West Ham turn focus to Arsenal as Skinner sees progress after Tottenham defeat | OneFootball

West Ham manager Rehanne Skinner reflected on her side’s narrow 1-0 defeat to Tottenham in their WSL opener, insisting there were positives to build on for the season ahead.

“I thought we played really well, stuck to the game plan, and exploited their right-hand side, which created good opportunities in and around the final third,” Skinner said. “But we could have been a little bit more ruthless in those moments.”

She highlighted the importance of the club’s summer signings in providing depth and continuity, something she felt had been missing in previous campaigns. “I’m really pleased with the squad and the way that we’ve grown it,” she said. “We’ve added some different experience, quality, and positional depth.”

There was no immediate update on Kinga Košmala, who was forced off after colliding with the goalpost. “She’s tough, so for her to come off the pitch it’s obviously something we’re going to have to deal with and assess over the next 24 hours,” Skinner explained.

Looking ahead, West Ham face another London derby against Arsenal next week in front of their home fans. “They’re a tough team to play,” Skinner admitted. “It’s just the next game, we’ll prepare the same and get ready to go in and play a tough test.”

Skinner also reflected on the broader growth of the women’s game following the Lionesses’ success at Euro 2025.

“You’ve got to mention the work that England did again in the summer,” she said. “These things have a massive impact on the growth of the game.”