On whether goal difference came up in the team talk or Joe’s team selection…
It wasn’t the focus, we wanted to experiment with a couple of things and some movements tonight and a few bits and pieces, that was the main focus. We didn’t even think about the goal difference scenario but we know it’s a situation where it will probably come down to goal difference for us now so we’ll wait and see where that all goes in the next game against Tottenham.
On moving to a back three for the last half an hour of the game…
It wasn’t so much about personnel but more about the shape and the structure, we just had a tinker with a back three and a different setup in midfield, probably with more aggressive wide players in this system. It’s something we’ve had a look at in training a couple of times and we wanted to see if we could implement it in the last thirty odd minutes.
On the omission of Jen Beattie and Beth Mead from the squad…
Jen was rested and Beth had a family issue to deal with but she’ll be back for Sunday’s game.
Every single goal Viv scores is a history making goal 😱😱😱😱 We are lucky to watch her.
— Ian Wright (@IanWright0) November 4, 2020
On Kim Little, Leonie Maier and Jill Roord returning from injury…
That was another main focus for us tonight to get that balance back in the squad and we’re happy to have them back. They’ve been training for a while now and it was good to get some minutes into them in a tricky game where the conditions weren’t great but it was good to get them back on the park again.
On Ruby Mace’s continued integration into the first team…
The more she plays the more she will understand her role, obviously there is the excitement of playing and wanting to get on the ball. If we can get her positioning right I think she could be a player that’s really, really important for us in the future. We’re really happy with her progress.
On big WSL games against Manchester United and Chelsea next…
We’re assessing each challenge as it is and we’re looking forward to Manchester United- they are a team in form with some big players. We’re looking forward to this phase of the season. I think we had a tough start to the season with teams that can really unlock you and we’ve taken points from them. Now is an important phase and we’re really looking forward to it.
On the challenge posed by London City Lionesses…
They organised themselves to press quite aggressively, especially over one side and they were forcing us into the middle quite a lot into congested areas. A couple of times in the first half they pinched the ball from us in our own third. We had to go in to go out and expose them and once we got the ball into wide areas we were pretty good. They are a good team with a lot of energy that will definitely do well in the Championship.
What was the final score please?
0-4 to the Arsenal. Miedema got all of them. She is a beast! So so good. She just makes it look so easy.
It was just pure GOATness. Very excited for Sunday. Two decisive game up next and it’s just good to hear people coming back from their stint at Injury FC. Maritz and Catley are key players to come back hopefully quickly. Up The Arsenal!
I was very disappointed with the coverage. There was nothing on the Arsenal website until the final score and the BBC had nothing about it even after the match; it was only via Facebook that we were kept up to date. Well done Arsenal anyway; I just home that we can also beat Man City and Chelsea.
None of the media appear interested in the League cup either for men or women. I think that is why it often turns into top team’s reserves against a lesser team’s first team.
It actually holds up better in the women’s game because the squads are much smaller so the team on the pitch is predominently first team with a couple of fringe players to spread the workload.
But I agree, well done Gunneresses you did what you needed to. We just need to wipe out the Spuds again now and qualify second in group as a best runner up!