Ahead of our Women's Super League match at home to Birmingham City, the head coach believes we can use a positive international break for our players to reset and build momentum through the next block of games - and that starts today.

Good afternoon and welcome to Emirates Stadium for our return to action in the Barclays Women’s Super League as we take on Birmingham City, a club with a long and rich tradition in women’s football. There have been times in the past when this was the biggest fixture in the English game, and we hope to make this a memorable occasion for all the right reasons. We’ve missed being here in north London and we can’t wait for the chance to play our best football again for you all. 

I think the international break and the natural reset that comes with it has been good for everyone. We’ve watched our players doing very well for their national teams, which has been fantastic to see. That’s something we have said all along: at Arsenal, we have a staggering amount of talent and we know that we can score goals, but that perfect rhythm has eluded us at the start of the season. I’m convinced they’ll bring that winning momentum back into our environment. 

For the players still at the training ground, the load and intensity reduced a small amount, but the quality on the pitch remained really high. It’s been a positive two weeks as we work out what comes next. 

As we approach this next block as a team, there will be opportunities to reflect on what we’ve learned, but we always aim to look forward. We have nine games in the next six weeks. We’re preparing all we can for the first step against Birmingham City, so the majority of our energy and focus is there, but it’s important to stay conscious of what’s to come. 

When the girls returned on Thursday, we were pragmatic as a group. We crystalised what we want it to look like when we play, when we are at our very, very best. How can we move towards that more often, as a collective? How can we put ourselves in those positions more often and be really clear with the behaviours and actions we need at each given moment? 

We have such strong foundations to build on here. The good things we have made together can get better. We all want to do everything we can to perform at the level Arsenal demands. There’s no preoccupation with any noise outside. All we can do is focus on our daily routines, to keep things light, positive and based on our strengths, and improve as a unit. To get the wins we deserve. Always forward. 

That said, we never want to work in isolation because you, the supporters, are so deeply important to us. We want to show the best version of ourselves to you on Saturday. That’s a massive driver for our performance. You should feel proud every time we play. We know that we’ve fallen short of the high standards we hold ourselves to and that we have to find our way back immediately. 

We’ve had three very tough away games in a row and now we come back to our home, determined to make it right. It’s a great moment for us to restart our journey and do it with fresh energy, together with the fans, at the place where we love to play the most. We thank you, as ever, for your incredible support and hope you enjoy the game – COYG!