Slegers rues Arsenal's lack of clinical edge in Aston Villa draw
Arsenal missed the chance to go top of the Women's Super League after conceding a late goal in their 1-1 draw with Aston Villa.
Renee Slegers lamented her Arsenal team's lack of efficiency in the final third after a below-par display saw them draw 1-1 with Aston Villa in the Women's Super League.
Arsenal had the chance to top the standings ahead of league leaders Chelsea facing West Ham United on Sunday, and appeared on course to do so at Emirates Stadium.
Frida Maanum capitalised on Missy Bo Kearns' misplaced pass inside her own box, with the Gunners forward making no mistake to open the scoring in the 10th minute.
Maanum should have made it two before half-time, sliding in to meet Beth Mead's ball across the goal line but somehow putting it wide from a yard out.
And Arsenal took their foot off the gas after the break, failing to test Sabrina D'Angelo in the Villa net, and they were made to pay for their wastefulness late on.
The hosts failed to deal with Lynn Wilms' inviting corner kick, with substitute Lucy Parker rifling home the equaliser in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time.
Arsenal had their chances, though, generating an expected goals (xG) total of 2.73 from their 19 shots, though only six of those were on target to Villa's 0.81 from their 13 attempts at Daphne van Domselaar's net.
"I think they did what we expected them to do and made it hard when we're in our own half with their player for player pressure," Slegers said.
"I think we had 19 shots today, the quality we have in the team I think we didn't bring in the final third today.
"I believe in the team and the players. It was just not coming out today. We'll have to review that. It's frustrating if you get an early goal. We need a second goal."
Against Manchester United last time out, Arsenal managed just a single shot on target, which came from Alessia Russo in the 41st minute.
It was their fewest in a WSL game since December 2020, though Slegers insisted there was no cause for concern for the European champions.
"We've scored 10 goals so it's not a problem," she said. "It will be very important that we review this and are very open and honest because we need to learn and learn fast."
