Roberto looks ahead to Sunday’s game at Crawley, including Brighton’s summer changes, their pre-season against PSG and Barcelona, the arrival of new head coach Arturo Ruiz and the players Arsenal will need to keep an eye on, including former Gunner Lia Wälti, Fran Kirby and Kiko Seike.

We also look back at Arsenal’s last five meetings with Brighton, including two difficult recent trips away, before turning to Renée Slegers and what six weeks of pre-season might have taught us about the new Arsenal.

Can the rotations and connections we’ve been seeing survive a proper WSL match? Does Arsenal now have enough different ways to solve a stubborn opponent? And with almost everybody fit, who should start?

There’s also a quick reaction to London City Lionesses’ 2-1 opening-night victory over Manchester United, including Daniëlle van de Donk’s brilliant goal, Alexia Putellas’ WSL debut and what the result might tell us about both clubs this season.

A 1-4 Arsenal win score prediction from Roberto, now over to you.

Follow Arsenal Women: Trailblazers wherever you listen, visit ArsenalWomenTrailblazers.com and find Roberto on Instagram at @ArsenalWomenTrailblazers.

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this breaking episode of Arsenal Women: Trailblazers, Roberto goes beyond simply listing the fixtures and looks at what the draw actually means for Renée Slegers and this Arsenal squad.

How difficult is Barcelona away? Can Arsenal take something from Lyon at home after last season’s semi-final? Why could Paris FC be much trickier than the name suggests? How seriously should we take an Inter side who have already knocked Wolfsburg out of Europe? And which matches simply have to become three points if Arsenal are serious about finishing in the top four?

There’s also a look at where the real danger lies in the draw, which opponent may be underestimated and why Arsenal’s deeper squad could become crucial once the Champions League and WSL schedules begin overlapping.

Arsenal finished fifth in the league phase last season before reaching the semi-finals. This year, with a stronger squad and a full pre-season under Renée Slegers, should the target now be the top four?

Follow Arsenal Women: Trailblazers wherever you listen, visit ArsenalWomenTrailblazers.com and find Roberto on Instagram at @ArsenalWomenTrailblazers.

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Then we get back to the football.

Who is Élisa de Almeida? What sort of defender have Arsenal signed? Why has Renée Slegers added a 28-year-old with 52 France caps, 154 PSG appearances and extensive Champions League experience to a defence already containing Leah Williamson, Lotte Wubben-Moy and Steph Catley? And could her mobility and experience at both centre-back and right-back change the way Arsenal defend this season?

There’s also Friday news on Olivia Smith’s forthcoming Olivia in London documentary and Georgia Stanway’s Arsenal Reddit AMA.

A slightly different Trailblazers episode, but an important one: slow the conversation down, follow the evidence and then make up your own mind.

Follow Arsenal Women: Trailblazers wherever you listen, visit ArsenalWomenTrailblazers.com and find Roberto on Instagram at @ArsenalWomenTrailblazers.

Chapters

01:35 Intro

03:18 Olivia Smith: Olivia in London

05:05 Georgia Stanway’s Arsenal AMA

08:15 What’s actually behind the Élisa controversy?

10:00 Evidence, allegations and social media

18:17 Who is Élisa de Almeida the footballer?

25:50 What her signing changes for Arsenal

Read Georgia Stanway's AMA on Arsenal's Reddit

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Reports suggest Arsenal have agreed terms with Paris Saint-Germain for France international defender Elisa De Almeida, potentially answering the centre-back question we’ve been asking throughout the summer.

Nothing has been officially announced by either club at the time of recording, so Roberto looks at what we actually know, why another specialist centre-back makes sense for Renée Slegers’ squad and what the move might tell us about Arsenal’s ambitions this season.

There’s also the small matter of a football match nobody was allowed to watch.

Arsenal reportedly beat Everton 6-1 in a behind-closed-doors friendly played over three 45-minute periods. Neither club has published a match report and Roberto certainly isn’t going to invent one, but a Trailblazers follower has provided the apparent Arsenal goalscorers.

That information hasn’t been independently verified, so we treat it accordingly, but if correct, six different goalscorers following five against Charlton gives us another interesting clue about something we’ve been watching develop throughout pre-season: more movement, more positional rotation and potentially more places for Arsenal’s goals to come from.

We also look ahead to Friday’s UEFA Women’s Champions League draw and Sunday’s WSL opener against Brighton, when pre-season theories finally have to survive an actual competitive football match.

Plus, there’s a first little preview of the next Trailblazers player profile: Géraldine Reuteler.

Follow Arsenal Women: Trailblazers wherever you listen to podcasts.

Visit ArsenalWomenTrailblazers.com

Instagram: @ArsenalWomenTrailblazers

If you enjoy the podcast, please follow or subscribe, leave a rating or review and share the episode with another Arsenal Women supporter.

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

She was playing professionally in Australia at 15, made her Matildas debut at 19, went to the Olympics that same year, moved to Europe at 20 and became one of the breakout midfielders of the 2023 Women’s World Cup before joining Arsenal at 21.

But understanding Kyra’s story means understanding far more than the football.

In this special episode of Arsenal Women: Trailblazers, Roberto traces Kyra’s journey from Queensland, Alice Springs and Ballarat through Melbourne Victory, Western Sydney Wanderers, Hammarby, the Matildas and eventually Arsenal Women.

It’s also the story of her mum, Jessica Cooney, whose support and sacrifices were part of that journey from the very beginning, from long drives to training and finding the money to help a 12-year-old Kyra travel to a football tournament, through to watching her daughter play at a home World Cup and for Arsenal.

We also talk about Kyra’s difficult first years in North London, the devastating loss of Jessica in July 2026, the support Kyra received from Arsenal, her teammates and supporters, and her emotional return to Meadow Park against Paris FC.

Then there’s that goal against Charlton.

This isn’t an attempt to turn grief into a sporting comeback story, because none of us knows what being “back” means for Kyra. It’s simply the story of an extraordinary young footballer, the mum who helped her get there and the Arsenal player we’re very pleased to see playing football again.

A personal note before listening: this episode contains discussion of terminal cancer, bereavement and grief, including Roberto's own recent experience of loss.

Chapters:

00:00 Kyra Cooney-Cross: Football, Family and Finding Her Way Back

05:51 Where Kyra's Story Really Begins

09:16 The Little Girl From Australia

14:40 Professional Football at 15

18:12 Sweden, Hammarby and the 2023 World Cup

24:34 Arsenal and a Much Harder Challenge

27:25 When Football Stopped Mattering

34:42 Kyra Comes Back to Meadow Park

38:43 What Does Coming Back Actually Mean?

Follow Arsenal Women: Trailblazers wherever you listen to podcasts.

Visit ArsenalWomenTrailblazers.com

Instagram: @ArsenalWomenTrailblazers

If you enjoy the podcast, please follow or subscribe, leave a rating or review and share the episode with another Arsenal Women supporter.

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We start with the Trailblazers community itself, welcoming new website members from the UK, Iceland and Australia, and hearing from Australian listener Nicki Reeves, whose message about Caitlin Foord sent us back into the Arsenal defender’s early career and reminded us why supporters from different parts of the world can sometimes see the same player very differently.

Then we get into the Arsenal news.

