The 2014 season was Arsenal Ladies Football Club's 27th season since forming in 1987. The club participated in the fourth edition of the FA WSL, England's top flight for women's football since 2011. Arsenal also played in the FA Women's Cup, and the FA WSL Cup, winning the former against Everton in June. They also competed in the UEFA Women's Champions League, losing at the Quarter Final stage to Birmingham City, triggering a 5-year exile from the competition. After a poor start to the season, including three straight home defeats, Shelley Kerr stood down as Arsenal manager following the FA Cup Final win over Everton. She was replaced on an interim basis by their Centre of Excellence Technical Director, John Bayer, and then later by Kelly Smith, who operated in a player-manager capacity. On the 29th August, Arsenal appointed Pedro Martinez Losa to be their full-time manager.
As this season bridged the gap between the Men's Team's 2013–14 and 2014–15 seasons, the team wore two different sets of kits during each half of the season.
Review
UWCL campaign Five days after their WSL Cup Final win over Lincoln, Arsenal had already begun their new season with the start of the 2013–14 UEFA Women's Champions League, hoping to better their run to the semi finals the previous season. In the Round of 32 stage, they were drawn against Kazakhstan side CSHVSM, who they obliterated 18-2 on aggregate. In the next round, they were paired with Glasgow City. After a routine 3-0 win at The Hive, Arsenal sealed their passage into the quarter finals with a 3-2 win away at Petershill Park, with Alex Scott's late winner making it four wins from four.
Pre-season The 2013 season had seen Arsenal fail to defend their WSL crown, ending their 9-year dominance over the English game, and also failed to qualify for the 2014–15 UEFA Women's Champions League. Despite clinching FA Cup and WSL Cup double, the fallout from those failures would role into pre-season, as the squad collapsed following a mass exodus of talent.
Young attacking midfield maestro Kim Little followed previous manager Laura Harvey to the NWSL to play for Seattle Reign. Steph Houghton made the move to recently promoted Manchester City, whilst Gemma Davison travelled north to play for the new WSL champions, Liverpool. Ellen White, Arsenal's main striker, went to the newly formed Notts County, following Lincoln's controversial relocation. Katie Chapman and Gilly Flaherty were both signed by Chelsea, as they looked to improve their position in the WSL under Emma Hayes. The vastly experience Irish duo of Yvonne Tracy and Ciara Grant also chose to call time on their Arsenal careers. Tracy retired from the game altogether, whilst Grant moved to Reading, before also retiring a year later.
Arsenal looked to replace the departing experience with Casey Stoney, who had previously been at the club at the turn of the millennium as a youth player. Also arriving was Scottish international Christie Murray, Dutch defender Anouk Hoogendijk, Japanese pair Yukari Kinga and Shinobu Ohno, and England international keeper Siobhan Chamberlain.
Despite the departures, Arsenal were able to retain some of their major players. Young stars such as Jordan Nobbs, Danielle Carter, Jade Bailey and Freda Ayisi all committed their futures to the club. Alex Scott, Kelly Smith and Rachel Yankey, key components of past Arsenal sides, also signed on to stay at the club, as did veteran goalkeeper Emma Byrne.
As part of their pre-season, Arsenal did a tour of the Midlands, playing Derby County and Nottingham Forest in friendlies. Arsenal defeated Derby County 5-0, but could only draw 0-0 with Nottingham Forest.
