Tag Archives: Vivianne Miedema

What does the future hold for Vivianne Miedema?

Vivianne Miedema has already cemented herself as an Arsenal and Women’s Super League legend.

Within the checklist of things to achieve within the league, she’s already ticked most things off, despite being only 25 years of age. After giving the league four-and-a-half seasons Miedema is now in the last five months of her contract, leading to much speculation about where her future lies.

She’s been heavily linked to the Spanish and French leagues, and the -constant talks appear to be about reasons why she may want to leave.



It’s important to really understand that staying at Arsenal also presents a great option and one that could match her ambitions.

As previously mentioned, Miedema has already reached huge heights at Arsenal. She currently stands as the as the WSL record goalscorer – amassing 67 goals in just 76 appearances.

During just over four seasons, the striker has won the FA cup and one league title too. For many, having such an outstanding individual accolade, as well as the team accolades to match, would prove too good to walk away from. However, it’s clear that she wants more in terms of team accolades and the highest of them all being the Champions League.

Currently Arsenal are the only English team still left in this year’s competition but they face great challenges ahead, with a quarter-final against Wolfsburg who knocked out last year’s finalists Chelsea.

Vivianne Miedema of Arsenal during the UEFA Women's Champions League group C match between 1899 Hoffenheim and Arsenal WFC at Ditmar-Hopp-Stadion on...

If that hurdle is overcome Arsenal could face a rematch against Barcelona, who in the group stages beat them convincingly. The dominance that the Barcelona team have in the Women’s game right now, and the dominance that in previous years Lyon have had, is the type of environment that many think Miedema is in search of.

The nature of the WSL makes it difficult to have this kind of dominance, with the ‘Big Three’ often deciding the title amongst themselves. A potential move to either of these two clubs could present her the opportunity to finally get her hands on the Champions League and to be at a club that is already at the top of the world football chain.

Both teams are well known in the sport for dominating opposition and being ruthless in the box – both phrases that we would use to describe the Arsenal striker.

Reports have suggested that both clubs as well as PSG would be interested in getting her signature, however, moves to these clubs may not be as simple as it appears on paper.

All three of these clubs currently have strikers at their clubs and strikers who have been performing at the highest level for a number of years.

At Lyon, prior to Ada Hegerberg’s injury, she was widely proclaimed the greatest of all-time in the sport. After over an 18-month injury layoff upon injuring her ACL, Hegerberg is back and hungry to add to her ridiculous goal tally.

She already has 229 goals in 195 appearances and is keen to add to her honours list which includes six League titles and five Champions Leagues.

Her return from injury this year, as well as the fact that Lyon have exciting wingers presents a potential area of thought for Miedema. This, coupled with the fact that Lyon don’t commonly play with a strike partnership may cause a problem for her when it comes to playing time.

Similarly, Barcelona have often opted for the 433 or 4231 formation which would mean that Miedema would be coming into the team to play as the lone striker.

Ada Hegerberg of Olympique Lyon celebrates after scoring their side's fourth goal during the UEFA Women's Champions League group D match between SL...

While stylistically, she would slot in well to both this and Lyons’s ball dominant sides, the personnel that already exists at Barca do present a problem.

With the development of Asisat Oshoala this season, as well as the ever-dependable Jenni Hermoso, it does bring questions as to whether striker is an area that Barca need to strengthen.

Even if Hermoso’s age is considered here, the fluid playing style of the team means that positionally there is always an interchange within the front line.

Arsenal could still yet prove to be the challenge that Miedema needs. Despite not yet reaching the level to win the Champion’s League, under Jonas Eidevall there’s a clear plan in place when it comes to progression and eventually reaching that level.

Asisat Oshoala of FC Barcelona looks on during the UEFA Women's Champions League group C match between FC Barcelona and 1899 Hoffenheim at Estadi...

They’re currently in pole position in the league as well as being in the quarter finals of the Champion’s League which further shows the progression they’re making. Committing her future to the club would allow them to continue to build around a genuine world class talent.