Vivienne Lia has left Arsenal permanently for Eintracht Frankfurt after progressing through the academy and several loan spells, while 18-year-old Sophie Harwood has joined Sheffield United on loan for the 2026/27 season. Two young players, two very different next steps, and a wider question about what development actually looks like when Arsenal’s senior squad already has so much competition for places.

There’s plenty of recognition for the first team too. Emily Fox, Mariona Caldentey and Alessia Russo have all been selected in the PFA WSL Team of the Year for the second season running, while Olivia Smith has won PFA Women’s Young Player of the Year for the second consecutive year — this time after doing it at two different clubs.

We also look at Steph Catley’s nomination for Australian PFA Player of the Year, where she is chasing a fourth overall award and a third consecutive win.

Finally, Renée Slegers appears to have revealed one last Arsenal pre-season match before the WSL opener away to Brighton. We know it exists. We don’t know who Arsenal are playing, where they’re playing or very much else at all, so for now we’re sticking with the useful answer: we don’t know.

Plus, Nicki Reeves has accidentally commissioned Monday’s episode. Kyra Cooney-Cross is next.

Follow Arsenal Women: Trailblazers wherever you listen to podcasts, and if you enjoy the show, please rate, review and share it with another Arsenal Women supporter.

Instagram: @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Website: arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After my first visit to Meadow Park, I went back and watched the match again to understand what Renée Slegers’ Arsenal were actually trying to do.

And I think we’re beginning to see something taking shape.

We look at the developing partnership between Lisa Baum and Smilla Holmberg, why Ona Batlle and Mariona Caldentey were creating a similar overload on the opposite side, Georgia Stanway’s increasingly fascinating midfield role and why Alessia Russo appeared to be operating as a number ten behind Stina Blackstenius.

Then Renée changed seven players at half-time - and something rather important happened.

The players changed. A surprising amount of the football didn’t.

Smilla moved from attacking right-back to centre-back. Emily Fox took over the role ahead of her. Kyra Cooney-Cross and Géraldine Reuteler entered midfield. Taylor Hinds, Caitlin Foord and Lotte Wubben-Moy formed new combinations on the left. Yet many of the movements and relationships Arsenal had been building in the first half remained recognisable.

Could we finally be seeing what “Renée-ball” is supposed to look like?

There’s also an intriguing continuation from the Paris FC match. After Arsenal occasionally wanted one touch too many around the penalty area on Sunday, Renée spoke about getting the “final detail” right. Against Charlton, Arsenal were suddenly much more willing to shoot when space appeared - with spectacular results from Kyra Cooney-Cross, Olivia Smith and Frida Maanum.

We also look at Charlton’s opening goal and the communication breakdown behind it, Misa Rodríguez’s involvement in Arsenal’s build-up, Lisa Baum’s increasingly difficult-to-ignore pre-season, Géraldine beginning to find her place and why Arsenal’s extraordinary squad depth becomes much more interesting if different players can perform the same roles within the same system.

Five goals. Five different scorers. Seven half-time substitutions.

And perhaps our clearest look yet at the Arsenal Renée Slegers is trying to build for 2026/27.

Follow Arsenal Women: Trailblazers wherever you listen to podcasts, and please rate, review and share the show with another Arsenal Women supporter.

Join the conversation on Instagram: @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Read the essays and more at arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

But rather than simply predicting a starting XI and a scoreline, I want to use this episode to help us watch the match a little differently.

First, we get to know Charlton. They’re newly promoted to the WSL after coming agonisingly close to automatic promotion last season, and they’ve strengthened with players including Ashleigh Neville, Emily van Egmond and Leah Davidson. This isn’t simply some lower-league opposition being brought in for a gentle final run-out — it’s a team Arsenal will meet again when the matches actually count.

Then we take what we learned from Sunday’s 1-0 win over Paris FC and turn it into a watching guide for Wednesday.

Is the developing partnership between Lisa Baum and Smilla Holmberg part of something bigger in Renée Slegers’ system? What does Georgia Stanway do after she releases the ball? Does Arsenal’s aggressive counter-press survive changes in personnel? Can we make that final decision around the penalty area half a second earlier?

We’ll also look at Géraldine Reuteler and the connections she’s still developing, Selina Cerci’s movement behind defenders, Misa Rodríguez’s distribution, Kyra Cooney-Cross continuing her return - and whether the brief Caitlin Foord right-back era has already reached its conclusion.

The challenge for this one is simple: pick one thing and watch it.

Take your eyes away from the ball occasionally and watch the movement around it. Then come and tell me what you saw, because we’ll use those observations when we break the Charlton match down afterwards.

After this one, pre-season is over.

Brighton is next.

If you enjoy Arsenal Women: Trailblazers, please follow or subscribe to the podcast, leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and share the episode with another Arsenal Women supporter. Every share helps more people discover what we’re building.

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Arsenal Women: Trailblazers, I take a proper look at Renée Slegers’ developing 2026/27 Arsenal side and some of the things that were much easier to see once you stopped simply waiting for the goal.

Why were Lisa Baum and Smilla Holmberg combining so frequently on Arsenal’s right? Why did Leah Williamson keep moving across to cover that space? What does Georgia Stanway already seem to be adding to the midfield? Why was Selina Cerci causing Paris FC problems even without scoring? And why did Géraldine Reuteler appear relatively quiet after coming on?

There are also some fair concerns. Arsenal controlled long periods without creating enough clear chances, sometimes took one touch too many around the penalty area, the substitutions changed the shape considerably, and - yes - Caitlin Foord really did finish the match at right-back.

But there was another side to this performance: an aggressive counter-press, players rotating intelligently to cover each other, some very encouraging new partnerships and a team that looked increasingly comfortable winning the ball back almost immediately after losing it.

Paris FC deserve some credit as well. They were organised, physical, defended the penalty area extremely well and were further into their own pre-season preparations. Arsenal had to keep trying to solve the problem rather than simply play through it.

Renée described the missing ingredient afterwards as the “final detail”, and that feels about right.

So rather than giving you a minute-by-minute match report, this is a deeper look at what Arsenal were trying to do, what worked, what didn’t, and what this friendly might be telling us about the team Renée is building.

If you enjoy Arsenal Women: Trailblazers, please follow the podcast, rate and review it, and share the episode with another Arsenal Women supporter. It genuinely helps more people discover what we’re building.

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I take a proper look at Paris FC, the players Arsenal need to be aware of and why this should be a much more serious pre-season test than the word “friendly” might suggest. Then we try to predict Renée’s starting XI and, more importantly, work out what we should actually be watching for.

How might Ona Batlle change Arsenal’s shape when she moves inside? Where does Géraldine Reuteler fit? Are the connections involving Georgia Stanway, Chloe Kelly, Olivia Smith and the new arrivals beginning to appear? What happens when Selina Cerci, Stina Blackstenius or Kyra Cooney-Cross enter the game?

And then we move away from Sunday’s match to something potentially much bigger.

A fascinating Guardian investigation into WSL finances has revealed just how dramatically the economics of women’s football are changing. Arsenal and Chelsea generated more revenue in 2024/25 than the rest of the WSL combined, while Arsenal Women’s matchday income alone has risen from £45,000 nine years ago to almost £6 million.

