Never write off Beth Mead! Lionesses star is showing she can still play a key role for Arsenal and England

Starting on the right, where she is best-suited, Mead caused plenty of problems for the Foxes on Sunday. It was her cross that led to the Gunners' opening goal after just seven minutes, converted clinically by Russo, and her perfectly-weighted pass that Blackstenius swept into the back of the net to make it 3-0.

Mead did plenty of the gritty stuff in this win, too. Winning eight ground duels and recovering possession three times in a performance that was as hard-working as it was eye-catching, this was a reminder of what the 30-year-old can do.

It was a continuation from the international break, too, where Mead was afforded starts in both of England's fixtures as the absences of Lauren Hemp, Lauren James, Jess Park and Grace Clinton massively reduced Sarina Wiegman's options in the wide areas. Had the squad been fuller, the Lionesses boss would've likely rotated more, but instead Mead took full advantage of the opportunity to play 90 minutes in back-to-back games for just the second time in 2025.

In the defeat to Brazil that England kicked-off their October camp with, the Arsenal star was one of the few Lionesses to put in a decent performance, causing problems for the South American champions with her direct and positive approach. She completed no fewer than six key passes, won 11 of her 17 ground duels, delivered three accurate crosses from four attempts and completed three of her four dribbles, while also winning the penalty that Georgia Stanway converted to give England a chance of getting a result.

What stood out most was how often Mead drifted into central areas from her position on the right wing, picking up pockets in which she could receive the ball and hurt the opposition with the time and space she had. That continued a few days later against Australia, as she again created chances aplenty and showcased her footballing intelligence. 

"She can play in the pocket really well," Wiegman noted when asked about Mead following the 3-0 win over the Matildas. "She finds pockets and she's intelligent in that. That's what I wanted her to do today, too. When they dropped and had a lower block, of course, you want to break down that block and you want to challenge them in decision making. We try to create overloads and she plays a big part in that."

Things have not been easy for Mead in recent months. After Chloe Kelly joined Arsenal on loan from Manchester City at the end of January, the 30-year-old found herself on the bench on a more regular basis, starting only six of the Gunners' final 13 games of the season having been named to the line-up 13 times in the 20 fixtures prior to Kelly's first appearance back in the colours of her childhood club.

It's not just about the numbers, either, but also the occasions. In the Champions League quarter-final second leg, when Arsenal had to come from 2-0 down against Real Madrid; in the Champions League semi-final second leg, when the Gunners were out to overturn a 2-1 deficit in Lyon; and in the final of that competition, against all-conquering Barcelona, Slegers opted for Kelly over Mead in her starting XI.

She has had to endure similar disappointments with England, too. Mead started all five of the Lionesses' games prior to the 2025 European Championship, with an impressive return of three goals and two assists from those appearances. But after keeping her place for England's tournament opener, a 2-1 defeat to France, she lost it when Wiegman reshuffled to great effect.

Throw in the regular talk about her Arsenal future, amid very public interest from big-spending London City Lionesses, and it would make sense for Mead to look unsettled in her performances.

But that wasn't the case. Mead still produced three goals and three assists in those six starts after Kelly's Arsenal return, her most notable contribution coming off the bench in the Champions League final when she slipped Blackstenius through to net the title-winning strike.

At Euro 2025, the numbers don't quite do her impact justice, but Mead was incredibly influential as a substitute, bringing calmness and composure to the table when Wiegman turned to her during the Lionesses' run to a second successive continental crown. That came in different positions, too, be they out wide or more central.

Now, with back-to-back England starts followed by two in succession for Arsenal, Mead is showing that it's not just as a substitute that she can make telling contributions.

In Slegers' squad, the wide areas are perhaps the most competitive of all. Smith, the electric 21-year-old, temporarily became the most expensive player in the history of the women's game back in the summer, when Arsenal decided she was worth a record-breaking £1 million ($1.3m); Caitlin Foord, capped 138 times by Australia, is one of the best dribblers in the Women's Super League, something she's shown regularly since arriving in north London in 2020; Kelly's impact and ability is well-documented, from her exploits with both England and Arsenal; while Mariona Caldentey, this year's Ballon d'Or runner-up, is another outstanding player who can play out wide if desired.

Given Slegers tends to be quite consistent with her team selection, rather than rotating regularly, it can be even tougher for those more often among the substitutes to get into the Arsenal XI, as Mead has sometimes found.

But after getting her opportunity for Arsenal on Sunday, and producing two fantastic displays in England colours over the international break, Mead has reminded all of the difference she can make at the highest level.

It's certainly good timing from the Gunners' perspective, too. With the extent of Smith's injury unknown and Kelly still working her way back up to full match sharpness, Mead's impressive form will be a welcome sight for Slegers given the games ahead. On Saturday, Arsenal host Chelsea in what will be a massive test of their WSL title credentials, with clashes against Bayern Munich, Tottenham and Real Madrid to follow. It's a massive, potentially season-defining, run of fixtures.

It's in these periods that you need your experienced players to step up and be the difference. Mead has done that plenty of times before, for club and country, and with the form she's showing as of late, she looks primed to do so yet again.