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Post-Match Arsenal vs Leicester City Review

📝 Arsenal Women 5-1 Leicester City: Ruthless, Resilient, and Ready for the Run-In

📍 Emirates Stadium

📆 April 15, 2025

Arsenal Women kept their WSL title hopes well and truly alive with a blistering 5-1 victory over Leicester City at the Emirates. Even without key players like Alessia Russo, Chloe Kelly, and Daphne van Domselaar, the Gunners showed the kind of ruthless edge that screams champions.

But the night wasn’t just about the scoreline. It was a special evening for Victoria Pelova, who scored her first goal since returning from an ACL injury — a moment filled with relief, pride, and raw emotion. 🥹

⚽ Goals:

  1. 9’ – Caitlin Foord: A confident finish after smart work from Maanum and Mead.
  2. 16’ – Stina Blackstenius: Made it two, converting from close range.
  3. 31’ – Foord again: Bags her brace with a composed finish following a deflection.
  4. 62’ – Beth Mead: Rose highest to meet Kim Little’s beautiful floated ball.
  5. 66’ – Yuka Momiki (LEI): Curled one into the far corner to pull one back.
  6. 69’ – Victoria Pelova: Back with a bang, slotting in from a rebound. A huge moment. 💛

🔍 Tactical Insights & Key Talking Points

  1. Catley-Leah CB duo: With Ilestedt on the bench and Codina out, Catley stepped into centre-back alongside Williamson — and looked calm and confident throughout.
  2. Front four fluidity: Foord, Mead, Maanum, and Stina interchanged constantly, pulling Leicester apart and creating overloads.
  3. Midfield balance: Little, Mariona and Maanum brought stability and bite, while Pelova added finesse off the bench with Walti shielding the defence.
  4. Pelova’s return: A huge personal moment — and her quality could be vital for the final stretch of the season.
  5. Defensive lapse: The one Leicester goal came from a loose ball in midfield — a reminder Arsenal can’t afford any lapses, especially with Lyon up next.

💬 Final Thoughts

This was Arsenal at their most ruthless and confident. With Chelsea only three points ahead, the title race is back on — and with players like Pelova returning at just the right time, the Gunners are gathering serious momentum.

Next up: Lyon at home in the UWCL — and Arsenal look ready.


📝 Player Ratings Template

Goalkeeper:

🧤 Manuella Zinsburger – 6-10

  1. Comments: Was flat footed for the Leicester goal but her distrubution was good tonight linking the defence with the midfield.

Defenders:

🛡️ Emily Fox – 7/10

  1. Comments: Fox flew under the radar as usual but she was very good tonight both on and off the ball and was very fluid with Mead whether thats inverting and underalpping or overlapping and creating space for Mead

🛡️ Leah Williamson – 7/10

  1. Comments: A good performance from Williamson tonight same as Catley steipping up when the midfield line has broken stopped umerous counter-attacks.

🛡️ Steph Catley – 7/10

  1. Comments: A good performance from Catley tonight did well steipping up to prrssure the ball when Leicester beat our our midfield line,

🛡️ Katie McCabe – 6/10

  1. Comments: A quite game for McCabe tonight but did well in attack but allowed a cross in for Leicester's goal.

Midfielders:

⚙️ Mariona Caldentey – 8/10

  1. Comments: Very dynamic as usual and always keeping Arsenal ticking and should of grabbed a few assists.

⚙️ Kim Little – 8/10

  1. Comments: Has stepped up since RM First leg and she showed this were her tenacious run and cross for Arsenal's 5th goal.

⚙️ Frida Maanum – 7/10

  1. Comments: Very lively and created many chances and grabbed an assist for Arsenal's goal.

Forwards:

🎯 Caitlin Foord – 9/10

  1. Comments: Very direct as usual and scored 2 brilliantly worked goals.

🎯 Stina Blackstenius – 7/10

  1. Comments: Had a few chances she arguably should of finished however finished well off a Beth Mead low-cross.

🎯 Beth Mead – 7/10

  1. Comments: Made a few good crosses, notably for Stina's goal + was very fluid with Fox and Williamson

Overall Team Performance

  1. Rating: 8/10
  2. Comments: Abit sloppy in midfield in the second half and a poor goal conceded from it but other than that a good performance from Arsenal.

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