I break those numbers down without the accountancy language and look at what they actually mean for Arsenal supporters: why playing at Emirates Stadium matters financially as well as culturally, how revenue can influence what clubs are able to spend, why Manchester United provide an interesting contrast, and why London City Lionesses’ enormous losses raise questions that deserve a much deeper investigation.

The money might look like a story happening away from the football. It isn’t. It helps explain how Arsenal can build the squad we’re about to watch on Sunday - and why expectations around this team are changing.

YOUR PARIS FC PREDICTIONS

I’m going Arsenal 4–1 Paris FC.

Send me your predicted score and Arsenal starting XI on Instagram at @arsenalwomentrailblazers and I’ll share some of your predictions before the match.

Join the free Trailblazers community and read the written pieces at arsenalwomentrailblazers.com.

If you enjoy the podcast, please follow the show, leave a rating or review and share the episode with another Arsenal Women supporter. Every listen and recommendation helps this independently produced podcast continue to grow.

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rather helpfully, Renée has now told us.

In a fascinating new interview with Arsenal, Renée explains why recruitment this summer has been so precise, why Arsenal looked at the person behind each player as well as the footballer, how the dynamics and leadership within the squad are changing and why this stage of pre-season is now about finding the “real connections” between players.

And that phrase made me go back over everything we’ve been noticing against AC Milan and Manchester City.

Chloe Kelly’s deliveries finding Stina Blackstenius and Selina Cerci. Olivia Smith drifting inside. Selina creating Lisa Baum’s winner against City. Georgia Stanway beginning to influence Arsenal’s midfield. And perhaps the more interesting questions around Ona Batlle and Géraldine Reuteler aren’t simply what they bring individually, but what their qualities allow the players around them to do.

So rather than trying to predict Arsenal’s best XI before the season has even started, I’m looking at something slightly different: which combinations might allow this extraordinary collection of players to become their best?

We also look at Renée’s thoughts on leadership and self-leadership, why a proper summer break mattered, what she has learned about herself as Arsenal manager and the very clear ambition inside the club this season.

Arsenal want to take the next step. They want to compete for first place in the WSL. And after two slow league starts, Renée sounds rather pleased that her rebuilt team is going to be tested immediately.

There’s also a little Trailblazers news because this has been an extraordinary week. Our Instagram profile has approached 50,000 views over the last 30 days, the podcast has crossed 1,000 downloads in 30 days and we’ve now been able to apply for Acast monetisation for the first time.

Thank you to every new listener, follower and subscriber who has found us, and a special thank you to journalist Tom Canton from The Gooner Talk for his incredibly generous support and shoutout.

🎙️ Arsenal Women: Trailblazers follows Arsenal Women on and off the pitch, looking beyond what happened to understand why it matters.

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stina Blackstenius opened the scoring from a Chloe Kelly corner, Lauren Hemp equalised just before half-time, and then late on Selina Cerci put Lisa Baum through on goal for the winner.

But the interesting part for me is what’s beginning to repeat itself across these pre-season games.

Anneke Borbe appears to have had a very strong game against some of the best attacking players in the WSL. Chloe Kelly’s delivery from corners is causing problems again. Georgia Stanway is getting into attacking positions quickly. Olivia Smith is drifting inside and creating. Stina is reminding everyone that she’s still very much part of this forward line. Kyra Cooney-Cross is back on the pitch. And Selina Cerci, fresh from scoring against AC Milan, is already showing that there’s more to her game than finishing chances.

I also want to keep the context honest. Manchester City created plenty, Borbe had saves to make, and City themselves felt they were on top for parts of the first half. So just as losing to AC Milan didn’t mean Arsenal were suddenly in trouble, beating Manchester City doesn’t mean the league is wrapped up in August either.

What it does mean is that Renée Slegers now has another useful body of evidence from pre-season, and we’re beginning to see little patterns rather than isolated moments.

And on Sunday against Paris FC, we finally get to watch some of them for ourselves.

Head to www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com to join the Trailblazers community and connect with us on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Selina arrived at Arsenal this summer, the headline numbers made her fairly easy to understand. She’d scored 16 Bundesliga goals in 2024/25 to finish as the league’s top scorer, then another 16 the following season. She’s a German international, she’s quick, physical, strong in the air and she scores a lot of goals.

Then I started looking properly at the career underneath those numbers, and realised I’d started her story far too late.

Because Cerci was already becoming one of Germany’s most exciting young forwards at 21. She’d scored 13 goals in 15 Bundesliga appearances for Turbine Potsdam, broken into the German national team and looked as though her career was heading very quickly in one direction.

Then she tore her ACL.

In this episode of Arsenal Women: Trailblazers, I’m going right back through Selina’s journey, the injury and difficult years that followed, how she rediscovered herself at Hoffenheim and what those extraordinary back-to-back 16-goal seasons actually tell us about the player Arsenal have signed.

But I also wanted to understand why Renée Slegers wanted Cerci when Alessia Russo and Stina Blackstenius are already here. So we’re looking at how Selina actually plays, her physical and aerial threat, her forward intent, the creative side of her game that developed at Hoffenheim and the different possibilities she could give this Arsenal attack.

And there’s another side of Selina I wanted us to get to know as well. Away from football there’s fashion, travel, coffee, padel, cycling, a lucky embroidered teddy bear that follows her into the dressing room and a rather particular pre-match relationship with both sets of goalposts.

The more I researched her, the less interested I became in simply asking how many goals Selina Cerci might score for Arsenal.

She’s spent the last few years finding out whether she could get back to the player she was becoming before everything stopped.

Now we get to find out how much further she can go.

🎙️ Arsenal Women: Trailblazers, with Roberto Revilla.

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Arsenal Women: Trailblazers, I’m looking at what Georgia Stanway, Ona Batlle, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Steph Catley and Renée Slegers have been saying about Arsenal, why elite players are choosing to come here, why others are choosing to stay, and what that tells us about the expectations for 2026/27.

Georgia talks about first-day nerves, coming in early to settle, why she trusted her gut on Arsenal and why what the club is building feels fresh and exciting. Ona talks about coming back to England at 27, feeling like she’s entering her prime and wanting to win every trophy. Steph explains why Arsenal now feels like home, while Lotte makes it very clear that the WSL is the priority.

And then Renée says it too.

Arsenal want to win the league.

I also talk about Daisy Goodhand’s excellent piece on Jenna Nighswonger and the idea that sometimes a very good player can join a very good club and it simply doesn’t work out. No villain required, no need to rewrite history, sometimes football is just more complicated than that.

There’s also a lovely update from Madison and her Leah Williamson shirt story, a message from new Trailblazers member Helen Pearson, and Aya explains how Ted Lasso, Leah Williamson and a welcoming Arsenal community helped bring her into football in the first place.

And yes, I may have promised to attempt the new Georgia Stanway chant.

That was probably a mistake - I'll let you and your ears judge for yourselves!

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, and find the accompanying articles at ArsenalWomenTrailblazers.com

Read Daisy Goodhand's article on her Substack at https://daisygoodhand.substack.com/p/the-wrong-fit

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Arsenal Women: Trailblazers, Roberto Revilla goes through Arsenal’s official match report and looks at what we can actually take from the game, rather than attempting to judge a performance none of us were able to watch.

