'Masters of their own downfall' - is Arsenal form just a blip?

As Arsenal embarked on a customary lap around the pitch after their Champions League defeat by Lyon, there was a palpable air of frustration.

Winless in their past four. Five points adrift of the top domestically. Struggling to keep clean sheets.

Losing 2-1 to eight-time European champions Lyon is not a worrisome result in isolation - there is plenty of time to make up for this opening setback and progress from the league phase to the knockout rounds.

But it compounds a sense that Arsenal are experiencing a "blip" and need to nip it in the bud before it becomes more than that.

This is the first time that head coach Renee Slegers has faced any significant pressure, in terms of disappointing results, and she will need to oversee a rapid reversal in form if Arsenal are to get their season back on track.

Less than a month ago, the feeling around Arsenal was very different: they beat London City 4-1 in their opening league game and then thrashed West Ham 5-1.

Since then, they haven't won a game.

"They started the first couple of games scoring lots of goals and then just errors have been their issue," former Leeds striker Lucy Ward said on Disney+.

"They haven't had the consistency, they haven't managed games right. Even in the WSL, where it's not the level of the likes of Lyon, they are punished."

Striker Alessia Russo, who scored before Arsenal let their lead slide at Meadow Park, acknowledged things are going wrong but highlighted positive moments.

"I think at the moment we're in a bit of a blip, but we're aware of that," she told Disney+. "I think at times tonight we saw what we're capable of, but it's just about doing that and making sure we get results as well."

Russo added: "We have to be realistic. We know it's a long season ahead, full of highs and lows. You can never get too high or too low.

"We've got to keep pushing ourselves because we don't like losing, we don't like being in moments like this."

The reaction to Arsenal's defeat by Lyon told a tale which is becoming all too familiar.

"Masters of their own downfall," said 74-cap England forward Nikita Parris.

"You cannot have errors at this level and not expect to be punished," said Ward.

Melchie Dumornay scored twice in five minutes midway through the first half to set up Lyon's victory.

Both goals were clearly avoidable, with the first coming after Arsenal goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar haplessly pushed the ball into her path, and the second arising from a misplaced pass on the edge of the home penalty area.

Misplaced passes were also a regular theme in the 3-2 defeat by Manchester City at the weekend.

But those are not the only flaws in Arsenal's game at present.

They did not capitalise on chances to extend their early lead and then conceded in second-half stoppage time as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Aston Villa in the league last month.

They did not produce enough clear chances in their 0-0 stalemate with Manchester United.

That they are lacking England captain Leah Williamson at the back following a knee injury in the Lionesses' Euro 2025 win is not helping their defensive efforts, either.

"There is a pattern," former England forward Sue Smith said on BBC Radio 5 Live. "I still think it's small margins. I think that game could've gone either way.

"If the mistake from the goalkeeper doesn't happen, then do Arsenal continue to progress? They were 1-0 up and I thought they looked pretty comfortable.

"It's making sure defensively you're sound and don't make mistakes, and then in the final third, can you have a little more quality when the ball comes in?"

The fact it appears to be isolated errors which are proving costly gives Arsenal some hope that there is a clear path to reviving their campaign.

Captain Kim Little said after the match that the team "cannot always be perfect all of the time".

"We're in a lower space just now with the current form, but we'll come back stronger. We go into our league fixture at the weekend for a big three points," Little told Disney+.

Understandably, Slegers said her side are "not happy" with their form, but their experience which led to winning this competition last year gives them reason to remain positive.

They lacked a cutting edge in attack and only managed half as many shots as Lyon, but they also lost 2-1 to the French side in the first leg of the semi-final in this competition last year and bounced back to win the second game 4-1 in France.

There is no second leg this time, with this a group phase game, but Arsenal will look to rebound all the same at the first opportunity.

"The important thing is that we manage it really well and we give direction moving forward and stand strong," said Slegers. "The positive thing is that we have strong foundation in a cultural perspective and a football perspective.

"We need to keep on believing in that philosophy and it gave us a lot last year. When it starts clicking, we know how good we are."

Should they fail to beat Brighton in the league on Sunday (14:30 BST), they will have gone a month without a win.

"I think there's lots to it," Russo said of Arsenal's slump. "I think, first and foremost, we need to look at ourselves and how we can push our standards. We're sometimes letting teams get attacks on us by our own mistakes.

"We need to take accountability, we need to focus on what we can do to control that from everyone. It's all across the pitch. There's moments in that that were really positive so we'll lean on that and get ready for Sunday."

It was at the start of the game where Arsenal were at their best, getting an early goal and showing their attacking qualities, but they could not sustain it.

"In the first 20-25 minutes, they started the game [well], the goal that they scored... but it is fine margins," added Smith. "And if you make a couple of errors against a top-quality side like Lyon, then they will punish you.

"In the final third, they just needed to be a bit better, more clinical. But certainly positives to take."