How can Arsenal neutralize opponents Wolfsburg in Women’s Champions League clash?

One of the biggest clashes in European women’s football is going down this weekend, when Arsenal travel to Germany to take on Wolfsburg in the Champions League semi-finals. Arsenal already know one or two things about beating a German team; they eliminated Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals to reach the semi-finals, so we trust they can get the job done over the next two games against Wolfsburg.

Wolfsburg certainly won’t make it easy, but what can Eidevall and his squad do to have a chance of taking a win this Sunday and having one foot in the Champions League Finals?

It is worth noting that Wolfsburg are a high-attacking team, and the first thing Arsenal needs to get right is how they conduct themselves off the ball and negate the German side’s attack.

Lena is undoubtedly one of the finest midfielders on the European women’s football scene. If you were looking for the perfect definition of a midfield engine, she’s that. Her technical ability, her work off the ball, and her ability to read the game and react as she should are just brilliant. She’s hard to track, as her playing style sees her play everywhere in midfield. Lena is the heartbeat of Wolfsburg, and she needs to be nullified if Arsenal are to overpower them.

Without Leah Williamson and Kim Little, Eidevall may have to conjure up a plan for his midfield. Arsenal will need to overload the midfield, have Lena in a 2v1 scenario, and have runners in behind and be quick off the ball; that could just throw Lena off her game, and if that happens, Caitlin Foord, Stina Blackstenius, and probably Katie McCabe, will need to put Wolfsburg’s defensive line on their toes.

With that done, Arsenal will need to be keenly defensive. Wolfsburg’s attack is one that gives defenders nightmares. It is not only the dangerous Alex Popp that Arsenal have to worry about, but also how fluid the German side’s attack is as a unit. However, through that attacking line of their game, Eidevall needs to have one of his defenders tracking Popp. Popp is quick, and her ability to drop from the number 9 role to link up and set her teammates up for goalscoring chances is the thing that makes Wolfsburg’s attack tick. Nullify Popp’s threat and have an easy time defensively.

Ultimately, to deal with both Popp and Lena, Arsenal will need to have a stable double midfield pivot to disrupt any rhythm their opponents try to create. Beating Wolfsburg is never going to be easy, but it will all depend on the tactics Eidevall employs, despite his growing list of squad injuries..

COYGW!