Carla Ward spoke to the media this morning as Aston Villa gear up for a trip to the capital as they face Arsenal in tomorrow’s FA Continental Tyres League Cup semi final at Meadow Park.

In negative news for the Villans, Ward provided a fitness update for the squad that will be set to travel to North London. Along with those cup tied (Freya Gregory, Noelle Maritz, Miri Taylor), Ward confirmed that Aston Villa have “two major doubts” for their travelling squad to face Arsenal on Wednesday evening.

“I can’t give you their names based on the fact that they are two big players, and we don’t want to give Arsenal anything.” Despite not specifying, Ward confirmed that those in doubt are in fact “two players that started on the weekend.”

Despite facing an onslaught of injury woes, Ward instills complete faith in the fact that her side will not go down without a fight.

“Of course that is a problem, but like I always say, this group will find a way. We’ll be ready, it’s a semi final, it’s something we look forward to and we’ve got to give everything.”

During her spell in charge of Aston Villa, Ward is yet to overcome the last hurdle and reach a final of a cup competition. The Villans boss expressed that it would be “major” if her side would be able to do so against the Gunners.

She continued, “I’ve not reached a major final yet. It doesn’t matter which competition it is, I think for me personally, for this group, for this team- it would be absolutely huge. I have something in the back of my head [that] if the stars are aligned it will happen, but let’s see.

We’re up against, in my opinion, one of the best squads in the country. We’re certainly thin on the ground so it’s going to be a massive, gigantic, effort to get there.”

Aston Villa came heartbreakingly close to nullifying the Gunners threat in their most recent meeting as the side held a 1-0 lead for the duration of regular time. Though an additional time brace from Katie McCabe (92′) and Alessia Russo (94′) saw Arsenal complete the 2-1 comeback in injury time.

Ward reflected on the the defeat in N7, stating her side would be drawing from the loss, whilst also approaching Wednesday’s fixture as a “clean slate”.

“We have to remember the way that we defended so well for 96 minutes. We’ve highlighted a couple of those areas of course, but look, Arsenal are a top top side, they really are. They’re a side that could hurt anybody, I really believe that.

They’ve got so much quality, they could roll out any eleven and be up there. So I think that it’s going to be tough, but we have to take some confidence from not just last season, but this season at the Emirates as well.”

Jordan Nobbs has been seen in electric form as the new calendar year broke out, the experienced midfielder displaying crucial performances as the side faces a recent onslaught of injury woes.

Speaking on Nobbs, Ward packed on the praise for the midfielder as she settles in to a more defensive role in the field’s central areas.

“It’s interesting because she’s been playing a little bit more of a deeper role, which she’s probably not played before. I think it’s suited her, I think she’s been excellent in there. She sees the game in front, and I think that position has allowed her to.

It’s been an important couple of months of us, and she’s stepped up in a role that she’s not played too much before, and she’s been excellent.”

Aston Villa will travel to Meadow Park this evening, as the Villans gear up to face Arsenal in the semi final stages of the FA Continental Tyres League Cup.