Arsenal exited the FA Cup 5th round with a narrow 1-0 defeat at home to Manchester City on Sunday. Jonas Eidevall spoke to the press post-match. The first two questions are from Arseblog News.
On the starting line-up and the approach…
A lot of the decisions when we selected the team were about being good around the ball to play out of the really intense pressure City put you under. I think we did that well during the game. We lacked the final pass in the first half in order to create more goal scoring opportunities. In the second half we created a lot more but we were on the wrong side of the margins today.
On turning things around after a really damaging week for Arsenal…
Right now we are very disappointed. In the end there are small margins, maybe that (Mead corner) is over the line, whether it is a penalty or not with a challenge where there is no ball in it. Those are difficult decisions to deal with right now but our job now is to control what we can control. We have two really important games before the international break and we need to keep our focus, that is hard but that is what we are here for, that is what I am here for. I can’t allow myself to grieve and stay in that mode for very long, I need to look forward and see what we were doing well today so we can take that forward.
On the impact of going out of one of the two competitions Arsenal can realistically win…
From a results perspective I am really unhappy with it. I don’t think we deserved to lose either of these two games when you remove the emotions and you remove the Arsenal glasses and you look purely at the performance. But it is tough, it puts us in a really tough situation when it comes to achieving what we want to achieve this season but we need to put our focus on the things we can control and that is what we will do.
On the pressure this now puts on the Conti Cup…
We are Arsenal, we want to compete in every competition. That is the ambition otherwise we shouldn’t be here in this club. We want to win both competitions we are still in, that is how ambitious we need to be. We need to understand that the league is not entirely in our control now but we need to put 100% focus into it.
On Amanda Ilestedt not being in the squad…
She was ill.
14.D’Angelo; 2.Fox, 6.Williamson(c) (27.Codina ‘75), 3.Wubben-Moy, 15.McCabe (7.Catley ‘66); 21.Pelova, 32.Cooney-Cross (13.Walti ‘76); 9.Mead, 12.Maanum (10.Little ‘82), 19.Foord; 23.Russo (25.Blackstenius ‘66).
Unused: 1.Zinsberger, 24.Lacasse, 40.Williams.
Resign ffs
For individual errors? Geez
No, not for “individual errors” but for coaching a team that has no formation and a team that has world class individual players who play just as that, individual players.
Just two reasons why the ‘individual errors’ such as stray passes, not passing, etc are so common.
Jonas come across a really nice guy, possibly too nice, but unfortunately he isn’t the guy to take Arsenal forward.
No formation? I get that you’re upset but no formation is wild. If you said he keeps starting players who have been underperforming, I would understand that. But no formation… nope that’s not it
One of the most overrated coaches ever. Honestly if you can’t manage to put up a fight with such a strong team then he should quit.
Pathetic as usual. Look at this squad. Look at how stacked this squad is then compare it to the football we play for the most part. Against low blocks, we huff and puff with no end product. Against elite teams, we forget what possession is and give away so many passes. This is Jonas’ 3rd season. Team should be getting better but we keep regressing. Any and every team can beat us now. There are too many players that are subject to favouritism in this squad. Foord and Mead being prime examples. Catley has cost us 2 back to back… Read more »
100% the team/ squad is good but the results are so poor and we have been poor the whole season with the exception of the Chelsea game, we are actually boring under this guy
Isn’t this at least his 4th season?
Where was Miedema? Not even in the squad.
It’s his third and Miedema had a knee injury.
Knee problem, not risked.
Yes we have the best squad for a large number of years, but it’s a squad that hasn’t played together for that long. 5 new players in the summer and having to re-integrate 3 top players from long term injuries which also involved creating a brand new centre back partnership. This just doesn’t happen over night or like in Championship Manager As for three years of regressing, how was last season a regression? By winning a trophy for the first time for 4 years and getting to a UWCL semi-final. Finishing third in the WSL was an achievement given our… Read more »
This excuse of squad cohesion is not enough excuse for why we have struggled to beat teams like West Ham, Liverpool, and Spurs. It always feels like we are the only team with the issues and there are always fans like you ready to dish out these excuses. Every team signs new players or get new coaches or evolve. Elite sport waits for no one and you can’t be whipping that excuse out every time. We are in February ffs. Also, I very clearly stated either Walti or Kim. I had no issues playing KCC and Pelova together and if… Read more »
We all want the best for the team. But if you don’t think adding in effect adding 9 new players into a team over a season with limited pre-season doesn’t have an impact then I’ll have whatever you’ve been drinking, especially for the first game vs Liverpool. As I have said previously the Spurs and West Ham results were very poor and not acceptable for a team challenging for the title, but again need to be taken in the context that lots more mid table teams are investing heavily in their teams and thus these results are increasingly likely.. I… Read more »
I agree with every word of the above, Jeremy.
