---
title: "Arsenal Women’s slow start: the midfield, bench and attacking problems explained"
canonical: "https://readarsenal.com/2026/10/10/arsenal-women-poor-start-renee-slegers-midfield-attack/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Lucie Turner"
section: "Arsenal News"
published: "2026-10-10T14:20:00Z"
modified: "2026-10-10T14:20:00Z"
---

# Arsenal Women’s slow start: the midfield, bench and attacking problems explained

A summer of upheaval has left Renee Slegers searching for answers, with three issues standing out

Arsenal Women are struggling to find their rhythm in the Women’s Super League, with Renee Slegers faced with the dilemma of balancing the need to steady the ship with the dangers of fiddling too much.

Poor results have dented confidence, with problems feeding into one another. Arsenal signed seven new senior players this summer and let six go, meaning some upheaval was always going to follow. Three issues stand out: midfield, the bench and the attack.

## **Midfield in transition**

Slegers’ side has long relied on the double pivot of Kim Little and Mariona. That’s a combination which has proven to be intuitive and one that no other pairing has been able to replicate. With both aged 36 and 30, respectively, contingency planning became essential.

Georgia Stanway brought a new dimension. Her ability to play bigger adds unpredictability to the mix, and long-term logic should prove sound.

In the short term it has thrown up more questions than answers in what has been Arsenal’s most consistent area of the team. Almost every game has seen a different midfield three, suggesting that the transition plan was not as concrete as some may have thought.

Little and Mariona have recently been pushed up a line to play as number ten. Mariona’s hamstring injury makes this unlikely to continue. The press has also suffered, as players are finding their understanding on the wing in the blink of an eye.

## **The bench problem**

Arsenal generally start well, but games often unravel when substitutions arrive. The squad was deliberately expanded, particularly in attack, yet more options have brought less clarity. Slegers has admitted that late goals, once a “super strength”, have dried up.

A bigger squad also means more disappointed players. That matters little when winning, but in a World Cup year, with minutes at a premium, it can create bad air when results turn.

Arsenal Women have scored just four WSL goals this season, level with West Ham, Aston Villa and Everton. Only Charlton have scored fewer, and half of the total came in a 4-2 defeat at Manchester City.

The game looks like work, with the ball getting to the last third far too slowly against set defences. Lisa Baum has been a stand-out performer, her winning goal against Brighton on the opening day containing the quality that has been lacking in the team for too long.

But Reuteler and Cerci, bought to add fire to the attack, are hardly used at all, raising difficult questions about the transfer policy. To leave a teenager to deal with that burden is simply asking too much.

## **Can Arsenal Women turn it around?**

The issues are solvable. Settling the midfield, better use of the substitutes and improved delivery to the forwards will be a necessity for Arsenal Women to rediscover their rhythm. There is quality in this squad.

However, they need to start converting their performances into positive results. Improving their interplay and making better decisions in possession will also be key to creating more goal-scoring opportunities.

There is no doubt that time is on their side, but Arsenal cannot afford to give away any ground to their title rivals. A swift recovery is needed to regain confidence and consistency. They possess the quality to do so, but results are required to keep their WSL title aspirations alive.