WCL: Arsenal must change mentality against Barca -Eidevall

 

Arsenal head coach Jonas Eidevall has urged his side to change their mentality ahead of Thursday’s Women’s Champions League clash with Barcelona, after being beaten 4-1 when the sides met in October

Jonas Eidevall says Arsenal “didn’t even try to play the way we wanted to” when they lost to Chelsea in the Women’s FA Cup final.

Eidevall’s side were defeated 3-0 by Chelsea in Sunday’s showpiece at Wembley.

They are now preparing to take on Barcelona at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday in their penultimate Champions League Group C fixture.

Eidevall said: “What I think was really hurtful against Chelsea is that I think if you would have put another jersey on the team and rewatched it, you could never recognise it was Arsenal that was playing the game, because we didn’t do the things we do and that normally you would associate with us.

“And that means that we’re coming off from that game, and we didn’t even try to play the way we wanted to play. And losing like that, that just feels pointless.

“So from a mentality perspective, that is what we need to change going into the Barcelona game. If you don’t try you will never succeed, and it’s about doing that.

“I’m not going away from any other game this season or any other season not trying. It starts with that, it has to, and that’s how you build a winning mentality.”

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Arsenal opened their group fixtures with a 4-1 loss at Barcelona, the defending champions who beat Chelsea 4-0 in last season’s final.

The teams head into this contest with Barca already qualified for the quarter-finals with 12 points, and Arsenal lying second on nine, six more than Hoffenheim in third  meaning the Gunners will advance to the last eight if they avoid defeat.

Eidevaal, whose team are currently a point clear of Chelsea at the top of the Women’s Super League, added: “I believe in the game plan we have.