Leah Williamson headed home from an Olivia Smith corner, while summer signing Selina Cerci scored her first goal for Arsenal with a superb strike from outside the area. Alessia Russo, Stina Blackstenius and Cerci also hit the crossbar as Arsenal created chances and twice fought back from behind.

There were encouraging signs from Olivia Smith, valuable minutes for academy prospects Kyri Teer-Hutchins, Amelia Marriott, Abi Conway and Bella Cowley, and another opportunity for Renée Slegers to learn about her squad as Arsenal completed a demanding training camp in scorching conditions in Spain.

We also put the result into context. What does losing a behind-closed-doors pre-season friendly actually tell us? How much can we reasonably infer from Arsenal’s match report? And with AC Milan further into their own pre-season preparations, is the immediate negativity surrounding a 3-2 defeat remotely justified?

Arsenal now return to England before facing Paris FC on 23 August and Charlton Athletic on 26 August at Meadow Park, ahead of the start of the 2026/27 WSL season.

🎙️ Arsenal Women: Trailblazers - following Arsenal Women on and off the pitch, telling the players’ stories and creating a welcoming place for supporters to learn more about the team.

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

She did. We can calm down.

In this episode of Arsenal Women: Trailblazers, I’m catching up on exactly where Arsenal are in pre-season, what we know about the training camp in Spain and what comes next, including the two confirmed matches at Meadow Park against Paris FC on Sunday 23 August and Charlton Athletic on Wednesday 26 August.

I’m also answering some of your questions.

Zoe Stephens wants to know exactly what we can establish about Arsenal’s behind-closed-doors win over Crystal Palace, including Caitlin Foord’s involvement and those two completely different elevens. That takes us into a wider conversation about why clubs play private pre-season friendlies, where information about those matches actually comes from and why sometimes the most accurate answer I can give you is simply: we don’t know.

Head of the Irish Trailblazers Ciara Mallon wants to know whether the Paris FC and Charlton games will be televised or streamed - something I’ll be keeping a close eye on as soon as Arsenal release more information.

And Madison Reed wants to take a banner to the Emirates asking Leah Williamson for her shirt. We’ve got the stadium rules she needs, but her question also prompted some rather unnecessary comments online about Leah, which got me thinking about something else: when somebody, particularly a younger or newer supporter, asks an innocent question because they’re excited about supporting one of our players, why are some people so determined to take the fun out of it?

There’s plenty we’ll discover about Arsenal over the next few weeks. There’s also plenty we simply don’t know yet.

And that’s okay.

🎙️ Arsenal Women: Trailblazers follows Arsenal Women on and off the pitch, celebrating the players and people behind the shirt while creating a welcoming place to learn more about the team, ask questions and enjoy supporting Arsenal Women.

Read more and join the Trailblazers community free at ArsenalWomenTrailblazers.com.

Follow @ArsenalWomenTrailblazers on Instagram for the latest episodes, articles and pre-season updates.

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

But judging by some of the reaction online, you could be forgiven for thinking Arsenal had just lost their opening game of the WSL season.

In my first Trailblazers match report, I use the official accounts from both Arsenal and Crystal Palace to piece together what actually happened in this behind-closed-doors friendly - and then, as always, we go a little deeper.

Crystal Palace were playing their third pre-season match while this was Arsenal’s first. Renée Slegers changed the entire XI at half-time, academy players mixed with established internationals and new signings, and the only goal Arsenal conceded was described by Palace themselves as a stunning long-range strike. So is this really evidence that Arsenal urgently need another centre-back, or are we forgetting what pre-season is actually for? 

There’s plenty to be encouraged by, too.

Summer signing Lisa Baum scored her first Arsenal goal, and the manner in which she did it - receiving the ball around the edge of the area, coming inside and shooting - looked remarkably similar to the player we identified when we first analysed her on Trailblazers. For supporters who don’t yet know much about Lisa, this might be our first glimpse of what makes Lisa Baum, Lisa Baum. 

And then there’s Chloe Kelly.

After an injury-hit season, and less than 48 hours after I found myself pushing back against yet more criticism and abuse directed towards her online, Chloe returned to the pitch, controlled a difficult high ball and scored Arsenal’s winner with a half-volley.

Does one pre-season goal prove her critics wrong? Of course not. Just as one difficult season doesn’t prove that Chloe Kelly suddenly isn’t good enough for Arsenal.

So as Arsenal begin their preparations for 2026/27, perhaps there’s a better way for all of us to approach what happens over the next few weeks:

Don’t overreact, but pay attention. 

🎙️ Arsenal Women: Trailblazers follows Arsenal Women on and off the pitch, celebrating the players and people behind the shirt while creating a space for supporters to be curious, ask better questions and support this team with passion and perspective.

Read the accompanying features and join the Trailblazers community free at ArsenalWomenTrailblazers.com.

Follow @ArsenalWomenTrailblazers on Instagram for more throughout pre-season and the 2026/27 campaign.

If you enjoy the episode, follow or subscribe and send it to another Arsenal Women supporter who might enjoy Trailblazers.

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Episode 25 of Arsenal Women: Trailblazers, Roberto Revilla explores the journey behind Arsenal’s number 23, from her early years in Kent and breakthrough with England to becoming one of the world’s finest centre-forwards. If you’re new to Arsenal Women, or simply want to get to know the players beyond what you see on a matchday, this is a story you won’t want to miss.

The episode also tackles one of the biggest debates in women’s football: is Arsenal really failing its young players? Following Jessie Gale’s season-long loan to Newcastle United, Roberto explores why supporters often confuse potential with readiness, why players like Katie Reid and Michelle Agyemang are so exceptional, and what Arsenal’s recruitment of young talents such as Smilla Holmberg and Lisa Baum tells us about the club’s ambitions under Renée Slegers.

Finally, Mariona Caldentey’s latest BBC interview provides the perfect opportunity to reflect on Arsenal’s mentality heading into the new Women’s Super League season. Her simple four-word message – “Now is our time.” – says everything about the belief growing inside this Arsenal squad as they prepare to compete for the biggest honours once again.

Whether you’ve followed Arsenal Women for years or you’re discovering the team for the very first time, Trailblazers is here to help you understand not just the football, but the people, the stories and the culture behind one of the biggest clubs in the women’s game.

Read Suzanne Wrack's piece on Alessia Russo in The Guardian : https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/aug/06/alessia-russo-arsenal-england-wsl-football-interview

Read Joe Bradshaw's interview with Mariona Caldentey here : https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c87nlvj2zy9o

Read Sylvain Jamet's match report on Arsenal's U21 and wider analysis of the academy here : https://dailycannon.com/2026/08/arsenal-women-pre-season-london-bees/

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Arsenal Women Trailblazers, I explain why the tailor in me completely changed his mind about Arsenal’s new third kit, why Nikita Runnacles’ appointment as Arsenal’s new set-piece and goalkeeping coach could have a much bigger impact than many supporters realise, and what Geraldine Reuteler’s first major interview reveals about the culture Renée Slegers is building at Arsenal.

I also take a closer look at Chloe Kelly following her recent BBC interview, reflecting on everything she’s overcome over the past two years and addressing the online abuse and AI-generated misinformation that too many female footballers continue to face. Rather than amplifying negativity, I want to celebrate one of Arsenal’s most resilient players and discuss the kind of football community we should all be helping to build.

