When the Carabao Cup quarter-final draw was conducted on October 30, it triggered a sequence of unfortunate events. Both Arsenal and Tottenham's men's teams were drawn to play at home, against Crystal Palace and Manchester United respectively. A week later, the fixture dates were announced, with Arsenal scheduled to host Palace on December 18 and Tottenham playing the next day, due to policing constraints that prevent the north London sides from competing on the same night.
The issue? Arsenal's women's team was set to host Bayern Munich at the Emirates Stadium in the Champions League on December 18. Could the men's fixtures swap dates? No, as Arsenal would only have one rest day before facing Palace again on December 21 in the league. Could Arsenal host Palace on December 17? No, because Palace are at Brighton on December 15, creating a similar logistical challenge. Additionally, UEFA regulations require the stadium to be available for the visiting team's training and media obligations before Champions League fixtures.
Could the Carabao Cup quarter-final be held in a different week? No, as between the end of the international break and Christmas Day, Arsenal play a midweek game every week. Could the Champions League fixture be shifted? No, as it must be played concurrently with Vålerenga v Juventus, being the final round of group games.
Arsenal's solution to the problem is to move the women's team's crucial Champions League game away from the Emirates Stadium to accommodate the men's team. This decision comes with its own set of issues, particularly since tickets have been on sale for some time. Meadow Park, the women's team's primary home until this season, does not meet UEFA's requirements for group fixtures. An exemption could be sought, or the club could attempt to host the game at another ground such as the London Stadium, Brentford's stadium, or even Stadium MK. Arsenal and UEFA have stated they are in discussions.
The resolution will require compromise, logistical ingenuity, and potentially the women's team sacrificing home advantage. The problem is no one's fault, but the solution leaves much to be desired. Arsenal have been pioneers, drawing large crowds to the Emirates Stadium as they transitioned the home of their women's team there. The announcement that a minimum of 11 games would be played there this season was met with much fanfare.
Faced with this unusual and unlikely problem, Arsenal and the various governing bodies and clubs involved had a choice: to find a way to ensure the women's team retain their place at home for an important fixture for which tickets have been sold, forcing the men's team to change the date or location of their game, or to wash their hands of it. They chose the latter, which has been criticized on social media by some fans. The interim manager of the women's team, Renée Slegers, defended the club before their WSL game against Brighton, stating, "It's been a very hard dilemma for the club, two great teams competing in competitions. What Arsenal has been doing really well is pushing the growth of women's football for a very long time. This is a bump on the road, but what Arsenal has done for women's football over time is very strong."
Prioritizing the women's team's fixture would not have been easy. Mikel Arteta's side might have needed to sacrifice home advantage, shifting to one of the aforementioned stadiums or even playing at Selhurst Park. Alternatively, the clubs could have requested that Brighton's Sunday game against Palace be shifted to Saturday and Bayern be allowed to train and do media elsewhere, enabling Arsenal men to host Palace on December 17 and Arsenal women to welcome Bayern on December 18. This too would cause problems, with Palace's trip to Brighton having shifted from Monday due to the possible cup fixture and scheduled to be shown on Sky.
All options for the women's team's fixture remaining at the Emirates Stadium are far from ideal and would involve serious cooperation between UEFA, various clubs, the EFL, the Premier League, and broadcasters. While moving the team away from the Emirates solves the issues for the men's side, it has significant implications for the women's team, their fanbase, and potentially their Champions League aspirations.
There must come a time when all involved recognize their responsibility to think beyond individual interests and consider the broader messages sent by these decisions. When faced with such a litany of issues, where no solution is ideal, at what point does everyone involved ask: is there an opportunity to create some good out of a sea of bad?
Arsenal have been attracting large crowds to their women's games and have begun turning a profit on matches at the Emirates Stadium because they have shown, in hosting games there and patiently but fiercely promoting them, that they value the team and the product. In doing so, they have shown fans that they should too.
The reality is that this mess was an opportunity for all involved to go beyond paying lip service to the value of women's football and its place in the football ecosystem; to say: women's football should not play second fiddle, we value it, and we want you to value it too. A decision like that could have a seismic impact, not just on the various bodies involved but on society at large. Unfortunately, few in the men's game seem willing to take a wider and holistic approach, recognizing the power they have to create positive change, contribute to the growth of the women's game, and transform attitudes towards women.
Source link: https://www.theguardian.com