To add to this, being a pivotal cog in the machine to get them to that level could present a higher level of achievement for the young Dutch striker – further cementing her legendary status in the league.

Whether she chooses to stay in the league and buy into the project at Arsenal or chooses to take up a new challenge, no one can deny her of the opportunity to win the trophies that her talent deserves.

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Three things we learnt from Women’s Football Weekend

Women’s Football weekend took place last week and was a rousing success for the women’s game in the United Kingdom.

Games across the top league were screened on television as exciting matches were played and new stars were born.

But what did we learn from the weekend as a whole and how did it help to shape the Women’s Super League season? Lets take a look at three things in particular that came to my attention.



Vivianne Miedema is clutch

Although this should have been common knowledge prior to Women’s football weekend, Vivianne Miedema showed once again why she is deemed one of the best in the world.

With Spurs on the brink of a historic victory against their north London rivals, Miedema rose the highest from a corner in the 92nd minute of the match to grab a point for her side.

Her stoppage time equaliser epitomised everything she’s about within the box – not only a hugely physical presence, but more so her desire to sniff out danger and weakness of the opposition.

Viv seemed to understand what was at stake as she headed the ball into the back of the net and her reaction to the goal summed up just how clutch she is.

Immediately after scoring, she instructed Nikita Parris to grab the ball and for the rest of her teammates to focus – shouting “THINK!” as her side sought after a winner. What a player. What a team.

Arsenal are becoming used to winning and it’s a feeling that Miedema wants to have running through the club. She embodies everything that the coach Jonas Eidvall is trying to create.


Rehanne Skinner is building a resilient team at Spurs.

Having taken over this Tottenham team mid-season, Rehanne Skinner was thrown into the deep end in regard to the fact that the Spurs team that she joined had yet to win a single game, despite being six games into a 22 game season.

She was tasked with steadying the ship last season and starting to build a team that would last in the WSL long term. After having worked with the players now for a year, this Women’s football week match epitomised everything that a Skinner team is about.

Spurs had never beaten Arsenal before, and this task was made even more difficult because of the great form that Arsenal are in – before the weekend, they were yet to drop a single point. However, Spurs were able to take away a point and were unlucky not to walk away with all three.

Rehanne Skinner, Head Coach of Tottenham Hotspur looks on following the Barclays FA Women's Super League match between Tottenham Hotspur Women and...

The amount of defensive discipline on display from the whole team just shows how well drilled they’ve been by Skinner. Their awareness of high danger moments also points towards being an extremely well prepared team as well as the fact that they created many goal scoring opportunities down the other end.

You can really see the changes that Skinner is implementing with the team and everyone seems to be buying into her philosophy. A competitive Spurs only bodes well for making WSL derbies more competitive.


Manchester City are really in a tough spot right now

Manchester City’s injury crisis is unlike one that I’ve seen in recent time. At certain points, they’ve had 5 of their usual starting 11 out with long term injuries – luckily they’ve had Keira Walsh return to the starting line up following her injury lay-off.

It’s less than ideal having your first and second choice keepers out injured and it once again was an area that opposition looked to exploit. Normally these Chelsea vs Manchester City matches end up being the title deciders, however we were met with the opposite of that during Women’s football weekend.

City right now, especially in defence, look bereft of confidence and that is heavily down to the fact that they’re having to use a makeshift back four.

Ellen White of Manchester City is seen dejected during the Barclays FA Women's Super League match between Manchester City Women and Chelsea Women at...

Though Chelsea seemed to show no mercy as Jessie Fleming scored within the first 90 seconds of the game, I actually thought City did well with the ball and we saw shades of what we expect from them – a team that uses the ball really well and can carve out chances from any area of the pitch.

The main issue was that it seemed as though every single shot on target that Chelsea had was resulting in a goal, whilst City were less clinical offensively.

As their injured players trickle back into the squad I expect City to turn it around soon, but they’re definitely in a bad spot right now as results don’t seem to be going their way – suffering heavy defeats to the other “Big 3” members.