March - April March saw Arsenal continue their Champions League campaign with a quarter final tie against Birmingham City. Both sides knew they had to win the competition outright if they wanted to stay in Europe next season, after both sides finished out of the qualification slots the previous season. Arsenal had finished above their midland counterparts in the past three seasons, and defeated them in two WSL Cup Finals. But this time, it was Birmingham City who had the edge, and clinched the first leg 1-0 when Remi Allen swept in Chelsea Weston's cross. Despite having the second leg at home at The Hive, the Gunners crumbled in the face of the youthful Blues. Kirsty Linnett pushed Birmingham further ahead on aggregate when she toed a bouncing ball past Kinga, burst into the box and drove the ball past Byrne. Allen scored then scored her second of the tie just after the half hour mark, converting Karen Carney's low cross. Arsenal had no response, and Birmingham easily saw out the tie to progress to the semi finals. It was a defeat that had huge ramifications for Arsenal, not only would they now miss out on Europe the following season, it also exposed the damage the winter exodus had done to the team, leaving them with an aged squad that could no longer compete. Arsenal fell away from Europe, and would not return for another five years.
Arsenal respond to their European exit by commencing their FA Cup run, starting with a fifth round tie against Gillingham. A second half brace from Kelly Smith, the latter a penalty, was enough to progress them to the next round. Three days later, Arsenal travelled to Meadow Lane for their first WSL match of the season, against Notts County. This was a new era for Notts County, having previously played at Sincil Bank, when they played as Lincoln. Jess Clarke scored Notts County's first WSL goal when she outpaced Stoney and smashed the ball past Byrne. But ten minutes into the second half, Alex Scott's thumping volley levelled the game, reacting quickest when Ohno's effort was blocked. Both Smith and Carter hit the woodwork in an attempt to complete the turnaround, but 1-1 it remained.
May May began with a WSL Cup match against London rivals Watford. After a goalless first half, Danielle Carter went close to giving the home side the lead right at the start of the second half, only to see her effort come back off the post. Kinga and Ohno then combined as the later put Arsenal 1-0 up. Freda Ayisi made it 2-0 when she converted Leah Williamson's low cross, before Alex Scott scored for the second game in a row with a thumping header to wrap up the win.
Arsenal's attentions then turned to the FA Cup, and a chance for revenge against their conquerors in Europe, Birmingham City. It looked as though a repeat of that European exit was on the cards again when Remi Allen headed Birmingham ahead on the half-hour. But Kelly Smith quickly equalised from the penalty spot, and then in the second half, Ayisi slotted the ball past the Birmingham keeper to complete the comeback.
Seven days later, and it was the FA Cup again, this time, in the semi-finals against Chelsea, in what proved to be a classic contest. The drama began when Kelly Smith saw her first half penalty saved by Marie Hourihan. Then, midway through the second half, Ji So-yun smashed Chelsea in front. Arsenal's response was rapid, as Smith headed in Carter's flighted ball. With five minutes left to play, Yūki Õgimi thought she had won it for Chelsea, only for Smith to equalise again just seconds later with a long range effort. In extra time, Arsenal took the lead for the first time in the match, as goals from Carter and Ohno moved them 4-2 ahead, only for Eni Aluko to pull one back with half time imminent. It would be Casey Stoney who would ultimately put the match to bed once and for all, heading in a corner in the second half of extra-time, concluding an incredible 5-3 win.
After the highs of such a dramatic cup tie, Arsenal then landed back in reality with a bump when they played Reading in the WSL Cup. A brilliant solo goal from Fran Kirby gave the WSL 2 side the lead, and they doubled it when Lauren Bruton converted a rebound from Emma Byrne. It would prove to be the beginning of a disatrous losing streak, as Arsenal welcomed newly promoted Manchester City to Meadow Park. A solitary goal from Toni Duggan proved to be enough to record the Citizen's first win in the division. The rot continued, as just three days later, Arsenal hosted Birmingham City, where a second half brace from Kirsty Linnett re-established their newfound dominance over the North London side. Then it was Bristol Academy's turn to repeat the trick, with Sophie Ingle and Natalia Pablos dealing Arsenal a second home 2-0 defeat, and their fourth consecutive defeat in all competitions. The Bristol Academy defeat proved to be the final straw, as Shelley Kerr immediately announced her resignation as Arsenal manager, confirming she would step down following their FA Cup Final against Everton.
