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Arsenal head coach Renée Slegers was pleased with her side’s efforts despite being held to a goalless draw by Manchester United at Leigh Sports Village on Sunday afternoon.
The Gunners arguably had the best chance of the game when Olivia Smith took aim at goal but home keeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce was equal to her effort.
When speaking to the media after the match, Slegers said that she was pleased with the problems that Arsenal posed to Manchester United. She commented specifically around Stina Blackstenius’ role in The Gunners’ attacking game plan.
“We use the players that we think can have an impact in the game specific to the game,” Slegers said. “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. 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.”
Despite being only 18 years of age, Katie Reid again impressed in the Arsenal defence and Slegers shared her thoughts on the youngster’s development.
She said “She’s really good and she’s still so young. She always wants to learn, she wants to get better. Doing those things in your safe environment and training where everything is isolated, that’s something and 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 yourself like this in high level WSL games, it’s really good.”
On Saturday evening, it was revealed that former Liverpool boss Matt Beard had tragically passed away. Slegers shared some of her fond memories of Beard.
She said “Very warm, I just felt this warmth as a person. In the last game, away at their ground, we just had a really good little chat, him and me and the year before, he invited us and a couple of other coaches into his space, into his office. We sat down and he was really, really nice. He had the staff over there as well. We don’t all do that, but he did that and it was a very special moment, so very sad news.”
Arsenal pair Taylor Hinds and Smith worked under Beard at Liverpool and Slegers said that the decision to play after their former boss’ passing was left with them.
She said “We spoke to Liv and Taylor because they were really close with Matt. We’ve tried to support them as much as we can and I think we have a good support system as a club and as staff members.
“We gave them the option to choose what they wanted to do today and it was up to them, so this was their decision, this is what they wanted to do. They both said that Matt would have wanted them to play. They went out and did it and there was a lot of emotion. The one-minute silence was really hard for them, but it shows a lot of strength showing up today for the team.”
Arsenal are next in action on Saturday afternoon when they face Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium.
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