By OkayGoal 
Arsenal head coach Renee Slegers was delighted by the performance of Olivia Smith against Lyon in the UEFA Women’s Champions League on Sunday.
The defending champions came from behind to defeat Lyon 2-1 at the Emirates in the first leg of the semi-final.
In her programme notes ahead of Wednesday evening’s Women’s Super League match against Leicester City, Slegers wrote: “Liv’s performance at the weekend is precisely why we brought her here. She’s able to take all of our theoretical ideas in team meetings and translate them onto the pitch, and it’s brilliant to watch.
“For her to have all the abilities she has at her age makes the future even more exciting for her and for us. I love the fact that she’s a part of Arsenal.”
Smith signed for the Gunners last summer, costing them the first seven-figure fee in women’s football.
Renee Slegers on Leah Williamson
Slegers also had words of praise for Leah Williamson, who played two-thirds of the game as she seeks match fitness.
“It was also great to see Leah back with us because she’s such an important figure for us, on and off the pitch,” wrote the coach.
“Of course it’s tempting to keep her on the field for the full 90 minutes when it’s a Champions League semi-final, but we have to consider the future. We have enough quality and flexibility in our squad to accommodate easing players back in after injury, so I was happy with the decision we made.”
Arsenal have three games in hand on the rest of the WSL big guns, with five more games to play due to their Champions League commitments. Currently in fourth place, they are Manchester City’s only realistic contenders for the title at this point; City – who have two games left – are 11 points clear of them.
“The schedule has left us with more games in hand than any other team, heading into the final month of the season but all we can control is our performances,” reflected Slegers.
“We have to turn the pressure into an advantage as we look to build momentum.”
