Arsenal comfortably qualified for the 5th round of the Women’s FA Cup and a home tie against London City Lionesses with a 5-0 win over Bristol City on Wednesday night with braces from Beth Mead and Stina Blackstenius and a goal from Frida Maanum. Renee Slegers spoke to the press post-match, the first four questions are from Arseblog News.
On the team selection and the substitutions…
Yes the subs were pre planned. It was a very important game for us because the cup is very important for Arsenal, part of the decisions were about the game plan and how we were going to beat Bristol and what player types we needed in different positions. I think you could see how we did a couple of things different, especially in the first half. I think the players executed that really well so I am happy with that. We spoke about starting fast and getting an early goal and that’s what we got and that helped us to get some players on the pitch and some players off as well.
On inverting the right-backs into central midfield…
That was the plan, we wanted to play with a lone six in the build because of the way that Bristol press. But if the ball went to the left side we wanted the right-back to come in as another six. I don’t think Bristol had a good answer to that in the first half, we saw those spaces and thought those rotations would work in this game, but also our player qualities and how we get our players into their best positions.
On Jenna Nighswonger and whether there will be any other business before tomorrow night’s transfer deadline…
Not at the moment, I can’t say anything at the moment.
On Kim Little being out with a hand injury…
Yeah that was the reason we rested Kim today, that was important for us and it gave other players the opportunity to play. It was win win. I can’t tell you about length of absence, we will see for Sunday.
On whether Laura Wienroither will be at the club after the transfer deadline on Thursday evening…
There are two days left in the window, you guys will find out soon enough. Laura has been a brilliant player for Arsenal, she has meant a lot and she is still meaning a lot even though she is not very much on the pitch she is very important and very valued in the team.
On playing players out of position tonight…
Not necessarily. With Katie Reid she is a future centre-back we think but she can play different roles and she has been so good in training. She can play the full-back role, the centre-half role also the six role. Those are all the positions she gets into tonight and we want to have a structure and be fluid in our game. For Katie there are so many learnings to understand when you play as a centre-back you understand the role of the six, the role of the full-back, so there were a lot of learnings for her. I think they are good enough as a squad and we have very versatile players who can play different roles and you see an extreme version of that tonight.
On Niamh Peacock making the squad…
It is very good, even not getting on the pitch and getting minutes, just seeing how everything works on the matchday minus 1 and match day with the first team. We have a lot of our young girls on loan and that opens up for other girls in the academy to be with us and sniff the environment, she is doing really well.
On the confidence boost ahead of Manchester City on Sunday…
Winning is good for a team, happy with that and the early goal is important and important for Stina to get a goal. Getting an early goal means we get players off the pitch and players that can come on for us and that opens up opportunities and it was a real team effort tonight.
On Beth Mead’s performance…
I think it is a cross! Against Chelsea tonight you see there are a few things we want to work on with Beth that she wants to work on, the way she moves and gets in behind the last line was very good today. We already know she is a very intelligent combining player in the final third. She got a lot of opportunities for that tonight and in the second half, Bristol comes out in a low block. She is an important player for us who has done well the last two games for us.
On Amanda Ilestedt’s return…
For Arsenal as a club, she is the first player in over 10 years to come through (maternity leave) but for women’s football in general, showing this can be the norm that you can have a baby and have a family and come back and be a footballer again. There is more and more players doing it now, which is very positive. We saw during her return to play phase there is not much study being done, not many samples so we had to figure it out a bit. But we had good support from our medical staff and among ourselves we have been very professional and engaged and we have had some external help as well. We are so happy for Amanda that it has gone so well. I have seen other players in other clubs where it has not gone quite so well, you can’t really predict the body after giving birth, it’s such a big happening but she has been really working hard and I think she has been lucky that her body has reacted well to it, I am very happy for her.
1.Zinsberger; 62.Reid, 3.Wubben-Moy (28.Ilestedt ‘79), 5.L.Codina, 7.Catley (2.Fox HT); 32.Cooney-Cross (6.Williamson HT), 8.Mariona (13.Walti ‘58); 9.Mead (23.Russo ‘79), 12.L.Maanum, 8.Mariona; 25.Blackstenius
Subs: 14.van Domselaar, 26.Wienroither, 43.Peacock
You said Mariona twice
Thanks, Tim.
What a good night. I love RS’s ability to come up with great personnel solutions. She is getting so much value out of these players. We looked smooth at the start compared to the Brighton game – it’s like any combination of the squad can work, these days.
Great job by all and I was thrilled to see that Katie Reid could seamlessly move to the left back position and….hurrah, Codina moved into midfield. She looked really at home. Kafaji and Maanum are tantalisingly close to being really exciting/recovering form. What a tonic after the frustration of Sunday.
I really like how RS explains her thinking, so much more transparent and meaningful than JE was. Great explanation of Reid’s development, and how playing different positions/ hybrid positions will make her a better CB going forward.
Yep!
It was nice to see the changing line up.
