Na Stamford Bridge, all eyes dey on Katie McCabe as she face Arsenal for di first time since she move to Chelsea in summer. Di reception wey she go get from her old fans no go soft, because she be fan-favourite during her time with di Gunners and she famously collect red card for pulling Alyssa Thompson hair in one London derby. Thompson now be her Chelsea team-mate, and Arsenal fans never really forgive McCabe for joining their biggest rivals.
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter Emma Sanders talk say she travel to Stamford Bridge on tube and she no see a single shirt with McCabe name on di back. Di rivalry used to dey defined by fiery relationship between former Chelsea boss Emma Hayes and her Arsenal counterpart Jonas Eidevall. But their successors, Sonia Bompastor and Renee Slegers, dey on better terms.
Bompastor talk for her pre-match media conference say she think Renee dey have good result with Arsenal. She talk say Arsenal dey confident on ball and dem no dey concede plenty goals, so dem be strong opponents. Bompastor also call Slegers one of di best coaches in di world and say Chelsea go face strong opponent and really good coach.
Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor make four changes to her side for di home London derby against Arsenal. Hannah Hampton return in goal and replace Livia Peng, while Lucy Bronze come into defence for Veerle Buurman, who drop to bench. Bronze wear captain armband in dis derby clash at di Bridge, and she join Ellie Carpenter, Kadeisha Buchanan and Katie McCabe for backline.
Keira Walsh was substituted midway through first half of victory over Austria Vienna on Wednesday night after she suffer some pain in her calf, but she don pass fit for today. She line up alongside Lexi Potter and Wieke Kaptein in midfield. Sjoeke Nusken dey named on bench. Lauren James, who miss di win over Austria Vienna entirely, make starting XI and she come into team in place of Sandy Baltimore. Aggie Beever-Jones don shake off her recent injury and she dey on bench.
Arsenal goal-scoring issues don dey discussed well well dis season, as dem score just two goals in three WSL matches. As result, Gunners draw back-to-back games and dem go into dis match seven points behind league leaders Manchester City. Renee Slegers talk for pre-match media conference say e clear say Arsenal want more points and di two draws no make dem happy.
Slegers talk say dem no need overdramatise performances, but of course dem want and need to score and win games. She talk say Arsenal dey get shots off, but di question be whether dem open and clear enough to get relatively easy finish. She also talk about final part, how dem set each other, how calm dem be, and how dem see things clearly in front of dem.
For Sky Sports article, Slegers dey calmer than she might be about Arsenal start to season. After bright opening, victory at Brighton where two dropped points had guaranteed Manchester City title last season, back-to-back draws against newly-promoted Crystal Palace and a Man Utd side who had lost their first two matches don already ramp up pressure on dis weekend trip to Chelsea. Those two opposing low blocks, which Gunners briefly look like dem don get to grips with last season, don leave Arsenal with worst xG underperformance in WSL at dis early stage despite di wealth of attacking talent at Slegers disposal.
Slegers believe say Arsenal problems na more psychological than tactical. She dey desperate to draw any pressure away from her players and onto herself to help dem find solutions. She talk say e dey frustrating say dem drop four points, but dem no fit change am now. She talk say if anybody go carry pressure, na her, and she want players to dey free on pitch, play with clear heads, clear minds and use their intuition.
Slegers talk say Arsenal don get away from finding low blocks difficult to play against, dem don find tools and solutions, but there be other things dem fit try to capitalise on like set pieces. She talk say as coach you fit go one of two ways: go into more detail and make things complicated, or strip things back and go back to basics. She talk say ultimately actions speak louder than words, and there don be a lot of talking, so dem just want to show things now and look forward.
Arsenal begin their Champions League campaign at home to Koge on Tuesday, and e almost another case of déjà vu. After early Chloe Kelly goal was chalked off by VAR, Gunners visibly struggle to regain momentum and dem need 93rd-minute Mariona Caldentay penalty to see off Danish minnows who previously lost all six of their Champions League games in their one prior appearance. If there is one thing Slegers still keen to remind her players of, na di importance of fast starts to beat that mental battle.
Slegers talk say fast start na something dem really hungry for and something dem need. She talk say dem continue to drive it and go after it in games and look after everything in their control. She talk say Tuesday show mental resilience, di endurance of belief say dem fit get di win. She talk say dem no know if goal go come early or late, and if dem score early she think e for be very different game. She also talk say low blocks hard to break down for anybody, only select few dey really good at am, but dem know na something dem get to do better.
Some respite go come from space with Chelsea, because barring surprise change in tack, Chelsea no likely to sit behind ball for long periods at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. Blues go also present more danger themselves, but e still present opportunity for Arsenal attacking talent to shine in way dem never do so far dis season. That likely give young Lisa Baum, di 19-year-old winger recruited from RB Leipzig over summer, as much chance to show her talents as she don get in three out of three games she start in WSL since she arrive.
Slegers talk say Lisa Baum earn right to play, and she don trust her already because of how she dey train, behave and perform. She talk say Baum dey make herself important player in squad, she still young, but credit to her. Slegers talk say playing Chelsea away na always same game, e always charged, na London derby, and dem prepare for am. She talk say if there be any pressure, she want to be di one taking am.
