Arsenal Women qualified for the 2021 Women’s FA Cup Final, where they will play Chelsea on December 5th at Wembley Stadium. Second half goals from Kim Little, Beth Mead and Leah Williamson were enough to see off Hope Powell’s side. Coach Jonas Eidevall spoke to the press post match, the first two questions are from Arseblog News.
On finding the left sided overload between McCabe, Nobbs and Mead that brought about the first two goals…
Two of the details we spoke about at half time was, firstly, to get more players into the area in crossing situations, the first goal was a nice example of that with Kim Little attacking. Brighton changed from pressing in a 442 to more of a 451 during the first half and that allowed us to put one of our attacking midfielders a little bit higher up, the two first goals were a consequence of that. It enabled us to have another player higher in the pocket and overload behind their full-back. Well spotted!
Captain @kimlittle1990 slots it home!@ArsenalWFC #WomensFACup pic.twitter.com/NmV89dCGfo
— Vitality Women's FA Cup (@VitalityWFACup) October 31, 2021
On Leah Williamson’s form this season…
She is brilliant, she plays to such a high standard offensively and defensively. Obviously she still has things that she needs to improve but I am really, really delighted with her performances this season. She has been a massive part of why we have been able to perform so well.
On qualifying for the final…
It feels a little bit surreal, we never imagined we would have the chance to achieve a trophy so quickly so it feels like a great opportunity to go to Wembley and really compete for this trophy.
On Beth Mead’s form…
The biggest factor is Beth herself but she is a player who, when she feels confident, really uses her shot and her ability to take players on and the way she presses and harasses opponents. She is a world class forward, I am delighted with her performances as well.
Starting the move from her own half 🤯@bmeado9 is on fire 🔥@ArsenalWFC #WomensFACup pic.twitter.com/vjDtTjsDkd
— Vitality Women's FA Cup (@VitalityWFACup) October 31, 2021
On being able to rotate the squad, with Miedema, Heath and Wubben-Moy rested…
It’s tough for the players who aren’t playing, not playing for Arsenal now doesn’t mean you are a bad player. Sometimes there might be a player who, for me, will fit a particular game plan a little better. The key is for players to keep their confidence even if they are not selected every time. But we all want this competition and this is the squad depth we need if we are going to compete for many trophies so I am just happy about it. It shows we are doing well from a medical perspective and from a performance perspective. We had some players who really had a tough schedule with their national teams and I think a lot of national team coaches don’t really care that we had a semi final this weekend to put it mildly! It wasn’t easy, I am really proud of how strong we could be today. This was a really strong performance.
On Emma Hayes saying she wanted to play Arsenal in the final…
I would rather teams are afraid of playing us than looking forward to it so maybe we need to up our performances. I understand what she means, it will be a great occasion, this is the reason we are all involved in football, we all want to compete with the best teams. Chelsea have been in the Champions League Final this year and they have done some things that we want to do soon too. It will be a close game decided by tight margins and we need to work hard to make sure the margins go in our favour.
What's better than scoring for your childhood club?
Scoring for your childhood club to send them to the #WomensFACup final at Wembley! @leahcwilliamson @ArsenalWFC pic.twitter.com/Dssznj8zCC
— Vitality Women's FA Cup (@VitalityWFACup) October 31, 2021
On the foundations laid by Joe Montemurro…
When you look at what happened in the spring, Arsenal had a lot of strong results and performances to secure that third place and the last Champions League spot. A lot of the things that they saw they started to implement last spring and it meant I inherited staff and players who had been through a lot together. There is a lot of knowledge and expertise here.
It was important for me not to try to change everything and to look at things we were already doing well so we could build on. There are some differences, we are pressing differently we are doing some things different in build up, but we have kept the foundation and we are benefitting from the relationships and experiences that already exist in this group. We don’t put enough emphasis on that in football.
Once you win something and you are not there anymore, you don’t feel a part of it. Rosengard won the league last week and I coached them for 12 of their games and took pre season and everything, but I don’t feel a part of it even though I know I am because I am not emotionally connected in the moment.
But we should put more emphasis on people making good long term decisions and leaving a club in a good shape and that Joe needs to get a lot of credit for that. He left the club in a really good shape, so well done to him and the staff that worked so hard with him.
On whether he has any memories of Wembley…
I have never been as a coach or a fan, I had tickets to see Adele there a few years ago but my wife and I couldn’t make it. I am definitely going this time.
