Jonas Eidevall has pinpointed the biggest difference between Arsenal and Chelsea following the Blues' 2-0 victory over the Gunners in the Fifth Round of the Women's FA Cup - and just days before they face each other again.
Sophie Ingle opened the scoring just 21 minutes into the contest at Kingsmeadow before Sam Kerr ensured the Blues' passage to the quarter-finals with a cool finish just before the hour mark. The win marked the Australian's 100th Chelsea appearance, with Sunday's strike taking her tally to a staggering 81 goals in all competitions during that period.
It was a clinical display from Chelsea, who yielded two goals from just three shots on target. Arsenal meanwhile had 20 shots - 11 on target - but a combination of poor finishing and inspired goalkeeping from Ann-Katrin Berger led to a continuation of the Gunners' deficiencies in front of goal.
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"It’s not normal or ordinary to have so many more goalscoring opportunities than Chelsea at their ground where they are very strong," Eidevall said. "I don’t expect that when we come here we would create more than we did.
"I think we created enough to win the game but they are brutally efficient and we are we not. It’s so easy when you don’t convert your chances to start overthinking and think you need to start doing things differently.
"You need to trust your instincts and keep on going and we need to create that nice environment on the training ground so that we can then take that into the game."
Both Frida Maanum and Caitlin Foord went close for the visitors, while Stina Blackstenius was also guilty of some wayward finishing.
Reflecting on the chances spurned by his side, Eidevall said: "I would be worried if it was players that I’d never seen score goals. That would be different. But these are players that I know can score a lot of goals so it’s easier to keep the belief."
Indeed, keeping that belief is crucial if Arsenal are to force a different outcome when they meet Chelsea again in the Conti Cup Final at Selhurst Park next Sunday.
"When I see our performances against Chelsea I think we’re getting closer to them," Eidevall said. "I think today you see an Arsenal side that moves the ball well, that plays out of the pressure.
"You see a Chelsea side that is more hesitant. But I’m an optimist so I’m trying to see things we’re doing better and I can see the development but we need to keep working hard in order to give Chelsea an even harder match in the future."
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