In this episode:

• My thoughts on Arsenal Women’s new 2026/27 third kit.
• Why Nikita Runnacles’ appointment could improve Arsenal at both attacking and defending set pieces.
• Geraldine Reuteler on why joining Arsenal was a dream move.
• Chloe Kelly’s recent interview and why this could be her biggest season yet.
• Why supporting players matters just as much as supporting the team.

If you enjoy independent Arsenal Women analysis that looks beyond the headlines, I’d really appreciate it if you could follow the podcast, leave a rating and review, and share this episode with another Arsenal supporter.

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s episode of Arsenal Women: Trailblazers, I look through Arsenal’s 2026/27 fixture list, discuss where the biggest tests and opportunities lie, and explain why I’m feeling optimistic about the campaign ahead.

I also say goodbye to Laila Harbert following her move to San Diego Wave, reflect on Chloe Kelly’s honest comments after what she describes as a difficult year, and finish by answering your questions from the Trailblazers community.

This week’s mailbag includes:

• Who should make up Arsenal’s first-choice midfield?
• Could Arsenal’s growing Spanish influence shape the way they play?
• How important is a strong start to the season?
• What should we make of the opening fixtures?
• And how does Manchester United’s squad compare with Arsenal’s heading into the new campaign?
• 
  

As always, we’re less interested in simply telling you what’s happened and much more interested in understanding why it matters.

Chapter Markers

00:00 – Cold Open

00:25 – Welcome

01:10 – Laila Harbert joins San Diego Wave

11:38 – Chloe Kelly: “I needed this summer”

21:17 – Arsenal’s 2026/27 WSL Fixtures

30:26 – Mailbag

53:00 – Outro

Arsenal Women, Arsenal Women podcast, Women’s Super League, WSL fixtures, Renée Slegers, Chloe Kelly, Laila Harbert, San Diego Wave, Arsenal transfers, Arsenal fixtures, Arsenal FC Women, Kim Little, Mariona Caldentey, Georgia Stanway, Women’s football, UEFA Women’s Champions League.

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the 19-year-old now heavily linked with a loan move to Newcastle United Women, I take a closer look at her journey from Charlton and Arsenal’s academy into senior football, what she learned during two contrasting WSL 2 loans and why Newcastle could provide exactly the sort of pressure, responsibility and promotion challenge she needs next.

I also consider whether keeping Jess around Arsenal’s first-team squad would actually help her development when Alessia Russo, Stina Blackstenius, Selina Cerci and Michelle Agyemang are already competing for central attacking minutes, before setting out what a successful 2026/27 loan season should look like.

Elsewhere in the episode, I discuss the latest interviews with Renée Slegers and Arsenal’s new recruits, the club’s clear ambition to win the WSL and the difficult job Renée now faces balancing such a deep and competitive squad.

Finally, I highlight an excellent statistical analysis from @WSLAnalytics explaining why Georgia Stanway may be exactly the midfielder Arsenal needed, including the remarkable passing numbers that show how she can give the team control, progression and greater influence in the final third.

Chapter markers

00:00 Jess Gale’s next big career decision

00:48 Welcome to Arsenal Women: Trailblazers

02:00 Arsenal’s new recruits want the WSL title

04:35 What Renée Slegers is telling us

08:10 Getting to know Jess Gale

11:50 Five goals on loan at Portsmouth

13:25 Jess Gale’s breakthrough at Bristol City

16:00 What kind of striker is she?

17:55 England recognition and the Under-20 World Cup

18:40 Would Newcastle be the right loan?

21:55 Why staying at Arsenal may slow her development

24:15 What a successful loan season should look like

26:30 @WSLAnalytics on Georgia Stanway

31:15 Closing thoughts and Trailblazers updates

Suzanne Wrack's Guardian Article is here for you if you'd like to read it in full.

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I react to the launch of the new 2026/27 away kit, the players returning to the Sobha Realty Training Centre and the first images of Renée Slegers’ rebuilt squad training together.

I also answer your questions from Instagram, including whether Misa Rodríguez will immediately become Arsenal’s number one goalkeeper, what Daphne van Domselaar’s injury means for the start of the season, where Anneke Borbe fits into the picture and why I believe Isabella Damm’s signing should be viewed very differently.

More than anything though, this episode is about perspective. For years Arsenal supporters asked for greater squad depth and stronger competition. Now the club appears to have built exactly that, so are we worrying about the wrong thing?

As always, this isn’t simply about what has happened. It’s about understanding why it matters.

Special thanks to Trailblazers Ciara Mallon, Georgie Jord and Badger Cyclist for their questions!

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I look beyond the announcement itself to explore why this transfer makes so much sense for Arsenal, why elite clubs need genuine competition in every position and why I don’t see this as a signing that threatens Daphne van Domselaar or Anneke Borbe, but one that strengthens the entire goalkeeping department.

I also explain why I believe this transfer says even more about Arsenal Women’s ambition than it does about any individual goalkeeper, and how Misa Rodríguez fits into the wider recruitment strategy we’ve seen develop throughout this remarkable summer transfer window.

If you’ve been wondering why Arsenal made this move, or what it means for the squad going forward, this episode is for you.

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I reflect on Rosa’s departure, why I think her move was probably the right one for both player and club and why I believe some of the criticism aimed at Renée Slegers has been unfair.

The main focus, though, is Isa Damm.

Rather than simply repeating Arsenal’s announcement, I explore why developing goalkeepers is completely different to developing outfield players, why I think Arsenal have signed Isa for the footballer she could become rather than the goalkeeper she is today and what this transfer tells us about the long-term thinking behind Arsenal’s recruitment this summer.

I also talk about the disappointing reaction from some supporters on social media and why I believe Arsenal Women should continue to be the welcoming

community that has attracted so many people to the club.

Finally, I reflect on what Ona Batlle, Lisa Baum, Caitlin Foord and now Isa Damm have collectively taught me about Arsenal Women’s transfer strategy and the direction this football club is heading.

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Some sections of the fanbase have expressed disappointment that Rosa has been allowed to leave but the club elected to give Caitlin Foord a two year contract extension.

But instead of comparing Rosa Kafaji with Caitlin Foord, perhaps we should be asking why successive Arsenal managers and Australia managers continue to trust Foord in some of the biggest matches.

In this episode I explore why supporters and coaches often judge footballers in completely different ways, what managers are really looking for beyond goals and assists and why Caitlin Foord remains such an important part of Renée Slegers’ Arsenal.

I want to get you thinking about how we watch football and how we are often too quick to judge players on the obvious.

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I found myself asking a different question.

Why did Arsenal Women decide that a 19-year-old was the right player to invest in when the club is trying to win the WSL and Champions League this coming season?

In this episode of the Arsenal Women: Trailblazers Podcast, I explore what Lisa Baum’s signing tells us about Arsenal’s recruitment strategy, why elite clubs buy players before they desperately need them, how Renée Slegers is building for both today and tomorrow, and why supporters should resist judging young players too quickly.

This isn’t just a profile of Arsenal’s newest signing, it’s a conversation with you about how the very best football clubs think.

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s the obvious comparison. Katie McCabe leaves Arsenal after more than a decade, Ona Batlle arrives from Barcelona, both are elite full-backs and both can play on the left side.

