Renee Slegers reacts to 0-0 draw with Manchester United

Arsenal were held to a 0-0 draw against Manchester United at Leigh Sports Village on Sunday afternoon in the WSL. Renee Slegers spoke to the press post-match, the first two questions are from Arseblog News.

On starting Stina Blackstenius against United’s solid defensive shape…
We use the players that we think can have an impact in the game specific to the game. That’s one thing we look at, but then there’s also consistency and cohesion and all those things, players doing well. The plan was to have the threat in behind against their high press and also them being very aggressive and player for player on our midfield. So it was part of the plan and I think we caused a lot of problems, we don’t get all the way in towards the goal and create opportunities. Stina did a lot of important work for us today.

On United starting Melvine Malard upfront and how Arsenal defended their threat in behind…
We defended the space in behind really well, so that that’s the whole team putting pressure on the player with the ball but when the ball comes, then filling the space behind with the back line together with the goalkeeper and then the rest of the team, just doubling down on it and I think we did that exceptionally well, so the back line was really good today.

On Katie Reid’s performance…
She’s really good, she’s so young still and she’s been part of the club for so long, went on loan at Watford but has been with us now for a good while and she’s showing all these things in training and consistently. She has a growth mindset, so she always wants to learn and wants to get better. But doing those things in your safe environment and training where everything is isolated, that’s something else then coming out into the WSL and doing that performing on such a high level against top opposition, top players, I’m just so impressed with her. We knew that she could do this and this is the type of player she is, but to be able to apply herself like this in high level WSL games. It’s just really, really good.

On Olivia Smith and Taylor Hinds playing following the death of their former coach Matt Beard last night…
It’s such sad news and everyone was really shocked by the news and I feel very, very sorry for his closest family and loved ones. So we spoke to Liv and Taylor and they were really close with Matt. So we tried to support them as for as much as we can and I think we have a good support system around as a club and staff members have been very supportive. We gave them the option to choose what they wanted to do today because of course, the Liverpool game was postponed. Our game was on and it was up to them and so this was their decision and this is what they wanted to do it, but it’s very hard and we’re all very sad. They both said Matt would have wanted them to play so they went out and did it and there was a lot of emotion, I think the one minute silence was really hard for them, but it shows another strength, showing up today for the team. And again, it wasn’t they weren’t pressed into any of that, but they wanted to do that so a lot of strength from their end.

On half time coming at a bad time for Arsenal…
We had Caitlin Ford’s shot at the end of the half and we saw at around minute 30, 35, I think their intensity dropped and we felt like we can create momentum and that’s always the moment you want to get. So that was definitely something we wanted to do and went for. Then it didn’t happen. We had halftime to talk to a couple of things and we were full of belief for the second half. We spoke about a couple of details and knowing that moment can come again, in the second half where you create momentum, there will be some fatigue maybe, and that’s the moment to do it, but unfortunately, we weren’t sharp enough in the final third today with our decision making or execution.

On the things she has seen from Katie Reid in training…
Her ground duelling is really, really good. She has a real strong physical presence, also aerially. She’s very fast. She’s really composed and she’s very open to connect with other players with the coaches to learn and that’s what she’s been showing and I think you guys saw it today on the pitch as well.

On her personal memories of Matt Beard…
He was very warm, so post game we’ve interacted and I just felt his warmth as a person. The last game away at their (Liverpool) ground we just had a really good, nice little chat, him and me and the year before, when Jonas was still head coach, he invited us and couple of other coaches into his office and we sat down. He was really, really nice. He had his staff over there as well. We don’t all do that, but he did that.

14.van Domselaar; 2.Fox, 26.Reid, 7.Catley, 11.McCabe (24.Hinds ‘64); 10.Little(c), 8.Mariona; 15.Smith (18.Kelly ‘64), 23.Russo, 19.Foord (9.Mead ‘79); 25.Blackstenius (12L.Maanum ‘64)

Unused: 1.Zinsberger, 3.Wubben-Moy, 5.L.Codina, 21.Pelova, 32.Cooney-Cross

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