MONTE PLEDGE TO GO GUNNING IN DERBY DUEL
ARSENAL WOMEN have no plans to change their attacking game plan when they face Super League champions Chelsea tomorrow.
Joe Montemurro’s side have got off to a flying start in the league scoring 16 goals in their opening three wins as they sit top of the league table.
Emma Hayes’ champions are fifth, having played a game more, having only registered one league win.
But Montemurro (right) believes Chelsea’s start to the season does not mean anything and is expecting a hard game when they visit the Kingsmeadow Stadium. “I’m expecting a very tough game because from my perspective there’s very little to read in to their start to the season, you can only imagine they’re going to get better and better,” he said. “They’re still a fantastic
team, and it will be a good barometer for us to pit ourselves against the best team in England.” And despite Chelsea’s attacking threat Montemurro has no plans to change the way his side lines up.
“I know no other way than to play attacking football,” he explained.
“So my teams will always go out and try to be forward- thinking, it’s the way we want to play and the Arsenal style. The badge is synonymous with exciting, beautiful attacking football and that’s what we want to play.
“We want to be proactive in going forward all the time so hopefully we always score more goals than the other team.”
And Arsenal have had to tweak their usual preparations, as Chelsea will have also had to, due to a large number of the squad being away on international duty, including Fran Kirby (top).
But Montemurro isn’t going to be using that as an excuse come kick-off.
“We have to readjust things and design the best way we can recover the players but then get them in tune for the game,” he said.
“But we are only one of many clubs in the same scenario – it’s part of what we do so we make sure we prepare for it.”
While it’s been an excellent start to the season for Arsenal, with a 100 per cent league record, Montemurro believes the game will be a true test of where his team are at.
“It’s important game for us to help to gauge where we are” he added.
“I’m really looking forward to what should be an amazing showcase of women’s football.”
WSL 1 FIXTURES Manchester City Women v West Ham Women, Everton Ladies v Brighton Hove Albion Women, Liverpool Women v Yeovil Town Ladies, Bristol City Women v Birmingham City Women.
“The Arsenals and Manchester Citys would buy the players for a small fee then send them out on loan whereas we show them a different way that they can come here, play and then move to the Premier League”