Arsenal Women's manager Renee Slegers reacts to Arsenal Women 1 - 2 Lyonnaise in 1st leg of UWCL Semi Finals
19/04/2025
Emirates Stadium, London, UK
19/04/2025
Emirates Stadium, London, UK
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00:00When Arsenal played Barcelona a couple of years ago, Jonas Eidebal was talking about
00:09who really prepared for Barcelona's quality, prepared thoroughly, but sometimes the players
00:13need to be on the pitch to feel it and see it.
00:16And it felt a bit like maybe the first 30 minutes.
00:19Obviously Arsenal recovered really well from that, but that first 30 minutes Arsenal really had to hang in there.
00:24Do you think perhaps Lyon's quality and their intensity was a bit of a shock in that opening bit?
00:30Yeah, you'll have to ask the players, but I don't think it was a shock, but of course it's very high level opposition.
00:39So the tempo is higher and you know you'll get punished if you make mistakes.
00:45And I think we had to settle into the game and create a belief while we were playing.
00:53And I think that shows in the way we come out in the second half and how we play our game,
00:59even though we're playing against a really strong opponent with so much strength that we have the courage and the bravery to play our game.
01:08And so, yeah, we grow into the game from that perspective.
01:12And I think in that period against an opposition like Lyon with so much strength, I think when we then have momentum, we need to score.
01:21And that's what we do in the end.
01:23But yeah, we probably should have scored at least one more in that phase of the game while you're at home at the Emirates against such a strong opponent.
01:34And so, and then it was, we worked really hard to get that goal.
01:37And then it was disappointing that they score very quickly afterwards because then we're chasing the game again.
01:43But yeah, it's, it's halftime and it's one goal down.
01:49And so we still have the opportunities when we play them next week.
01:53And in terms of what you said at halftime, there were signs of recovery, I think, the end of the first half.
01:58But your halftime team talk, what kind of details did you change to bring out that improved performance in the second half?
02:05Yeah, I saw some details in what we wanted to look for on the, on the pitch in possession and doing it with a little bit more tempo to, to create bigger spaces.
02:14And then out of possession, we needed to, to find some solutions for how they position themselves in their build phase.
02:21Thanks Tim. James.
02:24Were the players surprised at all about, I know Tim referred to it a little bit, but the intensity that Lyon started the game with in particular?
02:33Like I said, I haven't spoken to the players yet.
02:36I don't think so.
02:38But I think playing against Lyon with these, specifically these three forwards on the pitch, it's, it's something that we haven't faced this season yet.
02:49And so that was one to, like you said, you have to experience it to be able to find the solution.
02:57And, and I think what was strong of the team was that we, we needed to settle in the game and it took us some time.
03:06But then we did it and, and we found the solutions and, and the courage and the belief started to grow and the solutions on how we, how we stopped them.
03:17And, um, of course we prepared for that. It's not that it's, it was a surprise for us.
03:22We knew what we were going to face and the players knew exactly that this was the threat we needed to stop.
03:27And, um, but I'm, I'm happy in the way we grow into the game and especially then the face in the second half where we, where we dominate.
03:36And knowing that and knowing how that felt for the players certainly on the pitch, does that put you in a stronger position now going into the second leg?
03:46Yeah, yeah, hopefully. Uh, we know exactly what we're playing against next week, uh, but the same will count for Lyon.
03:54Thanks, James.
03:56Hi, Rene. Um, you kind of alluded to maybe Arsenal missing a few chances, perhaps that you could have scored more in a game.
04:02How do you essentially become more clinical for the second leg next week?
04:06Is it anything technical you can do? Is it psychological? How do you take more opportunities?
04:11Um, so I think, uh, what's been a big strength of us as a team is that we are rootless and, and that we find ways to score a lot of goals.
04:21So I don't think just after this game that we, we start to doubt ourselves in that area on, on how capable we are.
04:28But of course we're gonna, we're gonna have a look at, is there even more specific things we can do in a final third to, to create bigger chances.
04:34But I think a couple of chances we create are, are really good. So we, we find good setups on the pitch.
04:40Um, so we're gonna, we're gonna find the details for next week. Definitely.
04:45Um, you obviously have some time to prepare for it, but aside from maybe being a bit more clinical, is there anything that made you feel that's what we need to do better in next week to get a different result?
04:55I think everything we expected the game to be, it, it turned out the way we expected today.
05:01Um, so it's about, and I think, of course, we now look at, um, the two fast attacks, where they score from, uh, where we concede from.
05:09But I think so many times we stop it early and, and really well as well.
05:14So, but you, the learning is you need to do it consistently without any slips over 90 minutes, because otherwise if a team like Lyon gets one, two, three chances, um, they will punish you.
05:26Thanks.
05:27Thanks Kate.
05:28One or two more.
05:29Helen?
05:30Yes.
05:31Um, Rene, I, I think sort of thinking glass half full, like you say, it's halfway through now.
05:34We've got another tie.
05:35Um, and it feels to me like playing Lyon away is not as scary as maybe playing other teams away, because their support isn't like Arsenal's support, et cetera, et cetera.
05:44And also it feels like maybe 2-1 isn't too bad a result, considering Diani in the first half was just like electric, no one sort of touched her.
05:53It feels to me like maybe that's not such a bad result.
05:57I think, um, we're not happy with the result, uh, because like I said, we did really well, uh, finally getting the, um, the equalizer and that was the, the least we wanted.
06:08And after that goal, we felt like we could potentially score another one.
06:12So, um, I think as the, the game turned out, especially in the second half, um, a draw or a win was what we, what we went, went for.
06:20So, but yeah, I think Arsenal has done it before against Lyon away, uh, has won with, with big numbers.
06:28So it's going to be a pitch, 11 v 11, good grass.
06:33And we, we have all the opportunities to, um, to win that game next week.
06:38And do you think, because you've got another seven days before the next one?
06:42Was it eight days?
06:43And so maybe there'll be more, some of the players who weren't quite, maybe 100% fit today might be fit by next Sunday?
06:51Yeah, that will definitely help. Um, but if they wouldn't have been fit, they wouldn't be in the squad today.
06:57So they were ready to play. Um, so, but we're going to use these seven, eight days, um, in an optimal way to get ready for Sunday.
07:05And also Stina looked really sharp when she came on as well.
07:08Yeah, so Stina has been, uh, has been doing really well for us as so many other players.
07:13Excellent. Last one up.
07:15Hi, Renee. Um, you mentioned the Lyon game from a couple of years ago just there, I was wondering,
07:19because the squad's quite similar, is there much you can take from, I guess, watching that game back and using that for your preparation?
07:27Um, yeah, it is similar and they have similar players, but I think so much has changed in, in those years, um, as well.
07:37So, so not too much from a, from a tactical point of view, but, but definitely from a, uh, psychological point of view.
07:44And knowing that if you go there, um, you can, you can do something and, and Arsenal's done it before and won with 5-1, I think.
07:52So, um, but yeah, this is, this is going to be a different scenario.
07:57Of course, Lyon are happy with, with, um, the 2-1 here and they will, uh, do everything they can to, to protect that lead.
08:06So it's, it's going to be a, a very difficult game.
08:09Um, but we're going to go there and, and believe that we can do something.
08:13Awesome. We'll leave there, guys. Thank you.