Marc Skinner spoke to MUTV after Manchester United suffered their first defeat of the WSL season to Chelsea, who ran out 3-1 winners.
Speaking post-match to the MUTV cameras, Skinner was asked if he felt United deserved something from the game and he said that, “maybe so, the first half was exactly what I thought from a big game, where it is a tight [battle], so I was pleased with that.
“However, I thought we could have been more expressive in our attacking in the first half. We could have moved their lines a bit quicker. [We could have] absorbed the ball in the front line [but] I thought Alessi was exceptional at doing that. I felt as though we could have learnt from that and used that”.
“I was really pleased with our energy but it took us far too long in the second half to really want to take the game [but] we will learn and we will grow but that is what is now expected from now on”.
Two quick goals in the second half gave Chelsea breathing space, but United scored through an excellent strike from Alessia Russo and Skinner acknowledges that his team is capable of moments like that but wants to see it on a more consistent basis, especially in the bigger matches, where there are key moments to grab the game by the scruff of the neck, particularly when it’s a tight affair.
“We have got the talent in the team to do that” acknowledges Skinner, however he also says that there needs to be a fine line between attacking and defending because “we cannot switch off at the back” as good players with great movements will punish you if you are not focused.
Fine lines at the highest level is what makes the difference as the games are so tight, meaning that one lapse of concentration could cost your team a goal for example, and this is what Skinner stressed post-match as he spoke to MUTV. “It is the small details in the big games that make a difference” says Skinner. “In the second half, it’s moments of speed of thought and concentration. It’s those moments in big games that we have to learn from, and we will”.
However, Skinner recognises that there has been plenty of progress from his team from the last time they played Chelsea, where they were beaten 4-2 on the final day of the WSL season. “What is pleasing for me from a loss is that it was a lot more closer than it was last year”.
The next challenge for Skinner and the team is to ensure that this defeat is just a small blip and that United continue their fine start to the season that saw them top the table before the clash against Chelsea.