- Published
Arsenal have scored five goals in six Women's Super League (WSL) games this season - the joint-second lowest tally in the division.
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Arsenal → publish → division
They might well be grateful, then, to be facing a team on Saturday that have conceded 12 goals in their past two matches.
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that → face → matches
It just so happens that team is fierce rivals Tottenham.
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team → happen → ?
But Spurs have their own fires to fight, given their decent start to the WSL campaign has gone up in flames.
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start → have → flames
This is a north London derby that could define both teams' seasons.
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that → define → seasons
Why a draw 'isn't enough' for Arsenal
The first six games have been galling for under-pressure Arsenal boss Renee Slegers, particularly given pre-season talk of a serious title push.
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games → give → push
The facts do not make for pleasant reading for Arsenal and their fans:
No victory since the opening day at Brighton
Toothless home draws with promoted Birmingham and Crystal Palace
Defeats at pre-season title rivals Chelsea and Manchester City mean they are nine points off Champions League qualification
Eighth in the table on the same tally as West Ham, Aston Villa and Palace
That said, on one level Slegers can feel hard done by.
After all, Arsenal have hit the woodwork more times than anyone else (five), had the joint-most touches in the opposition box (283) and created the third-highest number of chances (93).
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Arsenal → make → chances
The statistic is more staggering given the quality they possess in Alessia Russo, Stina Blackstenius and Olivia Smith among others.
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they → give → others
"You can't question the commitment of the players, but they are trying to walk it in," England's record goalscorer Ellen White told the BBC's Women's Football Weekly podcast.
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White → question → podcast
"They are creating opportunities but look a little lost, a bit desperate.
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They → create → opportunities
"It's going to be a very uncomfortable day.
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It → go → ?
I don't think a draw is enough."
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draw → think → ?
Slegers has been searching for solutions to the lack of goals, retaining the same front four in her starting XI just once in all competitions
She has made more substitutions than any other manager too, including using her full complement of five in all but one match.
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She → search → match
Where to use last season's top scorer Russo is a conundrum, given she has yet to ignite either as a central striker or in the number 10 role.
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she → use → role
Losing team heartbeat Mariona Caldentey for up to 10 weeks with a hamstring issue has been another disruption.
"We all know they have the individual quality, but for whatever reason it's not clicking," said former England captain Steph Houghton.
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Houghton → lose → reason
Tottenham bid to reverse derby history
In some respects, Tottenham are perfect opponents for Arsenal.
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Tottenham → reverse → Arsenal
While Martin Ho has helped Spurs ascend the table since his arrival at the start of last season, they still only have one win in 13 WSL matches against the Gunners - although they did hold them to a goalless draw at home last season.
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they → help → home
Ten points from their opening four games with just two goals conceded was a terrific start to 2026-27, but 6-1 and 6-2 defeats by London City Lionesses and Chelsea respectively have provided a thumping reality check.
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defeats → concede → check
Even though Spurs flirted with the top three for much of last season, Ho believes his side are not ready for that step.
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side → flirt → step
People don't like to hear it but it's the honest truth," he said.
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he → like → it
"We need to understand and accept that because if we don't, we're putting unrealistic expectations on ourselves."
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we → need → ourselves
Prior to those losses, it was looking promising at Tottenham, who have picked up their own share of big wins against Crystal Palace (7-0) and Aston Villa (4-0) and demonstrated the clinical edge so lacking in their north London neighbours.
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who → look → neighbours
Attackers Signe Gaupset, Olivia Holdt and Kirsty Hanson have all scored two or more in the WSL already this season while five-goal Victoria Pelova has been the standout player.
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Pelova → score → WSL
Given she arrived in the summer from Tottenham's north London rivals - and has scored as many by herself as the entire Arsenal team - she will have her own motivation to pile more misery onto her former employers.
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she → arrive → employers
"I didn't get a lot of minutes last year with Arsenal," Pelova told BBC Sport.
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Pelova → get → Sport
"I get more freedom here and I feel full trust from my team-mates and the staff.
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I → get → mates
"We have to beat them."
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We → have → them
Denmark playmaker Holdt, who scored a hat-trick against Crystal Palace in September, told BBC Radio 5 Live Drive that hosting the derby at the men's stadium could be an advantage.
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hosting → score → stadium
"It's amazing we have the possibility to play there," she said.
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she → have → possibility
"We'll feel it in the game with all the fans supporting us and not Arsenal.
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fans → feel → us
"It's an opportunity for us to play some good football."
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us → play → football
At this early stage, Manchester City, Chelsea and London City have put daylight between themselves and the rest.
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City → put → themselves
That leaves both Spurs and Arsenal needing wins to realistically stand any chance of overhauling them in the race for Champions League football next season - starting at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday.
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That → leave → Saturday
The Aporia
