wellnessfitpro
Key events
Renee Slegers speaks:
We’ve had a lot of change in the squad. We have spent six or seven weeks together and have come together really well. We lost one game last season in the league and had six draws so this season we have to find ways [to win]. We have to take the first step today. We don’t know what Brighton are going to do but we have to be comfortable with the unknown and impose ourselves.
Arturo Ruiz speaks:
I’m very excited to be here at Brighton. We are going to be very competitive. We have a lot of clarity in this team. And clarity about today’s game. So let’s go for it.
Georgia Stanway is a very interesting signing for Arsenal. She has called it a “new chapter” and will no doubt be tasked with bringing goals – and forward thrust – from midfield. She has scored heavily at Manchester United and Bayern Munich, and has 32 goals for England. With Little and Caldentey, Arsenal look very strong in the centre of the park this season.
Let’s looks at those teams then. For Brighton Lia Walti comes straight into the team after her move from Arsenal so will be highly motivated. Arturo Ruiz has decided to leave fellow new signing Gabby George on the bench.
Arsenal have four new signings in their starting XI. Misa Rodriguez goes straight into goal, while Ona Batlle, Georgia Stanway and Lisa Baum bolster a strong looking lineup with Alessia Russo as the focal point in attack while Kim Little and Mariona Caldentey pull the strings.
The teams
Brighton Nnadozie, Rule, Hayes, Minami, Vanegas, Walti, Symonds, Seike, Kirby, Olislagers, Haley.
Subs: Loeck, Heeps, George, Joramo, Rayner, Tvedten, Garcia, Peskett, Murphy.
Arsenal Rodriguez, Batlle, Williamson, Catley, Fox, Little, Stanway, Baum, Caldentey, Smith, Russo.
Subs: Borbe, Wubben-Moy, Foord, Maanum, Kelly, Hinds, Blackstenius, Holmberg, Cooney-Cross.
It’s been an interesting star to the WSL season already, with London City Lionesses beating Manchester United on Friday and Chelsea dropping points yesterday. Catch up right here …
Preamble
The WSL is back, with 14 teams this time around as women’s football goes from strength to strength. Those pesky upstarts London City Lionesses have been making waves on and off the pitch but it is the old guard who promise another enthralling title race. Champions Manchester City look the team to beat again, although Chelsea have spent heavily in a bid to reclaim their throne. Manchester United could be contenders too, but Arsenal will fancy ther chances of winning the Women’s Super League for the first time since 2019.
Renée Slegers’ squad has been boosted by the signings of Georgia Stanway, Ona Batlle, Selina Cerci, Géraldine Reuteler, Lisa Baum, Misa Rodríguez, Isabella Damm and Élisa De Almeida. Stanway stands out as in the heart of midfield but could this be the season Olivia Smith really takes off? The Canadian forward joined Arsenal for a then world-record fee of £1m last summer and showed flashes of her potential last season. Her skill and incisive running should give Arsenal’s attack an extra dimension during this campaign.
Brighton, under new head coach Arturo Ruiz, offer awkward opponents for the Gunners first up and have designs on a breakthrough season themselves. Dario Vidosic’s exit just a week before the start of the season was quite a shock on the south coast but his replacement will be looking to calm the waters and show that Brighton are much more than mid-table also-rans who can be dangerous in the cups.
Kick-off is at 12pm BST
#Brighton #Arsenal #Womens #Super #League #live #Womens #Super #League