A "huge week" – @Stillberto's post-match thoughts as Arsenal book their place in the Women's FA Cup final after defeating Brighton 3-0. pic.twitter.com/EIjNwb5pUC
— arseblognews (@arseblognews) October 31, 2021
Congratulations, we are going to Wembley! Go for the double!!
Many thanks for these post-match reports. I couldn’t find a way to see the match, and had to follow on from the Guardian’s MBM. Very impressed by the words from Eidevall regarding Hayes’ comments – a mature response that shows confidence without giving anything for a tabloid to create a controversy with. Also very impressive to read the words about Montemurro. I can’t recall a coach giving their predecessor such obvious credit before. Very interesting!
FA player lets you watch WSL and FA cup matches, with no geo-blocking. Give it a try.
No…fa player only had audio commentary on the 2 games…at least in my region
Seems like Steph Farley’s absence went under the radar. Was she also rested?
*Catley
Also I really enjoyed the way we moved the ball today. It was really beautiful to watch
I knew Emma Hayes was keen to play us again, soon. She didn’t look happy with Jonas’ celebrations at the end of THAT game back in September. Going to be a cracking final for sure.
As for Leah, she was born to play football. Simple. Some of the passes she pinged in that first half had me eyes popping out of its sockets.
Do I notice a bit of irritation in Jonas about the England team maybe? Like a “Do you have to play all of my players in a game you win comfortably 10-0”-irritation?
Adele, huh? I knew Jonas was a good ‘un…
We are going to need that pace and intensity that we showed in the second half when we face Chelsea.
Superb result and another clean sheet.
A cracking evening at Meadow Park. Did Viv have a day off? Of course we missed her but re-assuringly it shows we can win without her. Well done Caitlin you lead the line well and Jordan will soon be back to her best.
Great to see Dan C looking fit and playing well.
Foord’s holdup play was top-notch. Thought she could have gone for goal herself a little more instead of always looking to pass.
What holdup? I don’t think she had a good game.
I wonder how long it will take before we see the real Nikita Parris? Parris at the moment really looks the odd one out, I must admit I thought she would have fitted into the team much quicker than this!
Great effort by the team Wembley here we come.
It will happen for Keets. If nothing else her presence in the squad has produced the competition for places that has partly been the spur to Meado’s incredible form.
Wake up BBC! Player of the year? How many of the five condenders that you have simply rolled out without even watching a game have played 16 matches for club and country, scoring 10 goals and providing 15 assists along the way?
Apparently, she was not good enough for the Olympics! Just shows what the “experts” know!
Not sure if Parris came into it where Beth is concerned, I would think it was more to do with being dropped by England and being advised that her work rate needed to go up a gear and last the full 90 minutes, now she delivers that the difference is staggering. You can clearly see the confidence and will to win she now displays, a joy to watch.
Good to know that LWM was rested. What happened to Catley?
We didnt really have much options from the bench in attack (only iwabuchi), so glad that we didnt have to come to that, and that the subs were more about managing game time, especially for maritz.
Mead is in the form of her life. Her goal sums up the confidence.
And how about that quick thinking from iwabuchi to get out of trouble in the buildup to the corner for the 3rd??
Good point. Much said about Vi’s rest and also LWM and Tobin but no mention of Steph🤷
Tim, any highlight for us that could not see the game, please?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GWroEzOKVQ
Here you go!
It was a beautiful watch, the second half especially. Agree with the comment that Leah is born to play football, she’s simply superb. Jordan was in scintillating form, her best for ages. Meado played havoc with the Brighton defenders – she might have made the difference at the Olympics. Caitlyn lead the line excellently & should start more often, she does hold play up very well. Still awaiting Nikita to shine though – if Mana had started we would have scored a couple before half-time I felt. Kim made 2 or 3 vital defensive interceptions, and was all over the… Read more »
How many other managers would have given so much credit to the former manager? Jonas is a guy is very comfortable in his own skin, no doubt his confidence rubs off on his players. Round 2 Dec 5, can’t wait. Go Gunners!
First half seemed mostly attacking down the wide lane and long balls from the back line, which we are so good at. In the second half we seemed more successful in using the inside players as well. As a new follower of the team, I really love Nobbs’ positioning, movement, style of play. She thinks ahead and she seems to know the next outlet when she gets the ball. In the run of play for the first goal, Nobbs got the ball from Williamson and immediately gave it to McCabe who came running, who then passed to Mead. And the… Read more »
Oh, and that first goal by Little!! She was so close to the goal and there was no angle, and the defender rushes to block the shot. She lifts the ball with the inside of the foot and then “passes it” over the block and over the head of the goalie with the outside of the foot. That is sooooo good!!