Why Arsenal have fallen short in WSL and Champions League this season

Why Arsenal have fallen short in WSL and Champions League this seasonImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Alessia Russo has scored 11 goals in the Women's Super League this seasonPublished2 minutes agoCommentsThis season hasn't gone to plan for Arsenal.Even Stina Blackstenius' 93rd-minute winner against Everton in their penultimate Women's Super League (WSL) match of the season did little to change the bigger picture.Manchester City have already been crowned champions as Arsenal's wait for a first WSL title since 2019 continues.While the Gunners lifted the inaugural Champions Cup, they failed to retain their Women's Champions League title and also exited the FA Cup at the quarter-final stage and the League Cup in the semi-finals.So why have Renee Slegers' side not been able to get their hands on any of the season's biggest prizes?Arsenal dropped WSL points earlyStarting slowly has become a costly trend for Arsenal. After winning their first two league matches by an aggregate score of 9-2, Arsenal picked up just two points from their next three outings, including a 3-2 defeat by rivals Manchester City, and later drew back-to-back matches against Chelsea and Tottenham in November.The Christmas deficit? Eight points after 11 matches. It is a gap they have been unable to close.And this is not unique to Slegers' tenure.In the past three campaigns, their title ambitions have been curtailed by costly early season form between September and November."The start of the season was another issue for them. They've done that for a couple of seasons now and then they're on catch-up," former England forward Ellen White said on the Women's Football Weekly podcast.Given Arsenal have only lost one game all season, those draws have proved particularly costly.Whatever is said in the summer, making a hot start has to be the priority.Amount of minutes caught up with squadFinishing fourth was not the plan for Manches...