Lotte Wubben-Moy, Arsenal's Defensive Constant
When Arsenal brought Manchester City's 13-game winning run to an end in the Barclays WSL back in February, there were the inevitable headlines. Olivia Smith's finish was at the top of the pile, as was the fact this was perhaps the first sign of a chink in the armour of Andrée Jeglertz's side. Less talked about, however, was the performance of Lotte Wubben-Moy, subtle yet incredibly effective.
The 27-year-old was commanding that day, the anchor in the Gunners' defence, as she has been all season. Not many teams have limited the league's top goalscorer Bunny Shaw to just two opportunities and one shot on target across 90 minutes. Arsenal, however, did just that with Wubben-Moy proving her defensive capabilities against one of, if not the, best forward in world football. It was a near flawless performance from the centre-back as she stuck to the Jamaica international like glue, allowing her little room for manoeuvre. She was aerially dominant and brave in her duels, often forcing Shaw into wide areas rather than allowing her to drive directly at goal.
It was neither her first nor last display of this calibre. Amongst her highlight reel of the last eight months will be the way she helped to nullify Chelsea's attacking line in both the league and Europe as well as her impressive handling of OL Lyonnes' threats in the first leg of the UEFA Women's Champions League semi-final.
For this season, she has been one of Arsenal's most consistent performers and is surely in contention for the club's Player of the Year award. She has played a full 90 in all but three league matches since the start of October, her consistent displays helping the Gunners to claim the meanest defence in the league with just 12 goals conceded. Her dependability has meant that, despite rotations to her centre-back partner - injuries in that position has seen her play with Steph Catley, Laia Codina, Leah Williamson and even Katie McCabe at times - she has been able to maintain a high level of consistency in her defensive actions.
Wubben-Moy is not flamboyant but that, by no means, lessens her attributes. Her value lies in her structural stability, strong game intelligence and composure with and without the ball within an Arsenal team that has a propensity to control proceedings and relies on an aggressive high press to set the tone for their out-of-possession work. As a result, she might not always feature right at the top of the defensive statistics in the context of the whole league but her numbers illustrate her underlying quality.
In comparison with the Arsenal squad, she has made the second most defensive contributions per 90 (5.5) in the league. This includes the most blocks (8) and most clearances (26) while she has won 64.5% of her ground duels. She has helped her team to six clean sheets, with the Gunners conceding just eight WSL goals while she has been on the field. Her discipline is also crucial, committing just four fouls in 13 appearances and is yet to receive a card of any colour.
For long time watchers of the Barclays WSL, Wubben-Moy's rise is not unexpected but it has been far from smooth. Coming through the Arsenal Academy, she made her debut at the age of 16 and started every game of the Spring Series in 2017 before heading across the Atlantic to study and play for the University of North Carolina. After three seasons with the Tar Heels, she returned home and signed her first professional contract with her childhood club in 2020.
Wubben-Moy's journey since coming back to North London has been a rollercoaster. It has been a lesson in persistence and patience - the resolve to keep fighting when overlooked; the discipline to keep training to the highest standards even when not stepping on to the pitch; and the ability to be the ultimate teammate.
It came as a surprise to some that she signed a new contract last April following an injury hit season that saw her restricted to just six WSL starts. Despite returning to full fitness, she had to bide her time once more at the beginning of this campaign with Katie Reid favoured in the opening games before a ruptured ACL ruled her out for the season.
Wubben-Moy’s career with England has followed a similar course. Despite making her senior debut in February 2021 and being a part of Sarina Wiegman's squad for the two Euros wins and run to the 2023 World Cup Final, she has not played a minute at a major tournament. She has, however, featured heavily as qualification for the 2027 World Cup got underway earlier this year, entrusted with a starting spot in the Lionesses' victory over Spain at Wembley last month.
Wubben-Moy feels that all the bumps along the way have only served to make her better. "It’s a natural evolution as a footballer," she told the media while with England in April. "As with injuries and setbacks, you always have to trust in the process. It sounds cliché but for every individual, your journey looks different. Mine, in particular, hasn’t always been smooth and I think that has put me in better stead. I’ve learned so much about myself.”
Wubben-Moy plays as she lives, thoughtful and understated. Her value, however, extends far beyond what she achieves on a pitch. Her attentiveness, social consciousness and willingness to stand up for what she believes in runs through everything. From celebrating her goals with the British Sign Language for "Gunners" to the establishment of "Lots to Explore", the community programme she runs in collaboration with Arsenal in the Community, her desire to always think of the bigger picture is clear. She was also the instigator of the open letter that the Lionesses wrote to the government following their Euro 2022 victory asking for equal access to football for girls in school.
In her own words, Wubben-Moy lives her life "pretty intentionally", enabling her to shine when coming up against the best. Yet, despite everything she has achieved, it still feels that she has not reached her ceiling and that the story of her career, both on and off the field, has not been fully written.
Word credit: Sophie Downey