Matchday: My prediction for Arsenal Women lineup to face BK Hacken in UWCL clash – what’s yours?

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·18 September 2024

Matchday: My prediction for Arsenal Women lineup to face BK Hacken in UWCL clash – what’s yours?

Our Arsenal Women will face BK Hacken later tonight, in the first leg of their UEFA Women’s Champions League Qualification journey. Our Gunners will face off against the Swedish outfit both home and away, with the 1st leg being played away at The Bravida Arena at 6PM (UK), in what will be an important clash for both sides, if they wish to progress to the Group stage of the competition. You can watch the action live on Arsenal.com.

BK Hacken have started their season off well and will be a big challenge for Jonas Eidevall’s side. Here’s how I expect us to line up for the big clash. In goal, Manuela Zinsberger. After being impressive between the sticks in the last two competitive games, keeping clean sheets in both clashes, I can’t see Zinsberger losing her starting spot. The Austrian goalkeeper continues to improve under Eidevall and has been a key to our success in the last few seasons, becoming a very important player for us.

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In defence, I expect a back four of Emily Fox, Leah Williamson, Lotte Wubben-Moy and Katie McCabe. Although Laia Codina has started in the last few games, I think Wubben-Moy comes straight back into the fold if fit enough. Wubbe-Moy’s partnership with Williamson is second to none and I think we need that connection and experience in such a big game if we want to win. Fox, Williamson and McCabe all started and played in the last two games and looked confident and solid at the back, defending well and helping build chances for the front line also.

In midfield, I expect a middle three of Kyra Cooney-Cross, Captain Kim Little and Frida Maanum. All three midfielders have found the back of the net in the last few games and have been working well together in the middle of the pitch, with Cooney-Cross sitting a bit deeper and controlling the game, linking up the defence and the attack, and Little and Maanum pushing the ball forward to create opportunities. Little has been in top form, playing the midfield maestro role perfectly, as she always does, and has been leading the team to success.

In attack I expect Eidevall not to change anything from the last game, with Caitlin Foord playing on the right, Mariona Caldentey on the left and Alessia Russo up top and centre. Foord and Caldentey have been linking up perfectly and seem to understand each others games really well, I think changing that would be a mistake but we could see Beth Mead come into the squad if fit enough to start. Russo up top as the target player and she will hopefully get herself back on the scoresheet.

So that’s a 4-1-4-1 formation of: Zinsberger Fox – Williamson – Wubben-Moy – McCabe Cooney-Cross Foord – Little – Maanum – Caldentey Russo

Hopefully we can walk away with the advantage going into the second leg at home, with a big game to come at the weekend on WSL opening day ahead of us, some winning momentum would be perfect before we face Man City on Sunday! Incidentally, Man City Women are also playing their 1st away leg to Paris FC tonight at 17:45PM (UK). Paris FC knocked our Gunners out of the UWCL in Round 1 last season..

What’s your thoughts Gooners? How would you line up tonight?

Daisy Mae

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