Renee Slegers reacts to 5-1 victory over Leicester City

Arsenal were 5-1 winners at home to Leicester City in the WSL thanks to a first half brace from Caitlin Foord, as well as goals from Stina Blackstenius, Beth Mead and Victoria Pelova. Renee Slegers spoke to the press after the match to review the side’s performance at Emirates Stadium.

On her assessment of the performance…

First game of the block. You know, that’s always a challenging one, because everyone comes back from the national teams, been in different continents, played different styles of football with other players. So we had three sessions, which were very, very good sessions, by the way, but then still going into the first game and delivering this and showing such togetherness and cohesion.

On key takeaways from this game heading into Lyon on Saturday…

Well, we are always learning. And Saturday, there are actually some things that are there are some similarities between Leicester and Lyon. Of course, different levels. The challenge will be bigger on Saturday, but also seeing a lot of different players on the pitch today.

On learning how to defeat low blocks…

Leicester doesn’t really play a low block today. I think they’re very brave with their with the press. They try to go high on us, and they use a play for player system. So I don’t think we face a low block so many times this game, but a way to not play against a low block is to use other moments to attack. And I think that’s what we’ve been talking about with the team, and I think we use that really well. For example, that second goal, which is a great team goal, it’s a fast attack. And yeah, so we try to find other ways to play against these teams do not have to break down block, but I think we have found keys as well to break down.

On Mariona Caldentey playing in the pivot…

Yeah, I know she’s she makes she’s a very good player herself, but she makes everyone around her better as well. So I think she sets up situations so well. She recognizes overload, she recognizes the right pass. She can take herself out of situations on the dribble. She’s really good at pass and move, and so everything that happens around her is most of the time a good situation. So having her in the middle of the pitch, being able to impact so much of our game, and being creative in those those moments from central areas, I think, has been has been very positive for us.

On Victoria Pelova’s first goal since returning from her ACL injury…

So she comes back from a long term injury, and the players have been supporting her all the way, and we were so happy when she was back on the pitch training with us. We were so happy when she made her first minutes back in in games, and now she scores her first goal back. So it’s so nice to see how happy the other players are for her, and there’s a lot of hard work during those months, and it’s lonely, and Vic has been working with performance and medical team and hasn’t been able to play football with the rest. So everyone understands how much it means for Vic, and it means a lot to the team as well.

On the confidence this victory provides the side heading into Lyon…

It’s very positive. It’s everything we wanted. So then that’s good, but we are also realistic, and we understand that the challenge on Saturday is is gonna go up a couple of levels. So, but I think we did everything we wanted to do today to start the block in a good way and set ourselves up for a good performance.

On Victoria Pelova’s mentality…

She loves football. She loves playing football, and that’s how she grew up. And all of a sudden she had to be in the gym, working hard without a wall and doing a lot of physical work. And I think that’s what she’s she has developed that part of being a professional footballer and developed physically. But she also says, I appreciate being able to play football even more now, and I think that’s what you can see in the way she trains, the way she applies herself, the way she she comes out and plays plays the games.

On Arsenal’s ability to adapt in the absence of key players…

I think so many players played so well today, so we have a great squad. And even if we we’ve had consistent starting elevens, it’s still very hard to pick those elevens because of the quality we have in the squad, how well players train. So, it’s always a lot of work around the detail and making the right decisions in choosing the team. And today, we had a couple of players that we couldn’t choose. But the way those players then step in, players that haven’t played for for a while, maybe for us from from the start, was very good. So I’m very happy with them, because it’s not always easy to do that, especially not coming away from, like I said, coming away from international break, and then going back here, and then lay that role straight away.

On Stina Blackstenius’s performance…

So there’s always factors but mostly, I think that a couple of things that she does out of possession on such a high level today, I think things we’ve been working on with her, the way she goes back in defence, how about she works in counter pressure, and then, of course, with her physical profile, how strong and fast she is, she can impact so much. So I think she she brings a lot of her strengths into the game.

On whether or not Arsenal viewed this fixture as a dress rehearsal for Lyon…

No, we have two objectives for the block, and one of them is to get 4/4 in the WSL. So this was part of that objective, and we made the first step today. So this had nothing to do with Lyon, but like I said, we always find it important to start the block really well and set the standards for ourselves, set the tone, and I think we did that today.

On captain Kim Little’s impact…

She’s been so good for us and for her, staying at home during an international break and training with no numbers and artificial trainings that we try to make realistic for her with regards to decision making and spaces, it’s never going to be the same as playing 11 v 11. So for her, that transition is also part coming for international break into back with the team and playing games. So I’m so impressed with how she’s done that you see it in the way she performs today in the game. But she’s been really, really good with training as well. So now I’m very impressed with her. She’s given us 100% and everything she does, and that’s why she’s she’s had such a high level.

On Katie Reid’s potential and skillset…

Katie Reid is a young player from the Arsenal academy that we believe in strongly. She has such a big skill set with speed, with physicality, with understanding, with good passing details. So we believe in her, and we are always comfortable when we need her, or when the moments are there that we can bring her onto the pitch and she will perform for us. And I think that’s very impressive, looking at her age, that she so mature and calm and composed.

On Chloe Kelly and Alessia Russo’s fitness…

Yeah, health of a player always comes first. So we would never, as a club, take any risks that aren’t fair to the player, of course, and the player always has a say in it. But yeah, of course, these players want to be available. They want to play in these games, so bad. So they’re doing everything they can and base themselves together with the medical team to get ready for it.

On whether the pair may return against Lyon this Saturday…

 It’s looking very good for the two.

Zinsberger; 2. Fox, 6. Williamson (28. Ilestedt 82′), 7. Catley (62. Reid 67′), 11. McCabe; 10. Little (32. Cooney-Cross 67′), 8. Mariona; 19. Foord (21. Pelova 46′), 12. Maanum (13. Wälti 46′) ; 9. Mead; 25. Blackstenius

Unused: 40. Williams, 22. Nighswonger, 16. Kafaji

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