But I don’t think that’s the actual conversation we should be having. It’s just the easy one.

In this episode of Trailblazers: The Arsenal Women Podcast, I look beyond the easy headline and ask whether Arsenal are actually changing the profile of this team under Renée Slegers rather than simply replacing one player with another.

We talk about what Katie McCabe gave Arsenal over more than ten unforgettable years, why that connection with supporters cannot simply be replaced by a new signing, and what Ona Batlle brings instead through technical security, tactical flexibility, Champions League experience and the ability to help Arsenal control matches in a different way.

Also, instead of asking whether one player is better than the other, this episode explores what the differences between them tells us about the next version and the evolution of Arsenal Women.

The real story isn’t that Arsenal have replaced Katie McCabe - it’s that they’re trying to become something new.

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

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But this episode is not just a “great, we’ve signed someone from Barcelona” reaction, because everyone can do that bit. The more interesting question is what Batlle’s arrival actually tells us about the Arsenal Women side Renée Slegers is trying to build.

In this episode of Trailblazers: The Arsenal Women Podcast, I look at why Ona Batlle feels like more than just another summer signing. We talk about control, technical security, full-back flexibility, WSL experience, Champions League know-how and why Arsenal’s recruitment this summer feels like it’s aimed at closing those tiny margins between being very good and becoming properly ruthless.

This is about more than depth. It’s about what Arsenal are trying to become.

If Batlle brings even a slice of that Barcelona sharpness, big-game calm and possession intelligence into this squad, then this could be one of those signings we look back on later and realise was not just about who came in.

It was about where Arsenal Women were going.

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Roberto reacts to Arsenal Women’s latest midfield signing as Swiss international Geraldine Reuteler joins permanently from Eintracht Frankfurt, and then turns to the WSL bombshell of the day as London City Lionesses finally confirm the signing of Alexia Putellas from Barcelona.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

•Why Arsenal have gone back in for Reuteler and what kind of midfielder they’re adding to the squad.

•The key numbers and traits that make her such an exciting fit for Reneé Slegers’ midfield.

•First thoughts on Alexia’s move to LCL, what it means for the WSL, and why it might not be as simple as “sign the best player, become the best team”.

•How Roberto sees Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and LCL shaping up for 2026–27, and why he believes Arsenal are quietly building something serious.

There’s also a personal update at the top of the show, a bit of tattoo chat, and an open invitation if you want to come on the pod and dive deeper into what Alexia, Mapi León and Arsenal’s own transfer business could mean for the league.

Connect with Arsenal Women: Trailblazers:

•Instagram: @arsenalwomentrailblazers

•Website: www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

•BlueSky: @ArsenalWomenTB

•X: @ArsenalWomenTB

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Demian reflects on his journey as an Arsenal Women supporter, how players like Daniëlle van de Donk and Vivianne Miedema drew him deeper into the women’s game, and why Arsenal Women became such an important part of his football life.

The conversation also explores the Jonas Eidevall era, the treatment of senior players including Viv, the changing atmosphere around the club, and the impact Renée Slegers has had in reshaping belief around Arsenal Women.

Roberto and Demian also discuss online toxicity, fan culture, the protection of the women’s game from the worst habits of men’s football, Arsenal’s Champions League triumph over Barcelona, how close the club came to the WSL title, and what recent transfer moves could mean for the future.

You can support Demian’s Venezuela earthquake fundraising efforts and find all of his links here: linktr.ee/demianarriaga

Read Demian’s blog here: thatarsenalwomenblog.com

Follow Arsenal Women: Trailblazers on Instagram: @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find Arsenal Women: Trailblazers on BlueSky: ArsenalWomenTB

Visit the website: arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Chapter markers

00:00 – Intro and housekeeping

00:01 – Introducing Demian Arriaga

00:04 – Venezuela, community and fundraiser

00:08 – Shared Arsenal origin stories

00:13 – Jonas era, Viv and player treatment

00:24 – Online toxicity and fan media culture

00:30 – Protecting the women’s game from men’s football behaviour

00:35 – Renée Slegers, season turnaround and Champions League win

00:45 – How close Arsenal were to the WSL title

00:55 – Transfers, Beth Mead and strengthening rivals

01:05 – Fan media, blogging and Demian’s current work

01:10 – How to follow Demian and where to find the pod

01:18 – Outro and thank you

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Arsenal Women: Trailblazers I dive into:

•Selina’s journey from Kiel and youth football in Germany to Bayern Munich, Werder Bremen, Turbine Potsdam, Köln and Hoffenheim

•Her ridiculous goalscoring record at Hoffenheim, including back‑to‑back 16‑goal league seasons and the highest goal contributions in the Bundesliga

•Why Arsenal, why now - and what she herself says about joining the club, North London Forever and walking out at The Emirates for the first time

If you want to understand exactly what kind of forward we’ve signed, and why this move matters for our title and Champions League ambitions, this one’s for you.

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s breaking‑news episode, recorded right after the club dropped THAT reveal video, I talk through:

•My live reaction to the announcement and why this is the best reveal video Arsenal have ever done

•Georgia’s first day at Sobha Realty Training Centre and her new number 4 shirt

•Key quotes from her first interview as a Gunner and what they tell us about her mentality

•Why this move is such a statement for Arsenal Women’s midfield and winning mentality

•A quick nod to Jenna Nighswonger’s future and four young Gunners heading to England U20 camp

•A little thank you and tribute to Demian Arriaga, host of “That Arsenal Women Podcast”

It’s a short, straight‑from-the-heart reaction episode to one of the biggest signings we’ve made in years.

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow Arsenal Women: Trailblazers in your podcast app, leave a quick rating or review, and share it with another Arsenal fan who’s buzzing about Georgia Stanway. It really helps more Gooners find the show.

Come and carry on the Stanway chat with me over on Instagram at @arsenalwomentrailblazers - let me know your first‑choice midfield three with Georgia in red and white.

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this short update I walk through:

•Who’s switching numbers and where they’re moving to

•How fans are already feeling about one change in particular

•My own take on what the new numbers say about roles and status in the squad

•The significance of it being 30 June – contract expiry day – and why from tomorrow we can hopefully start seeing transfer movement for Arsenal Women

It’s a quick check‑in from me between the bigger episodes: a bit of shirt‑number chat, a bit of fan reaction, and a nod to the fact that the real transfer conversations should start kicking off from 1 July.

Don't forget to connect on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

You can find all about the number changes and shirt exchanges here https://www.arsenal.com/news/four-players-opt-change-squad-numbers-2627

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I break down what Selina Cerci and Lisa Baum could bring to Arsenal Women, and how they plug straight into what we already have with Caitlin Foord, Alessia Russo, Stina Blackstenius, Chloe Kelly and Olivia Smith.

We chat through:

•Why Cerci looks like a proper “old‑school nine” with modern work‑rate

•What makes Baum such a ridiculous talent at just 19

•How Foord ties the whole thing together with her experience and aggression

•The different combinations: Cerci with Russo, Cerci with Foord, Baum with Kelly, Baum with Smith

•How all of this could change life for Russo in that slightly deeper role

It’s football‑fan talk about our potential new‑look front line - no chalkboards, no jargon, just what these players actually feel like and why oppositions should be really worried if (no, when) these deals get done.

