Arsenal Women were 3-0 winners over Southampton at St. Mary’s in their final pre-season friendly with goals from Kyra Cooney-Cross and a second half brace from Laia Codina. Jonas Eidevall spoke to the press post-match. The first three questions are from Arseblog News.
On whether this game was selected because it reflects the challenge they will face against Rangers on Wednesday…
We wanted to be challenged really early in pre-season in games in the US, we wanted today to face something a little bit similar to what we think we can expect in Champions League and we wanted to up the intensity here. We have been quite leggy and trained really hard on the US trip. I think you could see that with the heat and with players being tired that sometimes showed in the games.
You can see we were tapering up here now so we were able to be much more incisive and quicker with our movement with and without the ball so that was nice to see. Then of course the plan was not to load players too much as they go into a big Champions League week, so we wanted to spread the minutes across and that went well as well.
On scoring two goals from setpieces and new setpiece coach Chris Bradley…
Chris is taking over the setpieces, which is very exciting. Chris is very ambitious with setpieces and he has a lot of experience with them in the men’s game. And we bring him here because he also has expertise in the women’s game. That is very exciting and I think you see today some of the fruits from that, obviously we want to see an improvement over time. Setpieces is a major factor for us to improve, especially because we generate so many compared to other teams. We generate more than any other team, it is not only that it is an important factor, for us it is an even more important factor. If we can improve the effectiveness on that, we know we will generate a lot of setpieces.
On Beth Mead, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Daphne van Domselaar and Steph Catley being unavailable due to injuries today and Stina Blackstenius coming off 20 minutes after coming on…
Stina was pre-planned. She was ready to do 20 minutes, I just preferred to make those 20 minutes at the beginning of the second half because we never know with extra time and so on so I didn’t want to take any chances with the minutes being more, so we were strict with that. We have options between Alessia and Stina and sometimes we can play them both and sometimes take both of them and it’s such a good weapon for us. In the Champions League games that is going to be really important.
Lina and Pelova are out of the Champions League week, Pelova obviously with the knee injury, Lina is progressing well but we will take our time there. The rest are all in contention for the Champions League. This game here came too early but they are not far off either, so we need to see in the next couple of days.
On Katie Reid and the plans for her this season…
We are looking to keep her with us. I think she was brilliant today, I think she is such a talent. Of course she is a young player so we can’t expect her to have a high level consistently all the time, although she is playing here since the end of last season and she is doing everything right in pre-season. But the plan is for her to be here in the squad and to get playing time, she is good enough. Then we can evaluate again at Christmas what is the best way for her, there is no doubt she has a bright future, we just need to make sure it is with us.
On this pre-season compared to last pre-season…
What you can see is that we have been able to experience a proper pre-season. It is a surreal experience when you think back to it, coming into Linkopping with artificial turf and you roll out the first pass and the ball rolls differently and you think ‘we have had two training sessions together’ and you immediately have to solve these situations that are new to us but it is Champions League and we need to start solving things off the cuff.
From now we have been able to experience a lot more things on the pitch and off the pitch and the group dynamic is stronger. Doesn’t mean the Champions League games are going to be easy now, this mini-tournament is one of the toughest parts of the Champions League before the final, because it is the only time you play over 90 minutes. The rest of the time you play your opponent twice, from the round two playoffs, the group phases home and away and the knockouts. It is always hard games in the Champions League but over 180 minutes, the right team will usually go through because it evens off. But over 90 minutes of football there is a lot more jeopardy and we need to work with uncertainty and be ready for that.
I am excited about that and we need to learn things from last season and understand it is a big challenge. We need to up our games even more than we did today. That was a part of being able to plan this game and seeing the amount of travelling supporters, I said to the players, two seasons ago this wasn’t possible. To play a training match in front of 5,000 people, it just shows how fast the game is growing and how Arsenal are leading the way.
That is extra pressure too, especially for our academy players but it is good pressure and it gave us a taste of what Wednesday night will be like because I think it is going to be rocking, I think it is going to be absolutely rocking and we got a taste of that. We need to energise the crowd, the crowd needs to energise us and if the crowd can be our 12th player in these Champions League games, that is going to be a real advantage for us.
On Laia Codina’s performance today…
Today we chose to partner her with Katie Reid in the second half and Leah Williamson with Katie in the first half and we will see what the decision is against Rangers. I think we can see her determination today on setpieces and she scores two goals, she made a good argument for herself today.
On Daphne van Domselaar’s fitness…
I think she could be in the squad for Wednesday and that means she can play, she is not far this game just came a tiny bit too soon.
Pre-season Over! now to serious business
Looks like Katie Reid is going to stay with squad until Christmas. She really has progressed this year.
Brilliant, isn’t it? And still only 17, if you can believe that!
She certainly played with maturity in the ‘states
New set piece coach, 2 goals from a set piece. 🤸🏿💃🏿. Great recruitment by the club.
I really hope we will get to see a recording of the game before Wednesday.
Whoops, should have read the report first. ONE goal from a set piece.
No, you’re right, it was two. The third goal was from a corner and knock down from Freya Godfrey (little bit of an unintentional handball), Laia got to it first for a tap in.
The delivery of the free kicks and corners from Viv Lia was exceptional, high quality and consistent, and great to see other young players on the end of most of them).
Loved seeing the coaches celebrating the set piece goals, nice to see a plan come together.
Based on previous years’ stats, if we increase goals/set piece we’ll probably win the WSL. Fingers crossed.
Looks like Viv Lia should stay with the squad too. She appears to be the winger we have been missing! Exceptional delivery from set pieces. I thought it would be Michelle that transitioned from the Academy first but young Katie and the “new Viv” have really put out a shout for inclusion this pre-season.
I think there’s more room in the squad at CB and RW.
Lia is looking good. I wonder if she is the medium to long-term right winger? She has trickery and invention and very decent pace. Do you think she is ready for the WSL?
Before Saturday I wasn’t sure now I think they’re all ready, at least against teams outside the top 3/4. I wonder if some will get loans to WSL teams this season.
Sometimes you have to take the risk, and from what I have seen so far she is fast and plays without fear. I don’t remember seeing her make too many mistakes and her deadball delivery combined with the new set piece coach could certainly be an asset. I maybe wouldn’t throw her straight in at the deep end vs City or Chelsea but I can see her ripping middle order WSL sides to shreds while giving the regular starters a break also.
Yeah but sentiment is right. If u are watching on tele, corners have been a good time to go to the loo, coz we have loads and get nothing from them. Anyone who can improve our set pieces is going to help us turn around results. I really happy about this 😄
Tim, what about Arsenal’s style of play, was it the same style against Chelsea?
Yes, in that they were playing out from the back to draw the attackers on to them, but they had a lot more possession overall against Southampton.
Thanks for the information, and one more thing…. the girls were faster this time, in transitions, passes, triangulations, I would have liked to have seen this game, to see the tactical level that was used in the formation
Really want to know what precisely has happened to Meado. Out for the warmup v chelsea, then withdrawn. What do we know, Tim?
Not a big issue. She felt her groin a little. She could’ve played both games but they didn’t want to take the risk.
The highlights – just the goals, really – are on arsenal.com now.
Kafaji still looks like an absolute ‘baller!
Looking at Viv Lia’s technique at set pieces, she has great control of the height. We’ve seen too many kicks not clear the first defender but, especially for Laia’s first goal there’s a bit of a chip in it so that it easily clears the defenders but then drops perfectly on the attacker’s head (I wonder if she’s another golfer!)