Arsenal face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge amid concerns over goal drought

Arsenal enter their Women's Super League match at Stamford Bridge on Sunday (16:30 BST) amid concern about a lack of goals four weeks into the season. Successive draws and difficulty converting control into goals have prompted questions around their attacking output.

Renee Slegers' side sit seven points behind leaders Manchester City, albeit with a game in hand, and draws against Crystal Palace and Manchester United have dented their start to the campaign. Slow beginnings have previously undermined Arsenal's title bids over the past seven years even as the club has won the Women's Champions League and the Women's Champions Cup, demonstrating the squad's capacity to win major trophies. Despite investment in the transfer window, the team has lacked ruthlessness in front of goal so far in 2026-27. The upcoming fixture against Chelsea is being viewed as a potentially damaging encounter if Arsenal fall behind early.

"If I look at the last two games, not turning that dominance into goals and wins, is something we have to look at," said Slegers. "We believe in the quality of the squad and their ideas. We can create in a variety of ways. When that starts clicking, it will be really good. "It really is about the details in the final third."

Across their first three WSL matches Arsenal have produced 56 shots but scored just twice, needed a 95th-minute equaliser to draw 1-1 with Manchester United and relied on a 93rd-minute penalty to beat HB Koge in the Champions League on Tuesday. In the 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace they had 70 touches in the opposition box and 79% possession yet failed to score. "It's a combination of things. There's some details in decision-making and some details in the technical execution," Slegers added after the draw with United. "It's also the ruthlessness in front of goal. I know the players want it. They want to execute for Arsenal. "What kind of situations are we setting up? What spaces do we occupy in the box? What are the runs like, but also other moments in the game? "Counter-attacking moments and set-pieces - those are also moments for us to be dangerous from so it's not only breaking down a low block."

Arsenal strengthened their forward options in the summer with Germany duo Lisa Baum and Selina Cerci arriving, while England winger Beth Mead departed for Manchester City. Slegers still has a range of attacking choices on her roster including Chloe Kelly, Olivia Smith, Alessia Russo, Stina Blackstenius and Caitlin Foord, with the anticipated return of Michelle Agyemang later in the season.

Alessia Russo has started Arsenal's first three WSL games in the number 10 role despite finishing last season with 13 goals, a total only bettered in the WSL by Manchester City striker Khadija Shaw, and placing Russo second in European competition behind Barcelona's Ewa Pajor. This season Russo has attempted 11 shots, including 10 from inside the box, but is yet to score in the league and has three goals in 507 minutes as an attacking midfielder compared with 21 in 2,913 minutes as a striker under Slegers. She has created 1.42 chances per 90 minutes in the number 10 role, up from 1.27 as a striker, but registers fewer shots and passes finishing in the final third and fewer shots from inside the box.

Russo and team-mate Stina Blackstenius have not directly combined for a goal while Russo has started in midfield. Against Manchester United, Arsenal trailed 1-0 and were pushing for an equaliser that ultimately came from full-back Smilla Holmberg, with Russo remaining in the midfield position. "Basically, we were expecting to be spending a lot of time in their half. "It was looking at how we could pose as much threat as possible in the box, hence why both Stina Blackstenius and Alessia Russo started. "There was double threat in that position. We wanted to keep Alessia as high as possible on the pitch. We know she can do both roles really well for us. "She's a fantastic number nine. Stina played her role. Selina Cerci also made her official debut. She has other threats, like her aerial play and instincts in the box. "We have three [players who can play there] but the plan was to have two number nines in the box as much as possible for crosses."

Arsenal face serial winners Chelsea on Sunday (16:30 BST) knowing they need to get over the line this time.