Robert de Pauw says his Aston Villa side need to maintain a positive mindset as they look to turn some promising performances into results.
Villa looked on course for their first Barclays Women’s Super League win of the season today at the Joie Stadium against Manchester City after Gabi Nunes put them ahead going into halftime – but the home side came back in the second half courtesy of Lauren Hemp and Jill Roord, handing De Pauw’s side another frustrating loss.
Embed from Getty ImagesWhat did Robert de Pauw say?
“I think we started well – we were compact, we were organised, we executed the plan we had. We were quite comfortable on the ball even under the high pressure of City. We didn’t create super-much but in the moments that we created something it was dangerous.
“Second half we lost the ball too easily – we should take more care of the ball. When you lose the ball too easily it’s hard to keeper pressure on the ball and then City are very comfortable on the ball and very good on the ball. This resulted in two goals from them which I think is also deserved from their side in that moment. Then they thought ‘ok, it’s finished’, they dropped a little bit – we went to take a risk, play one-on-one on the whole pitch. We got a big chance I think with Sarah Mayling, and like last week against Leicester it didn’t go in – so it feels very frustrating because these are also moments that you can take and then you go away with a different feeling.”
Asked how he wanted his players to respond after the international break, De Pauw said: “To keep a positive mindset and keep believing in ourselves. We could have come here and given up before the game and we didn’t – we showed resilience and tenacity in the first half and also I think at the end we kept fighting. This is what I expect from them and I truly believe that if you keep fighting and keep going for your chances then things can turn.
“Of course we want results, that’s the end goal, but I truly believe that if you put in the right things then results will come. And if results don’t come then it will be hard but we have to keep pushing.”
Embed from Getty ImagesVilla’s opener came courtesy of summer signing Gabi Nunes, who capitalised on a counter-attack to flick home Kirsty Hanson’s cross. Reflecting on the Brazilian’s performance, the manager told reporters: “I think she was very disciplined also in defending today. She was a little bit unlucky with the ref that did not always give her a foul committed on her, so I think she has to keep going like she does and she can be a real difference-maker for our team.”
The visitors looked under the kosh far more in the second half, with Villa’s defence eventually giving way in the 62nd minute to Lauren Hemp’s equaliser. On the difference between the two halves, De Pauw reflected: “We didn’t keep the ball, so we had to defend more. So it looks like we didn’t want to push up on the second half – our plan at halftime was just to do the same and push up, but we lost the ball too easily and then. because you have transitions every time, it’s hard to keep the pressure on the ball, which City will exploit with the qualities they have.
“There are lots of positive things to take from every game – I think against Spurs we were very dominant, and we had a defensive mistake in the end which should not happen. Against Leicester, very dominant – but we did not put it away. What happened today – one chance, goal – I would play every player a beer if we did that last week!”
Embed from Getty ImagesWith his side now having put in promising displays against Chelsea on opening weekend and today against City, FromTheSpot asked De Pauw what he feels is needed for Villa to get results from games like this. “I think in game management the players still can learn something, to know when to slow the game down or to keep the ball under pressure. When we played Chelsea in the beginning but also here when we were in front, just to be a little bit mature in some moments. I think football is a game of moments, there are just little moments that we should be more clinical but also defend a little but better. I think that’s the difference-maker at this moment.”
After the international break, Villa will continue their search for a first win when they host Liverpool on 3rd November.