Rehanne’s five-point preview - Aston Villa

Spurs Women Head Coach Rehanne Skinner looks ahead to Saturday’s Barclays FA Women’s Super League clash with Aston Villa at the Banks’s Stadium (12.30pm UK).

1 - Moving on from Chelsea

Three clinical first-half goals from Chelsea consigned us to our first defeat in seven games in last Sunday’s London derby. What did Rehanne make of the performance?

“We played very well in possession. We moved the ball at pace and created opportunities in the final third which we should have done better with. There were lots of promising aspects out of possession and pressing higher up the pitch. I think the biggest thing for us is being able to sustain that pressure. Honestly in the game, the first and second goal happening so close together was a turning point.

“After the first goal, we have got to be better at managing those moments to ensure we do not concede so quickly afterwards. It created a bad spell for us which was very difficult to get ourselves back on track from against a top-of-the-table team. It was always going to be an uphill struggle from that point.”

2 - Training

After our first setback under her stewardship, what has Rehanne made of the team’s response in training this week?

“The players are really proactive and have bought into what we are trying to achieve here. That was the first setback we have had in terms of our games but performance-wise there were a lot of positives. I asked them to bring some of the things together, in and out of possession, which I think we did for spells of the game.

"We probably didn’t test Chelsea enough after those three goals had gone in, but we still maintained a press towards the end of the game. We didn’t sink back and let that happen which shows character that we as a squad are trying to show more frequently.”

3 - Villa

Saturday’s trip to the Midlands presents a different challenge against a team battling for points at the other end of the table. In the reverse fixture at the Hive in December, 2020, goals from Alex Morgan and Rosella Ayane helped to seal a 3-1 victory. With a new manager now at the helm, did Rehanne expect different opposition?

“Obviously, they have changed the structure in terms of their coaching staff so we can expect them to be working hard to try and get some points. They are in a position in the table where it is quite crucial for them to gain points so you’ve got to expect a battle going into a game like that.

“From the game that they played recently they were very organised out of possession so we will have to work hard to break that down. For us, our focus is on continuing to do what we want to do and how we want to play. We did that very well for a spell against Chelsea and now we have to go and do that against the other teams in the league to make sure we get the points from those games.”

4 - Injury update

Goalkeeper Becky Spencer and forward Rachel Williams were both sidelined with injuries last weekend. What could Rehanne share with us about the injuries sustained and how long the pair are likely to be absent for?

“Unfortunately, Becky suffered an injury in training on the Friday prior to the Chelsea game which is going to put her out for a few weeks, we do not anticipate her to return before the international window has finished. Rachel is a similar timeline, and we expect her to be back a couple of weeks after the international break.

"It is a blow to the team for both of those players to not be involved but the recovery process is key. Rachel’s already down a good path in terms of her rehab and getting back on track and she is responding well. It is just going to be a case of time.”

5 - Debut on the way?

Will we see our new signing, So-hyun Cho, in action for the first time on Saturday?

“I think So-hyun has worked really hard in training. Obviously we’ve not had her here for very long, and we would like to get our new signings on the pitch. It’s really important for her to get integrated into the team as quickly as possible. We thought there might be an opportunity last weekend, but it didn’t feel like the right opportunity for her. We’re looking forward to her being involved with the squad this weekend.”