Mr Nobody’s opinions are always valuable to the blog too though.
Yes, but of the top teams it’s only happening to the team Jonas coaches. He just can’t get the best out of this great squad they’ve put together.
A lot of people are so blind to Miedema’s importance of connecting the defence to the forwards. Today, we did so well with playing out of pressure but just couldn’t connect with Russo or any player that was in front of goal.
Miedema in just coming back from ACL, we can’t overplay her, actually is too soon for Mead too.
Some odd decisions there. Cup game at home and we had a mid field that did virtually nothing. Leah’s long balls to Caitlin or Meado then what? There was only Lessi to cross it to. Just because you are a designated midfielder doesn’t preclude you from going into the penalty area or not giving support to a single striker. Yet again, totally static going forwards. Cloe caused West Ham a nightmare when she came on last week in the dying embers of a game, same situation this week chasing a result and she is an unused substitute! Should have whipped… Read more »
Cannot understand why he kept Foord on , she was ineffective today. Mead also looking a little off the pace. Lacasse offers pace and aggression and should have had a minimum 30 minutes today, with Russo and Blackstenius in attack. Very telling that we only looked threatening when Walti and Little came on.
Fox, Williamson and D’Angelo for me the only starters who performed to a required level.
The big question is whether the team still have faith in Eidevall.
But people saying he should go – who would realistically replaces him?
I’m not a dedicated follower of our women’s team built I’d like to ask a question to those that do.
Are we really better off almost 3 years on from Montemurro’s time as manager?
We have a deeper and on paper better squad we just don’t really know how to use it to our advantage. The concern now is the Conti Cup is all that is left for this season and whilst I believe we should dispatch the next round at Dartford comfortably there are only strong teams left in for the round after that and play like we have done for the last few games and we’re out of that too!
No, not better and more boring. Another season of nothing, and the manager all talk and no action. Montemurro wasn’t great but Eidevall has better players and is worse.
Eidevall has a MUCH stronger roster than Monte ever head–though Russo is overrated.
I don’t think they sack him unless he finishes outside the top 3. A lot of clubs looking for managers going into next season.
I think that’s what concerns me a little. Chelsea will be losing their legacy manager at the end of the season and now is the time to capitalize on any wobble they may have and it seems that we are the ones that are wobbling.
We lose a tight game vs another top team that has been been playing together as a unit for the last 18 months, while our team is unrecognisable from the end of last season. Not really a surprise result unlike last week. By all means be upset, but get a sense of perspective chaps.
This season has the feel of a write off already despite 9 games left in the league (everything has to be done to ensure 3rd and above now), there are 4 tricky games coming up in the league that go a long way to determine Europe next season. Personally I don’t believe Jonas should continue next season, he has been provided with top talent, squad depth and extra coaches to improve performance and results. Were over the half way mark and he just can’t get this team performing consistently well enough. There’s been a lot of head scratching and reasoning… Read more »
Those tackling and interception stats are very poor. Combined with the passing accuracy position, it shows why we miss Little and Wälti so much when they are out. They mitigate a bad situation.
Leah Williamson was outstanding and is clearly quickly regaining her best form. The same cannot be said of Beth Mead, who had flashes of brilliance but was largely ineffective – but let’s all remember that she had a recent major family bereavement. Sabrina D’Angelo excelled with a couple of great saves, and gave an assured goalkeeping display. Emily Fox was once again outstanding also. Alessia worked her socks off, as did Caitlyn, but both were unable to break down a strong City defence. Frida Maanum was very ineffective whilst it wasn’t Lotte’s best game. Kim Little looked fully fit –… Read more »
Last season we rely on Frida and Blackstenius 100% at front, and we went until champions league semifinal, this season both are barely getting play time, Frida and Stina must start with Lacasse on Right or left wing (Foord needs rest and Mead is just coming back from injury), Miedema and Russo need to be introduced gradually in to the team, to avoid the big actual disruption in the final third.