Squad information & statistics
First team squad Squad statistics correct as of May 2018 Squad No. Name Date of Birth (Age) Since Last Contract Signed From Goalkeepers1 Emma Byrne 2000December 2013 Fortuna Hjørring21/15 Siobhan Chamberlain 2013December 2013 Bristol Academy28 Cherie Rowlands ‡ 2013 Barnet Defenders2 Steph Houghton ‡ 2010August 2010 Leeds Carnegie22/2 Alex Scott 2012January 2014 Boston Breakers3 Yvonne Tracey ‡ 2000 St Patrick's Athletic18/3 Emma Mitchell 2013July 2013 SGS Essen4 Yukari Kinga 2014February 2014 INAC Kobe Leonessa5 Gilly Flaherty ‡ 2006 Arsenal Academy23/5 Casey Stoney 2014January 2014 Lincoln6 Anouk Hoogendijk 2014January 2014 Ajax19 Niamh Fahey 2008 Salthill Devon25 Jade Bailey 2013December 2013 Arsenal Academy34 Vyan Sampson 2014 Arsenal Academy28 Taome Oliver 2014 Arsenal Academy Midfielders8 Jordan Nobbs 2010November 2013 Sunderland14 Leah Williamson 2014 Arsenal Academy16 Kim Little ‡ 2008 Hibernian16 Christie Murray 2014January 2014 Glasgow City17 Katie Chapman ‡ 2010 Chicago Red Stars17 Turid Knaak 2014July 2014 Bayer Leverkusen20 Caroline Weir 2013July 2013 Hibernian24 Freda Ayisi 2013December 2013 Arsenal Academy30 Bianca Bragg 2014 Arsenal Academy36 Frances Steele 2013 Arsenal Academy Forwards27/7 Shinobu Ohno 2014February 2014 Lyon9 Ellen White ‡ 2010 Leeds Carnegie15/9 Danielle Carter 2009November 2013 Arsenal Academy23/10 Kelly Smith (c) 2012January 2014 Boston Breakers11 Rachel Yankey 2005January 2014 New Jersey Wildcats12 Gemma Davison ‡ 2012 Sky Blue FC‡ = Player played in the earlier rounds of the UEFA Women's Champions League, but departed Arsenal before the start of the WSL Season
Appearances and goals No.NameTotalGoalsGoalsGoalsGoalsGoalsGoalkeepers1 Emma Byrne13010506025015 Siobhan Chamberlain103020006028 Cherie Rowlands ‡0000000000Defenders2 Steph Houghton ‡000000313122/2 Alex Scott1434073613173 Yvonne Tracey ‡000000101018/3 Emma Mitchell1304030602604 Yukari Kinga9+30415+102020+415 Gilly Flaherty ‡00000040405 Casey Stoney1454171202776 Anouk Hoogendijk0+100+1020002+2019 Niamh Fahey10+1010510016+1125 Jade Bailey10+103+10502+1020+3034 Vyan Sampson100000001028 Taome Oliver00000+10000+10Midfielders8 Jordan Nobbs95004+104417+1914 Leah Williamson11+213+10710+1021+4216 Kim Little ‡000000454516 Christie Murray2+101+202+10005+4017 Katie Chapman ‡000000414117 Turid Knaak2+20002+12004+3220 Caroline Weir0+600+102+112+314+11224 Freda Ayisi4+71212+420+418+15530 Bianca Bragg000+10000+100+2036 Frances Steele0000000000Forwards7 Shinobu Ohno100414+222020+239 Ellen White ‡00000041419 Danielle Carter134416+136729+11523/10 Kelly Smith (c)6+44463+232+2015+81311 Rachel Yankey12+212+204+205225+6312 Gemma Davison ‡0000001+301+30 ‡ = Player played in the earlier rounds of the UEFA Women's Champions League, but departed Arsenal before the start of the WSL Season
Goalscorers