I am also enjoying the time that Katie Reid is getting on the pitch as a replacement (respite) for the hard working Fox. Her game is game is improving and her height is making the match ups interesting
Seems every manager has a proclivity that is bound to frustrate. Renee’s current one seems to be playing Reid out of position when we have an actual RB in the squad. As long as Laura is here, she’s a part of the team and should play. I can understand not trusting her in the league games but surely she can get minutes in the FA Cup vs Bristol. I don’t understand this idea of freezing out a player you no longer want or who’s on the verge of a move. And if this was her last matchday squad inclusion, she… Read more »
Laura Wienroither is not a RB who can invert into midfield, that would be my guess as to why she is going, if she is going. No sentimentality, right? Reid is versatile and already knows how to play at CB – the knowledge and perspectives she is gaining from being played at FB on either side will make her a better CB in the end. If Katie plays at FB, another of our CBs gets minutes and stays match fit. Win-win. I’d understand your annoyance more if using KR as a FB had cost us in the game, or if… Read more »
Spot on Fun Gunner. RS gave a very detailed and clear rationale for why Reid is being used in the way she is. She’s not going to get ahead of our existing players for big match days so better to use these cup games as a learning opportunity she won’t easily get again. It’s all in service of making her a better CB in the long run. Strikes me as a very dynamic and holistic approach. As for Chelsea & Walsh, I wonder if they’re still smarting from us nabbing KCC in a similar (but reversed) situation, and didn’t want… Read more »
Ah, KCC. That could well be the case.
I am also so excited about trying out Codina in midfield – I’ve always felt that was where she truly belonged. Very promising start and I hope she gets more time in that position.
I’m sorry, your explanation for the signings is very watery. Like I said, I don’t need Walsh specifically. It is what it represents. And if you think Girma wouldn’t make a difference in our squad, you’re joking. Look at our CB options and tell me a partnership of Leah-Girma doesn’t immediately make us world class in that specific department. Like I’ve said, we are the chasers. We have a gap to close. Instead, the gap keeps widening. I think beating Chelsea in back to back contis gives us this sense that we are close to them. Yet every season, they… Read more »
Just have to admit at this point that Chelsea’s management organisation (owners, directors, managers etc) is in a league above ours. Too much evidence to ignore now.
They are and we seem to have fans who make excuses for our failings or try to rationalise it. This ‘Arsenal way’ of building players or signing youngsters. It hasn’t produced the success we need. We forget that some of our best players want to win. They won’t hang around forever waiting for us to figure ourselves out. We either accept we want to challenge Chelsea or we are good with qualifying for the UWCL every season and the odd domestic cup final here and there. And truth is our other competitors aren’t getting weaker. We are currently 4th. Lose… Read more »
“Should we have been the club missing out Kerolin? Even the Brand Fun Gunner mentioned as preferred option, City are leading the race”
The club (we are told) never attempted to sign Kerolin – we didn’t miss out, we decided for whatever reason that she wasn’t right for us.
There are other wingers. I don’t even know if we are chasing Brand, but if Brand prefers City, we can look to Endemann, Jonsdottir, etc, etc. We will get someone.
Chelsea has now signed Walsh….
Ok, I misunderstood your point about Walsh. Apologies. Girma is acknowledged as the world’s best, but Williamson is in the same ball park. Bright isn’t any better than LWM. I don’t actually think that Girma-Williamson would be better than Williamson-Catley *as a partnership*. Bright-Girma makes sense because Girma is similar to Williamson and Bright will compensate for Girma’s few deficiencies – aerial dominance and sheer muscle. I don’t understand why you think Chelsea’s signing Girma and Walsh means *we* have no ambition – surely the point is that we were in for both of them? The players ultimately make a… Read more »
Bright is superior to LWM. LWM is being benched by a LB turned CB and you can say it’s cos of the left-footed buildup bias but if LWM was truly class, it wouldn’t be an issue. Chelsea have won a lot of titles with 2 right footed CBS. My counterargument is that for where we are and where we need to be, we really do need to spend a lot of money. What exactly has this current strategy produced for us? The players made a decision because we didn’t do more to get them. One min, we are bidding 1m… Read more »
Well, I disagree on all points, but I’m not going to carry on arguing the toss. And we will see, won’t we?
I think if Arsenal don’t have a specific sporting director for women, nothing will change, they sent Alex Scott to negotiate Girma, that shows the level that this department is at.
It’s not true that Arsenal sent Alex Scott to ‘negotiate’ for Girma, it was a joke by Alex.
But I wouldn’t doubt it even if it was a joke.
But let’s move forward, and look forward to what the future holds for everyone.
Genuinely really lovely to see Ilestedt get on the pitch. Hope she can continue to play a role going forward.
There’s a cute photo somewhere of the match day squad plus Baby Ilestedt.
RS seems to have got the hang of this rotating malarkey so I’m sure Ilestedt will get a good amount of game time. I wouldn’t be surprised if she is gone next January or at the latest summer 2026, though. My impression is that she was signed as a stopgap, and now we have Katie Reid.
Yes it was. I really did not expect to see Amanda again when her pregnancy was announced but maybe she will be a squad player for a season or so especially if Laia moves forwards to her new found midfield position. We were looking for a defensive midfielder for times when Kim and Wally are not around.
Katie Reid is going to be a star and playing games as right and left back can only be good for potential back 3 set ups in the future.
She’s done well to get back so soon but I did expect her to return because several other players have done it.
It was a great game for us. Katie Reid is now showed has learnt the Arsenal way and is becoming a potential first team player.
It was great to see Lotte wearing the Captain’s arm band. Her contribution while Leah was out injured was invaluable. She is a worthy first team player.
All in all a good team match with players out of their usual positions that showed their ability to adapt. This the sign of a team on the up. Forget this season and the bumps in the road. Next season will be at a much higher level!