Please join us over on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers and make sure you're following for chances to win a Club ticket to an Arsenal Women WSL Home Game at the Emirates Stadium this coming season.

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Then it’s time for our first proper Trailblazers mailbag. I answer a question from @classic_womens_football on what Arsenal actually need to improve to close the gap on Manchester City, and why for me the real issue isn’t the attack but those fine defensive margins in games that swing on one or two moments.

I also answer two brilliant questions from @badgercyclist. First, why the women’s game is such a powerful gateway into football for new fans, especially women, families and the LGBTQ+ community, and why I still think Arsenal Women at the Emirates is one of the best and safest football experiences you can have.

And then we get into London City Lionesses. How dangerous are they really, what does their squad build say about Michelle Kang’s strategy, and are they starting to feel like the women’s version of the old Real Madrid Galácticos project?

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe, leave a rating and review if your app allows it, and share it with other Arsenal Women fans.

You can also come and find me on Instagram at @arsenalwomentrailblazers and send in your questions for the next mailbag.

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First up, the WSL and WSL2 have agreed that from next season clubs will be allowed to sell alcohol in the stands, in sight of the pitch, after two seasons of trials across the top two tiers and around 190 fixtures. I explain what has actually changed, why it is optional rather than mandatory, and why this will split opinion between fans who want a more relaxed matchday experience and those who are worried about importing the worst bits of the men’s game atmosphere into the women’s game. I also share how it sits with my own experience of the women’s game being more respectful and family friendly, and ask you whether you would like to see alcohol allowed in the bowl at Arsenal Women home games.

Then I switch to Arsenal news. Canada Soccer and Arsenal have confirmed that Olivia Smith has withdrawn from the Canada squad for the SheBelieves Cup after suffering a concussion, and she will stay in North London to recover under Arsenal’s medical team. I give a quick round up of what has been reported and then use it as a chance to look back at her first season in red and white. I talk about the pressure of arriving with the “first £1m women’s player” tag, her dream WSL debut where she scored and led the game for shots, touches in the box and dribbles, and why her direct ball carrying, shot volume and productivity have already justified the hype. I explain how she offers something different to our other forwards and why I think she is going to be a huge player for Arsenal over the next few years once she is fully recovered.

I finish by asking for your thoughts on both topics. Are you for or against alcohol in the stands at Arsenal Women games, and how impressed have you been with Olivia Smith’s debut season?

Please connect on Instagram by following Arsenal Women: Trailblazers : https://instagram.com/arsenalwomentrailblazers

DM for your chance to win a Club ticket to one of Arsenal Women's home games this coming season!

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I begin with some wider European and WSL news. Former Gunner and Real Madrid star Caroline Weir has joined Lyon on a three year deal, adding even more firepower to a midfield we might see again in the Champions League. I talk about why Lyon wanted her, why she loved the project and why I hope she is on the bench if we draw them next season. I then move to the WSL where Spurs have signed Scotland forward Kirsty Hanson from Aston Villa after a twelve goal season in the league, with only Khadija Shaw and Alessia Russo scoring more. I explain why that is a big blow for Villa and why it matters to Arsenal that our neighbours are building a much more dangerous front line.

The main focus of the episode is Georgia Stanway. I spend time on why I am so excited about her potential move, what she would bring to Arsenal and how she could change the entire personality of our midfield. I look at her journey from a teenage breakout at Manchester City, to a Champions League level starter at Bayern Munich, to a key part of England’s Euro winning team. I break down her game as an all action eight who loves duels and pressing, can carry the ball, switch play and smash in long range shots, and I talk through different ways she could be used alongside Kyra Cooney Cross, Kim Little, Mariona and any other midfield arrivals. There is also chat about our ongoing issues with set piece defending and second balls and why someone with Stanway’s intensity and mentality could help close that gap.

I finish by asking you to pick your ideal midfield around Georgia if she does sign and to tell me in which games, if any, you would actually leave her out. Get in touch on Instagram at @arsenalwomentrailblazers, and if you want to join me at the Emirates for a home game next season in club level, drop me a message so I can add you to the list.

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First up, I talk about Laia Codina’s move to West Ham. She stays in London on a three year deal after leaving Arsenal and I am genuinely happy for her. We look at why the Hammers project suits her, how her strengths in a low block might be a better fit there, and I go through her medals from Barcelona, Spain and Arsenal including the World Cup and that first ever Women’s Champions Cup. I also read some of her first words as a West Ham player and send her my best for this next chapter in East London.

I then zoom out to the wider WSL with the news that Mary Earps is back in England, signing for London City Lionesses after two years at PSG. I talk about why she is such a legend of the women’s game, the age profile of LCL’s “Galacticos” project under Michelle Kang and what it might mean for the league if they add players like Mapi León and maybe even Alexia Putellas in future.

Finally, we end on some really good Arsenal news. Alessia Russo has been voted Arsenal Women Fans’ Player of the Season after her best ever campaign for goals, with 24 in 40 games in all competitions. I go through the numbers, including her hat trick in the 5–2 derby win over Spurs and her record of scoring or assisting in six consecutive WSL away games, and I make the case for why she is already world class and will only get better with the right support around her. I also look ahead to how a midfield featuring names like Mariona, Kyra, Kim Little, plus potential arrivals like Georgia Stanway, Géraldine Reuteler, Selina Ciraci and Lisa Baum could unlock an even scarier version of Alessia next season.

If you have ideas for future player profiles or want to come to a game with me at the Emirates in club level, get in touch. This is your podcast and I want to build it with you.

Links:

Arsenal Women Trailblazers on Instagram: https://instagram.com/arsenalwomentrailblazers

Arsenal Women news section: https://www.arsenal.com/news

West Ham’s announcement of Laia Codina https://www.whufc.com/en/news/west-ham-united-sign-world-cup-winner-laia-codina

London City Lionesses announcement of Mary Earps https://www.londoncitylionesses.com/post/mary-earps-joins-london-city-lionesses

Camden New Journal piece by Steve Barnett on Alessia Russo’s Fans’ Player of the Season award https://www.camdennewjournal.co.uk/article/gunners-striker-russo-is-fans-player-of-the-year

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Then we get to the good stuff. There is some lovely news with Alessia Russo, Chloe Kelly and Michelle Agyemang all picking up MBEs in the King’s Birthday Honours, plus an update on academy product Leila Harbert heading off to work with Jonas Eidevall again at San Diego Wave.

After that I dive into what you really want to talk about: Arsenal Women transfer news. I profile four players we are heavily linked with this summer and ask whether they are floor raisers or proper ceiling raisers for this squad.

•Ona Batlle as a potential starting left back to replace Katie McCabe

•Selina Cerci as a right sided forward and goal threat in the Beth Mead zone

•Geraldine Reuteler as a ridiculously versatile midfielder who can pretty much play anywhere

•Lisa Baum as a 19 year old left footer who loves cutting in from the right and shooting from range

This is me doing the digging so you don't have to. Come tell me what you think about these four on Instagram at @arsenalwomentrailblazers and let's get into it.

Key Arsenal Women fixture dates : https://www.arsenal.com/news/key-dates-arsenal-women-202627

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

He also unboxes the new home shirt (Steph Catley 7), explains how to renew or buy a WSL season ticket at Emirates, and makes a heartfelt invitation for listeners to join him in Club Level next season.

