Alessia Russo of Arsenal celebrates scoring her team's fourth goal during the Barclays Women's Super League match between Arsenal and Aston Villa at Emirates Stadium

3 days to go and where is Arsenal Women’s January transfer blitz? Is an NWSL player on route?

Alessia Russo(Photo by Harry Murphy/Getty Images)

Suddenly, some Gooners feel our Arsenal Women aren’t headed in the right direction, and the blame isn’t on the players or the technical bench. The blame has been pinned on Arsenal Women’s decision-makers.

Jonathan Liew of The Guardian hasn’t shied away from calling out Arsenal’s decision-makers for not doing enough to get this Arsenal women’s team to the top.

He bases his argument on the fact that the club seems to suggest they’re not in a good place financially, which he believes is not the case.

Liew feels that Arsenal Women have the most buzz, consistently draw crowds, and are probably the team that gets the most attention (even if glory on the pitch has been elusive). Arsenal doesn’t sell out venues for nothing; they are what people want to watch, and as Leah Williamson said, Arsenal women are a community.

Given that Arsenal Women are an English powerhouse, or ought to be, Liew doesn’t understand how financial constraints could lead to losing one of their finest attacking talents, Vivianne Miedema, to Manchester City. He also can’t fathom why the Gunners had to endure Chelsea gloating about signing one of the finest defenders, Naomi Girma, when it’s known Arsenal wanted her.

naomi girma usa

Liew’s comments aren’t ambiguous; if Arsenal didn’t have the money, why were they allegedly keen to break the bank for Keira Walsh (and for Mary Earps and Alessia Russo in previous years)?

With about three days left before the winter transfer window shuts, like Liew, I wonder where the transfer blitz to refresh this Arsenal team is. Won’t Renee Slegers be given the players like new coaches typically are?

The journalist said, “Why impose entirely theoretical financial constraints that allow Vivianne Miedema to move for free to one rival, while allowing a potential era-defining defender to saunter to another?

“They generate the most revenue, the most buzz, consistently draw crowds that put other clubs to shame. Where is the assertiveness and the arrogance? Where is the single-minded determination to be the sole author of their own destiny? Where is the January transfer blitz that might have helped bridge the gap, bulk out an overworked squad?”

As Arsenal lost to Chelsea in a game decided by fine margins (or controversial decisions), Liew tells Arsenal decision-makers they just have to splash the cash to finally curtail Chelsea’s dominance.

Liew added, “There is so much passion and colour and energy to tap into: a talented coach with time on her side and a wise head on her shoulders, fans who follow them everywhere, who would do anything for this club to be successful. But they’re going to need a bit of help from upstairs. Otherwise, they’re going to keep finding out what the blue end of derby day feels like.”

If I were to add to what the journalist said, I would be diluting it. The message is clear: after that loss to Chelsea, Arsenal decision-makers need to look at themselves. They have a pretty decent squad with a coach with so much potential, but it wouldn’t hurt to show ambition by getting the best talent on board like those we are competing with. Chelsea signing Girma and Manchester City signing Miedema and Kerolin are examples to of how ambitious our rivals are to get better.

Are we likely to sign anyone in the next few days? One new rumour is that USWNT and Gotham FC defender Jenna Nighswonger is transferring to Arsenal for a $100,000 fee. Checking details!

What do you think Gooners? Do we really have everyone we need?

Michelle M

Follow JustArsenal’s Gooner Women on Just Gooner Women on Twitter for regular updates on the Arsenal Womens Team!

Do you want to read more about the Arsenal Women’s Team? Click here….

Tags Arsenal women transfer window

6 Comments

Add a Comment
  1. Its a tricky one to be fare. Because while it’s important to keep moving forward and never stand still if you want to bring success to a club.

    You’ve also got to be mindful of the players you already have at the club. Arsenal for instance have just signed three or four of there academy players to contracts, and rightly loaned them out for experience purposes.

    Then they’ve got a squad of 25 I believe. So if they bring in a new Centre half, what are they saying to the current crop of Centre half’s they already have.

    It’s the same in any position really. As I said earlier, its a difficult situation to be in.

    While you want to be loyal to your current squad, the most successful teams are always moving forward and trying to improve at all times.

    I suppose it comes down to, how serious are the powers that be at Arsenal are about becoming the successful team that we all want them to be.

    As for the financial constraints, I don’t altogether buy that either. As mentioned in the piece, Arsenal have offered world record bids for Russo, Earps, and Walsh in the past three seasons. So that fly’s in the face of financial constraints it would seem.

    We’ll see what, if anything happens by the end of Thursday I guess.😉👍

  2. Did Viv want to leave , was her relationship with Beth in trouble. Was her relationship with Jonas the problem
    Hayes said she thought relationships with team mates might be a problem, was she right ?

    1. Leigh chieza,

      You can’t much more experienced than Little and Walti, can you?.

      I know Little is at the tailend of her career, but I think that after this season she’ll either be phased out as a regular in the team, or she will leave or retire.

      Unless a real statement signing becomes available in the next three days, it may be a more prudent idea to leave any signings until the summer.

      Although if the post above concerning a new left back is true, that maybe worth looking at. As Katie McCabe as good as she is, clearly has a discipline problem, and not just from the Chelsea game either.

      So maybe a new left back competition might just concentrate her mind a little better.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Top Blog Sponsors