Gareth Taylor: “We’re Playing Against The European Champions, There’s A Big Gulf In Levels”

A tumultuous season for the Liverpool Women has finally come to it’s conclusion, with another loss against Arsenal in front of the Anfield fans after a brace from Alessia Russo and a third from Mariona Caldentey. Zara Shaw came off the bench and scored her first league goal in front of the Kop, a Liverpool player’s dream, but it would be the only goal for the hosts in the match to send off Gemmas Bonner and Evans.

“Like a game of two halves for us,” manager Gareth Taylor told the press at the end.

“I think you can see, obviously, in the first half our intention is to be that kind of team, to be really on the front foot. But we’re playing against the European champions and there’s a big gulf in levels, and that’s what we’re striving to be. In the second half we have to fall into playing in a way that we don’t really want to, but of course we want it to be respectable.

“So, I think it’s a good one for us today because the easy thing for us to do is just pack the play up and try to defend, but Arsenal will undo you at some point. I prefer to try to be what we were in the first half, we just got really outdone by their level of physicality, and fitness as well was a big one. But particularly the physicality and the way they were able to move the ball quickly and run past us. The girls are aware of where we need to improve and where to get better, but there’s been some positive signs and, like I say, it was a bit of a game of two halves.”

The brightest spot of the day had to be the return of rising star Zara Shaw, appearing off the bench and scoring her first league goal. An academy graduate, senior career has been marred by injuries, but Taylor is optimistic that the young players like Shaw can make more of a difference next season.

“Yeah, there are good young players here, there are, but we need to build on that,” the manager explained.

“We can’t be super-reliant on these young players, we need to help them and surround them with better players, and I think Zara’s an exciting prospect, I really do. Maizie Trueman has been in exams all week, she’s 16 years old and sat on our bench today, and has sat on our bench for a lot of the season. So, we’re excited about where the future goes for those guys but of course we need to build on that and not be super-reliant on them.”

Now Taylor has his sights set on the summer transfer window and strengthening the admittedly thin squad he adopted at the start of the season. The January additions were welcomed with open arms, but he pointed out that there are still a lot of gaps to fill – especially with more players potentially leaving in the summer.

“I think it’s important, you know. We have targets, we have some areas of the pitch we need to fill, so I think the people behind the scenes are working hard on that,” Taylor said.

“The problem is these days that everybody’s trying to improve, trying to get better, so the fight is on. I think we look at the squad as a whole and I think in each line of the pitch we’re really trying to strive and improve.

“Of course, Jennifer Falk has been really big for us, we’re trying to keep her at the club if we possibly can. We’re really sensitive to her family situation that she has back in Sweden, so we are trying. But [I would] suggest it’s all over the pitch [we are looking to strengthen].”

For now, everyone deserves a long bath, a drink of their choice, and to rest on the knowledge that this grueling marathon of a season is finally over.