Olivia Smith introduced herself to the Emirates Stadium with a strike from nearly 30 yards into the top corner on her competitive debut. A year after her then-world-record £1 million move from Liverpool, her first season in north London included 38 appearances, 2,258 minutes and 14 goal involvements across all competitions. That return earned her a second successive PFA Women’s Young Player of the Year award. Only Lauren Hemp had previously won the award more than once, while Smith became Arsenal’s second recipient after Leah Williamson in 2014-15.
Olivia Smith Stats: The Numbers Behind Back-to-Back PFA Awards
Context matters. Smith only turned 22 earlier this month, yet she was one of just four players involved in eight or more WSL goals last season while under 22, contributing five goals and three assists. Only Chelsea’s Alyssa Thompson (32) created more chances than Smith’s 24 among players in that age bracket, and the pair’s combined shot involvements – Thompson’s 70 and Smith’s 59 – were the highest among players aged 21 and under in the division.
Across WSL history, only 10 players have posted a higher goals-per-90 rate than Smith’s 0.39 among those under 22 with 2,000-plus minutes. Her goal-involvement rate of 0.49 per 90 ranks 14th on the same list.
The shift from Liverpool is visible in the shot data. Her non-penalty xG per 90 rose from 0.21 at Liverpool to 0.29 at Arsenal in league competition, even as her shot volume dipped slightly from 2.9 to 2.7 per 90. Arsenal also lifted the inaugural FIFA Women’s Champions Cup trophy in February, with Smith playing a key part in the success.
An Intelligent Ball Carrier
No player recorded more carries into the opposition penalty area in last season’s WSL than Smith’s 41, and she was one of only five players in the competition to reach double figures for both shots (12) and chances created (10) from carries. She also ranked among the top 10 for take-ons in the opposition half per 90 at 2.9.
Smith has linked her comfort in one-v-one situations to a childhood spent across multiple sports. She said taekwondo helped her shot technique, hip movement, flexibility, discipline and mentality, while gymnastics, basketball and track and field contributed to her agility, speed and mechanics.
That willingness to engage defenders directly shows up in the foul data. Smith averaged the third-most fouls won per 90 (2.2) among players with at least 800 minutes last season, and topped the league for fouls won in the final third at 0.9 per 90.
Unlocking Her Creative Side
The positional change between Liverpool and Arsenal helps explain Smith’s statistical evolution. At Liverpool she played 62% of her league minutes as an out-and-out striker, and 20 of her 22 shot involvements following a carry ended with her own shot rather than a pass – a 90.1% rate.
At Arsenal, where Renée Slegers has used her on the left, right and centrally, that split has become far more even: 12 shots against 10 chances created from carries in the WSL. Her open-play chances created per 90 doubled from 0.9 to 1.8, while her expected assists more than quadrupled from 0.05 to 0.23 per 90. She has also averaged more than seven extra touches per 90, rising from 41.9 at Liverpool to 49.1 at Arsenal, as she has received the ball in wider areas.
Smith said the adjustment initially proved difficult after becoming accustomed to receiving the ball in space and driving directly towards goal at Liverpool. At Arsenal, she said, opponents often defend in more structured low blocks, making timing and reading play an important part of her development. The players she created most for last season were Alessia Russo (11 chances in 1,108 minutes together), Frida Maanum (four in 718) and Stina Blackstenius (four in 301).
Systemic Fit Under Slegers
Smith has said Slegers gives her confidence to attack opponents one-v-one, enter the box and make decisions in attacking areas. Her role changes according to both position and opponent: from the left she can cut inside, shoot or combine; from the right she can drive down the line, cross or cut inside; and through the middle she can use her speed to run in behind defenders.
Smith has also credited playing alongside Russo and Mariona Caldentey with improving her game. She said understanding her teammates and what they want on the pitch has helped her develop both tactically and personally.
Limitations and What Comes Next
Smith’s lower shot volume but higher non-penalty xG at Arsenal reflects a different attacking environment from the one she experienced at Liverpool. She has described the challenge of facing opponents who are more structured and ready to double up in one-v-one situations. Her creative output has also been supported by familiarity with Arsenal’s forwards: Smith highlighted Blackstenius’ near-post movement and Russo’s ability to compete for headers when discussing their partnerships.
Arsenal’s 2026-27 fixture list will test that adjustment quickly. According to the Opta Power Rankings, the Gunners face the hardest five-game opening to a WSL season of any side, beginning away at Brighton and at home to Crystal Palace before matches against Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City.
Conclusion
Smith is the second player after Hemp to win the PFA Women’s Young Player of the Year award more than once, doing so after seasons with Liverpool and Arsenal. Her first campaign in north London paired strong output with elite ball-carrying numbers and a greater creative role in a different attacking system.
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