Arsenal defender Lotte Wubben-Moy admitted that a recent report in the Athletic which suggested there was dressing room discord at Arsenal is ‘now what we want.’ Wubben-Moy says Arsenal have an empowered and demanding club culture and, as part of the leadership group, she feels a personal responsibility for.
Asked by Sky Sports about the article, Wubben-Moy reflected, ‘I think, first and foremost, to acknowledge the article that you are referencing. I read it and I think take a lot of it in a way that’s personal. I think whenever there’s something reflective of the club that’s externally considered noise, it’s not what we want, but I think ultimately, we look to ourselves and we’d invite you to coming into the training ground with us and see what it’s like on the inside because I think what we’re doing is special.
‘We believe in ourselves, we’re empowered by Renee to create a culture that everyone contributes to and I look at at me as a leader within that, to have a responsibility and I take that very highly. It’s high performance sport. I think there’s so much intensity, so many moving parts, so many components. First, we look to ourselves, and then we look at the greater picture, the greater image that we can control as players, as staff and let’s not forget it takes a village to win a football game and that’s even more so on a larger sort of scale when it comes to the season and it comes to Champions League campaigns we’re putting our effort in every day. That’s the most important thing, we forward believing in the process.’
Lotte Wubben-Moy is part of the leadership group at Arsenal and Arseblog News asked Wubben-Moy whether that responsibility has changed her approach at all, ‘I don’t think you need an armband, I don’t think you need a label in order to be able to lead. I think there are multiple players that aren’t in the leadership group that also show traits of really strong leadership and contribution to the environment.
‘Coming back to me, I think what I give and what I hope to portray on a daily basis is leading by example, the professionalism that I show, but likewise also having the connection with the club that allows me to give an extra percentage every day, not only on the training pitch but also during games.’
Arsenal play Twente in the Champions League this evening. Wubben-Moy, whose father is Dutch, fielded some questions in Dutch. The defender feels playing more teams in the revamped Swiss model which is debuting in this season’s group phase, will stand teams in better stead for the knockouts.
‘What now is then accentuated is the fact that there are more teams that we’re playing, so a greater array of styles, which I think ultimately will put us in even better stead when it gets to the knockout stages. So I think that is something that I think will play into our hands, and as the competition progresses, I hope that it will help us.
‘Every game is an important one. I think when you put the badge on Arsenal Football Club, there comes a responsibility, there comes a precedent that has been set by players before us. But I think for us, stepping out onto the pitch, playing for this club is a great privilege and one that we should do justice with the performances that we set out.’