“I think we’re a good football team, we’ve always known that. Where the emphasis has been recently is on the little things, but they’ve got to be consistent.”
Arsenal Women’s 10-match winning streak is their best winning run in almost a decade. They haven’t hit form at exactly the right time, with the WSL title already out of reach and possibly heading to Manchester City. But there are worse times than this.
That double-digit form has included just four WSL games, but the Gunners have won the inaugural Women’s Champions Cup, progressed through the Champions League play-offs and blew a 3-1 lead against Chelsea in the quarter-finals earlier this week.
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Skeptics of footballing metrics may be pleased to know that there are few differences in the underlying numbers from Arsenal’s early season form that would suggest such results. There has been no change in the game, but there has been no change in the management.
Of course, this is intentional. Arsenal’s squad is as strong as it has ever been, perhaps even stronger. The main task of head coach Renée Slagers has been to create flexibility which has not always been a key factor in this club’s arsenal.
“It’s not always the visuals – but that’s what our emphasis has been on,” she says. sky sports. “But we know that the actions and behaviors we are taking are contributing.
Saturday 28th March 5:00pm
Start at 5:30 pm
“If you look at the group, where they are, together with the staff we have collectively created a cohesiveness and a strong mentality. There is a strong resilience in the team.
“When you have to go through tough times, you have to find solutions to get everyone moving in the same direction. When you have momentum, it’s about staying there – it’s the same thing but different.
“The game against Chelsea was one of changes of pace, there were ups and downs, but looking at the players and their composure on the pitch, their body language and talking to them afterwards – they looked in control.”
Control will be needed for Saturday’s North London derby. The old adage that everything goes out the window for games like this has an element of truth in it with the added sense of consistency, especially with more than 45,000 fans expected to arrive at Emirates Stadium for the 5.30pm kick-off, live on sky sports football.
The slugger has shown that he is willing to make decisions to ensure that these feelings do not become an issue. In another London derby, Tuesday’s win over Chelsea, she stopped Lia Codina on a yellow card with the defender at half-time and if the intensity of the Tottenham match gets the better of any of her players, she will not hesitate to do the same.
“Lia did really well for us in the first half, but I’m a coach who isn’t afraid to make changes with players who have yellow cards,” says Slagers.
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A look at some of the best moments from the last North London derby ahead of Arsenal vs Tottenham at the Emirates.
“It was a very heated game at the Emirates on Tuesday, and it will be the same. The team brought their passion into the game through intensity, passion and belief. They remained calm and work-focused. We want to bring that to the Tottenham game as well.”
It is games like these where the experience of 35-year-old captain Kim Little becomes extra important. The Scottish midfielder is the ultimate professional and despite coming towards the end of his 20th season in professional football still posts the best pass completion and tackle numbers of anyone in his position in the WSL.
Against Tottenham, it will depend on his leadership as well as the technical abilities the slugger will rely on, as the Gunners attempt to avoid the disappointment of a one-sided 0-0 draw in the away match at the start of the season. It’s no surprise that the club have committed a one-year extension to his contract in preparation for the game.
The Slagers say of their captain, “He’s the epitome of consistency – a rock, he’s very consistent and he’s very calm.” “He is a role model for all the right things.
“Kim has done that for Arsenal for a long time too. I’ve always respected loyalty and it’s amazing what she still brings to the team and the club. You can’t measure it.”
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