Amber Whiteley previews underdogs Liverpool Women FA Cup semi final against Chelsea
10/04/2025
Melwood training Centre, Liverpool, UK
10/04/2025
Melwood training Centre, Liverpool, UK
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SportsTranscript
00:00Afternoon everyone, welcome to our press conference with LFC Women Interim Head Coach Amber Whiteley
00:06out of an exciting weekend as we look ahead to an Adobe FA Cup semi-final and a trip to Chelsea on Saturday.
00:16It's a hybrid conference as usual with some people in the room and so on Zoom
00:21and we'll start in the room with Ian Kennedy from BBC Radio Merseyside. Ian?
00:25Hi Amber, obviously a huge weekend ahead but just first of all, having had the international break,
00:31have you got everyone back? Are they all fitting well? How are you looking for the weekend?
00:36The majority have come back fitting well. Kerry returned early from international duty.
00:41She is not as bad as first thought but we're still taking it day by day with her at the moment.
00:48Olivia Smith has been back in training so that's good news and she should be available to play a part this weekend.
00:55Has Kerry got a chance for the weekend or is she out?
00:58No, she's going to take a little bit longer.
01:00So a semi-final which I'm sure everyone is looking forward to, what's the feeling?
01:06Is there a confidence after what happened against Arsenal and getting through that time?
01:10Yeah, I think we've taken really good confidence from that quarter-final against Arsenal
01:14and the result in the league against Man United too.
01:17We've shown against the top teams that we can compete and if we execute our game plan we can cause Chelsea problems on the day.
01:26Yeah, obviously I know you probably won't tell us what the game plan is specifically but what is the hope?
01:33Is it to keep everything tight in the first 20 minutes to get off to a good solid start?
01:37I think it's about the details within the game plan and executing.
01:45We're going to have to have balance within our play so we're going to have moments or spells without the ball.
01:50We'll have to remain organised and disciplined with our out-of-possession shape.
01:55But we've got to be really brave and believe when we do have the ball and threaten Chelsea when we have the opportunity to do so.
02:04The game obviously is at King's Meadow. The task is a big one anyway but do you have to blank out the fact that you're effectively the away team or is that a factor in this game at all?
02:17I think on the whole we've travelled well away this season so it'll be a good atmosphere I think at King's Meadow on Saturday.
02:27They always tend to pack it out similar to what it was like at Boreham Wood against Arsenal so we enjoyed that challenge and we'll look forward to it on Saturday.
02:37It has been a while for Liverpool in the Cup so what would it mean for everyone really, for the whole club to get through?
02:45I think it's a really exciting prospect being one away from Wembley and that's the incentive for definite.
02:50The full focus has got to be on the game and the task in hand but yeah, first time we've been in a semi-final for eight years so great achievement in itself but we want to put absolutely everything in on Saturday and give ourselves the best possible chance of progressing to the final.
03:06Good luck, thank you.
03:07Thanks Ian and we'll go off on Zoom and we'll go to Ellie Thomason from BBC Sport. Ellie?
03:14Hi Amber, I hope you're okay.
03:16Hi Ellie.
03:17I just wanted to ask, on paper with the four teams left in the competition, do you sort of feel like Liverpool are the underdogs now in the FA Cup?
03:25I think if we perform on the day, I honestly believe that we can beat anyone in front of us. Chelsea have got quality all over the pitch, they're a world-class side but if we execute the game plan, we know we can cause some problems.
03:44Obviously you mentioned the confidence you can take from the result in the Cup against Arsenal and obviously that brilliant league winning against United. After that, there's been the league defeat to Arsenal. I just wondered what you've learned from that game going into a game against Chelsea and playing a similar style of play. What are you hoping to do to kind of, you said that day, it wasn't a typical Liverpool performance but have you been working on things to ensure they don't race to that early lead?
04:10Was that the Arsenal game you were asking about there, Ellie?
04:12Sorry, yeah.
04:42So, it's about getting those small details right that we prepare for and we go out and train and put into practice but we've got to do it on the day.
04:53And just lastly, you said that you hope Olivia Smith's going to be available in the squad. I just wondered, she's been so impressed this season, particularly in that game against United recently. Can you just give us a bit of an insight what she's kind of like as a person and a player both on and off the pitch?
05:06She's a wonderful person off the pitch. She is very humble and down to earth and yeah, a really, really important member of our playing group and well-liked and well-loved by everyone.
05:24And I think she's got a hunger and a desire to learn and to want to get better. She's been fantastic for us but there's still so much more to come from her which is so exciting.
05:36Thanks so much and all the best for this weekend.
05:40Thanks, Ellie.
05:41Thanks, Ellie. And we'll go to Kit Shepard from The Times. Kit?
05:46Hi, Amber. Nice to see you.
05:47Hi, Kit.
05:48How important is this weekend's game, the FA Cup semi-final, in terms of showing Liverpool's, I suppose, longer-term trajectory and where it's for all and just beyond the cup?
06:00Sorry, Kit, I lost you in part of that question there.
06:03Just, I was asking about how important you feel this game is on Saturday about kind of showing where Liverpool are heading long-term.
06:11Like, what's the significance of this game beyond just trying to reach Wembley final?
06:15Yeah, I think we want to give a good account of ourselves on Saturday.
06:23We want to give ourselves the best possible chance of progressing through to the final.
06:27So, it'll be a good marker to show where we're at currently.
06:32But, you know, week on week, Kit, we want to get better and we want to improve this side.
06:37I think we made great progress in that first block of games and we want to keep moving forward week on week.
06:42So, yes, an important marker for us on Saturday and lots to play for.
06:50But every week we want to be better and we want to improve.
06:52And I appreciate what you said to Ellie about you really believe that you're not the underdogs and that you can win this game.
