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Arsenal head coach Renée Slegers says that her side are keen to deliver a long-awaited Adobe Women’s FA Cup success this season.
The Gunners are the competition’s most successful club with 14 trophy wins, however, it has been almost nine years since they last lifted the Adobe Women’s FA Cup.
When speaking to the media ahead of this weekend’s quarter-final tie against Liverpool, Arsenal boss Slegers said that the club are aware of recent history and that they are aiming to deliver a 15th Adobe Women’s FA Cup this season.
“Of course, it’s important [to win back the FA Cup],” Slegers said. “We know where we’re at, the girls know the stats as well of it being the last time in 2016 and it’s 14 [FA Cup trophies]. We want to make it 15, so it’s definitely something that drives us forward but I don’t think knowing that and saying ‘I want to go for that’ is going to make a difference; it’s the actions you do and the behaviours you show day in, day out, in and around the training pitch, in and around the training ground that’s going to make the difference and lead us to potentially having a bigger chance of winning trophies.”
Liverpool go into the game under the interim management of Amber Whiteley following former boss Matt Beard’s recent departure. Slegers has seen changes in Liverpool’s tactics in Whiteley’s short time in charge but believes that their game plan could evolve further this weekend.
She said “They changed formation and the way they did things in the game against Crystal Palace. We have to be ready to exploit that but at the same time, we know they’ve been playing in another formation in a different style with Matt Beard, who I think has done an incredible job.
“We’ll see what they think suits the game on Sunday, what they’re going to come with. We pride ourselves on problem solving as a group, staff and players, so that’s something we’re going to have to do really well on Sunday.”
Arsenal have seven games in March but Slegers says that her side are pleased to have matches coming thick and fast.
She said “We’ve had these kind of blocks before and that’s where we want to be, playing these kind of games. We want to be active in all the competitions and actually, since I’ve been in this role, it’s been like that game-after-game-after-game.
“We enjoy it, staff and players. I think we’ve found a good way to get everyone ready for the games physically and mentally before the blocks and found a good way and methodology between the games. We will stick with that methodology for this block as well.”
Arsenal’s Adobe Women’s FA Cup quarter-final tie against Liverpool kicks-off at 2.30pm on Sunday afternoon. Tickets remain on-sale and can be purchased by clicking here.
