Lotte Wubben-Moy discusses ‘Arsenal DNA’ after Man City WSL deadlock | OneFootball

Lotte Wubben-Moy spoke to the media after Arsenal drew 2-2 with Manchester City in their opening Women’s Super League clash. The centre-back was frustrated not to take all three points from Sunday’s meeting at the Emirates but touched on the club’s footballing identity and how they managed to turn the game around.

Wubben-Moy was a key player for Arsenal last season. A homegrown talent, the 25-year-old has come up through the ranks of the North London club’s Academy. After putting in a characteristically strong shift as the WSL got underway, the England international praised Jonas Eidevall’s substitutes, highlighted her love for an electric Emirates Stadium, and shed some light on the Gunners’ tactical approach.

Wubben-Moy described the match as ‘very competitive’, likening it to a ‘game of chess’. Man City were eager to get off to a strong start as they look to challenge once again for the WSL title. The Citizens missed out on the trophy last season on goal difference as Chelsea scooped their fifth in a row.

“I’d like to think it was enjoyable for the fans, but for us as a team, I think we’re slightly disappointed not to come away with the win and to concede two goals,” Wubben-Moy reflected. “You never want to do that, particularly in the fashion that it happened, both fairly scrappy, I think avoidable. So yeah, start of the season, definitely a lot to build on.”

A contest of character

The defender had much to say about the stylistic choices made by Arsenal heading into this highly-anticipated fixture.

“Arsenal as a club, it has always been in our DNA to play short, to drag out the opponent. But in every case, you need to have multiple tools in your arsenal, and to be able to drag out their sixes — or their six in Yui [Hasegawa] — to then be able to look maybe for the dink ball into the pocket. Or over the top as we’ve sucked them in.

“I think that’s important for City. I don’t think their press worked as well as they’d hoped.”

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Asked about Arsenal’s use of long balls throughout the duration of the close competition, a confident Wubben-Moy detailed the progressive contributions of herself and her defensive teammates.

“I call them long passes because they’re accurate, and our intention is to manipulate them. So, whether it’s a long pass into the channel for either Stina [Blackstenius] or Beth [Mead] to run on to — or if it’s a long pass out to the full-back because they shifted across completely — the wingers were jumping onto the centre-backs and it meant that we could go in-to-out. We executed that pretty well.

“Arsenal’s DNA, it’s not necessarily just about playing short. I think we use that, but then we also know when the moments are to go beyond.”

Making no provision

Wubben-Moy shared her thoughts after a crowd of more than 40,000 turned out in N5. Arsenal have committed to playing eight of this season’s WSL ties at their main stadium.

“We’ve made this our home. That was a bit of a narrative at the beginning of last season, that we weren’t doing so well at the Emirates, but I think we’ve flipped that on its head. We’re going into this season knowing that this is kind of like our fortress. This is home for us.”

Speaking of proving oneself, and making the most of an opportunity, the key player touched on the crucial role of Arsenal’s substitutes during the tense stalemate. Alessia Russo and Beth Mead were both named on the bench and came on in the second half. Wubben-Moy praised the duo for ‘flipping the game on its head’, as Mead buried the equalising goal.

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“It says a lot about our team in terms of the depth that we have. With the Champions League campaign (hopefully) coming up, we’re going to need every single person.”

Arsenal’s attention now turns to Damallsvenskan side BK Häcken, as the Gunners prepare for their home leg of the second UEFA Women’s Champions League qualification round.

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