Arsenal kept their Champions League qualification hopes alive with a deserved 2-1 victory over Manchester City Women on Saturday. Tim Stillman caught up with right-back Lisa Evans immediately after the game exclusively for Arseblog News.
On a physical contest….
It was a very physical game against a really difficult team. We knew what we were coming up against today, a great team with really good individual players. But I think on the day, we were better, it was a battle but I think physically we were on top and we got two goals and I really think we could have scored more than we did. It was a really good performance.
On the half-time teamtalk……
We talked about doing the same things that we were doing at the end of the first half, we finished the half really well. We told each other to be patient and to play the same and then to get the equaliser quite early in the half really helped us to kick on. Once we equalised, I think we all sensed that we were in the ascendancy and that we would get the three points.
Precision finishing there from @DanielleDonk ?
? Watch LIVE now on @btsport 1 pic.twitter.com/kS4lFzhsn3
— The FA WSL (@FAWSL) May 12, 2018
On qualifying for next season’s Champions League…..
We’re one point behind with two games to go and we will try to do everything from our side to win those two games, that’s all we can do now. We’ll look for City’s results and see if they make any slip ups, but before that, we just have to do our job first and foremost.
On finishing the season unbeaten at home in the WSL…..
We’re reaping the benefits of the improvements here at Meadow Park, especially with the new pitch. We played at Wembley last week on an amazing pitch and this one is just as good, if not better. I don’t know what the groundsman here do, but if anything, the pitch is better now than it was at the beginning of the season.
Thunderous strike from @bmeado9 ⚡️
? Watch LIVE on @btsport 1 pic.twitter.com/21G2nBCApB
— The FA WSL (@FAWSL) May 12, 2018
Our home form has been really good and that’s not a coincidence. We want to make this place a fortress, we want to make it hard for teams to come here and get any points and nobody has been able to come here and take three points off us this season. Now we just need to work on our away form for next year and in the final two games too.
On Alex Scott’s influence……
It’s my first ever season at right-back and Alex has been unbelievable, just unbelievable. She has supported me the whole way and I have been able to bounce off Alex on the training ground. She hasn’t been able to train a lot because of her foot, but she has been there for me and the team. She’s been such a great help and so have the other defenders for me, like Leah Williamson and Lou (Quinn), but especially Alex, she’s an inspiration.
Guard of honour for @AlexScott pic.twitter.com/Kntzhab5FT
— Tim Stillman (@Stillberto) May 12, 2018
Congratulations on the win and to Scott for winning more trophies than a small club nearby…how good were the improvements to the pitch and how has Wenger contributed to this effect…heard Vic ackers lead the team to great glories…any blog on that ???…
Yes, there will be in the coming week or so ?
Delighted to see that Alex Scott made a brief appearance as a sub so she could acknowledge the support of the fans at her last home match — she deserves it all! Good luck in your new career, Alex!
Yeah! And thank you to Alex Scott for leading our team with such infectious positivity. Exciting end to the season. *fingers crossed*