Just four weeks after the start of the new Women's Super League campaign, the first managerial loss occurred this season.
Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall resigned at Monday's meeting, ending his three-year stay at the club following a 2-1 defeat to Liverpool Chelsea at the weekend.
But where did it all go wrong for the 41-year-old Swede?
When Eidevall arrived at Arsenal, they were a possession-based team that could beat smaller teams but struggled in the biggest games. This all changed when Eidevall introduced an aggressive, high-pressure approach. He made an immediate impression in his first WSL match, beating Emmy Hayes' Chelsea 3-2 at the Emirates. They lost only one match throughout the season, but were one point short of the championship title.
It seemed like it would be the beginning of a new era for Arsenal, but injuries cut short Eidevall's second season. Beth Mead, Vivianne Miedema and Leah Williamson all ruptured their anterior cruciate ligaments, leaving Arsenal without some of their stars.
Despite everything, they had an impressive run in the Champions League, losing to Wolfsburg in the semi-finals and beating Chelsea 3-1 in the Continental Cup final. It was Arsenal's first trophy since winning the league in 2019. There was a clear sense of unity within the team as the team continued to fight despite the odds.
Serious problems began to appear in his third season, when he struggled against weaker, defensive teams. They failed to qualify for the Champions League after Paris FC defeated them on penalties and lost to Liverpool in the season opener. Most disappointing was an incredible 4-1 win over Chelsea, followed a week later by a 1-0 loss to Tottenham, their first ever North London Derby defeat. As in the previous season, they had no thought of a title race, although the team once again defeated Chelsea in the Continental Cup final.
Failed to bring out the best from star players
Behind the scenes, tensions mounted as players struggled with Eidevall's system. Scoring goals was a particular problem. Arsenal signed Swedish striker Stina Blackstenius in January of Eidevall's first season, but a year later made a world record bid for Alessia Russo, who was at Manchester United at the time.
They eventually brought her in in the summer when her contract expired, but neither Blackstenius nor Russo were able to find the goalscoring form the club needed.
Both Chelsea and Manchester City had strikers who could score 20 goals a season in Sam Kerr and Bunny Shaw, but Russo struggled to score much more than 10. It was unclear whether this was a result of their individual struggles, or the system in which they worked. used. Both players' confidence looked low.
It also emerged that there had been a breakdown in the relationship between Eidevall and WSL all-time top scorer Vivianne Miedema. The Dutch international stopped playing as a striker and was instead used as a number 10, but was sidelined for much of the time due to injury.
Not afraid to speak his mind, the frustrated character regularly fades into the background. When Arsenal decided not to offer her a new contract at the end of last season, many fans took it as a sign that the club chose Eidevall over Miedema. She then signed for Manchester City and inevitably scored in the 2-2 draw that was the season opener.
Loss of fans
Miedema's departure put additional pressure on Eidevall to justify the decision and keep his promise. When Emma Hayes left Chelsea to take up the United States national team job, it seemed like there had never been a better time to end the long wait for a league title. But ultimately the season didn't really pick up pace for Arsenal.
There were positive aspects to the 2-2 draw with Manchester City, but a 0-0 draw with Everton and a 5-2 Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich meant it was an open question when, not if, Eidevall would leave. . During his last match, fans expressed their feelings by holding a large cardboard P45 ball in the stands. 'Jonas Out' was spray painted on Hornsey Road.
Because Arsenal had such a large fan base, it was inevitable that their dissatisfaction with results and performances would be felt much more strongly than with other clubs in the league. Managers such as Marc Skinner at Manchester United and Gareth Taylor at Manchester City were capable of underachieving.
But it was clear that Eidevall's race was decided and he knew it too. His decision to tender his own resignation was an admission that he would not be able to get them back on the side. Eventually he felt that he himself lacked the energy to fix the situation.
What's next for Arsenal?
Eidevall's assistant Renee Slegers will be in charge of the club on an interim basis as the club prepares for today's match against Valerenga in the Champions League before traveling to West Ham on Sunday.
Ironically, Slegers took over from Eidevall at Rosengard when he became Arsenal manager, with the Dutch coach following him to the club last September.
Arsenal will have to act quickly to get a new manager, the season is already in full swing and they cannot afford to lose any more points. Former Manchester United manager Casey Stoney has been following the Emirates team and would certainly be an attractive candidate, while former Netherlands manager Mark Parsons is also currently out of work. Whoever comes into the lineup is expected to turn things around quickly if they want to prevent another season from slipping away.
