Women’s Super League leaders Chelsea visit second-placed Arsenal on Sunday; over 57,000 tickets have been sold for the top-of-the-table clash at the Emirates Stadium; Jonas Eidevall says unbeaten Chelsea aren’t “unbeatable” – but Emma Hayes says her side are used to the big occasion
Image: Arsenal face Chelsea in a blockbuster WSL game at the Emirates Stadium
“You don’t want to miss this game.”
Arsenal Women Jonas Eidevall knows the importance of Sunday’s battle of the top two in the Women’s Super League. So much so that he made a rallying cry to get the last few seats snapped up.
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The Gunners host reigning WSL champions Chelsea at a packed-out Emirates Stadium. The Gunners have already sold over 57,000 tickets for the London derby and are hoping to make it a sell-out before the weekend. The game is set to become the third-biggest attendance for a single women’s football match in the UK.
“We have to push it and make it a sell-out,” he said in a press conference. “The atmosphere that has been created by supporters’ groups, that’s what drives us to go into this stage here. We are 2,000 short of a sell-out, let’s push.”
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Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall says there’s no reason they shouldn’t be able to sell out the Emirates Stadium for Sunday’s game against Chelsea
The situation in terms of permutations is clear. Defending champions Chelsea – still unbeaten in the league – lead Arsenal by three points in the WSL table.
But for Chelsea manager Emma Hayes, it will be her last league trip to Arsenal before leaving the Blues next summer to take over the United States national team job.
After Arsenal dominated women’s football in the early 2000s, Hayes has frustrated the Gunners by creating a dominant Chelsea spell in the game – picking up 13 major trophies, including the last four consecutive WSL titles.
Asked about playing in front of a partisan Emirates crowd this weekend, Hayes said: “They’re at home, they’re used to their pitch. Every team has a little advantage that they’ve got their own crowd. We’re going away from home, we have to understand what we have to do.
Image: Emma Hayes says her Chelsea side are used to playing on the biggest of stages
“I don’t separate one game for another – they’re all the same to me. You can’t approach one game bigger or smaller than the other. You have to approach everything in the same way. What top pros do is being consistent all the time.
“It’s just business as usual for us, I’m very routined. When you experience it many times, and I’ve played this fixture so many times, we just look forward to it.
“We’re used to playing in so many high-level games, we have to approach this in the same way we always do. My team is used to that, in Champions League and domestic leagues, and these girls play international football.
“The crowd is something we focus on the least amount. But I’m glad we’re playing in front of a big crowd as it makes it more enjoyable.”
The tactical battle – counter vs collective?
For Arsenal’s Eidevall, the Gunners manager was impressed by how Chelsea have still managed to evolve this season, especially regarding their attacking options.
However, despite their recent WSL dominance and current unbeaten record, Eidevall says the league leaders can be stopped.
Arsenal vs Chelsea team news
- Arsenal have Leah Williamson and Laura Wienroither recovering from long-term knee injuries, with Lina Hurtig a doubt after pulling out of Sweden’s international camp this month.
- Chelsea have Millie Bright still absent with injury while Jelena Cankovic is out for two weeks with a calf injury. Melanie Leupolz and Guro Reiten are available again.
“They have a really good dynamic on the pitch, they have really developed where they sustain attacks. They have many different ways they can score goals,” Eidevall said of Chelsea.
“You can see a team more dependent on few individuals two and a half seasons ago but you have seen the various line-ups they have been playing this season and for them to still have the same level of consistency in their performances is really impressive. It’s a team thing rather than an individual player thing. Those parts impress me.
“It doesn’t mean they’re unbeatable, it just means we need to be very good.”
Hayes shares the same feeling that Arsenal can hurt her side this weekend, especially in transitions.
“Arsenal have the most counter-attacking shots in the league, they’re an unbelievable counter-attacking team,” he said.
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Take a look back at some of the best goals from November in the Barclays Women’s Super League
“They can cut us open in two or three passes and they have such a threat on the last line. We’ve seen that in the games they played. They have more depth than ever and a team that has been together for a long time, so they have a lot of experience and new players adding to that top team.”
Asked how she feels about Arsenal emerging as their closest competitors this season, Hayes replied: “They were at the beginning, nothing changed – they lost a game [against Liverpool on the opening game on the season].
“They have scored the most goals in 90-plus minutes in the league. They have fought to be in the position they are in.
“They have outstanding qualities, they recruited and signed a lot of players and have players who are good enough to play for any team in the world. We shouldn’t be talking about Arsenal competing as a surprise, it should be an expectation. It’s nothing new to us.”
‘I’m not Madonna!’ Is Hayes on a WSL farewell tour?
Image: Emma Hayes is preparing for one final bow at the Emirates Stadium
A lot of the focus will be on whether Hayes can land one final blow at the home of Arsenal before leaving the WSL for pastures new.
The Chelsea manager spent Tuesday night at Madonna’s concert in London – but refused to be hung up on questions about whether this is her own farewell tour.
“I’m not having that! You can’t put me in the same sentence as Madonna!” she said. “She’s 65 and she strutted the stage like she was 25!
“I’m really enjoying the players and the way we’re playing.”
One wonders if she will say the same at full-time on Sunday, after she takes a bow at the Emirates for the last time.
Sourse: skysports.com
