LONDON — The damaging week for Arsenal supervisor Jonas Eidevall continues. Two objectives within the first 16 minutes of their London derby conflict with Chelsea has piled much more stress on the supervisor, who has now suffered a second loss in simply 4 days. He’s hanging by a thread to stay on the helm of the London membership after Chelsea’s 2-1 victory at Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
The Gunners had been coming off the again of a dismal 5-2 defeat to Bayern Munich midweek within the UEFA Ladies’s Champions League, and the whole lot was on their facet to safe solely their second win of the season. Chelsea had by no means gained on the Emirates earlier than, and this was new supervisor Sonia Bompastor’s largest check on the helm of the Blues. Arsenal — determined to recuperate from their midweek defeat — had been damage and due to this fact harmful.
Nonetheless, that was removed from the story of the afternoon. Arsenal struggled and had been overcome by a relaxed and composed Blues facet. With solely 5 factors in 4 video games, 4 factors behind the Ladies’s Tremendous League holders who’ve a recreation in hand, Eidevall finds himself in torrid waters.
“I gave completely the whole lot at present in preparation for this recreation,” he stated when requested if he feels his job as supervisor is safe.”
“You may see the gamers gave completely the whole lot on the pitch. That is the half you may management as a coach. That is what you may management and ask for from the gamers as properly. It is simply specializing in the following match and I simply have to concentrate on the issues I can management.”
It was a quick begin from Chelsea, scoring twice within the first 16 minutes. The Swedish supervisor had not squashed Arsenal’s midweek demons as the 2 objectives Arsenal conceded early had been merchandise of disorganised and fearful defending. The haphazard tried clearances within the field earlier than Mayra Ramírez‘s beautiful overhead kick within the fourth minute had been an early signal that the sloppy defending that brought on their destruction in opposition to the Bavarian group was nonetheless at giant.
The backline merely disappeared for the second objective, with nobody monitoring Sandy Baltimore. The gamers had begun ball-watching, leaving giant open areas and gamers unmarked because the defenders hurried to crowd Guro Reiten within the field.
It was clear that Arsenal had been nonetheless reeling from their humbling by Bayern Munich. With just one coaching session since their return on Thursday, there was little time to dwell. Eidevall insisted forward of the Chelsea fixture that he couldn’t reply to critics as he was unaware of what was being criticised following a string of disappointing performances.
The 5-2 defeat to Bayern — their largest loss since 2017 — began a barrage of fan outcries for Eidevall and the membership to half methods. Some followers made their distaste recognized, booing after the objectives and at full-time. Some even took it so far as filling out a faux P45 letter and bringing it to the Emirates to point out the place they stand.
“They need to see the gamers and the way extremely laborious they work. How a lot coronary heart they’ve, how a lot character they’ve for the membership,” Eidevall stated in response to followers.
“That I hope offers supporters perception. I totally perceive that persons are upset after we do not win soccer matches and we’re additionally actually upset.
“We’re actually hurting, I am hurting, the gamers are hurting. We wish to try this higher so I totally perceive that in that second. Simply as you are allowed to point out feelings after we win, you are allowed to point out feelings while you lose. They make investments the whole lot, they journey, they help us, they offer us completely the whole lot. I completely perceive their frustration after we do not win soccer matches.”
Arsenal managed to claw again a objective simply earlier than half-time by Caitlin Foord, nevertheless it was not till the ultimate quarter-hour of the sport that they actually started to threaten the ultimate third. Substitute Stina Blackstenius rattled the woodwork within the eighty fifth minute, on the lookout for a leveller that would have given Eidevall a little bit of respiratory room.
The Gunners’ struggles in entrance of objective have endured for the reason that begin of the season. Towards Chelsea, the Gunners had 4 photographs heading in the right direction, with 16 off course, whereas Chelsea had six heading in the right direction, with 4 off.
Their opening-day conflict with Manchester Metropolis was an early signal of promise, drawing 2-2 at house. Nonetheless, their lacklustre 1-0 win over Leicester Metropolis and a disheartening goalless draw with Everton turned a poor begin to the season. Actually, it’s the first time in 10 years that Arsenal have did not win three successive house video games.
Their embarrassing loss to Bayern was the most important trigger for concern and was merely not adequate for a group brimming with worldwide expertise and world-class finishers competing at Europe’s highest stage.
The choice over who takes accountability for the losses, the gamers or the supervisor, has brought on discourse on-line, too. Nonetheless, as soon as a supervisor has been in cost for so long as Eidevall, it’s laborious to argue thatthey shouldn’t settle for blame when video games go pear-shaped, and the identical errors should not being mounted.
Eidevall has constructed this group round how he needs to play. The gamers he signed and gamers he let go of — most notably WSL prime scorer Vivianne Miedema, who moved to Manchester Metropolis — had been all a part of an intricate plan to win their first title since 2019. However the plan has not labored. As a substitute of striding to an early cost within the league and the Champions League, Arsenal have seem to have gone backwards.
Confused and upset seems to be confronted Eidevall as he spoke to the group within the post-match huddle. Solemn expressions and defeated physique language spoke louder than his phrases.
It was a stark distinction to Bompastor’s emphatic fist bump as she made her strategy to the Chelsea followers. The brand new supervisor — in entrance of her predecessor Emma Hayes who was in attendance — handed her largest check and recorded the membership’s first win on the N5 stadium.
For Arsenal, it’s now a skinny thread retaining Eidevall in submit. With gamers disconnected from the philosophy and followers shedding favour, his tenure has an expiry date. How lengthy he stays as supervisor will possible be determined by how properly the Gunners can rebound earlier than subsequent week’s worldwide break.
