Arsenal captain Leah Williamson hailed her side’s on-pitch chemistry in their 4-0 victory over Reading on Sunday, maintaining that the ruthless cohesion is more reflective of the squad’s standards of “what Arsenal should be”.
The Gunners took an early lead over the Royals as Kim Little converted a penalty inside five minutes before Frida Maanum doubled the lead just before the interval. An own goal from Emma Mukandi in the second-half followed by Williamson’s strike fired Arsenal into a comfortable victory.
It was a more than deserving scoreline in a match fluidly and comprehensively dominated by the Gunners, which kept them within three points of Manchester United who sit second in the table having played a game more.
And the Lionesses captain lauded her team’s ability to translate their off-pitch camaraderie into a third win on the bounce.
"You know us as a team: we're the tightest," Williamson told Arsenal's website. "One of the tightest I've ever played in but sometimes you just need to click out there and I think you're seeing that at the minute. It's not a tangible thing, it's just something that you feel.
"Everyone's just super focused and the energy, that high - when you're like that, you have to just take advantage of it."
Williamson’s goal capped off an exceptional performance in a less familiar role in midfield for the 25-year-old. Despite expressing her delight at the role and the overall performance, Williamson, who saw her goal disallowed against Liverpool earlier in the week, conceded that she spurned the opportunity to bag a hat-trick.
"I should have had three, I think! I should have had a hat trick, so we'll take it but I'm sure that will be the feedback."
Arsenal don’t return to competitive action until 21 March when they travel to Bayern Munich for their first-leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash.
And Williamson maintained that the break represents a welcomed opportunity to prepare for a gruesome run of fixtures as they continue their bid for European success.
"I think firstly, enjoy the break. We've got a week of just training and putting in hard work,” Williamson said. “But I think the ruthlessness that you're seeing that's what Arsenal should be, whilst also being as tight as we are.”
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