⚽ In this episode:

00:00 – Why this is a mid‑week episode & promise on breaking transfer news  

02:21 – Learning from episode 2 and letting personality back into the pod  

03:57 – New 2026/27 home shirt unboxing (Steph Catley 7, badges, delivery chaos)  

06:17 – Why Steph Catley is Roberto’s choice this season  

06:50 – Arsenal Women season ticket renewals, prices and six‑game bundle  

08:43 – How to move seats, Club Level Block 42 and “Roberto’s Angels”  

11:03 – Why the Emirates is such a good family matchday for Arsenal Women  

13:18 – WSL summer and winter transfer window dates for 26/27  

14:40 – Leah Williamson’s latest injury setback and Ibiza rehab break  

17:10 – Why Arsenal must manage Leah carefully and how much she’s missed  

17:58 – Katie McCabe to Chelsea: reaction, emotions and a call to stop abuse  

20:05 – Criticism vs condemnation and why Arsenal must look in the mirror  

21:30 – Caitlin Foord signs new Arsenal deal: what it means and why it matters  

23:40 – Caitlin’s quotes on trophies, home away from home and the fans

26:04 – Arsenal’s huge attendances and why they attract top players  

28:21 – Thoughts on potential big signings and online hate towards Foord  

29:40 – Beth Mead to Man City: why it hurts less, Viv, and wishing her well  

33:04 – Victoria Pelova set to join Spurs: context and farewell  

35:26 – Manu Zinsberger to Borussia Dortmund: legacy, tears and gratitude  

37:47 – Invitation to join Roberto in Club Level at Emirates next season  

39:10 – How to get in touch and what might be coming in episode 4

💬 Get involved

Follow on Instagram: @arsenalwomentrailblazers

DM Roberto if you’d like to:  

• share your thoughts on McCabe, Mead, Foord, Pelova or Manu  
• be a future guest  
• join him in Club Level for a WSL game this season

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is the first proper episode of Arsenal Women: Trailblazers, and Roberto does not ease you in gently. This is a full-length season debrief covering everything: Renee Slegers’s first complete season in charge, the squad depth problems that injuries brutally exposed, a transfer window that is already producing results and a few open wounds, the tactical picture and where it needs to evolve, standout performers, the moments that defined the campaign - and what a realistic ambition looks like going into next season.

Roberto calls it as he sees it. No spin. No hedging. No corporate podcast clichés. Just an honest account of a season that had real highs, a few painful lows, and a summer that feels absolutely pivotal.

Man City won the WSL with 55 points. Arsenal finished second on 51. Chelsea were third on 49. The gap at the top is small. The window to close it is open. But it will not stay open by itself.

In this episode:

• Season in one breath
• Renee Slegers: her first full season, the Arteta parallel, why patience is earned not assumed
• Squad depth: what the injuries to Reid, Kelly and Williamson actually revealed
• Transfer window: McCabe to Chelsea, Mead to City, and the incoming names to know
• Tactical identity: the high press, the set piece problem, and the counter-transition risk
• Standout players: Russo’s 24 goals, McCabe’s farewell season, Fox, Wubben-Moy and Olivia Smith
• Defining moments: London City, West Ham, and what Lyon showed us
• Looking ahead: the WSL title, the Champions League, and why Arsenal should be the most attractive club in the world for players right now

Takeaways:

•Renee Slegers is the right person for this job. She inherited chaos, won a Champions League, and spent last season learning at pace. The Arteta comparisons are legitimate — back her, give her time, do not panic.

•The squad depth issue is structural, not accidental. Two or three injuries and the options ran out. That has to change this summer. Laia Codina and Victoria Pelova deserved more than they got.

•Losing Katie McCabe and Beth Mead to Chelsea and Man City respectively, both on frees, is a recruitment failure, plain and simple. The club’s contract renewal process was too slow and it cost them two world-class players who went directly to title rivals.

•The incoming business looks promising. Ona Batlle (Spain international, free from Barcelona), Géraldine Reuteler (Swiss Player of the Year 2024, free from Frankfurt) and Selina Cerci (26, Germany international, striker) represent genuine upgrades if confirmed. Georgia Stanway links would address the midfield steel problem directly.

•Alessia Russo scored 24 goals in all competitions, 13 in the WSL. If you only watch the ball, you miss half of what she does. The Champions League goal against Chelsea was one of the finishes of the season anywhere in European football.

•The Lyon semi-final was a reality check, not a disaster. Arsenal were technically excellent and tactically coherent. They were physically outmuscled. That is a solvable problem and the transfer window is the place to solve it.

•The WSL title is the target. Chelsea are rebuilding. Man City have so far added only Beth Mead (aged 31) to a title-winning squad. Arsenal, if they get this window right, should go into next season as favourites.

Subscribe to Trailblazers for twice-weekly episodes — match reaction, transfer news, player profiles and more. New episodes every week throughout the summer and into the season.

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a fan-first podcast hosted by Roberto Revilla, a bespoke tailor from London and double WSL season ticket holder who has spent years watching the women’s game grow into something extraordinary. This short intro episode is exactly what it says on the tin: Roberto introducing himself, explaining what this show is, and telling you why he believes the timing matters.

This is not a news outlet. It is not PR-managed. It is not trying to be authoritative in the way a broadcaster might be. It is what happens when someone who has sat in those stands, watched every game they could get to, and has genuine opinions built up over years of following the club finally decides to say them out loud.

Roberto already co-hosts Tailoring Talk Magazine, a podcast about lifestyle and tech - but this is something entirely separate. This is his football passion project, and Arsenal Women have given him plenty of material to work with. He believes, without much hesitation, that Arsenal Women are the biggest club in women’s football in terms of fanbase and global attendance.

In this episode, Roberto sets out what you can expect from Trailblazers: twice-weekly episodes covering match reaction, transfer analysis, player profiles, off-pitch culture and the fan experience. The show is launching deliberately as the summer transfer window opens, so from episode one you are getting immediate, relevant content - not a slow build. No filler.

The tone, Roberto says, is simple: like talking to a knowledgeable mate in the pub who actually watched the game.

What’s covered in this episode:

•Who Roberto is and why he’s qualified to host this show

•Why Arsenal Women, and why now

•The difference between this show and everything else out there

•What Trailblazers will cover and how often it comes out

•His belief that Arsenal Women are the biggest club in world women’s football

•Why a fan-first perspective matters more than ever

•A personal note on what the women’s game means to him

A word on the name: Arsenal Women have been breaking ground and setting standards in English women’s football for decades. Trailblazers felt right. Not as a piece of branding - as a description.

Pull up a seat. This is going to be good.

Subscribe now so you don’t miss Episode 1, dropping very soon - a full season review with transfer window analysis, player grades and honest takes on what needs to change.

Arsenal Women: Trailblazers is a regular fan podcast dedicated to Arsenal Women. Join host Roberto Revilla for latest news, match previews and reports, tactical talking points and the stories that make Arsenal Women true trailblazers.

Connect with the show on Instagram @arsenalwomentrailblazers

Find us on BlueSky Social @arsenalwomentb

Our website can be found at www.arsenalwomentrailblazers.com

Intro/Outro Music thanks to raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.