Arsenal drew 0-0 at home to Everton in the WSL on Sunday in a drab encounter. Jonas Eidevall spoke to the press post-match, the first two questions are from Arseblog News.
On the ponderousness of the performance…
First half we play with too little intent, we move the ball too slow. We have quite a bit of control but here at home, we should have much higher standards on ourselves on our attacking game. When we don’t move the ball quicker than that, it is really hard to break down a side like Everton who prioritise having so many players behind the ball. I think the intent and creating the momentum, we do it in the second half but we leave it too late to be happy about that. That should have been the case from minute one and if we had created that momentum and that attacking mentality from that, I can’t see the game going any other way than us winning. But we sort of leave that to chance and I am disappointed with that and we need to learn from that.
On not bringing Rosa Kafaji on…
I can see that perspective, but we have had so many minutes on our back four and it is really important for us that we invest minutes in Leah Williamson and Steph Catley so we can get them going in a really heavy week for us. That took two substitutions, then the other parts were what we need tactically. In this situation we could only make five substitutions and Rosa was one of those that couldn’t come on.
On Daphne van Domselaar starting and how the rotation with Zinsberger will work…
I don’t know, is the short answer. We have really good competition on the goalkeeper position, like we have in other positions. This was the decision for today and we will see what the decision is for Wednesday. She will get more chances, so will Manuela Zinsberger.
On the reaction of the players at full-time…
We are disappointed, we are disappointed with the result and the performance. Now we need to look forward to an exciting, tough and challenging game on Wednesday night and it’s a quick turnaround so we can’t put a foot wrong in recovery and preparation, that needs to be the focus now. But no doubt about it, we are disappointed about today.
On Steph Catley and Leah Williamson returning…
It is really important for us, like I said before we have been playing a lot of minutes on the same players in the back four. Given we have five games in 15 days, that would not have been sustainable to keep piling the minutes on those players. It was really important to get those players back ahead of those big games.
On whether this result will motivate the team even more ahead of games against Bayern and Chelsea…
We are disappointed today, both with the performance and the result, with the games coming up away at Bayern Munich and at home against Chelsea, we don’t need anymore fuel or motivation for those games. Those games and those opponents are fuel enough for us, so yes, we need to do our absolute best, yes they are going to be different games, yes we need to take the necessary learnings from this game and we need to look forward. No matter how disappointed we are with today, we have a job to do on Wednesday night and we can’t dwell too much but we will be motivated for those games.
On whether there is a mental block against teams that prioritise defending…
The belief is there, you could see that from the team that we keep on attacking and I think it’s more the case we need to play with more intent earlier on in the game, move the ball faster and if we do that we create more time and space for the players too.
On the importance of the Chelsea game next weekend…
I think it is going to be a tough, challenging WSL this season, probably the toughest one we have ever had and I think the key to being successful is going game by game and don’t look too far ahead. Don’t look at too many scenarios, stay in the present, prepare for the next game and do it as well as possible.
On the importance of Emily Fox…
Emily is a world class player, we are so happy to have her here at Arsenal. She attacks well, she defends well. I think she has been in a transition period in getting used to being in a different role here at Arsenal because in the Olympic team she is more of a central defender and here she is more of a full-back. But I think she is getting back into the full-back position better and better.
On what he talked about with the team at half-time…
We go through some details, with and without the ball but the main point, was that we had a good setup but we said, ‘how can we play these passes with more intent? How can we play the ball quicker and a little bit harder and with more pace so we beat the line of the opponent?’ Those things make a major difference when you start doing that, we constantly played the ball a bit too slow the opponent can run and match up and come across and defend by numbers and that was happening way too often in the first half for my liking. We should be able to move the ball quicker and I think we showed that in the second half.
14.van Domselaar; 2.Fox (19.Foord ‘64), 3.Wubben-Moy (6.Williamson ‘64), 5.L.Codina, 11.McCabe (7.Catley ‘78); 10.Little(c), 32.Cooney-Cross (13.Walti ‘78); 9.Mead, 12.Maanum, 8.Mariona; 23.Russo (25.Blackstenius ‘64)
Unused: 1.Zinsberger, 16.Kafaji, 22.Kuhl, 62.Reid.
“I think it is going to be a tough, challenging WSL this season, probably the toughest one we have ever had ……” JE
Is this supposed to inspire confidence? Better think again.
The answer to the second question is all you need to know. To win the WSL you have to beat teams like Everton at home. Time is running out and we have to score to collect three points so bring on the new trickster to see if she can create a moment of magic and allow us to win the game. Not even in Jonas’ mind! He is worried about two defenders getting a few more minutes after spells away with injury. You cannot play the law of averages in the WSL the season is simply not long enough. The… Read more »
He’s the problem. His starting lineup, his subs and the fact nothing changed. Still pressing the last ten minutes hoping to score against tired players doesn’t make this a good way to play. The crowd not motivation enough for the players? Passing and shooting skills still awful from these players.
