit-again players at different stages of a campaign laced with disappointment, their retaining of the League Cup a consolation as the league slipped away.
Going into 2024-25, the road ahead looks less troubled. The Olympic final took place on 10 August with Emily Fox the only Arsenal player involved. Laia Codina and the new recruit Mariona Caldentey, who have joined the squad in the US as they continue their pre-season preparations, played in the bronze medal match the day before.
Australia concluded their campaign on 31 July, failing to qualify from Group B, while England’s inability to secure a qualification spot for Team GB was disappointing, but a blessing in disguise for players sorely needing a summer off.
As a result, Arsenal have a proper buildup before they face Rangers in Champions League qualifying on 4 September and are making the most of it on tour. Eidevall told Arseblog that the opportunity to take the team away was “priceless”, with the side playing twice before they return to London.
“Team building is a day-by-day process,” he said. “It is not like going two hours away and doing a pottery class and thinking by that we have all the best relationships. We can have that at the training centre but you will have more of a huddle and players will have their day-to-day lives to consider. Whereas here we are in a bubble, we are doing things together all the time.
“Players will end up having a coffee with a player that they usually wouldn’t have a coffee with. That is team building and bonding, and creating links and understanding between players by spending 10 days together here that simply wouldn’t happen if we stay at home. That has to be the foundation for a stronger Arsenal team.”
A 2-1 win over Washington Spirit kickstarted the tour, with a number of academy graduates taking part including Viv Lia, Freya Godfrey and Katie Reid, as Alessia Russo scored twice against a strong in-season side. They also learned a lot from last season’s exit to Paris FC over two legs. “You need to start fast. You need to be ready to play really competitive games,” Eidevall said.
The Spirit game was scheduled to give the team a “deeply uncomfortable challenge”, Eidevall had said before they travelled, because “we need to get the correct answers on where we are right now as a team, what is working well and what are the gaps … [It] will help shape the way we move forward as well. I’m really excited about doing that as I think it’s important for us to get a fast start in the season.”
On Sunday they face Chelsea, who travel to Washington DC after a 3-1 defeat of Gotham FC as their preparations under their new manager, Sonia Bompastor, swing into gear. It is too early to get much of an insight into the potential destiny of the WSL title when the two sides meet but, with no love lost between them, it may be the unfriendliest of friendlies. Playing the match stateside in front of a lucrative, growing audience is another reason a win could prove fruitful.
With the departure of Emma Hayes and the arrival of Bompastor there have been great changes in west London, with Ann-Katrin Berger, Maren Mjelde, Fran Kirby, Melanie Leupolz and Jess Carter among 10 players to depart.
There have been changes at Arsenal, too. The decision to give Eidevall a new three-year contract while allowing the WSL record goalscorer, Vivianne Miedema, to leave, freeing her to join Manchester City, was a statement move by the club, who appeared to back the manager on the future of the influential player.
The success of the season could rest on that bold decision and if things do not work out it is one that will be picked apart. Caldentey’s arrival from Barcelona and the recruitment of the exciting young Rosa Kafaji from Häcken softens the loss, as does securing the signature of long-time target Daphne van Domselaar from Aston Villa in goal.
However, with the caveats of previous seasons gone, the pressure is on to step up, secure passage to the Champions League group stage and maintain a serious WSL title challenge.
