May mailbag- your questions answered

Hi Tim, simple question. Who has been your player of the season and why?

Alastair Wood

Lotte Wubben-Moy is the clear candidate here for me. I love how she has improved and relished the responsibility she has been given. It’s a very difficult situation for a 24-year-old centre-half coming into a season where there are two brand new centre-halves and the long-term mainstay in Williamson is going to be unavailable for the first half of the campaign. I think the injuries to Leah and Rafaelle in recent seasons stood Lotte in good stead because she got a lot of playing time in the two seasons running up to this, even though she knew she wasn’t first choice.

This season there has been an opening and she has absolutely taken it for herself. I think when players do that, you quickly understand it is because they are elite, to not lose faith when you’re third choice centre-half and your international manager seems to need a looooooooot of persuading with you.

I think she has been outstanding in difficult circumstances and the fact that she can play on the right and the left of the centre-half pairing has also meant she has been able to play more in recent seasons. Sometimes with these questions, I like to ‘flip the question’ as a thought experiment and in this case ‘why would Lotte not be player of the season?’ Is a question I would not have an answer to. I reckon Sam Kerr, Bunny Shaw and Rachel Daly would endorse a vote for Lotte too. In the biggest games, Lotte has been a candidate for player of the match for the majority of them.

Are there any plans yet for the amount of games the team will get to play at the Emirates next season? Around the same number as this season or are they looking for more given the success of attendance numbers? Obviously there'll be more games if we get out of CL qualifying this time.

Shane Thomas

There are plans in place, yes.

I should point out that people shouldn’t be confused by reports that Arsenal are talking to Boreham Wood about extending their partnership for use of Meadow Park. Even when they day comes that Arsenal can move to the Emirates full-time (or thereabouts) they will always need a back-up ground just in case or for those less attractive Conti Cup group games. Leicester still have an arrangement with Burton Albion, for example.

Hi Tim, How Effective has the left-hand side been this season considering that there has been a lot of rotation between Steph Catley Katie McCabe Caitlin Foord Plus a few others and does it warrant looking at potential Changes in the summer? Is that left-hand side better than the right this season?

Matt Roberts

Arsenal need another player for the left wing and have done ever since Jonas arrived, really. Tobin Heath was injured for the majority of his first season and Lina Hurtig has been unavailable for the majority of her two seasons at the club. A left winger will certainly be a priority for the club this summer, I believe they were prepared to pounce in the event that Lauren Hemp did not sign a new deal at City. Arsenal also have eyes on Mariona Caldentey who can play on the left too.

Hi Tim, simple question.......ish! What, in your opinion, would be the minimum acceptable level of achievement for this team next season?

Rhys Evans

They simply have to challenge for the league title and challenge well. They also have to get into the Champions League knockout stages too. The domestic cups are always a crapshoot but going out to anyone other than narrowly going out to Chelsea or City would be disappointing in either of those. But I think the league is really where the eyes will be, Arsenal haven’t challenged for two seasons which is not up to their standards, there cannot be a third.

It feels like Arsenal can be ruthless with the men's squad, being willing to upgrade on and phase out players who are fan favorites (such as Kieran Tierney), yet I don't see that same ruthlessness with the women's squad. Do you know why?

ML

Not sure I agree with this. Noelle Maritz was sold and Emily Fox was brought in in the most recent transfer window, I think that qualifies as ruthless. I appreciate this question came in before the news broke about Viv Miedema but the club have been prepared to move on there. Jordan Nobbs and Mana Iwabuchi would also probably contest that Eidevall lacks ruthlessness, as would Nikita Parris. He brought in Alessia Russo when he had a striker he likes and values in Stina Blackstenius. I don’t see a lack of ruthlessness as an issue, really.

I am concerned by the number 10 situation. I don't particularly like Russo as a 10 and I get the sense that that is not Jonas's first choice either. Frida has had a mediocre season after starring at the 10 for one season. Viv is seemingly leaving. And Kim does not have the goals/assists that Jonas might want from a 10. Do you see a new signing in that role coming, or will Arsenal continue to muddle through with the current options and hope that somehow things improve without changing anything?

ML

Yes, I think this position just has not really been truly nailed by any player under Eidevall, maybe with the exception of Frida Maanum in the second half of last season. Miedema, Russo and Little all feel like compromises there in some way, all squads should have a sense of fluidity but I am not sure I could predict who Eidevall would play there in a ‘game for your life’ scenario. If Mariona does indeed come in, I think having her as a passer / schemer type and Frida as a more pressing / shooting type could be a good solution. I think Arsenal should invest in Frida more, they gave her the contract and she earned POTS last year, I think Arsenal have to see whether she can be a real mainstay of the team and we aren’t going to find out with small cameos.

Is there any possibility that Arsenal would try to sign a New goal keeper and Dominique janssen on free transfer?

Ki Woong Choi

It seems like Sabrina might be on the move this summer and so we will need another goalkeeper. What do you think Arsenal should prioritise in this area? Should we be looking for a keeper as good as or better than Zinsberger or do we go for a “backup” keeper and let Zinsberger be the clear number 1? Do we need someone who is an excellent shot stopper or do they need them to be a top sweeper keeper?

Clive B

Tom Garry’s reporting on the interest in van Domselaar in March was accurate (as you would expect from Tom), that interest is there but I don’t believe any deal has been struck yet. I think that would be an excellent addition, I think van Domselaar has a very high ceiling but can stand to learn a little while Zinsberger is hitting some really good form. I think that is a nice mixture. I think Arsenal probably will want a centre-half with Ilestedt unavailable for a good chunk of next season. Janssen would certainly be my personal choice but I don’t know who Arsenal are targeting in that position (if anyone).

Hi Tim! Do you think Arsenal needs a 20-goal-a-season striker (thinking Bunny Shaw, Sam Kerr etc.) to be in with a chance at the title next season? Or do Arsenal prefer a more creative approach to goal-scoring? Thanks!

Jessie Jackson

I think this is a really interesting question. At the moment, Arsenal have two 7/10 goal scorers in Russo and Blackstenius. I think there is an argument that having the bona fide elite level scorer like Kerr or Shaw (or Miedema?!) gets you closer to the big prizes. There is a lot to be said for having a proper flat track bully who will almost certainly score against the middle and lower teams in the league, as Arsenal saw with Miedema for many seasons. I do think Arsenal would have got closer to the title with such a player.

That said, it’s a very delicate balance because sometimes I think a team can become too reliant on a striker for goals. When you look at the Premier League top scorers list, names like Shearer, Kane, Ferdinand, Fowler et al pop up and they didn’t win many league titles between them. It’s a really delicate balance but the last time Arsenal won the WSL it was a lot to do with having the best striker in the world but she had a really good support cast of players like Nobbs, van de Donk and Mead chipping in.

I do think Arsenal believe that Russo can become this striker, however. I think all Eidevall’s comments this season suggest he wants Russo to stay higher and closer to the goal so she can be more of a finisher. It remains to be seen whether that happens, of course, but I believe that is the thinking.