By Isaac Moore
“To have lost and conceded four goals at the Emirates was gutting. We’ve got to bounce back now. I think people are thinking that we’re done and dusted already but we want to put it behind us.”
Those were the words of Arsenal Ladies’ top scorer Ellen White as the Gunners look to register their first win in the Super League when they travel to Lincoln on Wednesday. The 4-0 defeat to Liverpool was the Ladies’ first in the league since July 2011 but White is convinced the loss will only make the team even more determined to retain their title.
“Hopefully the Liverpool game can push us onto better performances and results in the future. There’s 13 games to go and it’s only the beginning of the season which is what we need to look at,” said White.
"Hopefully the Liverpool game can push us onto better performances and results in the future"
Ellen White
Recent history suggests Arsenal Ladies are certainly not ‘done and dusted’. After the FA Cup semi-final defeat to Chelsea last season, their league form was nothing short of excellent, and the 24-year-old is confident they can put together a similar run this time around.
“We have mentioned that. We responded really well after the Chelsea game last year so hopefully we can do it again,” White said.
Ellen White
Saturday’s narrow win at home to Birmingham in the Continental Cup bought a good response from Shelley Kerr’s team, but three points against Lincoln is what White thinks is required to put the Liverpool game well and truly behind them.
“We still didn't perform how we'd have liked to against Birmingham, but we won and that's somewhere to go from. It was good to get some frustration out,” said White.
Lincoln Ladies have also had an indifferent start to their campaign, taking only a single point from a possible nine. But White is under no illusions about the task they face at Sincil Bank Stadium.
"We’ve got such amazing players within the whole squad. It’s always a privilege to play in this team because when they are at their best and putting chances on a plate for you it’s great as a striker"
Ellen White
“They’ve got strength throughout their side. They have a great collectiveness and always fight until the end. We know it will be difficult but we need to focus on our own game and get the three points.
“The positive for us is that we drew there a couple of weeks ago so we know what went wrong and what we can improve on,” White added.
It was White who scored a late equaliser to secure that draw against Lincoln in the Continental Cup just under a fortnight ago and playing teams on such a regular occasion is something Kerr’s team will have to get used to. After tonight’s game the Gunners face three encounters with Bristol Academy in as many competitions before the month is out.
“When we're playing teams back to back, every game is slightly different because you may be playing in a different competition. We just take each game as it comes,” White said.
The England international has been in scintillating form this season, scoring six goals in her last seven, but she was quick to heap praise on her team-mates as the reason for her recent success in front of goal.
“We’ve got such amazing players within the whole squad. It’s always a privilege to play in this team because when they are at their best and putting chances on a plate for you it’s great as a striker.
“It’s always nice to score goals but I just need to keep plugging away and help the team win more games.”
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