Renée Slegers has addressed Arsenal Women’s growing fixture backlog, insisting her side will not lose focus as postponed games begin to stack up.
Renée Slegers has made clear Arsenal Women will not allow a growing fixture backlog to distract from their objectives, insisting the focus remains on maintaining their form and winning the games that are in front of them.
Arsenal take a 4-0 advantage into the second leg against OH Leuven at Meadow Park, with Chelsea awaiting the winner in the Champions League quarter-finals. Goals from Frida Maanum, Olivia Smith and Alessia Russo in Belgium have placed the tie firmly in the Gunners’ hands, but attention has also turned to the impending fixture build-up.
Their Women’s Super League fixture against Brighton at the weekend was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. Combined with the earlier postponement against Leicester because of participation in the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup, Arsenal now have two league games to catch up.
“For me, that was out of our hands,” Slegers said.
“So, unfortunately, that game was postponed. When I say unfortunately, I think about the supporters as well who had already travelled over there.
“But, it is one of these scenarios in the season, the scheduling is one part. All we know is that we need to stay in form and keep on winning games whenever those games come. So that’s outside of our control, and, yes, two games in hand, but, for me, it’s really clear we have eight games left to play and we know what we have to do and want to do in those games.”
Slegers was also asked whether there is a temptation to rotate more heavily given the schedule.
“We want to keep as many players as possible active for us,” she said. “I think that’s what we’ve done really well this block so far. We have two more games left to play before the international break and we want to optimise the squad. Of course, for tomorrow we’re going to pick our best team and then for the Bristol City game as well.”
There is at least a small upside. The enforced break offers recovery time for those currently sidelined, including Beth Mead, who is out for this block with a hairline fracture in her shin, while Stina Blackstenius, Taylor Hinds and Anneke Borbe could potentially be available when the postponed fixture is replayed.
For Slegers, however, the message is straightforward, control what can be controlled and ensure standards do not drop regardless of when the matches are eventually played.