Arsenal may need to replace Mariona Caldentey when club football resumes, but Renee Slegers must also decide how to protect Alessia Russo’s influence.
Mariona’s withdrawal from Spain duty with a hamstring problem creates uncertainty over an attack that twice put Arsenal ahead against Manchester City before Sunday’s 4-2 defeat.
Speaking afterwards, Slegers said the assessment and recovery timetable remained unresolved, according to Arseblog News’ press conference transcript.
Any selection plan must therefore remain conditional. If Mariona is unavailable, our preference would be to keep Russo leading the line and share the creative responsibility around her.
Caitlin Foord offers the simplest change
Foord replaced Mariona at the Etihad, making her the most obvious starting point for the discussion.
There is a practical argument for that choice. A direct replacement on the left would allow Slegers to retain a central striker and three midfielders, avoiding several positional changes to cover one absence.
Foord could be asked to stretch the defence with runs beyond the full-back, then combine with the nearest midfielder when Arsenal establish possession.
The trade-off would come in how Arsenal connect their attacks. If the left-sided forward stays high, someone underneath must offer the passing option that allows the team to move through pressure.
Simply selecting Foord would not settle that responsibility. The left-back and nearest midfielder would need clear instructions about who supports the ball and who protects against a counter.
Olivia Smith could change the attacking balance
Smith provides another route, although her involvement would require a decision about the opposite flank too.
Lisa Baum started against City and scored Arsenal’s opener. Smith later replaced her, so Slegers has already used that change within a match.
Starting both would be a different proposition: two wide attacking outlets around Russo, with the midfield carrying more responsibility for controlling possession.
The attraction would be giving opponents threats on both sides. Arsenal could look to switch play quickly rather than repeatedly trying to force combinations through a crowded centre.
However, that approach would demand coordinated support. Both wide players attacking the box at once could leave the full-backs without an easy pass and make possession harder to recover.
It would be an attacking option worth considering, provided the midfield structure supports it.
Moving Russo deeper carries a cost
Slegers also has the option of using Russo behind another striker.
Against City, Stina Blackstenius replaced Georgia Stanway and Russo dropped into a number ten position, as detailed in Arseblog News’ match report.
That arrangement can put another runner ahead of Russo and give her opportunities to combine between the lines.
But asking her to become the main connector could also take her away from the areas where Arsenal need her finishing. Her first WSL goal of the season was a reminder of the value of receiving inside the penalty area.
Our preference would be to preserve those opportunities. Russo can drop towards the ball selectively without starting every attack as the player responsible for joining midfield to the front line.
Slegers should spread the creative responsibility
Foord would be our starting choice if Mariona cannot play, with Russo remaining central.
That recommendation depends on fitness and the opposition. Smith offers an alternative if Slegers wants a different balance across the wings.
The essential task is to give the replacement a workable role. Arsenal need support around the ball, runners beyond it and enough cover when possession breaks down.
Replacing Mariona should begin with those responsibilities. Asking one player to reproduce everything she contributes would make an already difficult selection problem harder.
Comments.
Loading comments…