Arsenal Womens boss Renee Slegers on Arsenal facing Liverpool in the WSL this weekend
13/12/2024
Sobha Realty Training Center, London, UK
13/12/2024
Sobha Realty Training Center, London, UK
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00:00How are your energy levels after a late night in Dorway?
00:05Well, I think the energy levels have been high throughout.
00:11Obviously you go up and down, you also need to recover and recharge,
00:15both mentally and physically.
00:17We call this a recharge day, so we have a couple of players in the building
00:21doing what they need to do, but if the players felt like you can stay home
00:25and that's your way of recharging and getting ready for Liverpool,
00:28then that's okay as well.
00:30Everyone is doing their job today to be able to bring the energy again tomorrow.
00:35And the cold night's gone, how's the team even for Liverpool?
00:43Good, everyone came through well yesterday, so that's good.
00:49Kim is making progress as well, and for the others it will stay the same.
00:54Looking ahead to the weekend, do you have to balance this now
00:58with the Champions League group stage still in the balance?
01:00You could still finish top, balance that against the Liverpool game this weekend.
01:03Have you got to think about both those games at the same time?
01:07Well, you always need to plan ahead and have a plan in everything you do,
01:13but we only have Liverpool on our minds.
01:16It's a very important game for us in the WSL,
01:19so we're only thinking about Liverpool and then there's a couple of days
01:22when Bayern will come after that, but our mind is set on Liverpool.
01:25With such a quick turn-around after last night and getting back,
01:28how much are you able to get into the play between now and the weekend?
01:31Like I said, there's a couple of players in the building today,
01:34so there's opportunities for some small chats and some feedback,
01:38but tomorrow will be the main day to get them ready.
01:42But I think there's quite some similarities between Polleringa and Liverpool,
01:48so depending on what they will do, obviously Liverpool,
01:51they've been doing some different things.
01:54No, I think one day for prep, if everyone comes in focused and high on energy,
02:00then that will be enough for us.
02:02Alessia Muricy on 49 passing periods,
02:05it's probably safe to assume that she may well pick her 50th of the weekend.
02:08And the form that she's shown for you, especially last night,
02:11but over the last few games as well,
02:13that must be so pleasing for what you're getting out of her right now.
02:17Yeah, Alessia is, like most of the squad, like the whole squad,
02:21she's a player that works really hard.
02:23She's determined to get the best out of herself.
02:26You see that in training.
02:27She works closely with Kelly Smith as well in trainings and reviewing games.
02:32I think players that have this mindset, this growth mindset,
02:35always want to become better.
02:37They will eventually become better.
02:39I don't think there's any other result.
02:43But where it's going to end, you don't know.
02:45I think for Les, I'm very happy for her.
02:48All the work that she's been putting in, that is coming off.
02:52Liverpool, you mentioned they've been trying different things.
02:54Had a great season last season, started this season well,
02:57but finding life a little bit tricky at the moment.
02:59Do you put that mainly down to their having injury problems?
03:02Yeah, I think so.
03:03That's hard for them.
03:04They're missing some key players,
03:06but I'm sure they're trying to find solutions
03:09and trying to find a way to perform well against us on Sunday.
03:13We're prepared for a strong opponent.
03:15Thanks. Robert?
03:17Hi, Renny.
03:18First of all, just to talk about the momentum you have at the moment,
03:21going into Sunday's game in Liverpool.
03:24Yeah, I've been saying it before maybe,
03:28but momentum builds momentum.
03:31We want to go off of that.
03:34That's good for us.
03:36I think as a team we're in a flow state.
03:41We're positive, but we need to stay sharp
03:43and we need to keep on looking at what do we need to do to stay there
03:46and even develop it further.
03:48Because if we start being happy with it,
03:50then we might decrease and then we lose it.
03:52So we're very aware of what exactly do we need to do,
03:54what do we need to emphasise,
03:55what do we need to work on to be able to stay where we are.
03:59What's your assessment of the Liverpool side you face on Sunday?
04:04Yeah, like we spoke about,
04:06they have a couple of key players not available,
04:09which is a loss for them.
04:10But I still think they put on a strong, competitive team on the pitch on Sunday.
04:15That's what I expect.
04:17If they will play their game like they've been doing,
04:19there are some similarities with Volleringa,
04:21with a player-for-player press.
04:25So we'll have to be good playing out of the press.
