Arsenal women defender Steph Catley has stated that the team has what it takes to challenge Chelsea for the league title and have no reason not to compete.
Chelsea women have won the last six league titles, asserting their dominance on the league while Arsenal’s last win came in 2019.
The Gunners have finished second on two occasions since their last league triumph, in the 2021/22 season and in 2024/25.
However, they remain the only female English side to have won the UEFA Champions League, repeating the feat in the 2025 final with a 1-0 win over Spanish champions Barcelona.
“As soon as you win something as big as [the Champions League], there is a target on your back”, Catley said.
“There is an expectation that you should go on and do amazing things. Domestically, we haven’t won nearly as much as we probably could have and we probably should have.
There’s really no excuses. We have the team. We have everything in place. It’s about putting it together on the field and matching up to those expectations”, she continued.
Arsenal head into their first full campaign under Renee Slegers, who replaced Jonas Eidevall midway through the previous campaign.
Catley was an influential part of the Gunners UCL triumph, and is confident her side can continue their impressive form by ending their league drought.
Our goal is to be consistent from round one and then maintain that. Domestically, you can’t afford [to dip in form],” added Catley.
“Chelsea have made a habit of being able to win when they are maybe not playing their best football and I think that’s something we could learn from them.
Our football looks wonderful most of the time, but is it getting us wins consistently? It probably hasn’t in the past.”
Arsenal begin their title challenge in the 2025/26 campaign against newly-promoted London City on Saturday.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
