Above: Arsenal Manager Renée Slegers Photo: Arsenal FC
By Rachel Gore (13/03/25)
Arsenal’s manager, Renée Slegers, spoke to the media on building a “winning culture” at the club and “moving forward” after Sunday’s FA Cup elimination, focusing on a win this weekend.
Currently, Arsenal sits in third place in the WSL table, with just one point separating them from Manchester City, who are in fourth. Friday’s fixture, against eighth place Everton, is an opportunity for Slegers’ side to cement their place in the top three.
Currently, all the players who were available for Arsenal’s last match will be at hand for Everton away, but Slegers highlighted that her team still have “one more training to go.”
Speaking on Everton, Slegers described the side as an “unpredictable” and “challenging team” who frequently “change between systems.” She highlighted how they can shift well between an aggressive press and comfortable defence with their manager, Brian Sørensen, playing them “to their strengths.” On Friday, Sleger’s squad will try to “break down” Everton’s tactics and bring 3 points back to North London.
Arsenal’s last two clashes against Everton have resulted in draws, with their most recent game seeing neither team place the ball in the net.
On Sunday, in their FA Cup match against Liverpool, Sleger’s side came away goalless once more. This result was “very disappointing” for Arsenal and caused players to be “angry on Monday.” Earlier on in the season Arsenal came back well “from disappointing results” and Slegers is hoping that her players can “leave emotions from last Sunday behind.”
The manager has seen firsthand how “these emotions can lead to motivation” and was keen to mention the quality of play that had been displayed in their training session today. She also mentioned “it was one of the best sessions we’ve had since I’ve come here.”
One Arsenal player who appeared to be particularly distressed after Sunday’s match was goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar. Slegers highlighted the many times that “Daphne has saved us” and stated that, in her opinion, “that goal was very unlucky.” Since Sunday, van Domselaar has had a “constructive conversation” with Arsenal’s goalkeeper coach.
Arsenal’s elimination from the FA Cup is not the sole headline that came out of Sunday’s game; following the fixture Arsenal have launched an investigation into sexually inappropriate comments aimed at Liverpool’s Taylor Hinds. According to Slegers, these comments are “obviously not what we want in society at all”, nor do we want them “in a women’s football context.”
Other recent news in women’s football has focused on the number of manager departures. When asked about the sacking of Manchester City’s Garreth Taylor, Slegers said that she “wasn’t expecting it from the outside” and wished Gareth “all the best for the future.”
Following their elimination from the FA Cup, Arsenal are “still active in the league and the Champion’s League” and “have a big month coming up.” The club are still hoping to bring home silverware as they implement “a winning culture” from the inside. Slegers will continue to “play every player to their strengths.”
Arsenal face Everton on Friday 14th March, and the match will kick off at 19:00.
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