Renée Slegers Vows Arsenal Women Will Dominate Liverpool on Sunday

Arsenal Women head coach Renée Slegers has issued a defiant promise ahead of Sunday’s WSL clash away at Liverpool.

“I’m convinced that on Sunday you will see a good Arsenal team,” Slegers said in her pre-match press conference.

The statement comes after a difficult start to the season that has left the Gunners in 7th place in the Women’s Super League table with 10 points from eight games.

Arsenal have managed only two league wins so far this campaign.

Both of those victories came away from home — a 1-0 result against Brighton and Hove Albion on the opening day, and a 2-1 win in the North London derby against Tottenham.

The team’s home form has been a particular concern.

Arsenal have yet to win a single WSL match at the Emirates Stadium this season.

Slegers acknowledged that pattern in her post-match press conference after the most recent home fixture, a 1-1 draw against Aston Villa at the Emirates on Sunday, November 2.

“We haven't won at Emirates yet this year in the WSL, which is not where we want to be,” she said.

The Dutch coach identified a psychological factor that she believes has made the problem worse.

“One team gets success the way they do at Emirates, I think has built belief probably, if I'm doing my analysis here, into other teams who are then doing similar things and stopping us and frustrating us,” Slegers explained.

She pointed to the Villa match as an example.

“Like Villa, for example, they've had one shot and one goal in that game and we haven't been able to break that down well enough,” she said.

“I think there's a piece of that belief building in the opposition as well, which is what we've created ourselves, but we have to manage.”

Slegers made clear that the responsibility for fixing the situation falls on her and her staff.

“We can only look at ourselves, and look at how we're going to use spaces and how we're going to break it down,” she said.

When asked whether playing away from home relieves pressure on the squad, Slegers rejected the idea.

“No, I think that there's no pressure,” she said.

“There is pressure, but the pressure is different when we play at home.”

She emphasized that the team takes pride in playing at the Emirates.

“We're proud to play at the Emirates and play in front of the fans,” she said.

“I think, like I just said, those games, the way they've played out and how opposition has stopped us and disrupted us at the Emirates, that's been the issue.”

“However that's not the pressure or the fact that those results have been at Emirates.”

“We love playing at Emirates.”

Slegers has also been open about the team’s attacking struggles this season.

Arsenal have scored only eight goals in eight league games — a low total for a club that has historically been one of the WSL’s top offensive sides.

She acknowledged problems in the final third, including exploiting spaces, setting up final chances, and reacting quickly in attack.

“We want to be unpredictable and create in a variety of ways, but we've definitely looked at a couple of things that we think we need to nail in the final thirds against low blocks and do them consistently well,” Slegers said.

The coach emphasized that she sees her role as maintaining a positive atmosphere around the group.

“At the end of the day I'm responsible for the group,” she said.

“It's my responsibility, and then following that it's my responsibility to create the energy.”

She described how she tries to present herself despite the difficult results.

“The way I present myself, what I choose to focus on, going in there with energy and a smile, even though the natural reaction is to not smile, because it's difficult for us right now,” she added.

Slegers said it is about “making sure that what's been and what's behind us is not affecting us too much going forward.”

“There's energy within the staff and player group and there's motivation and ambition to do better and turn it around,” she said.

The upcoming opponent presents a significant challenge.

Liverpool are unbeaten at home so far this WSL season.

Slegers praised Liverpool’s qualities ahead of the match.

“I think they've added some players to their squad as well,” she said.

“It looks really well balanced, and I think they make it difficult for teams.”

“And they will try to do that on Sunday as well, which we'll have to break down.”

Slegers recalled Arsenal’s 3-1 victory over Liverpool in the final game of last season at Anfield.

That match was the last appearance in an Arsenal shirt for former squad leaders Katie McCabe and Beth Mead, who both left the club in the summer.

“It was a special moment for us,” Slegers said.

“We have good memories of the football that we've played there.”