Rehanne's five-point preview - Sheffield United
With one game left, Spurs Women Head Coach Rehanne Skinner is aiming to finish the 2020/21 season strongly when we play host to Sheffield United in the Fifth Round of the Vitality Women's FA Cup on Sunday (2pm kick-off).
1 – Momentum
The team wrapped up the 2020/21 WSL campaign with victory at Birmingham City last weekend, and Rehanne underlined the importance of taking another positive result into the close season…
Rehanne: “Birmingham was a much-needed win for us - three points, clean sheet… massive. To finish the WSL season on a win was fantastic, and the players worked hard towards achieving that. We came off the back of a difficult run, played some difficult teams but, ultimately, we needed a performance and the points and that’s what we delivered.
"I’m a big believer in momentum and how you manage it in games, as well as across games. Earlier in the season, when I first came to the club (December), we had that momentum (three straight wins in the WSL) but we then had disruptions, matches postponed and struggled to get our form back. It’s really important for us to take the win against Birmingham into this weekend against Sheffield United, hopefully keep ourselves in the FA Cup, and then we’ll be in a great place to start next season.”
2 – Team news
We reported last week that midfielder Alanna Kennedy and goalkeeper Aurora Mikalsen were out for the season – how was the squad looking ahead of Sunday?
Rehanne: “Alanna and Aurora are the only two out, otherwise, the news is really positive in terms of the squad. We’re fit and raring to go.”
3 – Sheffield United
Currently fourth in the FA Women’s Championship, the division below the WSL, Sheffield United are on a run of one defeat in nine…
Rehanne: “They’ve done a really good job in the Championship this season, kept a lot of clean sheets, scored from set-plays and there are lots of things that we need to be aware of. You never underestimate any opposition in the FA Cup. That’s what the competition is all about, essentially, matches where teams can create a bit of an upset. We have to focus on our jobs and make sure what we do makes the difference.
"They have momentum and we have to be ready for a battle. Individually, they have players who can hold the ball up and bring others into play, and a couple of really technically gifted players as well. So, they have ability, and the desire to want to cause an upset. Just by the nature of the league they will come here as underdogs, but we can’t look at it that way. We have to do our jobs properly.”
4 – Last 8
The team reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup for the first time last season – how much of a motivation was it for Rehanne and the players to match that, and hopefully go even further when the competitions resumes at the start of next season?
Rehanne: “There are lots of different aspects that we want to chip away at as a young Spurs team in the context of how long we’ve been at the top end of the women’s game. For me personally, it’s an opportunity for us to think, ‘we want to reach those heights in this competition again’, and this is a really good test for us. It’s another challenge that enables us to keep moving towards the target of where we want to be in the future so, yes, it is a massive motivation.”
5 – FA Cup
Historically the glamour cup competition in English football, in both the men’s and women’s game, we asked Rehanne if the FA Cup still holds that magic…
Rehanne: “For me, the FA Cup is as important as ever. Obviously, the Champions League has become something high on the agenda, but you will never take away the history and special nature of the FA Cup, it will always be there in English culture and it’s such a big part of English football history, for men and women. That makes it a special competition. I’ve been involved at all different levels.
"I won it as a coach at Arsenal in 2011, 10 years ago. I remember the final really well. I had my young nephew, Kiani, with me that day, he was 11 or 12, and he used to come to all types of football matches with me. After the final, he had a photo with Rachel Yankee. He’s now a coach himself. That inspired him to want to be involved in women’s football. In many ways, the FA Cup is more than winning a trophy. It’s what the competition represents, everything you’ve worked for is there when you get your hands on that trophy. It’s an unbelievable feeling, and hopefully we’ll experience it sometime soon with Spurs.”