_Arsenal drew 1-1 with Chelsea in the WSL on Saturday lunchtime. Chelsea took an early lead through Alyssa Thompson but Alessia Russo’s late equaliser secured a point after an eventful and controversial second half. Renee Slegers spoke to the press post-match, the first two questions are from Arseblog News._
**On regulating emotions after Blackstenius’ goal was harshly ruled out in the second half…**
I am very disappointed, I want to put that first. I think we’ll get to the point of why. I think there was a lot to manage for the players today. Intensity is really high from a football and physical perspective, but it’s also emotionally because there’s a lot of stake in this game, it’s a London Derby, it’s about the title there’s so much. So I’m really proud of the team and how they perform today from that perspective.
I think the first moment that they have to get through is the first 15 minutes where we know Chelsea comes out fast and unfortunately, we’re not successful in that period. We knew about it, but we don’t manage it well enough, that’s our negative moment in the game. But then the way, again, we go back to mentality, the way we come back from that period of time it’s fantastic, we grow into the game. We come back in the changing room. There’s a lot of talk going on, players connecting, about solutions for the second half, belief, positive and I think we address a couple of things that that we see we are doing well and these are there areas where we can win the game or score and it was all very constructed.
I think we come out well in the second half, but then again, there’s also a lot to manage in the second half from an emotional perspective and that’s where we come to the disallowed goal. In these games where there’s so much at stake and there’s really good teams going against each other, fine margins. So if you score, you have to work so hard for that goal. It’s really frustrating when it then gets disallowed and then you have to come back from that.
I think, what I’m really happy with is how the players use that as positive fuel instead of getting frustrated and emotional and not being able to play anymore, not being able to come up with solutions anymore, I think they use it in a positive way, it fuelled them in believing that we are going to score this goal and they did in the end.
**On whether Chelsea setting up in a back four was a surprise…**
We were a little surprised I think we expected either but we were leaning towards them coming out to the back five we had two plans in place anyway. But to come out with the back four with different personnel and of course, Aggie Beever Jones was unavailable. There’s a couple of other changes as well and all the other times we played against Chelsea they’ve been in the four as well. So a little surprised.
**Her thoughts on Maanum’s disallowed goal at the end…**
It’s a big call in a game like this because I’ve just watched video back and it’s hard to tell from the angle I’ve seen and whether it’s offside. I think I thank you Tim for reminding me to talk about things that we can control and things we can’t control. It is what it is and I have a lot of respect for referees, because it’s not easy, because we sit there in retrospect and we’re looking at video, referees need to make decisions and they are really hard. But at the moment, if you ask me, I think we need just decisions, we need justice and that’s where I think VAR technology can come.
**On the likelihood of VAR coming into the WSL…**
I don’t want to elaborate too much on it, there’s more and more at stake in the WSL. Top Games, but it’s also in the relegation battle and everything in between. So I think it’s there’s more and more involved, there’s more and more at stake, I think we have to have a look at it.
**On the focus being on refereeing decisions…**
I think in these football matches the teams are going against each other. There’s a rivalry today and there’s a rivalry on the pitch and in the stands and it’s fantastic sports and I think that’s a beautiful thing, that’s why I’m proud to be a part of it, but I think people will remember the good football today too.
**On whether making a slow start today was a wider concern…**
Let me reflect on it, let me review it and watch it back. I don’t think at the moment it’s been a trend for us. I think we’ve started fast against Leicester and we’ve had some quite some goals in the first 15 minutes as well. But it is important, especially in these big games with fine margins, top teams going against each other, also knowing that Chelsea comes out like that. It’s a strength of theirs to come out to the first 15 minutes with a lot of pace. We should have handled that better.
**On how quickly she knew Blackstenius’ goal was disallowed…**
I had no idea. The goal was scored, no one is calling for it. I turn around, players are celebrating the stadium, goes crazy, it is a fantastic moment. We celebrate a little. We connect with the tech staff on what do we do now from here? It’s 1-1 what do we keep what do we change? What’s the plan forward? And then all of a sudden I turn around and see someone saying that the goal is disallowed, I was very surprised.
**On big away games at Bayern Munich and Spurs next week…**
That’s why we’re here and that’s what we want. I think to deal with it, it’s very good scheduling to start with and planning and so we do the right things to recover for the next game. What does that look like? So that’s key. But we enjoy being in this and playing all these games when we started to look forward to to this block, it was Leicester, then Chelsea, Bayern, Tottenham and Madrid, so of course, that’s the game you want to play as a footballer, that’s the games you want to go and show. It’s we need to put it into perspective as well. It’s great to be a part of.
**On whether Kim Little will be available for those games…**
I don’t think so. I think she won’t be available, but still it’s every day how she progresses. But at the moment I don’t expect her to be.
**On the impact of Frida Maanum from the bench…**
We had a couple of players back in the squad not being available against Leicester, so we had to manage things and there were some illnesses, so not everyone was ready to start. We have so many good players in the squad, you see players making an impact from the start, and we have five players coming on, making a real big impact. So that I’m happy with how the individuals perform.
**On Cooney-Cross’ performance from the bench…**
She’s so composed on the ball and the detail and the decisions and passing and she did that today. She’s has really strong physical abilities. So she can cover grounds, she’s fast with and without the ball. I think she positions herself really well today to always be that central player to change the point of attack, which we did more in the second half.
**On saying in her programme notes she never wanted to feel like she did after the Chelsea defeat in January again…**
Going into the game, I felt different. This time, if I compared to last time, it was also my first one against Chelsea as a head coach and after that game, I said to myself, I spoke to a couple of players, ‘I’m not going to feel this way again.’ Playing against Chelsea I don’t think anyone felt that way today. So that’s why there is disappointment. I think we knew it was going to be fine margins again. I think Chelsea was always dangerous and they had a good chances, but I think this was a moment for us, the stage we were in the way we had belief and the preparation, I think it was there for us to take three points.
**On the importance of the crowd…**
The crowd was amazing, I think it’s also for the players on a pitch, and for us working with the team, we have to come back from adversity and it’s the same for the players. It’s a day of course they also get disappointed when Chelsea scores the first goal but they kept coming back and they got louder and louder and they also got fuelled by the decisions and want to win even more so. I think that there is some great energy in the stadium.
**On Taylor Hinds and Olivia Smith’s impact when they came on…**
They bring a lot of athleticism and speed so that really changed things for us, that was important, managing things behind, but also exposing things going forward and they’ve integrated so well. It’s not easy. The demands are a lot, training is quite complex. I can say they’ve done so well coming into the team and I’m happy Olivia is back as well because she wasn’t available against Leicester. Taylor whatever we ask from her, whether that’s inside or wide, she does it.
14.van Domselaar; 2.Fox, 3.Wubben-Moy, 7.Catley(c), 11.McCabe (24.Hinds ‘61); 21.Pelova (32.Cooney-Cross ‘70), 8.Mariona; 9.Mead (15.Smith ‘61), 23.Russo, 19.Foord (18.Kelly ‘78); 25.Blackstenius (12.L.Maanum ‘70)
Subs: 5.L.Codina, 22.Nighswonger, 28.Borbe, 44.Harwood