Jonas Eidevall‘s departure as coach came quickly, but within Arsenal it was not a surprise.
Three days later, a 2-1 defeat to Chelsea and a ridiculed P45 called Eidewall was booed at the Emirates. Atlético reported that the Swedish coach is leaving his position. A statement from Arsenal quickly confirmed his resignation.
The 41-year-old’s decision to quit comes after a torrid nine days that left Arsenal sixth in the Women’s Super League (WSL) with five points from their first four games and just two wins from seven games in all competitions. This period was followed by a 5-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
Eidewall, who signed a new three-year contract in October last year, said he and the team were “in need” after Chelsea’s defeat.
GO DEEPER
Eidewall’s reign at Arsenal ended quickly, but the writing was on the wall
After a day off on Sunday, Eidevall faced off against women’s football director Claire Whitley on Monday. A tough couple of weeks took their toll on Eidevall and he wanted to give the team every opportunity to succeed, which led him to make a difficult decision on the sidelines.
The Swede subsequently announced his decision to players and staff in a private meeting before training on Tuesday morning.
According to multiple sources, who, like others in this article, spoke on condition of anonymity to protect relationships, many players were not surprised by the decision due to the pressure on Eidevall and believed it was time for a new start. When asked if the coach lost the locker room, several sources said yes.
His departure did not come as a complete surprise to the club’s top brass, as it was recognized that there was a need to improve results or make changes to personnel. Given the poor state of the team, the hiring process did not start from scratch after Monday’s meeting, but an appointment is not expected in the near future.
Assistant coach René Slegers was named interim coach in Arsenal’s 4–1 Champions League group stage victory against Valerenga. Wheatley, backed by sporting director Edu, will lead the bid for the Eidwell award and although there have been many rumors surrounding former Arsenal player and Manchester United and San Diego coach Casey Stoney, the club is not considering him as a candidate. scenery
Eidewall’s message to the players on Tuesday was “very sad and emotional,” according to defenseman Emily Fox.
When Eidevall announced his departure, some players and staff were visibly moved. “He’s a great guy and this decision wasn’t made lightly,” Fox said. “You could see how much he cared about the club in his work ethic and how professional he was every day.”
Tuesday’s exit capped a three-year tour that saw memorable moments including reaching the Champions League semi-finals and ending Arsenal’s three-year cup drought with two Continental Cup final victories against Chelsea, but ended up under unprecedented pressure. The Swedish coach must give more with so many high-quality people at his disposal.
The identification of an injury crisis in the 2022-23 season, which saw key players Leah Williamson, Beth Mead, Vivian Miedema, Laura Wienreuter and Kim Little sidelined for prolonged periods, unleashed it across the club. He was also given more time in charge last September after Arsenal failed to qualify for the Champions League group stage, admitting that limited pre-season training after the 2023 World Cup had hurt their chances.
But Eidewall’s ability to get the best out of his players has been questioned in the latter stages of his tenure, particularly Arsenal’s performances in front of goal.
The team’s expected goals statistic (an indicator of how many goals it scores in relation to the quality of opportunities created) has improved year on year, from 39.9xG in 2021-22 to 42.7xG in 2022-23 and 53xG in the season increased. in the past. .
However, their ability to convert chances has seen a downward trend, with Arsenal scoring 65 goals (39.9 xG) in 2021-22, 49 goals (42.7 xG) the following season and 53 goals (53 xG ) noted. When you’re competing against Manchester City and Chelsea, who were vastly superior in their xG last season, simply batting isn’t enough.
This did not go unnoticed by Eidevall, who addressed the issue in a press conference ahead of their FA Cup clash against Watford in January, saying: “We have the best xG goal difference in the league, but that doesn’t get you trophies. Last year (2022-23), Manchester City had the best xG goal difference and finished fourth.
“We underperformed in xG, both in attack and defense. We score more goals and fewer than we should. We created a lot of chances, but not enough valuable chances, especially against low blocks.”
The more evident the collective failure to take advantage of their opportunities, the more pressure was placed on opportunities that appeared and disappeared. This tension, even in games they were expected to win, did not help the situation.
While the sample size is very small at this stage of the season, neither of Arsenal’s forwards, Stina Blackstenius and Alessia Russo, have scored in the WSL, suggesting a lack of confidence.
