Arsenal were held to a 1-1 draw at Everton on Sunday. Alessia Russo gave Arsenal an 81st minute lead but Issy Hobson’s stoppage time equaliser meant the spoils were shared. Jonas Eidevall spoke to the press post match. The first four questions are from Arseblog News.
On why Arsenal lacked fluency today…
A lot was down to external factors. It was a very dry pitch, especially in the first half, I think they watered it at half time. The wind had a big factor in the second half, they influenced the game. We still played our way into many good situations and we need to be better in our effectiveness with chances today and it shouldn’t come down to defending a corner in the last minute or not.
On what was said at half-time…
We were structurally got drawn too much over. Everton is a very, very compact team so they come over with a lot of players close to the ball, we, especially as the first half developed, went into that trap of getting over with a lot of players. We had a lot of investment on the ball side but not as much players over when we change the point of attack. That structure offensively needed to be better and we did that better in the second half, but that became different with the wind. We got into those situations more often and then against Everton it is about getting the pressing detail right. It is one of the teams in the league that ask the most questions to your team about your shape and your preferences because they invest a lot of players to the ball. They also have a good structure if they change the point of attack, that is what they want to do is to play one side and go over on the other side, so your task as the defending team is to keep them in that space. There were details there to manage, so the message wasn’t only to keep going, it was a couple of details to change.
On why Leah Williamson came off at half time and why Vivianne Miedema didn’t come on…
It wasn’t a knee with Leah but there was a concern that we could aggravate it if we continue to load it so that’s why that decision was made. Then we were in a situation where we were winning 1-0 and we had a couple of players we needed to have an eye on and we only had one substitution left and a lot of different scenarios. The players that were on the bench were able to come on but it was about picking the right moment for it.
Finding the back of the net for @ArsenalWFC – @alessiarusso7 🎯
Right place at the right time for Russo! #BarclaysWSL @ArsenalWFC pic.twitter.com/bNrOvgXgkq
— Barclays Women's Super League (@BarclaysWSL) April 28, 2024
On whether Arsenal need to improve on setpieces…
Given we have the most corners in the league and we have a team like Everton who are doubly as effective on corners as we have been so far this season, yeah, absolutely, it is a major area of improvement for the team for next season to be more effective.
On the final two games of the season…
I need to consult the Opta super computer to see what the probability is for not staying in 3rd position. For next weekend, it doesn’t change anything. It is to say it is really important for us to finish the season strongly, we haven’t won at Manchester City for a long time and I would very much like to change that. We have an obligation to the league and all the teams competing, we know we will have a strong vote in that sense. Every team needs to do their very best and in the end, the best team is going to win the league and that is fair. Me personally, I couldn’t care less whether Chelsea or Manchester City win it, I don’t have any preferences there. From our perspective we need to do our very best in all games to make sure that the league is as fair as possible.
1.Zinsberger; 2.Fox, 6.Williamson (27.Codina HT), 7.Catley, 15.McCabe; 21.Pelova (32.Cooney-Cross ‘73), 10.Little(c); 9.Mead, 23.Russo, 19.Foord (24.Lacasse ‘64); 25.Blackstenius (12.Maanum ‘63).
Unused: 11.Miedema, 26.Wienroither, 29.Goldie, 40.Williams, 62.Reid.
a bit of a shame
Disappointing performance with a hatfull of wasted chances. High winds do not affect a player from 6 yards scoring a goal. Not sure a victory would have made an extraordinary difference to our eventual finishing poisition but it would have been good, even expected.
What an absolutely shitty interview from Jonas. Blames the dry pitch then the wind. Then has the effrontery to make a cheeky joke about supercomputer predictions. Then closes it about not having a preference on the league winners and wanting to make the league fair. All signs of a man whose job isn’t under much scrutiny. As an Arsenal fan and with the quality we have, it is so annoying we are not talking about winning the league with 2 games left to play. He’s the one responsible for it. We have a quality issue with this team. Not of… Read more »
Well, at least you resisted mentioning individual players…
Also, the British played bad Beth Mead was a ghost in the first half only Fox was attacking on the right wing, Russo failed in two clear opportunities, all went wrong. Jonas and his staff are hopeless. Personally, my expectative for next season are low, because is not a matter of signing more players, is a lack of ambition and good strategies, and that start in the coaching staff to the players.
I have to say l can’t help but agree with you 😐
It’s so frustrating to see us move one step forward, two steps backwards. Jonas, time to go?
