Renée Slegers says that she feels like Arsenal are ‘playing the same game over and over again’ after her side fell to a fourth consecutive draw at home in the WSL.

Slegers was speaking to the media after Aston Villa had managed a 1-1 draw at the Emirates, where an Alessia Russo goal ensured that her side at least came away with a point. After the match, The Halfway Line was present to hear from the Gunners head coach.

Renée Slegers laments ‘playing the same game over and over again’

The result was Arsenal’s fourth draw at home in the Barclays Women’s Super League this term, in which three of those, the Gunners have gone a goal behind in. Slegers was asked to comment on the familiarity with which the match eventually played out,

“We just said it feels like we’re playing the same game over and over again” a frustrated Slegers relayed. “We go one goal down from a break and we don’t start with enough urgency, I think [the] ball speed wasn’t high enough, [the] energy wasn’t good enough on the pitch.

“[We] don’t win enough duels, the basics, which have given us the wins against Spurs and Benfica, weren’t good enough from our side today. 
And we know that Villa has threats and with [Amalie] Vangsgaard and [Chasity] Grant. But mostly it’s we don’t set ourselves up well enough because then we end up having to chase it again in the second half.

“That’s when we show our urgency and our resilience to score that goal, Less [Alessia Russo] with a good goal, but then I also think that leads to less composure in the box because there’s stress and pressure on us to score that goal. So, yeah a lot of things lead back to how we start games starting more urgency and intensity.”

Slegers was asked to speak on how her side are starting matches and the fact that Arsenal have conceded first in five of their eight matches in the league so far this term,

“We have to start better” Slegers affirmed. “Like I said, the energy wasn’t good enough today and I am responsible for it. 
And that needs to be better because if we start games like this, any team in the WSL can hurt you.

“But mostly you don’t set it all [up] for yourself and then you end up doing what we’ve been doing in many games, having to chase something in the end where you tend to lose a little bit of composure because the stress is high.”

Substitutions have been a ‘positive lately’ says Slegers

At half time Renée Slegers made two substitutions and by full time she had utilised her bench with five changes. Perhaps an area of Slegers management criticised in the recent past, has been the changes from the bench, but today they had the desired effect with Stina Blackstenius setting up Alessia Russo’s leveller. The Halfway Line raised the performances off the bench today with the Arsenal head coach,

“I think that’s been positive lately” Slegers said. “The players coming on, they changed the game for us, they bring their qualities to bring energy and definitely all the five players that came on for us, they played well in the second half so that was really positive.

“I’m going to review this game and then I’m going to prepare for Liverpool and then see what’s the best fit to start and to finish, but mostly to start because we need to start better.”

One substitution was unfortunately a necessity as Steph Catley was withdrawn due to injury, The Halfway Line asked if there was any update on her,

“She came to the sideline twice and I hope she’s okay” said Slegers. “I don’t have a medical update yet but in that moment, we chose to bring on Élisa [De Almeida] who’s been doing well for us.”

Alessia Russo in the ten discussion has been ‘overanalysed’ says Slegers

Arsenal’s difficult start to the season has led to many questioning one of Slegers signature moves, playing Alessia Russo in the ten. When moved into the nine today, Russo scored, so again the question was asked, why is Russo playing in the ten?

“To be honest, this discussion, Alessia scores today again, I think this discussion and this topic has been overanalysed and over spoken about” Slegers bristled.

“Alessia is a fantastic player, she’s an attacker, she’s in and around to box for us. 
She gets shots off today, she scores the goal, so I think she’s really doing really well for us.”