Arsenal boss Slegers on using Roger Federer for inspiration during bad run, van Domselaar form and dropping McCabe
The Gunners were beaten 2-1 by Lyon in the Champions League on Tuesday and are winless in the last four matches in all competitions.
“We are very open and honest with the players,” Slegers said ahead of his team’s match against Brighton on Sunday. “Staff and players, we all want the same thing.
“We have a common goal and we want to go in the same direction. When things are difficult for us right now, there is no one in the group who does not want to solve this problem and contribute to it. We all want the same thing.
“Of course, no one wants to turn the ball over on the field. There are certain actions that cost us dearly. We looked at everything together. It’s not just football. It’s part of it, psychology too. How we stay in matches, how we react in certain moments.
“I watched a really inspiring video of Roger Federer. What he did as a tennis player to get from one point to another. That’s all we watch and we do this together as a group.
“This week everything has been very honest and transparent. We have spent a lot of time together. What I see and what I take away is that everyone wants the same thing, everyone wants Arsenal to succeed.
“He talks about the percentage of games he’s won in his career and the percentage of points he’s won in his career. It’s really interesting.
“He talks about his mindset. The point he’s playing for right now is the most important point. But then it’s done. When that point is finished, he moves on to the next one.
“I think he won, as he said himself, 54% of his points. He’s one of the two best of all time in tennis. That says a lot about how he comes back after points and how good he really was at being good in the most important moments, the points that matter. It was a good inspiration.”
Slegers also supported goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar, who has struggled for fitness of late.
“She’s a really good goalie all around,” Slegers said. “We have a very strong goalkeeper union with Manu and Anneke.
“We are happy with the goalkeepers. They push and push each other every day. They are all strong and they make each other better. Who will play on Sunday, you will see. But I am really happy with both of them.”
And the Arsenal boss also claims midfielder Katie McCabe responded well by not starting in the defeat to Lyon.
“Of course the players want to play and that’s their motivation and they should have that motivation,” Slegers said. “I think we managed from the start with the players as a group to have such a good team and we have so many different qualities.
“Sometimes you start, sometimes you finish a game and sometimes you don’t play. That’s the reality of this team. I think that’s been clear to everyone from the beginning. That’s how we’ve handled things. Of course, there are individual conversations.”