And he let Vivianne Miedema go as not required. What a joke.
I saw a tiktok video from may where he apparently pushed miedema aside.. my word if that really happened.
Pathetic. At what point does the Arsenal management realise this isn’t working and sack this guy? This season is just starting. We cannot afford to wait the entirety of it and waste another entire period before we get rid. It simply isn’t working. Almost 4 years in and we keep regressing. The football is probably the worst in the league. So slow, so laboured, so unimaginative. We can single out individual players for all we want but this squad shouldn’t be struggling at home vs Everton. We saw it vs Leicester and the excuse was we had little turnaround time.… Read more »
And please, don’t get me started on our set pieces and how awful they are. Yet another thing that’s regressed under him. One time in the first half, it was played to Little and she hit the most pathetic low cross with 0 direction and it trickled to the keeper. Basically summed up our set piece ability currently. What are those coaches doing? There’s no use playing majority of our games at the Emirates if we are going to serve up utter trash like this against the smaller teams simply cos they are in mid and low blocks. If you… Read more »
Yes, I’m not seeing an improvement in setpieces at all. Not sure we’ve even generated a shot from one this season.
In the home leg against Häcken, Mead’s free kick found Blackstenius but she headed wide. In last week’s game against Leicester, Russo had a chance in the 11th minute from a short corner routine but her shot is off target.
like you mention! those partnership are not working, our press is dire… no coordination in play, we don’t know when to attack or press, sluggish in build-up play, Lazy! and many overrated players living on past glory. what a useless manager in charge.
Casey Stoney is a good shout, more of the same performances and results could kickstart conversations between key representatives of both parties.
While I entirely understand why people would want a new manager if you want a manager to do more against packed defences or to play with a bit more fantasy Stoney would be low on the list.
With regard to a Manager change we need to be careful what we wish for. It is becoming something that needs serious consideration but please please choose the right one.
What’s my favourite doing now? Jayne Ludlow, 211 goals from 356 appearances as a midfielder and she doesn’t take any nonsense either. She used to get Wales to perform greater feats than could be expected.
But Casey Stony would not allow the lethargy that has crept in. I feel the players are going through the motions at the moment because they do not believe in what they are doing.
She got sacked by Wave for a reason, lethargy very much crept in!
Agreed. It’s not what happens with American teams, and that’s where she’s been.
San Diego scored 31 goals in 22 games last season, with the 8th best xG. The year before that, 32 goals in 22 games. When she got sacked this season, San Diego hadn’t won in 7 games, and had scored 5 goals in 7 games. I think she’s very good at what she does, but what she does is a very defensive style of football.
One thing is for sure Casey Stoney would not stand for this nonsense! She’d have the Academy team playing if this squad don’t do the business!
Huff and Puff for 90 odd minutes and not a huge amount to show for it, very difficult to not talk about the Manager’s position and wanting something new after watching a match like that, having seen it many times last season, but I just don’t see anything happening until Christmas if the results derails badly enough otherwise the end of the season at the minimum so going to park that. Very much the same old here, Everton turned up knew what they had to do, they maintained their discipline and completed the job fairly comfortably – we just didn’t… Read more »
Here we go again.
“…but the main point, was that we had a good setup…”
If that’s what Jonas is thinking at half-time, he’s deluded…
I don’t think there’s much to say about the performance, but was really disappointed with van Domselaar on the ball. Looked scary – unsure and kept giving it to Everton in dangerous spots.
Just go already please
There’s nothing essentially wrong with tactics (apart from corners). Experienced internationals don’t become poor players overnight. I think they don’t, in their hearts, believe in the plan, or “the process”. Reluctantly I’ve eventually come to the conclusion that it’s a matter of person management.
SACK JONAS EIDEVALL NOW!!!
I have never seen us tbrow so much at a defence and not score ! Everton definitely came to ‘park the bus’ we deserved a win.
Caldentay POTM for me
I’m usually fairly positive in my assessments but it is pretty hard to be after that performance. We have had so many struggles against low block teams and it is puzzling that we have not found solutions time and time again. I know the WSL continues to get more competitive but you still have to beat Everton at home if you want to win the league. I also don’t understand the decision to not bring Kafaji on – it was the perfect match for her to get minutes and bring some flair to the dull attack, especially after she proved… Read more »
Also lm concerned about the slide in attendance figures and lm sure this is directly linked to our recent results. 25’000 seems poor when you think of the gates we were getting last season 😕
First year full time at the Emirates. I’m not surprised tbh. Hopefully a sell out / near full for Chelsea on Saturday
I think 25-30,000 for most games with 50,000+ for the bigger games is a reasonable return and a good platform to build on. The away section looked pretty sparse on TV.
