Renée Slegers was back in front of the media at the Sobha Realty Training Centre on Tuesday.
She was asked to share the latest team news updates, her thoughts on Real Madrid ahead of Wednesday's UEFA Women's Champions League match and more.
Here's what she had to say on the following subjects...
**on the latest team news:**
No new injuries, so everyone's available, same squad.
**on the latest on Leah:**
Yeah, same timeline \[December return\], so she's progressing really well. Like you guys saw today, she's part of more and more elements in training and she's making steps. So that's really good, but not available for selection tomorrow.
**on the main issue facing the team right now:**
Like I said, we don't deny it. We acknowledge that it's difficult, but we also know the strength in the team. I think we know what we're capable of and the strengths that we have in the squad. Of course, again, we've analysed the game and picked out the details. But if you tell the story of the block, Leicester is a good performance, it's a good result. Chelsea, I think it's two top teams going against each other. I think we dominate parts of the game and we wanted more from a results perspective. Bayern is a good first half against, again, a top opponent. Second half, we are, of course, very critical of ourselves, we give it away. There's a lot of games and then a short turnaround into a north London derby. If you look at what we concede from an xG perspective, it's close to nothing. But we don't create enough in that game and we've seen that if you compare it to last year and how easy it was for us to score goals and the type of opportunities we created, that's a little bit harder for us at the moment, so that's something we've looked at.
**on the expectation that winning the Champions League brings on us:**
Yeah, well, that's not something we talk about because if that were the case, then that's something that we can't control in our environment. But it's, of course, through the win in the Champions League and a couple of really, really good performances last year, expectations rise. And I think it's easier to get to the top than staying at the top. So what do you have to do to keep on delivering those things? And with getting to the top like we did in the Champions League, winning the Champions League, expectations rise and I don't think the expectations on the outside are affecting us. But, of course, we have high expectations on ourselves because we know what we're capable of. And that's what we're dealing with at the moment. At the same time, I know that the squad is really good at being in the moment, taking it game to game and preparing as well as possible to be able to execute and always having that reflection. And I think there's no difference in that, how the team has taken ownership and accountability. That's exactly the same as last year.
**on how realistic it is to think we can win the WSL:**
Yeah, it's again, in all honesty, that's not the position we wished we were in, but that's reality now. And then, of course, we never stop believing because we're not halfway through the season yet. And you see that WSL is more competitive. You see other teams losing points this weekend as well. But yeah, we are chasing it at the moment.
**on if expectations are unreasonable to win every single game in a topsy-turvy season:**
The fans who come in expect us to win every single game. We love that because that's also what we want to achieve and what we believe we can do. So that's the positive. That belief that the fans and the outside world give us, that's great. That's helping us and brings us definitely energy. I've said it many times already. At the start of the season, I think the league has changed, which is very good for the wider picture of the growth of the sport in this country and wider as well. So that's really positive. I think in line with what Mariona just said, you see how teams approach playing against us. It's this desire to beat the European champions. So that's something that has changed that we didn't face last year. But that's something we have to deal with because if we are here and this is our position, then we have to manage that. So I agree, the league is different this year.
**on if it’s not a bad result and the reaction to drawing away at Spurs:**
Yeah, I think that's perspective, that's catching the perspective. At the same time, that game against Tottenham, we wanted to win and in our opinion we should have won because we don't allow them almost anything from an xG perspective. And we are dominant, especially in the second half, we just don't create big enough chances and convert the chances. So that's that game specifically. But I think, like you say, the league is growing and that's a big compliment to the league and to England, how we're investing here. So that's really positive.
**on what to expect from Real Madrid tomorrow:**
Yeah, all aligned with Mariona. I think their games might be a little bit more open this year, so that's something that we have to prepare for and something we want to organise in a good way. You see that their key players play in a little bit different roles this year compared to last year, so that's also something to look out for. Otherwise, you see a lot of similar structures and similar players on the pitch compared to last year.
**on whether Real Madrid could engage player for player with a high line against us like they did against Barcelona on the weekend:**
No, that's what we're preparing for. If you look at our goal-kick situations last year, we've taken a lot of references from the game at the Emirates. You see them going high in player for player on those situations as well, so we are absolutely expecting that. I think they do that for longer and with a lot of conviction. I think they maybe, earlier last year, decided to drop into more of a mid-block. But yeah, I haven't spoken to the coach. I don't know what their plan is for tomorrow. But yeah, I see a difference from last year, so that's, I think, also why the game becomes a little bit more open.
**on if Kyra played as a six with two eights ahead of her against Spurs:**
Kyra got a clear role going into the game, so she was going to play close to the back line. And I think with Mariona in midfield, she has the freedom to find spaces. So that's the balance we wanted to create with four players behind the ball as much as possible. So yeah, but she did well in that role. And of course, we have the options now with different midfielders. Now, whilst Kim is out, there's other players stepping in with different qualities. And that's, of course, a depth in the squad that we want and need.
**on how hard it is to develop an identity and playing style without being too predictable:**
Yeah, I think that's part of our identity, that we are unpredictable. So we want to have different threats, whether it's being able to build long attacks, being direct, being able to play out of pressure, being able to bypass pressure, build in more and more quality on our set-pieces, all types of set-pieces. And then, of course, our ability to cause turnovers high up the pitch and be aggressive, but also be disciplined in other phases. I think that's where the game is growing. I don't think you can do just one thing and try to do that really well. I think you have to be able to manage a lot of things in the game and bring variety to what you do. And that's structurally, but that's also with the different player qualities that we have in the squad.
**on how we manage the loads of our Lionesses with Sarina Wiegman:**
You know, most players are... They stretch themselves physically. So I think a football player is never really totally pain-free. But Chloe is OK. She's fit and she has been fit for a while. Of course, the start of pre-season, she missed the West Ham game and a couple of training sessions. But since then, she's been building back and some things take a little bit longer than others, but she's fully fit and available.
**on if Real Madrid will be looking for revenge against us after last season:**
I don't know how they work, where they find their motivation and drive. I guess the same as us in preparation, they've watched the game back and maybe the first game as well, although that pitch was really hard to play on and we have totally different circumstances tomorrow. So yeah, they will find their motivation and their drive and their plan, and they've definitely watched that game. And I can imagine they weren't, of course, weren't happy with that result and they will want to do things differently. So let's see what they bring and where they find their motivation.
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