Soccer

Jonas Eidevall taking each game as it comes during Arsenal’s busy stretch

The Gunners will have little turnaround time before hosting title rivals Chelsea on Saturday.

Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall feels his side have to push through a testing run on games
Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall feels his side have to push through a testing run on games (Bradley Collyer/PA)
By Jim van Wijk, PA

Arsenal head coach Jonas Eidevall feels his squad need to go “full throttle” into a hectic schedule – starting against Bayern Munich in the Women’s Champions League on Wednesday.

The Gunners head to Germany on the back of a frustrating goalless draw with Everton in the Women’s Super League, and will then have little turnaround time before hosting title rivals Chelsea on Saturday.

With another home European fixture against Norwegian side Valerenga on October 16 before playing West Ham in the WSL, Eidevall knows his squad will be stretched as they tackle the challenges ahead.

“We are in four competitions, but saying that, the Champions League and the league, they will always be very special to me and the team,” Eidevall said at a press conference.

“Right now we are in a situation where we need to go full throttle in both of them, so then it has to be.

“Before the game against Everton, I said it could be different from a scheduled perspective. Now we are just focused game-by-game, doing our very best to prepare here for Bayern Munich and just looking ahead to the challenges.

“This is exciting. These are the games we want to be playing.

“We don’t want to sit at home watching other teams playing these games, we want to take part in them.

“We have a really good squad and it is about using the squad to the best of its possibilities, and playing the best players at their best moments.

“I wouldn’t say we are trying to rotate, it is about selecting the best team for every game to try to win.”

After missing out on the Champions League last season, Arsenal qualified for the group stages again by overturning a first-leg deficit to see off Swedish side Hacken, winning 4-0 at Meadow Park.

With Juventus also in Group C, Eidevall knows Arsenal will face a stern test of their European credentials.

“We start against a really tough opponent, a top European team, but this is what we want to be in the Champions League for – we want to play against the best so we are looking forward to it,” Eidevall said.

“Bayern are well organised, a good team – but so are we, and while they have strengths, they will also have weaknesses, and we need to exploit them.

“If we are going to be successful tomorrow night, we will need to have both parts in our game – we need to continue to play really good defence, but then also have really good attacking plays.”

Arsenal midfielder Lia Walti feels the Bayern game gives the players the chance to quickly put Sunday’s frustrating draw behind them.

“When you have a disappointing result like against Everton, you just want to bounce back as soon as you can,” she said.

“That is a positive thing about these quick turnarounds, that we have another chance tomorrow.

“We know about the quality of this team, and we all are really, really motivated to prove to fans and everybody that we can do better.”