Top of their UEFA WCL group Arsenal women face Juventus: Form Guide & team news by Michelle
An injury update on Beth Mead was published yesterday. Beth is a key player for Arsenal Womenand for the Lionesses’ – she won the Golden Boot and Player of the tournament as the Lionesses’ rode to Euro success in summer. Beth was also voted BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year 2022 and was nominated for the prestigious Balon d’Or, coming second only to Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas (by one point).
Beth really has captured the hearts of the nation, riding high this year and recently launching her book Lionness – My journey to glory, with an exclusive book signing event at Arsenal’s Armoury last week.
We published a report yesterday on just how much Arsenal Women’s injuries are hurting them right now. And now Arsenal’s announcement yesterday on Beth Mead’s injury, picked up during the Arsenal 2-3 Man Utd game at Emirates Stadium, will only add to Jonas Eidevall’s worry ahead of Arsenal’s next European Championship match in Turin, Italy tomorrow, when our Gunners face Juventus.
With Beth Mead, Captain Kim Little and Lina Hurtig out of the equation, and longer term injuries to Leah Williamson, Rafaelle Souza and Teyah Goldie still in the long process of healing, who will be in Jonas’ starting line-up to face Juventus?
The Arsenal first team is 21-strong, not taking into account up and coming youngsters like Michelle Agyemang who have mostly been on the bench for Arsenal. Jonas has 6 players out of action. Do the math.. It doesn’t look good no matter how much you try and shuffle the numbers.. Looks to me like he has 15 players to choose from to make up his eleven strong squad as they head to Italy..
Juventus are managed by Arsenal Women’s former head coach Joe Montemurro. Montemurro guided our Gunners to the WSL title back in 2018/19 and enjoyed a fantastic season with Juventus in 2021/22, winning the Serie A, Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana. Arsenal’s summer signing Lina Hurtig played a key role in each of those titles whilst at Juventus, but she is currently amongst the unavailable players for Arsenal due to injury.
Arsenal on the other hand have lost ONE WSL game (this weekend) after a record-breaking winning streak of 14 consecutive wins in the WSL. One loss does not write our Gunners off however, especially with their form over last season and this. They have resilience, bravery and tenacity and will no doubt bring the very best of themselves to the pitch on Thursday.
It should be a match to behold! And there is certainly everything to play for in the UEFA Women’s Champions League. Arsenal are currently top of their group and will be unashamedly determined to keep it that way, I’m sure.
Chelsea are the only other UK women’s team in the European Championship – they take on Real Madrid today at Chelsea’s Kingsmeadow stadium. Chelsea, like Arsenal, are top of their group. Who knows, we may even meet Chelsea in the knock-out stages of the UEFA WCL.
After Italy, there isn’t a lot of let-up as our Gunners will be back in WSL action at Meadow Park to take on Everton on 3rd December. Tickets for that fixture are available here.
Michelle Maxwell
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