Stina Blackstenius: Arsenal striker spells out Women's Super League title ambitions ahead of crucial north London derby

There is scarcely a more durable sequence of fixtures in world soccer. Tottenham, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Manchester United. All within the area of three season-defining weeks.

That’s the duty ahead of Arsenal Women. A cluster of video games that may spell out the phrases of their marketing campaign.

Will or not it’s one that’s celebrated with a League Cup trophy within the cupboard, and a run at honours in two additional competitions? Or one of these nearly-but-not-quite sort of years – the kind that solely get remembered in short.

The sort that features fleeting moments of pleasure and jubilation however in the end ends in disappointment, like a 110m hurdler who clears the primary eight boundaries however collides with the ultimate two.

The Gunners’ season is finely poised. In some ways they’re down, however actually not out. They might want to chase a one-goal deficit within the second leg of their Champions League assembly with Bayern subsequent week, whereas additionally sustaining home ambitions by maintaining tempo with the Women’s Super League elite. Not simple.

Jonas Eidevall’s squad has been stretched this time period, owing to season-ending accidents to each Beth Mead and Viv Miedema round Christmas. Such rotten luck has the potential to derail a whole operation in a heartbeat, however absence doubles as alternative in soccer. “We miss them; they are a big loss,” fellow ahead Stina Blackstenius instructed Sky Sports in an unique chat at Arsenal’s rain-soaked coaching base, having simply are available in from a very damp out of doors session.

“It’s like this in Sweden,” she remarked as she took her seat, as if to determine frequent floor. The striker is well-versed in crummy climate, the type that each one English natives are accustomed to. “We got soaked this morning,” she added, smiling, earlier than leaning again in a relaxed method as if to sign a readiness to deal with any query – weather-related or in any other case – head on.

The chat began with Tuesday’s journey to Munich. In some methods, a illustration of Arsenal’s season – packed to the rafters with trade and endeavour, if missing somewhat in finish product. “It was frustrating because we didn’t get the result we wanted,” Blackstenius admitted, “but we also have in mind we have everything to play for,” she added swiftly within the subsequent breath.

“We know we can turn the result around. We had a good second half in Germany and I think there is a lot of good stuff we can bring to next week’s game. We had a few chances and need to be more clinical. We feel like we deserved a goal. But in these games opportunities are rare and we need to be finishing them off. We have a strong mentality, and we know we can score goals.”

Blackstenius herself takes strain in her stride. The expectation to attain objectives comes with the territory, she acknowledges, however removed from letting the strain engulf her, she tries to place the “responsibility” – as she phrases it – to good use.

“As a striker you always want to score. From the outside, everyone is looking on you to score. It’s easy to get in a mindset where you feel pressure, but I focus on my game. I know that I can bring more to this team than just goals, but I also know that is my job. As a striker, I want to be a part of the whole game – I want to help my team-mates defend, I want to create chances. You always have pressure, it’s just about how you handle it. Ultimately, if we win the game, I’m so happy.”

Winning is strictly what must occur from right here – and nothing much less. Arsenal aren’t the frontrunners. They want to come back from behind if they’ve designs on multiple winner’s medal this season. They have a five-point shortfall to make up within the league, which, at this level within the season, may nicely be insurmountable. But that is not how Blackstenius sees it – that is not how Arsenal function.

“It’s so much about confidence,” she continued. “There are rather a lot of video games nonetheless to play and every little thing is feasible. Until then we have to do our job and acquire as many factors as we are able to. I do not wish to say we’re out of the race as a result of we keep in mind that something can occur. We cannot cease believing. It’s obligatory and vital that we nonetheless have perception.

“It’s a tough schedule but it’s these games that we play for. We really need to be at our best and that’s exciting. We were really happy about the [League Cup] title – I was happy to win a first trophy for Arsenal. But it makes us strive to win more. We’re growing in confidence as a team. It makes us stronger to know what we’re capable of and also makes us believe we can achieve a lot when we’re at our best, that’s what it takes. You saw against Chelsea how good we can be at our best.”

The Gunners are harmful, and fortunes are changeable. Blackstenius demonstrated as a lot when side-footing via the legs of Mille Bright and past the clutches of Ann-Katrin Berger to stage the Conti Cup ultimate towards the Blues just a few weeks again – a tie Arsenal dominated from that second onwards. Blackstenius set the tone, ushering within the sort of rampant efficiency followers had turn out to be accustomed to when Mead and Miedema have been accessible. The end result, greater than being deserved, has had an uplifting impact.

“I felt like we needed it,” Blackstenius mirrored. “We showed ourselves. It’s hard being on that level all the time but we know that’s the level we can play at. We shouldn’t settle for less. We have to strive to be consistent in that way. It was a really nice way of showing what we are capable of. Lifting the trophy and celebrating something together means something, after such a strong performance.”

This weekend the requirement isn’t any totally different, however maybe the stakes are larger. “It’s a huge game,” Blackstenius stated, the second the dialog pivoted to the prospect of Saturday’s north London derby, dwell on Sky Sports. The temper, relaxed earlier than, turned considerably extra severe.

“It’s an enormous one. We had such an amazing expertise on the Emirates the final time we performed Tottenham, with all our followers – a report crowd. I understand how a lot it means for our followers so it is one thing we sit up for. We’re excited. Three factors is what is required.

“It means a lot to play in these games. It creates this extra spark. You can feel it in the atmosphere. Derbies are special, no matter where you are, but since I came here I’ve seen it from a different perspective. It’s so much bigger than I maybe thought, in a good way. It’s amazing because it brings the fans together and we want to play for them, and with them. We play this game as one club.”

This would be the seventh north London derby contested in WSL historical past, with Spurs but to win a sport. Indeed, whereas the general image, in league phrases, maybe favours rival golf equipment, this fixture is managed and dominated by the purple half of north London.

“We have had nice experiences against Spurs,” Blackstenius summarised. “You can tell how much it means to beat them. It’s just different, in a really special way.”

Watch Tottenham vs Arsenal dwell on Sky Sports Football on Saturday from 2.30pm; kick-off 3pm

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