Is Stina Blackstenius the answer for Arsenal?
Swedish forward caused plenty of problems for City's defence and proved to be the difference in Arsenal's attacking play.
Ahead of Arsenal's WSL opener against Manchester City, the pre-match talk inevitably focused on Vivianne Miedema's immediate return to North London, with Arsenal's decision not to offer the player a new deal and let her go to their league rivals on a free still a point of contention. While Meidema would find the net via a deflection, it was performance of the player who Arsenal did tie down to new terms that caught the eye.
The selection of Stina Blackstenius up front ahead of Alessia Russo may have caught a few people off guard. After all, Russo has been tipped for a big season having ended 2023-24 in red hot form; scoring eight goals in nine appearances for club and country at the tail-end of the campaign. Instead, Sunday's match at the Emirates was a reminder of the duality of options available to Eidevall in the centre-forward position.
One of the pre-game talking points revolved around the choice of venue for Sunday's match. With Arsenal playing at least eight league matches at Emirates Stadium in 2024-25, this was the first time that they had faced City in N5 as opposed to Meadow Park.
Arsenal had beaten City in each of their last three league encounters in Borehamwood, and had done so with an average possession share of 38% in the last two seasons. It was anticipated that playing on a larger pitch would suit an expansive City side who lined up with what was ostensibly a front five of Lauren Hemp, Miedema, Jess Park, Aoba Fujino and Bunny Shaw. City would end the match with more of the ball (58% to Arsenal's 42%), but it was the Gunners who were able to make the most of the large spaces left by City's high line thanks in large part to the selection of Blackstenius.
In the early stages of the match, it became clear that Arsenal were trying to use the big Emirates pitch and Blackstenius' willingness to run in behind the City defence and into the channels to their advantage. In very first minute, Arsenal tried to play the Swede in behind, though the striker was flagged for offside on that occasion. It would be a sign of what was to come, as the striker successfully got in behind the City defence three times in the opening fifteen minutes.
On one of these occasions she was unlucky not to double Arsenal's early lead after she rounded the nervy-looking Yamashita in the City net only to graze the outside of the post. She had a hand in Arsenal's opener too, pushing the City defence deep into their box to open up space for Frida Maanum, who lashed the ball home. Even as the half wore on, Blackstenius continued to cause Gareth Taylor's team problems. On the stroke of half time, a piercing Maanum through-ball sent her one-on-one with Yamashita, who spread herself well to deny the Swede.
With Jess Park's wonderstrike putting City ahead against the run of play just before the hour-mark, Eidevall looked towards his bench, bringing on Russo in an attempt to drag Arsenal back into the game. Rather than play the two strikers together, Blackstenius was hooked in a like-for-like change. Curiously, Arsenal persisted with the direct style they had employed when Blackstenius was on the pitch, despite Russo being a player who prefers to receive the ball into feet.
Russo endured a frustrating afternoon, her lack of pace exposed as she struggled for the most part to get on the end of balls being played into space. When she did manage to get on the end of a long ball, the Emirates collectively held its breath as she won a footrace with Alanna Kennedy to go through one-on-one with Yamashita. Opting not to square the ball to the wide-open Rosa Kafaji, the England international was rushed into a shot from the edge of the box as Kerstin Casparij came across on the cover. The result? A tame shot straight into the arms of Yamashita.
Arsenal would eventually force the equaliser through fellow substitute Beth Mead, but it was notable that their worse spell of the game came after Blackstenius was substituted. With City no longer having to worry about the Swede running in behind, they were able to assert themselves on the game, with seven of their 15 shots in the match coming in the nine minutes immediately after Blackstenius was substituted.
This game was a good reminder of the value of having strikers that suit different game-states and opponents. More often than not this season, Arsenal will face low blocks. In these games, Russo's role as a facilitator for her team mates will be of more value than it was on Sunday; just as Blackstenius' willingness to run in behind will be less fruitful when there is less space to attack. With two distinct centre-forwards at Eidevall's disposal again this season, knowing which player to use, and when to use them, is something the manager must get right.
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