Arsenal Women were held to a goalless draw by Tottenham in Sunday’s north London derby at Brisbane Road, failing to capitalize on Chelsea’s earlier slip-up against Liverpool.

Despite dominating possession and registering 13 shots, the Gunners couldn’t find a way past a resilient Spurs side, leaving them eight points adrift of leaders Manchester City.

1: Arsenal’s Creativity Crisis Is Getting Worse

The numbers tell a damning story. Arsenal have scored more goals than any other WSL side in 2025 with 60 from 21 games, yet they’ve suddenly lost their cutting edge when it matters most. Renee Slegers’ side were completely dominant at Brisbane Road, but goalkeeper Lize Kop was never at full stretch.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Arsenal Women (@arsenalwfc)

Stina Blackstenius was denied twice by routine saves, while substitute Olivia Smith also failed to test Kop with any conviction. Coming off Wednesday’s 3-2 collapse against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, Arsenal’s creative struggles are becoming a concerning pattern. Slegers admitted Arsenal need “a better end product.”

2: Tottenham Set Up Perfectly to Nullify Arsenal

Martin Ho’s tactical approach was spot on. As Sky Sports pundit Izzy Christiansen bluntly put it, “Tottenham were set up to draw.” And they executed that game plan brilliantly.

Spurs flooded bodies back into their defensive third, made it difficult for Arsenal in the box, and succeeded in their objective of leaving with a point. This was Tottenham’s first goalless draw in the WSL in 81 matches. The last came against Reading in March 2022, and only the third time in 12 WSL encounters they’ve taken points off Arsenal. The 6,788 fans at Brisbane Road witnessed a masterclass in defensive organization from Clare Hunt and Toko Koga.

3: Title Race Is Slipping Away From Arsenal

Here’s the harsh reality: No previous WSL champion has ever gone on to lift the title having dropped 11 points across a 22-game campaign. Arsenal have now reached that unwanted milestone with more than half the season still to play.

Manchester City extended their lead at the top to three points from Chelsea – their biggest margin of difference so far this season. Arsenal sit eight points behind the league leaders having played the same number of games. They had the perfect opportunity to gain ground after Chelsea dropped points earlier in the day, but instead passed up the chance spectacularly.

Also read: AI Predicts Upcoming Heated North London Derby Between Arsenal Women and Tottenham Hotspur Women

Arsenal Women missed a golden opportunity to gain ground on the WSL leaders after being held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Tottenham at Brisbane Road. Despite dominating possession and registering 13 shots, Renee Slegers’ side failed to score. The result sees Arsenal fall eight points behind leaders Manchester City.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Arsenal Women (@arsenalwfc)

The Standout Performers:

Lotte Wubben-Moy – 7.5/10 Kept a clean sheet on her 100th WSL appearance, marshalling Arsenal’s defence with composure throughout. Never looked flustered and kept Tottenham at arm’s length with intelligent positioning. Shaken up after taking a blow to the head during the first half but played through any discomfort.

Emily Fox – 7/10 Fired Arsenal’s first effort in the 15th minute after a neat one-two with Alessia Russo, though her shot was tame and straight at Lize Kop. Happy to sit deep and allow others to flood forward. One bright burst into the penalty area troubled Spurs late on, though her cross-shot was ultimately cut out.

Kyra Cooney-Cross – 7/10 Nearly broke the deadlock with an ambitious strike that curled inches past the post. Her inswinging free-kick towards the far post created danger before being headed clear. Kept Arsenal ticking over in midfield with intelligent distribution.

Other Notable Performances:

Daphne van Domselaar – 6.5/10 Did what was required on a relatively quiet afternoon, making one early save from Eveliina Summanen’s long-range free-kick. Took the odd risk in possession but remained composed to preserve her clean sheet.

Mariona Caldentey – 6/10 Worked hard but struggled to influence proceedings in the final third. Arsenal’s usually reliable Spanish midfielder couldn’t find spaces to hurt Tottenham’s compact defensive setup.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Arsenal Women (@arsenalwfc)

Beth Mead – 6/10 Involved in buildup play but her final ball lacked precision. Touched the ball inside for Russo for one of Arsenal’s better chances but couldn’t create the moment of magic needed.

The Disappointing Displays:

Stina Blackstenius – 4.5/10 Missed Arsenal’s clearest opportunity when firing high over the crossbar from eight yards out in the second half, leaning back and getting her effort all wrong. Also saw a poor header and low drive from a tight angle easily kept out before the interval.

Alessia Russo – 5/10 Endured a frustrating afternoon in front of goal. Fired a difficult volley wide with 10 minutes of the first half remaining when presented with Arsenal’s best chance. Her movement was intelligent but lacked the clinical finishing Arsenal desperately needed.

Read More: Arsenal Women Player Ratings vs. Leicester City: Russo and Blackstenius Fire Gunners to Emphatic Victory

Chelsea midfielder Keira Walsh has issued a powerful call for governing bodies to address the mounting ACL crisis plaguing women’s football after Arsenal teenager Katie Reid became the seventh WSL player to rupture her anterior cruciate ligament this season.

Read More: Ailing Katie Reid Receives Words of Consolation From Arsenal Loanee Suffering From Same Injury

Keira Walsh voices Out Against WSL: “People Higher Up Need to Listen”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Only Womens Football (@onlywomensfootball)

Walsh delivered her stark assessment ahead of Chelsea’s Champions League clash, demanding decision-makers take player welfare seriously. “Maybe sometimes we do play too many games in a congested fixture schedule. There’s not enough recovery time,” the 28-year-old stated bluntly. “You can do the research, but ultimately you need to listen to the ones going through it and how we can best find the solutions.”

Teams like Arsenal and Chelsea who advanced deep into last season’s Champions League played over 50 matches throughout the year. With Euro 2025 also taking place during summer, the world’s best players received minimal rest before diving straight back into another grueling campaign.

“Sometimes as players you do worry about it,” Walsh continued. “You still want to play those games. But sometimes people higher up do need to listen to what we’re saying as players.”

Crisis Deepens Across the WSL

Reid’s injury represents a particularly cruel blow for the 19-year-old defender, who had forced her way into Arsenal’s starting lineup ahead of established internationals. Her impressive performances earned Arsenal’s Player of the Month award for September and a first England senior call-up before the training ground injury ended her breakthrough season.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Katie Reid (@katie.reid26)

The teenager joins Arsenal teammates Manuela Zinsberger and Michelle Agyemang on the treatment table with season-ending ACL injuries. Liverpool have three players sidelined ~ Marie Höbinger, Sophie Román Haug, and Zara Shaw.

Chelsea’s Kadeisha Buchanan and Brooke Aspin, Everton’s Megan Finnigan and Aurora Galli, plus Manchester City’s Mary Fowler have all suffered ACL ruptures this campaign.

The statistics are harrowing, with seven ACL injuries in just eight weeks of the season. Female footballers are already two to six times more likely than men to suffer ACL injuries, making the current crisis even more alarming.

Read More: Who Is Katie Reid? The 19-Year-Old Arsenal Defender Set for England Debut