Russo scores during Arsenal’s Champions League match against Valerenga (Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
One agent described a highly talented team as a “shadow of itself”, while sources felt the players were stagnating under Eidevall.
“We have a locker room full of players who want to improve and keep pushing, so the message was to stay together,” Russo said after the game against Valerenga.
“As players we have very high standards. We know that the results were not as good as we know. We’ve worked hard and we’re just trying to stick together and do well. “
There was tension around Eidevall’s style of play, which did not always suit creative players like Little, Mead or summer signing Marion Caldentei.
Clo Lacasse left Arsenal this summer after just one season. Speaking to TSN earlier this month, he said: “I am a very creative player and I need certain freedoms to be able to get the best out of my gaming abilities. I didn’t enjoy it as much as I wanted to. At the end of the day you want to have minutes, you want to be creative and that is the type of player. “I think my qualities were a little limited at Arsenal, which didn’t allow me to show my best qualities.”
The inconsistent selection of Eideval’s team increased the feeling of unease. Coach Manuela started Zinsberger in the first four games of all competitions, including a 2-2 draw against Manchester City in the WSL opener, but then opted for Dafne van Domselaar for the next two league games before to return to Zinsberger. 5-2 defeat to Bayern Munich and then back to Van Domselaar against Chelsea at the weekend.
Since the start of last season, Eidevall has made 73 changes to his starting XI in the WSL, a figure second only to Chelsea (85), while he has only named an unchanged lineup twice.
An expanding schedule, injuries, departures and a team full of talent have helped Eidevall’s rotation, but constant cuts and substitutions have left some players unsure of their specific roles or their place in the pecking order, while that there has also been a lack of mentality. . sometimes.
As the Eidwall era progressed, the dressing room became less cohesive, while lackluster performances – particularly in important games such as the Champions League defeat against Chelsea – damaged morale.
Concerns about the leadership of the women’s team, particularly in relation to transfers from previous seasons (in and out) and Wheatley’s role.
Evaluation of Wheatley’s effectiveness is mixed. While some players’ agents described him as a well-known and efficient operator, the issue raised by others was inconsistency in communication about the women’s setup. One player’s agent described the women’s team as “a ship that moves on its own.”
Given the club’s global appeal, the strong history of the women’s team, the fact that it regularly plays matches in the United Arab Emirates and the passion of the fans, Arsenal remains a strong draw for players. But, according to one agent, there is a perception that Arsenal are relying on their brand to attract players.
Jonas Eidevall addresses the players on the pitch after the Chelsea game at full time, officiating his last game (Catherine Iville – AMA/Getty Images)
Eidewall is analytical by nature and his lively personality sometimes contrasts in-game with the person he is off the field.
A viral video of coach Vivian Miedema, which emerged after the 1-1 WSL draw with Everton last season, has been seen as emblematic of Eidewall’s management style. In a video taken from a fan’s point of view during extra time, Eidevall puts his arm around the player to direct him towards the bench, although he apparently asked the Dutch striker to warm up before coming on as a substitute. Midema can then be seen arguing with Eideval.
Miedema left the club in the summer after his contract expired. On the one hand, Arsenal decided not to offer him a new contract and, on the other, Miedema does not feel supported by the Club. But his departure caused tension between Eidwall and the fans.
A small section of supporters gathered for Miedema’s final game against Arsenal with signs demanding that the WSL’s record goalscorer stay and Eidevall leave. This feeling increased in the last days of the administration. After Chelsea scored their second goal in the 16th minute, Eidewall was booed by a desperate home support, with a mock P45 with Eidewall’s name and the words “Jonas Out” painted along nearby Hornsey Road.
When he replaced Joe Montemurro in the summer of 2021, one of Eidwall’s main goals was to re-establish Arsenal as contenders against Chelsea and Manchester City. He quickly achieved this, beating both clubs in his first month in charge, a feat that took Montemurro more than a season to achieve.
However, in the years that followed, their team’s inconsistency meant they never got the chance to fulfill the potential everyone knew they had. Now it will be in the hands of another manager to solve this problem.
Additional information from Art de Roche
(Top photo: Alex Burstow/Arsenal FC via Getty Images; design: Eamonn Dalton)