Do people still believe in Jonas?
No. Sick of this gutless inconsistency. Jonas can’t even talk a good game, let alone deliver one.
Never have
Jonas should go! He’s full of crap
Serious? Wind and external factors being the elements for the draw? And these “reasons” coming from the full of tactical and technical talk head coach that wants to compete in all competitions and win trophies☺️. Just pondering when will the management have the will power and courage like Juventus, showing JM the door even after he has helped to win 5 trophies, when our JE has won 2, pls rectify if I m wrong. Let’s hope the move wont come after Arsenal women falls out of the top 3 next season. Like what people say, this is the best league,… Read more »
Juve moving Joe on was political because he fell out with the DoF. They gave him a contract a couple of months before that.
Kim Little once again, was sensational today, fighting for the cause right to the end. Russo and Fox were also determined and very effective, but of course the conditions contributed towards the difficulty of the fixture, plus Everton were very good defensively but overly physical – I thought the referee could have easily issued several yellow cards throughout.
I feel the adverse comments upon our performance are rather sad – it was a very tough fixture and a decent enough performance.
The chances were there to win comfortably it’s just that, like so often this season, they were squandered. Nothing to do with wind, wetness of the pitch, how organised Everton were. We just cannot score a goal for toffee (no pun intended!) from literally dozens of chances. Why???
There was one positive from the whole match and that was the Everton Academy girl coming on and not only earning her team a point with a decent header but putting herself about a bit in defence too. Definitely a player to keep an eye on for the future.
Did have to smile at that.
Youngest player ever to score a WSL goal, so I’ve read.
I knew it would be a difficult game, their coach is doing a great job, City and Chelsea almost lost their games with Everton. I hope it serves as a learning experience, next season will be very competitive, the teams will get stronger, a lot of winning mentality in these games
unfortunately they will have to accept him, the club will not break the contract, just Jonas to do this, and pray that everything goes well next season and to be able to qualify for CL
Eidevall out. Too arrogant and out of his depth being arsenal manager
It’s not the fault of the manager when players miss goals that are yawning at them. He could easily have criticised those players individually, but he didn’t. We’ve just got to learn how to defend corners at one end and score from well-taken corners at the other.
We were missing two tall players yesterday; one may be back soon, the other won’t.
Agree. In the 2nd half he was down to just one of the five centre halves with which he started the season and I doubt letting Jen go mid season to warm the bench in the NWSL was his call. We only have the best squad if you are playing Galactico Top Trumps. Gut the central defence corps and anyone can concede from a corner. The missed chances would never have mattered if he had even his 2nd best pairing on the park.
We have the best squad in the WSL but a manager who does not know how to use them.
Fox was not used enough against Everton, Forde has to much of the ball and does not have a final pass
Russo should’ve started in the position in which she finished the game. That said, for me she can’t put a foot wrong but there were occasions yesterday when she couldn’t put a foot right. She could/should have made a name for herself when, at 1-1, she had, for her usual skills, the simple opportunity to win the game.
That miss disappointed me more than the draw.
Jonas being overly flippant in the interview isn’t a great look, he isn’t the first manager to do so post match, at least do that when you’ve won the game. Maybe he was just having a joke with the reporters. I’ll dismiss that and look at the game. After making progress with low blocks the team came a complete cropper against a well organised side. Play that game again though and we probably win comfortably. You could argue his desire to convince Stina to sign the contract by playing her as the 9 backfired as she showed 0 ruthlessness in… Read more »
I’ve been thinking about what to write about this match, and you’ve said it better than I could have! The fact that there was little riding on it did affect the performance; however, the next fixture against City is important. On current form, they’re the best side in the WSL and, if we want to look forward to a genuine challenge for the title, we have to put in a convincing performance against them.
Agreed
Hard to accept that the conditions were a big factor. This is an Arsenal squad packed with top internationals who seem to deliver more playing for their country. Everton, with an injury list so long the manger had to write a list, put in a fighting performance and looked hungrier.
The Conti cup win is almost a blip in an unremarkable season. This team is capable of so much more. Frustrating to see us like this.
This game reminded me a bit of the Leicester City game where we gave them space and did not press well in the first half, but in that instance, we pressed much better in the second half.
Against Everton, we do not press well in either half.
Seems to be a common observation of mine that the games we press poorly, are the games I feel we look the worst.