COACH CLASS. Arsenal head coach Renée Slegers on the Champions Cup and what it means

It’s been a long January for Arsenal, competing in the FA Cup and League Cup, then beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the WSL. And now as the new month starts, head coach Renée Slegers and the Gunners have the chance to grab their first silverware of the season, when they take on Corinthians in the Champions Cup final at the Emirates.

But for one of football’s thinkers it’s more than just a FIFA trophy, it’s a chance to impose her own style on her team, and to also survey the state of the women’s game elsewhere in the world. Four clubs from four continents: AS FAR representing Morocco and Africa, Gotham from the US, Corinthians in the final, coming from Brazil and South America – and of course, her own team, Arsenal as European Champions League winners.

Looking at the other teams in the Champions Cup, watching them train and play, you can see they have very distinct styles. ASFAR are a physical, strong, powerful team. Gotham are very transitional, and the Brazilians are really skilful.

So I wondered what sort of pigeonhole Renée Slegers would put Arsenal in.

“I want to believe that we have a little bit of everything.

“I think we have very intelligent and technically gifted players in the squad.

“We have a clear identity on how we want to play.

“We like to dominate the ball.

“We want to have the ball as much as possible.

“But we also want to be direct in moments, and the physical side of the game is important in the league we play in and getting more and more important in Europe as well.

“So we need to impose ourselves physically as well.

“I want to believe that we have a little bit of everything.”

Are there particular strengths of Arsenal they can play into in the Champions Cup, up against unfamiliar clubs and styles?

“What we have to understand as a team is that there will be unknowns, so we have to be comfortable with not knowing certain things

“How are we going to adjust to a new team that we haven’t played against with a lot of passion.

“There’s athleticism, there’s rotations, there’s ideas and bravery on the ball.

“We are of course, in a good place as a team.

“We’ve had good performances. We’re in a good place.”

How would she evaluate Arsenal’s form going into the final, having beaten AS FAR 6-0 with five different goalscorers (Stina Blackstenius, Frida Maanum, Mariona Caldentey, Olivia Smith, and two from sub Alessia Russo)?

“I think we had a good block before Christmas and we start the second half of season well from many perspectives in a lot of things we’re doing.

“And not only what you see on the pitch, but also the investment in the background of the players every single day and they’ve been so good.

“The only thing that’s been missing is goals in the two United games, but that’s why I’m so happy that we’ve stayed calm and seeing the things that we’re doing really well.

“There’s been a fuel of hunger and desire to get the results and the rewards and that’s been very strong and we got that against Chelsea (above, left).

“It’s well deserved and we don’t take it for granted and we earned it today [against AS FAR] and we have to keep on earning it in the future as well.”

Looking at the bigger picture and maybe even the legacy of the tournament, what does she feel the Champions Cup might mean for the development of women’s football around the world, most obviously in Morocco with the likes of AS FAR?

“I think it means a lot because norms have to be broken to get where we want to go, and I think that’s what they’re doing. So, they’re trailblazers.

“For me, after the game [v AS FAR], I tried to speak to as many as possible from the opponent because I think they’re doing things that are bigger than what they may know that they’re doing.

“Without me knowing all the context and having all the insights of how things are developing in Morocco, I know, from what I understood, that they are playing a very important role.

“Them representing themselves as they did in the semi-final with courage, fearlessness, showing themselves, playing some really good football, I thought that was so inspiring.

“So, I try to speak to as many as possible, and it’s really positive to see that it’s growing and growing.”