Arsenal finds itself in a precarious position as it approaches the North London derby against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. Despite conceding 12 goals in just two matches, the spotlight remains on Renée Slegers, the Arsenal manager, rather than her counterpart at Tottenham. With Arsenal currently winless in five Women’s Super League (WSL) matches, they desperately need a turning point.

The team's inability to convert possession into goals was starkly highlighted in their recent draw against Birmingham City, where they dropped points against a promoted side for the second time this season. This setback has left Arsenal 12 points behind the league leaders after six games, a situation viewed as unacceptable given the club's significant budget and resources.

Key statistics indicate Arsenal's struggles:

• Worst shot conversion rate in the league at 4.1%
• Third-worst shooting accuracy at 30.6%
• Third lowest average xG per shot at 0.09

Slegers' decision to deploy Alessia Russo, one of Europe’s top forwards, in a No. 10 role has raised eyebrows among fans and analysts. Russo has a strong history against Tottenham, scoring eight WSL goals against them, making this derby a crucial opportunity for her to break the team's scoring drought.

Despite the tactical confusion and mental struggles, Slegers remains optimistic about turning things around. She believes that fixing small details can lead to recovery. In contrast, Martin Ho, the Spurs head coach, emphasizes the need for his team to correct minor errors, acknowledging Arsenal's quality and high possession stats.

As last season's runners-up, Arsenal must transform their individual talents into cohesive team performance, especially in this must-win derby.