What is Russo’s best position?Media caption, “Wherever the team needs me” – Alessia Russo on her best positionByJoe BradshawBBC Sport senior journalistPublished1 hour agoUp front? Behind the number nine? Where exactly is Arsenal’s Alessia Russo most effective?When she won the Champions League last season, she did so playing as a central striker in Renee Slegers’ 4-2-3-1 formation.Nine weeks later she scored the equaliser for England in the European Championship final against Spain with a predatory header from seven yards.Leading the line is something she has done with great success in Europe this season, but it has been a different story in the Women’s Super League.On many occasions domestically, Arsenal’s number nine has drifted back to become a number 10 – a different emphasis but with a similarly devastating impact.It is a nice quandary for Slegers to ponder before the first leg of an intriguing Champions League quarter-final against WSL rivals Chelsea on Tuesday.Play her as an out-and-out strikerObjectively, Russo’s record in the main forward role is excellent.Lethal in front of goal, she is two clear of Europe’s best in the Champions League, with her expert finishing highlighted by how she has over-performed her expected goals (xG), scoring seven from an xG of 3.49.All her goals have come from inside the box and usually from a central position. Effectively, put her in the right place and she will find the back of the net.It is the type of profile that would not look unfamiliar for the players she admires.”I love watching Erling Haaland – his goalscoring speaks for itself,” Russo mentioned. “Sam Kerr’s movement as a number nine is one of the best, and then there’s Bunny Shaw’s goalscoring ability.”Boasting two assists in her eight Champions League matches, Russo has a goal contribution per game figure of 1.13, behind only Klara Buhl of Bayern Munich (1.5) and Barcelona’s double Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas (1.17), who have both played fewer games.Russo believes she has benefited from extra space in the revamped Champions League this season as she reckons teams are more willing to attack.”You’re playing against champions of other countries and they are playing with less fear,” she mentioned. “Teams give it a really good go.”Perhaps this is why she has been able to clean up in Europe – and why she has spent 97% of her minutes operating in that central role.For England, boss Sarina Wiegman is clear on how to deploy Russo.”She can play both, and it’s nice to have options, but for us in the way we set up, her best position is as a number nine,” Wiegman mentioned before the 2-0 win over Iceland this month.For England at the Euros last summer, Russo’s role was even more centralised. She spent 14% of her time in the opposition box, sniffing out chances and occupying centre-backs.Two goals and three assists came in that tournament, behind only Putellas for total goal contributions.”As a nine, you’re obviously playing higher up, in and around the box, and reacting off instincts and small margins around the area,” Russo mentioned.”You are also the trigger for the press and the out-of-possession gameplan starts with you.”Deploy her deeper behind the strikerThat out-of-possession angle is an interesting one.In the WSL this season Russo has dropped off into the number 10 position for more than a third of her minutes.That has not translated into winning possession particularly often. For instance, fellow forwards Olivia Smith and Beth Mead have made more tackles than her.It is a role that diminishes her goalscoring impact too – Russo has six in 16 games – and she has underperformed her xG by 1.1 this season.However, it has amplified her threat as a creator. Her average per 90 minutes this season is more than one and a half chances created, and her total of 26 puts her joint fifth in the division.To put that in perspective, she created only 16 chances in 21 appearances last season.Has that been a positive, though? Last season Arsenal’s 62 goals in 22 WSL matches was the most in the division, but their 33 in 16 this time around is almost one full goal per game fewer.Either defences are getting better or Arsenal’s attacking output has dropped offthis season. In fairness, the 5-0 thrashing of West Ham on Saturday, with Russo pulling the strings from the number 10 position, was full of the flair Slegers demands from her team.
When Russo does play in the attacking midfield role behind a striker, she can serve those ahead of her, and she acknowledges the qualities of her fellow forwards in making her job easier.
“There are so many different talents in our forward positions – Stina [Blackstenius], Chloe [Kelly], Liv and Beth,” she mentioned. “I try to learn off them as much as I can.
“As a number 10, you are freer to join attacks late and attack the space rather than pushing the line as much. In build-up, you can drop a lot deeper and get involved earlier.”
When fit, the Arsenal forward line is among Europe’s most fearsome, especially with Kelly rediscovering her scoring touch in that West Ham game by netting twice.
