Arsenal boss says players’ progress to Women’s Champions League knockouts is the ‘perfect end’ to an intense run
RENEE SLEGERS described Arsenal reaching the Women’s Champions League’ last eight as the “ultimate end to an intense” block of games.
It took her Gunners 89 minutes to break Juventus’s resistance with Lina Hurtig’s strike securing their sixth win in seven matches across all competitions.
While their performance last night at the Emirates was less goal-laden than their 4-0 demolition of the Serie A side last week, the result maintained their unbeaten run under Slegers.
The stand-in boss has impressed since taking charge of the side in mid-October following Jonas Eidevall resigning from his role as head coach.
Following a mixed start to the season, Arsenal have looked more fluid in attack in three of their last four games with 12 goals scored.
During their 5-0 defeat of Brighton on November 8 one fan was spotted holding a placard with the words “In Renee we trust” daubed across it.
The team’s fourth win on the bounce since then has strengthened the case for the Netherlands-born stand-in Arsenal boss to continue in her role.
Although the result gave the Gunners what she describes as “breathing space”, she sees the situation as surreal.
Of their seven-game unbeaten run, Slegers said: “It’s the ultimate end to a very busy and intense block we have had here.
“It is the perfect ending for this block. It means a lot.
“All of the players totally deserve it because of the work they put in. It gives us some breathing space in the last two games as well.
“We wouldn’t give ourselves a ten out of ten but we will give ourselves a big fat ‘enough’.
“We will never play the perfect game so it won’t be a ten, but we are very happy with what we have done so far.
“I never felt we would get into this situation.
“We have done really well but I was part of Jonas (Eidevall’s) staff and there was so much that was built during his time. I don’t want to separate that.
“There is so much we are still building on. It’s surreal in so many ways but we are very happy. “
Compared to last term with Chelsea the only WSL side in the contest’s knockout phase, all three English clubs competing this season have fared well in the group stage.
Gareth Taylor’s Manchester City currently sit top of group D above Barcelona with four wins from four matches including their 2-0 win against the LaLiga Women’s leaders in October.
An efficient 2-1 defeat of Hammarby last night, with City also entering the tournament’s last eight, came courtesy of two goals netted by Khadija Shaw.
The Jamaica striker has been in fine form in Europe for City so far this term netting three times in four Champions League appearances.
Meanwhile Chelsea also maintained a hundred per cent win record in the group stages so far
The team claimed a quarter-final place by beating Celtic 3-0 on Wednesday ahead of duels with FC Twente and Real Madrid next month.