What Happened: City's defensive disaster, Arsenal managing the chaos, and Spurs' set backs
Flo Lloyd-Hughes takes a look at some of the big stories in women's football and highlights the latest pieces to read on The Cutback
Welcome to the latest edition of What Happened, The Cutback’s weekly newsletter that sums up some of the big stories from the weekend of women’s football.
Like many of you, I was watching yesterday’s game between Manchester City and Arsenal with my jaw on the floor. It was a totally chaotic game, full of errors, some quality and plenty of drama. I share some of my thoughts on the mess that is Manchester City and a scrappy Arsenal, below.
We also have some analysis from Max Radwan on that crucial win for Arsenal.
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In today’s issue: What’s happened to Manchester City’s defence, Arsenal and Keira Walsh.
What’s happened to Manchester City’s defence?
It took less than a minute for Arsenal to get their opener in Sunday’s 4-3 win over Manchester City. Without even applying that much pressure, Mariona Caldentey nicked the ball off Laia Aleixandri and cooly finished past Khiara Keating. It would be the first of many errors from City’s backline.
As the scoreline shows, neither side had a particularly impressive defensive performance, but I will let Arsenal off for the fact that Steph Catley had to replace the suspended Katie McCabe at left-back. Catley is experienced in that position but these days she looks far more comfortable playing alongside Leah Williamson as left-sided centre-back. Lotte Wubben-Moy slotted in in Catley’s place and did well, even getting on the scoresheet, but it was Arsenal’s left side that City kept targeting and had success.
However, it’s City’s defensive issues that I really want to focus on. The defeat on Sunday was the second time in three league games that City have conceded four. Gareth Taylor’s side have let in 10 goals across their three WSL games since the return from the winter break. Four of those goals have come within the first 15 minutes of a game and several have come after the restart, a very worrying trend for Taylor’s side.
Yes, we need to talk about the injury issues. The loss of Alex Greenwood has left City scrambling for a way to play the ball out from the back and it's caused them problems in all the league games they’ve played without her. It’s not just Greenwood’s absence that is making things messy for City. The team’s puppet master Yui Hasegawa, who is now having to drop even deeper and take on more pressure, has been targeted in games and once she is shut out, there are even fewer passing options.
Aleixandri, who was linked to a move to Barcelona in the summer, entered this campaign off the back of an impressive 2023-24 season. Until she was injured in October, she looked like she was going to have another strong season. But since returning in December, the Spaniard has struggled, making uncharacteristic errors and looking exposed without Greenwood by her side. Not only was she dispossessed for Arsenal’s opener, but she was dribbled past three times in the game.
The addition of Rebecca Knaak should have brought stability, physicality and experience to City’s back line but against Arsenal they showed a complete lack of organisation when defending set pieces and tracking runs.
Starting Stina Blackstenius in the No. 9 role and pushing Alessia Russo out wide, was a clear sign that Arsenal head coach Renee Slegers anticipated that there might be opportunities to find space behind City’s back four. Blackstenius was allowed to sit in between City’s defenders, hold her run and receive endless through balls. Plenty of them were quick release chances that came as a result of City turnovers. Really the Swedish forward should have finished the game with a hat-trick and not just that final winner from a few yards.
It’s concerning for City that they are giving up goals so easily and so early in games. There’s a fragility that has spread through the team since losing Greenwood and I’m not sure how they find stability without the England defender in the team.
How Arsenal overcame the chaos to beat City
Max Radwan has had his say on Arsenal’s performance against City (emailed out to you earlier today). I loved reading his breakdown of the key phases of that mad game on Sunday.
It can be tough to unpack games like that, when everything just seems like a back and forth mess. In a way, you can just sit back and take it all in, there’s not always a need to dissect. But, Arsenal did navigate their way through a choppy encounter and manage to regain some control.
Find out how in Max’s latest piece.
Did you forget about Spurs?
It’s been a while since we checked in with our Tottenham club writer Rachel Cohen. Such is the nature of Spurs’ mediocre campaign, there hasn’t been loads to shout about. They are in sixth place having won five games, but are out of both domestic cups. Given they went all the way to Wembley last season, dropping out of the FA Cup in the fifth round is a huge miss.
Rachel has given a great examination of Spurs’ current issues, where there are signs of optimism and improvement, and where they should be more worried.
It’s clear they’re missing a playmaker that hasn’t been replaced since Grace Clinton returned to Manchester United. Robert Vilahamn’s seems bullish that Olivia Holdt will be the creative outlet Spurs desperately need, time will tell. Defensive midfielder Eveliina Summanen has also been out with an injury and she is Spurs’ most important player, running the midfield and being a physical presence across the pitch.
Have a read of Rachel’s piece.
Elsewhere on The Cutback
In case you missed it, Jessy Parker Humphreys analysed Chelsea’s blockbuster deadline day move for Keira Walsh. How did they get her and why do Chelsea need her?
That’s it from me this week. See you soon