Is Jonas really the best coach.? I don’t see him taking this team anywhere. He is a soo boring tactician and he has made the game flow so boring just like himself. He makes poor decisions.
Fridah should not be playing for arsenal. Jonas should also move out.
What are you talking about? Frida and Blackstenius were our attack last season, and we did much better than now.
Should be sacked. Arsenal women can not be like this. They have the best team in England and played so awful.
Awful result and such a poor performance from the coach and the players. We have not progressed at all under Jonas. Joe got us a league title! Jonas is paid a lot more and so are these players but where is the fight to win? It only turns up in the last ten minutes of games. We’ve lost 3 times in the league and run the risk of dropping out of CL places if Jonas doesn’t get this team playing better than this.
I had to avoid seeing the result and then watch the whole match on iPlayer. I was actually fearing being taken apart and losing by something like 3-1. It therefore wasn’t as bad as I thought it might be! After 90 minutes a draw would have been a fair result. However, that doesn’t mean that the performance was good enough. The shortcomings have been clearly described here. To look for positives, I was very pleased with how Leah played; she transforms how we progress forward out of defence, and made some very important tackles and interceptions. I also felt a… Read more »
Agreed,
Agreed! It’s like Leah has not been away. Sabrina also, that’s what I want from a goalkeeper, decisive and communicative! Not much she could do about the goal we shoudn’t have allowed a team as good as City a free kick and therefore free cross into our box. Steph has to be careful in that corner that’s two consecutive games now where we have been punished for her clumsiness/frustration.
I have a soft spot for Gilly as an ex-Gunner but she’s a jinx; everytime she’s commentating on our games we seem to lose!
He’s a boring out of his depth Coach, get rid of him. With all that talent he has at his disposal he’s shocking
I’m not going to pretend I am even close to being a coaching genius or have mega ball knowledge… but even I think I could’ve made better subs than Jonas yesterday… Meado forced through another 90min while Lacasse rots on the bench?
The story of this season is that of missed chances. If our players had had their shooting boots on, we’d still be in this cup and walking away with the WSL. I thought that the signing of Russo would make a big difference but the collective inability to get the ball into the net seems to have infected her too.
I have a theory! Because we are so ponderously slow in build up and our attacking force is pretty much static, Lessi is dropping deep to collect the ball. When she does that our midfield needs to move past her as do the wingers so that she then has an out ball to someone in an advanced position otherwise she is still the lone striker and furthest forward but finds herself in the centre circle! Perhaps Jonas should sit in the stands sometimes and see what we see as you notice many of the opposition managers doing because for what… Read more »
Interesting and most probably correct theory, Peter.
In some games this season, and this is something that the manager should be sorting out, there have been too many of our attacking players in each others’ way in the opposing box, like they’re all going for the same ball. This leads to indecisiveness when the shot should be taken, and also no-one holding back to pick up half-clearances.
Yes!!! Lessi having to (and willing) to work her socks off to get the ball and no support up front.
Incidentally, poor performance aside it did look like the ball crossed the line for the Arsenal ladies so it should really have been 1:1 at full time!
Jury is out on that but it is irrelevant anyway. We had enough chances to win that game and as usual failed to take any of them. Apart from two shots I can recall we didn’t test their goalie. It was either high, wide and handsome or straight into her waiting arms. I don’t know what training consists of but heading a clearcut chance straight at the keeper at chest height should not be included! Head it downwards and a foot either side of the keeper and we score!
It did look like it had crossed the line. The referee really wasn’t that impressive throughout. And with Kim on the field, we’d surely have won it in extra time.
At least take responsibility, keeping results out of performance is acceptable for 1-2 matches not when you are out of all but 1 competition. At home, with the squad it should not be down to tight margins. Man city are playing with teenager as goal keeper. We have the best squad may be except only to chelsea. Yet the result is on tight margins so its fine apparently. His job is not to make the game reliant on tight margins its to dominate and make the superiority of the squad count. Even if we win the conti cup I dont… Read more »