Renee Slegers on Arsenal facing Liverpool this weekend in WSL

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Arsenal Womens boss Renee Slegers on Arsenal facing Liverpool in the WSL this weekend  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.

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