_Arsenal were 2-1 winners at home to Lyon in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final on Sunday. Jule Brand gave Lyon a first half lead but Arsenal turned it around in the second half with an Ingrid Engen own goal and a late Olivia Smith strike. Renee Slegers spoke to the press post-match, questions four and five are from Arseblog News._
**On her feeling after the game…**
We knew it was going to be tight game very strong opponent, we know we can bring things to games as well, which I think we did, especially second half. The answer is which everyone’s now expecting. It is only half time, so, but we wanted to use the Emirates as an advantage, and I think we did, and especially if you look at the second half, the moment we found to put more pressure on Lyon and to spend time in their half. I think when we did that, the fans went with us and so that was great that created good energy in the second half.
**On whether Arsenal had good fortune with their goals…**
I don’t think so. I think the first goal it’s hard for a goalkeeper because that ball goes in front and does runners both own team and our runners so it’s hard to see. I think the opposition is put off guard a little bit and then the second goal is just really good, a moment in the press that we that we wanted to create. So I’m not sure if we were lucky. I think this is football- sometimes you score the most brilliant goals. I think if you look at Lyon away last year for example Mariona’s goal that’s a beautiful goal.
**On her halftime team talk…**
I think there was already problem solving going on in the first half. There was contact, Mel (Clarke Read) was down. Aaron wasn’t down the sideline so there was there was contact between Leah and Mel about the press and how he could get more players engaged and get more pressure on them, which was so helpful and that continued in halftime, so I think great work by the staff, putting plans together and being flexible with the pictures that are shown during the game. But then also acknowledging the quality that we have in the squad with players with so much intelligence, reading the game so well, feeling the game when they’re in it and then communicating that really well, so the collaboration is just on a really high level.
**On utilising low setpiece deliveries…**
Lyon is extreme with their physical power and their height. So you always have to look at what do we have? What does the opposition have and what are the opportunities for us? We’re always looking at that. But they’re fantastic at set pieces if you look at the strength that they have, we are always looking at details that we can exploit.
**On the performance of the wide players with Mead and Kelly out…**
We showed that we have a diversity of tools and diversity of player types and qualities that were bringing to the game today. I think Foordy does so well. She creates so many issues. I think Lawrence is on the yellow card early in the game is because she’s physical and she’s good in her one v ones. Olivia does well today as well. I think she played some different roles for us today, sometimes more inside, sometimes wider. And she did that really well and then she’s such an explosive player. So she calls a moment there and and got the ball into the goal, which is not easy because she’s down. She has to get up quickly and get it into the net. I’m happy with the team in general and the wide forwards are doing really well.
**On whether Kelly or Mead will be back for the second leg…**
Beth there’s no clear timeline, for Chloe it was a minor issue, so we’re very hopeful that she’s available for the second leg.
**On Arsenal’s ability to problem solve in big games…**
When you play against top teams, they can do different things and they can ask you different questions. They change, we change, and the opposite. So that’s a constant when you play your game. So that’s what we train a lot and what we think is important for the players to possess that quality, to be able to do that and I think we’re in a really good place with it. Then of course you want your plan to be good from the start but things and pictures change throughout the game, and that’s what happened today.
**On Arsenal’s ability to come from behind…**
The intelligence that we have in the squad and them being on the pitch, seeing it, feeling it, it’s so valuable. We see the pitch from above tactical views, which has a lot of value as well to see to see the spaces and them seeing it, feeling it so that collaboration of having both perspectives is really good.
**On managing a WSL game against Leicester on Wednesday…**
The players are doing their recovery now already. It starts straight after the game because we have a game on Wednesday, very important game against Leicester in the WSL, so we have to be ready for that game. But then if you look at the schedule that we have, it’s 2-3 days in between games, which has been our schedule for a long time. We are used to it. We thrive off it, we want to embrace it so I think we’re used to that rhythm. What’s important for us is this block we’ve said is the here and now.
So embrace the moment and do everything you can because nothing else is important just here and now and that’s what we shown today. And because we’re going between competitions and we can’t look back, we can’t look too far ahead. We can’t look at what others are doing. We have to be focussing on ourselves in the moment. Of course, with with the league, we have. I think at the moment now after that game 3 games to play still. So we have to take it step by step and the first one is Leicester on Wednesday.
**On Olivia Smith’s performance…**
I was so happy she’s a part of us, and that’s why we brought her here. She’s still very young so happy she’s part of Arsenal. Love working with Liv. One of the qualities that she’s impressed me with is how different ideas on paper or in a meeting or on video how they are transferred onto the pitch. It’s been so good. I’m really impressed with it and like we just spoke about the problem solving and being able to change things so that flexibility is important in the way we want to play and she’s done that really well.
**On Leah Williamson being subbed on 65 minutes…**
It was planned. She wasn’t going to fulfil the 90 minutes, so I’m really happy with the impact she had and that we were sticking to the plan because, of course, with great players like Leah, you just want to keep them on, keep going. But we had to do it for sustainability, so I’m happy we did it and also just trusting the next player that’s coming on.
**On how much the low setpiece routines are down to player intuition…**
We have a clear plan. I think set pieces are different. It’s a set situation. So we go into a game with clear plans, but then on the pitch, the players can choose and recognise what the best option is here and now. I think Chris (Bradley) does a great job and the players are empowered to make those decisions which they do well.
**On Olivia Smith being fouled a lot in the game…**
Physicality in duels is a big part of football and so it has to be there, which is which is fine. But I think when I when I react naturally is when I’m thinking about the player’s health. I wanna protect them. I think there was a couple going on against Liv. I Guess that’s when I stepped up to have a have a word with the fourth official. Most of the time it doesn’t have a great effect- they make their decisions and you have to respect their decisions. That was all fine today, so huge respect for the for the referees. I think part of it as well is to play to your strengths and don’t fear the duels and the physicality of the game. But also play around with it and in a good way.
14.van Domselaar; 2.Fox, 6.Williamson (24.Hinds ‘66), 3.Wubben-Moy, 11.McCabe; 10.Little(c) (5.L.Codina 90+3), 8.Mariona; 15.Smith (21.Pelova ‘84), 23.Russo (31.Holmberg 90+3), 19.Foord; 25.Blackstenius (12.L.Maanum ‘84)
Subs: 13.Votikova, 28.Borbe, 44.Harwood