Amanda Ilestedt, Arsenal’s defender, has warmly welcomed the expected return of teammate Leah Williamson, recognising her vital role in strengthening the team’s defensive line-up.
Arsenal defender Amanda Ilestedt has expressed her enthusiasm for teammate Leah Williamson‘s imminent return to fitness, despite the potential competition it could bring to her position in the team. Williamson, the England captain, has been sidelined since last April due to a knee ligament injury, missing out on the 2023 World Cup.
Her comeback is eagerly awaited at Arsenal, with Ilestedt stating, “I’m really happy that she is close to coming back. We need her in the squad.”
It is rumoured that Williamson could be included in Arsenal’s squad for their game against Reading on Wednesday night.
The absence of Williamson has seen Ilestedt form a solid central defensive partnership with Lotte Wubben-Moy. Together, they have helped Arsenal recover from a shaky start to challenge reigning champions Chelsea at the top of the Women’s Super League. The return of Williamson could alter this dynamic, with the England captain also capable of playing in central midfield.
However, Ilestedt leaves team selection decisions to Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall, saying, “Who is playing on what side, that is Jonas’ decision, so we shall see,” she told Arsenal.com.
Ilestedt joined Arsenal last summer from Paris St-Germain, following an impressive stint with Sweden in the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. There, she emerged as Sweden’s top scorer, netting four goals and finishing as the joint-second highest scorer of the tournament. Her notable goals included a last-minute winner against South Africa and key contributions against Italy and Japan.
Since her debut for Arsenal, Ilestedt has noticed a marked difference in the level of defending in the WSL, particularly at set-pieces. “Yeah, in this league they are way better at defending,” she observed. “That is something I had to work on at the beginning, and I am still working on it. It is tougher in this league.”
Arsenal’s journey this season, which included a surprising elimination from the Champions League by Paris FC and a home defeat to Liverpool in their opening WSL game, has been a learning curve. Ilestedt reflects on these experiences, “When we played in the Champions League, we didn’t have enough time to train properly. It takes time to build those relationships.”
Despite these early setbacks, Arsenal have shown significant improvement. “Since the opening game against Liverpool, we have grown a lot,” Ilestedt added. The defender emphasises the importance of building partnerships on the field, particularly highlighting her growing relationship with Wubben-Moy. “I’ve played with Lotte a lot, our relationship is really growing. It takes a lot to get those partnerships perfect – you work a lot on those in training every day.”