Renee Slegers made a few big calls in her starting line-up away at Spurs on Saturday, few were bigger than starting Taylor Hinds for the first time in the WSL this season. In fact, Hinds has not made the match day squad on three occasions to boot. The player has World Cup ambitions with England next summer and was not selected for the October World Cup qualifiers due to a lack of playing time.
It has been a tough time for Hinds. But Arsenal have been exposed too often down their left hand side this season and have often played with four right footers in their back four and a right footer on the left wing. Bringing Hinds in at left-back felt like an admission that Arsenal have lacked ‘south paws’ and that Ona Batlle at left-back has not totally worked out just yet. Hinds played very well at Spurs, let’s look at her performance.
Arsenal are almost exposed immediately on the counter in the second minute. Hinds has pushed on and is now in a situation where she has to retreat.
But her recovery pace is very strong and she gets to this ball ahead of Victoria Pelova. It offered an immediate vindication of her selection and possibly gave her a nice confidence lift with one of her first actions of the game.
Hinds plays a significant part in Arsenal’s equaliser too. She receives the ball over on the left touchline here from Catley.
She thinks about the cross here but can see that Olivia Smith will have to compete with three defenders on her own.
‘She gave us a left foot on the left side,’ was one of Slegers’ points when asked by Kathryn Batte of the Telegraph about the selection of Hinds. But one of the underrated aspects of Hinds’ game is that she is two footed. So when she can see a pass to Russo here with the ball on her right foot…
She doesn’t hesitate, Russo does very well here to find the run of Georgia Stanway and Arsenal equalise. Hinds plays a big part in this seismic moment in the match.
Gaupset picks up the ball in midfield and floats a nice ball out to Tottenham’s right side.
Gaupset’s ball to Vinberg is inch perfect and Hinds has to retreat. Spurs usually play Vinberg on the left side, but moved her to the right side, likely because they were anticipating Batlle being Arsenal’s left-back.
Hinds knows Vinberg is left footed and likely to want to come inside onto her left foot. So Hinds positions herself in a fashion that makes that action more difficult for Vinberg.
Vinberg delays a little to try to kid Hinds into dropping her guard and allowing her onto her left foot but Hinds isn’t buying it. She gets a toe in and comes away with the ball. It’s very assured one v one defending.
Spurs are the most aggressive pressing team in the WSL. It makes their games transitional which means handling the ball with care is very important. Williamson wins her header here and the ball loops into the air. It’s a straight duel between Hinds and Vinberg.
But Hinds’ heart rate stays nice and low, she takes a nice touch out of the air, fends off two Spurs players and keeps the ball for her team. Spurs create dozens of these one off duels in games, they are important. They thrive on high turnovers.
Another nice example of Hinds’ composure under pressure here. Catley makes a strong interception but can’t really pass the ball forwards here. Hinds recognises that and holds back.
The pass from Catley is a fraction off, it comes to Hinds’ right foot and she was expecting it on her left, so she was slightly off balance. Tandberg’s eyes have lit up here.
But it’s no stress and Hinds just shimmies away from her.
Hinds also showed strong communication throughout the game to defend transition moments. Here, Lise Kop catches an Arsenal corner and bowls the ball out towards Vinberg. Hinds tracks her and she’s the deepest Arsenal defender here.
Vinberg takes a touch and Gaupset is ready to run in behind Hinds here. Hinds can see Gaupset’s run and the potential consequences.
Hinds points for the retreating Emily Fox to engage the ball so Hinds can fill the space in behind and not allow a free run at the Arsenal goal.
Because Hinds covers Gaupset’s run, Vinberg needs more touches to set up a pass. Hinds’ positioning means it has to be a good pass to get through. If Hinds had been attracted to the ball, a pass to Gaupset would not need to be finessed. Vinberg tries to set the pass and it gives time for Fox and Smith to get back and recover. It’s strong awareness and communication, qualities Arsenal have lacked defending transition moments this season.
We see Hinds’ grace under fire in possession again here. As she receives this pass from Catley, Martinez could not be in closer attendance and if she comes away with the ball here, Arsenal are in trouble.
But she dribbles through the pressure and earns Arsenal a free kick as Martinez tugs her shirt. Hinds prevented a lot of danger by being very tidy on the ball under intense pressure.
She was quick to spot danger all afternoon too. As Spurs come forward here, De Almeida is out of position and Hanson wants to run into the space she has vacated. But Hinds is alive to the danger.
When Gaupset plays the through ball, Hinds has the situation under control.
Hinds shows good awareness here too, as the ball is rolled out to Ella Morris, she is already signalling to Stanway to track the run into the channel so Hinds can go and close the ball down.
Stanway is visibly tired at this stage so she perhaps doesn’t track the run as ferociously as she might have 20 minutes earlier. But that isn’t really on Hinds, she saw the full picture early, told her teammate who went and filled in. She showed strong communication throughout the game.
Gaupset hurdles a Stanway challenge and finds herself in a one v one with Hinds in this scenario.
Taylor holds Gaupset up and bides her time, not diving into a tackle. Then she picks her moment and toes the ball away for a throw-in. Spurs simply got no change from her.
After the game Renee Slegers said of Hinds. ‘She’s come back really well after the international window. Really, really good. And like I said before the game, she deserves to play today because of her performances in training. Also, of course, she gives us a left foot on the left side, but she was so good and she hasn’t played 90 since, I think, the Koge game in the Champions League.
‘She did so well. So I’m so happy for her, like the team, for her as well, to go through a bit more difficult time individually and then coming and playing a North London derby with such conviction and so much mobility, I am so happy for it.’ She should keep her place on Wednesday against Benfica.