From the Chigwell Construction Stadium: Arsenal misplaced tempo with WSL leaders Chelsea after being held to a 0-0 draw by a resilient West Ham on Sunday night.
The Gunners noticed a collection of alternatives go begging and spent a lot of the second interval camped within the Hammers half, however had been left pissed off by a heroic West Ham defensive effort.
The consequence leaves Arsenal 5 factors behind Chelsea, however Jonas Eidevall’s aspect have a sport in hand over the WSL champions.
Despite the absence of targets, it was an entertaining, finish to finish first half affair. Frida Maanum and Caitlin Foord had been within the thick of the motion down the Arsenal proper and brought on issues with their directness and driving runs. The former created one in all her aspect’s most promising openings of the primary half, surging to the byling and discovering Lina Hurtig, however the Sweden worldwide may solely drag her effort large.
West Ham brought on issues of their very own, Kirsty Smith getting a uncommon little bit of respite from the damaging Foord-Maanum double act as she scurried away down the left and was picked out by an excellent Honoka Hayashi move. Manuela Zinsberger was out rapidly to disclaim the left again.
The Hammers had been unlucky to not be awared a penalty after Dagny Brynjarsdottir gave the impression to be tripped by Rafaelle within the field, however the host’s protests had been waved away
Hurtig did effectively to twice get the higher of Risa Shimizu earlier than choosing out compatriot Stina Blackstenius, however the ahead blazed over, whereas Mackenzie Arnold beautifully tipped a Maanum effort across the put up, after the midfielder had been discovered by an audacious Leah Williamson move as the primary half completed all sq..
The Gunners pushed for an opener after the break as West Ham had been pressured deeper and deeper into their very own half, Maanum once more inflicting chaos together with her energy and directness, however her cross was tipped away by Arnold.
The Hammers’ keeper was once more known as into motion simply after the hour mark, maintaining out Blackstenius together with her toes.
It was a heroic defensive effort from West Ham, with Brynjarsdottir, Arnold and Hawa Cissoko all intervening to maintain out Katie McCabe after which Blackstenius as wave after wave of Arsenal assault was thwarted.
Foord noticed penalty appeals waved away and McCabe’s strike from vary was deflected into the aspect netting, because it merely wasn’t to be for the Gunners.
GK: Mackenzie Arnold – 8/10 – Out rapidly to disclaim Maanum within the early exchanges, and made a terrific save to tip the Arsenal midfielder’s low effort across the put up within the first half. Kept out Blackstenius together with her toes within the second and tipped a Williamson effort across the put up. An enormous show.
RB: Risa Shimizu – 7/10 – Beaten by Hurtig within the construct as much as a promising Arsenal likelihood. Made an necessary intervention to forestall Maaunum surging by way of within the second half.
CB: Hawa Cissoko – 9/10 – Triggered a counter assault with a surprising cross subject move to Snerle and popped up with quite a few necessary challenges and blocks – together with an enormous one within the first half to disclaim a goal-bound Foord effort. A heroic defensive effort to stem wave after wave of Arsenal assault.
CB: Grace Fisk – 8/10 – Made a collection of necessary tackles, clearances and headers deep in her personal half to maintain Arsenal at bay.
LB: Kirsty Smith – 6/10 – Had a busy time of it trying to take care of each Maanum and Foord down the Arsenal proper. Had an actual second of promise on the counter assault within the first half with a burst ahead. Made an necessary second half block to maintain out the Gunners.
CM: Abbey-Leigh Stringer – 8/10 – Broke up play effectively and swept up magnificently on the sting of her personal field time after time within the second half.
CM: Honoka Hayashi – 6/10 – Sent Smith away with an excellent move for one in all West Ham’s most promising first half openings. Tenacious and disciplined.
CM: Dagny Brynjarsdottir – 7/10 – Unfortunate to not be awarded a penalty after showing to be tripped by Rafaelle. Made an enormous interception to maintain out McCabe within the second half.
RW: Mel Filis – 6/10 – The Arsenal academy graduate incessantly switched flanks with Snerle and was stuffed with operating and endeavour. Replaced after an hour following an enormous shift.
ST: Viviane Asseyi – 6/10 – Had an effort from the sting of the field comfortably held within the first half, and was the point of interest for the West Ham press. Quieter within the second half as West Ham struggled to get out of their very own half.
LW: Emma Snerle – 6/10 – Had a constructive driving run to tee up an Asseyi likelihood within the first half. Made an necessary intervention within the West Ham field within the second half to halt a promising Gunners transfer. Technically robust and appeared a menace when on the ball excessive up – quieter within the second because the Hammers sat deeper.
SUB: Amalie Thestrup (63′ for Filis) – 5/10
SUB: Lisa Evans (77′ for Asseyi) – 6/10
SUB: Lucy Parker (86′ for Stringer) – 6/10
SUB: Kate Longhurst (86′ for Snerle) – 6/10
GK: Manuela Zinsberger – 6/10 – Held an Asseyi effort and claimed a harmful Snerle cross within the first half. Hardly had a contact within the second.
RB: Noelle Maritz – 6/10 – Fairly strong defensively, drifted into defensive midfield at instances whereas Arsenal had been in possession. Replaced simply after the hour.
CB: Lotte Wubben-Moy – 7/10 – Played out from the again effectively, getting Arsenal ahead with a sequence of probing passes. Solid defensively.
CB: Rafaelle – 7/10 – Created a primary half likelihood for Arsenal with a maraud ahead from centre again. Perhaps lucky to not concede a penalty within the first half. Otherwise strong.
LB: Steph Catley – 6/10 – Didn’t get ahead as incessantly as normal. Tidy in possession, strong defensively, changed simply after the hour mark.
CM: Leah Williamson – 7/10 – Deployed in midfield within the absence of Lia Walti. Sent Maanum by way of on purpose with a wonderful dinked move within the first half. Broke the strains
CM: Kim Little – 6/10 – Neat and complex on the ball.
CM: Frida Maanum – 7/10 – Forced Arnold into an excellent save with a low first half effort and teed up Hurtig following a burst to the byline. Was on the coronary heart of so many promising Arsenal strikes together with her drive and athleticism.
RW: Caitlin Foord – 7/10 – Deployed on the best versus the left, was within the thick of the motion together with her bursts ahead and appeared one in all Arsenal’s most harmful gamers.
ST: Stina Blackstenius – 5/10 – Blazed over within the first half with a extremely respectable sighting of purpose, and was twice denied within the second half by Arnold.
LW: Lina Hurtig – 5/10 – Dragged an effort large within the first half, earlier than creating a superb likelihood for Blackstenius after doing effectively to twice beat Shimizu. Replaced after an hour after struggling to depart an attacking impression on proceedings.
SUB: Katie McCabe (68′ for Catley) – 6/10
SUB: Victoria Pelova (68′ for Hurtig) – 6/10
SUB: Laura Wienroither (68′ for Maritz) – 6/10
SUB: Gio Queiroz (78′ for Blackstenius) – 6/10
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