Arsenal fall to Liverpool in FA Cup quarter-final as attacking struggles persist | OneFootball

Arsenal suffered a frustrating 1-0 defeat to Liverpool in the Women’s FA Cup quarter-final, a performance reminiscent of certain games under Jonas Eidevall, where breaking down a compact defensive block proved an insurmountable challenge.

There was a distinct sense of déjà vu as Arsenal laboured against Liverpool’s stop-start approach, unable to inject the necessary tempo to disrupt their opponent’s rigid defensive setup. The Meadow Park pitch certainly played into Liverpool’s hands, forcing Arsenal into a more direct approach, which they struggled to execute effectively.

Renee Slegers named the following starting XI: van Domselaar; Fox, Williamson, Catley, McCabe; Little, Cooney-Cross; Mead, Caldentey, Foord; Russo. Kelly was ineligible, Codina was once again omitted from the 20-player squad, while Kafaji appeared in the club’s social media lineup but was absent from the official teamsheet distributed to the press. Wubben-Moy and Hurtig remained unavailable due to injury.

In a game that became a trench battle, precision in attacking play was paramount. The difficult playing surface required immaculate first touches and crisp passing, as any slight error allowed Liverpool’s defence to pounce, disrupting Arsenal’s forward momentum. The lack of fluidity in their approach was evident for all 103 minutes.

There were too few sequences of quick, incisive passing, with Arsenal failing to create the necessary off-the-ball movement to unlock Liverpool’s rigid shape. The attacking combinations lacked the necessary fluency, leaving Slegers’ side struggling to find solutions.

At halftime, Slegers introduced Maanum for Mead, but the Norwegian saw little of the ball. The right side, in particular, lacked penetration, with Fox unable to provide her usual attacking width or inversion to aid build-up play.

Liverpool’s goal arrived via a stroke of misfortune for Arsenal. Haug’s shot cannoned off the post before ricocheting off the diving van Domselaar and into the net. That left Arsenal with just 12 minutes to salvage a draw and force extra time. Slegers responded by introducing Walti and Blackstenius for Little and Cooney-Cross, shifting to a 4-1-3-2 in search of an equaliser.

With two minutes remaining, Slegers made a bold move, pushing Ilestedt up front alongside Blackstenius, a tactic once frequently used with Jennifer Beattie, who had experience playing in advanced roles. However, questions must be asked as to why the manager opted against introducing Kafaji or Pelova, both of whom could have provided direct running and unpredictability against Liverpool’s low block.

The final whistle confirmed Arsenal’s exit from the FA Cup and marked another underwhelming attacking display. With the Women’s Champions League now the only remaining realistic silverware this season, the road ahead will require both quality and fortune. Securing third place in the WSL – or even pushing for second – remains crucial, especially with Manchester City and Chelsea maintaining their strong league form.

There is little time to dwell on this defeat, with a relentless fixture schedule ahead: Everton away on Friday 14, Real Madrid away on Tuesday 18, Liverpool at home on Saturday 22, Real Madrid at home on Wednesday 26, and Crystal Palace away on Sunday 30.

As much as three points against Everton are essential, some players will undoubtedly need a breather following their exertions during the international break. The lack of sharpness evident against West Ham and Liverpool suggests that squad rotation is imperative. Fresh legs must come in and perform, while key players recharge ahead of the decisive Champions League ties against Real Madrid.