“If a team is creating this many scoring chances against Chelsea, that gives me belief for the future” – Andrée Jeglertz optimistic despite loss | OneFootball

Andrée Jeglertz, Manchester City’s new Head Coach, took charge for the first time in the Barclays Women’s Super League in his side’s opening game against Chelsea.

He was not yet able to provide any updates on Alex Greenwood and Lily Murphy after they sustained injuries just before full-time. “Unfortunately, not. I just saw Lily leaving the stadium and haven’t talked much with Alex yet. Lily was in pain, but I don’t know much. We weren’t able to talk afterwards.”

His side, although they did not get the win, put up a good fight against Chelsea. He has full belief in what his squad can achieve this season.

“We need to be dynamic. It’s a key thing for players to be able to play in different positions. We have been working on that a lot. Also having the possibility to use players, for example Lauren Hemp, she’s played on the left side for many years, and now she’s played in the right side, and a little bit more inside. And having that possibility gives the team so many different ways to attack and more possibilities to create chances. We have also put a lot of energy in our high press, which I think we nailed in the second half.”

“Of course it’s about scoring goals. We conceded two. We created enough chances to get at least a point [but couldn’t capitalise on them], but that’s how it is.”

“I like players that are versatile like she [Lauren Hemp] is. When we play her on the left, she gives us something. When you play her more in the centre, she is getting more involved, she is a clever football player, she is good in combining with other players also. Having her on that side [the right side], and more central, gives more opportunities for her to combine with Bunny or Viv or Kerstin.”

Although City’s Captain, Alex Greenwood, usually plays as a central defender for the club, she was positioned as a left back today. “She is a great centre back. She is a great defender in general. But she also has a good left foot. And looking at how we were expecting Chelsea to play, we felt that we needed a player there that could open the game for us and also manage Carpenter or Kaneryd, or who was going to play on that side.”

Jeglertz does not see this game as a missed opportunity. “No, not at all. I can not affect what Chelsea is doing. I can only affect my team. Of course it’s a disappointment that we’re not scoring, but I also think it’s a long season. I would rather see it in a positive way. We should have scored, but if a team is creating this many scoring chances against Chelsea, that gives me belief for the future.”

His biggest take away from today was, “The belief. The team is strong. They keep on fighting, there were no players that were giving up. They keep on going. They have a lot of belief in what we are doing, and how we are doing it, and we almost got a point. So I would say that is a very important thing for the team, to have that strength.”

Manchester City will now recover and gear up for their first home game of the season, against Brighton and Hove Albion, on Friday 12 September 19:30 BST [20:30 CET].