A triumphant day out for The Gunners saw them claim a 5-0 victory over North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in today’s derby. But what did manager Renée Slegers have to say about Arsenal’s dominant display?

Derby Delight for Arsenal:

A very pleased Slegers spoke to the media after an emphatic victory today, praising individuals as well as the team’s overall performance, saying that the team’s display along with the “beautiful pitch and big crowds” was at times, close to Arsenal at its best.

Chloe Kelly’s Comeback

When asked about loanee Chloe Kelly, Slegers spoke about the message she gave her before she went on:

“Enjoy, you get your comeback in an Arsenal shirt… so just enjoy your football." 

She went on to tell the media how happy Kelly has been in training, and how she believes that players who “feel good and are motivated” are able to perform at their best.

A Mariona Masterclass

Slegers was asked about Mariona Caldentey’s impact on this Arsenal side, and she was full of praise for the Spanish international:

“She is amazing, she is everything that football is to me”

She went on to suggest that everything Caldentey does, makes it easier for the other players, and how happy the club is to have her.

Russo’s form

Another individual player that Slegers praised, was brace-scorer Alessia Russo, saying she is “very, very sharp” and a “fantastic footballer” who “does well in and out of possession”.

Mindset matters

When asked about the squad’s mindset, Slegers explained that it is a combination of what the coaches and players think is important and the togetherness that the team shows on the pitch.

“The forwards can trust that the players at the back and the goalkeepers keep it clean, and the goalkeepers and the players at the back can trust that the players at the front will score a goal”

She expressed the team’s desire to go for clean sheets every time like they were able to do today, and that this was down to the strong defensive performances of her backline.

On Spurs

Slegers spoke of her “huge respect” for Spurs manager Robert Vilahamn, and her admiration of what he is trying to build.

When speaking with the media, Vilahamn discussed how hard it is playing against “one of the best teams in the world” and how he believes most teams will lose away at Arsenal due to the huge crowds and the team’s “world class” talent, but that he is disappointed to have lost by such a big margin today.

Five Goals, Four Scorers

The Arsenal manager was asked about how pleased she was that so many different players have scored this season, and in today’s derby, she told the media:

“We want to be unpredictable, hard to defend, and hard to beat” suggesting that when the goals come from all over the pitch, it makes Arsenal incredibly difficult to nullify. 

Overall, Slegers expressed her delight that the team put in such a dominant performance today, and when asked whether it is fair to say that North London is red, she proudly exclaimed “yes”.

An attacking masterclass and a solid defensive performance saw Arsenal win today’s North London derby in front of a huge crowd. Arsenal Women are next in action after the women’s international break.