Crystal Palace boss Laura Kaminski has highlighted the resilience of her side in their quest to avoid the drop in the Women’s Super League after they achieved promotion last season.
The Eagles are winless in their last six games as they travel to the Broadfield Stadium on Sunday in search of some desperately needed points in their fight for survival.
In the reverse fixture earlier this season, Brighton edged past Palace when Bruna Vilamala’s first-half goal proved to be the key difference between the sides.
Speaking in her press conference on transfer deadline day, Kaminski made no comment regarding any more players coming through the door but stated she is “happy” with the progress of her two new additions.
“I am really happy, we have announced Clarissa [Larisey] and Ria [Oling]. We’ve welcomed them with open arms and they’ve been really refreshing in training. They’ve really sharpened up and starting to get at the races now,” she told reporters.
The Eagles fought back from 2-0 down last week against a tough Tottenham Hotspur side, before Spurs clinched a winner late in the game. Just seconds away from what could’ve been a vital point, Kaminski expressed her disappointment, and said “there’s no doubt about it: I was gutted for the group. I thought their second half performance showed everything; character, grit, determination.”
Embed from Getty Images“To go in at half-time 2-0 down and come back to fight with two very good goals, I thought we showed great resilience, but I was bitterly disappointed in the 95th minute.”
“There were so many positives, for a newly promoted side to go toe-to-toe with a side that is pushing the top half of the table beyond for several years shows some really positive signs for us.”
She continued: “We need to have the mindset and mentality that we are here to fight every week. We have to believe in-house that performing like that, reacting like that, and showing that determination will eventually spin round for us when we get something to take away.”
When questioned if she sees this fixture as ‘extra important’ due to the rivalry, Kaminski said: “I know our fans will be there and despite disappointing results in recent weeks, they’ve shown commitment to the cause and kept following us with great positivity.”
“As for a derby, every game for us in this moment in time is huge. Week by week we’ve got to be able to compete in every single game and this game is no different to any other.”
Earlier this season in the reversed fixture, Brighton edged past Palace when Bruna Vilamala’s first-half goal proved to be the key difference between the sides, and Kaminski has highlighted the positives from that performance.
Embed from Getty Images“It was a narrow loss, what’s important to recognise is how close we were, how well we played on the day in the very early stages of our WSL journey as a team.”
“We have come on a lot since then, as a group and with new additions, so this is coming to us as a new look because we played them when things were very different and I have to take note of the progression the group has made.”
With the results favouring for the teams around them on Sunday, the South London side sit rock bottom of the WSL, but the Palace boss is remaining focus on what her side can control.
She said: “Other results fall in or out of favour, I can’t control those, but we control our own luck and we control our own destiny – we want to work hard to take luck out of the equation.”
“The trophy in-house will be just as big to stay up as it was to get up, that feeling is what we are after and we have to make sure we get to work everyday in this building. I believe we can and everything I do is to work towards that goal for the group.”
“As a leader, my dedication and commitment is very important, I know that I’ll have to be consistent for the group. I don’t wobble, I won’t change. I’m first in the building every morning and will continue to be for the foreseeable future and my commitment, energy and passion is the same as ever.”
“I know what this team can achieve, I know what we can do together and for me that everyday has to be the message,” she concluded.
Brighton & Hove Albion host Crystal Palace at the Broadfield Stadium on Sunday 2nd February, with kick off at 14:00 GMT.