European women's champion Arsenal to use 60,000-seat stadium for all domestic league home games
LONDON (AP) — Women's Champions League winner Arsenal pledged on Tuesday to use the club's 60,000-seat main stadium for all home games in the domestic league next season.
Arsenal played nine of 11 home games in the Women's Super League at Emirates Stadium this season, with almost 57,000 fans watching a 5-0 win over Tottenham. The other two games were at nearby Borehamwood which can hold about 4,000 fans.
'Found a place where we belong,' Arsenal said in a social media post.
The two extra domestic league games at the Emirates will be balanced by fewer games there in the opening stages of the Champions League, which have attracted fewer than 10,000 fans.
Arsenal finished runner-up to Chelsea in the English league before beating heavily favored Barcelona to become champion of Europe.
The home game against Chelsea drew more than 45,000 fans, and more than 46,000 came to the season-ending game against Manchester United.
Arsenal said in a statement it will use Borehamwood in the opening phase of the Champions League, which switches to an 18-team single standings league next season, then return to north London for the knockout rounds. Domestic cup games also will stay at the smaller venue.
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Right now, it feels like it's the mental and emotional side of the international game that he's missing the most — maybe he can tap a bit into his time in Scotland to add more urgency and physicality to the finesse of his game. Luna, meanwhile, has become the emotional example that Pochettino holds up for the rest of the group. His willingness to stay in a friendly with a broken nose — and then assist a goal — stuck with the coach. Right now, the U.S. needs more of Luna's mentality and desire in the group. It's tough to see a World Cup squad without Luna in it for that reason only. The door isn't closed on Reyna, by the way. If he makes a club move from Dortmund, plays consistently and produces, he'll be on the squad. Advertisement This, along with goalkeeper, feels like the most wide-open race on the World Cup squad. Balogun has hardly been available for Pochettino, but has the best skill set of any of the strikers in the pool. He can run in behind, is dangerous in the box and has been a consistent goal-scoring threat when on the field for the U.S. Pepi was in blazing-hot form for PSV this season before a knee injury ended his year. How he returns from that injury will go a long way in determining his place. Pepi was probably the biggest snub on the 2022 roster, an absence that felt significant when Josh Sargent (Norwich City) went down with an injury at the end of the group stage. Could next summer be his redemption? Haji Wright was a shock pick for the 2022 World Cup team, but Gregg Berhalter clearly wanted a different profile of striker to pair with Jesus Ferreira and Sargent. Wright ended up scoring a fluky goal vs. the Netherlands in the last 16, but it's his ability to provide depth up top and on the wings that earns him a spot on the roster. There are plenty of other candidates who could fight their way into the team, though. Sargent started in the last tournament and was arguably the best forward in the English Championship this season. That form just hasn't translated to the U.S. team; he, incredibly, hasn't scored internationally since 2019. Pochettino seems to really like Agyemang (Charlotte FC) and his profile, but could someone like Damion Downs (Köln) or even the injury-plagued Daryl Dike (West Brom) get hot at the club level and surge to a spot? Agyemang, Downs and Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps) will get a chance to make their arguments this summer. GOALKEEPER (3): Schulte, Steffen, Turner DEFENDERS (8): Dest, Freeman, Scally; McKenzie, T. Ream, Richards, W. Zimmerman; A. Robinson MIDFIELDERS (7): Adams, Cardoso; McKennie, Musah, Tessmann; Luna, Tillman FORWARDS (5): Balogun, Pepi, Pulisic, Weah, Wright TENORIO: Miles Robinson, Josh Sargent, Alejandro Zendejas Advertisement If I get three extra players, I'm definitely adding center back depth, and Miles Robinson sneaks onto the team. I initially had him in my 23, so this is a good way to get him back in the mix. Despite not scoring, Sargent showed his quality in big games at Qatar 2022. He's probably my favorite forward of the bunch – just not sure Pochettino sees it that way. Lastly, winger depth on the team is atrocious, and Zendejas gives that a boost. RUETER: Aidan Morris, Patrick Agyemang, Alejandro Zendejas With a paucity of viable alternatives in defense — four center backs is fine by me given Pochettino's team shape — this trio brings greater versatility in midfield and the attack. Morris is a tidy passer with defensive chops, logging an impressive 64.7% 'true' tackle win-rate across 2,920 minutes. The 23-year-old also displayed strong ball progression — leading all qualified Championship midfielders with 74.6% passing accuracy for attempts traveling 35 yards or further — and savvy tactical fouling. He can fill any role in an engine room. 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