06:59But if you look at the four semi-finalists this season, you've got four kind of the biggest clubs in the country, really.
07:06But then if you look at the kind of recent years, Liverpool do look like the odd one out amongst those four in terms of what they've been able to achieve.
07:16Can you explain why that's been, in your opinion?
07:19Well, look, I can only speak from my experience of being in the position where I'm in now.
07:27We've got a really talented playing group here.
07:29We come into Melwood.
07:31We train at one of the best facilities in the league.
07:34And the support that I've had from across the club since I've been in this role has been second to none.
07:40I've not wanted for anything.
07:41So, I fully believe that we're moving in the right direction.
07:46Yes, there's still work to do to where we want to get to.
07:49But, yeah, I'm confident that we're moving in the right direction and we're making good progress in that respect.
07:55What kind of specifically do you think Liverpool needs to do, I suppose, so that in years to come you're not having to deal with questions like are you underdogs compared to Chelsea and the two Manchester clubs?
08:07What maybe needs to change on that front?
08:09Honestly, Kate, I think we continue to do what we're doing now.
08:17We're looking to improve across all areas.
08:20We're reviewing the processes both on and off the pitch.
08:24And, you know, it's not just about resource and how much money is put in.
08:28It's about making the very best and maximising the resource that you've got currently, I think, before you look to put anything else in.
08:40So, yeah, we're looking at those processes and looking at how we can improve across each area.
08:47Cool. And just finally on that, I think where you say it's not all about resources and money, like how kind of easy is it to, I suppose, keep that mentality when you see, say, Chelsea spending all the money they did in January or maybe other clubs investing heaps and heaps of money?
09:04How is it to kind of, yeah, as I said, stir that mentality of it's not all about the room?
09:09I think it's about staying concentrated on yourselves and looking at what you have got and reviewing, reflecting what we're doing well, what areas can we improve on?
09:28And it's a continuous process.
09:29So, I think that's, you know, where we're at as a club.
09:34We're always looking to improve and to be better.
09:37We've got brilliant support, fantastic facilities here, brilliant playing group already.
09:43And we want to keep improving on what we've already got.
09:46We're moving in a good direction and, yeah, that's going to keep continuing.
09:51Thank you very much.
09:52Thanks, Kit.
09:54And we'll go to Dan Pendlin, WSL Fulltime. Dan?
09:57Hi, Amber. I hope you're well.
10:00Hi, Dan.
10:01Obviously, Chelsea are kind of experts when it comes to semi-finals.
10:04They've played in that many, you know, in recent years.
10:07You know, you said yourselves that, you know, it's a long time since Liverpool have been in the semi-finals.
10:11So, how do you kind of bridge that kind of experience gap or the difference in experience between your squad and Chelsea when it comes to playing in a semi-final?
10:22Well, I think you take experiences from playing against top teams in the league.
10:27I think that's for one.
10:28And then we take good experience and good confidence from that quarter-final game against Arsenal.
10:34So, yeah, I think if we perform and execute our game plan on Saturday, it gives us the best possible chance.
10:45And just in terms of Chelsea, obviously, when Sonia came in, they were, you know, the kind of, you know, in fabulous form winning every game.
10:55And, you know, maybe since the turn of the year, they've maybe found things, you know, maybe a little bit more difficult.
11:00Obviously, teams, you know, you look at what Brighton and West Ham have done recently.
11:03Even the likes of Everton and Palace have given them a really good game.
11:06So, you know, have you seen kind of any difference in Chelsea or, you know, does it kind of give you confidence the way that some of those sides have played against them more recently?
11:16Yeah, I think you take learnings from those games for sure.
11:19I think Sonia's done a brilliant job since she's coming at Chelsea.
11:23They were already a successful side, Dan, but she's taken them to another level again.
11:29But, yeah, in recent games, we have to look at the teams that have taken points off them and have done well there and take learnings from those games.
11:36And, yeah, definitely gives you the confidence and belief that, you know, we can go there and do the same.
11:43That's brilliant. Thanks, Dan. Best of luck.
11:45Thanks, Dan.
11:45Thanks, Dan. And we'll come back into the room and come to Claire Tweed from Mersey Sport Live. Claire?
11:51Hi, Andrew. There's been a lot of complaints surrounding the recent international break and the timing of it.
11:57I was just wondering, do you think they should maybe move that international break or remove it just to take away the stress on players?
12:04I think it's a busy period for sure.
12:08But it's the same for both sides, for us and Chelsea.
12:11And it's the hand that you dealt with.
12:15I think if you're in this stage of the competition this time of the season, it's, you know, what you have to expect and deal with.
12:24So, yes, it's a challenge to get the same level of detail in your preparation and in training across that you would do in a, you know, across a full game week,
12:35a full training week, but you have to find ways around that.
12:40And, yeah, I think, like I said before, it's the same for both sides.
12:45And Chelsea will have, you know, lots of players returning today, tomorrow.
12:51But we make the best of what we've got available to us.
12:56And then, how important do you think reaching an FA Cup final would be for the growth of women's football in Liverpool, especially?
13:02Yeah, I think it will be huge for our following, for our fan base.
13:08So, we'll give absolutely everything to try and get there and give our fans, yeah, a performance to be really proud of and a day to look forward to at Wembley, hopefully.
13:21Thanks, Claire.
13:22And Ellie, are you on the spot?
13:26Yeah, I think everything's been the same.
13:28Good, Max.
13:29So, it was the way we were going to go last.
13:30So, I think that concludes our press conference today.
13:32Thank you very much for coming on, everyone.
13:34I know we're seeing some of you at Kings Meadow on Saturday.
13:38But for everyone else, enjoy your football wherever you see it this weekend.
13:43Thanks, everyone.
13:43See you.
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