Arsenal’s Scheduling Dilemma: A Tale of Two Matches
BOREHAMWOOD, England — Arsenal found themselves in a bit of a pickle recently, facing a scheduling conflict that tested their “one-club mentality.” On the same night, both the Arsenal women’s team and the men’s team had crucial matches scheduled. The women’s team was set to face Bayern Munich in the UEFA Women’s Champions League, while the men were up against Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup. Both games were initially slated to be played at the Emirates Stadium.
Now, here’s where things get interesting. The women’s match had been scheduled weeks before the men’s game was confirmed. This presented Arsenal with a golden opportunity to make a statement by rearranging or moving the men’s fixture. However, that didn’t happen. Instead, the women’s team had to appeal to UEFA for special permission to play their decisive fixture at Meadow Park, a venue that doesn’t meet the governing body regulations for a group-stage fixture.
Despite the change in venue, Arsenal women triumphed over Bayern Munich 3-2, clinching top spot in Group C. Meanwhile, the men’s team held their ground at the Emirates, defeating Crystal Palace 3-2.
Interim manager Renee Slegers commented on the situation, saying, “Historically, Arsenal has been leading in pushing the development of women’s football and I think it will do that in the future as well. This was a bump in the road, which will always happen.”
She added, “It’s like player development, you will not go up in a straight line, there will be challenges on the way. This is a challenge, but we’re all very proud of what Arsenal tries to do to push women’s football forward.”
The Venue Dilemma
Meadow Park, which was Arsenal women’s home before their move to the Emirates, became the stage for this crucial match. The club released a statement explaining, “[UEFA] have granted special dispensation for the match to be played there, given the unique combination of factors that required a new venue following our men’s team’s home draw in the Carabao Cup quarterfinal.”
Arsenal couldn’t alter the date or time of the fixture due to broadcast pairings. The situation was further complicated as the travelling team, Bayern Munich, needed to be offered the chance to train on the pitch the day before the game. This meant Arsenal couldn’t play on Dec. 19 instead. The men’s team could have conceded hosting the fixture or attempted to appeal to move the Carabao Cup game to another date, but that might not have changed the outcome for either team.
Home Advantage at Meadow Park
Despite the logistical challenges, the intimate setting of Meadow Park seemed to work in Arsenal women’s favor. Defender Steph Catley noted, “I think what’s positive about Borehamwood is that we’re so close to the fans. It’s a very intimate place to be. So I think we get that extra connection.”
The atmosphere was electric, with fans’ chants and cheers echoing throughout the small ground. This home support was a driving factor behind Arsenal’s success, as they rebounded to make the score 2-2 after Magdalena Eriksson‘s second goal was leveled by Alessia Russo, and Mariona Caldentey slotted home the decisive penalty.
Ticket Troubles
However, the relocation did come with its downsides. Meadow Park’s capacity is only 4,500, far fewer than the 7,500 tickets initially sold for the match at the Emirates. The club had to refund all tickets and offered supporters a 24-hour priority window to purchase new ones. Unfortunately, many fans who planned to attend the game at the Emirates couldn’t make it to the Wednesday evening fixture.
A Triumphant End to 2024
Despite these challenges, the celebrations at the final whistle were emphatic. Arsenal not only secured top spot in their Champions League group but also avenged their earlier 5-2 defeat to Bayern Munich. The team ensured their win did all the talking, even if the location of the fixture didn’t make the statement some hoped for.
Arsenal remain unbeaten in 11 games to end 2024, with 10 wins since the 5-2 defeat and 2-1 loss to Chelsea that sparked the resignation of former boss Jonas Eidevall.
Under Slegers, the team has been undefeated, and while fans will have to wait until the new year to know whether the Dutch coach will stay in the role permanently, the ending to 2024 could not be more different from the bleak outlook that clouded the team just over two months ago.
Originally Written by: Emily Keogh