It was against the bottom of the league team who have little travelling support and it is not so much recent results but recent performances that are probably making people think twice about attending. Is it worth the trip for us to hit the bar twice and watch one good save. Might as well do something else for the afternoon and watch the highlights on tv later.
I’ll be honest, I was at work and didn’t watch the game. By all accounts I didn’t miss anything. I probably wouldn’t have bothered anyway because it’s the same old boring gutless rubbish on the pitch, and the same old boring gutless excuses off it. The club has thrown a lot of money and effort at this team, but they’re not going to keep selling tickets at the Emirates unless they up their game. Eidevall is just a yes man fraud, and until he’s gone I don’t see anything changing, it’s all too soft and comfortable at Arsenal Women.
The problem with changing coaches is that Arsenal’s directors or managers don’t know how to choose a top coach, who has already won several titles, for Arsenal’s women’s team. Look what Chelsea did? They hired a top coach for their team, that’s the reality.
Thought he should have gone last season tbh, he needs to be under some serious pressure
he’s not a good manger ,don’t seem to have any plan on how to break teams down
Not good enough. Only positive is that we didn’t lose. Last season we’d have probably conceded one chance and lost 1-0.
Just looked at the league table: Everton are bottom.
Yes with the point we gave them!
Our only hope is that Everton will do the same to the teams that are well placed in the table, but Arsenal will have to do the hard work to not waste any more points.
Oh Everton will definitely use the very same tactics against City, Chelsea, United, etc., you can be 100 % sure about that, no worries.
The real question is will it work out against them as well and I am actually not very sure about that. I am afraid they can break them down eventually. But we will see about that soon enough, I definitely hope I am wrong.
This is parallel with Arsene. “We played with the handbrake on” So you know the issue but can’t influence it.
Yes, but Wenger had many successful seasons before the handbrake was applied!
And he still lives nearby apparently, still loves Arsenal, has an interest in growing the game beyond its old traditional markets, great people management skills, produces good entertaining football, has won nearly everything…
And works for FIFA
He talks better than he coaches..
Erik ten hag is the only working manager who gives Jonas a run for his money on these press conference answers. Wow.
I am starting to think that the big results and performances which are being used to justify his record (win at OL, back-to-wall performances against Bayern and Wolfsburg) were really freak games due to every big moment going our way or the team just playing their hearts out for the walking wounded.
I think the record against big teams is too sustained for that, City is our best WSL performance so far by a long, long way. I think when games are nip and tuck and require lots of problem solving, observing, adjusting etc, Jonas is a good coach. I think his focus on structure really suits those games. The issue is the more ‘zoomed out’ stuff when the opponent is just sitting and the coach doesn’t really need to intervene that often, you put the team on the pitch with a plan to let the talent shine and overpower weaker opponents.… Read more »
Tim, i looked up his record vs Chelsea and City in all comps:
21/22
Chelsea: 1W 1D 2L
City: 2W 1 D
22/23
Chelsea: 1W 1 D 2L
City: 3W
23/24
Chelsea: 2W 1L
City: 1W 2L
Slight edge in 10W vs 7L, 3 wins came in Conti Cup ties, lost all 3 FA Cup ties vs Chelsea, lost the sole FA Cup tie against City.
I think it is a mixed record, really.
Of course, still better than Montemurro’s record..
don’t think so, Joe got a league trophy, Jonas’s win percentage is 68 % in Arsenal and Joe got 76% in Arsenal.
The first AWFC match I went to was the 5-0 win at Kingsmeadow in the 2018-19 season. I think we then lost (at least) the next six matches against Chelsea.
I mean against chelsea and city.. i think our record under joe prob worse, but at least we would beat the rest of the teams (hence the higher win %)
It feels like the team is going backwards. All rather worrying when you see the big improvement from others such as Brighton who recruited astutely and seem very well coached. Our players look lost which is totally crazy given we have at least 4 players who have captained their national sides. It’s easy to point fingers at the strikers but I’m seeing so little creativity from midfield or the wingers to give them good opportunities. Yes, both Alessia and Stina missed easy chances against City but they’re working hard but not getting the right support from their teammates. Vic Pelova… Read more »
With the talent we have he should be doing far better than this against teams like Everton. There’s no progress.
Can’t Mikel manage both teams? (don’t worry, I do realise the answer is no)
I don’t think the problem is with the tactics as such (apart from at corners). And experienced internationals don’t suddenly become poor players. Reluctantly, I’ve come to the conclusion that they don’t, in their hearts, believe in what they’re meant to be doing. The spirit has drained out of them and they’ve lost confidence in themselves. Consequently, the problem lies in person management, not in football knowledge.
He should be sacked just for wearing that ridiculous camel coat. Del boy meets big Ron look not working.
Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.