Getty/GOALThe Gunners showed fight in the second half but it wasn't enough as their manager suffered another damaging defeat, with Ramirez the primary tormentor
Was that Jonas Eidevall's final game in charge of Arsenal? The Gunners suffered a 2-1 defeat to Chelsea on Saturday which leaves them with just five points from their first four Women's Super League fixtures. It's a division which has only twice been won by teams that have dropped more than 10 points across an entire campaign. After draws with Manchester City and Everton, and now this loss, the Gunners' total already sits at seven. Their title hopes have already taken an almighty hit.
It was an even more damaging result because of the 5-2 thrashing Arsenal suffered at the hands of Bayern Munich on Wednesday night. There are still five Champions League group-stage games remaining for Eidevall's side to sort things out in Europe and progress to the last 16, but the defending was truly atrocious and only continued into the weekend. There were just four minutes on the clock on Saturday when Arsenal conceded from yet another set piece, while the lack of communication, organisation and marking for Chelsea's second further highlighted the problems at the back.
However, though at 2-0 it felt like the Gunners were on their way to another thrashing and Eidevall's future would be seriously in doubt come full-time, the response from the players was positive. Caitlin Foord's goal just before half-time was important and the valiant second-half display saw the hosts show real fight, only denied a point by the crossbar in the end. That spirited fight back may not have earned them a result, but it may have bought Eidevall some time.
In the opposing dugout, Sonia Bompastor won't have been happy with the game management from her players. There will have surely been a feeling of relief when the full-time whistle went, as Chelsea were really on the ropes in those latter stages. But a win is a win – and that is all Bompastor has known since she joined the club, replacing iconic coach Emma Hayes in the summer. Five games into her time with the Blues, she has five victories to show for it, with this the biggest one yet as the WSL champions pursue a sixth successive league title.
GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from the Emirates Stadium…
