Leah Williamson spoke to the media following Arsenal’s group-topping 3-2 triumph over Bayern Munich last night.
The centre-back shared her initial reaction to the fixture, saying “It was very dramatic, with all the wind and the rain. We know that in the first game we didn’t represent ourselves in the best way, we had to go for the win and that’s what we got.”
Expressing that the Gunners approached the occasion with every intention of winning not just the game but the group, Williamson said, “It is something we came here to do tonight so we are happy to tick off another target.”
‘Momentum creates momentum’ says Williamson
Arsenal are, impressively, unbeaten in the last 11 games under interim head coach Renée Slegers. Touching on the significance of this, Williamson highlighted “It is so important, momentum creates momentum. We are setting a standard and trying to go higher, we are not happy with it but it is much easier to review and pick at your performances when you are winning. You win, you can rotate the team, good scorelines, everyone gets their rightful minutes because everyone deserves to play and then you move on.”
Shedding some light on the growing confidence of Arsenal fans and players alike, the homegrown talent explained “This team at the minute I always feel like we’re going to score, even when we’re not playing the prettiest football. That turnaround, everyone being accountable and stepping up and doing their jobs. My job in the end is to make sure they don’t score again and then the other girls have the freedom to do what they needed.”
Crediting the fans on the special occasion played controversially at Meadow Park, Williamson pointed out the intimacy of the stadium. “This ground allows that, we’re very close to them, we can feel them and you want to give back to the fans, especially when they’re that close and you can celebrate with them, it feels a lot nicer than just winning.”
“There are certain teams you want to play because you want to experience their atmosphere, I think we are one of those teams now. It is incredible and it only dawned on me in the warm-up when I couldn’t hear myself think.”
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‘I am so happy coming into work’ under Slegers
With little clarity surrounding Slegers’ future with the club, Williamson was unsurprisingly asked whether she feels the interim head coach should take on the role permanently. She responded, “Right now, we have been zeroing in on the games but I am so happy coming into work but I am so happy it is not my decision or not my role!”
The England captain spoke about the rapid progression of the Gunners’ form, explaining “We just took it back to basics, when you don’t have a set manager and you have an interim, everyone becomes more accountable and everybody has to step up.”
“Everybody is pulling their weight a bit more and maybe we needed that, you’ve seen a different side because we as players have taken more responsibility and she has just encouraged everyone to be themselves, we found a way that fits everybody and taken advantage of that,” Williamson praised.