Jonas: “We have to start quicker”

Jonas Eidevall felt it was a slow start that cost us in Sunday’s 0-0 draw at home to Everton in the Barclays Women’s Super League.

We ended the game with 21 shots to Everton’s five, but could’ve enjoyed a more comfortable game state had we netted early on.

“I’m disappointed with the result and disappointed with the performance,” Jonas Eidevall said after the game. “I think we played a little bit too slow in the beginning of the game and we grew into the game.

“We played with more intent, more intensity, more attacking mentality towards the end, but it was a little bit too late as it proved. Our learning needs to be to start quicker next time.

“I think we could’ve created more. We had a lot of control in the whole game but we need to move the ball quicker, especially in the first half to break them down more often and in more favourable situations for us. That needs to be a learning point.”

There were positives to take though, as Gooners saw Leah Williamson and Steph Catley both get minutes in the WSL for the first time this season as second-half substitutes.

“It’s very good for us getting those two players back,” Jonas added. “We’ve been playing a lot of games so far and having a lot of minutes accumulated especially on our back four given how our squad situation has been looking there. It’s very welcoming getting players back and I think it’s going to be really important for the block ahead.”

Up next, we travel to Germany to face Bayern Munich in the UEFA Women’s Champions League, before hosting Chelsea at Emirates Stadium on the weekend. As for Jonas’ message regarding the big week ahead, he said it will be important to take it game by game.

“We need to put every foot right in recovery and every foot right in preparation,” he explained. “We know we’re going to play against opponents where we need to put every foot right on the pitch as well, so we’re focused, we’re ready and we go game by game.”