Alessia Russo's improvements, Beth Mead's importance & seven things we learned from Arsenal's pre-season U.S. tour
While the new Women's Super League campaign might still be several weeks away, Arsenal's season starts sooner than most, with their pre-season tour of the United States this past week made all the more important by the crucial Champions League qualifiers that loom for Jonas Eidevall's side. Twelve months ago, the Gunners fell at the first hurdle, losing to a giant-killing Paris FC side in the first qualifying round. There is a genuine threat of the same disappointment occurring this time around too, as if they beat Rangers on September 4, they will likely face Spanish giants Atletico Madrid for a place in the second round just a few days later. To avoid lightning striking twice and ensure they are well-prepared for the challenges that await next week, Arsenal's mini-tour of the U.S. was a big one, and there were certainly positives to take from it, especially after the 2-1 win over the Washington Spirit in their first outing. However, there are also a few concerns, highlighted by the 1-0 defeat to Chelsea that the trip ended with.
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