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Arsenal vs Hoffenheim: Jonas Eidevall wants response to Barcelona setback in Women's Champions League

Eidevall said following their 4-1 humbling against Barcelona that the Catalans were "the best team I've ever played against in men's or women's football offensively"; WSL leaders Arsenal are in Group C action on Thursday against Hoffenheim who are currently fifth in the Women's Bundesliga

Jonas Eidevall
Image: Jonas Eidevall wants a strong display from his Arsenal team at Borehamwood on Thursday against Hoffenheim

Jonas Eidevall wants a "really solid" performance when Arsenal host Hoffenheim in the Champions League on Thursday as they look to bounce back from their heavy loss at Barcelona.

Eidevall's side were thumped 4-1 by Barca in their Group C opener last week, with the defending champions being denied a fifth by Manuela Zinsberger saving Alexas Putellas' stoppage-time penalty.

Meanwhile Hoffenheim - making their debut in the competition this term - saw off Danish side Koge 5-0 in Germany.

The Gunners boss told a press conference: "We want to win every game that we play, we want to do our best, so nothing changes.

"We have played one game, we have five games more to go in the group stage. We need to have five really solid performances and it needs to start with one tomorrow.

"They are definitely going to try to impose themselves on us. It's going to be high intensity, lots of sprinting, duels, they are going to be really aggressive, which gives us very little time with the ball, and trying to make things as uncomfortable as possible for us."

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Speaking on the Monday Night Football WSL Special, Kelly Smith and Karen Carney debate whether Arsenal or Chelsea have the stronger squad.

Last week, Eidevall said he and his players "went into a state of shock" in the game against Barcelona, and described the Catalan outfit as "the best team I've ever played against in men's or women's football offensively".

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He added on Wednesday: "I think Barcelona played exceptionally well against us.

"That's one opponent. Now we play Hoffenheim - it is also a very good team, but not to take anything away from Hoffenheim, but Barcelona is on another level, and so this will be a different game."

Arsenal's flawless start to the 2021/22 Women's Super League season
Image: Arsenal's flawless start to the 2021/22 Women's Super League season

Following the defeat to Barcelona, Arsenal continued their superb start to the Women's Super League season on Sunday with a 3-0 win against Everton at Meadow Park.

They lead the table by three points after five wins from five games, across which they have scored 19 times and conceded just twice.

Asked if there being lots of talk about Arsenal due to their start brought extra pressure, and was something he had noticed, Eidevall, who succeeded Joe Montemurro in June, said: "No, not much.

"I don't have a TV, I barely have any Wifi in my house in the UK. So for me, no - for others I don't know because I don't know what is being written or talked about."

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Kelly Smith and Karen Carney analyse the impact that new head coach Jonas Eidevall has had on Arsenal since taking over.

Having come off the bench in the Barcelona and Everton games as she made her return to action after an ankle injury, Arsenal midfielder Jordan Nobbs was then left out of Sarina Wiegman's England squad for this month's World Cup qualifiers against Northern Ireland and Latvia.

Wiegman on Tuesday said Nobbs was "pretty close, she just needs to get more minutes".

When asked about the 28-year-old, Eidevall said: "I think Jordan has had a very good return from her injury, and that she would have been ready if Sarina would have liked to pick her for camp.

"I haven't spoken to her (Nobbs) personally about it, (but) of course I would assume she would be disappointed if she doesn't get selected.

"Jordan is a high-quality player, I'm really happy having her at Arsenal and I hope, on the minutes she plays, there are many and she can show she has quality enough to be an England player again."

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