Above: Renée Slegers applauds Arsenal’s traveling following 2-0 victory over West Ham Photo: Arsenal FC
by Joe Rosedon (18/1/25)
Renée Slegers put Arsenal in a position where she was the only possible choice as the next manager.
The former Dutch international has been able to not only produce an impressive run of form but crucially restore fan positivity towards the club which had been severely lacking towards the back end of Jonas Eidevall’s tenure as manager.
The relationship with Arsenal and Eidevall began to disintegrate over the summer. The controversial departure of Vivianne Miedema to Manchester City raised concerns within large sections of the fanbase coupled with an inauspicious start to the season had put the Swede under serious pressure. Things came to a head in early October. Arsenal suffered a disastrous week, losing comprehensively to Bayern Munich 5-2 followed by a defeat to Chelsea at the Emirates.
With the WSL title drifting out of view for another season, Eidevall knew his race was run and resigned from the position. Ironically it was Slegers who initially replaced Eidevall at FC Rosengård and she would do it again at Arsenal
In Slegers’ interim period Arsenal have notched up ten wins from eleven in all competitions. This run earned Slegers the Women’s Super League manager of the month for December having not lost since the 12th October 2-1 defeat to Chelsea. Arsenal’s attacking output has been transformed under Slegers, scoring 31 goals.
In particular, the improved form of Alessia Russo has been one of Slegers’ most important achievements. The Lioness has endured a difficult start to the season, only finding the goal once in nine occasions as Arsenal’s attacks were typified by an overall stodginess. Yet under Slegers, Russo is a player reborn, scoring ten goals in eleven games and beginning to deliver on her endless potential.
It is not only in attack where Arsenal have improved. The initially surprising central defence pairing between Steph Catley and Leah Williamson has developed into a fruitful partnership. Catley in particular has shined in her new role as the left sided centre back, keeping both Laia Codina and Arsenal 2023/24 player of the season Lotte Wubben-Moy out of the side. It would be fair to suggest that not many Arsenal fans would have predicted that at the start of the season, but Slegers has made it work to great effect.
Yet Slegers principal achievement has been to restore the faith of the fans. Arsenal have a passionate and loyal fanbase that trek up and down the country and abroad to watch their team. Despite this loyalty, fans had grown frustrated with Eidevall over the past few seasons. The fans saw one the most talented squads in the league fail to live up that billing and patience was wearing thin. Slegers has enthused and reinvigorated a weary fanbase, which for any new manager is paramount.
When signing her permanent deal, Slegers said to Arsenal’s in-house media “It has meant the world to me to feel the closeness and passion of our supporters during this process” If Slegers is able to continue along this path, that passion will carry Slegers and the team to great successes soon.
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