‘We wanted to fight for a lot more trophies this season’ Caitlin Foord interview

Caitlin Foord joined a small circle of journalists at Sobha Realty Training Centre prior to Saturday’s WSL closer at home to Manchester United. Arseblog News alerts Foord to the fact that this is already her best season in terms of end product since joining the club in January 2020. Arseblog News asks her for the reasons behind her career best end product this season.

‘I think I’ve always said since I’ve been playing when I’m enjoying my football, I’m at my best,’ she replies. ‘I think when I’m being challenged as well and have to be consistent, it definitely helps. I think I just have wanted to go out and do the best I can for the team and in my position, you’ve got to set goals up or score goals to keep your spot so I guess it’s the determination to keep my spot.’

The arrivals of Mariona, who was initially considered a left-winger and Chloe Kelly in January have increased competition in the wide areas and Foord believes this has pushed her to another level. ‘The players we have in those positions have a lot of quality, so it is about when you get your chance to take it and to then try and keep it when you are there. I think that’s been my motivator for myself and it’s to produce and to be consistent.’

Arseblog News also asks how one of those new additions, Mariona Caldentey, and the creativity she has added, has helped her to produce more goals and assists. ‘The quality that Mariona has you can find at the ball and she’ll find you again, even in the tightest space to get a pass back or we’ve seen her qualities from outside the box.

‘So for me, as a player, when I see her in that position it’s a no brainer to give her the ball, especially if I have two players with me, there’s a free player somewhere else. It definitely helps having her attacking qualities in the team.’ The Gunners go into Saturday’s final game needing a point at home to Manchester United to hold onto 2nd spot.

After a pair of chastening away defeats at Aston Villa and Brighton, Foord says the team are aware that they have turned this into a bigger game than it needed to be. ‘We need to get back to the football that we’ve been playing and to be on that roll again and we want to finish in that second position. We’ve left it now to this game and it’s important game and we have to take it because it’s the last chance to get in the second spot and that is a goal of ours once first position was out of the way.’

‘I think our last two games has humbled the team a lot and you forget about the Champions League final, we’ve got this game in front of us and everyone’s full focus is on that because we do want to finish second, we want to get that spot. Full focus is on tomorrow and then think about Champions League after that.’ Caitlin is asked about who she may be up against on Saturday with United right-back Jayde Riviere injured and her deputy Aoife Mannion suspended.

Simultaneously, she is asked whether she has studied her likely opponent in the Champions League Final, Ona Battle, once of United. ‘I haven’t looked too far ahead,’ she answers. ‘The United game is in front of me, so my full focus is on that. But from a personal point of view, I think I don’t like to look too much into my opponent.

‘I just reflect on myself and I know when I’m at my best, I can beat anyone that’s in front of me. If I think about my opponent too much, I get in my own head a bit, so it’s full focus on me when I’m going to a game.’ Arsenal will have their work cut out on May 24 in Lisbon against a Barca team who are dominating women’s football at the moment.

Asked what makes them so formidable, Foord says the longevity of their style, ‘It helps as well when most of them are in the Spanish national team and they’ve played together for many years. So I think to have that consistency all year round is a luxury to have and they do have a good style that they’ve grown up playing from a very young age and we have some of those qualities on our team with Mariona and you see what they look to do and it’s the whole team. It’s what’s ingrained in them from a very young age, the style that they play.’

Arsenal have been rejuvenated under the stewardship of Renee Slegers and the Australian international is asked what she has most enjoyed under the Dutch coach’s tenure. ‘The freedom that we have, especially as a front line, which we’ve probably seen interchanging of positions and free. I guess when you’re in that part of the field, it’s about expressing yourself and bringing your qualities to the team. I think that’s probably what I’ve enjoyed the most.’

It has been a long season for Foord and Arsenal, starting in the first UWCL qualifying round and going all the way to the final. She has also travelled back and forth to play for her country. Asked what it is that keeps her ticking along, Foord says a short-term approach helps. ‘I think it’s just the next goal. We wanted to fight for a lot more trophies this season and when we fell short of one of those, it was, we still had this one. We still have this one.

‘And when it came to the Champions League, it was the last opportunity to keep fighting for a trophy and I think that’s what got us out over the line in Lyon and hopefully in a few weeks’ time.’ Foord says the Champions League Final in May is a nice carrot to look towards, but insists that the Gunners want to be more active in the domestic competitions next season too.

‘Ultimately when you look at it we had the Champions League to fight for and if we go there and win that, I’m thinking that makes you forget about all the other ones. To still have the opportunity to lift some silverware is exciting, but moving into next season, we want to be lifting a lot more.’

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