Kyra Cooney-Cross has given Renée Slegers another major midfield decision ahead of Arsenal Women’s trip to Chelsea after an impressive return to first-team football.
The Australia international started Tuesday’s 1-0 Champions League victory over HB Køge and produced one of Arsenal’s strongest individual displays on a difficult night at Meadow Park.
Her performance has strengthened the case for a place in Sunday’s starting XI, despite Read Arsenal predicting a midfield pairing of Georgia Stanway and Kim Little in our Arsenal Women predicted XI against Chelsea.
Slegers has now made clear just how impressed she has been with Cooney-Cross since her return.
Slegers praises Cooney-Cross after Arsenal return
Cooney-Cross missed around nine months of football after taking compassionate leave to spend time with her family in Australia.
She continued training while away before returning to Arsenal ahead of the new season.
Speaking to Arseblog News, Slegers said the midfielder had returned in a strong physical and mental condition.
The Arsenal head coach described her as:
“Mature, calm and just enjoying her football.”
Slegers added that Cooney-Cross is now in a “great place” after making a strong impression through pre-season and during Tuesday’s Champions League victory.
Cooney-Cross impresses against HB Køge
Cooney-Cross started alongside Kim Little as Slegers made eight changes against HB Køge.
Arsenal struggled to break down the Danish side but eventually secured a 1-0 win through Mariona Caldentey’s stoppage-time penalty.
Cooney-Cross was heavily involved before then.
She helped create the move that ended with Chloe Kelly putting the ball in the net during the first half, although the goal was later disallowed for offside.
She also drove Arsenal forward from midfield and came close to scoring herself.
Her display was recognised by supporters, with more than 4,100 votes going to Cooney-Cross in Arsenal’s player-of-the-match poll.
Chelsea decision gets harder for Slegers
That performance creates another selection dilemma before Stamford Bridge.
Stanway has been one of Arsenal’s most important midfielders since arriving in the summer, while Little remains one of the team’s most reliable players in possession.
Cooney-Cross now has a legitimate claim to join them.
Slegers has used different midfield combinations throughout the opening weeks of the season and defended that rotation this week, explaining that Arsenal’s players spend enough time training together for those partnerships to remain familiar.
Chelsea should provide a different test from the deep defensive blocks Arsenal have faced recently.
Slegers told Arseblog that she expects Sunday’s game to involve two sides willing to attack one another, potentially creating more space through midfield.
That could suit Cooney-Cross.
Her ability to receive under pressure, drive forward and accelerate possession gives Arsenal a different option as they look to improve on successive WSL draws.
After nine months away from competitive football, Cooney-Cross has quickly made herself part of the Chelsea selection conversation.
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