Arsenal Women boss Jonas Eidevall says his regret from the Conti Cup Final victory over Chelsea is that Emma Hayes’ comments towards him took the spotlight away from a collection of strong individual performances on the day.
Hayes took exception to an incident in the final minute of the game when Chelsea, who insisted they wanted the final to be played with a one-ball system (Arsenal favoured a multi-ball system), tried to take a quick throw-in with another ball as they chased an equaliser. Chelsea midfielder Erin Cuthbert confronted Eidevall as he pointed out to the fourth official that Chelsea were trying to bend the rules.
Hayes took exception to Eidevall’s conduct and pushed the Arsenal boss away as he offered his hand at the final whistle. The incident took a lot of the media focus post-match and Eidevall says that has taken the shine away from some of his players whose performances earned commendation.
‘That was a real pity because it was obviously such a nice moment for the team and the club to win the second trophy here in two consecutive seasons and in the way that we did it and with players’ performances that I thought was incredible but sort of drowned in the noise. I thought that was a real pity.
‘You have a player like Laia Codina coming in at half-time, she basically doesn’t put a foot wrong in the whole game and has a massive part. You have players like Manuela Zinsberger that pulls off this amazing save in the 85th minute that makes us stay in the game and gives us the opportunity to win it.
‘Lotte Wubben-Moy starting, a rock in the defending line for 120 minutes, Arsenal through and through. There are so many of these individual stories and I thought they performed at a really, really high level. If there is only one thing that I think had some dark shadows over that game is that they didn’t get fully in the spotlight they deserved.’
Eidevall was asked about Wubben-Moy’s season, with the England centre-half a hot favourite to win Arsenal’s Player of the Season award and he was effusive in his praise for the 25-Year-old. ‘I think she’s really developed this season in almost all aspects of her game. She’s improved her playing position. She’s improved her duels. She’s improved her leadership on the pitch.
‘It’s a really nice example of a player who is applying herself 100% every day. And that’s not this season only. That’s the seasons before that. But in football, if the rewards would come directly linked to your contributions, I think football would be an easier world to succeed in. A lot of people would be doing the right things every day because you get constant positive feedback. But that’s not the case.
‘Football is not that linear in its development. So you need to keep on going, keep on going, keep on going, keep on going. And when you don’t think you will see progress or get a reward, you still need to keep on going, keep on going. And then it comes. And that’s why you need to be so mentally strong in this game, and Lotte is a prime example of that.’
Arseblog News also asked about Stina Blackstenius, the Swede is Arsenal’s top scorer this season and notched the winner in the Conti Cup Final. Her Arsenal contract expires at the end of the season and she is currently weighing up the club’s offer of a new deal.
Eidevall would not be drawn on negotiations but said, ‘Stina has been very good for us this season, I agree with that, I think she has developed a lot during the time with us as well. And, I believe she can develop more, and she can become an even better player.’
I really hope Stina stays 🤞
I’m also very keen to see Stina stay. Her best is yet to come and physically she seems very robust and not injury prone ( hoping I’ve not jinxed her!).
You had to say it, didn’t you?! (shakes head) 😁
😲
I haven’t been Jonas’ biggest fan (I think he has massively underachieved this season given the squad at his disposal) but listening to him today he is a bigger person than me. How he didn’t let rip at Emma Hayes is beyond me.
The things she said after the game were disgraceful (& thankfully for Jonas the footage completely disproves it)……but the fact that 2 weeks on, she hasn’t come out to row back from her comments in any way…..just wow. Thoroughly disgusting behaviour.
Still surprised she lost her head like that. There’s being a sore loser and then there’s making false accusations.
Well, she responded. I didn’t actually think I could think even less of her, but fair play she has proved me wrong on that front!
https://www.skysports.com/football/news/35730/13113410/emma-hayes-chelsea-women-boss-responds-to-arsenal-s-jonas-eidevall-with-poem-after-cup-final-bust-up
She just doubled down, pathetic.
100%.
Agree with others. My respect for Jonas Eidevall has increased. He was on the receiving end of a very difficult and, as it has been proven in pictures and others’ explanations, a dangerously false accusation. His reaction has been to confirm he is happy with his behaviour, emphasise that leaders are responsible for choosing their words and the potential consequences of those words, but stop short with his response to his accuser (he could have used much more accusatory language than “irresponsible”), and instead praise his team. Contrariwise my respect for Emma Hayes has decreased. (I have not heard her… Read more »
Agree with all the above. The “class” of Jonas in the row with Hayes enabled him to pull through with flying colours.
Reporting of the women’s game is still on the fringes but it’s the “golden age” of women’s football, the same of which cannot be said for the men’s game, in which I have little interest in nowadays, in any shape or form.
Hasn’t she left for the States yet? She’ll probably pop round to say goodbye!
Hayes has had far too much attention for her undignified behaviour…….the sooner she does the “Frank Bough” to cast her moodies on the Yanks the better.
Lotte, Manu and Laia were fantastic in the Conti Cup final but he could have picked out any three. I can’t really add to what JE said about LWM and Codina, but Zinsberger was as calm focused and confident as I’ve ever seen her – this is the keeper that the club have put their faith in. Crossing my fingers about Stina – she is weighing up her options as is her right but I really hope she stays. She’s not Bunny Shaw but she’s a prolific scorer given the minutes she has had. Every team needs a number 9… Read more »
I really want Stina to say – she’s so effective in her role, and always has been. Alessia receives all the attention and most of the praise, but both front runners are so important “contributors to the cause”
But they are different and that is the point. Many seem to feel that they are both a number 9 and offer the same so you play one or the other but that’s not the case. Stina will run all day and that’s what she does. She chases through balls and presses defences into mistakes. More of a traditional concept for the position. Lessi will come deep to receive a ball to feet, play it to someone else and then appear in the box to finish. They have demonstrated that they can play together effectively without getting in each other’s… Read more »
Could she (attacking midfielder) play as part of a front 3? Or one of two number 10s with Viv or Alessia? Would that work?
If Stina doesn’t renew her contract, I don’t know who could take her place, she has physical qualities that are important for her role, she’s tall, fast and skilled and has a presence in the area. She has a similar physical size to Halland, I’m exaggerating? I don’t know, that’s what I think
She’s not nearly as big, relatively speaking, as Haaland. But she is fast and powerful as you say.
on TV she looks tall to me, the defenders are so small next to her, good to know hahaha
It’s right to highlight her speed – is there a faster centre forward in the WSL? (Please tell me of any other contenders). Indeed, this often fools the assistant referee into flagging her offside when she isn’t!