ReactionAmber Whiteley assesses Tottenham draw: 'We needed to be more clinical'
Amber Whiteley believed Liverpool FC Women needed more 'composure' and 'calmness' in the final third during their draw with Tottenham Hotspur.
The Reds played out a 2-2 contest against Spurs at St Helens Stadium on Sunday lunchtime, with Sophie Roman Haug on target twice for the home team.
Liverpool took the lead through the striker but were left trailing at the half-time break after a quick turnaround, before the No.10 netted again to restore parity early in the second half.
Post-match, Whiteley gave her reaction to the result and performance to the media. Read a summary below.
On her assessment of the game…
A good game for the neutral, I imagine. We’re disappointed with the two goals we conceded in the first half. They were uncharacteristic of us, both from the open-play goal and from the corner. We did well in the second half, a good response to peg them back early and we created good opportunities in the second half, we just needed to be more clinical.
On the nature of the match…
We definitely created enough in open play. But we needed to be more clinical in those moments, we needed a bit more composure and calmness in that final third.
On Roman Haug’s two goals…
Really pleased for Sophie, she took both of her goals really well. She is such a threat from dead-ball situations. And she took both of her opportunities really well today.
On how close Roman Haug is to being at her best…
I thought Sophie was brilliant today. The change in the second half [Roman Haug replaced by Cornelia Kapocs] was to try to introduce a bit more pace in the top line and to give them another threat going forward, another problem to try to solve. Sophie was excellent today.
On the quality within the WSL…
I said that in the huddle at the end there: there’s no easy game in this league. It’s always going to be fine margins and if you don’t quite execute, you don’t go home with all three points. We weren’t quite at our best today but did enough I think to win the game, but not clinical enough.
On trying to secure fifth place…
Obviously we’re in a good position. It’s really important. It’s a goal for us, to finish fifth. Full focus now turns to Everton, we’ve got to take learnings from this game and prepare well for a tough test next week.
On an Anfield derby with Everton next up…
It’s a huge privilege and an honour every single time to lead this team out. An exciting game to look forward to next week. I’ll feel proud there stood on the sideline at Anfield.
On whether it is helpful to have already won at Anfield this season…
Yeah, I think it was important for us to get that win, that first [WSL] win at Anfield and it was a great performance and result against Manchester United. We'll take huge confidence from that one and take the positives from this game too into next week.
On Jenna Clark starting at right-back on Sunday…
I thought she did a really good job. That was the thinking behind putting her in there, her attacking threat going forward. I thought she did a great job today and caused them lots of problems, particularly in the first half. She was unfortunate not to create a goal or score herself.