Russo shift and Kelly crosses: How Arsenal delivered crucial win against Real Madrid

Renee Slegers' team got back to winning ways with 2-1 victory in the Champions League

Alessia Russo celebrates for Arsenal. Credit: Getty Images

Under pressure and in the spotlight, Arsenal ended a three-match winless run with a 2-1 victory against Real Madrid at Meadow Park on Wednesday night.

The Gunners had to come from behind to ensure they finished a tough November block of fixtures on a high. Over the past two weeks, Arsenal had registered back-to-back draws in the WSL and suffered a chaotic defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

Here’s a closer look at some of the key changes that ensured Renee Slegers’ side got back on track in Europe this season.

Unlocking Alessia

Sometimes, it feels like Alessia Russo is a victim of her own success. Ask the average fan to describe her best attributes and you will get a range of responses. They may talk about her hold-up play, her ability to link play and bring others into the game, or her tireless pressing.

Indeed, these were all qualities that Slegers highlighted in her post-match interview last night. However, her comments don’t tell us anything new about how she views Russo. The fact that, prior to last night, Russo had started Arsenal’s last four matches in the No 10 position shows how much the head coach rates the Arsenal number 23’s all-round qualities.

The drawback here is that due to those aforementioned qualities, Russo is sometimes tasked with being Arsenal’s ‘everything player’. She is often dropping to the halfway line to connect play as Arsenal start attacks, while also being expected to be the one getting on the end of chances. This can sometimes lead to the most important quality of all for a centre forward – goalscoring - getting lost in the weeds of Russo’s all-round play.