04:28And they have some strengths as well in the counter-attacks
04:30and fast attacks that we need to stop.
04:33It goes to some hand-in-standings.
04:34Do you think with the growth of the women's game,
04:36looking at this fixture,
04:37it could have the potential for men's safety by Anfield in the future?
04:42Yeah, I mean, that would be great.
04:44I think we spoke about it here before as well.
04:47If we go for equality,
04:49and both the men's and the women's team in big clubs
04:52play on the highest level and attract big crowds,
04:55then you're going to get the challenge of fixture clashes.
04:59So however the clubs are going to organise it within their clubs,
05:03I think it's the overall improvement or the growth
05:07that is happening right now at the moment with the crowds and WSL,
05:10it's fantastic, it's very positive.
05:12Great, we'll come to the call now.
05:13Tim?
05:15Yeah, hi Rene, long time no see.
05:18I wanted to ask a couple of questions about a couple of individual players.
05:22Rura of E-Royster, first off,
05:25even when you swapped Emily Fox out the last couple of games,
05:28she hasn't come on straight away.
05:30Is it fair to say that it's being managed at the moment?
05:35Yeah, Laura is coming back from a long injury,
05:39she got a little setback,
05:41but she's back from that now,
05:43and we just have to give it time,
05:46we have to be patient,
05:47and we have to find the right moments to get her back in.
05:50But she's doing really well in training,
05:51she's an important part of the group,
05:53so we're just finding the right way to play her to her strengths
05:58and make sure that she's ready.
06:00And on Rosa Khafaji as well,
06:03obviously you can only play 11 players at any one time,
06:07and everything, and she's a young player,
06:09but for her, is it a case of just adaption,
06:13have you been having conversations with her at the moment,
06:17and maybe the fact that she started the season in February or so,
06:21so it's going to be a long season for her,
06:23I wonder what kind of conversations you've been having with Rosa
06:27at the moment, who's not really starting games?
06:31Rosa is a very energetic person and player,
06:35the passion for football, I think,
06:38it expresses itself in different ways,
06:40but you would see Rosa walk around with a ball,
06:42she doesn't want to come off pitch when we're training,
06:44she wants to do more,
06:45she always wants to kick the ball and improve.
06:49But you see, this is a top class team,
06:55and I think for some players it's easy to come in and adjust,
07:00and for others it takes a little bit longer,
07:02I think we need to respect that,
07:05and looking at how hard Rosa works,
07:08and the way she engages and initiates conversations with us coaches
07:14to understand what we expect of her in the role,
07:18that's the most important thing,
07:19and we believe a lot in Rosa,
07:21she has specific qualities that definitely over time
07:25are going to be very important for the club,
07:28and we do everything we can to help her get those qualities out.
07:32Can I just clarify quickly on team news,
07:35whether Kim's going to be available for Sunday,
07:38and whether we'll see Leovolti before the Christmas break?
07:43Kim has been training,
07:47she wasn't with us in Norway,
07:48so we'll see today and tomorrow how she progresses,
07:52so she might be an option for Sunday,
07:54Leovolti won't be an option for Sunday.
07:59Thanks Tim.
08:00Jamie?
08:01Hi Rene, hope you're well.
08:02Just one from me Rene,
08:04I just wanted to ask about Katie Reid and Freya Godfrey,
08:07obviously two academy projects that have come up last night,
08:10and Katie got a start on Freya Godfrey's minutes,
08:12what did you make of that,
08:13and how happy are you for them?
08:16We started Katie Reid because we thought she was ready,
08:19she's been with us for a while now,
08:22she performs really well in training,
08:26you can see she has the respect of the other girls as well,
08:30she's been growing in the group,
08:31we played her out of position yesterday,
08:34she's a centre-back,
08:36so with all that in mind,
08:37her starting debut in Champions League,
08:40in a position that's not her first position,
08:43I'm really happy with how she performed,
08:46especially in possession on the ball,
08:48I think she's very composed,
08:50I think she got a lot of passes and decisions right,
08:53positioning as well,
08:55so I'm very happy for Katie Reid,
08:58Freya Godfrey has been with us,
09:00training with us for a long time now as well,
09:02she has specific qualities,
09:04she's very fast, explosive,
09:07understands the game well,
09:09has qualities on the ball,
09:10so again it was a nice opportunity to give her the Champions League debut as well.