Arsenal were 3-1 victors over Manchester United at Emirates Stadium on Saturday with first half goals via a Geyse own goal, a Cloe Lacasse header and a Kim Little penalty. Lucia Garcia scored a stoppage time consolation. Jonas Eidevall spoke to the press post-match, the first two questions are from Arseblog News.
On playing a team equipped to punish space United leave in behind…
It was, it is scary how much we think alike! Or how you think like me when you see us play! You are right, United is a very strong team they do open up some gaps and they step out and it is really important to have movement against that. I was pleased with many parts of our performance against City but I thought we lacked that in the first half and we had that better today
On Lotte Wubben-Moy defending Geyse and Parris aggressively…
The unit work was really important today, it was quite a new back four for us where we had Leah Williamson injured, Amanda Ilestedt ill and Emily Fox at the Gold Cup. We had to rejig and you could see Codina, for example, she has been training really well so she was ready to play. But it is still a new back four to play together. But in that unit we have to acknowledge a player like Lotte Wubben-Moy, we have to acknowledge the level she is playing at this season and seeing how she develops. A performance like she has today is incredible, I think it is something the whole club should be very proud of because she is Arsenal through and through. She is coming from our academy, our community and to see her excel the way she does at Emirates Stadium, it is fantastic. I am really, really happy for her and the club to see that.
On Cloe Lacasse’s performance…
Cloe was absolutely great today. What we need to acknowledge is that we come up against low blocks more often than any other team does in the league. Today we did not come up against a low block, there was more space for us when we played out of their pressure. We have already seen this season we are really, really good at managing that. We have progressed against low blocks too. Cloe used her pace really, really well. She went outside on their full-back a lot of times and there is not a player in the world who can deal with Cloe Lacasse when she can use her pace on the outside, because she is incredibly fast and skilful in those situations.
On whether he felt the team progressed for the future today…
We are taking steps all the time. The playing group and staff has been phenomenal since the New Year, we are doing so much productive work on the pitch and developing the way we are playing. But we still haven’t had all of our players available, we have players returning from injury and we knew that before the season started so it’s not an excuse, it’s just something we need to deal with. But coming into March we are at a good point. But we need to deal with more things now, Sabrina D’Angelo and Cloe Lacasse now go to the Gold Cup and, hopefully for Canada, they won’t be back for the Spurs game. So we lose two of our starting eleven players for the next league game so it’s a turbulent period of the season in terms of player availability and we need to make the best out of it.
On the significance of the victory for the title race…
No idea. It would be nice to say it will be really significant but the reality is it’s about what we do in the next eight games that will give this victory any value and that is our mindset. Because if we don’t perform in those games, today is not worth anything.
On Leah Williamson potentially withdrawing from the England squad…
I think it is likely that will be the case.
On Lia Walti and her head injury…
I haven’t spoken to her yet but I think she is ok otherwise we would have taken her off. Here we have the concussion sub which is really good for the players health. If she would have had a head injury we could have put someone on but we took a medical decision that it was safe for her to play.
On how pivotal this weekend might be in the WSL…
When you see the league it is going to be small margins, every game is going to be really important. It is about being consistent in your performances. The only thing I know when I see the league table is that we need more points than the two teams ahead of us and we are playing both of them away from home. It is two really tough games for us. Do I think we have the capacity to win at both those places? Yes. If we reach 100% of our potential. I believe we can win.
14.D’Angelo; 15.McCabe, 27.Codina, 3.Wubben-Moy, 7.Catley (19.Foord ‘82); 21.Pelova (32.Cooney-Cross HT), 13.Walti; 9.Mead (12.Maanum ‘75), 10.Little(c) (11.Miedema ‘75), 24.Lacasse; 25.Blackstenius (23.Russo ‘66).
Unused: 1.Zinsberger, 53.Lia, 62.Reid, 86.Bouhaddi.
So. Jonas has no plan B? I thought he extended into at least D today.
Special mention for Lotte. She was superb.
now the most important thing is to win the next match
Good win!
Incidentally our record against the top 4 this season so far is excellent 10 points out of 12 including the 4:1 drubbing of sourpuss Hayes darlings!
While I do agree Bill…I think they have to be split in two. Brilliant against Chelsea & today.
How we got 4 points from MU away & Man City at home is beyond me….
An excellent performance but one thing I want to add: having watched her for180+ minutes in the last four days, I’ve been really impressed with Laia Codina’s positioning. She’s really good at anticipating where the threat will be, and also being ready to receive a pass when the midfield passes back to the defence.
Scoreline flattered Utd.
Also just how good is / was Lotte today and this season? That perfectly timed sliding tackle in the penalty area on Geyse (? I was sitting up the other end) was brilliant. Echo Tim’s and probably every other Gooner in the cries of why she isn’t in the England squad with Bright and now Leah out.
Quite glad she isn’t – gets more rest – but based on form she shouldn’t just be in the squad she should be starting.
Absolutely brilliant win today. Goes without saying that it was a must win and win we did! I give Jonas a lot of stick but when he gets it right, he deserves to be praised as well. Think he got our midfield spot on. Always very important to have either a Walti or Little in there and if you have both, Pelova should be with them and he got it spot on today. Also did brilliantly to go with Lacasse instead of Foord. She was electric and I am so, so happy for her. Deserved her goal and overall performance… Read more »
Yeah agree with you on team selection. Love the midfield with Pelova Little Walti. Lacasse over Foord who maybe doesn’t think quickly enough. Currently prefer Stina to Russo as well team seems more balanced. We do need a new keeper.
But great result. We can beat anyone on our day!!!
Agree with all of the comments. On Katie McCabe, I think that’s just something you have take as part of the package and we have to live with it. She’s just such a good player and also I think her “feistiness” sends an important message to the opposition “Don’t you mess with us” eg running 30 yards to shoulder charge Oberdorf in the CL semi after the latter had hacked down Walti or trying to deck Rachel Williams (?) in the London derby a couple of seasons ago after she’d tried to re-arrange Walti again (?) ankle. You take the… Read more »
I 100% agree as a general point re: Katie sometimes going ott, but today was just bad refereeing. Never a yellow, if anything a yellow for the MU player delaying the play.
Well done arsenal today!! How awesome is it too that we sold out the Emirates with an arsenal men’s game kicking off while our game was still going on!
Ps. Omg Tim are you developing a bromance with Jonas like you had with Joe?? Gold!!
Yeah I’ve noticed it too! Jonas has gone from cautious and reticent to much more respectful and welcoming of Tim’s questions. Credit to Tim & his journalistic craft in proving himself.
Several things…
1) I’ll take Lacasse over Gesey any day.
2) Nikita dives so much it is pittiful.
3) I’ll take Lucia Garcia on Arsenal any day… She is a baller.
And the way Garcia immediately helped out Codina with her leg cramp….Pure Class
I awoke at 5:30am but could only listen to it on FA Player.
Watched the the replay today. We should have netted 6 on them.
And Lucia is out of contract this summer unless they renewed.
we need a winger, by the way.
Great win, obviously Jonas has been reading the comments of previous game write ups on line up suggestions, most were expecting a Foord, Russo and Mead front three. Recent reasoning and excuse finding of player cohesive and familiarity being a problem for this season’s struggles didn’t seem an issue here, Codina and Moy pairing, D’Angelo in goal and how often has the front 3 played together. Good to see Lacasse tearing it up, shame to now miss her for a few games, would like to see her playing left wing when she returns. Need a near perfect run in now… Read more »