Arsenal’s Catley Stays Positive After Close Loss to Chelsea
Arsenal and Matildas player Steph Catley believes her team is still in the running for the WSL title, even after a tough loss to Chelsea. The game, played in front of over 34,000 fans at Stamford Bridge, was decided by a controversial penalty kick late in the match. This defeat pushed Arsenal down to fourth place, now 10 points behind unbeaten Chelsea as they head into February.
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A Strong Attitude After the Game
Even though the loss was disappointing, Catley stood firm. She spoke after the match about how she still trusts her teammates to recover. “It’s disappointing because we were doing well and this was a great chance for us,” she told Optus Sport. “The match was close, and both teams had chances. We missed some big ones in the first half. In the second half, things opened up a bit, but it came down to a penalty. We still have many chances ahead, and we’ll bounce back.”
First Loss with New Coach Renee Slegers
This was Arsenal’s first loss under their new head coach, Renee Slegers. Slegers took over after Jonas Eidevall left the team. Even though the loss hurt, Catley thinks they’re still headed in the right direction. We’ve been building some momentum and playing good football. We have so many chances to do well this year, Catley said. We’re still in a great spot. We’re in the Champions League and have cups to play for. Today’s loss is tough, but we’ll look ahead.”
The Penalty That Changed Everything
The game’s key moment happened in the 82nd minute when Lauren James got a penalty after being fouled by Kim Little from Arsenal. Many fans debated if the foul was really enough for a penalty. Katie McCabe from Arsenal also got a second yellow card for speaking out against the call. Catley, who saw the play happen, chose not to say if she thought the call was right. “It’s tough in the moment; I was looking at a lot of things,” she said. I’m not going to make a call on that.
Talks About New Players
Now that Arsenal is more behind in the title race, some think the team might try to add new players before the January transfer window closes. Catley kept it simple, saying that the club is in good hands. The club has everything under control,” she said. “We’re a big club, and many players want to come here. I’m sure there will be signings. I’ll let the experts handle that.”
Catley’s positive attitude shows she’s focused on what’s next for Arsenal. She firmly believes the team can achieve great things in the future.
