Resurgent Russo sparks life into Arsenal

Alessia Russo scored her first WSL goal of the season in Arsenal's 1-1 draw with Manchester United and looks like a new player after the international break.

Alessia Russo celebrates scoring her first WSL goal of the season. Credit: Arsenal.

Arsenal left Leigh Sports Village frustrated on Sunday afternoon. A late Melvine Mallard leveller ensured that they would only take a point from a game they largely dominated, this was a draw that felt like a defeat.

If interim head coach Renee Slegers’ first league game in charge two weeks ago against West Ham could be filed under the category of getting a result without the performance, yesterday's match against Manchester United was the opposite. There were certainly positives to take, despite Arsenal being unable to do the crucial thing of, y'know, scoring more goals than their opposition. One of those positives was without doubt the performance of Alessia Russo. 

Going into Sunday, Russo had mustered just 11 shots in her five previous WSL appearances this season. It would be fair to say that she looked like a player lacking in confidence, with Arsenal's system causing the player to have a bit of an identity crisis as to what she was supposed to be doing. From chasing balls into the channels, to dropping all the way to the halfway-line while attempting to link the play, she was beginning to look like a square peg in a round hole and quickly running out of confidence. 

Perhaps all she needed was a change of scenery in the shape of the international break. While Leah Williamson drew criticism from the Arsenal fanbase by alluding to the same thing with regards to her form, it cannot be ignored that Russo looked back to her old self while in action for the Lionesses against Germany. As much as there are tactical factors at play, playing to your centre-forwards strengths is important. Russo simply looked sharper and more confident when in action for her country.

It was self-evident that this was something she was able to carry into her return to LSV. It may not seem like much, but in the simplest terms, Russo was taking on shots that she had been passing up for much of the season to date. We see an early sign of this in the first half. Positioning herself between Manchester United's central defenders, her sharp turn and well-struck shot is deflected narrowly over Phallon Tullis-Joyce's crossbar. 

Credit: BBC Sport

Not to be deterred, Russo continued to occupy the centre of the box and force the issue, particularly in the second half as Arsenal were able to turn the screw on their opponents.

Early in the second half she, finds herself in a similar position; closer to goal this time, and is once again able to quickly get the ball out of her feet before swivelling to take the shot. 

Again, her shot is wide of the mark, but the intent, which has been unseen in an Arsenal shirt this season, is there. 

Two minutes later, Russo has another attempt in the box. This time, she is able to attack the vast amount of space left between United's centre back pairing of Millie Turner and Maya Le Tissier, with the former dragged out of position in order to close down Mariona Caldentey, who crosses the ball into the box for Russo. 

A minute later, Russo once again finds herself between United's central defenders on the edge of the six-yard box. On this occasion, Beth Mead is unable to find her, but this was another example of Russo's unwavering persistence to get on the end of balls into the box. 

While this is exactly the sort of 'penalty-box striker' style of play that Arsenal fans have been longing to see from Russo, the England international was still able to strike the balance between being a creator and facilitator. When Russo did find herself in the channels, she was able to cause United's defenders problems, completing three out of four dribbles and dragging the likes of Turner and Le Tissier out of position in the process. 

Fittingly, Russo's goal – her first in the WSL this season – displays the different sides to the centre-forward’s multi-faceted game. First, she drops off the forward line to receive a line-breaking pass from Williamson, before punching a pass wide into the feet of Mead and making her way into the box. 

As the attack develops, Russo once again finds herself in between United's central defenders and is able to guide a low finish beyond the outstretched arm of Tullis-Joyce for a goal dripping in narrative. 

Russo's strike wasn't the cleanest, but that only goes to show that volume of shots is the name of the game for any centre-forward worth their salt. Ultimately, Russo got her just rewards for correcting what had become a persistent issue within her game in the early part of the season. 

Russo would be substituted for Stina Blackstenius on 78 minutes and while Blackstenius has proven her value to the squad time and time again, this did not feel like a Stina game. The bulk of the 20 passes completed in Arsenal's half of the pitch in the second half came in the period after the substitution as United were able to gain a foothold in the game without having to worry about Russo. United eventually found the equaliser in the 82nd minute as Arsenal failed to deal with a corner and Rachel Williams’ header was knocked on and into the back of the net by Malard.

Getting the best out of Russo will be high on the in-tray of whomever becomes Arsenal's new permanent head-coach. On yesterday's evidence, that task may just have gotten a little easier.