Arsenal Women maintained pace in the WSL title race with a hard fought 3-0 win over bottom of the table Yeovil Town on Wednesday night. Tim Stillman caught up with Gunners boss Joe Montemurro pitchside after the game exclusively for Arseblog News.
On playing against a packed Yeovil defence….
It’s very difficult to play when teams set up like that, you’re coming up against a brick wall and we were looking at videos at half time and there was 8 or 9 in one line across the back at times. We had to be smart and be professional, we had to wait, try to tempt them out and find the gaps and that’s what we did in the end. It was a very professional performance from us to get the job done.
On avoiding complacency….
We have a different challenge now, there’s an expectation with Arsenal with the position we’ve put ourselves in to go ahead and win this league. That’s a different type of pressure because we’re not chasing. We’ve been discussing that and how to manage it, so we just want to make sure we get the details right, get all the little things right and prepare properly and make sure we pick up the points.
That 3️⃣ point feeling ?#WeAreTheArsenal ? pic.twitter.com/2HqktWWnXa
— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) February 20, 2019
On the introduction of Katie McCabe at 0-0….
Katie is a quality player, she’s having a fantastic season. We were able to get her inside a little bit from the right, where she was dropping a little bit lower and that forced their full-backs to follow her inside and we were able to find gaps behind. Katie made a difference when she came on.
On Beth Mead scoring for the first time since November….
It’s important for Beth, on Sunday [against Chelsea] she had some good chances which fell to her which she wasn’t able to take. She just needed that bit of confidence in front of goal and she got a great goal tonight, but she’s been playing well anyway so I’ve not been too worried. She was great again tonight.
The outcome from the midweek #FAWSL action… pic.twitter.com/SX9VeSMJHe
— The FA Women's Super League (@FAWSL) February 20, 2019
On the Conti Cup Final against Manchester City on Saturday….
We’ll get everyone fresh and get them mentally up for it and we’re really looking forward to it. It’s a cup final, so I have no doubt everyone will be really up for it and we’ll try to enjoy it.
For further build-up to the Conti Cup Final, why not check out our inaugural Arsenal Women’s Arsecast in which we speak to Gunners defender Leah Williamson? It comes highly recommended…
Always great to chat Arsenal with Tim! Have a listen ? https://t.co/0GzI2uuunU
— Leah Williamson (@leahcwilliamson) February 20, 2019
I feel the Chelsea match will be pivotal for us in keeping the pressure up against Manchester City. We have more wins than any other team in the WSL this season and easily the best goal difference, so it would be fitting if we were able to bring the 3 points home and sit atop of the table again.
I thought they’d already played twice? Wasn’t it 5-0 away and 1-2 home?
Yup.
Ah I’m sorry – my mistake!
Still – onwards and upwards 🙂
So what are the remaining league matches left for arsenal and man city? Arsenal have games in hand which can give room for the odd slip up, we did get beat by chavski in the fa cup, so it is a shame that like the men’s team the ladies team has some significant players out injured!!!
Win the next 5 and they win the WSL (last game is at home to Man City). Birmingham away in that list might be tricky? Not sure how good Liverpool are, but there is an away game against them, as well.
We ought to beat Liverpool comfortably, it was 5-0 in the home game.
Does the Women’s team have any spare defenders?
#InternalSolutions
They could wear beards…
The title was on the line at half time, so props to Joe for doing his stuff with the team talk. And of course Captain Fantastic Kim Little. A comfortable win in the end and increased our goal difference advantage in relation to Man City. Job done, girls. We really rack up the 15 points and win the title before we face City on the final day. City are extremely consistent – unless WCL competition and injuries affect them, I can’t see them dropping any points up to that match. The podcast chat with Leah Williamson was an absorbing listen.… Read more »
Yeah I’ve no doubt that’s it and Millie and Steph are excellent defenders. I just think Leah has it all having played in midfield too, I struggle to pick a weakness in her game.But I think Leah + Gabby / Aoife Mannion is probably England’s future.