'we Have The Team' - Now Arsenal Want Chelsea's Wsl Crown

Arsenal defender Steph Catley says location tin beryllium "no excuses" if nan Champions League winners neglect to situation Chelsea for nan Women's Super League title this season.

Chelsea's stranglehold has resulted successful them winning six successive convention titles.

The past clip once-dominant Arsenal won nan WSL was successful 2019.

Despite being nan only English squad to triumph nan Women's Champions League - doing truthful doubly - they person fallen down domestically successful caller seasons.

Now, inspired by winning nan European crown successful May, Catley says nan Gunners tin drawback up their London rivals successful nan WSL.

"As soon arsenic you triumph thing arsenic large arsenic [the Champions League], location is simply a target connected your back," Catley told BBC Radio 5 Live's Women's Football Weekly podcast.

"There is an anticipation that you should spell connected and do astonishing things. Domestically, we haven't won astir arsenic overmuch arsenic we astir apt could person and we astir apt should have.

"There's really nary excuses. We person nan team. We person everything successful place. It's astir putting it together connected nan section and matching up to those expectations."

Catley identifies consistency arsenic nan cardinal to success, and it is thing Arsenal were building past term. A mediocre commencement to nan play resulted successful nan departure of head Jonas Eidevall, pinch Renee Slegers named arsenic interim caput coach.

Slegers enjoyed immense occurrence and was appointed connected a imperishable ground earlier nan squad sealed European glory by beating Barcelona successful Lisbon.

Catley says nan Arsenal squad person been "working deeply" pinch Slegers this summertime to understand what makes them tick.

"Our extremity is to beryllium accordant from information 1 and past support that. Domestically, you can't spend [to dip successful form]," added Catley.

"Chelsea person made a wont of being capable to triumph erstwhile they are possibly not playing their champion shot and I deliberation that's thing we could study from them.

"Our shot looks awesome astir of nan time, but is it getting america wins consistently? It astir apt hasn't successful nan past."

The summertime has brought awesome occurrence for respective members of nan Arsenal squad, including nan Lionesses who defended their title astatine Euro 2025.

England winger Beth Mead says nan occurrence pinch nine and state will alteration nan players to grow.

"Getting that experience, and knowing what it takes for this squad to do well, is important. Now we person to do it domestically," said Mead.

"We want to triumph each trophy, of people we do. That has to beryllium nan purpose for an Arsenal team. We person to extremity doing nan talking and put it retired connected nan transportation weekly."

England striker Alessia Russo, who shared nan WSL Golden Boot pinch Manchester City's Khadija Shaw past play aft scoring 12 goals each, says nan squad person been "spurred on" by their Champions League success.

"Winning nan Champions League was thing I dreamed of arsenic a kid. When you triumph a trophy, you get a craving for more," said Russo.

"We're each really motivated to spell connected and commencement nan play strongly. For judge [the stakes are higher] and I dream nan fans expect that because we expect that.

"We person specified a talented squad. We cognize we've not competed arsenic we want to successful nan convention and nan cups and we want to put that correct this season."

Arsenal person strengthened successful nan transportation window, breaking nan British grounds arsenic they made Canada guardant Olivia Smith nan first £1m subordinate successful nan women's game.

They person besides signed England world Chloe Kelly connected a imperishable woody and brought successful erstwhile Liverpool vice-captain Taylor Hinds successful defence.

Mead will beryllium competing for a spot successful nan starting XI pinch Kelly and Smith.

"It's a caller season, a caller section and we person immoderate very bully players wrong nan squad and wrong nan positions I play," said Mead.

"I'm present to compete. I play my champion shot erstwhile I person nan chance to compete. We will make each different amended arsenic players.

"In nan past, erstwhile Tobin Heath and Nikita Parris signed successful nan aforesaid season, it was different clip erstwhile you had to footwear into gear.

"Renee [Slegers] hopefully has a batch of headaches and decisions to make."

Another boost for Arsenal this play is nan confirmation that Emirates Stadium will beryllium their location for each WSL match, arsenic good arsenic European games.

"It conscionable gives you a buzz. The magnitude of group we get location - our supporters are top-tier. We are truthful fortunate to person them. You get utilized to that," said Catley.

"It will beryllium a monolithic advantage to us. It's for illustration a wall and cipher wants to travel and play there. It's not bully for them.

"The transportation is awesome for america to play bully football. There is nary excuses."