Lessi Is More: Russo Shows She Is More Than A Striker v LCL

During the opening 20 minutes of Arsenal’s 4-1 win over LCL, the Gunners struggled with LCL’s high press and kept playing into it. I asked Renee Slegers after the game and she insisted Arsenal didn’t really make any special tweaks to solve the problem, ‘They did what we expected, and I think we just lacked a little bit of connection on the pitch and that’s what we accept as well, because it’s the first game back, the first competitive game back.

‘But I think what I’m really happy with is how we connected quickly and found the rhythm in the game and found solutions.’ Watching the game back I didn’t see anything technical either compared to what I saw at the game. Arsenal simply warmed up, played with greater urgency and moved the ball more quickly. So for this analysis piece, I decided to focus on the performance of Alessia Russo who was, once again, quietly understanding despite not scoring.

Russo’s hold up play is maybe the best of any striker in women’s football (only Bunny Shaw rivals her in WSL terms for my money). What is so smart about Russo’s hold up play is her economy of touches, she is always thinking of ways to take one touch instead of two, or two instead of three, turning and controlling in one movement where possible.

This pass from Mariona comes at a time when LCL have settled into the game well and Arsenal are struggling with their press. Arsenal have also played some sloppy passes and Mariona receives one from McCabe here. The Spaniard retrieves and fires into Russo with her back to goal.

The beauty of Russo in these situations is that she scans space really well, so her first touch is to knock the ball into the space and away from the bodyweight of Kumagai. Most players take a controlling touch, then shift the ball. Russo’s controlling touch shifts the ball and that always gives her a split second when a defender has committed their bodyweight.

She holds off Kumagai and feeds the ball wide to Olivia Smith. Arsenal’s wide players can always count on great service from Russo because of her unrivalled ability to shield and spin.

Again, we can see here the LCL press is good and Russo drops to provide Mariona with an outlet.

Kumagai follows Russo and really constricts her space.

Russo withstands the pressure from two players and retains possession for Arsenal. It’s a big part of what makes her so valuable to the team.

Once again Arsenal are able to use Russo’s ability in tight spaces as she receives the ball on the edge of the area with Kumagai again at close quarters.

But once again, Russo holds firm and Arsenal keep the pressure on.

She is then on hand again to receive the ball in the channel, spin her marker and she stands a ball up to the back post here. She repeats a very similar move for the second goal ten minutes later…

There are few more physically imposing centre-halves than Alana Kennedy but Russo is more than a match for her from this McCabe throw-in down the line, Russo lets the ball run and tries to spin Kennedy.

Russo is too strong and slippery for Kennedy and she wins Arsenal a free-kick in a dangerous area. Russo does a lot of this unsung, almost boring work as a number 9 that either wins or retains territory in the final third.

As the half drew on, Arsenal understood to play the ball forward with greater urgency, McCabe skips out the LCL press here and goes for the channel, where Russo beats Kumagai to the ball.

Russo stands a good cross to the back post again which Smith just volleys wide.

The cross for Russo here is a little too short for her to get her body around it for a shot, but she shows real presence of mind to touch the ball back to Chloe Kelly.

For the second time in two minutes, an Arsenal player volleys just wide and it comes from a nice piece of play by Russo.

Russo has a header on target as the pressure builds on LCL, but the second goal is all about her ability in tight spaces again. Fox collects this underhit clearance and Russo is immediately alive and demanding the ball.

Again, she touches and turns in the same motion, as we see so often from Russo.

And she picks out Chloe Kelly with a low cross for 2-1. Her awareness of Kelly’s run is really smart here, this sequence unfolds very quickly but she has the picture in her head immediately.

She shows awareness and sharpness too to get herself back onside instantly once it becomes clear that Fox has intercepted the clearance.

Once again, we see Russo dropping deep to link play and spin the ball out wide to Chloe Kelly in space. Because Kumagai has followed Russo, there is a big gap at centre-half for Kelly to attack and she does, shooting just wide.

Russo gives Arsenal an outlet to miss the press. Here, Catley clips the ball to her from centre-back because there is not a lot else on.

And Russo draws the contact from Kumagai and wins a free-kick in a dangerous area. She has turned meagre scraps into something far more promising.

McCabe plays the ball into Russo here and LCL are well set defensively. There are no obvious gaps and Russo has her back to goal with Kennedy close by.

But Russo takes a really swift controlling touch before stabbing the ball ASAP to Foord, the speed and smoothness of the action takes Kennedy and Linari by surprise and she plays Foord into a strong situation.

Russo’s all-round work as a centre-forward makes her a manager’s dream and she showed why again in this victory over LCL.

Graphics, as ever, by Miedemastuff.

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