Alessia Russo has emerged as one of Europe's most dangerous forwards this season, boasting a goal contribution rate of 1.13 in Champions League matches. The Arsenal striker trails only Bayern Munich's Klara Buhl and Barcelona's Alexia Putellas in this metric, despite playing more games than both. Russo credits the revamped Champions League format for creating extra space, noting that teams now attack with less fear.

For England, manager Sarina Wiegman has settled on Russo's optimal position. "Her best position is as a number nine," Wiegman stated before the 2-0 win over Iceland, emphasizing the tactical setup requires a central striker. This aligns with Russo's Euro 2022 performance where she spent 14% of her time in the opposition box, contributing two goals and three assists.

At club level, Russo's deployment has varied between central striker and attacking midfield roles. While Arsenal's goal output has dipped from 62 in 22 WSL matches last season to 33 in 16 this campaign, the 5-0 thrashing of West Ham showcased her effectiveness in the number 10 position. "As a nine, you're obviously playing higher up," Russo explained, "but as a number 10, you are freer to join attacks late." With talents like Stina Blackstenius and Chloe Kelly in the squad, Arsenal's forward line remains among Europe's most formidable when fully fit.