Louise Quinn wants Ireland to replicate Brum's Arsenal shock
Republic of Ireland WNT Media Event, Castleknock Hotel, Dublin 5/4/2022
Louise Quinn has identified the ideal blueprint to serrate the sturdy Swedes on Tuesday – replicate the formula her Birmingham City deployed against Arsenal.
Brum’s 2-0 win over the Gunners in January remains the shock result of the Women’s Super League this season.
It’s the sole loss suffered by the title contenders who have beaten all their main rivals, including Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United.
In contrast, their conquerors haven’t tasted victory in any other league game across 2021 and 2022.
That’s one win in 32 matches since November 2020, unsurprisingly leaving them anchored to the bottom and requiring a miraculous recovery in their remaining four games to avoid the drop.
Quinn captained the Blues to their standout result, completing the job alongside Irish teammates Harriet Scott, Jamie Finn and Lucy Quinn.
Arsenal had no excuses. All their international array of gems, from Germany, Denmark, Switzerland and the Netherlands, were on the pitch. So too was Ireland captain Katie McCabe.
Quinn and McCabe will share unity of purpose in attempting to stall the Swedish stroll towards next year’s World Cup on Tuesday.
They’ve amassed the full 15 points so far and won’t be settling for the one more they require against the Irish in Gothenburg to seal qualification.
An expected full house at the 14,463-seater Gamla Ullevi will be baying for goals but Quinn can draw on that recent experience of frustrating an overwhelming favourite.
“The win over Arsenal shows what can be achieved by executing a game-plan,” noted the centre-back.
“There was nothing we had to change too much from training, maintain the intensity and not let Arsenal into the game.
“We have to stop Sweden’s best players from doing what they are good at. That could literally be pulling them to the ground, making sure we’re closing them so fast that Caroline Seger cannot turn and ping the ball to Stina Blackstenius. That would be a bit of a win.”
Ireland have applied those tactics in perceived lobsided challenges on the road with varying results. Whereas it took a simple corner routine for Germany to breach their resistance in Essen during the last campaign, there were so such lapses against the Dutch, then the European champions, in 2017.
Silencing the Swedish crowd, neutralising the carnival atmosphere of Europe’s top team qualifying at a canter, is the first task.
“You see that all the time that games can get massively frustrating for these teams,” added Blessington native Quinn.
“I’ve been in that position myself when playing for Arsenal. If you are going in nil-all at half-time against a team you should be beating, you can get a little bit snappy, lose the head and force things too much.
“Of course, that’s part of it, but you also have to be clinical on the ball when you get those chances.
“If we get them turned, or if Lucy Quinn or Heather Payne is running at them, I know as a defender in training I’m shitting myself.”
Befuddlement also gripped the Swedes when Quinn was thrust into attack during the reverse fixture at Tallaght last October.
Chasing an equaliser to cancel out her unfortunate own-goal, the default Plan B of going long was employed, creating some nervous moments for the top seeds.
“It’s always interesting that the change poses a different threat,” she mused ahead of her 94th cap of an international career that has so far included 13 goals, the last against Poland in February.
“Sweden changed their back-line for me going up top in Dublin and were ready for it which is a bit of a compliment.
“Of course, I know from playing club football in Sweden how organised they are. They will have every detail covered.”
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